Cerca:dark territory

BENJAMIN FINGER, JAMES PLOTKIN and MIA ZABELKA craft a mesmerizing sonic world that buzzes and drones, glitches and slithers, eventually careening into unexplored musical territory.

"Pleasure-Voltage" was born in the mind (and studio) of BENJAMIN FINGER - a composer, electronic music producer, DJ, photographer and film-maker based in Oslo / Norway who in recent years has become quite a prolific artist, expanding his stylistic palette from piano miniatures and off-kilter pop experiments to lysergic, dream-like sound collages spiced with gentle warmth and sublime melody. These ingredients are also characteristic on this latest work where FINGER set the musical frame before passing it on to his inspired collaborators: MIA ZABELKA who for decades now has been involved in countless projects, be it as musician (violin / electronics), curator or founder of the international sound art centre klang.haus and who has worked with a.o. JOHN ZORN, FRED FRITH, ELECTRIC INDIGO, ROBIN RIMBAUD (SCANNER), DÄLEK or PHIL MINTON. And last but not least there's JAMES PLOTKIN who entered the scene with his first band OLD LADY DRIVERS (or OLD) on EARACHE in 1987 and later was a member of KHANATE (with a.o. STEPHEN O'MALLEY) while also exploring the areas of dark ambient and electronics by working with or remixing SCORN / MICK HARRIS, K.K: NULL and many more.

On "Pleasure-Voltage" which had its live-premiere at the REWIRE festival 2018, the trio craftsa mesmerizing sonic world that buzzes and drones, glitches and slithers, eventually careening into unexplored musical territory somewhere between ambient / drone / psychedelia.

Metric Systems is the name of a covert project of over 20 years duration. It has moved across multiple continents, under multiple names. The 8 songs that make up 'People in the Dark' were recorded between 2000 and 2016 in various locations across Sydney, Melbourne and New York. The bright-eyed sci-fi fascination of Australia's Clan Analogue collective intertwines with the more sinister facets of modern technology - echoed voices pepper the album like fragments of a surveillance tape collected by our digital panopticon. A pervasive sense of paranoia and unease winds its way through these 8 tracks that move between techno, downtempo and more abstract strains of electroacoustic experimentation. Fittingly housed in a striking sleeve by American photographer Trevor Paglen, whose MacArthur-winning work revolves around these same themes of omnipresent surveillance and data mining.

'People in the Dark' opens with the wordless vocals of 'Your Room', drifting over the unspooling synthesizer sequence that seems to swell and recede from the foreground like the ebb and flow of a lapping tide, lapsing into dreamy ambience before the drums come back in. The smartly programmed drums are the focus of 'Chinatown Warehouse', whose hip-hop swing gives a distinct 'nod factor' to the otherwise hazy mechanics of the track. On 'Laika', a 303 line weaves its way across the subdued mid-tempo groove, gently recalling the ambient-acid of Susumu Yokota's 'Ebi' project. The penultimate track, 'Stellarwind' starts with a dark, foreboding drone before shining pads arc over like a glimpse of light through the track's murky darkness, the tension between these two poles moving together as the song unfolds.

This record reflect just a small selection from a large archive of recorded materials. All songs written and produced by Kate Crawford and Bo Daley.

THIS IS NOT A REISSUE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS AMAZING MINIMAL SCORE HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VINYL

This is the first time the complete score to The Conversation has been released on vinyl. The film itself was originally released in 1974 and a 7' demo of the theme was sent out as promotional material by Paramount (PAA-0305), but a USA stock edition was never issued. In Japan the same music was also issued on a 7' at about the same time (JET-2273), with a picture sleeve, but until now nothing else has ever been pressed on vinyl.

Jonny Trunk's little obsession with this music began after I'd caught the film, late night, sometime in the mid 1990s. Musically it's an exceptional example of the 'new minimalism' in film music of the period, marking a departure (for some) from big scores to smaller, more economic ensemble sounds.

The film was written, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and is still a thrilling journey into sound, mind and murder. Heavily influenced by Antonioni's Blow-Up (and not, as some thought, by Watergate), Coppola wanted to fuse the concept of Blow-Up with 'the world of audio surveillance'. The story centres around Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a mac-wearing professional wire-tapper and clandestine bugger who gets unusually consumed by a conversation he's been paid to record. Caul is a loner, an obsessive-compulsive character with numerous neuroses that play out brilliantly throughout the film. And as he slowly pieces together the conversation fragments and forms his own story around it, his world falls apart.

Sonically this movie - all about sound - is groundbreaking in many ways, with actual 'sound Design' Provided By The Legendary Walter Murch - The Man Who Actually Invented The Term In The First Place.

For The Music, Coppola Wisely Chose A Young David Shire, His Brother In Law. Shire's Deceptively Simple Piano Theme (composed Because Of No Budget For Big Orchestra) Is One Of Tragic Beauty, Brilliantly Capturing Caul's Loneliness, His Slightly Disturbed Nature And This Trip Into Darkness. The Melody Has Both Sweet And Sour Tones, Feeling A Little Like A Slow Ragtime, Which Both Develops And Retreats Throughout The Film; There Are Even Trips Into Avant-garde Territory With Electro-acoustic Flourishes And Concrète. The Solo, Agitated Figure Of Caul, Wearing His Distinctive Transparent Mac, Is Made All The More Raw And Poignant By The Score - The Sparse And Curiously Emotional Compositions Are Unlike Any Others I Can Think Of From The Period.

The Soundtrack For The Conversation Proved To Be A Major Break For Shire, His Career Really Taking Off From This Musical Point. His Next Score Was To Be The Underground Classic Taking Of Pelham 123, Followed Up Later Ironically By All The Presidents Men - A Thriller About The Watergate Scandal.

The Conversation Went On To Win Several Awards And Nominations, And Has Become A Classic Of The 'new Hollywood' Movement. Hopefully Now This Music May Become Part Of The Renewed Interest In Old Film Soundtracks.

Four modern, textural, slow-burning instrumental hip hop soundscapes set a distinct mood on this new EP by the venerable Chris DeLuca. Heavy-hitting basslines and slightly ominous hat patterns dominate, leaving these cuts verging on the territory of dark, minimal electro destruction... with a subtle dose of that funky boom bap. Perfectly applicable to both basement dancefloor experiments and gangster dealings alike.

One half of Berlin's Funkstörung, alongside partner Michael Fakesch, De Luca is more than well-versed in the genre, having done a few remixes for high-profile hip hop and experimental acts such as Wu Tang Clan and Bjork. They've released an uncountable amount of records on labels !K7, Compost Records, Music aus Strom and Acid Planet, to name but a few. This is his first release for Detroit Underground.

Includes two fire remixes, one by fellow DU resident producer Valance Drakes, and the second by none other than Chris DeLuca's son, Lenny DeLuca.

With a knack for crafting up-front, jacking house music, Danish producer Niles Cooper proves he's right at home with the Super Tuff family. Just after his first release on his own Pale Springs imprint, his follow-up EP for Brooklyn's Super Tuff appropriately pays homage to its NYC influences. The title track "House Gospel" is a heartbreaking peak hour track full of old-skool NYC garage flavor. It is impressively followed by a remix from Berlin's Black Loopsia certified deep house belter. On the B-side, "Floor Juuc" is a rolling early morning chugger with a bassline reminiscent of "I Get Deep." Rounding out the record, Cooper shows his versatility with "If We Try We Can Start Anew" jumping into darker DnB territory with well-cut breaks and moody ambient chords reminiscent of Burial. Welcome home Niles!

This is Amsterdam based Musique Exotique's launch realised in the form of a seducitive solid white, blue & purple 12' record that includes a free digital download (printed on the label) as well as wonderful cover art by the infamous Japanese twins, Hamadaraka.

Dutch artists Machinegewehr and Ayden Vice team up to bring that timeless retro Italo vibe with Moroder inspired bass arpeggiation, mysterious vocals and epic pads.

On the B side, San Francisco based Dutch artist, Yobkiss, offers up a masterful remix taking the track into darker electro territory. His offering includes beautifully haunting Japanese vocals by the producer's long time collaborator Yuko Araki for exceptional exotiqueness.

For the newest L/F/D/M drop and his first for Beat Concern, Richard Smith serves up a plate full of his deepest, sizzling cuts that bring dance floor heavy workouts and run the field between acerbic Electro, off-kilter dark room EBM and woozy bass workouts.

After muscular releases on Optimo, Clandestine Traxx and Ecstatic plus regular collabs with Dom from Factory Floor as Green Gums / Bronze Teeth on Diagonal and Opal Tapes, 'Tea Ceremony' opener 'Fang' moves the L/F/D/M project forward by throwing the listener straight into the eerie fairground feels, laid over metallic acid baselines, microscopic hats and pounding kicks that seek to overwhelm as well as inform. The giddy aggression of 'Gold Foil' folds crunching distortion into 120 bpm jacking Chicago territory before closing Side A with the tight ethno-percussive jammer of 'Cylinders Vari II'.

The second side carves a path that starts at the minimal bouncing bass and hardcore of 'Ox' via heavy acid euphoria of 'Skin Slips' that needs to find itself in the golden 3-4am slot on a sticky dance floor this summer, before winding down into the Industrial machine funk of 'STR8 Thick' that clips and clangs all the way.

The Caribbean House Is A New Billy Bogus Project. It's The Perfect Meld Of Creepy Atmospheres, Sunset Grooves, Analog Sensibilities And Incessant Rhythms. Bogus Leads This Collective Formed By Federico Bologna (ohmega Tribe, Technogod) And Cristiano Santini (disciplinatha, Dish-is-nein,). This Triumvirate Of 90's Underground Italian Masterminds Come From The World Of Electronica, Noise Rock And Psychedelia. Here They All Combine To Rise Again Rise And Unite To Create Something Entirely New.

And So To The Music. Their Debut Lp Opens Up With The Dark And Haunting "night Drive". Recent Single "gong Bong" Is Next. It Is One Part Slo-mo Disco, One Part Psychedelic Moondance And One Part Sci-fi Horror Movie. If The First Two Thirds Of The Track Is A Caterpillar Then The Last Third Is A Butterfly As Uplifting Riffs And Swirls Of Layered Keys Bring Things To A Crescendo. "lonely Man" Is A Quirky Detuned Monster Tour-de-force Which Leads Nicely Into "love By Proxy". Layered Keys And Intertwined Arpeggios Mingle To Create The Closest Thing To A Love Song Possible From This Trio.

Flip The Vinyl Over For A Hippy Drive With "jesus Freaks" And Its Groovy Guitar Licks And White Noise Synth Blasts. "nature Nature" Is All About The Pulsing Bass Guitar And Sample Like Guitar Stabs Before Heading Completely Off-piste For A Synth-bass Ending. "africa Addio" Presents Us With Meandering Synth Lines Before Layering On A Waft Of Sound Effects And Spooky Keys. Movie Territory. We Close Off The Lp With The "streets Like Noodles". New Wave Nyc Chic Meets Underground Italy Psych.

WHITE RING mark a triumphant return with a brand new full-length Gate Of Grief, due out on Rocket Girl on 22 June 2018. Their debut album arrives a full eight years since their benchmark EP, Black Earth That Made Me, which sold out almost instantly, making their records some of the most highly sought after on the underground scene and earning them a cult following across the globe. Swerving from aggressively abrasive to beautifully ethereal, musically they draw from varied and challenging palette, whilst tackling themes of loss and acceptance due to struggles with drug addiction and existential dread on a broader scope.

WHITE RING were originally formed by Bryan Kurkimilis and Kendra Malia, before they were joined by Adina Viarengo, with Bryan and Adina currently touring as a duo. One of the most acclaimed proponents of the "Witch House" movement, WHITE RING blend heavy, distorted electronics with eerie, unsettling vocals. However, their new material, created over the course of seven years, pushes the boundaries further, subverting genre ideas and mashing them all together, with industrial, metal, rave, chopped and screwed, rap, grunge, neo folk, post punk and new wave all in the mix. As Bryan Kurkimilis explains; 'We treat our influences like tools to create a certain feeling. We are interested in covering more ground than sticking to a certain formula.'
Bryan and Kendra originally met on Myspace in 2006. At the time Bryan lived in New Orleans and Kendra was in New York, and they didn't even meet face-to-face until 2008 after they had already released a few singles. In 2010 they released the EP Black Earth That Made Me, which was a collection of songs that they mostly recorded before they met in person. The record confounded expectations by selling out immediately on pre-order, making it very rare and highly sought after, with copies going on Ebay for large sums. It was reissued by Rocket Girl in 2011 and still continues to sell in voluminous amounts.

They started playing live in 2009 and rapidly grew a reputation for their captivating performances, usually bringing their own lighting equipment and putting on a spectacular laser show. They have played for large crowds in their hometown of NYC and toured the UK in 2010 in support of their sold out split 7" with oOoOO, playing InTheCity and SWN festivals - which were their first shows outside of New York. They have since shared the stage with the likes of Cold Cave, araabMUZIK, Liturgy, Blank Dogs, Gatekeeper, Blondes, oOoOO, Clams Casino, and others.  
They started recording Gate Of Grief in 2010, with the hope of exploring new musical territory, however they took a while to find their path. Bryan and Kendra had some tough personal battles to fight, a sense that pervades the whole album. Thematically it delves in to some pretty dark places whilst exploring the concept of time and what it does to people, relationships and society. As Bryan explains; 'There is a lot of tragedy in this album but there is also hope at the end of it.'
By 2016 pressure was building to finish recording, however due to Kendra's ill health, they needed to bring in someone new to assist with vocals. Fortunately they found Adina Viarengo, who had played in various bands and gave them the impetus needed to complete the album. Shortly after meeting in Brooklyn, Bryan and Adina moved to Joshua Tree, California to finish recording the album, before settling in Massachusetts. Her vocal style fitted in seamlessly with what Kendra had been doing, and although she sang on half the songs, it's almost impossible to tell who is singing on which track, thus making her the perfect addition to the band.
Gate of Grief can be considered the second part of Black Earth That Made Me, or rather, they are the first two chapters in an overarching trilogy about evolution. As Bryan explains; 'First you are born but then you realize what you are and what is against you and it's a flood of emotion that you can only hope to hold on for and let it pass.'
The album title, Gate of Grief, refers to the real gate between Africa and Saudi Arabia that is believed to be the spot where the first humans migrated out of Africa and went on to populate the rest of the world. The album art ties in with this concept, with an image depicting a group of settlers in the USA in early 1900 during a parade. They were actually from a cult in the early 1900s in Bryan's hometown of Fort Myers, Florida.













M 13) Burn It Down

Danny McLewin (Psychemagik) and Jamie Cruisey have a new label of original signed artists called SPIRITS. The first release is from Mexican hotness 'Lokier' of She Made Monster and 'Jason Greer' aka 'The Machine', one of the Californian undergrounds best kept secrets. They met in 2015 at a festival in London and after spending a few days together, became musically obsessed with each other. That summer, as Jason bounced around Europe, he stayed with Lokier in Barcelona for some weeks and after long night walks, some tapas and absinthe bars they came up with their first EP together.

A1 "White Room's" slo-mo headnod film score, kick starts the EP, brooding synths buzzing with electric cocaine gloss, their oscillators fluttering like cyborg butterflies around the pulsating strobelight beat. Creepy.
A2 "Stained Glass" hits tough straight out the gate with subterranean bubbling acid bass and charges headlong into deep psychedelic territory with a goth-inspired guitar, reverb on 11, turning the track into a next-level robo-Giallo monster!

B1 "Pearly Hate" begins as if a menacing swarm of bionic rave bees is slowly surrounding you, the tension of their impending drone amping up steadily as your brain thinks: Do I run This midtempo Carpenter-esque jam is atmospheric putty in the hands of sleazoned DJ's and sounds like the beginning of a long, strange trip.
B2 "Red Floor" is a chugging, barely restrained dark disco beast, flagrantly wearing its Weatherall and Neu Beat-ing heart on its tattered sleeve, elliptical melodies keeping you from your sanity with a solid drop for the dancefloor - another one for DJ's who ride it rough.

Thus completes the first release for new label SPIRITS. Four tracks exploring another corner of otherworldly analogue hedonism for extra-dimensional travel. Keep your ear on "Red Floor", as its potential for dancefloor uplift is proven and Machine-ready! Stay jacked in for more missives soon...

Ivan Smagghe:
"When your best Mexican chola low-rider meets our favourite Californian mechanic, you get a proper slice of (Lokier and) Machine funk. This is grease electronics, black leather under the very dark sun of 'Pearly Hate' or in the bright isolation tank of 'White Room''

* This EP contains four stunning tracks, covering various styles of hardcore, and its the absolute bomb. For a start, Sanxion brings the piano flavor with a track that lives and breathes the traditional Kniteforce sound, bought to a fine shine the way a truly skilled artist can. Meanwhile, Nicky Allen destroys the dance floor with his hyper hardcore track, one that I have been playing at everyone in the vicinity for the last few months or so. Flip the vinyl over and we move into darker territory. TNO is a more recent signing to the Kniteforce label and his first offering is all dark and atmosphetic, but with a relentless pace and undeniable energy. And to round the EP off, Mannik mentasms the hell out, and gives you a small taste of what his forthcoming EP will be like - crazy, dark, authentic old skool that breaks all the rules and shows true skill and panache.

Club / DJ Support
Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Clayfighter, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others

"We Are What You Think We Are" is a 3 part compilation celebrating 10 releases from New York-based label and promoters Lost Soul Enterprises. The groupings of artists on each 12" represent slightly different sonic territory, from darkwave and synthpop, to acid and electro, to industrial techno, all of which together have come to define the identity of the label and the community surrounding its legendary parties.

Long-term Soma collaborator Tony Scott drops his debut album with the label under his Edit Select alias, the perfectly crafted experience, 'Cyclical Undulations'. Having released with Soma under his Percy X moniker for years and having countless hits under his belt, Scott reinvented himself as Edit Select. Known for his dark, expressive and expansive music, Edit Select has become once of the most well respected and renowned artists in the genre. With this latest full length, he continues to explore the furthest reaches of the Deep Techno spectrum.

The Cyclical Undulations journey begins with Insta Grain, a mesmeric odyssey of ebbing pads and sparse percussive elements that seem to drift of into the expanse. A perfect opener before the first foray into more 4x4 territory begins with Above Ground a pulsating affair before Two Step Phase, a more stripped back affair, reminiscent of earlier Percy X works in it's 90s heyday. Undulation, more propulsive in it's approach, melds warping synth hooks alongside spectral tones. Horizon#1 follows in a similar vein yet drift into slightly more hypnotic territory as recurrent tones lead the track. Scott flourishes with yet more machine-throb crafting Close Up & In The Beginning She Was, both stacked with subtle nuances of his stylised percussion lost across dream like states. The later half of the album has a distinct minimalistic approach yet seem to provide maximal output with every beat. Horizon#2 is dark and ominous yet still characterised by a tough percussive element. Contact, produced in collaboration with Claudio PRC, delves into more submerged sounds with heavy sub bass and echoed drums, finishing of with Towards The E; a shuffling broken beat affair with after hours vibes and an endearing ethereal quality.

Cyclical Undulations demonstrates a mature sense of production from Edit Select. An assured collection of material, each track providing a striking insight into a true artistic mind.

'Intraverso is a journey in that momentary 'inbetween land' that many of us experience sometimes. It explores the turmoil of feelings of when one gets stuck in the middle, floating in between ambition and complete stillness'.

Fabrizio Lapiana is a well-known name on the contemporary Italian techno scene. He has been involved in music since the 90's when he started DJ'ing in his hometown Rome. To date he has over two handfuls of releases on labels such as Figure Jams, Arts and M_Rec Ltd - as well as his own imprint, the well renowned Attic Music, founded in 2008.
Intraverso is Fabrizio's debut album, set for release on his label. The record is a very personal journey, according to the artist himself. You here find him examining different territory than where he usually heads within his productions. The album, which consists of nine songs in total, was composed between April 2016 and February 2017 in his studio in Rome. Written in a state of 'introspect', we here see an artist in motion. Changing. Evolving. The perfect moment to explore something new and unveil a different side of yourself to the world.

The intro 'Early Morning Waves' opens the album with its own quiet dramatic tone, waves hitting the shore as we move into 'Bret'. A cloud-walking kind of melody welcomes you, accompanied by a curious beat driving the journey forward. A deep heavy bassline and almost ancient sounding melody rises in 'Onironauta' (reflecting 'Early Morning Waves' mystical mood) until more playful elements blends in. The contemplative bass elements continue in the title track of the album; 'Intraverso' is a track of mind traveling discovery, yet before drifting too far you are grabbed by a snare, a clap of white noise and a pulsating beat to keep you on track. Further on, 'Lost In Negative Thoughts (reshaped)' reveals itself with its heavy ominous drumbeats and a dark spun web of strings is joined by sounds of distant life and machinery. Then there is 'Distance' which is the album's first flirt with more dancefloor friendly territory. Still under a veil of ill-lit melodies, expertly programmed percussion and claps creates something for a more personal body move experience. Moving into 'Again' sees the expedition continuing journeying through the dancefloor, albeit in a deeper landscape where flickering extraterrestrial sounds watches you go along. In 'Backlit' you find the albums most organic moment, an ambient slow thoughtful walk through the consciousness of the producer - only to end up with the album's final moment; 'Freckles (beatless)'. Here we drift deeper off into slow ambient melodies with a comforting thoughtful bassline taking us to the end of our voyage.

Lapiana has composed an album where you get to travel with him on a sonic journey into the deepest corners of his mind, baring vulnerabilities as well as strengths. Intraverso carries a feeling of ancient atmosphere via its melodic language through its whole running time, perhaps since the foundation of the album is based on emotions and the mind. Thoughts, feelings and mental states that always have been with us, no matter the time and place. It is a mature debut album for an artist that proves he is willing to risk going into different areas than the tried and tested ground. One might say Intraverso is a record created for an introvert introspective dancer, willing to see what lies beyond that of which is visible at first glance.

2x12" Repress

Answer Code Request returns with his sophomore album Gens on Ostgut Ton, entering darker but equally bass-heavy territory.
Answer Code Request's 2014 debut LP Code was an exciting moment for electronic music in Berlin - one that offered a break from the eternal hall and monolithic 4/4 kicks that ruled the city's club landscape. As a hybrid gesture, the album's spirit recalled an especially fruitful era in the German capital from the mid-90s to early 2000s, when dub and paddriven Detroit techno cross-pollinated with Berlin's industrial aesthetic to create one of the city's most exciting musical chapters.
Today the musical vision offered by Berghain resident Answer Code Request, real name Patrick Gräser, has proved far-sighted. While at first glance electronic music in 2018 seems increasingly balkanized, borders between genres have once again become fuzzier.
Now, on his follow up LP Gens, Gräser looks beyond the bass euphoria of Code toward darker horizons and a desolate atmosphere befitting of current global circumstances.
In a sense, Gens (Latin for tribe or lineage) reverses the notion of the hardcore continuum as proposed by music journalist Simon Reynolds: embedded in a tradition of US andcontinental European techno, Gräser seeks its disruption through hardcore outgrowths, from ambient jungle to later variations of British bass music and IDM. It's an interesting twist when seen in the larger biographical context of Gräser who, born and raised outside of Berlin in early 1980s, jumped from East German youth radio DT64 to American hip-hop, acid and early UK hardcore - a radical shift of musical interest born of a radical shift in political circumstances. On Gens, the unsettling atmosphere is established early on with the fading rave opener of the album's synonymous title track, and continues through the scrambled military communications and post dubstep rhythms of 'Sphera'. From there, sci-fi pads, heavy phasing and alien syncopation lead explorative third track 'Ab Intus' out into space. Aglimmer of otherworldly positivity arrives with the warm, distorted breakbeats and interwoven synth melodies of album standout 'knbn2', while Gräser's most dancefloororiented melds jungle and techno, Amen and 4/4 kicks, on 'Cicadae'.

Legendary Los Hermanos member Santiago Salazar's album 'Aspirations For Young Xol' is given a vinyl release courtesy of Rekids.

A heartfelt dedication to his son Isaias, 'Aspirations for Young Xol' takes us through the life of a pillar in the electronic music community - Santiago Salazar. From his formative years spent in California to his connection with Detroit and the passing of a childhood friend, the long-player's tracks signpost the musician's significant experiences, both positive and negative. This meaningful body of work was released digitally on Pastel Voids and now Rekids release the album on wax.

'Saturated Fear' sets a deep tone for the LP, flanging melodies and echoing claps float through the composition before the album's title track 'Aspirations for Young Xol' offers haunting arpeggios with occasional acidic overtones which are cleverly offset by beautifully designed lead synth transitions. 'Bloodlines' follows a similar musical vein with delayed bass riffs that are suspended above shimmering hihats and a weighted kick.

Santiago provides three beatless pieces throughout, which digress into more emotional territory whilst offering brief respite from his heavier drum work. 'Xol's Pain' combines orchestral strings and swelling synthesisers which build tension with a subtly complex, evolving motif. Both 'Dark Matter' and 'Ode to Stinson' use arresting atmospheres, warped arpeggios and ethereal pads which lull the listener into a retrospective mood.

An intensity builds in the later tracks, a gritty but powerful low end provides a solid foundation in 'Orange Blossom Thump', eventually making way for a hectic and elastic lead synth before 'Pachuco Dub' displays drones that build a dissonant pressure in which the complex tom rhythms and rolling hi hats can grow. 'Sarah Rivera' hypnotises with its delectable chord progressions and complimentary melodies which seem to float above a rigid drum composition to close the album with style.

Ten Years Behind the Scenes - An Anniversary Celebration Keeping anything alive for a decade is worthy of a kudos-but when it comes to club culture and dance music, 10 years is an admirable milestone indeed. For Indigo Raw, it represents another opportunity to bring in the left-field, high-grade dance inducers. And this time, the raison d'etre of the labels tenth anniversary release is a certain infamous duo known as Midnight Operator. Centered around the eponymous creation by Nathan and Mathew Jonson, Behind the Scenes EP is an ode to the kind of off-kilter, moody techno the pair have become infamous for. And on this particular occasion, we're taken for a journey in more than one sense. Equipped with a classic Jonson bass line and a scant little phrase that carries the track all the way through the end, Behind the Scenes is a lesson in transmutation. Sombre beginnings undergo a gradual shift into dancier, sunnier territory-until we are left with the impression that we've tuned into a channel that runs all the way through hills and past Martian wildlife. From dark to light, the brothers lift a veil to reveal a resolutely ecstatic piece of work. One that, in arriving at a very different place from where it sets out, earns all eight minutes of its wandering. In continuation of the jubilee excursion for this anniversary release, reworks of the flagship track have come in from across the globe. From south of the equator, AtomTM delivers an assertive piece that takes the darkest aspects of the Midnight Operator original and, with the help of a relentless stream of stabs and a sped-up beat, brings them into the spotlight. Meanwhile, Nerosky-as in Nerone(indigo Raw label partner) & Fosky-makes their debut with a piece collaborated in the confines of a smoky Catalan studio.

Following the blistering inaugural release from Talker comes the
second release on the Standards & Practices imprint from label
co-founder Jonathan 'Stave' Krohn, who returns with 5 tracks of dark,
visceral electronic music for the discerning listener. 'Black Hills'
and 'TASC US' kick off the proceedings in fine style - pummeling
drums underpinning harsh blasts of noise and bleak, greyscale
atmospherics, while 'In/Human' and 'B5' on the flip take a different
approach - 2 tracks not aimed at the dancefloor, but both retaining
that cold, claustrophobic feel that characterizes much of Stave's
work. The brooding and sinister 'Stave 17' closes the EP, moving into
exciting new territory with an intensely cinematic sound

After a short break, Caduceus Records returns with a weighty techno 12" by long-time friend Pascal Hetzel. The Berlin-based producer delivers four storming tracks that cleverly translate the 90s techno heritage into the present. On "Motion Blur" a hypnotic bleep sequence gives way for majestic pad sweeps just in time for your serotonine rush. "Stutter" is more restrained, with a modulating chord sequence and sturdy drums, while "Timelapse" catapults into darker territory filled with industrial shrapnel and an extra bit of high-octane paranoia. "Strobe" is the fittingly titled closer of the ep. A pummeling piece of monochrome techno hypnosis with a massive kickdrum drenched in reverb and icy atmosphere.




D b2 | Strope

Camea returns with the third release on her Neverwhere imprint, titled 'Vanish', this Spring. In her new single, she digs deep on her drum machine into Studio 1-esque territory, using alluring classic minimal techno grooves as a back drop for her seductively soulful, selfconflicted vocals. Camea not only captures a timeless micro-house vibe in this piece, but she continues to push her sound forward as well as her love for avant-guard techno. Up next is Delft imprint boss, LA-4A, best known for his analogue vintage Roland drum machine productions. He has laid down an irresistible 303 break-beat club mix of Camea's track in the A2 spot. His dance cut of her vocals over bass driven percussion is a perfect counter piece to the original, and compliments the sound from his recent acid techno album 'Phonoautograph'. On the flip side, Berlin techno legend and Ostgut Ton/Berghain resident Tobias. gives his graceful interpretation. He has reworked the original into a tasteful, dark, spacious 8-minute minimal techno piece, with percolating panning and filters on the vocals. As usual with Tobias., he clearly conveys his undeniable expertise and instinct for exquisite dance music. With this release, Camea is also marking the 2nd anniversary of her cult Neverwhere Radio show this Spring, having produced twenty-four, two-hour episodes with exclusive DJ mixes and guests. The show currently has residencies on Digitally Imported, Tsugi Radio and Ibiza Sonica, and Camea has quickly established herself as a driving force in the left-field techno community, and a passionate advocate of underground radio.

Celebrating the imprint's 10th anniversary, Mike Dehnert returns to his own Fachwerk label with a new full length LP available in 2x12" and digital, following a striking 12" on DJ Koze's Pampa Records at the end of 2016. Across 10 tracks, here Dehnert explores new territory with a restrained and subtle sound while retaining his commanding touch when it comes to creating deep club music. Intro sets the tone of the album, providing an profusion of tidal tones and textures that soak the listener in sound. Before long though, you're listening to the percussive stabs and pensive drums of Between No Words. Here we hear for the first time on the record the subtle but remarkable vocals of Albert Vogt, who returns throughout the LP. Listeners will also be reminded of Dehnert's skill for crafting complex and emotional music with very few elements, which becomes only more evident as this LP opens up. From here Dehnert traverses through dubbed out techno, deep house and downtempo, all with an experimental playfulness and a lightness of touch that only a producer with his talent and raw experience could pull off. The album peaks with the storming Providing Home 2. With swirling, unpredictable arpeggios, hard hitting drums and a sparingly used vocal hook, this is the track that'll ignite ecstasy across dancefloors for years to come. From here, Dehnert quickly cleanses the palette with the beatless Starground, a ringing and pulsing synth piece, pierced by all manner of klangs and bleeps. This perfectly sets up the album's final epic, Laxwax. Another one aimed squarely at the club, but this time it's for darker dancefloors. In stark contrast to its predecessors on the record, this track is insular, hypnotic and raw. Not content to end on such a note, Dehnert provides one last exertion. Outro is bombastic and pounding, with a rave inspired synth line and heavily swung percussion. Topped with cut up and percussive vocals, the track lives up to it's name summing up the LP and adding to it at the same time. This thoughtful record takes elements of modern pop music and extrapolates them with a patience rarely found within the genre itself. Backed by Dehnert's exceptional experience when it comes to producing club music, the result is an album that's simultaneously poppy and experimental, yet fundamentally rooted in techno. It's for that reason that this will surely be such a crossover hit; it has a palette that is broad yet refined, that will undoubtedly reach new ears while appeasing and surprising familiar ones.

Panorama Bar resident Nick Ho¨ppner gets to Work on his second solo album on Ostgut Ton, connecting the territories of House music with the ease of Alt-Pop.
Work as in labor. An axiom that fuels the capitalist system just as the Techno/House scene economy says that one needs to keep oneself busy to make a living. As a musician, things are complicated of course. It's a long way from the romantic idea of creating music simply for the sake of art to becoming a full time musician. Those who have accomplished this feat often find themselves in a professional loop of writing the music, producing it, promoting it (with an info text like this), releasing it and then hopefully selling it. After leaving his full time job as Ostgut Ton's label manager in 2012, Nick Ho¨ppner went fully freelance, focusing on his musically diverse, deep and dynamic DJing in and outside Berghain's Panorama Bar, but more importantly spending more time in the studio. The result was his critically acclaimed debut album Folk (Ostgut Ton, 2015), various 12' releases and remixes, and now his sophomore LP, Work, which, more than ever, lays out his refined production skills and his talent to work the machines until they reveal their inner ghosts: nine new songs that now dodge the dance floor, then fully embrace it.
Work as in body of work. A record is more than the sum of clocked up hours at the studio, but the result of an artistic-creative process. On Work, Ho¨ppner shows his everlasting lust for musical detail, his increasing technical skills and compositional finesse. Work is a very personal, soulful and deep record that breaks through the usual club/dancefloor narrative by documenting Nick's interest for hybrid sounds and combining elements from varying musical genres. Work's lead single 'All By Themselves (My Belle)' is a very atmospheric, intimate and steadily unfurling IDM piece with ethereal synth and vocal pads; on the album it's contrasted by 'Clean Living' with Tram 78, a modern Ho¨ppner club classic: powerful, kick-heavy, muscular, cheerful and uplifting. It's a very personal track resulting from a recent reencounter with an old friend. Having spent countless hours together in Berlin's clubs in ever changing states of mind a decade ago or longer, things have since changed for both towards a more - clean living'. Connecting to this musical vibe 'In My Mind' follows with a slightly darker tone putting emphasis on bassline, percussion and squeaky sound detailing. 'Hole Head' pays tongue-in-cheek homage to Nick's love for UK club music, when a dashing melody of synths and vibraphone is matched with clattering breaks and syncopation. The dubby, mesmerizing 'The Dark Segment' not only impresses with its hypnotic synth figurines, but also by morphing to a shuffling Jazz rhythm towards it's middle part; 'Forced Resonance' uses Oberheim synth brass stabs to dramatic effect; the percussion- and clap-laden 'Fly Your Colours' comes with an irresistible piano melody atop an energetic kick; and finally the album-closing, shuffling but rhythmic, noisy yet bluesy 'Three Is A Charm' featuring the duo Randweg on clarinet, cajo´n and acoustic guitar is a coherent departure heading towards Indie Pop territory. It sees Nick collaborating with acoustic instrumentalists for the first time in his ten-year- spanning Ostgut Ton release catalogue.
Work as in artwork. Staying in line with the Folk album, the visual companion for this record comes from German collage artist Frank Bubenzer. As with the artwork at hand, Bankentsunami, and his other works, Bubenzer cuts up print magazine advertisements and recontextualizes them into new motifs, removing all human depiction from the source material, here as a commentary on the world of business, big money and the banking crisis.
Work as in work it. As a slogan 'work' has always been one of the genre's most utilized paroles, coined and put on wax by pioneers like LNR, Blake Baxter or Steve Poindexter, to name a few. Not only calling for the crowds to get moving on the floor but also to fully express themselves and their unique individuality inside an all embracing environment. A mindset rooted in House Music that has been an integral part of Nick Ho¨ppner's identity as a DJ and producer from the beginning and all through his decade-spanning residency at Panorama Bar. Work it!

INCL. GIORGIO GIGLI REMIX

The next chapter of Attic Music is a propulsive, dark and deep techno Ep from St. Petersburg's new talent Relic Radiation.
Loss Of Logic explain his direction with a moody and cinematic title track full of introspective drones, nebulous clicks and slow-nervous rhythms.
The Territory of Irrational is a most functional and hypnotic techno track perfect for your blackhole robotic-dance.
Loss Of Logic comes also with an ace remix from the outstanding Giorgio Gigli who made a serious work on the beats creating a dense techno tunnel over the b-side.

Hot on the heels of the co-release between Especial and Cocktails d'Amore Music of the Sfire Remixes EP (EES023/CDA013) comes an accompanying release with a pair of deeper, stripped back remixes from the inimitable Timothy J Fairplay and Willie Burns. Well known as producers, DJs and label managers with their Crimes Of The Future and WT Records respectively, as well as appearing on a who's who of electronic labels including Pinkman, Unknown To The Unknown and L.I.E.S, they have appeared in various guises on both Emotional Response and Especial. Here then are 4 remixes - 2 each per side - that take the unique original to new dance floor extremes. Timothy steps up first with his take on Sfire 2 via differing vocal and instrumental versions. His trademark, echo laden rolling percussion and "Carpenter" key lines take the original Synth-pop homage to the dark room. Adding Arps, a lifting, hedonistic breakdown and the scatter-stepper drums and claps found on the Instrumental version and this is pure COTF territory and the better for it. Willie meanwhile has long followed his own path for his take on Sfire 3, offering one of his deepest remixes to date. Thudding kick, brooding pads and dark strings force the vocals to go down, way down for examination. The distorted vocals of Remix 1 are countered by Remix 2 letting the track shine via a seemingly endless 4/4 beat. Psychedelic, trance inducing, pulsating, this is an ever growing mind expanse.Presented in sparse Hand Stamped sleeves, this one off Limited Edition pressing is a unique EP, taking Sfire to a different sphere that warrants investigation. It was only

Following releases on labels such as Greco-Roman, TTT and Templar Sound, Dro Carey (Eugene Ward) returns to the scene with his new offering, the industrious yet delicate track 'Queensberry Rules' featuring the vocals of KUCKA, taken from his Dark Zoo EP, out now via Australian label Soothsayer.
Where his previous releases have been firmly focused on the smoke-riddled clubs, Queensberry Rules sees Dro Carey traverse new territory. Working with KUCKA and Collarbones' Marcus Whale on the track, 'Queensberry Rules' sees the Sydney producer creating a unique pop sound, however maintain the gritty DNA that he is so distinctively known for.
As Dro states ''Queensberry Rules' are the set of rules that outline the general code for boxing matches. It's a document about fairness and sportsmanship in a pretty violent activity. That immediately struck me as a great title for a demo. Working with KUCKA and Marcus Whale (of Collarbones) as a co-writer, I think their lyrics perfectly hit upon the sense of irony that I wanted the song to have.'
The track was the first official taste from his Dark Zoo EP which sees Ward push the limits even further within his musical explorations. Whether it's the pop moments of 'Queensberry Rules' and 'Dark Zoo' where he employs the vocals of both KUCKA and FKL respectively to elevate the sonic sensory overload to new levels, to the brooding club explorations that are 'Grow Lithe' and 'Hidden Halls'; the EP is his musical coup d'état from the outset - simultaneously sinister, restrained and intoxicating.
We are absolutely thrilled to present this little gem on Vinyl. This special vinyl release also includes not only the single, but two remixes from heavy weights Mall Grab and Cassius, and a very special new track titled 'Under' which is and will always only be available on the vinyl release of this. Dive in!

The 5th Myor Massiv release also marks FFF's 3rd outing for the label. No split this time, but a full 4 track solo ep by the Dutch Amen manipulator extraordinaire. No time for funny business on this one. FFF takes you straight into moody sci-fi territory and heavy yet intricate choppage on 'It Began In Man's Mind', followed by 'We Sleep', on which he takes a slightly less throat-cut approach, slowly building things up to a dark hoover climax. 'Would D Think It's Smooth Enough' displays a beautiful mish mash of slick sounding synth stabs, 808 Juke drums and break beats. Dedicated to Dyanko. The ep is finished off in style with 'Murder Comet', which kicks off with a loud and clear clash message to all soundboys out there, followed by a spot of smoothness, only to take a turn for the worse again after about a minute or so, before all mayhem is finally unleashed via a set of mentasm stabs halfway through the tune. No prisoners, no mercy..

It's been five years since his acclaimed debut 'Severant' and time has proved it prescient, its futuristic trap influence is now ubiquitous. 'Slow Knife' seems to return to where 'Severant' left off, but with the intricate sound design of last year's haunting EP 'Assertion Of A Surrounding Presence' subsumed into the compositions, making them more exacting and beautifully crafted. Between albums Kuedo has been working as a sound designer and composer for hire and the application of intent and widescreen rigour that commercial work requires has definitely found its way into the new album. 'Slow Knife' has the subtlety, ambition and pacing of a brilliant soundtrack - a sense of an album of scenes, that easily lends itself to an impressionistic narrative. But, as with 'Severant', the title suggests relationship unease, with the slow knife being a metaphor for the building resentment in any close relationship. 'Slow Knife' is almost two albums, the first half, according to Kuedo, invokes the seduction of the city, taking the music of Michael Mann's 'Manhunter' as a cue, with the latter half being inspired by the bloody starscapes and voodoo wilderness of films such as 'Angel Heart', 'Night Of The Hunter' and more recently the 'True Detective' series. Both halves of the album are also in thrall to Mica Levi's inspiring 'Under The Skin' soundtrack, especially in the turbulence of the mid-section. The songs of the albums first half are synthetic and seductive, a gelatinous veil with shades of the pseudo-sophisticated trance of Enigma, of all things, underpinned with dusky unsettling shadows and atmosphere. 'In Your Sleep', perhaps surprisingly, features the vocals of Hayden Thorpe from Wild Beasts, who settles his dark, whispered vocals into the moonlit shadowy atmosphere. 'Floating Forest' is the first track to allow back some of Kuedo's experimentation with the Southern rap template, which he explored before it became commonplace, with echoed drum splashes and a sinister repetitive motif, ending with a haunting growl. The second half of the album enters wilderness territory with 'Approaching's slow descending notes, before 'Broken Fox - Black Hole' throws the record into the cathartic darkness, as undulating chords play hide and seek with riotous reeds and scratchy strings grown from challenging collaborations with cello player Koenraad Ecker (from Lumisokea). 'Breaking The Surface' shivers and coils, before metal and strings dominate while 'In Your Skin' feels like being lost in a vast hinterland before 'Warmer Light' introduces some memories of sunshine, with its plucked bassline and spiralling dub. 'Halogen Light' opens with the sound of crickets and a clear piano, cleansing the soul before 'Lathe' brings things down to earth with a short, yet powerful coda.

Marcel Dettmann has mixed the latest edition of the highly respected DJ-Kicks compilation series.
Whilst Dettmann is well-known for his incendiary sets at his residency at Berghain, his DJ-Kicks mix is crafted for listening, and displays a more reflective side of the DJ and producer. The mix explores a wide array of selections from various subgenres; ranging from the a new vocal-led Strictly Rhythm release, to rapping on Clarence G's 1991 release 'Cause I Said It Right', recently reissued by Clone Records.
Over the course of its 1hr 14 duration, Dettmann reveals multiple new original productions; most notably a collaboration with Levon Vincent, 'Can You See It'. The pair have collaborated once in the past, releasing 'Vengeance' on Levon's own Novel Sound label towards the end of 2015 to critical acclaim. 'Can You See It' sees the duo venture into darker territory; a stripped back, sub-bass laden affair, the quality of this production immediately stands out in the early stages of the mix.
Dettmann also collaborates with MDR affiliate Wincent Kunth on 'Possible Step'. In addition to five brand new original Dettmann remixes and edits, there's an unreleased remix of Marcel's 'Let's Do It' from Ostgut Ton labelmate Rolando.
Designed to be enjoyed by both the critics and more casual listeners, this mix is the latest in a long series of lifetime achievements over the course of Dettmann's career - and with so many new unreleased original Marcel Dettmann productions included, this is a landmark release for the producer

Janette Jnett Pitruzzello is considered something of a legend in her home city of Melbourne, where she's been DJing for well over two decades. Here, she delivers her debut solo EP, featuring a quartet of tracks co-produced by Maurice Fulton. The latter also delivers a solo mix of opener Reflection", which adds a little leftfield disco sparkle and percussive sweatiness to an otherwise organ-heavy deep house groove. There's a similarly cheery, funky and disco-tinged feel to the rolling, cut-up house goodness of Swangzipani". Elsewhere, the duo gets a little stranger in pursuit of dancefloor thrills, Bubbles Away' is deliciously dark, wonky and intergalactic, while Judge Not' wanders off into head-nodding, instrumental hip-hop territory.

The BTRAX records label is back after few years off, and we are sure that new EP will not disappointed you. We are very proud to put out 1 stunning track made by one of the label artist : Camille Rodriguez from Paris - France.Electronic music drives his life for over 10 years now, he has developed his own style incorporating all his influences. He is passionate about the live, and create that way with synthesizers, sequencers, BAR and samplers... He likes pushing himself sweating behind his machines, improvising at every moment, keeping control of every sound in order to play more intuitively, getting a better communication with the crowd...
'Andalusian 2.0' comes in two guises, the Original Mix which delivers some perfect techno keys and claps over its stomping techno beat, giving it live performance style flavor. The Traumer Remix takes it into darker warehouse territory but still retains the warmth and groove. Kaine's Remix delivering some tough dub techno workouts that still have just the right amount of funk and groove.

Newly established Berlin-based vinyl-only label Dreiklang dive straight into the physical world with First Contact. The label's distinctive triangular concept is reflected in its name with Dreiklang pursuing a three-fold approach to electronic music. Each release presents three contrasting takes on the same source material, juxtaposing and unifying three particular electronic music sub-currents. For their first outing, Dreiklang call upon an international team of producers with OCH, Hydergine and Kelovolt dropping in for their respective shots of tech-house, dub techno, and dark drone techno. The tight three-tracker will see the light of day on a 500 limited edition run of 180gr high-quality wax with the beautiful hand-drawn designs of Berlin artist Nils Altland gracing each sleeve, transforming the covers into individual works of arts. First up on Dreiklang001 is Londoner OCH (Autoreply / Stuga Musik), who takes a simple keyboard line into menacing territory, steering the dancefloor towards the grittier ends of tech-house. A funky bassline leads the way as distant synths exhale in glossy metalic fashion and the road is adequately paved for the reinterpretations that follow. Second up, comes Hydergine. The Italian producer lives up to his brain enhancement drug name by dropping a smart dub-techno rework where mind-numbing kicks bring the listener on an atmospheric joyride through the deeper ends of narcosis. Kelovolt complete the triangle with an immersive remix where drone-heavy soundscapes take center stage for a delicately hypnotic finale. First Contact is out December 16th on Dreiklang.

Featuring heavily on most of Drumcode's shows due to his impeccable DJ'ing, Bart Skils is back with a new EP flexing his signature rolling sound and hooks.

Caressing from one track to another, the use of pads in this EP and using uneasy sounds to build tension in each track. The swelling bass within each track manoeuvres the tracks into dark after hour's territory with the help of the subtle percussion.

Saxophonist Sean Khan is a multi-instrumentalist distinguished for his ability to fuse traditional jazz with contemporary styles. His involvement in the West London broken beat scene as band leader of the cult soul/ jazz outfit SK Radicals and as a collaborator with the likes of the Bugz in the Attic collective, have seen his unique breed of jazz put to full effect in London's clubs, at nights like the legendary bruk orientated 'CoOp'.

In anticipation of Sean Khan's second album on Far Out Recordings: 'Muriel', this four track 12' release features remixes from 4hero and Nicola Conte with father of British Neo-Soul, Omar on vocal duties. 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down' is uplifting and sophisticated dance-floor jazz. Dego and Marc Mac (4hero), two pioneers of broken beat, jungle and UK dance music as a whole, re-work the single from 'Muriel' into a delicately crafted downtempo number, which tames the original somewhat with club focused intentions, yet retains all of its fluidity and groove. Along with the eminence of rhythmic elements, Omar's instantly recognizable, thick and soulful vocals are sparsely and subtly layered to create beguiling, unconventional harmonies. Elevating the track to its peak, Sean Khan's exquisite alto sax solo demonstrates both his technical prowess and keen understanding of jazz's history, whilst working to carve out its future. The B side hosts Nicola Conte's remix of 'Things to Say'. Renowned for his input and influence in the lineage of acid jazz and fusion, as a producer, Dj and musician, Nicola Conte provides a deeper, darker take on Sean Khan's unique blend of jazz. A bouncy 4/4 house beat skips along beneath contemplative, whirring Rhodes, while the ghostly soulful vocals of Diana Martinez and samples of Sean Khan's expressive sax playing see the track taken to more introspective yet still clearly club focused territory. The final track is the intro to 'Sister Soul', previewing more material from Muriel, Sean Khan's forthcoming studio album on Far Out Recordings.

Emerging NYC label Lost Soul Enterprises present Hidden City, their third 12' release and first single-artist EP.

These four tracks by Brooklyn native J Slusher, made in collaboration with his fellow artists in the borough's thriving experimental techno scene, are dark, menacing excursions into after hours territory. His previous work as a noise artist under various monikers (Opponents, Privilege, Unstable Systems) informs a uniquely uncompromising take on club music.

Slusher takes a stripped-down, industrial approach to percussion and populates it with otherworldly vocal snippets and growling synths. The result is hypnotic, evoking the severe moods and disused spaces so vital to the secret nightlife of the city.

Phiorio's Animals release has been a labour of love. After co-running Metroline Limited for the past 6 years and after a series of digital releases and remixes for both Metroline and Retrometro (as well as Letroom Limited and MBF amongst others), Phiorio's vinyl debut on ML finally sees the light of day. The choice of remixers has also been laborious but over at Metroline HQ we are really happy that in the end we managed to secure two stunning reworks by the likes of the more and more in demand French producer Doubtingthomas (with releases on labels such as Hummingbird, Organic and of course, Metroline Limited) and the super-hot up and coming Russian producers Adjustment Bureau. The EP opening track Ninja Cat is a deep and quirky number. The groove is tight with heavy drums and crisp percussions. An acid b-line leads the way while atmospherics pop in and out until an off key synth appears and adds a level of spookiness to the proceedings. Doubtinthomas remix take things into even deeper territory. His landmark reduced drum programming is very noticeable here with shuffled up percussions, lush pads and a very heavy bass to guarantee maximum impact on the dancefloor. Superpupider is a no-nonsense straight up dark and dirty techno tool. It's all about the groove with this track, the drums lead the way with clever use of filtered hats and percussions. That said, Phiorio's ability with abstract sound is still in evidence with plenty of spooky voices, pads and noises firing off in all directions. Adjustment Bureau remix of Ninja Cat completes our tasty package. The Russian duo's (soon to release a stunning debut EP on Hypertone) approach is in line with modern trippy and experimental techno and has a distinctive 'Romanian' vibe. They used the original elements of the track and added extra percussive and vocal samples to create an epic, intricate and groovy paranoid funk number.

Upcoming release from Todd Osborn on Jared Wilson's 7777 label. The A-Side track "303" explores some dark acid territory, while the B-Side "909" is a melodic house track in Osborn's signature style. Like previous 7777 releases, we do not expect these to last long.

New Kanada enters the third season with two white hot electronic tracks. "White Mouse" is an acidic stormer which winds it's way from old-school house - into serious dark club territory. With a shifting, swinging bassline, tough metallic toms and some killer drops - this one is a weapon in the mix. Sounds like Tevo Howard meets Luke Slater. Kind of. "Spectrum"'s deep, digital radio dub floats freely - somewhere between Baby Ford and a broken FM receiver. Drifting melodies, haunted white noise and serious house beat. A track for late night driving, and early morning warmth.