quête:dj dom

The second album by Wini, Mops, and DJ Pete, the group FOREVAYANG from Germany and Poland. Before we kill the child within us, let’s dance one more time.

26 tracks released on 3 vinyl records in a GATEFOLD sleeve.

Uncompromising lyrics paired with unique humor, set to exceptional arrangements, guarantee a hip-hop journey like you've never experienced before. On the albums guests around the world such as, Michal Urbaniak, Ola Duong, Ceci Loel, D.White, Cool P & more

In February 2023, multi-instrumentalist, producer, songwriter, and “genre-defying melody man” (Billboard) Amtrac released his highly-anticipated third album ‘Extra Time’ via Openers.

Inspired by a period of deep reflection during the 2020 lockdowns, ‘Extra Time’ consists of a handcrafted fuse of delicate textures and gritty styles into an unfiltered sonic trip, with each song depicting the process of emotions during a time of uncertainty for the future. It’s a 13-track exploration of forced introspection, a cohesive story that finishes with a surreal feeling of hope.

Amtrac stated: “I made this record to encompass what I was feeling during the times of uncertainty in the world, it helped me cope and was my outlet for everything I was going through. When the listener is done with this album I’m hoping to create the feeling of when you left the movie theater as a child and just saw something that made you think differently.”

Designed to mimic the tension and release of a classic film score, the unique sound of ‘Extra Time’ was heavily influenced by Amtrac’s immersion in the worlds of Jazz and 90s video game music, particularly the classic 90s computer game Grim Fandango and the sonic landscapes of Miles Davis and Stanley Turrentine in addition to the groundbreaking work of fellow electronic pioneers such as Bonobo and Dan Snaith.

Album highlights include kickoff track “Heard Me Right” which was described by Billboard as a “moving mix of rhythmic bass lines and atmospheric melodies”, “Contrast” featuring vocalist Reva Devito, and “Domino” featuring Future Islands frontman Samuel T. Herring that Fangoria described as “like John Carpenter and Basement Jaxx had a baby”. The album also features vocals from his friend Naeem, who worked closely with Amtrac on the jazzy and suspended-in-time groove of “Hesitation.” “Nobody Else” flips a vocal from the Four Tops classic “I Can’t Help Myself” over energetic drums and sultry guitar, and “Dancing With You” unfolds with traditional house elements toward an explosive climax of layered synths. Having made his name with intense DJ sets and creative remixes and collaborations, ‘Extra Time’ is the perfect showcase for Amtrac’s trademark stylistic dexterity and melodic sensitivity - and redefines what it means to create electronic music in 2023.

This follows his collab with Diplo and Leon Bridges on “High Rise” and the recent release of “I’ll Be Around”, his collaboration with English vocalist/producer Elderbrook.

The enigmatic masked producer DJ Jackum makes his highly anticipated debut on Shall Not Fade's sister label, Time Is Now, delivering four hard-hitting, genre-defying bangers that are set to dominate the bass music scene.

With an incredibly fast rise to the top in 2024, DJ Jackum has quickly proven himself as one of the most exciting and innovative voices in bass music. His bold, fresh approach breaks free from the conventional, making his sound impossible to ignore in a crowded genre. The Jack It EP is a testament to his skill, featuring four meticulously crafted tracks designed to make an explosive impact on the dancefloor.

Already garnering support from bass music titans like DJ EZ, Anz, Ivy Lab, and receiving radio play from Tom Ravenscroft, Jackum's Jack It EP is poised to create waves this winter. This high-energy release is sure to light up clubs worldwide.

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale is a limited edition 3 LP vinyl set that features Tyler The Creator’s original critically acclaimed CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST album plus 8 additional songs, pressed on Geneva Blue colored vinyl. The discs are housed in a triple gatefold jacket with embossed cover, foil detail and includes a 28-page booklet.

CYRIL is the Aussie-born artist, DJ, mulit-instrumentalist and producer behind two of the world’s hottest records at the moment, “Stumblin’ In” and his remix of Grammy-nominated artist Disturbed’s “Sound of Silence.”. He is signed to the Dutch record label Spinnin’ Records, known for its smash hits in the EDM genre.

His biggest moment thus far came in late 2023 with the release of “Stumblin’ In,” which initially exploded on TikTok before dominating the worlds of streaming and radio. It became the #1 most played song on air in countries like Germany, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, and more, as well as covering some of Spotify and Apple’s biggest playlists.

Shortly afterwards, a remix of Disturbed’s cover of the Simon & Garfunkel song “The Sound of Silence” was released and reached the Top 10 in several countries.

CYRIL’s debut album, From Down Under-To The World , features tracks such as “True” with Kita Alexander, alongside extended versions of “Stumblin’ In” and “The Sound of Silence.”

From Down Under - To The World is available as limited edition of 1000 copies on white coloured vinyl.

The Acidboychair music project started in the early noughties as a commentary on what journalist Simon Reynolds would summarise a few years later as Retromania. Initially conceived by Thomas Baldischwyler and Andreas Diefenbach as a performative revival travesty with large-format drum computers and synthesizers reconstructed from cardboard, everything took a surprising turn when DJ Mooner (the man behind the now defunct Munich music label Erkrankung Durch Musique) took an interest in the adventurous audio material produced by Baldischwyler. In 2005, the LP 1987 (EDM1016), produced almost exclusively with long-forgotten software (SoundEdit 16, RB-338, etc.), was released on Mooner's label. As a result of the growing number of bookings, Baldischwyler had to think about improving the performability of his intentionally amateurish productions. Fortunately, the Ableton Live programme became a DAW with a MIDI sequencer and support for VST plug-ins as early as 2004 - and this made it easier for him to execute his intuitive, error-friendly version of acid house. This can be heard on the first two sample-heavy tracks on the A-side of Come Down Easy, which were recorded in 2005 and 2006 respectively at Acidboychair gigs at Hamburg's Golden Pudel Club and Munich's Registratur. The first two tracks on the B-side (produced sometime between 2006 and 2008) were actually supposed to be part of a solo release on the Acido label run by Dynamo Dreesen, but this never materialised. However, the final tracks and the 133.3 BPM lock grooves that follow are the title and central to this catalogue number TBG123: Through ethno-musicologist Arthur Boto Conley, who had already released a one-sided 12 on his label with material from one of Baldischwyler's audio installations, he met Florian Meyer (Don't DJ) and Marc Matter (Spoken Matter), who introduced him to their collaborative project Institut F?r Feinmotorik (IFFM). Baldischwyler's attempt to approach the sound aesthetics of IFFM led to the tape 60 Minutes Of Barely Modified Lock Grooves (TCCC06), recorded in Rome in 2018. A buyer of this tape introduced him to the Detroit collective Pure Rave, which he immediately contacted and introduced to the work of the IFFM. It was important for Baldischwyler to have an analogue update made and so both the Detroiters and IFFM, who now live in Berlin, were given 8 copies of EDM1016's backstock to remix the material in their own way. At their jam in Detroit, Pure Rave opted for the almost identical material that IFFM had also used for a live performance in the Hamburg project space Beek. The dominant jumps in both arrangements come from the track Eightyseven, produced in the early 2000s for the LP 1987, an awkward remix of the Spacemen 3 track Come Down Easy, which is also referred to in the liner notes on the inner sleeve of TBG123. The almost two-decade-old revival idea thus turns into false memory syndrome and runs into a - in keeping with our times - clean-cut (endless) groove. Kassem Mosse (The KM of MM/KM) on Come Down Easy after a first listening session: I think it all works very well as a mix, no matter where you start it carries you further forward back in the loop. if I understand the liner notes correctly, it's about the music's turn from tradition preservation (doing everything right) to ecstatic delusion (not doing everything right when intoxicated). Now that I'm reading again instead of listening, the titles give me a different understanding of the connections; how the skipping belongs together, which playtime is connected. Now I can name my favourites. Thank you for the journey!

Following up on the Hayal EP in 2023, Dutch techno refractor Konduku makes a welcome return to Bitta with another four cuts of prismatic club fuel. Throughout his consistent output Ruben Uvez applies non-standard ideas to the techno formula, toying with rhythm and eliciting transcendental atmospheres from unusual patterns. This mode of exploration continues unabated on Gazoz, with the title track in particular leaning on a full-frequency, one-note synth pulse which dominates the mix and becomes truly hypnotic in its relentless presence. In the wrong hands it would come off garish, but ?vez knows how to weave subtlety around such forthright sonics to create a sublime sonic experience. 'Mikros' aligns with Konduku's more recognisable palette -- taut, bell-like rhythmic threads that balance delicacy and impact while tunnelling into mysterious, introspective zones. Aimed squarely at the heads-down section of the night, 'Luna' strides forth with a decisive dub techno palette and finds space for expression and progression in the most linear of arrangements. In true B2 style, 'Inici' rounds the EP out with a more fractured approach centred on reversed kicks and psychoactive arps riding wide and slow pitch bends for a mind-melting finish running at a formidable pace. As well as showcasing Konduku at his best, the sound on Gazoz serves as an extension of Bitta boss DJ Nobu's own particular tastes in techno -- brain-tweaking machine music crafted from supple parts, honed for the club without being limited by it.

Prepare to embark on a sonic odyssey as CRIMEAPPLE and PRESERVATION unveil the inaugural chapter of their groundbreaking trilogy with "EL LEÓN”. The album's title, a nod to the undisputed king of the jungle, serves as a meta-phorical beacon for the unyielding hunger that the lyrical predator has always shown.

On this audio hunting expedition, CRIMEAPPLE, the lyrical monarch, roars with an intensity that mirrors the lion's fe-rocity over a wild musical tapestry provided by PRESERVATION, with each track being a testament to the insatiable appetite and predatory instincts needed to navigate the wilderness of today’s music industry, a game that both artists have never bowed down to but always dominated from the outside in.

CRIMEAPPLE has always proven to be a leader of the pride, with the non-stop grind he’s been putting into his MAN-TECA imprint and with legendary collaborations with producers such as DJ Muggs and DJ Skizz carving his name as one of the prominent stars in the game today.

On the production side, PRESERVATION’s musical journey, whether with long-time collaborator Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def), or as one half of Dr. Yen Lo with Brooklyn emcee Ka, or through legendary collaborations with the likes of billy woods, MF DOOM, Roc Marci, RZA, Sean Price, Raekwon and countless others, have made him an iconic name in musical alchemy.

As the trilogy begins, "EL LEÓN" stands as the beginning of a new hunting season for the two, where CRIMEAPPLE and PRESERVATION are sure to transcend boundaries and reign supreme.

ISOxo & Knock2 have been building towards the release of the forthcoming 4EVR album since the duo sold-out an historic four (4) consecutive headline performances at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles in November 2023. At the beginning of the year, the duo announced their Coachella debut and a select number of “ISOKNOCK 4EVR” headline events in Seattle (2X WAMU Theater) and Brooklyn (Under The K Bridge) – selling out 10,000 tickets per market in a matter of days. ISOKNOCK also will be headlining the North Coast Music Festival in Chicago. ISOKNOCK debuted at Coachella to a packed-out Sahara Tent with intricate, multi-tiered, live production from Production Club. Many of the songs from the forthcoming 4EVR album were first teased at this performance. Each of the subsequent ISOKNOCK shows in Seattle and Brooklyn had unique production – with special guest cade clair popping out in Seattle to perform forthcoming album focus track “4EVR”. In April 2024, Knock2 and RL Grime co-headlined Ultra Music Festival with a special back-to-back DJ set. During this performance, ISOxo popped out for a special guest appearance and the trio debuted the collaboration “SMACK TALK” to the roaring crowd. In support of the 4EVR album, ISOKNOCK will be producing a narrative short film that embodies the tagline of the album – “Pain is Temporary, ISOKNOCK is "4EVR” On the eve of their highly-anticipated collaborative album 4evr, ISOxo & Knock2 will present the 4EVR Gallery – a tribute to the DIY ethos, uncompromising vision, and longstanding partnership of the two artists who are pushing the boundaries of dance music and reshaping it in their own image. From their humblest beginnings in San Diego to dominating the world’s most prestigious festival stage at Coachella, the 4EVR GALLERY will give fans a rare opportunity to share space with artifacts of history-in-the-making.

"CYRIL is the Aussie-born artist, DJ, mulit-instrumentalist and producer behind two of the world's hottest records at the moment, ""Stumblin' In"" and his remix of Grammy-nominated artist Disturbed's ""Sound of Silence."". He is signed to the Dutch record label Spinnin' Records, known for its smash hits in the EDM genre.

His biggest moment thus far came in late 2023 with the release of ""Stumblin' In,"" which initially exploded on TikTok before dominating the worlds of streaming and radio. It became the #1 most played song on air in countries like Germany, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, and more, as well as covering some of Spotify and Apple's biggest playlists.

Shortly afterwards, a remix of Disturbed's cover of the Simon & Garfunkel song ""The Sound of Silence"" was released and reached the Top 10 in several countries.

CYRIL’s debut album, From Down Under-To The World , features tracks such as ""True"" with Kita Alexander, alongside extended versions of ""Stumblin' In"" and ""The Sound of Silence."" From Down Under - To The World is available as limited edition of 1000 copies on white coloured vinyl. "

The Equatoguinean Norberto de Nöah established in Madrid in the early 80s, where he became a firebrand of African culture in the vibrant Movida. In 1988 he self-released his first solo album, a blend of homeland sounds —modern and traditional— with new synth and drum machine touches. The vanished album finally gets its well-deserved reissue.

Edition of 500 albums on vinyl (Bandcamp download code included) - Original artwork with new 14 pages insert and poster

In the mid-1980s, the European media, music industry and public became increasingly interested in African music. This was a period of international success for King Sunny Adé, Salif Keita, Youssou N’Dour, Ray Lema, Touré Kunda, etc. Spain, with its own particular conditions, wasn’t oblivious to the phenomenon and the Equatoguinean Norberto de Nöah may be its best exponent.

Norberto moved in the early eighties from his hometown in the island Fernando Po (now known as Bioko) to its former colonial capital, Madrid. While studying dramatic arts, he created and led the band Nohkis, made up of African and Spanish musicians. In 1985 they released the maxi-single “Mujer española” / “África, ¿dónde está tu gloria?”, and the song “El loco”, was released on a compilation LP called Esto es increíble, both on the label Lollipop. According to the journalist Patricia Godes, they were first artists to record an African music record in Spain. It received positive reviews and a great impact on the most independent side of Madrid’s La Movida movement. Very soon afterwards, Nohkis’ band split up.

Afterwards, Norberto would concentrate on his solo career, and Norberto de Nöah and The Böhöbé Spirits Müsic was released in 1988, definitely a solo album. Norberto created his own label, Kilimandjaro Productions, and composed, arranged and produced all the songs of the LP. Moreover, he sang and played all the instruments: a vast selection of organic instruments, a Yamaha RX-5 drum machine and a Roland D-50 synthesizer.

In the album he exposed his deepest roots, updating the lexicon of traditional Bubi music, the musician’s ethnic group, a compendium of ceremonial melodies that ancient troubadours composed for the court. Doing so he showed new possibilities to one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world. Besides all this, he was also inspired by American music such as funk, R&B, Latin American music and also by a wide range of African and Caribbean rhythms.

Mixing the traditional and the avant-garde in a spontaneous and natural way, the music contained in the record’s grooves flows freely and takes you to places full of magic and mystery, while still transmitting new and exciting sensations. Even more, according to the Equatoguinean musician and writer Baron Ya Búk-Lu based in Madrid, the album’s sound was “the perfect combination of all characteristics that defined the Equatoguinean Afropop music made in Madrid during the 1980s”, a story that still needs to be told in all its depth and intensity!

Following the release of two LPs and several singles, the activity of Norberto de Nöah and Kilimandjaro Productions (and the subsequent Bananas Podridas) ceased. Nevertheless, Norberto’s links to music continued, as a promoter and DJ in Madrid’s nightlife.

Norberto de Nöah contributed greatly to changing Spain’s musical landscape, breaking barriers and mental frameworks. He was the first to make contemporary and popular Guinean music known to the Spanish public.

The repercussions in the African market of a Spanish (and Bube) speaking African musical project, where English and French dominate, was very difficult. In addition, the passage of time and changes in phonographic formats have diluted the memory of Norberto's legacy. Now it’s time to reverse the situation and break all the outdated frontiers!

Norberto de Nöah and The Böhöbé Spirits Müsic, as every important music piece, was at the same time part of a universal phenomenon of recognition of African music and a very personal project, based on the artist’s nostalgic and heartfelt need to show and homage his ethnic group, the Bubis. In this process he also refreshed his hometown music legacy, giving it a new air and opening the door to lots of other great Equatoguinean artists coming afterwards, as well as being an inspiration for many musicians in Spain.

2026 Repress

DJ Support: Danny Howard, Annie Mac, Mistajam,Pete Tong, Charlie Hedges, Kraak & Smaak, Maxinne,Todd Terry, Alex Preston, Full Intention, GW Harrison,DJ Rae, Rudimental, Alaia & Gallo, Illyus & Barrientos,Johan S, David Penn, Sam Divine, Riva Starr, Claptone,Nice7, Dario D’Attis, Mousse T, S-Man, Huxley, KCLights, Friend Within, Dombresky, Gorgon City, ChrisLake, Format:B, Pirupa, TCTS, Alan Fitzpatrick, LowSteppa, Mat.Joe, Raumakustik, Eskuche

Coming out the traps strong, our next 4-track vinylsampler series kicks things off with Toolroom’s very own Mark Knight who continues his impressive string of collaborations with Darius Syrossian appearing alongside him for the first time on the label. Mark and Darius, along with studio maestro James Hurr,stumbled on this classic ‘Let’s All Chant’ sample and together proceeded to write a peak-time, tech house slammer around it. With relentless energy and lush vocal licks and that all-familiar 90’s sample, this one works a treat on the dancefloor.International House don Low Steppa is next for a special release with Malta’s finest, Jewel Kid. Their track ‘Big Busta’ oozes ATTITUDE! Slamming tech house drums, an insatiable groove and a tongue-in-cheek vocal that will raise many a smile on the dancefloor. Another certified club weapon for sure! CASSIMM kicks off the flipside on the vinyl with another peak-time club weapon as he returns with ‘Say Yeah’ alongside vocalist Mahalia Fontaine. The Italian born House music maestro is on fine form as always here, hot on the heels of his ‘Love Desire’ record that went stratospheric in late 2023 on Claptone’s ‘Golden Recordings’ label. With a big bassline and oodles of dance floor energy alongside Mahalia’s rasping, diva style vocal adding that classic house vibe to proceedings! Finally, we round things off with the once mysterious but now ‘unmasked’ house duo ‘Wh0’ with a rip-roaring club banger! Remixing for the likes of The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Calvin Harris and Meduza whilst collaborating with Armand van Helden, Nile Rodgers and David Guetta under his Jack Back alias.This track is a heads down, no-nonsense, tongue-in-cheek club weapon! Seriously powerful drums, aplayful acid line and a very cheeky vocal that will cause a stir on many a dance floor!

Countless radio plays on Radio 1 from Danny Howard,Sarah Storie, Pete TongOther notable radio plays – Kiss FM, Toolroom Radio,Sirius XM, Data Transmission Radio, Radio 1 DanceAnthems, Radio 1 Party Anthems, Rinse FM, SelectRadio, Tomorrowland Radio

After dominating 2023 with two joint albums from two of hip-hop’s biggest producers in The Alchemist (The Great Escape) & Cardo (The Night Shift), Larry June is back with his first full length offering of 2024, Doing It For Me. Going back to his roots of what made him the type of man he is today and the formula that initially brought him success, the album contains no features and focuses on Larry doing things his way, for himself. From enlightening listeners on how to move like a boss and live a healthy lifestyle, to flashing what his hard work has brought, fans are sure to be able to soak up some game on how to improve their own situations. The 15-track album features production from Jake One, DJ Khalil, Harry Fraud, Cardo, Cookin’ Soul, Teeko & more. Singles include "Imported Couches," "Meet Me In Napa," "Dreams," & "Like A Mack." If there’s one thing we know about Uncle Larry thus far, it’s consistency. Listen to Doing It For Me and prepare to watch your habits improve. Picture Disc vinyl, housed in a gatefold jacket, and includes a 12x12 Insert and obi strip.

The album SABABU is a vibrant ode to the quest for the opportunities that shape our existence. We are invited to seize the infinite chances open to us, capable of leading us to unsuspected horizons if we know how to recognize them. SABABU is a captivating blend of haunting rhythms and deep ballads, combining traditional heritage with contemporary sounds.

Aboubakar Traoré's heartfelt cries are both passionate and demanding, and he takes on universal themes of injustice, love, heritage and the quest for freedom. Through powerful lyrics, he denounces the exploitation of African resources, political and economic domination, while celebrating the resilience of peoples and the richness of traditions.

But SABABU is also an ode to life, love and the strength of family and community ties. Carried along by a deep groove, the album takes the listener on a musical journey where intimate emotions and collective reflections mingle, creating a bridge between past and present where each rhythm resonates as an invitation to move, to come together, and to celebrate life.

Debut album "Tama Tama" was nomitad by Octaves de la Musique 2021 and the band was selected to showcase at Visa For Music (2023) in Morocco and Belgian Worldwide Music Night (2023) in Brussels.

A1 Northern Lights
Darkly, tense tones take center stage as Northern Lights kicks the LP off, introduced with an eerie synth before classic, striking old school breaks that aficionados will recall from the likes of John Bs Secrets drop, chopped expertly by our Spatial duo to create a quietly vengeful beat pattern with heavy kicks and a unique stuttering detail. Circling menacingly around the mix we are treated to swathes of choral detail, subtle vocal samples and shimmering ambience..

A2 Sunset on Mars
Showcasing the strengths of both producers through a delightfully rich atmosphere, Sunset on Mars opens with soothing echoed effects that ooze a welcoming sense of wonder. Delicate in composition yet still packing a punch, the breaks sit over a sumptuous deep sub bassline which carries our journey through simple key melodies, vivid mood-changing synths superbly to create a pure, wholesome atmospheric bliss.

B1 Totality
Dominant hats and cymbals surf the peaks of the mix early in Totality, detailed old school breakbeats quickly seizing our attention constructed with an effortless attention to detail. A stark, thick atmosphere is carved from a broad backdrop of sound blending vocals and synths, enveloping the listener with a dense, bleak soundscape that develops continually as the breaks roll on with memorable intent.

B2 Reincarnation
A deeply evocative, interstellar intro opens Reincarnation, generating images of lonely spacewalks with trademark Spatial aplomb. The vibe continues through a barrage of heavy analogue amens which crush the mix, edited with a chunky, commanding panache. The listener can picture pillars of isolation and thundering defiance dancing in duality as the elements weave their way fluidly throughout.

C1 Seraphim
Into an intense, epically atmospheric piece next as Seraphim channels the spirit of yesterday for a journey into the souls core via scene-trademark Hot Pants breaks, a moody 808 bassline and swirling atmospheric pads, melodies & synths. Layered with detailed FX demanding repeated listens to soak it all in, Seraphim is a special track which will take over your setlist and the journey home.

C2 Prism of Light
Sit back and relax to another slice of classic atmospheric bliss with Prism of Light, opening with a DJ-friendly hi hat intro before melodic synths generate an instantly unforgettable late-90s vibe. Hot Pants breaks drive us forward with a wondrously simple yet effective mix of 2 step and double kick edits, as blissful ambient washes and vocal hits are drizzled over the mix. Delightful.

D1 Harmonic Function A uniquely constructed beat pattern guaranteed to move you opens Harmonic Function, building up from rushing cymbals and hats intertwined with a fantastic crunchy, metallic half-time snare. Throw in a slew of mournful melodies and blanketed pad work around the mix and youre left with a superbly laid back yet danceable piece from ASC & Aural Imbalance, continually innovating in their music as ever on Spatial.

D2 Fade to Grey
Old school rhythms are on the agenda as our duo close out the album with a tense, meandering exploration through space, circling the planets through mellowed out beats before a layer of dense, analogue breaks are added to the mix as the atmosphere escalates. Exquisitely programmed vocals provide texture and feeling, while an understated bassline rumbling on below, completing a timeless collage of sound.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

London-based DJ and producer Steven Julien’s career has always been about contrasts. Across a decade of releases on labels including Eglo and his own Apron Records, as well as club sets around the world, he’s consistently mixed light and dark, soft and heavy, yin and yang. From rough-edged house and techno to laid-back soul and boogie, or meditations on his familial and musical heritage with 2018’s Bloodline LP Julien’s music has always moved between moods, styles and emotions.

That eclecticism also defines Julien’s upcoming instalment in !K7’s iconic DJ-Kicks mix series. Featuring a broad spectrum of artists including Ryuichi Sakamoto, DāM-FunK and Todd Edwards, alongside a selection of his own exclusive productions, Julien takes us on an imagined journey from day to night: from a bucolic afternoon in nature to heady domestic vibes before a big night out, and finally the euphoric embrace of the dancefloor itself.

Julien describes his creative approach to DJing in general, and this mix in particular, as letting his energy and intuition guide him - it’s only on listening back to the finished session that he realised how often he mixes tracks in key, creating smooth transitions from one moment to the next.

That instinctive approach, where seamless mixing becomes second nature, speaks to Julien’s decade of appearances in DJ booths around the world: he cites sets at Ormside Projects in London, Doka and De School in Amsterdam, or Mitsuki in Tokyo as specific inspirations for this mix. Julien describes the feeling he’s tried to capture on tape as an out-of-body energy: just letting loose, and being yourself. “When you get in that position of doing what’s true to you, playing what’s true to you” he says, “people just resonate with that.”

2024 Repress

at mule musiq, we've focused on shining light on the many aspects of what electronic music can be, putting out house, techno and ambient releases on our main label, while releasing alternative-leaning dance music through our endless flight imprint. but with the launch of our new label, studio mule, we are stepping away from electronic club music for a bit. the label will not be tied to a specific genre, as we will instead focus on releasing any kind of music that we feel is a little bit different and interesting, but somehow make sense in this day and age. for our first batch of releases, we will be focusing on japanese music.
to be honest, i have been watching the recent rise of global interest in japanese music with a skeptical eye, not sure of how to feel about all these labels overseas licensing great albums that were birthed in our country. but then, i was told by somebody i greatly respect that i should do something similar with mule, and put our own spin on it, which sounded like a good idea to me. after a period of procrastination, i finally got around to doing it. we are starting things off with a compilation of japanese disco, boogie and soul music that we selected from a modern dance music perspective — the kind of songs that we feel would intrigue music fans across the world.
at first, i started seeking authentic-sounding disco that sound like it could have been recorded in the states, but after struggling to get licensing rights for many of those tracks, i started to wonder if that was really the direction we should be going in. when we start new labels or projects, we often come up with the title or artwork first, before deciding on the actual music. we came up with the title midnight in tokyo first, which dictated that we needed to find music that would be a perfect soundtrack to listen to at night in tokyo. we ended up compiling a selection of tracks that you could both listen to at home, and play in clubs at certain time slots. the compilation also ended up sounding a lot more pop than we initially imagined...
during the selection process, we did not care whether the tracks have been reissued already or not, and how rare the original copies of the records were. our sole purpose was to gather a handful of songs from across labels, major or otherwise, that we felt could be listened to for many years to come — even after this whole japanese music trend dies down. although we put together this release mainly for listeners outside of japan, the compilation can also be a chance for japanese music lovers to rediscover the greatness of domestic music, as we did during the process.
the compilation starts off with the afro disco classic 'mi mi africa' by harmonica player nobuo yagi, which was also included in the compilation mastercuts.
'silver top' is a jazzy fusion disco taken from composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist nobuyuki shimizu's first album, which he released when he was 19. the track features singer epo, whom he worked with many times over the years as an arranger.
'samba night' is by vocalist keisuke yamamoto and his band piper, from their masterpiece second album summer breeze. a delightful city pop number that should appeal to tatsuro yamashita fans.
'akogareno sundown' is a japanese soul classic, sang by singer haruko kuwana (the sister of well-known musi-cian masahiro kuwana). recorded in hawaii and produced by mackey feary band, known for the soulful classic 'a million stars.'
'koiwa saiko (i'm in love)' is a mellow and groovy track by singer aru takamura, the great-grandchild of sculptor kouun takamura, whose son kotaro takamura is a famed poet and sculptor. can be thought of as japan's answer to cheryl lynn's 'got to be real.'
'what the magic is to try' is a cult electropop track by honma express, a project helmed by producer kanji honma. hailed as japan's trevor horn, he is also known as the producer of legendary techno pop band tpo.
'colored music' is a song by colored music, a duo of pianist ichiko hashimoto and her partner atsuo fujimoto, who have gone on tour with ymo. taken from colored music's sole album, the japanese rare groove treasure is a mesh of new wave, synth pop and jazz influences.
the dubby electronic new wave disco 'electric city' is a b side of pop idol group shohjo-tai's debut 12' single, but the girls aren't actually singing on it, making the instrumental one of japan's greatest '80s dance tracks.
'love is the competition' is a breezy disco jam by okinawa-born bilingual artist hitomi tohyama. featured on her album next door, the song's melody seems like an interpolation of the whispers' 'it's a love thing.'
taken from mariah project's diva yumi murata's first album, 'krishna' is a funky and soulful rockin' disco cut.reminiscent of chaka khan's 'i know you, i live you,' 'live hard, live free' is a song by jazz vocalist eri ohno who is known for her work with dj krush and singing on the soundtrack to anime rupin the third.
'rocket 88' is a melancholic disco number by singer minnie. though the track was released through sapporo's independent label paradise records, the superb production quality suggests otherwise.
closing out the 13-track compilation is japanese disco staple 'tokyo melody,' sang by half african and half swedish american singer shoody and backed by tetsuji hayashi's disco band the eastern gang.

The Boysnoize Records catalogue contains more than a decade of milestones in the life of Angeleno DJ and producer PILO. His signatures—a focus on sound design, and a digital crunch evocative of hardware rather than software—are present from the very beginning, but the evolution of Pilo’s skill and sophistication is clear as he stretches from electro to experimental to techno and back again in a slowly oscillating gradient. Yet despite his dozen or so releases in just as many years, G.L.A.M. (dropping November 8th, 2024 from BNR) is Pilo’s first proper album. That the record embraces the cyclical nature of time is apropos; the artist’s journey towards self-actualized mastery always ends with a new beginning.



Over the eight tracks of G.L.A.M., Pilo reaches deep into the dream that first ignited the passion that has driven him since. For a chosen few internet-connected American teens in the aughts, the sounds of European electro (and electroclash) trickled down their ethernet cables and instilled a fantasy of exotic, sartorial, sexually-fluid hedonism that felt a world away from the hard-edged masculinity of the hip-hop and skate cultures dominant at home. Pilo opens G.L.A.M. expressing this idealized fantasy with the track “Superstar DJ,” channeling the tongue-in-cheek self-celebritizing of Miss Kitten and The Hacker’s seminal work. “I’m a superstar, come meet me at the bar,” hiss Pilo’s heavily effected vocals, over a bassline of chopped mentasm synths driven by a swift, club-ready rhythm. The fingerprint of 2000’s electro a la International Deejay Gigolo Records is recognizably present, yet Pilo is too adept, too confident in his studio abilities to let his tracks rely on the retro. A great joy of this album is the future-facing richness of its production, always nodding to its spiritual guide of the past, while constantly breaking new sonic ground.



G.L.A.M. continues with “Girls Rule The World,” its vicious, droning bassline and sticky, titular hook making it the perfect electroclash soundtrack for a revenge plot on an ex-boyfriend. “What you Want” offers an instrumental exercise in “synthesizers are the new guitars,” and Pilo’s FX chops really shine as he warps and distorts his sounds into an undiscovered dimension existing somewhere between both. “Loverboy” enters the more melodic, Legowelt-inspired realm of electro, pushing above and beyond the foundation of analogue minimalism with flourishes of impressive sound design to construct something both climactic and cathartic. Scopa lends her perfect coldwave sprechgesang to titular track “G.L.A.M.,” with Pilo’s vocal processing offering surprises throughout and his FX chains wielded as instruments unto themselves.



On the track “A Slow Thinning Halo,” Pilo might be conjuring the haunting vocal chops and chiptune simplicity of early Crystal Castles, but the whiplash snap of his drums and sizzling production are all his own. “Spend the Night” is G.L.A.M.’s least nostalgic—and most unashamedly pop—offering, with the mic being passed between Sana and DEEVIOUS (previously featured on Pilo and Boys Noize’s 2023 track “Pvssy.”) DEEVIOUS’ sultry singing rides atop the bassline as it hypnotically struts across the floor, while Pilo’s skillful arrangement, deft rhythm programming, and atmospheric control elevate the songcraft into full-spectrum worldbuilding.



As the penultimate track, the contemporaneity of “Spend the Night” serves as transition away from the album’s previous, past-leaning exercises, allowing Pilo to step fully into the future with “One Last Embrace.” The closing track still references aughts sounds, but it borrows so widely and prolifically that Pilo’s reassemblage can only be described as singular. Here, Pilo pushes his engineering into psychoacoustic territory, as the eerie, beautiful melancholy of “One Last Embrace” explodes into a thrashing bassline that warbles like a drowning memory, struggling against the sinking weight of time. Pilo allows it to survive for 16 electrifying, gut-wrenching bars before letting go. In G.L.A.M., as in Pilo’s career, as in life, every ending can only be a new beginning.

Leng’s San Francisco connection has long been strong, with the 40 Thieves collective – and their friend Cole Odin – providing some of the label’s most memorable releases of the last decade. That Bay Area connection comes to the fore once more on the imprint’s latest release, which sees Odin join forces with fellow San Francisco resident Marshall Watson, a long-serving producer, engineer and live performer known globally for his Balearic-minded productions.
‘Voyager’, the pair’s first collaborative single, is a genuine meeting of minds. It combines Odin’s love of low-slung dub disco, dancefloor psychedelia and low-tempo cosmic house with Watson’s
picturesque Balearic synths, sparkling piano riffs and immersive sound design. It’s this blend that dominates on the EP-opening Original Mix, an infectious workout that gets progressively more blissed-out and saucer-eyed as it progresses. Listen carefully and you’ll hear some suitably psychedelic guitar solos nestling amongst the heady washes of sound, sun-bright piano riffs and weighty bass.


Those languid, stretched-out guitar parts naturally take a more prominent role on the Extended
Guitar Mix. On this alternative take, the pair deliver a lightly tweaked take on the original groove, stretching it out while overlaying eyes-closed guitar solos, pots-and-pans percussion and a more DJ-friendly outro. It’s effectively an extended club mix – the club in question being a Bay Area basement at 5am. To round off the EP, Odin and Watson dust off their dancing shoes and pay tribute to San Francisco great Patrick Cowley. On the appropriately titled Cosmic Rave Mix, the pair swap their bass guitar for a pulsating sequenced bassline, trance-inducing synth sounds, and locked-in electronic loops designed to take you to a higher state of consciousness. By the time the track’s familiar piano refrain drops midway through, you’ll be reaching for the lasers in no time at all.

Colombian artist Kabinett brings a soul and harmonic proposal in the many forms of alternative disco and house through embellished productions and DJ sets finding himself every time as medium for all possibilities.

Involved in music from an early age through classical music, while being exposed and inspired by his older brothers in the many forms of what electronic music was developing, Nicolás, his given name, knew that his future and purpose was only going to be around what matters him the most, music. After learning different instruments in the early years and through a mix of self-education and formal education in contemporary music and music production, as well his first steps as a DJ, at age 20 he was ready to get involved in Colombia's capital electronic music scene as curator, DJ, label owner and music producer.

Founder of vinyl house label Nómada Records next to established artist such as Felipe Gordon & Joint4nine, his mentors, Kabinett have been fed enough to developed a full curation career working for Kaputt Club, El Coq & W Hotels, and more recently Casa Cruxada where he has helped to develop an identity for each which as of today has only enriched the local scene.

More recently as head of Kaputt.wav, his new label, which is now house of artist such as Curses, Iñigo Vontier, Theus Mago, Dombrance, Damon Jee, among many more, promises to keep growing and develope music overseas.
As of his personal artist career, have count on releases in labels such as Glitterbox, Midnight Riot Records, Partyfine, Platino Records, Duro, Playground, Sonido Moderna and more recently in Prins Thomas own label, Intersnajonal which will release his third solo EP in summer 2024.
With a deep understanding and experience on the music scene and a strong influence on dance genres, Kabinett and his music transcends the listeners souls and dive deep into a conscious dance.