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Marky- 'Whaaat rollers!! I looove it!!!!!! Big tunes 100% support as usual'
Ant TC1- 'usual level of quality from a label that never fails, true to the original sound, never swaying from the good old roots this music was built on, it's a 10 out of 10 from me on both releases, Expose was an insta-fave for me upon first hearing'

Randall- 'Heavy tunes'

* Quarantine continues into 2016 with more from Fierce and Zero T, Following their recent Metalheadz release.

* ''Expose'' This stepping roller has been getting a lot of love of late. A misleading intro lulls you into a false sense of security, before the bass drops!

* "Clandestine" Another big break roller, echoing styles of long ago. Providing conscience for those who have none...

* Both these tracks continue to establish the return of Quarantine and have been getting supported and played by Friction, Fabio, Doc Scott, Randall, Hype, Bailey, Marky, Ant Tc1 and many more.

Berlin-based Marlon Hoffstadt drops 'Coach Mike', the fourth EP on his own Retrograde imprint, featuring remixes from Massimiliano Pagliara and The Friend and following a hat trick of successful releases. The four-track EP is the sophomore release from Hoffstadt on his burgeoning label, which he co-founded with Natureboy Gold and Matteo Luis in August 2015. Previously featuring the likes of Kris Wadsworth and Tuff City Kids, Retrograde provides a platform for the artists to explore music alongside other forms of expression such as art, particularly surrealism. The vinyl sleeve artwork from the first four releases, when fitted together, completes the painting 'Interaction' by surrealist Hermann Reimer. With previous releases on FFRR and Play It Down, Hoffstadt boasts a sound that is both innovative yet authentic, and 'Coach Mike' displays the sonic alchemy that the talented producer, aged only 22, has already become known for. The title track starts as a grooving acid-based cut peppered with percussion before building up suspense to a surprising yet satisfying breakdown. This is his first release without vocals, allowing him to focus entirely on creating pure soundscape. Panorama Bar resident and Live at Robert Johnson mainstay Massimiliano Pagliara's rework of the A side is a Balearic-tinged affair, starting with a solid drum and building to a crescendo of bass, pads and synths, along with the analog synth elements for which he's known. This is an undeniable summer anthem that will captivate dancefloors across the world. 'Broncos' is a club track created for the floor. An acid bassline sits alongside industrial elements and stabbing synths.

 I made a mistake,' but this long-lost modern soul track is anything but a flub. Stu Gardner, leading a group of top notch session musicians in 1980, noticed there was still time on the clock after they had finished their work for a popular network television show. Making good use of precious moments, the band recorded an exuberant track that's quintessential 80's with a timeless and positive message. It's about love, desire and that bass line. Don't fight it.

There´s not much known about Fabror Resande Mac but them hailing from Stockholm Sweden and having released even fewer matrial yet... an ep on Afficicionado and one on Back to Baleraics.
But both to much applause and already being sought afterness.
FRM do masterfully crafted, slow paced (pacific) coastal sound with all the ingredients for making you long for more. Steady bass pulses, mechanical percussion, punctual punches make waves from underwater to hyperspace - seductively deep and almost see through light.
Price and Timeless.
Or how our dear friends from mighty testpress.org blog would put it:
An idealized promise of the only true cure.
Atalanta and Vi över Manhattan are a Teasor of something even bigger coming in the Autmn of this year. Fabror´s first full length album, here on Horisontal Mambo. So don´t touch that Dial - this is just the beginning of the Deep End.

Horisontal Mambo is a new sublabel from Full Pupp.

They say all good things comes in threes, and with the marking of Nachtbraker's 3rd release for Heist, we can confirm this universal truth once again. Maurits Verwoerd comes back to Heist with more dancefloor muscle than ever before, and shows us great development of his sound: while keeping his unconventional drum patterns and love for the deeper side of house, he adds some filtered funk flavor along the way. 'Gotta act to react' drives on a saturated bassline, a hypnotizing guitar lick and some seriously loose hi-hats, but really delivers once those hard to place filtered hits come in. 'Pollo con Pollo' is potentially Maurits' most clear attempt at a straightforward groove, with a lovely dreamy guitar loop running throughout the track. Add his loose sense of arrangement and changeovers, and it's still anything but straightforward. The B- side gets nice and weird with 2 versions of Intermezz(l)ow, the one being a lovely textured interlude and the other a rough drum workout built around the same theme. When we asked Maurits who he wanted to have as a remixer, he suggested he'd do a remix himself. We knew better than to argue with him, and since he is who he is, we're not entirely surprised he came up with a great dubbed out acid-tinged flip of 'Gotta act to react'. This EP really shows Nachtbraker's steady rise and will most likely take him out of the shadows he so enjoys, into headline territory and we're glad to support him in this journey. Sincerely yours, Lars & Maarten

The contributions of the late Detroit producer James DeWitt Yancey -better known to the world as J Dilla- to the world of hip-hop can't be overstated, and nowhere is his legacy more apparent than his work as a member of Slum Village. A founding member of the trio, (Alongside rappers T3 and Baatin) Dilla provided the group's distinctly esoteric, free-wheeling sound, built around winding basslines, quirky drumbeats, subtle low-end frequencies, and classic jazz & soul samples. Against the backdrop of Dilla's rich production, T3 and Baatin's free-flowing style of rhyming would also earn wide critical praise, leading to comparisons as the successors to A Tribe Called Quest. (A label they themselves have rejected.) After the success of Slum's 1997 studio debut, Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1, the group went to work on their follow up. Though the project was completed in '98, label turmoil kept the project on ice until 2000. By the time Fantastic Volume II hit Dilla was well on his way to his status as a hip hop legend having produced cuts for Common, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest and many more. Later works from Slum Village may have had more of an impact sales-wise (in the immediate) but Fantastic Vol. 2 had fans and many critics saying that Slum Village, and Dilla in particular, may single-handedly save rap music.' Perhaps that statement is hyperbole but many consider Fantastic Volume II to be Slum Village's finest work ever to this day. Ne'Astra Media Group now presents the album reissued on vinyl, for the first time in several years. Every wobbling bass note of J Dilla's production has been preserved to maintain the legacy of this hip hop rap classic and maintain the legend of one of hip-hop's greatest beatsmiths.

Phil Collins revisits a career that can boast over 100 million sales and numerous worldwide #1 albums. Both Sides will be remastered by Nick Davis, who earned a Grammy nomination for Best Surround Sound album for his work on the Genesis '1970-1975' box set. Davis has also worked on all of the Genesis retrospective reissues.

Entirely curated and compiled by Collins himself, his idea for the 'Take A Look At Me Now' concept is to examine how his songs have evolved over time, with the majority of the additional content throughout the series focused on live versions of the tracks. By contrasting the original studio versions of the material with later performances, the series demonstrates how Collins' songs take on a life of their own once they're freed from the confines of the studio.

Collins returned to #1 in 2010 with 'Going Back' which represented his first studio album since 2002's 'Testify'. 'Going Back' was a personal labour of love project that found him faithfully recreating the soul gems that played such an influential role in his musical life.

The concept, he said at the time, 'Was not to bring anything 'new' to these already great records, but to try to recreate the sounds and feelings that I had when I first heard them.' That objective was achieved with the help of special guests including three surviving members of The Funk Brothers: Eddie Willis (guitar), Bob Babbitt (bass) and Ray Monette (guitar). 

'I decided to call this version of 'Going Back' 'The Essential Going Back',' he explains. 'In retrospect, I included too much music on the original version, and I believe that too much is not always a good thing. Hence this trimmed down selection of my favourite Motown songs.'

Fresh off the heels of the success of their 'Waiting Ground' EP, the boys in black, Frank & Tony, are skating back onto the scene with another four track summer stomper, 'Under the Jaguar Sun'. The A-side starts things off with the titular track, a rollicking deep house number primed for sunset raves. A bouncing and lush bass line is the back bone of the track, as crisp hi-hats, distant, yearning pads, and shimmering bells propel dancers forward into eyes closed euphoria. Things ramp up quickly into peak-time ecstasy on the Breakaway edit of Solo Andata's A Ballet of Hands.' A whirling dervish of delicate music boxes, bowed guitars, delicate music boxes, and distant horns swirl around and weave in and out between a skipping drum pattern, pushing and pulling alongside a gruff and stuttering bass, perfect for those late night rooftop ventures. The B-side takes listeners into early morning after hours territory, starting with the groovy Difficult Loves.' An airy and luscious double bass keeps things bouyed as introspective pads shimmer alongside pillars of aquatic synths. Backed by a classic, shuffling NY House drum groove, this one is best served late into the evening. The boys wrap things up on a high note with the latin vibes of Sargasso.' Crisp tambourines keep things light as dense kicks and a bass line deeper than the deepest canyon pull dancers deep into the floor with a warm embrace. The star of the show is the bouncing and earnest synth line, which is partnered up with a pair of playful toms in a game of cat and mouse, making this track a weapon anywhere you place it in a set.

Lunapark is the trio of Burkhard Ballein, Klaus "Schlips" Gebauer, Reinhard "Zoppen" Benisch from Wuppertal, Germany. Formed in 1981 when the boys were dissatisfied with their surrounding musical environment. They packed their instruments and a cassette recorder and set off to create their own brand of Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW "New German Wave'). Their influences included The Beatles, Colloseum, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa as well as Sex Pistols, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Blondie and The Cure. Gefangene Vögel' ('Prisoner Birds') is their debut album released by Intakt Records, Stuttgart in 1982. Utilizing a simple set up of guitar, bass, drums, drum-computer, Korg MS-10 and Korg MS-20 they recorded 10 tracks that make up the album. Songs bridge the Belgian-type industrial and cold sounds with NDW quirkiness. In the vein of Sad Lovers and Giants, and Schleimer K they blend post-punk and new wave music with electronic influences. All songs are sung in German with monotone vocals and epitomized the urban Zeitgeist of the Cold War. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a replica of the original jacket design, which features a drawing of birds on a grid. There are 4 different color versions of the screen printed jacket: blue, yellow, magenta and turquoise. Each LP includes a copy of the double sided 11x11 insert that was included with the original pressing with lyrics and photos.

Y-Bayani is Ghana's uprising Fanti-reggae artist. He was discovered by Philophon in Ebo Taylor's hometown Saltpond, where he survived as a clock doctor. With his song "Asembi Ara Amba" he was featured on the highly acclaimed debut "Invisible Joy" by the Polyversal Souls. The success of that song opened the door for his first release under his sonorous own name: Y-Bayani.

"Get Away" is a swinging up-tempo beat with a bouncy bass and a haunting vocal performance on top. "Obar No Ni" on the other hand brings you down with a slowly driving rub-a-dub beat. Both tunes have been produced by Max Weissenfeldt and Stibbo Spitzmüller at Berlin's Joy Sound Studios.

Britsh quintet Me and My Friends are set to release their captvatng and mesmerising second album,
Hide Your Way, on Soundway Records this summer. A unique and singular blend, it's the sound of Eng-
lish folk colliding head-on with the golden-era music of 1970s West Africa and the West Indies.
Towering vocal harmonies, soaring cello and clarinet lines, colossal basslines and drum paterns
combine on an exquisite rollercoaster-ride of the emotons from euphoria to melancholia and back
again.
Bound by a mutual love of the sun-drenched vintage sounds of afrobeat, soukous, highlife and roots
reggae, the UK-based 5-piece re-invent these infuences around the instantly recognisable voice and
fnger-style guitar of songwriter and singer Nick Rasle. The band's sound involves a meetng of diverse
musical backgrounds: Fred Harper's gospel-infuenced drumming and James Grunwell's deep basslines
provide the bed for Sam Murray's growling clarinet tone and Emma Coleman's strident cello and faw-
less ear for vocal harmony.
Having enthralled festval audiences across the UK with their breathless live show, Hide Your Way sees
the band embarking on a deeper exploraton of the playfulness and rhythmic agility which has come
to defne their sound. A rich and varied pool of musical ideas sits alongside a plaintve lyricism, as the
songs tell tales of regret, corrupton, loss and deceit. The result is something fresh and original, mar-
rying the emotonal vocal power of folk music with early jazz and delta-blues singing and the driving
rhythms of West-Africa's golden era and the heart and soul of the great roots-reggae songwriters.

The 2nd release for Re.You on connected - The Brixton / Berlin based label - distributed by Kompakt Records and run by Terranova and Stereo Mc's.
1. 'They Vibed' Featuring Lazarusman. The Master of Tech House electronic soul grooves Re.You teams up with Lazarusman South African Slam Poet and vibemaster. A machine-like groove with driving pistons and staggering drum stabs rises with the introduction of shakers and bass synth pulse and prophet like counter strokes on Re.You's musical canvas. Lazarusman strolls through this mechanical environment scattering his train of thought from the beatbox of my mind' , this really does groove and vibe' .....easy riding and freeform.
2. 'Try To Sleep' . Classic Re.You- An energetic , springy groove that feels like an early summer day with hypnotic , spiral movements in synthesis and female cinematic whispers and shimmering hi-hats and a very 808'esque feel to the groove. Atmospheric Hypnotic and vibrant. Future music.
3. 'They Vibed' Featuring Lazarusman. (Vinyl Version) Excellent vinyl only version stripping back to the original and providing minimal/drone landscape and enhancing the Lazarusman poetry to full effect.

Repress
Solid red 12 vinyl comes accompanied with a limited edition double sided 'Redders' Ep poster (insert). Vinyl purchase includes EP instrumentals as a digital download (Critical Store exclusive)

A man who guested on many a Critical release finally brings his very own EP with the hugeproduction backing of Gorgon Sound, Sam Binga, Hyroglifics and Moresounds. An onslaught of halftime bassline, dancehall and electronic twists in one EP ready to floor the room!

Launched in 1996, PLOINK has been a core brand in Norwegian techno for two decades now, booking the likes of Jeff Mills, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Carl Cox, Radio Slave and Richie Hawtin, as well as launching a
record label that champions Scandinavian artists. With the likes of Prins Thomas, Mental Overdrive, Nordenstam, Mind Over MIDI and label founder Thomas Urv appearing thus far, 96-16#3 is the third and final
instalment in the 20-year celebratory releases.
One of Norway's well established electro/techno artists over the past 15 years, Skatebård begins proceedings with the sinister 'Kapitalsystemets Belastning' featuring menacing bass and otherworldly synths,
before Bergen's Kahuun demonstrates a concoction of keys, effects and atmospherics with 'Sherlock'.
Next, Kristiansand's +plattform, who's just launched his Graatone imprint, introduces powerful kicks and eerie drones in 'Reluctant', making way for the percussive and rhythmic 'Helle Farben' from analogue-loving duo Dormund. Faarikaal Records founder Henrik S' 'Phobos' then ventures into sci-fi realms with spacey aesthetics and echoing stabs until Krill Music boss Espen Lauritzen ties up the release with the intricately produced 'Tromsø'.

Three years on from the release of the critically acclaimed debut album, Undergrass, Mushrooms Project return to Leng with a two-track taster or their forthcoming follow-up full-length.
In the intervening years, Giorgio Giri and Marco Lentano have hardly been slacking, further exploring their unique blend of glistening Balearica, dubbed- out disco, Italian Afro-cosmic and psychedelic nu-disco via EPs for Horn Wax, Uber and Hell Yeah! Recordings. Their latest two-track missive is undoubtedly amongst the Italian duo's strongest work to date. The A-side boasts 'Dirty Bolas', an effortlessly summery groover destined to soundtrack sultry evenings and sun-baked afternoons. Its' rolling, percussive funk groove and undulating electric bassline keep the action moving, but it's the tumbling guitar solos, toasty
keys, humid electronics and atmospheric feld recordings that catch the ear. Flip the 12' for 'Sunset Ballad', a near ten-minute epic that more than lives up to its' name. Soft, delay-laden acoustic guitar passages and yearning electric piano fourishes set the tone, before the Parma-based production duo
gradually ups the pressure via a shuffing groove, whispering acid lines and quietly bubbling synthesizers. It's undeniably rich and life affrming, but best appreciated while lying fat on your back.
Dirty Bolas will be featured on the duo's second album, which is slated for release in the fnal quarter of 2016. For now, you'll have to make do with these two slices of seductive, sun-bright brilliance.

Nick Höppner returns to Ostgut Ton after last year's Folk album and a split release with Fort Romeau (Cin Cin, 2015). The Fantastic Planet EP sees him collaborating with Japanese DJ and producer Gonno on three bouncy, clubenabled tracks, steeped in early 90s House and UK Electronica vibes.
Höppner met Sunao Gonno on his first travels to Tokyo in 2008 where they clicked immediately: A similar musical upbringing from Post Hardcore to club music paved the way for Gonno and Nick where the language barrier would've been a stumbling block otherwise - firstly as a foundation for a personal relationship, later for an ad hoc three day stint in Höppner's studio when Gonno visited Berlin for his DJ debut at Panorama Bar. Despite the limited time together, all three pieces evolved from initial jams and sketches to tidied up tracks, not only sharing a resembling emotion but also playful and detailed musical elements.

Spocking Fivers' on A opens on a more jazzy and breakbeat note, with snapping fingers, various synth pads and percussion slowly building layer upon layer, up until a warm kick, some gentle melody and bubbling sounds take over. It's a grower, in terms of running time and track development.

Fantastic Planet' on B1 comes with a strong, continuous 4/4 bassline and organic percussion from start to end, further on dominated by hypnotic melody stabs and a swelling climax - a muscular yet detailed piece. Finally As Above, So Below' follows more romantic and dreamy motifs, by using a more mellow downbeat theme it lets all squeaky sounds mesh nicely.

After making some massive claims regarding electronic music last year which caused a stir in the dance music community, Mat Zo had a lot to live up to with his long awaited second album "Self Assemble". What didn't help was the fact that his first album, "Damage Control" was critically acclaimed by many within dance music and is now considered a modern-day masterpiece with mesmerising tracks such as The Sky and the massive Easy with Porter Robinson.Blending genres and sounds in a way only Zo can achieve, this record flows incredibly well as the tracks move from one to the other almost telling a story of the different styles of electronic music. At times the album is reminiscent of Zo's incredible Essential Mix from back in 2013 in the way that it progresses and constantly surprises the listeners. A lot funkier than Damage Control, it's no less incredible.
Beginning with the beautifully atmospheric "Order out of Chaos" which starts with an absolute wall of sound that boggles the mind in how Zo even went about designing something so complex, this sets the tone for the rest of the record in a cracking way. The melody soon crescendos and we're introduced in to the meat of the album with "The Enemy". Bringing out all the good funky vibes on this track, again Zo exhibits his insane production talents which are a staple of the album. Featuring vocals from the wonderful Sinead Egan, this is a great uplifting tune that'll no doubt have you dancing in your chair or in the club.
'Sinful" acts to continue the funky good-time vibes and transports us to a cool summertime drive. It has us yearning for happier times and again the guest vocals from I SEE MONSTAS go a long way in getting across this happy vibe. Featuring an uplifting almost french house inspired bassline and squelch synths that wouldn't look out of place on a Daft Punk or Madeon record, this is another stunning track from the record. "Patterns Emerging" feels like a bridge into the next section of the album and is unfortunately short. The orchestral element really brings out the emotion on this track and we only wish it was longer. "Killing Time" has those classic chopped up vocals that Zo uses to great effect and some nicely programmed drums that could be a nod to the drum and bass he used to put out under MRSA.'Smacked up on Jack" features some cool middle eastern sounds and a wacky vocal sample that helps to progress the album and keep the listener interested, again though we feel like it's a bit too short and are left wanting more. The next tune "Ruffneck Bad Boy VIP" is an absolute mammoth and one of our favourites off the record. Opening with an immense rhodes melodic sequence and after some nice vocals, the track rips into the electro house and dubstep infused banger that it really is. Some dirty, dirty sound design and drum production will have the dance floors going wild and shows us again why Zo is so good, it's a far cry from the funkier elements of the earlier stuff on the album and shows how Zo can show off a range of electronic sounds. "Lights Out" is a straight up hard hitting electro banger with an infectious vocal sample that only needs to be heard to be understood. Not much more needs to be said about it! Coming into the last section of the record, "Soul Food" returns us to the groove with an astonishing house beat and bass line that have us questioning how Zo makes it so hard not to smile listening to this album."Stereo no Aware" starts sounding like it's taken straight from a space movie epic and soon transforms into a goose bump inducing melody with a driving growling bass line that bring back the epic dubstep we all used to love a couple of years ago. Skrillex eat your heart out. Finishing off this record on a more emotional note, "Too Late" starts off like a guitar ballad and then transforms into something totally different. Egan's melancholic vocals enhance this track to great effect and is all backed by Zo's lovely downbeat production until we're treated to a monster of a climax around half way through the track which will surely blow the cobwebs right off you. Zo says goodbye to us with the phenomenal "The Last Transmission" and what a way this is to close out an incredible sophmore album for the English producer. The melancholic piano chords are a subtle and pleasing way to close out this journey of a record. Mat Zo really has outdone himself here and we're really looking forward to hearing some of these bombs dropped live. Surely a contender for album of the year at such an early stage, yet again it's only the best delivered by Mat Zo.
Latest album, Damage Control was Grammy-nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album last year

Welcome to the second release on a new record label, Real Balearic. We are record label based in Ibiza and London. We were set up by the team who brought you the world famous "Real Ibiza" series of compilations and released the very first "Cafe Del Mar" compilation. We are passionate about music and in particular music with a thread that runs to the musical sounds of Ibiza and the Balearic islands. Whilst we may "chill out" with the best of them it is not what we are all about. Balearic techno, Balearic disco, Ambient soundscapes, Classical interludes, Sun-drenched chords, Sunset grooves, Moon-washed rhythms... and just about anything that grabs us...

Following on from our first release from Ibiza Balearic legend Jose Padilla we follow things up with a second release also brimming with sunshine and optimism. Here we harness the Balearic spirit with a brand new track from the San Francisco based producer Sorcerer (also known as Dan Judd). His release becomes our first vinyl release and the first opportunity to see our brand new vinyl house bag artwork.

The original of "Video Magic" has the trademark shimmering guitar lines and chords, bags of lazy-afternoon groove and that all important summertime swing.

First up on remix duties is downtempo and chillout DJ, tastemaker, broadcaster and overlord Chris Coco. He nudges the groove up ever so slightly with his beach front evening re-rub. Perfect for sunset moments.

With a 5 track single it is nice to touch all bases and Slovenian based Ichisan covers the leftfield and slightly quirky version with his remix. His remix moves along with his usual mix of ponderous bass guitar and analogue synth effects. South American Daniel Solar cranks the pace a touch more with his beach disco evening time excursion. As a finale and one final crank on the energy index, the Italian based duo Irregular Disco Workers deliver their peak time disco house stomper. Sweet.

Stay tuned for the third album from Dan out soon on Real Balearic.

The eight tracks on 'Versus' exemplify a remarkable cross-pollination of genres, a true testament to the intense, 'it takes a village' spirit of collaboration among the artists in the Wolf & Lamb aquarium.

The LP kicks off with "Real Love," an electronic duet with San Francisco's PillowTalk. A sparse, airy kick and lackadaisical, scale-climbing bass line complement a vocoder-drenched croon, evoking nothing less than an R&B version of Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works. In the album's next track, "Fo Porter," butter soft vocals from Voices of Black ("I want it/I need it/I just can't get enough/I hold it/I squeeze it/I just won't give it up") complement lush orchestral arrangements, doing for hip-hop inflected dance music what Metro Area does for disco.

"In The Morning," an after the after party, hands to the air entry into the house of god, will instantly conjure up for those lucky enough to have visited the Marcy the familiar image of Gadi's hands feeling up the wall in ecstasy while Zev soldiers through the groove. "Weekend Affair," perhaps the real standout of an all-round exemplary album, punctuates stuttering, oscillating synths with a ferocious cowbell and moaned vocals, continuing a long-standing New York tradition of sexualized Downtown funk.

The gorgeous "Serpentine," with it's kettle-drum compression worthy of Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" and atmospheric vocals from French chanteuse Rap Lisa, is rounded out by the it's a perfect ending to the album, a moment of calm before the sharks, always on the move, start circling again.

The debut release for Kalyma on connected - The Brixton / Berlin based label
A1 'LayDown' original Kalyma teams up with his friend, singer and songwriter Peter Stanowsky. The song was written during a relaxed and loose jamming session in late summer time at their home studio.The vocal performance is surrounded by a groovy and very percussive beat. After a long, calm intro a hypnotic bass melody kicks in together with more percussive elements in order to get up to full speed. The catchy bass combined with the repetitive vocals gets the listener in a driving,
rhythmical, dreamy mood 'Lay Down' was made to enable smooth transitions in the dynamic range of a diverse house DJ set, without loosing energy and create a special intimate, percussive vibe
A2 'LayDown (Florian Busse Mix) A hypnotic ping pong tom groove that gets heavier with the introduction of a lazy distorted bassline.
Provides an easy ride for the vocal to entwine with as the music elevates with the rise of snake-like synths B1 'LayDown' (Aaaron Vinyl Exclusive Mix) With whiffs of Kraftwerk-like electronics and a rolling percussive underscore , Peter's vocal bounces across the ever changing groove helped by rhythmic stabs and mysterious drones as the groove gets minimal and sequences motor to the end .
B2 'LayDown' (Aaaron Mix) A driving ,solid, nailed to the tracks club groove with exotic sounds peering through the sonic picture in a deep subtle carnival celebration.
The vocal talks to us without interrupting the movement as bass synths juxtapose to the rhythm and electronic percussion punctuates the atmosphere,absorbing us into the tune.

COUNTERSTRIKE stand as one of the hardest production entities to pin down in the heavy-hitting end of drum and bass, delivering exceptionally well-executed cuts across the multiple sub-genres of the scene to carve out their unique sound. Following up a string of releases across leading labels in the scene, which sparked as early as 2001 and sees them today as one of the leading forces with their heavy sound - they unveil their 2nd LP through their own Algorythm Recordings - FEAR DIVISION DESTRUCTION.

Opening with the ominous tolling of church bell, before dropping with a sample that places tongue firmly in cheek - DEMONS pairs Counterstrike with US producer Gein to deliver a stripped wonky shuffle between dnb sub-genres for the most depraved of dancefloors. The LP also delivers hefty collaborations with the Panacea and Eye-D, with TOCKOTRONIC bringing heavy sweeping tech and a trance-flavoured breakdown, while HOW IT ENDS strikes with filthy acid-influenced crossbreed. Titular track FEAR DIVISION DESTRUCTION places it's roots firmly in the Portuguese sound, delivering devastating waves of pulsating techno-influenced dnb. AGAINST THE GRAIN leads from towering bass into a proud display of Counterstrike's broad range of influences - with hard and heavy dnb melding perfectly with neuro. SHOCKWAVE delivers an angrily syncopated growl perfect for inciting unhinged, abandoned delirium across the rave, whilst THE RAGE shows the true power that a Counterstrike snare can deliver. THE SIGNAL drops with furious break beats, juxtaposed by a funky triplet rhythm on the switch. VOLCANIC sees them combining forces with one of the scene's top MC's - Coppa, to deliver a nasty slab of future hip hop.

FEAR DIVISION DESTRUCTION delivers what it promises, an aggressive but highly-tuned odyssey into the core of hard dnb that will rip your soul out through your eardrums and leave listened palpitating in the dance.

Saft welcomes 'Nortasun' to it's expanding roster of artists. With not too much info being available about the artist, the music should do the talking. 'Nortasun' comes up with a sample drenched EP that consists out of swell basslines, mind expanding chords and outlandish percussion works. ''Untitled 1'' opens up with a carefully placed disco sample that hovers over the rhythms very nicely. The percussion section and the ascending chords serve the overal ambiance while Nortasun plays with the extended loop pattern that maintains of interest. ''Untitled 2'' serves as a very deep but functional voyage into tribal territory. A vary of percussion sets in and smartly exchanges tones with FX cuts. On the B side ''Fudge Fingas'' debuts on SAFT with an atmospheric beast of a remix for ''Untitled 1'' that constantly grows and cleverly uses vocal cuts that change up the original atmosphere and makes the overall a very broad work of house music. The Stevie Wonder like clava hit + piano solo's that come in when the remix progresses are all in courtesy of the Edinburghian producer himself.

Our latest Looking for Mushrooms' EP comes to us from a collaboration between long time Dirt Crew resident Tigerskin and gifted jazz pianist and composer Grambow. We first heard from Grambow when his fluid key stylings featured on Tigerskin's Faint' in 2015. The title track is a suspenseful and moody journey, lead by live double bass from feature artist Das Eb". Building in intensity with Tigerskin's warm production and steady percussive instrumentation until Grambow's live lead on a gritty synth growls in over the top. A true modern electronic classic as far as we are concernred. Tsukiji' is a playful deep house groover. Balmy tuned percussion and shaken highs roll along under the light hearted piano which cruises along throughout the whole tropically touched endeavour. This track has Party' written all over it! Octocat' is a tougher italo disco tainted work out, tightly programmed live and analogue percussive elements push along, while wailing keys lick over a tenacious grunting bass. You can really taste and feel the long studio sessions the guys had to compose this great track. It is so much more than generic dance music. Red Fox' is a divine culmination of the pair's compositional prowess and dance music knowhow. A cinematic and spirited house track that glides and glistens via delicate piano, plucky percussive riffs, bright strings and woodwinds. We are very honoured to release this outstanding musical release by Tigerskin and Grambow.

In 1989 Oumou Sangare, a young singer from the Wassoulou region of southern Mali, went to the JBZ
studio in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire to record her debut album. Except for electric guitar and bass, the
line-up was traditonal - kamalengoni or 5-string 'youth's harp', karinyang (iron scraper) and violin
(substtutng the local one-string fddle). The music they recorded was exactly the kind of music per-
formed by hunters to charm the wild animals and invoke the protectng spirits, but with updated lyrics
refectng the concerns of young women living in African cites today.

The music of Wassoulou, with its funky beat and strong melodies has become increasingly popular
in Mali over the last few years. But no one could have foretold the wild success of Oumou Sangare's
recording, which within a few months had sold over one hundred thousand copies in West Africa
alone - not countng bootlegs. This was Mali's best selling cassete ever. And not a drum machine or
synthesizer on it!

What is the secret of Oumou Sangare's astounding rise to fame Partly the sheer force and beauty
of her voice - she frst trained with the Mali Natonal Ensemble and then lef to join the independent
group Djoliva Percussions (with whom she toured France and the UK in 1986). And undoubtedly, be-
cause of her powerful lyrics, which address the problems of young Malian women - torn between the
old values of the countryside and the modern ways of city life. But it's also the brilliant arrangement
of the typical Wassoulou sound - with its slow-driving rhythm punched out on the bass strings of the
harp and its soaring melodies. 'Moussolou' ranks among the best recordings of Malian music of all
tme.

Now for the very frst tme World Circuit are releasing this iconic album on deluxe single vinyl.
Mastered at Abbey Road the vinyl is pressed on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl and presented alongside a
beautful 10 page booklet and download card.

The master jammer returns! Opal are so proud to release this set of four beautiful, sun filled pieces of pure electronic music. Ged Gengras' Personable project is the boiled down syrup of many years spent learning his craft within synthesis. Captured directly from live home studio recording, each track lives and breathes in it's own space, 'Gambetti' serves a light structure of rattling snares and resonant bass boops dressed up with gorgeous, almost gothic hanging notes. 'Window' is a funked slice of Ged at his best, referencing grime/garage structure but extended out into am 11+ minute epic that conjures buccolic idyll, like funky sunshine. B-side opener 'Oyster' flips the vibe inward into a more paranoid number, similarly long form and rolling but with all melody turning in on itself and riffs decaying away into thin whispers. To close; the stunning 'Cormorant' forms itself from a bed of padded out bliss. Reminiscent of Oval or Pinkcourtesyphone, the track haunts with a breathy sadness which pulses forwards into squash court squeaks and deep forward facing kick drums. Every time I listen to Personable I'm hearing someone who approaches their instruments as a player, no concepts or grand ideas, just playing a synthesiser and doing it so well.

After teasing its release at SXSW recently, Kaytranada presents his highly anticipated debut album '99.9%' via XL Recordings. The album finds the Haitian born, Montreal raised producer delivering on the promise of his early self-released EPs and remixes. Since the age of fourteen, when he first began to DJ and when his brother introduced him to music production software, his output has been relentless. He explains, after he showed me the basics, from that day on I couldn't stop making beats,' pumping out a handful of tracks per day for the next couple of years.
Single releases like 'Drive Me Crazy' with Vic Mensa and 'Leave Me Alone' with Shay Lia soon spread his name like wildfire. With that release Kaytranada cemented his reputation and his sound, an undeniable swing of the drums comparable to Dilla's, a signature soulful touch in the melodies and a healthy dose of funky basslines.'99.9%' continues that tradition and new track 'Bus Ride', which features acclaimed percussionist / producer Karriem Riggins as well as rising Toronto vocalist River Tiber, demonstrates that Kaytranada has stayed within his canon while demonstrating growth on the new album.

When Kompakt came across Amsterdam-based Harm Coolen and Merijn Schotte Albers aka WEVAL back in 2014, we were blown away when we heard their slow-burning, darkly emotive tracks.

Their debut EP 'Half Age' on Atomnation featured painfully intimate and surprisingly kinetic electronic chamber pop that convinced us they were a perfect fit in Kompakt's family. Following two widely acclaimed EPs for Kompakt and playing numerous festivals including DGTL, Reeperbahn, Iceland Airwaves and Piknic Electronik, we now see the two tackle their self-titled debut full-length WEVAL. What you have before you is not a mere collection of tracks, but a complete listening experience with organic flow, emotional heft and a narrative thread.
Smitten with WEVAL's uniquely personal and catchy approach to producing dark electronic music, it didn't take much to win us over... and so came WEVAL's acclaimed 2014 label debut EASIER EP (KOMPAKT 318), followed by the bold and beautiful 2015 offering IT'LL BE JUST FINE / GROW UP (KOMPAKT 344) which saw the two soundsmiths digging deeper into the granularities of electronic funk than ever before. However, Harm and Merijn's music - while astonishingly fully-formed even in its earliest stages - always seemed destined for more, a bigger format, more space to explore the nooks and crannies of their rapidly evolving sound cosmos. Simply put, they needed to think about an album and their beloved living room studio wasn't cutting it anymore.
An old school building became WEVAL's new home, repurposed to house small creative businesses - but in the summer of 2015, it was abandoned most of the time, with everybody out in the sun while our heroes turned the building's attic into a sweet spot to make some noise, have 24-hour access and lose track of time. And apart from a sketchy tenant being evicted, the occasional soccer game with friends and live gigs across Europe, there really was no interruption to the focussed vibe. It's not like they were looking for distraction anyway: "working on the album all by ourselves in this bloody hot attic was all we had on our mind", the artists admit. And they decided that their album shouldn't sound too clean: "We try to find the beauty in imperfection. It makes things sound more human".
Weval draw their inspirations from no single genre of music but a cumulation of music that inspires them. The results present an astonishingly coherent vision - cuts like the dramatic THE BATTLE, bass growler I DON'T NEED IT or the trippy epic MADNESS share the same DNA of zestful nostalgia, a knack for immersive sound-sculpting and that certain kink in the groove. They also feed on deeply personal experiences and moods, as exemplified by the haunting electronic ballad YOU'RE MINE, the carefully layered, polaroid-tinted JUST IN CASE or the beautifully voiced closer YEARS TO BUILD. And sometimes, it's just an old, out-of-tune piano that stands in the hallway: "Whenever I'd pass by it, I couldn't resist playing it", says Merijn, "so Harm decided to start recording and it became an integral part of YOU MADE IT (PART I)". No doubt about it: this is WEVAL's most powerful and organic material yet - which means a lot, considering the amount of skill already on display in their small, but weighty portfolio.
(de) Als sich 2014 in Amsterdam Kompakts Wege mit denen von Harm Coolen und Merijn Schotte Albers aka WEVAL kreuzten, waren wir sofort Feuer und Flamme für ihre schwelenden, emotional aufgeladenen Tracks. Ihre Debüt-EP "Half Age" auf Atomnation präsentierte intimen und überraschend kinetischen, elektronischen Kammer-Pop, der wie angegossen zu Kompakt zu passen schien. Nach zwei vielbeachteten EPs auf dem Label und einer Reihe von Festvialgigs (inklusive DGTL, Reeperbahn Festival, Iceland Airwaves und Piknic Electronik) nehmen Weval nun mit dem gleichnamigen Release ihr erstes Album in Angriff. Und legen dabei nicht einfach nur eine Ansammlung von Tracks vor, sondern kreieren eine komplette Hörerfahrung mit organischem Flow, emotionalem Gewicht und einm roten Faden.
Angetan vom einzigartig persönlichen und mitreissend düsteren Klang WEVALs brauchte es nicht viel um uns zu überzeugen... und so kam es 2014 zum gefeierten Labeldebüt EASIER EP (KOMPAKT 318), gefolgt vom kühnen und wunderschönen 2015er Release IT'LL BE JUST FINE / GROW UP (KOMPAKT 344), für das die beiden Soundtüftler tiefer denn je in die Granularitäten des elektronischen Funks abtauchten. Nichtsdestotrotz - und obwohl sie schon von Anfang an ausgereift klang - schien die Musik von Harm und Merijn auf dem 12"-Format stets bestimmt für mehr: mehr Freiraum um auch die äussersten Winkel ihres rapide expandierenden Soundkosmos zu erkunden. Sie mussten schlichtweg zum Langspielformat wechseln, und ihr heissgeliebtes Wohnzimmerstudio konnte da nicht mehr mithalten.
Ein altes Schulgebäude wurde schliesslich WEVALs neues Zuhause, umfunktioniert für kleine Kreativunternehmen - doch im heissen Sommer 2015 stand es zumeist leer, da alle draussen in der Sonne badeten, während unsere Helden im Schweisse ihres Angesichts das Kellergeschoss in ein lärmfestes Aufnahmestudio verwandelten. Mit Studiozugang rund um die Uhr liess es sich bestens die Zeit vergessen. Und abgesehen von der Räumung eines zwielichtigen Nebenmieters, dem gelegentlichen Fussballspiel mit Freunden und natürlich Live-Gigs in ganz Europa, gab es auch keine Ablenkungen vom hochkonzentrierten Kreativfluss. Ablenkungen, die das Duo ohnehin nicht suchte: "ganz allein in diesem verdammt heissen Keller am Album arbeiten war alles, was wir im Sinn hatten", geben die Künstler zu. Und sie entschieden sich, dass ihr Album nicht zu sauber klingen sollte: "Wir versuchen die Schönheit im Makel zu finden. Es lässt die Dinge einfach menschlicher wirken."
Weval beziehen ihre Inspiration nicht aus einem einzelnen musikalischen Genre, sondern eher aus einer Akkumulation von Musik, die sie inspiriert. Die Ergebnisse zeichnet eine beeindruckend kohärente Vision aus - Aufnahmen wie das dramatische THE BATTLE, der Bassknurrer I DON'T NEED IT oder die Trip-Saga MADNESS teilen diesselbe DNA aus schwungvoller Nostalgie, einer Schwäche für immersive Klangschnitzerei und einer gewissen Delle im Groove. Sie nähren sich auch aus zutiefst persönlichen Erfahrungen und Stimmungen, wie zum Beispiel bei der eindringlichen elektronischen Ballade YOU'RE MINE, dem vorsichtig geschichteten, polaroid-gefärbten JUST IN CASE oder dem wunderschön gesungenen Schlussakt YEARS TO BUILD. Und manchmal ist es nur ein altes, verstimmtes Klavier, das im Flur herumsteht: "Immer wenn ich dran vorbei lief, musste ich darauf herumklimpern", erklärt Merijn, "also wurde es ein zentraler Bestandteil von YOU MADE IT (PART I)". Kein Zweifel: dies ist WEVAL's stärkstes und organischstes Material bisher - was durchaus was bedeutet, wenn man das Talent bedenkt welches bereits in schmalen, doch gewichtigen Portfolio der Band steckt.

Shaw Cuts is happy to present its third release, which includes 4 tracks produced by Farron under the title 'Death Duel'. The story of this chapter is simple: The Third Master is respected as the unrivalled and undefeated swordmaster of the day. His strength and skill saw many opponents who sought to slay him and win his title. All failed. There was only one rival who might sever his crown. It is only a matter of time until the ultimate duel... 'We Don't Make No Sense' rings in combat with a dirty break-beat drum pattern combined with deep, melancholic pads, circling the scene before one of the masters makes the first attack. Warmer in tone, 'Tangency' is the first intermission, a lull in bloodshed and impending annihilation. Short-lived... The B-Side brings back battle mode with 'Centro', a rough and rolling thunder with churning synth action and distorted drums. The duel ends with 'Par 2', its sharp percussions, goliath bass drum and spheric pads reverberate victory. An open breast and sword glazed red. Fatal hemorrhage...

BodyTrax drops it's second EP of 2016 with another essential 3-tracker from Bodyjack. Laugh It Up opens things up and we are in vintage Bodyjack territory from the outset. Rough (and we mean rough!) beats and percussion, vocal hook and a metallic riff combined with possibly his ugliest bass line to date to make this an essential addition the bag/crate of any house DJ. Slow Clap strips things right down to just drums and bass taking the track into even more raw areas. Warehouse vibes! The title track I'm Here All Week on the flip is one of those simple but infectious house tracks that you're going to remember after a night out. Once again, our man's synth n' bass work duck around those sharply programmed beats he's know for to round off the EP with a bang.

Najem Sworb brings us the thirty-fifth edition of Wolfskuil Records adding the Strasbourg-based artist to it's roster. Previously releasing on labels such as Clone Basement Series, Technorama, Metis Recordings and the now defunct Ai Records, Najem Sworb has been transforming through various genres of techno since his debut release in 2007.

Rad.Velc EP brings us 4 original tracks playing upon the themes of house and techno. 'K-159' opens the EP with a fierce relentless bass and squeaky pads ending in a harmonic disarray while 'K-166' follows in a smiliar suit rather with a dub inspired rhythms. On the flipside, Najem Sworb switches up the vibe with 'K-abL' which illustrates the artists more house influences with mystical synth lines. However, 'K-177' demonstrates his knack for techno, delivering an explosive device fit for the dance floor. Together in all four tracks Najem Sworb shows his expertise in unique synth work providing a quirky cadence to his beats.

DJ FEEDBACK
early support from
Answer Code Request: Interesting stuff here!
Rødhåd: Downloading for listen.
Anthony Parasole: This is quite good!
Ben Sims: B2 doing it for me.
A.Mochi: A2 is for me!
Angel Molina: K-abL/K-177 as my fav track on here, especially the last one, killer one.
John Osborn: Really strong release - loving A2 & B1.
Isolated Lines: Very cool tracks! I really like A2 and B2. I'll play them.
Jeff Derringer: Sounds very nice! I'll try this in Detroit.
Phone: Love hypnotic tribal sound of K159.
Truncate: Solid tracks all around... but really digging that B1 track.
Orde Meikle: Great release.
Ekserd: Another excellent one on Wolfskuil. Super nice!
Echoplex: Fresh.
AWB: Long time fan of Laurent's work.
Invite: Another great ep on the label! Keep them coming!
Jeroen Search: Yes!
Blawan: Very nice ep! Full support.
Joseph Capriati: Downloading for Joseph Capriati.
Mr. Jones: Always a surprise what new sound Wolfskuil will bring.Like this funky and fresh EP.
Richie Hawtin: Downloaded for Richie Hawtin.
Marcel Heese: Killer!
Randomer: A side bangs.
Robert Lamart: Support.
Svreca: Feeling specially K-177.
Mosca: Love that K-166 synth!
Tensal: B2 is my pic here, nice stuff as usual in Wolfskuill.
Markus Suckut: 166 & 177.
Sinfol: Will try b2.
Ame: Thanks.

been to long' - the well remebered chorus of a successfull parisian duo´s single hit comes easily to mind while thinking of the latest internasjonal release. after a long hiatus - which feels like surely way long - we restart with one half of the formerly well known milanese pair - boogie drama - and it´s very own lele sacchi. deejaying since 1995 sacchi has been and is still one of italy´s and especially milan´s musical icons - at least for electronic and alternative worlds, presents himself in his signature style. high on the heals of the success with rebirth´s smash Lele Sacchi Vs Blonde Redhead - You're Only Kosmiquest' is dark and cryptic, with a mean but very neat and elegant bassline plus an unmatched groove and feel for the floor. this time well balanced with a tad into psycheledic strinig heaven, wich combined with electronic effects is his ultimate kosmische' quest. the whole thing is contered by an airy and superbright no less danceable ' lauer version' and a fantatsic relaxed italo take on kraut which can propably be non done much better than byprins thomas walking on that lunga strada' !

Soul Jazz Records' new 'Studio One Dub Fire Special' brings together 18 heavyweight dub cuts, all recorded at 13 Brentford Road in the 1970s.
Featuring a stellar selection of dub cuts to classic and foundation songs recorded at Studio One with music from the legendary in-house bands - The Sound Dimension, New Establishment, Soul Defenders and Brentford All-Stars - featuring the likes of reggae's finest musicians - Jackie Mittoo, Leroy Sibbles, Cedric Brooks, Freddie McGregor and more.
These fresh dub sounds employed the mighty mixing desk skills of The Dub Specialist, aka Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd, Sylvan Morris and Scientist to full effect. Studio One Dub Fire Special features our latest chapter of raw, stripped-down bass and drum sounds direct from Studio One, 'the University of Reggae'.

Released as CD with slipcase and heavyweight 2xLP vinyl (with free download code).

he second time around: fred p aka fp-oner is back on mule musiq with another record that demonstrates the many cosmic qualities of his deeper shade of soul.
it is the second part of a trilogy that features his detailed sonic landscapes that are full of mystery and power. while his last fp-oner album 5' was leaning more to the jazzier, relaxed and atmospherically side of his artistically deep house expressions, the runner-up grinds even deeper into spherical worlds that enhance deep meditative highs.
they are not made for club use only. in fact all eleven compositions work also massively without big speakers. again the new york city native that is working on his very own music for almost 20 years produced a journey inwards that is compelling, mesmerising and enchanting.
you find cosmic dust in it as well as dark entropies, percussive power, sweet seducing melodies and rolling bass power that shakes your inner and outer profoundly. the tracks are listening to names like awakening co creator', alternate reality' or adjusted perception' and the album title 6' stands for a meaning,
that fp-oner describes like this: 6 represents the number of man and his or her limitations, weakness and imperfections.
this body of work examines and looks towards one awakening. adapting to a new way of being creating an alternative and reaping a higher state of mind and being. enhanced by love and serenity, satisfaction and joy.'
all tunes are produced around the world, as he is a guy who never stops feeling in sound. that is why he caries his studio around to get up in the middle of the night or right in the morning after a sweaty party to transfer his emotions directly into sound. the result is massively powerful music with slow, intimate passages for treacly melodies, stirring synth-lines and little rhythmical quaintness.
an almost lyrical house journey that works like a musical sculpture in which organic machine grooves float along keys on air. the evolution of the each track is impeccable and their power grows with any new listening session. fp-oner himself characterizes his art like that: 'my music is designed to enhance deep meditative, or altered states, to allow the listener to personally connect to the creator of all that exists in the universe.
my music style is to first create a foundation using cyclic, polyrhythmic music, then build several layers of improvised leads and rhythms that allows you to transcend time and space... we have memories of past lives that reverberate in our hearts like echoes from ancient caves'.
there is nothing more to add, except that those who do not know fp-oner so far should know that he danced in his younger years in legendary new york city clubs like the red zone, sound factory or tunnel to dj sets of larger-than-life selectors like david morales, frankie knuckles or danny tenaglia.
during those nights he learned that sometimes less is more. and that he should rather listen to your heart and soul, then to the susurrus of the music market. most of the eps and albums that he produced under his other monikers like fred p or black jazz consortium have been released via his very own label soul people music, which exists since more then ten years.
as fred p he also dropped 12inches on jus-ed's underground quality imprint as well as on toshiya kawasaki's mule musiq label. for the latter he now is working on a trilogy under the fp-oner alias. this little paper introduces the second part of it. the final one will hit your heart and soul in an unwritten future. whatever circumstances of life will be around by then: you can be sure that fp-oner will transfigure them into a dynamic emotional and spiritual terrain.

Last year saw the mysterious Garage Shelter make their debut appearance on Skylax, and little is still known about them! All we know is they are back with some freshness on the Skylax Classic sublabel.
First up is Bring Back Love, a track that will sink its claws in with that infectious vocal sample hook. Sticking with the old school sample vibe is the Lonely Heart dub of Attempt; it's a bit more mellow but still has plenty of groove in it. Friend of the Garage Shelter, DJ La Foudre, appears over on the B side with It's Alright (Signal St Mix). Still on that catchy sample tip, it features one of the grooviest bassline and funky guitar pairings I've heard in a long time. Next up, Perception 66 is a smooth house affair from yet another friend, Asa No Hikari. Rounding out the package is Garage Shelter's own You (Still), a dreamy pad-driven track that may indeed be the pick of the release. While we don't know much about Garage Shelter, we can't help but look forward to what they come out with next!

'Nothing' is Kode9's first solo album and is about nothing. The album throws horror soundtracks, sampled library and j-pop records into a no man's land between grime, early dubstep and Chicago footwork. Mostly instrumental, it zigzags between hypnotic, downcast loops, growling drones, and jagged cut-ups of androids gone haywire, threaded through twitchy, transatlantic rhythms and sub-bass inaudible through your laptop speakers. Building slowly, but more upbeat than previous albums, many of these tracks have more in common with Kode9's recent singles from the last few years than they do with his two previous albums with collaborator The Spaceape, 'Memories of the Future' (2006) and 'Black Sun' (2012). Yet 'Nothing' is haunted both by The Spaceape's presence (he died in 2014 after a prolonged battle with cancer), on 'Third Ear Transmission', a communiqué from a zone of digital immortality, and his absence, on 'Void', whose spaces were originally intended for the vocalist, and 'Nothing Lasts Forever', which closes the album with a 9 minute silence. Now confirmed for release as a double-LP, the initial run will be a limited edition pressing on glass-effect translucent vinyl, housed in a high quality gatefold jacket and inner sleeves displaying Optigram's remarkable artwork to its fullest effect. Also included is a complimentary mp3 download code.

25 years old, born, raised and based in Berlin, but all at home in the club. Nitam's debut Retold EP (U-TON 06) already set the tone in 2015, and here we are three catalogue numbers and 14 months later with his second 12 release on Unterton taking a similar line as his debut four-tracker did: new varied sonic themes with an overall fresh sound. Although still being young of age, Nitam outlines once again his interest in dance music from the late 80s and early 90s, presenting himself schooled by classic Detroit House as well as Chicago Acid House, but all without limiting himself to a restricted pallet of styles or catering towards musical expectations.

A1 starts off gently with Keen Insight' and its almost romantic, dreamy and hazy vibe - a mellow, melody-driven and emotional listening piece in the vein of Nitam's initial track Retold'. The following Perception' on A2 is a more functional and club-enabled cut, taking shape with an Acid-informed bassline, moaning syth pads plus claps and percussion here and there.

The flipside begins with Influx' featuring a springy, muffled yet muscular kick alongside a rising synth line. What at first feels like a tool track soon evolves into a more complex song format once the sustained string and oscillating melody kick in. The EP is rounded off by the eponymous Cancellate' and its almost Dubstep-like, placid rhythm progression and drive while being dominated by ceremonial synth pads and wraithlike keyboard speckles.

U-TON 09 once again shows the versatility of Nitam as a producer, a talent that is also being reflected by his ever-increasing interest in DJing.

Nearly a year after his acclaimed debut EP, 'Every Inch of You', a musical project meant as an ode to the memory of a once great man, his Grandfather, the enigmatic, Rosas Nievas, steps up to the plate with a sophomore outing for Scissor and Thread, Going Away Soon' On the A-side, the bombastic opener, wastes no time getting its feet moving with charged up percussion, guitar licks, and playful sampling with a clear ode to the likes of Matthew Herbert. Nearly Lost You, Though' sees Rosas Nievas pair up with the singer Poppy Roberts on an emotional house jam primed for a peak time lovers rave . A rock steady kick and shuffling percussion are the anchor, as smooth pads and ethereal, hypnotic vocal snips swirl around the listener before the singer's voice emerges forward with a heartfelt, soulful ode. The b-side takes things down several notches with the funky and loose, Roses are Dead, Violets are Blue,' a hypnotic rhythm cycle flanked by a powerful bass line a reverb-laden piano and a sax ensemble emerging as we are lead with eyes closed on a euphoric early morning dance ritual. The closer, Edge of Keys", continues the shuffling rhythmic patterning of the latter track, but couples with a loose form Rhodes piano, finishing off the EP on a gentle tone, as if coming to terms with loss, bittersweet and full of joy.

Cyclo is relaunching with an absolute classic track from its extensive back catalogue. Produced by Derrick Carter & Chris Nazuka the Chicago house classic Rednail Kidz "Do My Thing" was an underground smash when it was first released at the end of the 90's. Clubs nights such as Space at Bar Rhumba rocked hard to the incessant groove of this track. We have included a remastered original with 3 remixes:The Nacho Marco remix takes "Do My Thing" into big room territory. Nacho works closely with Roland and on this remix you can witness Big 303 lines and huge bass that will rock most discerning floors.Hallo Halo (Jon Dasilva & Jonas Nilsson) remix the track superbly and add their trademark warm tech sound.Mystic Bill creates a stunning, deep, Chicago inspired, sonic journey of a remix where less is, most certainly, more. Your Only Friend (AKA Tres Manos) adds some warm acid lines and some extra synths for his remix (digital edition only).
We hope you will enjoy these tracks as much as we are !

For the latest instalment in the Apollonia story we look to Argentina and the talented producer Federico Molinari. Having been based in Germany for the last couple of decades, Federico has refined his sound, developing a strong signature through his DJ sets and his studio productions, most of which he has released via his label OSLO. Federico's ability to craft effortless grooves and timeless rhythms is evident here on this killer new three-tracker. Side A is the eight-minute long roller 'Congo Toys'. The focus here is on a crisp 4x4 beat, which keeps things simple - under this lies a sturdy bassline. All the while, the low end is accompanied by a series of bleeps, which could almost be the chatter between two archaic computers, modulated and weaving in and out of the beats and bass. On the flip, we have two more dance floor-ready joints. Like ' Congo Toys, 'Tres Cuartos' is focused around a simple foundation, with layers of unusual effects - an overriding sense of playfulness comes through in Molinari's production, perfect for the boogie down crew. Last up, 'Joyfex' takes us further into leftfield, hypnotic, hazy atmospherics draw us into their web and we're tangled up in a mesh of vibrating whirrs and echoing, distorted voices. Sublime business from an Apollonia favorite

Warehouse Find!

Having unleashed the beast that is his debut LP Columbusing, thatmanmonkz grants a couple more heavyweight producers permission to get busy with the sonic manglers for remixes of Turn It Out and Boogie Down. First up, one of the vocalist contributors to the LP Dave Aju (known for his releases on Circus Company) takes on his own track Turn It Out, transforming the original from a backyard BBQ summer jam into some kind of mutant electro P-funk meets broken- beat fusion. A filtered bass line and bare bones 808 kicks are what this track is all about forming the perfect rhythmic union with the vocal.
Flip over for a remix of Boogie Down from talented new UK producer Laurence Guy. Laurence has been making waves the last year since dropping his Kojak EP on Church and subsequently getting played at seemingly every single Move D gig for the following six months! A slew of brilliant releases came hot on the heels on labels such as Cin Cin, Rose and Outplay. For his Boogie Down remix Laurence has opted for a sweet and laid-back affair which compliments Erik Rico's paired down vocals perfectly, conjuring up feelings of warm, balmy nights, dancing under the stars.In addition to the remixes we've included two more originals from the LP - Turn It Out and the dance-floor pleasing For Bae.