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Three years after he released the incredible New Experience EP (picking up plaudits from Bill Brewster, Tim Sweeney, Laurent Garnier, Horse Meat Disco, Leo Mas & 6Music’s Tom Ravenscroft, among many more), Tokyo’s Kota Motomura returns to Hobbes Music for his debut LP, Pay It Forward. This is the first vinyl release on Hobbes Music since the much-loved ‘Aranath’ EP by Leonidas & Hobbes last Spring. While the label maintains the level of quality control for which it has become recognised, the artist continues to subvert electronic and dance music norms in his iconoclastic way on this extraordinary record.

He’s a mysterious character with an ear for idiosyncratic music that runs the gamut from ambient, exotica and jazz to disco, house and techno via post punk, new wave and funk. It’s highly original and all adds up to a confection perhaps best described as ‘Balearic’.

Album opener Paradise is a certified jazz-funk JAM. Destined for dance floors worldwide, this one’s been dropping well with DJs, Motomura demonstrating his piano chops alongside Mutsumi Takeuchi’s sax. Tropical pushes the boat in a more rhythmic direction, some pretty wild drum programming laced with more sounds of the, um, tropics, before mad vocal yelps suggest something yet more tribal. To Be Free initially resembles early 90s progressive house (pulsing bassline, synth-driven melodies), before the arrival of some new wave guitar licks a la classic Talking Heads/David Byrne and ooh ooh vocal chants take it to another dimension altogether.

B-side opener Emotion features Takeuchi again (on flute this time) and more vocal chants before things take a dramatic turn, threatening to open up into a full fanfare before calming and then bursting into wild life again with the exhortation that “C’mon, everybody dancing!” Rhythm flirts with an energy and pace more akin to a techno record: drums, drums, more drums plus a fair few yelps and chants - the kind of DJ tool that will send a simmering dance floor wild in the right hands. Flower closes things in a more melancholy style, familiar to fans of ‘Aboy’ from the New Experience EP, with plaintive acoustic guitar (performed by Akichi), birdsong and big piano chords.

Support from Bill Brewster, Leo Mas, Al Kent, Red Rack’em, Nick The Record, Phil Mison, Phat Phil Cooper, KZA, Sean Johnston (ALFOS), S/A/M, Dribbler, Joe Muggs, Monolith Cocktail and more…

‘Gonna review in MÜ mag... very fine stuff!’ JOE MUGGS
‘Will be reviewed on the blog’ MONOLITH COCKTAIL 
BILL BREWSTER played Flower on the DJ History podcast #641 (25.3.22)
'I really like this album, Flower and Paradise are my favourite' LEO MAS
‘I like Paradise’ AL KENT
‘Woo this is tasty. DEFO playing on my next radio show. The label’s A&R is defo getting better and better. HM has been putting out some dope stuff and this one seems really good quality’ RED RACK’EM
‘Paradise and Flower sounding good’ NICK THE RECORD
‘Tunes sound great!’ PHIL MISON
‘Going to include Paradise and Flower on my Sunday Ibiza global radio show PHAT PHIL COOPER (Nu Northern Soul)
‘Very nice album with influences from many different genres. I especially like To Be Free with nice synths and guitar cutting, and Flower, which is a chill vibe’ KZA (Mule Musiq, Endless Flight)　
'100% correct about the ALFOS potential of To Be Free!' SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
'Stunning, will fit perfectly with the vibe of my radio show’ S/A/M (Music For Dreams, DK; Playa Del Sol, Ibiza)
'Stellar work, i'll make a bet that Flowers is a Balaeric classic this summer' DRIBBLER (Breakfast Club, Ibiza)
‘It's cool in a nice smelling psycho sense, it was a very DEEP sound that I couldn't produce. Congrats!’ ALTZ (Altzmusica)
‘Paradise is my jam, it's deep, sunny and never boring. I'm interested to see how this will work on the dance floor. Overall a great album with solid composition and impressive use of live instruments!’ SOBRIETY (fka Chloé Juliette)
'Very tidy selection' ASTROJAZZ (Kelburn Garden Party, Wee Dub, Samedia Shebeen, Disco Makossa)
‘This is a lovely release. Follows on from New Experience in the best way possible. It's got lots of vibes going on but holds together as a cohesive piece of work. Love it’ JAMIE THOMSON (La Cheetah, Glasgow)
‘To Be Free is a track i could imagine Andy Weatherall playing in one of his sets at A Love From Outer Space’ KIRSTIE PATON aka She-Bang Rave Unit (Threads Radio, Radio Magnetic)

Charlotte de Witte continues her fantastic year with brand new EP, Asura, on her KNTXT label. All three of the tracks on this release will be exclusively included in her BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, which is scheduled to be broadcasted on 18th of September.

As well as being back on the road and serving up her high-intensity DJ sets at the world's best clubs and festivals, Charlotte has also been busy in other areas. She has forged a new alliance with Apple Music and is now curating multiple exclusive mix series including a monthly KNTXT Residency Mix and KNTXT Active, which sees the Belgian artist and her label further investigate the connections between high-performance music, sports and BPMs. She has recently remixed the hugely influential trance classic 'The Age Of Love' by Age Of Love' alongside Enrico Sangiuliano and continues to A&R essential new tunes for the label.

Says Charlotte of this EP, "with Asura EP I’m trying to give you a little insight into my musical influences by going back to my roots. We’re speaking about a young Charlotte who, about 12 / 13 years ago, got indulged in the world of electronic music by going to her first underground clubs and raves. From electro and techno to acid core and hardcore to psytrance. This EP flirts with the soundscapes of the latter."

This EP finds Charlotte delve deep into her own past in electronic music with plenty of psychedelic influences. Opener Asura is a brightly lit techno track with big chords that bring the colour. They are sleek and metallic and sure to get hands in the air, with acid sounds and rumbling bass all adding extra weight and depth to this fantastic opener. 'Soma' is another dramatic and psychedelic track with hard-edged drums pounding away beneath celestial chords. They are mysterious and emotive and bring colour to the darkness. Last of all comes another big, psytrance-tinged and emotional roller coaster in 'Stigma' with its all-consuming techno groove and bass that sounds like it's fired from a machine gun. After an acidic breakdown, the drums roll again and even the biggest festival crowd is sure to be swept away.

Charlotte de Witte leads from the front once more with her standout new Asura EP.

Brooklyn-based queer nightlife luminary Jasmine Infiniti self-released her debut album, BXTCH SLÄP, in March 2020. Dark Entries steps forward to present the album remastered and on double vinyl. Over the thirteen disruptive club cuts of BXTCH SLÄP, Jasmine conjures occult rave incantations with sub-tectonic bass and seductive harmonies. Audaciously championing R&B, vogue, and hip-hop sounds, Jasmine Infiniti’s latest collection of techno-hybrid dance tunes is built for the dancefloors of underground nightlife.
While SiS, her debut EP, was an ode to queer solidarity, community, and sisterhood, BXTCH SLÄP refines the art of personal myth-building. It is an unflinching and uncompromising album, but it also boasts surprising range, moving briskly between ethereal hardcore house (“HOTT”), anxious dark electro (“SPOOKED”), and certifiable techno bangers (“YES, SIR”, “WELLFAIR”). Meanwhile album standout “<3” hovers just above 100 BPM, a defiant statement of euphoric sensuality that’s no less gripping for its dramatic deceleration. Closing number “SHONUFF” clocks in at ten and half minutes, but not a second of this acid-laced adrenaline rush feels wasted. BXTCH SLÄP might be suited for the high-impact dancefloor, but this music takes on a new life in the moments we spend between the parties, alone and full of desire.
BXTCH SLÄP was mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The sleeve features photography from Guerrilla Davis and hand drawn Infiniti logo designed by Eloise Leigh with a 3-D chrome effect by Sebastian Ortega. Each copy includes a 3-D chrome die-cut sticker. The Queen of Hell is back and her powers are stronger than ever. All hail The Queen!

ANNA drops a triple dose of heat to mark her first EP on Drumcode. ANNA first debuted on Drumcode with the irresistable groover ‘Portable Paradise’, which highlighted last year’s A-Sides Vol.7 and set up a busy year playing DC events in 2019.

There was the memorable morning set at Space during WMC, two fiery gigs at Drumcode Festival and typically strong performances at the DC takeover at Resistance in Ibiza and Sonar.

Fresh from her collaboration with Kittin ‘Forever Ravers’, she steps up for a maiden EP on Adam Beyer’s flaghship label. ‘Galactic Highways’ is propelled by an arresting peak-time riff and bombastic drums and was a storming addition to Beyer’s set at Drumcode Halloween recently.

‘Dimensions’ is the powerful brain scrambler, as a blistering wall of acid rubs shoulders with undulating bass notes for an dramatic finish. ‘Phase Two’ is a stirring, pad-laden beauty, driven by lustrous melody lines that cascade over the Brazilian’s punchy percussion.

Kölsch makes his debut on Drumcode, as an Adam Beyer favourite gets his classy remix touch. Drumcode set the standard with its first release of 2019, recruiting Amelie Lens to deliver an electrifying re-rub of Adam Beyer’s ‘Teach Me’, a fitting highlight to mark the labels 200'th release back in January.

As we hit the business end of the year, another Beyer vintage gets the remix treatment as Kolsch adds to his outstanding discography with a maiden DC contribution. First released back in 2015, ‘What You Need’ was the perfect marriage of deep groove-licked techno and slinky smooth synth lines. Retaining the exotic riff of the original, Kolsch builds tension and euphoria in equal doses as melancholic chords build up in intensity before dramatic string sequences enter the game.

It’s the kind of end-of-night soundtrack that’ll make even the most hardened raver go a little misty eyed and a classic addition to the Drumcode catalogue.

TAU welcomes an enigmatic, esoteric entity to the fold with this stunning release from the one and only Rico Puestel. Rico’s artisan musings and wild outlook on life has resulted in the production of a stunning back catalogue, full of unique, emotionally-charged electronica. His music has found favour with industry heavyweight Sven Väth and his Cocoon imprint, so it’s a pleasure to have three new classy cuts from this in-demand producer.

The Chicanery EP begins with ‘Plentone’, a chugging atmospheric cut with a deep pulsating low end. Bright angelic twinkles impose a contrasting layer of emotion against the dour bassline. The mood is solemn, yet optimistic, punctuated by a scintillating breakdown. After the drop, ‘Plentone’ keeps pumping along as the expertly-crafted elements combine to create a mesmerising composition.

Next up is the title track, ‘Chicanery’. This one is a little more upbeat and strident, emitting a contagious charge of energy. A symphony of sparkling melodies dance above a groovy bassline. Rico demonstrates his virtuosity with this wonderfully whimsical cut. His playful use of layered melody gives the track depth, utilising his skills to really tantalise the listener.

Track three is ‘Whether’, a bluesy, eyes-down cut with a brooding exterior. A range of organic sounding instrumentation gives this track a very natural tone and appeal. Rico carefully increases the tension, teasing the energy levels up and up and up like a form of audio foreplay, leading us into an orgasmic breakdown. After that track continues its sultry jaunt, hypnotising you with its sensual allure.
Lastly, Theus Mago delivers a simmering remix of ‘Whether’. The Mexican maestro creates a whole new piece of music, with a driving rhythm, an urgent riff and a constant flow of new sounds. Theus’s reinterpretation is dramatic, compelling and deadly. Watch the dance floors explode to this one.

Veerus makes his Drumcode debut, after an impressive contribution to Truesoul's VA EP in 2017.

The Italian has built up an impressive discography over the last decade, dropping records on labels including Terminal M, Octopus, Filth on Acid and his own Le Club imprint. His collaborative with Maxie Devine 'My Train' was a highlight of Solomun's classic Boiler Room in Tulum, which has clocked 37 million views. In late 2017 he linked up with Brits OC & Verde for the fantastic 'Naaki' that featured on Truesoul's first Various Artists EP, ensuring he was an artist well and truly in Adam Beyer's sights.

His maiden outing for Drumcode mines 20 years of history, taking inspiration from classic trance and acid from the '90s, which he distils to create powerful modern techno works. 'Hypnosis' was a huge highlight of Beyer's Awakenings show at Gashouder during ADE. It's characterised by an engrossing call-and-response dynamic Veerus builds between the 303 acid warbles and the melodic stabs that run throughout. A track custom made for big moments. 'Apocalypse', like its name, is more menacing. Veerus constructs the work to mimic the dramatic theatre of a gladiatorial scene in a film, as heart-fluttering chord progressions, a piercing synth line and dystopian melody mark this memorable track.

Finally, the long awaited third part of the EXTRAWELT trilogy on Cocoon Recordings is on the way, and with this advance 12 release of 'Fear Of An Extra Planet (Blackout)' and 'Hail The Whale' we are given an incredibly strong first impression of EXTRAWELT's third Album. "Fear Of An Extra Planet (Blackout)' in particular, has the potential to become a monumental club hit. The title track from the new EXTRAWELT album is, strictly speaking, more than just a maxi-version, it's almost a separate EXTRAWELT remix of the original, fully optimized for the clubs. Arne Schaffhausen and Wayan Raabe have let loose a real bass and drum monster on us. From the very first second, the doubled-up kick bursts from the bassbins to signal the journey into this new EXTRAWELT adventure is underway. The acid-heavy bassline completes the pressure-packed arrangement until the track suddenly stops dead. Sometimes it's just so simple and effective to completely hit the brakes before re-energizing and building up to full speed again. The 12 version of 'Fear Of An Extra Planet (Blackout) 'is a powerful techno bomb and for us - one of the highlights of the year! The exclusive, non-album cut 'Hail the Whale", starts off a little more subdued. However, the cool old-skool cowbell intro with light Chicago house touches soon develops an energy through a driving electro bassline that shakes us from the initial calm. Although 'Hail the Whale' doesn't appear on the album, it perfectly represents the science fiction sound aesthetics on EXTRAWELT's new LP. Sci-fi FX, distorted vocals and dramatic synth lines envelop us in an extremely intense soundtrack atmosphere. From warp speed space travel to misty wastelands on strange planets and breathtaking pursuit scenes, 'Hail the Whale' conjures up all manner of images as it hammers from the speakers. To be honest, the notion of 'grand cinema' has already been used too

Tokyo deep house master Soshi Takeda returns with a long-awaited six-song sequel to 2021’s landmark Floating Mountains, surfing deeper into mystery, motion, and liquid dreams: Secret Communication. Recorded across 2022 and 2023 at his home studio with a unique assemblage of 80’s and 90’s hardware, the tracks cruise through a latticework of skyways on lush pads, bubbling bass, and blissed BPMs, dusted in sunrise acid and cosmic piano. His is a dance music of idyllic emotions and inner worlds, yearning for new horizons.

Dramatic events overlapped with the album’s creation: “Wars broke out. On the other hand, my child was born. There were sad and beautiful moments in my life.” Secret Communication contains vistas, valleys, glimpses of lives unled, swirling above the grey noise of the city. From the jazzy daydream of “Can Imagination Transcend Distance?” to the sleek starlight house of “Rainstorm” to the farewell ecstasy of the title track, Takeda’s music touches and transports, a portal to places beyond. Fantasy and feeling, intention and inspiration, all become one: “When I listen to beautiful deep house, I feel a mysterious atmosphere. Dreamy scenes come to mind. I aim to create that sound.”

Step inside the shadow-drenched world of The Curse of Frankenstein with this definitive soundtrack release from Hammer Films, celebrating the film that launched Hammer Horror and changed cinema forever.

In early 1957, composer James Bernard wrote, orchestrated and recorded sixteen powerful cues for The Curse of Frankenstein. Created in a remarkably short production window, Bernard’s score became the sonic blueprint for Hammer’s bold new gothic identity.

Although all sixteen tracks were used in the finished film, the original session recordings are now lost. During Hammer’s painstaking 2025 4K feature restoration, approximately 13 minutes of clean music were newly extracted from the film’s original mixed music-and-effects track — a rare archival recovery that brings Bernard’s work back from the grave.

For the first time anywhere in the world, this historic music is released on vinyl, presented as four atmospheric suites across two 45rpm 7" EPs. Carefully curated to preserve the dramatic flow of the score, this release allows listeners to experience the chilling intensity, gothic menace and emotional weight that defined Hammer’s Frankenstein.

Pressed on green vinyl and produced exclusively as a Limited Collector’s Edition, this set is essential for Hammer fans, classic horror collectors and film-music connoisseurs.

This Limited Collector’s Edition includes:

• Four suites of music from the original The Curse of Frankenstein soundtrack
• Two 45rpm 7" EPs pressed on green vinyl
• Liner notes by David Huckvale, biographer of James Bernard
• Liner notes by Hammer music expert John Mansell

Own a landmark piece of horror film history and experience the sound that resurrected Frankenstein. This exclusive vinyl release is available only from Hammer Films — once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.

A new EP by Extrawelt is always something special, as they continually manage to reinvent themselves while remaining unmistakably true to their sound. The a-side „Moonster“ of their latest record forms a subtle and almost magical bridge to early musical influences such as Immortal Coil, Chris & Cosey, The Cure, and Throbbing Gristle.
In doing so, they reclaim, or rather reintroduce, a powerful, mystical element into their music, one that is integrated so naturally it feels as if it has always been an essential part of Extrawelt’s sonic DNA. Beyond that, the track unfolds through numerous facets, constantly shifting and evolving. Just when you think it is settling into a familiar direction, small variations emerge, keeping the piece remarkably alive and unpredictable.
You can clearly sense how much fun Extrawelt had working on this track. It is bursting with ideas, energy, and vitality, radiating a playful confidence that makes it endlessly engaging.

The b1 track „Bettermaker“ takes a different route, dedicating itself entirely to a single mood. Through subtle pitch bending and a carefully shaped tonal palette, the track unfolds with a slightly eerie, enchanted atmosphere.
From beginning to end, „Bettermaker“ remains focused and unwavering. There are no breaks or dramatic shifts in direction, instead, the piece commits fully to its initial setting. A monolithic, almost mantra like motif forms the core, creating a distinctive ambience, mystical, shadowy and faintly oriental in character.
This atmosphere is carried and reinforced by percussive, ethno inspired drums, which add an organic, ritualistic pulse. The result is a hypnotic soundscape that draws its strength from consistency and depth rather than contrast, inviting the listener into a secluded, otherworldly space.

The final piece of the EP „Popcorn Forever“ reveals another side of Extrawelt’s thinking. The track unfolds like a curious experiment in motion. Instead of building toward a predictable climax, sounds are gradually tossed into an ever running loop fragments, textures and small rhythmic ideas appearing almost casually, as if the piece were assembling itself in real time.
At first the elements seem loosely connected, sometimes abstract, sometimes slightly mischievous in the way they twist and bend. It almost feels like an impossible construction task. But Extrawelt’s experience quietly guides the process. Bit by bit the scattered parts begin to communicate with each other.
Repetition becomes the hidden engine. With every return of the loop new details slip into the structure, and what once appeared random slowly starts forming relationships inside the listener’s mind. The track never forces a clear explanation, yet the brain begins to tie the loose ends together almost automatically.
Popcorn Forever therefore works beautifully as a kind of transit piece within the EP. It moves between ideas, linking moods rather than closing them off. In typical Extrawelt fashion, the result is playful, slightly surreal and full of subtle discoveries that reveal themselves over time.

"Music, like love, surprises you, makes your heart race, gives you new eyes with which to look at yourself in the mirror..." (Gigi Masin)
With an exclusive presentation by GIGI MASIN, UP TO 23 release their second album, now with an expanded three-member lineup following the permanent addition of ENRICO CONIGLIO over the founder members MARCO BUFFETTI and FRANCESCO FINCATO. The album draws inspiration from the 1980s, evoking atmospheres reminiscent of sci-fi soundtracks. Partly romantic, partly doom ambient, the work unfolds as a requiem for our planet. Liquid and enveloping atmospheres drift between melodic ambient territories — explored through processed guitars and synthesizers — and soberly electronic paths traveled to the rhythm of sequencer-driven patterns and programmed structures.
Dramatic and evocative moments emerge throughout this succession of varied yet perfectly integrated and fluid soundscapes, where sounds and progressions combine with ever-shifting solutions, following a descriptive thread that remains consistent as it continuously unravels through encompassing and emotionally engaging textures. AN APPLE A DAY YOU DIE ANYWAY is the perfect soundtrack to these dark times that UP TO 23 want to color in order to continue to hope, to live without having to survive.

“Dance Music That Hurts” — the motto of Work of Intent.
Hurts, because it goes straight to your heart.
There’s no better way to put it.
His productions are rooted in the UK underground,
dripping with both techno and pop sensibilities.
This is “big room” like you’ve never experienced it before—
music you can’t ignore, driven by storytelling and raw emotion.
He’s found a home on labels such as Monkeytown, Turbo, and REKIDS, and continues his relationship with Laurent Garnier’s COD3 QR .
Founder of the clandestine edit factory *Emotional Weaponry*,
he continues to receive support from industry heavyweights.
Former manager of *DAYTIMERS*, the UK-based collective championing
South Asian sounds, stories, and voices,
and a highly sought-after mix engineer for some of the UK’s most exciting prospects.
We’re beyond happy to welcome Roshan Chauhan aka Works Of Intent to the family.
Feels like the beginning of a long, dramatic love story.

Credits:
Written and produced by *Works of Intent*
Distributed by *One Eye Witness*

More than half a century into its existence, heavy metal still prowls as a living force in the dark, and Vancouver's SPELL summon that spirit with defiant conviction on their fifth album, 'Wretched Heart'. Rejecting the safety of nostalgia, the band; Cam Mesmer, Al Lester, Gabriel Tenebrae and Jeff Black, step beyond retro homage into shadowy new terrain, where harmony guitars blaze like torches against the night and gothic atmospheres coil around songs pulsing with desperation, longing, and wild exaltation. Forged through the fire of the stage and shaped by trusted collaborators, this is SPELL at their most potent: dramatic, vulnerable, and unafraid of excess. From existential laments to bittersweet anthems that shimmer with both steel and sorrow, 'Wretched Heart' beats with a fiercely human pulse. In SPELL's hands, heavy metal is no museum relic but a darkly romantic covenant-restless, cathartic, and forever reaching beyond the veil.

More than half a century into its existence, heavy metal still prowls as a living force in the dark, and Vancouver's SPELL summon that spirit with defiant conviction on their fifth album, 'Wretched Heart'. Rejecting the safety of nostalgia, the band; Cam Mesmer, Al Lester, Gabriel Tenebrae and Jeff Black, step beyond retro homage into shadowy new terrain, where harmony guitars blaze like torches against the night and gothic atmospheres coil around songs pulsing with desperation, longing, and wild exaltation. Forged through the fire of the stage and shaped by trusted collaborators, this is SPELL at their most potent: dramatic, vulnerable, and unafraid of excess. From existential laments to bittersweet anthems that shimmer with both steel and sorrow, 'Wretched Heart' beats with a fiercely human pulse. In SPELL's hands, heavy metal is no museum relic but a darkly romantic covenant-restless, cathartic, and forever reaching beyond the veil.

More than half a century into its existence, heavy metal still prowls as a living force in the dark, and Vancouver's SPELL summon that spirit with defiant conviction on their fifth album, 'Wretched Heart'. Rejecting the safety of nostalgia, the band; Cam Mesmer, Al Lester, Gabriel Tenebrae and Jeff Black, step beyond retro homage into shadowy new terrain, where harmony guitars blaze like torches against the night and gothic atmospheres coil around songs pulsing with desperation, longing, and wild exaltation. Forged through the fire of the stage and shaped by trusted collaborators, this is SPELL at their most potent: dramatic, vulnerable, and unafraid of excess. From existential laments to bittersweet anthems that shimmer with both steel and sorrow, 'Wretched Heart' beats with a fiercely human pulse. In SPELL's hands, heavy metal is no museum relic but a darkly romantic covenant-restless, cathartic, and forever reaching beyond the veil.