Buscar:ear dis

2024 repress

“The doors are where the windows should be, and the windows are where the doors should be”. If you had been in one of the more open minded all night raves in the early 90s you are likely more than familiar with Earth Leakage Trip’s ‘No Idea’.

You could write several pages about the 'Psychotronic EP' and still not nail it as well as Discogs user covert_operative's description of 'urban, British psychedelic music.' The Acid House narrative is all about ecstasy, but for many, especially outside of London, there was a lot of LSD involved. Things were edgier, too, with parties in derelict, liminal spaces. By the time this record came out in 1991, the rave was properly diverging from its house music beginnings.

The Psychotronic EP was the first release on the legendary Moving Shadow label. Its lead track 'No Idea' is both the perfect entry point to the catalogue and something of an outlier. Neil Sanford had been writing music for a few years before playing some demos to Rob Playford in his car outside a nightclub in Wood Green. Simon Carter got involved, and the pair went to Playford's studio to manifest the madness they'd been sketching with rudimentary gear.

'No Idea's use of samples was wholly inspired and far more surreal than so many of the dark-side tracks that were to follow it. A friend of Neil's had given him a record called 'Happy Monsters' and the lead track, 'Adventures in the Land of Ooog,' lent the unforgettable children's vocals. Neil initially had his doubts. Had they gone too far? However, while working on the track, Rob Playford's girlfriend ran in shouting, "you HAVE to use that!" And so it came to be.

As a footnote, the track did prove to be strong medicine, with at least one documented account of a promoter having to be talked down by his friends after hearing it when psychedelically altered.

The Psychotronic EP is a truly visionary piece of work, standing poised on the edge of the rave's burgeoning future and entirely outside it. As such, it's never not been a cool record, as appealing to lysergic adventurers as it is to house heads, hardcore ravers, or experimental music pioneers. And it has now been lovingly reissued by Blank Mind, for which I'm eternally grateful, seeing as my copy is battered beyond belief.


Written by Piers Harrison

Remastered by Graeme at the Exchange

Licensed with permission from Moving Shadow

Played by Autechre, Colin Dale, Colin Faver, Orbital

Humanoid Gods offers Fixed Rhythms four dark breakbeat, dubstep tinged, heavy padded stuffers from the temporal Aside. Hark!

Confronting the status quo...how can obscene wealth be more important than human lives? Where have the humanoid gods come from, and who do they serve? Did we create them? Are they a construct of our own imagination and desires?

Extraterrestrial transmissions cut to Earth's club-preferred loudness, replicated on 300 copies of 12" black vinyl.

Pleasure Planet's kaleidoscopic debut album has been a long
time coming, but good things come to those who wait.
Developed over years of late-night studio improvisations,
'Pleasure Planet' is an affectionate and colorful patchwork of
the New York City-based trio's knotted in§uences that's
suspended between the rave and the chill-out room, weaving
glistening pads and chunky basslines into vocal earworms
and warm, saturated rhythmic cycles. Bandmates Andrew
Potter, Kim Ann Foxman and Brian Hersey enter into a
lysergic dialog with their discrete personal musical histories,
drawing inspiration from vintage EBM, ambient music and
heady early '90s West Coast rave sounds and launching
these classic elements into a transcendent new sonic
universe.

Colombian Sensation Felipe Gordon Drops "Phasing the Shit" Ep on Phonogramme Records Colombian Dj and Producer Felipe Gordon Is Gearing Up to Shake Up the Electronic Music Scene Once Again With His Latest Ep, "Phasing the Shit," Slated for Release on Phonogramme Records This May. Featuring Four Electrifying Tracks, "Phasing the Shit" Is a Testament to Gordon's Unparalleled Talent and Musical Ingenuity. From the Infectious Grooves of "Who’s Gonna Be"to the Soul-Stirring Vibes of "Wait on You (Say Goodbye)", Each Track Promises to Take Listeners on a Sonic Journey Like No Other. "Keep Doing What You Love" Is a Rallying Cry for Self-Expression and Authenticity, While "Phasing the Shit" Serves as the Ep's Crowning Jewel, Enveloping Listeners in a Kaleidoscope of Sounds and Emotions. With His Latest Release, Felipe Gordon Solidifies His Status as One of Colombia's Most Exciting Musical Exports, Captivating Audiences With His Infectious Beats and Genre-Defying Style....

Early Feedbacks :

Laurent Garnier : lovely bluesy tracks ... Great EP for sure
Lea Lisa (Phonica Records / Folklor Club) : Phasing the shit, Dope !
Nightmares On Wax (Warp Records) : Whos gonna be is great ! Wait on you is dope ! Keep doing is tuff! Phasing the shit is dirty ! Love the e.p
DJ Bone (FURTHER) : Keep Doing What You love works for me.
Ame (Innervisions) : thanks
Kassian (Phonica White / Heist Recordings) : keep doing is so cool
Harri (Sub Club) : liking these, will play and support
Oliver $ (Classic Music Company / Play It Down) : lovley tracks!
Cesare vs Disorder (Serialism Records) : nice! will play, thank you
Satoshi Tomiie (Abstract Architecture) : Phasing The Shit is THE SHIT :)
Domenic Cappello (Subclub) : love phasing the shit ,class track
Marcel Dettmann : thx
Ugly Drums (Quintessentials) : Wait on you is a jam
Jon Hester (Rekids, EDEC, Les Enfants Terribles, L.A.G.) : Title track sounding good!
Domenic Cappello (Subclub) : love phasing the shit ,class track

YOIONWAX's 10th anniversary record is already here! This is our second fully printed record with an incredibly cool zoetrope artwork by Alex Mikheev. This time, we're embarking on an amazing journey to unexplored places, and our guide is the very cool and experienced musician Donnie Cosmo.

We start in a tropical forest, and as we walk through the tropics to the starting pad of our ship, Donnie suggests trying Jungle Juice. Moving on, we encounter The Man From Planet X, whose story accompanies us to a small stop as we switch from side A to side B.

Mystical Journey begins as soon as we put the needle on the record on side B. The zoetrope artwork, which is now located on the entire record, can be examined indefinitely, especially when we listen to such a soundtrack. It is at this moment that we break away from the earth and find ourselves in open space, an exciting journey awaits us. Having traveled a long road through stars, planets, galaxies, Donnie suggests Prepare Your Soul, and we prepare our souls for the transition to a new level, because we have come a long way with you, and this record is a great gift for the sixth anniversary of our project, which took place at the end of May.

We are actively working now on the development of the project and are preparing something new, we are sure it will be very cool, and you will like it, so do not miss your chance now to become the owner of a collector's edition, a truly exclusive and legendary record - YOIONWAXOIO!

The superduo formed by two authentic stars of the Italian dance scene is back with the ‘Rolling Wave’ EP on Mondo Groove. Daniele Baldelli needs no introduction; he has made a fiery mark on DJ history worldwide with his legendary sets. He built his eclectic and visionary style at the Baia Degli Angeli in the 1970s and Cosmic in the early 1980s, to the triumph of recent years, in demand at every latitude on the planet. DJ Rocca is one of Italy’s most inspired producers, his art forged in a mix of technique and passion, versatile enough to work alongside artists as diverse as Baldelli, Dimitri From Paris or one of the giants of Italian jazz, pianist Franco D’Andrea.

Daniele Baldelli & DJ Rocca are on fire in the four tracks of this new EP on Mondo Groove, which starts with the bleep sounds of the title track ‘Rolling Wave’, goes into orbit with the deep boogie of ‘Funk Infusion’ and a party number like ‘Marchin On’, and culminates in the refined disco-jazz digressions of ‘Focused Image’. A record that will be a future classic.

The vinyl express keeps rolling. After celebrating Ten years JEAHMON! we are back with label head Marc DePulse who presents his new series “Fingerprint”. Nasty beats. Low drums. Tireless drops. Rolling basslines. Tremendous subs. Tape emulators. Heavy guitars. Acid pots. Dark percussions. Snare rolls. 4/4 time. Headbangers. Attack and release. Fully charged energy. Trippy breaks. Weird breakbeats. Crazy rhythms. Mystic pads. Heartbreaking leads. Squeaky synths. Vocal snippets. Memorable phrases. Powerful speeches. Industrial charm. Metal bangers. Slowed down. Speeded up. Retro vibes. Modern wave. Disco elements. Same same but different. Peak time. No limits. Out of the box. A box full of colours. Painted arrangements. Equalized. Compressed. Limited. Signature sounds. Electronic earworms. Handscript. Fingerprint. Play. Rave. Repeat. Hugs & kisses. Spread the word. Share the vibes. Peace, love and freedom to everyone on the planet!

When all you want to do is be the fire part of fire… say it to yourself and then say it again. Repeat it like a mantra. It’s what UTO did.

Anyone familiar with the UTO’s lauded 2022 debut Touch The Lock, which Pitchfork praised for its “prismatic synth pop”, will be aware of the variegated nature of what they do. This album is just as colourful, with Neysa’s vocalwork sparking similarities to Kim Gordon’s off-kilter vocals, which they both ceremoniously jets through a post-electronica blender mixing stylized indie sleaze productions with 90s breakbeats.

While they might appear as a singular entity to others, UTO wrote large sections of this album apart, converging by the fireside to discuss the day’s work before coming together to hone and finish the songs. 2023 was, by their own admission, a difficult year, and that’s reflected in the Dantean themes expressed in songs such as the lead single ‘Zombie’, which arrived at the end of November as a taster for the new record; the latter’s dark heart is belied by the skittering beats, glitchy electronics and pummeling sequencers that elevate it from the void.

From fire, early man’s discovery, to AI, humanity’s next great adventure - with all of the wonders and complexities of human relationships in between - When all you want to do is be the fire part of fire really is about life, the universe and everything. Just remember, be the flame, not the moth.

Hypnotone's iconic self titled mini album reissued!

Originally released by Creation Records in 1991, long out of print and now reissued, meticulously remastered and pressed onto pristine white vinyl.

Exclusive liner notes by band member Tony Martin "The Hypnotone Story: From Manchester to Creation" and including after hours favorite "Sub" and Balearic hit "Dream Beam" featuring vocals by Denise Johnson.

Formed in the vibrant milieu of Manchester's legendary Hacienda nightclub, Hypnotone emerged from the creative partnership of Tony Martin and Martin Mittler. Tony, initially involved as the in-house lighting designer, and Mittler, a bar staff member, fused their interests and talents amid the fervor of the late '80s Acid House movement that pulsated through the club. Their musical venture began earnestly after an introduction to Alan McGee, head of Creation Records. This connection would soon lead to a record deal, propelling Hypnotone into the heart of the emerging electronic dance music scene, releasing 2 albums, multiple singles and standout remixes for artists such as Primal Scream, Sheer Taft, and The Lilac Time.

With Creation Records' support, Hypnotone crafted their unique sound combining state-of-the-art digital samplers like the Akai S1000 with a collection of classic analog synths. Their debut self titled mini album includes after hours favorite "Sub" and Balearic hit "Dream Beam" featuring vocals by Denise Johnson. Hypnotone not only shaped their distinct sonic footprint but also influenced the broader trajectory of electronic music. Their journey, marked by innovation anda deep affinity for Manchester's music scene, exemplifies the transformative power of the era's cultural and technological shifts in music.

This is another must have for collectors and fans of early British (pop) house music, and very happy memories.

International Superstar DJ and world-renowned artists, Jamie Jones along with hit making, Brit nominated songstress Jazzy, deliver THE ear-worm, dancefloor hit of the summer 2024…there’s no avoiding this future anthem.

‘We Groovin’ is the latest addition to Jones’ discography, following hit singles like ‘Fine Fine Baby’ and ‘Lose My Mind’. Tracks that continue to be supported by some of the best DJ's worldwide as well as plays at Jones weekly Paradise residency at Amnesia, one of Ibiza biggest club nights.

Jazzy, a Brit-nominated Irish DJ, earned acclaim with her Irish #1 single ‘Giving Me’. Her mix of training and passion for club music led to a Top 5 UK single with Belters Only on ‘Make Me Feel Good’.

Available on limited edition orange vinyl (1000 units only), in a collectable picture sleeve.

2024 repress

WRWTFWW Records is very honored to announce the official reissue of Grauzone's essential 1981 maxi single with timeless classic "Eisbär", proto-techno beast "FILM 2", and romantic synth ballad "Ich Lieb Sie", just in time for the 40th anniversary of the Swiss band's formation. The three-track vinyl is sourced from the original reels, cut at 45rpm, and comes with its iconic artwork on a 350gsm sleeve.

Ich möchte ein Eisbär sein...Written by Martin Eicher after a nightmare in which he saw talking polar bears on the walls, and with music by the Grauzone crew consisting of Martin and his brother Stephan Eicher, Marco Repetto, Christian "GT" Trüssel, and Claudine Chirac (on saxophone), "Eisbär" is the most recognizable title from the band, a sublime mix of ingredients reflecting the transitional era it comes from - the raw energy of punk music still palpable, combined with the audacity of early electronics, the warm groove of a disco gem, beautifully fragile lyrics, and one of the best basslines ever. It became a mega hit, totally unplanned, but how could you resist such a track

"FILM 2" is the ultimate b-side monster, a menacing all-instrumental pre-techno masterpiece, slowly building to a magnetizing frenzy. An instant underground favorite, it was famously heard played at both speeds depending on the scenes and DJs you were frequenting, 45rpm as it was first intended, and 33rpm for the cosmic experience (search Daniele Baldelli's Cosmic C75 1982 mixtape online for a great example of this).

The maxi single ends with "Ich Lieb Sie", a synth-pop meets doo-wop ballad, a true love song oozing with innocence. Simple, stylish, and just right.

At the crossroads of post-punk, new wave, pop, and electronic experimentation, the Eisbär maxi offers three songs that are technically different but hold the same spirit, the perfect embodiment of Grauzone's music - wild, unpredictable, and youthful, yet sophisticated, catchy, and ingenious. The magic recipe for the good stuff.

Stephan Eicher went on to be, arguably, the most successful Swiss musician ever, with an international career extending from pop chanson to experimental escapades and collaborations with Moondog, artists Sophie Calle and John Armleder, and author Martin Suter among many other luminaries. Marco Repetto flourished as a techno and ambient producer, releasing multiple projects including releases on Aphex Twin's Rephlex label.

Grauzone and WRWTFWW will continue to collaborate on the band's 40th anniversary reissue campaign, with numerous projects planned for the year, including a vast selection of music, visuals, and literature never available before.

DJ Support: Homero Espinosa, Demarkus Lewis, Kevin Yost, Micky More & Andy Tee, Milk & Sugar, Hatiras, Ross Couch, Random Soul, Husky, Colette, Vincent Caira, Richard Earnshaw, T.Markakis, Mike Millrain, Dirtytwo, 4Peace, and many more.

After a few years of silence, the label FVR Street is back, 10 years since its inception, and thrilled to introduce the VINYLITUDES series: A selection of the best tracks carefully curated from the catalogues of La Vie D'Artiste Music and FVR Street.

The first opus is a fusion of Deep House and Disco House sprinkled with nostalgic French Touch vibes from the late 90s.

THE TWO CLASSIC AND HIGHLY COLLECTABLE INEVITABLE SINGES PLUS RELATED PEEL SESSION RECORDINGS. CAPTURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF DEAD OR ALIVE’S CAREER. ON BERRY-RED VINYL! A SEQUEL AND COMPANION RELEASE TO 2023’S CRITICALLY AND COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL ‘LET THEM DRAG MY SOUL AWAY’.


Having been ‘discovered’ working in Liverpool’s Probe Records during the punk rock explosion of the late 1970s, Pete Burns quickly found himself fronting his very own band, Nightmares In Wax, who quickly mutated into the more familiar Dead Or Alive.

A star was born. But prior to pop superstardom, tabloid-tantalising celebrity and his later revival and recognition as an icon of gay punk and pop culture, Pete led Dead Or Alive into far darker waters, as one of the earliest explorers of the post-punk Goth scene.

Captured on two remarkable 7” singles originally released on Liverpool label Inevitable, the band also caught the attention of the
ever-reliable John Peel, and recorded material for his seminal BBC Radio One programme. ‘Running Wild’ compiles those early
singles and related Peel Session highlights, bringing the latter to vinyl for the first time. Pressed on berry red vinyl,and housed in
a cover photograph by Dead Or Alive’s then manager Francesco Mellina, ‘Running Wild presents an early glimpse at the
phenomenon Pete would become, and a long overdue back story accompaniment for fans and collectors alike.

Okain returns to Talman Records with a four-track EP, offering a glimpse into his two-decade journey as a producer. Continuing his legacy of providing DJs with robust dance floor material, this EP stays true to form.

Opening the EP is "Wake Up," a tribute to early 2000s tech house, featuring crisp percussion, sharp stabs, and haunting vocals. Following is "Take Me Up," capturing the essence of UK garage with its thick Reese bassline and distinct vocal hooks.

Turning to the flip side, the EP ventures into darker realms with "Secret Science," blending dub-inspired synths with a weighty sub bass, perfect for late-night atmospheres. Closing the journey is "Swing Theory," a groove-driven track fusing minimal house elements into its infectious rhythm.

DJ Support: Mark Knight, CJ Mackintosh, Mousse T, Dr Packer, Eric Kupper, Lenny Fontana, Ricky Morrison, Laurent Garnier & many more.

Michael Gray’s star has been firmly in the ascendant in recent years, with a string of chart-topping, floor-filling productions and remixes under his belt. The excitement is therefore palpable for his soon come album Optimism, which sees Michael pour both his heart and his three decades + of experience into what will be one of THE albums of the year.

'This album has been a year and a half in the making,' states the ‘Weekend’ hitmaker and one half of legendary disco house pioneers Full Intention, clearly now keen to release his career-defining magnum opus out into the world.

In these confused and often frightening times, we need musical communion more than ever. Only too aware of this, Michael has 'set out to make an album full of positivity.' Needless to say, the resulting 'hybrid of classic disco mixed with modern disco and soul' hits the spot and looks set to provide a soulful summer soundtrack to lift spirits and fill dancefloors.

In an era of often generic, over-computerised sounds, Michael returns to the source of his lifelong musical inspirations. 'Most of these productions have involved working with live strings and horns,' he enthuses. The musicians include live drums by Derrick Mckenzie from Jamiroquai, percussion by Russ Tarley from Incognito and string arranger Stephen Hussey, known for his work on Soul II Soul’s early hits.

Michael’s much-needed musical missives for the ages are masterful manna from the heavens. Things just got optimistic.

2024 Repress

Straight in the wake of their eponymous debut LP released on the label back in 2016, Weval return to Kompakt this year with their sophomore album, 'The Weight', breaking their pop-mellow, nostalgia-friendly facet further out in the open as they arrive "at this place again were everything felt spontaneous, new and exciting, like we had in the beginning". Orbiting around that ever luminous yet wistful melodic halo that surrounds their music, this second full-length effort sweeps an extra-wide and languidly woven palette of emotions and moods, making for a uniquely ambitious and generously coloured mosaic of sound. If the recording sessions "often started grumpy and emotionless" by Harm and Merijn's own admission, the pair was "surprised by the joy it gave us, which can be compared to the emotions we felt back in the first days of making music together"; subsequently reconnecting with that fresh, naïve feeling of "absolute creative freedom" they were after. The album is also the fruit of a whole new working process for them - more playful and unpredictable - which saw them switch from "guitars lying around to piano, onto our own synths and the most cheap quirky toys synths you can imagine", and involved "recording all of our own samples, voice and almost every instrument out of the box - which for us was a totally new way of working". "We've always wanted a narrative for the album, and finding the right order perhaps took the most effort" they explain; "we felt anxious, felt insanely positive, felt heartbroken again, felt in love again, and there was death, and even suicide around us. It was quite chaotic. As a whole, 'The Weight' breathes with that transformative richness, free of limits and rules, except perhaps to "do quick and not think too much". Amidst this collection of songs and instrumentals that live by Weval's singularly positive take on music - one that can "lift you up, and make you feel hopeful without being necessarily straight out 'happy'" as they define it, the title-track and lead single stays true to the duo's dynamic approach, putting on a fine balance of floor and dream inducing adaptability that sound engineer David Wrench (Frank Ocean, The XX, FKA Twigs, Caribou… etc.) subtly made palpable. There's heavy showers of funk drops pouring from endless bars of thunderstorm clouds and laid-back riffs beating a restrained poolside-party kind of pulse, but also sensual vocals rising from beneath the sheets and rueful polaroid-filtered ambiences to soundtrack all possible moments in life - from the most euphoric to those when music seems the only viable healing potion. More on the post-KLF, BoC-inflected electronica side of things, 'Are You Even Real' takes its listener for a round-trip across the star-studded dome and beyond, before songs like 'Someday' and 'Same Little Thing' head back down to a state of pulsating, earthly organicity, tense and mercurial as get. An arpeggiated slice of piano-strewn kosmische, 'Heaven' is another invitation to an epic-scale odyssey from the inner-spheres into the distant fringes of the outer-world. Weightless and airy, yet texturally dense and widely magnetic overall, Weval second LP is a synthesis of the duo's multi-angle take on electronics: blissed-out, heartening and infinitely free.
Nur zweieinhalb Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung ihres selbstbetitelten Debutalbums finden sich WEVAL zurück "an jenem Ort, an dem sich alles spontan, neu und aufregend anfühlt - so wie als wir anfingen zusammen Musik zu schreiben". An diesem Ort entstand "The Weight", ihr zweiter Longplayer, auf dem Weval sich ganz den Pop-verliebten, Nostalgie-freundlichen Facetten ihres Sounds öffnen. Stetig um den sehnsuchtsvollen Strahlenkranz ihrer Melodien tanzend, legt diese Platte noch vielschichtigere, mit feinster Präzision gewobene Gefühlswelten frei.

Obwohl die Aufnahmesessions nach eigenem Bekunden oftmals "miesepetrig und emotionsarm" begannen, so war das Duo überrascht darüber, wie schnell sich bei der Arbeit jene Freude einstellte, die sie aus ihren künstlerischen Anfangstagen kannten, eine Woge des frischen, naiven Gefühls der "absoluten kreativen Freiheit". Dieses Album ist die Frucht eines verspielteren und unvorhersehbareren Arbeitsprozesses innerhalb der Band, in welchem alles zum Einsatz kam, was ihnen in die Finger kam - von der ollen Gitarre, die in der Studioecke stand, über ein Piano und den bandeigenen Sythesizern und den sonderbarsten Spielzeuginstrumenten, die man sich vorstellen kann. All dies sowie zahlreiche Vocalaufnahmen dienten als alleinige Samplequelle - "was für uns eine völlig neue Arbeitsweise war". "Es war uns wichtig für das Album den perfekten Erzählbogen zu spannen. Die richtige Reihenfolge zu finden war ein extrem aufwendiger Vorgang", erklären Harm und Merjin. "Uns war bange, wir fühlten uns total selbstsicher, uns zerbrach das Herz und wir verliebten uns erneut. Wir waren sogar von Tod und Selbstmord umgeben. Alles war Chaos. Insgesamt atmet "The Weight" die Reichhaltigkeit dieser sich ständig verändernden Gefühlslagen, frei von Einschränkungen und Regeln - außer vielleicht "mach es schnell und zerdenke die Dinge nicht." Inmitten dieser Ansammlung von Songs und Instrumentals, die aus Wevals einzigartiger, von Zuversicht geprägter Herangehensweise entstanden sind - "Musik, die dich hochzieht und Hoffnung spendet, ohne dich notwendigerweise happy zu machen. Der Titeltrack "The Weight" steht exemplarisch für Wevals ambivalenten Ansatz, die feine Balance zwischen Dancefloor und Traumzuständen, perfekt in Szene gesetzt von Soundengineer David Wrench (Frank Ocean, The XX, FKA Twigs, Caribou… etc.).

Der schwer aus gewaltigen Gewitterwolken tropfende Funk, die eine verhaltene Poolparty suggerierenden Riffs, die sinnlichen, geisterhaften Vocals und ein verwaschenes Ambiente, das wie ein Album alter Polaroidaufnahmen alle erdenklichen Momente des Lebens festhält - von den euphorischsten bis hin zu jenen, in denen Musik der einzige Trank ist, der Linderung verheißt. Das post-KLF und Boards of Canada evozierende "Are You Even Real" führt den Hörer auf einen imaginären Flug ins Sternenzelt, während organisch-klingende Songs wie "Someday" oder "Same Little Thing" wie Quecksilber am Boden haften. "Heaven" ist eines jener "kosmische" Stücke mit wilden Arpeggios und Pianosprengseln, die Weval in den vergangenen zwei Jahren zu einer Live-Sensation werden liessen. Wevals Musik ist schwerelos und luftig, aber gleichermassen von dichter Struktur und von einer magnetischen Anziehungskraft. Ihr zweites Album "The Weight" ist eine Synthese aus dem multi-perspektivischem, kaleidoskopischen Verständnis von elektronischer Musik: Herzerwärmend, alles umschmeichelnd und unendlich frei.

Dr Packer's is back with his masterful rework of Candi Staton’s timeless disco classic 'You Got The Love!' Renowned for his unparalleled expertise in the electronic dance music landscape, Dr Packer's remixes consistently captivate audiences, earning him accolades and chart-topping success across leading platforms.

With over three decades of DJ experience and a distinguished portfolio of achievements including countless Traxsource awards,, Dr Packer stands as a trailblazer in the industry. His rework of 'You Got The Love' is one of his finest moments to date and sure to heat up the dance floor, with Dr Packer’s trademark groove pumping all the way through the track.

On remix duties is Sydney rising talent St Croix, who has already built a solid reputation for her own productions and a slew of top charting Aria Club chart moments. St Croix amps things up even further with her peak time dancefloor weapon.

Glasgow based Seated Records return with more 1980s Scottish Post-Punk / New Wave material. In this 8-track mini compilation the label introduces the work of Stirling band 22 Beaches, offering a deep dive into music recorded between 1980-1984 - the majority of which has never seen the light of day!

22 Beaches formed in Stirling in the late 1970s as an evolution of the short lived group ‘Alone at Last’ - drummer Fred Parson’s and guitarist Stephen Hunter being the two who spanned the divide. Out of the six members of 22 Beaches, many were school friends, and the rest naturally fell together. The band toured extensively and played at a truly diverse set of venues across the UK: from a local swimming pool boiler room, to small nightclubs and university parties, to several fundraisers for the miners strike. Maybe most notably of all, drummer Fred Parsons described playing at what he calls “the Grangemouth International”, organised by local promoter Brian Guthrie and which featured an all-star lineup of 22 Beaches, The Exploited and the first incarnation of The Cocteau Twins. A coach was hired to ship the audience to Grangemouth from Stirling, the cost of which was included in the ticket. The gig then paused halfway through for a 'help yourself' buffet. Young promoters take heed. This is how it's done!

Over the course of the 80s the band released music on three different, and now sought after, various artists compilation cassettes. “What Day Is It?” and “Sadie When She Died” were released on a compilation of local Stirling artists 'The A.N.K.L.E File'. The track from which the current record takes its namesake - “Dust” - was initially released on a compilation-tape for the fanzine 'Another Spark'. And ‘‘Zoo” (also featured on this record) was first released on Glasgow label Pleasantly Surprised via compilation, 'An Hour Of Eloquent Sounds', where 22 Beaches rubbed shoulders with early music from Scottish names Primal Scream, Cocteau Twins, The Wake and Sunset Gun. Unfortunately, 22 Beaches never met the same level of commercial success as these others and decided to retire the project in 1984 - leaving their recordings and demos to gather dust (hehe)…until now!

This compilation, “Dust: recordings 1980-1984” follows the band's journey and the changes in their sound over the years. It moves from the raw, punk energy of early DIY recordings through to the A Certain Ratio style Balearica of their later pieces. The record's opener and title track “Dust” is perhaps the most shining example of the latter. Characterised by the plenitude of sonic space in the mix, “Dust” has an almost dub sensibility that is communicated through centrality of Parsons’ drums, McChord’s percussion, and Fildes’ Bass while the harmonising vocals of Sharkey and McGregor chant over the top to give the track its distinctive psychedelic edge. This is an atmosphere only exacerbated by the lofi quality of the recording which sits the vocals in the same aural realm as much 1960s psych-folk. On “Cartoon Boy”, the band strips things down further. A droning bass line persists through the tape fuzz and is accompanied by the sounds of a sole looping guitar chord sequence and McGregor and Sharkey’s vocals - respectively and carefully dancing around one another before harmonising in the most beautiful way. The result is a haunting and abstract Marine Girls style heartbreaker. ‘That Girl’ again delivers a dub adjacent rhythm section similar to that of “Dust”. However, on this instance crisp guitar chords, a distant, phased organ and blue-eyed soul vocal delivery, produce a track that could easily have been a lost Orange Juice recording from their sessions with Dennis Bovel. On “Somebody Got It Wrong” and “One Of Us” the band employ a more macro approach where a jangling guitar with an almost highlife-influenced tone, vocal ad-libs and syncopated percussion give the music a Talking Heads-esque swagger.

Taken together these tracks illustrate a clear trajectory in the band's sound, moving from from the high energy no-wave quality of early recordings towards a more dub influenced, and stripped-back sound - a sonic trajectory followed by so many bands of the time, not least those emerging from the diaspora of Manchester’s Factory Records.

On “Breathing’’ we hear the beginning of this transition, with the strong influence of the oddball NYC disco styles of Was (Not Was) and ZE records. All of this is meshed together with the residual punk rock energy of 1980s UK. This combination is employed to excellent effect with the addition of the distinctly Scottish (and what the band confirmed to me to be spontaneous) vocal delivery of: “Do you love me? Do you want me?” “Aye!” “Do you love me? Do you need me?” “Naw!”.

On the record’s closing tracks, “Zoo” and “Talent Show”, we hear early examples of the band’s work, playing with their rawest all-in-one-take live energy where Hunter’s spiralling guitar riffs and McGregor's distorted vocal exclamations lead the charge. The band recalls that these initial-forays did not always translate so well into multitrack recording and overdubbing: “the deconstruction took away some of the band's natural feel”. On “Talent Show” the record ends with Sharkey delivering an almost unintelligible spoken word section over the top of the track, making for one final, disorientating, almost manic slice of post-punk.

These tracks from 1980-1984 chart the progress of a unique contribution to the world of Scottish Post-Punk and New Wave, encapsulating not only the musical trajectory of 22 Beaches but also echoing the broader sonic landscape of 1980s UK, a testament to the adaptability and creativity of the UK’s underground music of the time.