Venetia presents The Face of The Deep EP. The rising artist from Belle-Île-en-Mer, delivers an elevated deep house record infused with shades of melancholy and nostalgia, exploring a rich spectrum of moods and emotions through driving rhythms, pulsating energy, and deep, resonant basslines. Crafted for late-night dancefloors or early-mornings, wrapped in warm, immersive textures, culminating in an outro that feels like soundscape frame of a moving film.
Evighet proudly unveils its fifth release, EVIGHET005, featuring the Sky City EP by Dave N.A., the prolific producer from Yerevan known for his refined sound design and emotionally resonant compositions. With a catalog that spans labels such as Typeless Records and Uppers & Downers, his work continues to bridge precision and sensitivity, exploring the borders between rhythmic architecture and ambient introspection. On Sky City EP, Dave N.A. constructs an intricate sonic landscape where lush atmospheres coexist with fractured breaks and IDM-inspired rhythms. Rooted in the traditions of Jungle and Breakbeat yet unbound by genre, each piece reveals a narrative built from texture, movement and space. His music invites reflection while maintaining a dynamic forward energy, evoking the sense of motion through memory and dreamlike transitions. A central moment in the release is “Bloom”, which features a collaboration with Hayk Karoyi on flute. His performance adds an organic depth and melodic fluidity, weaving through electronic layers with warmth and clarity. The result is a delicate interplay between human breath and machine pulse, blurring the boundary between the natural and the synthetic. Sky City EP marks a new chapter for Evighet, reaffirming the label’s dedication to sound as a medium of exploration and storytelling. Through this release, Dave N.A. captures both emotional immediacy and compositional detail, expanding the label’s evolving narrative with a vision that feels deeply personal yet universally resonant.
White Mechatronica returns.
Introducing Cold Voltage - a new series wired for tension, circuitry, and raw machine emotion. This first volume sets the tone: cold, direct, and built for dark rooms.
On the A-side, Elena Siziva opens with "The Balls", an experimental descent of bouncing basslines and cavernous synth textures. Filmmaker follows, delivering his unmistakable dark wave electro signature - sharp, shadowed, and hypnotic. Violet Position & Echo Protocol close the side with "Into the Silent Blue", an electro vocal cut designed to ignite the floor.
Flip to the B-side: Jennifer Touch strikes with "Don't", a rolling, snare-driven machine track that hits without warning. Mr. Funghi pushes further into EBM/Techno territory with "Off for the Weekend", a relentless piece built to tear down walls. Closing the release, The Spy delivers "Track Reaper", a dramatic Italo wave finale that lingers long after the last note fades.
Since launching in 2018, Innate has been synonymous with cultured techno and now, finally, we get to hear from co-founder Gilbert with his first full release on the label. overdue. The Bristol producer delivers three originals rooted in electro futurism, deep house emotion and Detroit lineage. 'Passage Of Time' rolls with acid detail and warm chords, while 'We Are All Made of Stars' leans into melancholic melody and gentle propulsion. 'Natural Dimension' pushes outward with driving rhythms and shimmering motifs. The remixes are on point too - Nuron reshapes 'Furthest Planet' into raw, emotive electro, while Apiento and Diego Herrera rework 'We Are All Made of Stars' into hazy, analogue proto-house.
DJ Feedback
Laurent Garnier:
"Ohhh wahouuu this is a brilliant release indeed. Loooove it!"
Lexx (Wavetest):
"Good stuff! Full support as usual. "
Sven Weisemann:
"perfecto =)"
Aroy Dee (MOS):
"Well, that sounds absolutely lovely! "
Cignol:
"That Nuron remix too, holy shit, amazing!"
Colin Dale (Abstract Dance):
"This Gilbert EP is killer! Will be rotating and supporting it for sure."
Gilbr (Versatile):
"Love what I hear..."
Jorge Caiado (Carpet & Snares):
"What a record!! Every track is beautiful and the remixes are sooooo good."
Marco Passarani:
"Some good stuff here mate! Will surely play this out."
Miles Atmospheric:
"Lovely package! Superb music!"
Thorgerdur:
"I really love this release! Amazing tunes :)"
Liferecorder :
"This sounds superb ! Solid productions by Gilbert for sure.."
Ivan Smagghe :
"Great originals and great Apiento/Diego Remix..."
Lovefingers :
"Sounds sick!"
2026 Repress
Techno innovator Regent has already made his mark on Mutual Rytm with two previous outings highlighting his refined but powerful style. The Berlin-based artist joins the dots between bold percussive grooves and distinct cerebral layers, with his productions continuing to receive wide support from DJs and tastemakers across the globe. This return to SHDW's flourishing label features one of his most anticipated tracks to date - a truly timeless warehouse anthem that marks an exciting new chapter for both Regent and the label.
'Permean' is a raw but sophisticated piece of techno that merges powerful drums with hypnotic pads. It brims with surgical sound design. While the groove is fierce, a haunting melodic touch adds a soft and deeply emotional edge
as Regent explores the tension between permanence and decay, delivering a timeless and essential track.
The first remix comes from Steve Rachmad under his Sterac guise. This version channels the spirit of his early work - pure, stripped-back techno at its finest. Tightly programmed and deep, it features burrowing bass and impish synths dancing up top to occupy the mind while the body moves.
Next comes a remix from one of the most innovative producers of our time, Rene Pawlowitz, under his Head High alias, a project reserved for his more house leaning sounds. His 'Power Tool Mix' brings his signature loopy style with thudding kicks, raw hi-hats and twitchy synths - already shaping up to be a summer hit. Pawlowitz then steps out under his renowned techno alias Shed. His 'Forceful Pressure Mix' is a blistering and unrelenting weapon, with rusty textures and powerful bass locking you in its glitches, unresolved loops and booming low end.
Finetune — Impulse LP
Singeley Wax presents the third installment of the Russian Series — Finetune's "Impulse" album by electronic musician and media artist Mikhail Komisarov (Michael Dop), co-founder of Slowdance Records.
__About the Music
Finetune is a project through which Mikhail explores and experiments with a sonic palette encompassing ambient, electronic music with elements of jazz and neoclassical. His medium combines modular synthesis, acoustic instruments, field recordings, and deliberately crafted effect chains. He creates distinctive compositions that guide listeners through various emotional states.
The "Impulse" album brings together ten tracks of experimental electronica: hypnotic synthesizer sequences, polyrhythmic structures, cinematic textures, and subtly shifting modulations blend into sonic landscapes where time becomes relative.
__Art Concept
The album's visual identity is based on the multidisciplinary neuro-performance "Impulse," created at the intersection of art and neurotechnology in collaboration with neurovisualization pioneers NeuroLab, digital art studio STAIN (working with algorithmic abstraction since 2009), and physical theatre project "Dancing in the Dark" — Russia's only company featuring visually impaired artists.
During the performance, the brain activity of visually impaired dancers was captured in real-time via neurointerface and transformed into generative graphics. This visual content, born from electrical impulses of consciousness in moments of musical perception, became the foundation for the album's artwork — both static and motion graphics.
A sonic journey that feels both intimate and expansive, Inigo Lunani drifts between late-night introspection and dancefloor euphoria. The album blends minimal grooves and warm tones into a cohesive narrative that feels alive—constantly evolving, yet grounded in emotion.
Each track unfolds like a fragment of memory: hazy, rhythmic, and slightly surreal. There’s a tension between control and spontaneity, where tight percussive patterns meet playful, almost careless melodies. The result is music that invites movement but rewards deep listening—equally at home in a dark club or through headphones at sunrise.
Inigo Lunani isn’t just about sound; it’s about identity in motion. It captures the feeling of searching, of becoming, of existing somewhere between who you were and who you’re about to be.
EVPHORIA is not just a record. It’s a trigger.
140 BPM of tension, ascent and release — engineered to push the dancefloor into collective hypnosis.
Balancing power house propulsion, techno pulse and large-scale emotional lift, the track transforms a strangely familiar sensation into something raw, direct and uncompromising. No nostalgia — only forward motion. A rise that refuses to come down.
The original version unfolds as a sustained euphoric surge: driving percussion, insistent hooks and controlled repetition built for peak-time unity.
The edit version distills that energy into a tighter DJ weapon — immediate, sharp, floor-focused.
On the B-side, Inflammable Noise appears in its instrumental form — pure club mechanics, no vocals, no distraction. A stripped version that amplifies tension and turns the track into a true dancefloor weapon. Already tested in demanding environments, it notably detonated a peak-time moment when Chloé Caillet played it at Berghain — a point where the room tipped over.
EVPHORIA moves freely across scenes — from house floors pushing tempo to techno basements and high-intensity dance spaces — built for DJs chasing the rupture point.
Pressed in a strict limited edition.
Vinyl only — no digital release.
Created under the EVPHORIA imprint by Hardrock Striker — dancefloor architect and driving force behind the Skylax universe — this release stands as a physical, autonomous club statement.
Sleeve artwork by H5 (Daft Punk, Air, Étienne de Crécy, Logorama, Kanye West / Adidas), reinforcing EVPHORIA as both a sonic and visual manifesto.
EVPHORIA doesn’t ask permission.
EVPHORIA triggers.
A record for the moment the room tips over.
Originally released in 1978 on Americom Records. Officially reissued for the first time with love by Celestial Echo Records.
Some records just have that magic. A vibe that pulls you in from the first note and doesn’t let go. Phylliss Bailey’s 1978 cult classic Phylliss is one of those records—a hidden gem of modern soul and disco that’s been doing the rounds for decades in underground scenes, on dancefloors, and among collectors who know. It’s been whispered about in the right circles, bootlegged and then bootlegged again—but never given a proper reissue… Until now.
Celestial Echo Records proudly presents the first official reissue of Phylliss, a record that’s as essential today as it was back then. Originally released on the independent Americom label, the LP flew under the radar in its day but has since become a secret weapon for DJs with a taste for the modern soul & disco sound.
Phylliss Bailey’s voice is pure class—gliding over lush arrangements, tight rhythm sections, and dreamy strings with ease. Whether she’s riding the groove on dancefloor bombs like 'Focus' and 'Release Me' or slowing it down on the smouldering 'Feeling Of Love,' Bailey brings emotional weight and undeniable swagger to every track.
Fully remastered and officially licensed, it brings Phylliss into the light where it belongs. With a reimagined sleeve and labels (to distinguish from some shady copies going around!). This record is looking and sounding better than ever.
Celestial Echo Records is a label devoted to the soulful and the timeless. Based in London and run by miche & Stu Clark, the imprint has been steadily carving out a reputation among collectors and DJs for high-quality, lovingly curated reissues of rare modern soul, boogie, and disco. With each release, they shine a light on overlooked gems that still resonate deeply in today’s clubs and dancefloors. Phylliss is the next jewel in their growing catalogue of essential rediscoveries.
A1. Live in Holland (5:32)
A loose-limbed roller that feels like a half-remembered set from a sticky Rotterdam afterhours. Dubby chords smear across the beat like fog on the dancefloor, teasing tension without ever breaking stride. Full sleaze mode.
A2. Morning, Noon and Night (5:46)
Subtle and sensual with the swing only V.I.C.A.R.I can conjure — this one works in hypnotic repetition, layering hissy hats, muted stabs, and a gliding low-end that keeps you deep in the pocket. Time melts here.
B1. Partial Disk Recovery (5:48)
A gritty tech groove, sputtering like corrupted hardware—yet never missing a step. High-end percussion twitches and snaps while submerged bell tones bubble underneath. Peak-hour ammo for selectors who like it bent.
B2. Show Me That You Care (5:41)
A late-night house cut with a heavy emotional pull. Warm pads and delicate vocals ride a chugging rhythm that feels both intimate and urgent. A closing track with real staying power.
Spanning 14 tracks, Serotonin includes standout singles like the acclaimed ‘Burn’ with Tom Walker, ‘Seventeen’ with YOTTO & White Lies, and ‘You & I’ with Nathan Nicholson. Written over several years in his studio, on tour, and at his childhood home in the Netherlands, the album’s creation spanned a period in Joris’s life that possessed significant emotional challenges, but as the title suggests, is firmly fixed on a strong sense of positivity and euphoria for the path ahead.
From ambient soundscapes, melodic house and immersive techno, Serotonin spans a rich emotional and sonic range—always warm, organic, and unmistakably Joris Voorn.
Marking more than two decades at the forefront of electronic music, Serotonin captures the sound of an artist in full bloom.
“This album really reflects how I’ve grown into my own sound,” says Voorn. “I’m not chasing trends—just making something honest, hopefully timeless, and able to move people on the dance floor. I want listeners to feel Serotonin—to let go, be free, even if just for a moment."
To mark a decade as one of Ibiza's most iconic musical sanctuaries, Hostal La Torre announces 'La Torre Ibiza Volumen Cinco', a new compilation curated by long-standing residents Pete Gooding and Mark Barrott. Released June 27 on CD and double vinyl, the 15-track collection captures the spirit of the venue that has come to define the golden-hour soundtrack ofthe island's west coast.
Since opening in 2015, La Torre has established itself as a bastion of Balearic culture-set high on the cliffs overlooking the sea, where music flows with the sun rather than the clock. The fifth volume in the celebrated La Torre series is a journey through Brazilian soul, ambient electronica, classic deep house, orchestral minimalism, and dusk-lit Detroit techno-an emotional arc designed to mirror the progression of an evening at the venue.
From timeless icons like Nina Simone, Mazzy Star, Talk Talk (with their Spirit of Eden closer "Wealth"), and Boards of Canada, to boundary-pushers like Auntie Flo, Eden Burns, and µ-Ziq (aka Mike Paradinas), Volumen Cinco weaves together deep-rooted classics and leftfield discoveries. Mark Barrott contributes a brand-new exclusive, 'When Devils Become Gods', while the compilation closes on a rare gem from Yellow Magic Orchestra's Yukihiro Takahashi. Also includedis Software's 'Present Voice', a quietly powerful tribute to the late José Padilla, the spiritual architect of Ibiza's sunset sound.
Volumen Cinco is more than just a listening experience-it's a tribute to La Torre's ethos: open-hearted, genre-fluid, rooted in place and time. Each track is carefully sequenced to evoke a feeling, a shift in light, or a shared memory beneath the fading sun.
Over the years, La Torre has welcomed some of the most influential names in Balearic and electronic music, from José Padilla, Alfredo, and Jon Sa Trinxa to DJ Harvey, David Holmes, Lovefingers, Heidi Lawden, Wolf Müller, Don Carlos, and Phil Mison. With each summer season and each release, the venue continues to build a musical legacy that has earned critical acclaim from Resident Advisor, Phonica Records, Juno, and Piccadilly Records, regularly featuring in their year-end lists.
As Test Pressing once wrote, "La Torre is not a party, it's a place of pilgrimage. It feels almost sacred." That spirit resonates deeply in this anniversary compilation-a celebration of music, community, and connection that spans a decade.
La Torre Ibiza Volumen Cinco is dedicated to the artists, friends, collaborators, and guests who've shaped its story so far-and to everyone who continues to gather, listen, and lose track of time as the sun slips beneath the horizon.
Past Inside The Present is back with another of its quietly powerful ambient records, this time from Almost An Island, which is a collaboration between Kenneth James Gibson and husband and wife duo James and Cynthia Bernard. This black version of the self-titled oeuvre drifts through ambient, Americana and experimental soundscapes with musical elegance and tasteful restraint. Muted textures, swirling guitar, pedal steel and subtle vocals create a mood that draws you in close but is also grand in scale. Tracks like 'Quadrivium' and 'What Got Us To Our Feet' blur the line between memory and melody, while 'Palo Verde' and 'Promise to Fade' linger like a half-remembered dream. This isn't ambient as background-it's a fully formed emotional landscape that is both meditative and melancholic.
For the first time on vinyl a collection of tracks by Cortex, Alain Neffe (Bene Gesserit,Insane Music) experimental spoken-word project originally released on tape in 1984.
Cortex was never intended to be a conventional musical project.
From the very beginning it was centered around free live performances. These encounters were stripped down and highly visual: Alain Neffe constructed a trapezoidal fluorescent white screen lit by black light.
The narrator—la récitante—was only illuminated in the face, while the rest of the stage remained in complete darkness.
This created a ghostly effect where the audience could see only her glowing face and dark silhouette. She was a beautiful young woman, with a striking presence, and beside her, Alain Neffe played synthesizer and created sonic effects.
The aim of Cortex was to deliver a minimalist and emotional experience, one centered on text and the voice of the narrator.
Most of the tracks that exist today were recorded informally during rehearsals, using two microphones placed in front of Marshall amps, captured directly to cassette.
La récitante could choose a text from a collection of hundreds. Then, the music was improvised in real time around her voice. That process, simple, direct, and instinctive produced a body of work that’s rough around the edges, but full of presence. It’s not polished, but that’s the point.
Cortex was focused entirely on the connection between voice and sound.
Limited to 300 copies
We are very happy to present you a special release from gutinstinct! After his contribution ‚Eternal Jungle’ on the 10 year anniversary compilation ‚Down The Danube River’, he returns to Fortunea Records with the Back To The Roots EP. A collection of tracks suitable for different moments in a clubbing environment.
The record opens with his melodious and emotional expression of ‚Art‘. This energetic track forces us to sink into venturesome sound waves driven by a dark but at the same time warm pad. A beautiful catchy synthesizer hook line is the icing on the cake on top of it.
Similar tonal but not as uplifting as the opener is the title-track of this EP. A simple, grooving, relentless and continuously deep journey that exemplifies gutinstinct’s profound innate understanding of rhythmic grooves and complexity in simplicity.
Sensuous chills and thrills continue with ‚Pueblo’ on the B-side. A constantly rolling and evolving piece of synth laden ecstasy with richness and colour, driven by the sort of thick analogue basslines and distinctive melodies that have come to define his catalogue.
Lastly, the record closes out with a remix of the title-track by the analogue gear enthusiast Jakobin. In this version he takes the beautiful arpeggio synth sounds and amalgamates them into a framework of lo-fi house aesthetics. You can just imagine this track slicing through an unbent sunset dance floor or morning afterhour ceremonies.
The Back To The Roots EP will be available on august 1st, 2025 digital and on limited vinyl.
It’s very difficult to describe someone as prolific as Misha Panfilov. So, I feel the best way to define him is to think of a “Trivial Pursuit Playing Piece,” where each pie piece represents one of the bands he heads up, and each band has its own distinct style and genre. Yet, when looked at all together, create the whole musical persona of Misha. This is the lens I would like to view his latest endeavor, Days As Echoes.
The vibe on this sophomore release channels Krautrock philosophy and Library music, peppered with elements of jazz, Ethiopian, cinema, ambient and bits of everything between. This atmosphere is created from all the instruments Misha uses and the resulting compositions are heard as repetitive patterns that are forged from the multiple layering of melodies. Thus, creating six unique songs with emotional granularity, yet collectively encompass a genuinely positive “feel good” vibe…with a hint of nostalgia.
Moods of the day, moods like echoes say, A future of hope is yours, by following the Sun’s ray.
The opening track, “Days As Echoes,” is a dedication to a much simpler time when the sky was bluer and the snow was whiter…just like how you remember it when you were a child. A time when people honestly cared more about everything as a given, and not as a selfish accolade. A time when optimism seemed within reach. In other words, nostalgia marred by awareness.
…Leading to a path where the skies are not gray. Where dreams of castles in the air are the mainstay.
“In A Dream” has a style that pays homage to both spiritual jazz and ambient music. A simple theme is introduced and leads to the climax of this stormy dream, putting it all in perspective. That pivotal point when one realizes the truth by re-tracing the events, which led to the epiphany of how to find the answer while traveling within this airy soundscape.
…Diurnal or nocturnal, day or night, Traveling the path of truth must be done without fright.
One can’t help but feel a definite traveling vibe that comes from “Moonscape Waltz” To me, it has a dual-characteristic that can be visualized as a train trip, either at sunrise or sunset. Regardless, the time is not of major relevance, but the actual pursuit is. Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with that first step.” This track takes you beyond that initial step into this vast world toward your destination as you search for the truth.
…The unknown is real, but you know the deal. People need people to show which direction you point the wheel.
“Together” is the most peaceful and solo oriented compositions of this album. It shows how one cannot achieve happiness alone, but the importance of having someone special or a group of others to help along the way. Not only to help seek your goal, but also the ability to enjoy the scenery while on your journey
…The end of this tunnel has a light that’s so bright. Illuminating the trodden way, your destination, now in sight.
One is free from the chains of the unknown as you listen to a “Few Layers For Smith”, a dedication to a friend. A song that draws energy from the ECM works of Steve Reich, thats married with a primitive lo-fi basement setting. Its positive force breaks those encumbrances and gives you a glimpse of your prize. But you ruminate on this and come to the conclusion that the path that led you there is equally important as the goal itself. Question is, how do you share your realizations and experiences?
…The route was cast, the trials have passed. The glittering treasure you sought is yours now, at last.
“Ocean Song” meanders from the ritual rhythms of its shoreline to the crashing riptides of unbridled guitar feedback, creating this raging ocean atmosphere. However, its message is quite clear and states that people’s goals and experiences are not just meant for personal growth, but to be shared with
others, so that they too can live vicariously thru your story and somehow utilize it for their own.
…The prize has been won, but the journey is never done. You now have the responsibility to share everything under the Sun.
These six songs, each with its own sound, collectively comprise the vibe of this album. One cannot help but feel a sense of joy and fulfillment when listening to it. Each song has its own unique mood, yet together create an atmosphere of hope and happiness that has no choice but to spill out of the listener. I feel this was the ultimate goal of Misha’s on this record. Quite a challenge for the man who never sleeps, but is always searching for the perfect beat. One may not fully grasp his musical mind, but this album does give you a gateway into the moods and magic of Misha!
- Brent Sawicki
The return of Roy Of The Ravers is always a moment for Emotional Response. Alongside, the infinitely heralded debut that was the 2 Late 4 Love EP in 2016 and the later Emotinium ’23 remixes, there has been the While Line Sunrise series examining the ambient, experimental electronics meets braindance techno releases that showcased lost archives from the late 90s to today, here reaching the 3rd installment with 2 EPs of more machine-driven acid funk.
Following the grand expanse of double LP White Line Sunrise II and its subsequent double pack follow up White Line Sunrise II.I (Le Roy Soliel), III (3) aims predominantly for the dance floor. The uplifting techno of opening Primavera Anjo and squelching TB303 of Plant Earth are premier Roy, hypnotic, percussive, psychedelic purity for the feet.
The flip allows head room for the mind, the deep chords and arpeggios of G-Force signal the vortex shift, before the cinematic, rolling breaks and double bass of Glass Knife sweep far and wide. Recording over 25 years ago, the changing time signatures highlight the influence of (modern) classical and even jazz on Roy, pulsing, permeating, and pushing his sound in the moment, music thought lost that is gladly now, again found.
The second part of Roy’s return to Emotional Response and the While Line Sunrise series dives further in old Hard Drives and DATs to unearth more lost techno for the brain, heart and feet.
Ensuing melody for driving beats, Fenix Haus 6 is a TB303 blast. Electro meets acid, the focus is on the rhythm, percussion is pushed to the fore and the rest will follow. Exit Ren8 brings some melody touches to the jacked-up ride, acid melodies ride classic Roy beats, programming for the mind and soul.
As with Part 1, here the flip expands the retinae of the found sound, Cristia Theme with flourishes of IDM and industrial touches, wrapped in a sheen of acid squelches and snap hats.
The series completes with the theme, the ambient meets kosmiche of White Line Sunrise III. Minimalist keys against cathedral sweeps, motorik drums float in and are gone, a grandiose ending with, as always, a light hearted ending, Roy’s return is a welcome and an intriguing interlude.
Schadenheimer fled Syria for Europe in 2016, eventually finding refuge in Germany. While working through personal challenges, they began exploring new wave, electronica and the raw aesthetics of post-punk, all of which shaped the sound and feel of this release.
Their first single, "Der Lärm in meinem Kopf / Selbstliebe ist egal" reflects a state of inner unrest. Drawing from experiences of war, migration and personal struggle, Schadenheimer shares a direct and honest take on what it means to live with constant noise/war within.
This release comes from something deeply personal but speaks to a broader experience. While rooted in the trauma of displacement and emotional conflict, the songs touch on something many can relate to. They explore self-doubt, emotional numbness and the quiet pull of self-sabotage.
According to Schadenheimer, despite the weight of these themes - there was always a sense that something within could carry them forward. That feeling doesn’t remove the struggle, but it helps to keep moving.
"Der Lärm in meinem Kopf / Selbstliebe ist egal" will be released on 18.07.2025 on 7" vinyl and digital via the Leipzig imprint, R.A.N.D. Muzik Recordings.
Veteran Japanese electronic music producer, AKIO NAGASE, a leading player in the Kansai underground music scene since the late 1990s teams up with Yukino Inamine, a gifted and young female singer from Okinawa who magically mixes traditional Ryukyu (Okinawa) folk songs with her sanshin (Okinawan Shamisen) playing into the modern age, to create this wonderful collaborative album, Yugafu ai KAJI. This album is set to be released on GLOCAL RECORDS, a record store/ record label run by Genta Minowa, an ex-staff at the record store, Disc Shop Zero in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo and who still continues to introduce a great selection of dubby, club music from his HQ in Harajuku.
AKIO NAGASE regularly organised parties at his own venue, as well as ran a record store of the same name while actively being part of the Kansai scene at legendary clubs such as Tsuru no Ma, Sound Channel, etc., the best of what was offered in the Kansai underground dance scene in the 2000s.
As an artist, he released his own productions out of labels such as Sound Channel and RUDIMENTS run by Minowa. His album, Make Dub was released in 2003 out of the label, Sound Channel featured an innovative, techno meets dancehall track, Dance Hall King which connected techno, acid house with reggae and dub. This album is an undiscovered gem whose sound still emulates freshness and originality today (my wish is for it to be reissued on vinyl!) After a brief hiatus of releasing music, he released the EP, Delusion out of Chillmountain Records, a label run by his friend, Ground in 2018 and at his own leisurely pace, he has been slowly but surely releasing material that oozes originality, expressed through a robust acid sound and a variety of elements such as afro and Ryukyu folk music that is then incorporated into the medium of dub. Recently, he has also started to gain international attention by releasing original material and remixes out of labels such as the UK label, Emotional Especial, etc.
For this album, NAGASE teams up with Yukino Inamine who brings her own distinctive singing and sanshin playing magic into this collaboration and they fuse electronic music sounds with Ryukyu folk songs to create this wonderfully imaginative album that has no precedence or equal. Apart from the song, Ishikawa Koiuta, all other songs are covers of Ryukyu folk standards that were handpicked by NAGASE from the repertoire of songs that Inamine regularly performs live. They met up when NAGASE was commissioned to remix one of her original compositions, Miyagi Kaigan that was released in 2023 and that evolved into a collaboration with a concept that mixed Inamine singing Ryukyu folk standards with a backing tracks produced by NAGASE. Whenever she went to the the Kansai area, she would work on the basic track material created by NAGASE at the dub master of Osaka, Soulfire’s studio, HAV who would then additionally edit her takes to create the finishing tracks.
This album, Yugafu ai KAJI opens with Shirahamabushi, a track that slowly builds with an interesting mix of slow acid techno and sanshin and then moves onto the easy-going electro dub of Tinsagu nu hana (it is actually a cover of the track of the same title that first appeared in the label sampler, Comuni ó n Especial that was released on Emotional Especial. NAGASE initially wanted to feature Inamine on vocals for this track but due to scheduling issues, it did not happen but with good fortune, the new version of this track is now included in this album). A side closes with the optimistic Balearic sounds of Tsuki nu Kaisha that converges immaculately with slow-mo steppers. It is also worth noting that the person who introduced NAGASE to Inamine was the Okinawa dub master, HARIKUYAMAKU. They met at a concert held by both him & Yukino Inamine hosted by BUN BUN THE MC at the venue, RAGGA CHANNEL. From this encounter, this album came into fruition and they also asked HARIKUYAMAKU to produce an earthy, traditional rootsy, dub version of Tsuki nu Kaisha that is included as the 3rd track on the B Side.
Ashimizubushi, the track that magically blends old school Chicago house ala TRAX with Ryukyu folk music starts off the B side and it carries on to an uplifting track with a Skaouse (ska + house) feel, Hounen Ondo. Inserted after HARIKUYAMAKU’s dub of Tsuki nu Kaisha, this album closes out with the song, ‘Ishikawa Koi Uta’, the only song written by Inamine who said that she wrote it after falling in love with chill-out music. It is an ambient dub track with a collage like flavour, reminiscent of early The Orb (remixed by Mad Professor) and the latter half of the track finishes off with a message presented by Masao Itokazu (her uncle) who received tutelage from the prior owner of her sanshin that Inamine plays, Moritomo Inamine (her grandfather).
Incidentally, the album title, YUGAFU ai Kaji is derived from an auspicious word from Okinawa, Yugafu which means fruitful year, happiness, prosperity and ai (indigo) is a word that Yukino found inspiration few years ago (she wears a Okinawan indigo clothing called kinonuno in the front cover of this album).
The unique indigo colouring produced by nature overlaps with the unique charm of the human personality, and she wanted to present that current along with the music so the name was integrated to ‘indigo wind’, and the two were connected to form the album title, ‘YUGAFU ai Kaji’.
The photo of the front cover was taken by a young, Uchinaanunishie—- (meaning a boy from Okinawa) 17 year old photographer named Ratio and the designer of this album is Anmonaito who is a childhood friend of Inamine who also did the artwork for her album, Miyagi Kaigan. And the mastering and cutting of this album was done by Rei Taguchi.
The cosmology existing in Yukino Inamine’s singing is fully amplified by AKIO NAGASE’s spacey, abundant with many ideas, dance machine beat~ambient music and all of these elements are organically linked by the adhesive effect of dub.
