BOOH opens the record with a slow subterranean rumble before the machine locks in with full force. Welding Groove is a dense and relentless techno tool, built on a heavy low-end foundation and punctuated by sharp breaks that release tension only to snap back harder. A floor-ready opener that sets the tone for what follows.
Powder wastes no time. The groove hits from the first bar, driving forward with precision and urgency through a series of tightly chopped breaks before the bass reclaims the floor. Physical, direct, and built for the peak hours.
BOOH flips the record with Spectrum, the most patient track of the four. A long, layered intro slowly stacks elements one by one before the groove finally takes over and holds its ground without letting up. Wide and immersive, it carries the energy of a long set deep into the night.
Jackson Poliakov is the most unpredictable of the bunch. Opening with a wide, full-spectrum groove, it shifts midway into darker, more hypnotic territory before a final break brings everything back for the closing stretch. Two faces in one track, and the perfect way to close this chapter.
House and techno's most innovative improviser, KiNK, lands on Mutual Rytm X.
Offering four more thrilling dancefloor weapons, the iconic talent lands on SHDW's new Mutual Rytm X Series to deliver the label's second release.
Legendary Bulgarian artist KiNK is widely regarded as one of the most respected live acts on the global scene. He is a noted tech wizard who creates loops on the fly, crafts killer drums and never fails to hypnotise dancefloors. He has released on almost every influential label of the last 15 years and taken his unrivalled live show to all corners of the world, often drawing on those sets to bring aspects and inimitable qualities from his performances into his tracks. This innovative approach has helped to solidify his reputation as a groundbreaking figure, inspiring a new generation of musicians and producers, and he once again showcases precisely why he's in a league of his own here with a first appearance on SHDW's newly minted Mutual Rytm X.
'Unicord' opens up this new EP in thrilling fashion with sleek, Detroit-style synth loops flashing up top as the heavy, pounding while warm drums drive things down low. 'Quantum Shake' brings 90s energy with new school sound deists - the dubby drums are fast and urgent, the synth craft is deft, and the percussion adds texture to a straight-up but sophisticated techno anthem. 'Pitch Down' then brings fantastically unhinged synth leads that spray and zip about the mix to boggle the brain. Rattling percussive loops and chunky drums keep things moving as those synths get even more wild. To close, the digital bonus 'Highpass Lowpass' is a masterfully muscular cut with rugged bass and taught synths interlinking to mind-melting effect.
Another long-awaited vinyl shaped through time, pressure, and careful listening. On this record, Spinnski, Ian Oskadev, and CLGR each bring the maximum of their craft, pushing their sound until it holds up under the toughest real-world testing. Airy textures, rolling low-end, sharp rhythmic structure, and hypnotic elements come together into a sound that feels both controlled and alive. Every detail has been checked, adjusted, and refined with precision — not just for the studio, but for real systems. This is a record that translates everywhere, from small rooms to large dancefloors. VAM14 stands as another carefully built piece in the catalogue — balanced, warm, and fully functional. A release shaped with attention, experience, and respect for the sound.
Kashatskikh Studio Mastering
Design & Illustration by Kirill Kashatskikh
Released in the winter of 1995, Dah Shinin’ introduced Smif-N-Wessun as torchbearers of the gritty, sample-driven East Coast sound that defined a generation. Backed by Da Beatminerz’ haunting, jazz-laced production and supported by their Boot Camp Clik brethren, Tek and Steele delivered a debut that was as raw as it was revolutionary — capturing the essence of mid-90s Brooklyn.
Now, 30 years later, Dah Shinin’ returns in its most complete form. The 30th Anniversary Definitive Deluxe Edition brings together for the first time in one place, the full original album, two essential remixes "Wrekonize" and "Sound Bwoy Bureill" and rare material, including the long-unreleased “Nuttin’ Move But Da Money,” finally available officially after years on white label.
Pressed across three LPs and housed in a premium tri-fold jacket featuring original artwork, newly commissioned liner notes, period photography, and archival content, this expanded edition stands as a tribute to the album’s creation and legacy. From the underground anthem “Bucktown” to the crew showcase “Cession At Da Doghillee,” every track celebrates the timeless sound that made Dah Shinin’ a classic.
Pure Motorised Instinct drives over to Dark Entries with At Last I’m Leaving the Earth, an LP of industrial-tinged ambient and new age. When legendary industrial outfit Nagamatzu went dormant in 1991, band member Stephen Jarvis moved forward with Pure Motorised Instinct, a name he pulled from a line in George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. Throughout two cassette albums - 1991’s Between Intimacy and Elsewhere, and 1993’s Everything Is True - Jarvis pushed the Nagamatzu spirit in new directions. At Last I’m Leaving the Earth collects 9 tracks from this era, which are appearing on vinyl for the first time, along with 3 additional tracks on a bonus CD. The material here sits between the brooding and the optimistic, the claustrophobic and the soporific. Jarvis’s digital synths are pushed so far into tape-scuffed terrain that they talk and squawk analog-like, scurrying with vibrant curiosity. The late-night vibes peak on pieces like “Vincent V,” with its reverb-drenched digital drum machines, or “Geek,” which taps into a wide-eyed proto-vaporwave zone. At Last I’m Leaving the Earth is Black Lodge ambient for the empty set.
Edgar debuts on Dark Entries with Pavor, an 11 track LP of sleazy disco, warped synthpop, and gothic cumbia. Veteran musician Luis Gutierrez has spent the past two decades touring in bands, running Lalalandia Studio, and building his practice in Oakland and Guadalajara. But now, for his first solo outing, he has become Edgar, a pop star who knows no limits! “Edgar feels mightier than anyone but is always reduced to his vices” says Gutierrez, and Pavor delivers vices in spades. From the opening salvos of “Otra Agua,” it’s clear we’re in for a wild ride: seasick synths slide along slamming disco beats, menacingly chanted vocals sit amid a flurry of careening horror movie samples. The mischief does not abate as we’re guided through a demented funhouse of genre detournements.
Edgar puts his indelible fingerprints over every inch of this vinyl, from uptempo numbers like the spooky chip-tune frenzy of “Nunca Mas” to the twisted cumbia of “Panteon.” We’re even treated to a fairly faithful (and majestic) Spanish-language cover of Amanda Lear’s “Follow Me,” here titled “Sigueme.” EBM, space disco, and horror movie soundtracks all find their way into the mix on Pavor, but the diverse palette comes together perfectly, like a Yello album for the 21st century. Pavor comes housed in a sleeve designed by Eloise Shir-Juen Leigh and features a photograph by Izaak Schlossman. Also included is an insert with lyrics and notes. On Pavor, Edgar brings us a healthy dose of pure excess, reminding us that dread can be a hell of a lot of fun.
Our very first release was a beautiful gem from Red Astaire titled 'Follow Me' - a track that defined GAMM's identity and helped pave the way for everything we've achieved since.
Now, 24 years later, GAMM has reached its landmark 200th release.
To celebrate this anniversary and honoor our dear friend Fredrik Lager (aka Red Astaire), who sadly and unexpectedly passed away three years ago, we are re-releasing 'Follow Me' alongside remixes from some of our favourite producers.
The third and final edition in the 'Follow Me' series comes from Brooklyn's finest, DJ Spinna.
With his trademark hip hop-soul sound, Spinna transforms this classic into a bumpy, park jam tune. Very NY, very uplifting...very much a spring tune. Oh btw, check that classic EWF sample ;)
Following the passing of our dear friend DJ Romain earlier this year, we've spent a long time reflecting on when to share some of the new music he entrusted to Hard Times Records. The incredible response to 2024’s 'The Lost D.A.T.S.' EPs reignited Romain's creative spark at a time when, unbeknownst to many, he was quietly battling serious ill health. After relocating from his beloved New Jersey to Cleveland, the studio once again became his sanctuary, inspiring a remarkable new chapter of music. The 'New Jersey' and ‘Cleveland’ EPs were the first recordings from that period.
Funky Streets completes the first trio of new EPs, but it is also just a glimpse of the wealth of music Romain crafted before his passing. His final studio sessions became an escape from his daily battles, inspiring a remarkable outpouring of new material that he was determined to finish, knowing his beats would continue to warm dancefloors and further cement the legacy of one of house music's true masters.
Opening with the horn-driven swagger of the title track, the EP moves seamlessly into the soulful groove of 'I Like To Boogie' before culminating in the deep, organ-led dancefloor energy of 'This Is Where I Wanna Be’. Romain signs off with 'The Chocolates’ - an uplifting, guitar-laced boogie jam filled with warmth, joy and unmistakable soul.
Beautifully crafted from beginning to end, Funky Streets stands as a lasting testament to DJ Romain's extraordinary talent, timeless musicality, and enduring contribution to House music. His legacy lives on in every groove.
‘veneration for the sacred action’ is the first compilation release by london-based independent record label ‘lifeis beautiful records’ released in celebration of the three-year anniversary of the label (& the gesamtkunstwerk that it exists within), the compilation brings together members of the life is beautiful septet collective, as well as various collaborators and special guests from previous life is beautiful events of the past three years. it highlights a range of the various solo, group projects, and alias’ of the septet, as well as various artists from the wider orbit of the life is beautiful constellations. the project was executively produced and curated as an album by label founder aloisius, as a selected works of the life is beautiful constellations. it stands as a comprehensive yet intentionally incomplete representation of the past three years of life is beautiful
Subtle Beginnings is the second of the ReKab albums originally released on Móatún 7 to be reissued on vinyl for the first time by System One. Analogue Isolation came in May & sold out everywhere almost immediately
Label head D. Howard first came across ReKab while deep diving through Bandcamp, and like many lovers of deep, late night, soulful electronic music immediately fell for the emotional pads, pristine melodies & immaculate productions, simultaneously summoning up the essence of early 90s electronic while sounding thoroughly contemporary.
They connected and a plan hatched to make the Móatún 7 albums available on vinyl for the first time, something that avid record collector James was delighted about. Unfortunately James sadly passed away late August last year, but following conversation with the family & friends of James, it was decided to honour his wishes & make the albums available on vinyl & across all digital services once again. Proceeds after costs will be paid through to the trust fund set up to support James’ surviving son.
System One is a new label dedicated to soulful electronic music, late night grooves & intergalactic beats, drawing its inspiration from the early 90s techno & ambient sounds of Uk, Frankfurt, Detroit & beyond
Marwan’s debut on Gated finds the sweet spot between dub, deep, and ambient techno.
The focus is firmly on rhythm: layered percussion, spacious atmospherics, and slowly evolving textures that reveal a little more with every listen.
These are immersive, patiently crafted tracks that never lose sight of the dancefloor.
Tedere Onverschilligheid (which we think roughly translates as Tender Indifference) opens with evolving percussion and sweeping synth textures that gradually pull you under. Vrijheidsdromer settles into rolling bass, organic percussion, and subtle atmospherics, while Ik Ontdekte Sacramento Ezel begins with darker intent before opening into one of the EP’s more uplifting moments. Heldere Geest (Clear Mind) takes the scenic route, unfolding from fractured rhythms into a deep, hypnotic groove, before De Speech rounds things off with an expansive finale that feels equally at home closing a club set or carrying you through the last train home.
Five expertly crafted, highly mixable tracks that will slot effortlessly into deep sets, and quite possibly convince you that buying “just one more record” was always a sensible idea.
2026 Repress, Black Vinyl, Unicover
Johannes Albert brings back the iconic anthem that is "More Action Pleeease!". This time stretched across a full A-side, cut at 45 rpm for maximum punch and pressed on a weighty 180 grams. Built sturdy, loud, and ready to tear through any system. The full-cover artwork seals the deal, but the B-side brings the real twist: the Disco-House edit everyone's been craving (yes, exclusively on vinyl!). Dompe's "Lemon Ice" gets the full "Action" vocal treatment, transforming it into a guaranteed dancefloor riot. Finally - the complete "Actionpella" is attached for the hard-working DJs and the lazy ones alike. Now? More Action Pleeeeeeeeeeease!
Klaus Kotai, a Viennese who had made Berlin his home, found a receptive audience in Cologne as early as the mid-90s with his records on Elektro Music Department. This club and label conglomerate, run with co-producer and DJ Mo Loschelder and the artist Daniel Pflumm, was working towards a radical streamlining of techno. A certain kinship with the pre-Kompakt sound of Cologne could not be denied. They exchanged greetings from afar.
Then came the 2000s, an exciting era for club music, rich in innovation and characterised above all by the burgeoning genres of minimal and electro clash. In 2002, Kotai’s ‘Sucker DJ’ was released, featuring the brilliant remix by Marcin “Highfish” Kozlowski, on WMF Records – the label belonging to the eponymous cult Berlin club. A true hit that struck a perfect balance between both worlds and was played across genres by virtually every DJ.
Exactly 20 years after the last re-release on Elektro Music Department (also distributed by Kompakt at the time), it’s now time for ‘Sucker DJ’ to make a comeback. Judging by Marco Cariolaa’s ‘Cringe Vibes’, it’s needed more urgently than ever.
Remastered, with new artwork by Daniel Pflumm, and still “fucking up your place”.
Der Wiener Wahlberliner Klaus Kotai stiess in Köln schon Mitte der 90er Jahre mit seinen Platten auf Elektro Music Department auf offene Ohren. Dieses mit Co-Produzentin & DJ Mo Loschelder sowie dem Künstler Daniel Pflumm betriebene Club-/Label-Konglomerat arbeitete sich an einer radikalen Entschlackung des Techno ab. Eine gewisse Seelenverwandtschaft zum Kölner Prä-Kompakt-Sound war nicht von der Hand zu weisen. Man grüßte sich aus der Ferne.
Dann kamen die 2000er, eine aufregende, an Innovationen nicht arme Ära für Clubmusik, die vor allem von den aufblühenden Genres Minimal und Electro Clash geprägt war. Im Jahr 20 02 kam dann Kotais ‘Sucker DJ’ mit dem kongenialen Marcin “Highfish” Kozlowski Remix auf dem zum gleichnamigen Berliner Kult-Club gehörenden Label WMF Rec ords heraus. Ein echter Konsenshit, der äußerst komfortabel zwischen beiden Welten saß und genreübergreifend von nahezu allen DJs gespielt wurde.
Genau 20 Jahre nach der letzten Wiederveröffentlichung auf Elektro Music Department (damals ebenfalls im Kompakt Vertrieb) ist es nun an der Zeit, dass der ‘Sucker DJ’ zurückkommt. Wenn man sich Marco Cariolaa’s Cringe Vibes so anschaut, wird er dringender gebraucht denn je.
Neu gemastert, mit neuem Artwork von Daniel Pflumm und immer noch “fucking up your place”.
Impressive Collective, BBE Music and Mark de Clive-Lowe present: Remixes & Reimaginations World-renowned for decades, Mark de Clive-Lowe is a New Zealand-born, Tokyo-based pianist, composer and producer, widely recognised as a pioneer in nu-jazz, broken beat and electronic music. In contrast to his previous release on Impressive Collective, the contemplative solo project 'past present (tone poems across time)', this collection brings together MdCL’s extraordinary reinterpretations of other artists’ work. As he explains: “Remixing has always meant more to me than just rearranging stems - it’s about uncovering a new reality inside the music.” From the uplifting gospel-house of Close Counters’ 'I’ll Be There For You', recontextualised for the broken beat dancefloor, to the timelessly angelic tones of We Are KING’s ‘Supernatural'; from Omar’s 'This Is Not A Love Song' reimagined almost 30 years later, to the politically charged intensity of Anthony Joseph’s 'Maka Dimweh' - every remix has been crafted with the progressive dancefloor in mind, while still resonating for the deep listener and always in service to the original artist’s essence. “I’m grateful to every artist who’s invited me to dive into their work - to deconstruct it and reimagine it with love, curiosity and respect. This compilation isn’t just a retrospective, it’s a celebration of the remix as an art form.”
House is the Religion. The DJ is my Deacon. The Music is my God and James Bangura is cool af.
Genuine, passionate, clear, authentic and real…. He isn’t trying, he just is. And his music is the same. It’s fucking cool. It’s real and authentic and it just is James Bangura. So it’s a real honour to add him to the Shall Not Fade roster; from Techno to Jungle to House and everything between the DC native can extract the true essence of a genre and simultaneously make it his own & pay homage to its roots.
So on Jack Sermon there’s no surprise when he flexes a seemingly generationally inherited knack for all things House (and Techno) and delivers four tracks of raw, real, genuine House music. OG shit.
‘House is the Religion, and the DJ is my Deacon, but the music is my God” says the Evangelical vocal on title track ‘Jack Sermon’. Never has there been a more aptly named track…This is a jack sermon… an OG inspired Chi town cut channeling early house music’s soulful beginnings delivered with straight up jacking house beat offset with laidback dusty dub chords….. We don;t say this lightly but we’re calling anthem on this one.
‘Scat Pack’ takes a more percussive and drum forward House motif. Thunderous kicks tease techno but this is still house, NY at heart complete with voguing diva vocals . Blown out and choppy we could say ‘this could have been ripped from a late 90’s club recording on a lost tape’ but that would do disservice to the precise but invisible fusion that's been laid down here..
‘Funk To Berlin’ opens the flip side and in Bangura’s journey to explore classic forms of house and techno, this track may well have taken root from Dub techno pioneers from the past. Deep dub chords and deeper subs lead the track but that jacking percussion makes this more than homage. Machine Funk, Machine soul. AA side business.
‘The Green Line’ closes out the EP in style.. rolling it out with skittering synths that work like percussion, ethereal pads and a faint vocal ‘Chicago’ spiralling into itself making this track one you can get lost in. Some might argue that this one is techno but who cares. It’s the journey not the destination. Two tickets please.
If you don’t know James Bangura’s music already (or even if you do) do some digging.. Look for releases on Mister Saturday Night, K7! and Floorspeed and check his output as part of “Black Rave Culture” with Amal and Nativesun and as a member of Groovedeep with Toronto’s Ciel and fellow DC native Jackson Ryland.
To close, we’ll leave you with this note from James……. told he is cool af.
House music, to me, exists on a wide spectrum. I’m inspired by its many forms: stripped-back minimalism, percussive drive, hypnotic textures, and soulful undertones. Rather than confining myself to one approach, I treat each track as an exploration—testing structure, pushing rhythm, and allowing subtle details to carry emotional weight. The studio becomes a space where groove and atmosphere meet intention. This body of work highlights that process. It reflects how I balance technical precision with feel, tension with release, and tradition with forward motion. Every decision—from drum programming to spatial design—is part of shaping a sound that feels honest and instinctive. - James Bangura
Original Gravity Records returns with a fresh take on one of the most enduring songs in Jamaican music as Donnoya Drake breathes new life into "You Don't Love Me (No No No)."
The song's remarkable journey begins with Bo Diddley's 1955 recording "She's Fine, She's Mine," before evolving into Willie Cobbs' blues classic "You Don't Love Me." It was then embraced in Jamaica, where it became a foundation stone of the island's musical heritage through Dawn Penn's original Studio One recording.
Rather than recreating any single version, Donnoya Drake's recording draws together the defining moments in the song's evolution. The unmistakable Bo Diddley-inspired riff, popularised by Willie Cobbs, is reimagined by the horn section, while the middle eight pays tribute to Dawn Penn's original Jamaican arrangement. The result is an infectious ska recording that honours every chapter of the song's evolution while bringing a fresh energy of its own.
On the flip, Prince Alphonso & The Fever present "You Don't Love Me Pt.2", an instrumental version that proved far too good to keep in the vault. Stripping away the vocals allows the arrangement to shine in its own right, creating the kind of infectious ska instrumental that selectors and DJs are always searching for.
Produced by Original Gravity Records founder Neil Anderson, the single continues the label's tradition of creating new recordings inspired by the golden era of Jamaican music—not as museum pieces, but as vibrant records made for today's dancefloors. Respectful of the past while unmistakably original, this is another release that bridges the gap between vintage authenticity and fresh interpretation.
“One foot out the door, another in the otherworld…”
So begins Hannah Lew’s debut, self-titled solo record, soaked in imperious, wide-eyed pop songwriting and a girl-group/post punk aesthetic that belies the artist’s history in the U.S. underground. A towering, hook-laden album, it’s infused with an optimism and surrealism that conversely deals with the times we find ourselves in.
Recorded at home in Richmond, CA and in The Best House studio with Maryam Qudus in Oakland CA, with the assistance of a crack team of West Coast musicians, this album sees Hannah Lew stepping out from behind the legacy of her two groups Grass Widow and Cold Beat. While musically bearing similarities with her previous work, “Hannah Lew” is a bold leap into direct pop territory, making ample use of a vocal style that teases out the inherent melancholy in her melodies. Mastered by Sarah Register, each song is a perfectly honed nugget that frequently pulls the heart in two directions at once.
Themes of change, breaking up, shattering old ways of being are shot through the record. For the front cover, a photograph of the artist’s face was printed, ripped up and re-assembled, resembling the creative process embarked upon by Lew for her first “solo” material. The album feels instinctual, almost dream-like in its assemblage of sweeping synths and pulsating, propulsive drum machine beat patterns with Lew’s vocal performances sensitive and caressing over the top. Increasingly relying on the subconscious and dreams to guide her creative process, Hannah Lew frequently abandons literal interpretations or linear narratives, the songs seeming to exist in a swooning, effortless flow-state while remaining emotionally hard hitting.
On an album where every song could be a single, there are kaleidoscopic shades and varying emotional tones in abundance. First single Another Twilight is carried along a pumping, Italo-disco-style 4/4 beat and mono-synth bass line, the low end pulling at the heart and body. Lew’s vocal melody teases the track before swan-diving into a gorgeous chorus as she sings “it’s all over baby and I don’t mind… in decline, I take my time…” The album is suffused with moments like this. On slow builder Damaged Melody, an arpeggiated synth elongates the verse before a cascading synth showers down melodic glitter. The stunning Replica uses dual swirling synth patterns before a driving, synthpop chorus for the ages carries Hannah Lew’s vocal into the stereo field, sailing in on a high register singed with the embers of a break up.
In a departure from previous groups, her solo songs are guided by dreams and free association inspired by Dada and the Surrealist movement and sculpted afterwards. As such, the songs reveal themselves on repeated listens, revealing traces of heartbreak inspired by both personal and global elements - Hannah Lew regards the album “a wartime album.” On Move In Silence, Lew intones “there’s a war outside, just out of view,” revealing the dichotomy at play throughout. With the songs evolving naturally and in a flow state, the pressures and sadnesses of the modern age bleed through, mixed in with Lew’s inherent love, sensitivity and fractured-but-intact optimism. On the swooning, sublime Sunday layers of Numanoid synths open up for the commanding vocal performance pontificating on grief, love, pain as she “feels the ache on Sunday…” As the chorus builds and Lew’s call-and-response vocal adds to the emotional tension, it almost feels like too much to take.
Elsewhere, there are echoes of Hannah Lew’s previous work. On Time Wasted a bass guitar comes in with a heavy, punk attack before the synths and vocal harmonies reminiscent of later Cold Beat elevate everything. The glassy, sweetly resigned closer The Clock sounds like so classic it could be cover, a sweetened Jesus & Mary Chain tune perhaps, before it erupts into volcanic chorus that could only come from Hannah Lew in 2026.
Designed for her 5 Hour extended sets and refined on dancefloors worldwide, "Can't Stop Loving You" - out today on slash - captures KI/KI's signature nostalgia-meets-future sound. Self-written and produced, it's an emotive trance burner built for peak time joy, unity and release, a sound that has defined her rise across global rave culture.
"Can't Stop Loving You" has become the closing moment in KI/KI's 2025 sets. From her Radio One Essential Mix, her two 5 Hours at the Woolstore, Melbourne - the only artist to ever do two back-to-back - to her AMF headline set to 40,000 fans at the Johan Cruijff ArenA! "Can't Stop Loving You" has been the emotional closer all year long.
On the track KI/KI says:
I wrote this track during the biggest heartbreak of my life. Back then I was working on music for my liveshow, and needed a track to close the show with. Can't stop loving you was the result.
Every note, every sound, every vocal helped me through how I was feeling and listening back now reminds me that eventually things will be okay again. The song evolves from an emotional track to an optimistic 172bpm banger and this perfectly describes my process - and maybe the story of almost every heartbreak?
This record is living proof to me that music can be healing. I hope it does the same for you
In just a few years, KI/KI has become one of the most exciting and influential voices in electronic music. She's sold out 20,000-capacity shows and graced the cover of DJ Mag. In 2026, she'll headline London, Dublin, Belfast, Paris, LA and NYC - all selling out in minutes.
With new music coming and her fanbase surging, "Can't Stop Loving You" now closes both her sets and her year - the emotional full stop on 2025 before an even bigger 2026.
Burnski's Constant Black label puts out constantly good sounds for all those of a minimal and tech house persuasion. This 33rd such outing comes from Per Hammer who offers a trio of irresistible grooves. 'Everybody_hz' kicks off with rubbery drums and bass intertwining with each other while wonky synths up top add some tripped-out feels. A Varhat adds a little extra bounce and urgency to this silky late-night hypnotiser and then it's back to Hammer for 'The Danish URL'. It's a hooky groove with warped pads rippling up top while closer 'Arkivo' is a more textural and abstract affair with a nice dubby undercurrent.
Carly Simon’s No. 1 smash “You’re So Vain” lingers as one of the most clever and famous songs ever recorded. The subject of mass speculation ever since its release, soon after which it occupied the top spot on multiple Billboard charts for weeks, the anthem kept a captive public guessing at the identity of its smug subject for decades. The question surrounding the protagonist’s identity remained perhaps the only mystery on the otherwise sexually open and autobiographically daring No Secrets, Simon’s commercial breakthrough and ‘70s singer-songwriter staple.
Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set affords the platinum-certified 1972 effort the finest sonic treatment it’s received on vinyl. Helmed by Richard Perry and recorded at London’s Trident Studios — where Beatles, David Bowie, and Elton John captured landmark LPs — No Secrets touts exceptional production qualities highlighted by this restorative reissue.
Audiophiles and record collectors, take note: This is the first time No Secrets has been available on 45RPM. The wider grooves and dead-quiet surfaces pay instant dividends. Simple, elegant, and disarming, songs seemingly float amid wide, deep soundstages. Simon’s voice takes on a confident, assertive tenor that emerges with accurate imaging, balanced tonality, and palpable presence. String arrangements and backing vocals come through with similar realism.
Enhanced by an all-star cast — Simon’s then-husband James Taylor, Paul and Linda McCartney, Mick Jagger, Lowell George, Klaus Voorman, Bobby Keys, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, and Bonnie Bramlett are among the renowned musicians who lend a hand — No Secrets advances Simon’s themes of personal introspectiveness, no-holds-barred reflectiveness, and feminist-inspired boldness. She makes every moment of No Secrets worth savoring. Simon invests her all in the songs, handling beautiful ballads, sassy folk-rock numbers, and bluesy fare with calm, composure, and candor.
While acknowledging her own regrets (“You’re So Vain”) and loss (“The Carter Family”), Simon champions the highs (“The Right Thing to Do”) and pains (“His Friends Are More Than Fond of Robin”) of love in a sincere manner indicative of her maturity as both an artist and singer. The New York native distinguishes “When You Close Your Eyes” with deep-rooted spirituality, recalls childhood joys via charming sentimentality on “It Was So Easy,” and and takes ownership of her persona on a cover of Taylor’s “Night Owl.”
“We have no secrets
/We tell each other everything,” Simon sings at the record’s midpoint, encapsulating both the themes and bravura of an effort that was nominated for four Grammy Awards and saw her write or co-write every song but one. Combined with Perry’s savvy instrumental arrangements, her self-assured performances and forthright lyrics grant No Secrets an edginess and relevance immune to the ravages of time.
The moment the instantly recognizable intertwined guitar passage on the title track to the Eagles' Hotel California begins, the record's genius becomes obvious all over again. Ranked the 118th Greatest Album of All Time by Rolling Stone, certified by RIAA as the third best-selling LP in history, and considered the foundation on which the Golden State's mid-‘70s music scene was built, the 1976 landmark is a music staple immune to shifts in trends, eras, and styles. Fearlessly addressing the chaos and consequences of American life, its songs remain strikingly prescient and gain creedence with each passing day.
Mastered from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl, and limited to 17,500 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP vinyl box set ensures you will want to permanently check into and never leave this particular Hotel California. Up to the herculean task of standing head and shoulders above all prior reissues, this collectible edition plays with extreme clarity, organic richness, tube-like warmth, massive dynamics, and microscopic levels of detail. You'll be able to practically smell the colitas and feel the breeze in your hair. Songs come across with an epic sweep and feature immersive, front-to-back soundstages that allow the music unprecedented air, roominess, and separation. As for the noise floor? It's basically as invisible as the spirits that waft in the corridors of the unforgettable title song.
Aesthetically, the premium packaging and presentation of the UD1S Hotel California pressing befit its esteemed status. Housed in a deluxe box, it features gorgeous foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendour of the recording. From every angle, this UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artefact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art – and everything involved with the album, from the renowned cover art to the meticulous finishes.
Indeed, the opportunity to zero in on all the particulars of the 26-million-selling Eagles record dubbed "a legitimate rock masterpiece" by vaunted Los Angeles Times scribe Robert Hilburn has never been better. A global phenomenon that marked the band debut of guitarist-singer Joe Walsh, Hotel California continues to resonate and connect with listeners of all generations taken by its narrative depth, stark directness, picturesque melodies, daring majesty, and ardent emotionalism. Adorned with a breathtaking exterior photograph of the Beverly Hills Hotel that serves as the simultaneously haunting and alluring cover art, and rounded out by a rear-cover shot of the Lido Hotel lobby that reinforces a notion that teeters between permanence and transience, Hotel California is brilliantly tied to a specific place that functions as a universally understood metaphor for the American Dream.
Confronting the darker undercurrents and oft-ignored constructs attached to that romantic notion, the record's songs revolve around a host of shared themes: excess, mobility, stability, illusion, fame, destruction, and idealism included. Notably, Hotel California appeared at a crucial junction in American history: During the country's bicentennial and amid escalating controversies related to the Vietnam War, energy crisis, and governmental corruption. That the Eagles manage to channel such cultural, social, and economical matters into a cohesive, stately, big-picture statement is alone a stupendous feat. That the album's reach, boldness, vitality, accessibility, and understated intensity have never waned make it a marvel.
Reflecting on Hotel California 40 years after its original release, and indirectly explaining its enduring appeal and increasing relevance, singer-songwriter Don Henley confirmed the record pertains to the "loss of innocence, the cost of naiveté...the difficulties of balancing loving relationships and work, trying to square the conflicting relationship between business and art; the corruption in politics, the fading away of the Sixties dream of ‘peace, love and understanding.'"
It can be argued that Henley and company squarely hit on and drove home those ideas in the surreal title track, chart-topping "Life in the Fast Lane," and grand "The Last Resort" alone. But that would miss the forest for the trees. Experienced as an unbroken whole, complete with the pristinely shot imagery and physical grooves, Hotel California unfolds like a geography-conscious saga by James Michener and plays like colour-saturated movie shot on 70mm film by Martin Scorsese. It's about our collective and individual decisions – and the shape of our past, present, and future. And, just like that conjured by our imaginations, Hotel California continues to take on a life of its own.
More About Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step and Why It Is Superior
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) technique bypasses generational losses inherent to the traditional three-step plating process by removing two steps: the production of father and mother plates, which are created to yield numerous stampers from each lacquer that is cut. For UD1S plating, stampers (also called "converts") are made directly from the lacquers. Since each lacquer yields only one stamper, multiple lacquers need to be cut. Mobile Fidelity's UD1S process produces a final LP with the lowest-possible noise floor. The removal of two steps of the plating process also reveals musical details and dynamics that would otherwise be lost due to the standard multi-step process. With UD1S, every aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the best-sounding vinyl album available today.
MoFi SuperVinyl
Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analogue lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.
There was nothing in contemporary music like Chris Isaak’s Heart Shaped World when it hit shelves in June 1989. More than three decades later, the singer-songwriter’s third album still sounds unique — and claims a backstory nearly as fascinating as the retro-leaning material and standout performances that propelled it to sales of more than 2.5 million copies. Home to the Top 10 smash “Wicked Game,” the set remains a masterful mood piece that invites you to pour a late-night drink, sit in a dimmed room, and relish Isaak’s elegant albeit raw ruminations on love, relationships, and questionable decisions.
Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and featuring the bonus track “Diddley Daddy,” Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set of Heart Shaped World unearths the staggering inner details, saturated tones, and brilliant atmospherics of the crisp production. It brings you up close and personal with Isaak’s spectacular singing — impeccably controlled, tense, brooding, steamy, smoldering, haunted — situated amidst stripped-down backdrops that allow every note to fully bloom and decay.
While Isaak’s ever-steady baritone remains the anchor, the contributions of his trusty backing band, the aptly named Silvertone, come across with just as much cool, command, and realism. The indispensable playing of guitarist James Calvin Wilsey particularly emerges with superb clarity and dimensionality. The character of his 1965 Fender Stratocaster, shivering twang of his spring-coiled fills, and his signature use of reverb, delay, and vibrato seamlessly match Isaak's patient deliveries and the band’s unhurried rhythms. Experienced on UD1S with ultra-black backgrounds and a nearly invisible noise floor, Heart Shaped World is in every regard a demonstration disc.
The premium packaging of this UD1S pressing befits its elevated status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics. Aurally and visually, this reissue is for discerning listeners who desire to immerse themselves in everything involved with the album, not the least of which is the cover art depicting a lost-in-thought Isaak staring ahead and sitting in what appears to be an efficiency apartment. The image epitomizes the record’s lonesome temperaments and pensive themes.
Of course, if not for director David Lynch hand-picking two cuts from Heart Shaped World for his 1990 film Wild at Heart, the record would’ve probably suffered the same fate as Isaak’s prior efforts and gone unnoticed by the mainstream. Despite receiving raves from outlets such as NME, Chicago Tribune, and Rolling Stone upon its original release, the album stalled in the lower quadrants of the Billboard charts and, after a few weeks, dropped off.
Cue the ear of Lee Chesnut. Then the music director for a large Atlanta radio station, Chesnut heard the instrumental version of “Wicked Game” on Lynch’s soundtrack and started airing the album rendition at all hours of the day. Aided by a sensual video featuring Isaak and supermodel Helena Christensen, the song found its way into the public consciousness by early ‘91 and helped make Isaak a most unlikely mainstream star in an era where his techniques had little to nothing in common with popular tastes.
Despite its vintage vibes and shared DNA with legends such as Roy Orbison, Chet Baker, and Glen Campbell, Heart Shaped World transcends nostalgia, rockabilly, and throwback tropes. For all the melodrama and sadness at hand, Isaak’s gorgeously transparent singing dives deep underneath emotional surfaces. He mines subtleties that indicate his feelings go beyond heartbreak and anguish, and occasionally suggest frustration, menace, and anger. You can hear it in his quivering falsetto, and the slow and methodical ways he allows delicate whispers to break into shadowy phrasing that crosses over to the darker sides of romance and desire.
That approach bolsters the title track, which suggests calm yet moves on ominous currents — its simmering pace and snare-drum snappiness foreshadowing Isaak raising the volume and urgency during the coda. The southwestern-tinged “Wrong to Love You” plays with similar concepts of hesitation, unease, and discord, Isaak careful never to fully erupt and give anything away. His poised deliveries offer a master class in the art of insinuation and hurt on “Nothing’s Changed,” sent up with a wordless backing chorus and crackling guitar lines straight out of a Memphis blues joint.
Heart Shaped World further boosts its merit via its abundant stylistic variations, from the upbeat country-and-western trot of “I’m Not Waiting” and Spanish acoustic shimmer of the jazz-based ballad “Blue Spanish Sky” to the swinging horn-accompanied grooves of “Don’t Make Me Love You” and desert smokiness of the understated “Kings of the Highway.” On the latter, Isaak comes across as resigned and absolute. His singing and pain worm their way into your soul, and echo akin to the way the music prepares to strike when you least expect.
“Trouble going 'round,” Isaak croons right as the album begins. “Trouble going down.” Damn straight.
Dub techno runs on ghosts and twins. The ghost is the echo that outlives the hit – the reverb tail, the delay feeding back into empty space. The twin is the dub itself: every sound shadowed by its own double, the original and its darker reflection locked into the same groove. Ghosts & Twins gathers four cuts that work that space.
This is BLACKINSTOCK's Black Gold Dub Techno with both feet on the floor – measured but muscular, weighted, no filler and no drift. The groove stays locked, the low end does the talking, and every echo earns its keep. Music for a dark room and a loud system, not a candle and a beanbag.
Curated by Kirill Matveev, who called in friends and long-time collaborators from across the MixCult circle, the record plays as four takes on one idea. Spectral Model opens with "Distancial" – a new name here, making a first outing on the MixCult family, and a fitting one to raise the ghosts. Djalo follows with "Model Dub," dubbing minimal and techno the way he has across MixCult, Souplex and Apnea: economical, hypnotic, built for the low end. On the flip, Schime – Hungarian producer Sanyi Egyed, working dub techno, deep and minimal since 2013 across Phonoda, Welter and the MixCult ranks – turns in "Phased." Closing the record, The Don Of Dubhouse is the new alias of TM Shuffle, Finnish producer and head of Vuo Records, no stranger to MixCult.
The bells have been rung in our miniature town of Sakskøbing that has been named after the glorious town that has been existing in Denmark, as we push through thirty releases marking down the new milestone. This time the talent that has been present in our ranks, coming from Barcelona and it is Lo-Lo, a man who knows his hardware instruments like his five fingers and has brought this idea came to life. Each track has been crafted with utmost heart and fastidiousness and has a particular way of bouncing off each other in such a manner that can only make “Divide and Conquer” come to life. From driving force of peak dancefloor scorchers to the more lyrical philosophical ways of it being, it has come to what it needs to be. As a wise man said, everything is connected but then may have disappeared into oblivion for the untrained mind, with only a few lessons for us to obtain and hear.
Professor Roth's debut EP, self-released on his newly formed label Maestro, is music that feels half remembered. Familiar enough to settle into, strange enough to keep shifting beneath your feet, it lives in that sweet spot where groove and abstraction lean into one another. Dusty textures, hazy melodies and understated rhythms never demand attention, yet quietly refuse to let go. Every track feels like another realm of the same dream: warm, weightless and just slightly out of focus.
‘Daydreaming’ is an inviting first step into the haze, opening the door without ever fully revealing what's on the other side. Gentle movement carries drifting melodies that seem to appear and disappear with every listen. An ethereal vocal breakdown creates the feeling of being quietly carried away from its hypnotic groove before pulling you back under its spell. Patient and understated, ‘The Way It Is’ lets the groove do the talking while subtle details gradually come into focus. Dubby percussive chaos is softened by warm, lifelike pads, encouraging your body to move while your mind wanders elsewhere.
As the name suggests, ‘Swells’ arrives in waves. Layers fold over one another, building and dissolving without urgency. There's a beautiful tension between motion and stillness, leaving the track suspended somewhere between the dancefloor and a reverie. ‘Shades’ is a fitting close that blurs the edges even further. Soft, hypnotic and quietly psychedelic, it feels less like an ending and more like waking up slowly. Content to linger in that in-between a little longer, glitchy samples drift through swirling soundscapes, keeping the dancefloor gently spun until the very end.
Move in Stereo: The Cars’ Eponymous Debut Album Functions as a Greatest-Hits Set with Classics Such as "You're All I've Got Tonight," "Good Times Roll," and "Just What I Needed"
Experience the Six-Times-Platinum Record in Definitive Sound on
Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP Box Set:
Strictly Limited to 4,000 Numbered Copies,
It Plays with Reference Definition and Presence
1/4” / 15 IPS analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe.
Among the most critically and commercially successful debuts in history, the Cars' eponymous album doubles as a greatest-hits collection. Not one song on it is widely unrecognized or unknown. Consider the list: "You're All I've Got Tonight." "Good Times Roll." "Just What I Needed." "Moving in Stereo." "My Best Friend's Girl." "Don't Cha Stop." “Bye Bye Love.” Just call The Cars the best new-wave rock album ever made. And a natural candidate for preservation on a Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step pressing.
Sourced from the original analog tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, mastered by engineer Krieg Wunderlich, and strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, MoFi’s UD1S 180g 45RPM 2LP box set presents the six-time platinum record in the most vivid, wide-spanning, three-dimensional sound it has enjoyed on vinyl. Compared to the label’s outstanding and out-of-print 180g 33RPM version, this collectible edition features richer textures, broader openness, greater presence, and bigger dynamics.
Benefitting from the extra groove space on 45RPM by playing with enhanced definition, deep-black backgrounds, and ultra-quiet surfaces, this reissue portrays the band’s oscillating rhythms, futuristic keyboard passages, and panned images with stunning realism. Songs take on an absolutely surreal quality. The Cars and producer Roy Thomas Baker manipulate arrangements at will to mesmerize listeners' senses. The concept of "moving in stereo” has likely never been truer.
The industry-leading packaging of the UD1S set gives fans another reason to gravitate towards the 1978 album. A deluxe slipcase, two foil-stamped jackets, faithful-to-the-original graphics, and MoFi inner sleeves make for a premium tactile experience. It invites you to immerse yourself in everything about the record, including the now-familiar cover art depicting Nataliya Medvedeva behind the wheel. Enhanced by her glistening ruby-red lips, her face flashes an expression caught between surprise, ecstasy, and disbelief — an apropos way of responding to The Cars whether you’re hearing it for the first or 1,115th time.
Introduced in 2024 into the National Recording Registry for its significance, and ranked the 353rd Greatest Album of All Time by Rolling Stone, The Cars explodes with emotion, energy, and hooks. Its songs unite then-disparate styles: bubblegum melodies, art-rock angularity, progressive structuralism, terse minimalism, and power-pop sheen. The stylish arrangements also benefit from a laidback cool and understated irony that remain uncommon in the world of contemporary mainstream music.
Equally rare is the deep chemistry the members shared before they entered London’s AIR Studios and knocked out the record in less than a month. Benjamin Orr and Ric Ocasek began their first band together in the early ‘70s. A subsequent group with future Cars keyboardist Greg Hawke preceded Orr and Ocasek bonding further by temporarily performing as a duo. One final pre-Cars ensemble, Cap’n Swing, brought guitarist Elliot Easton into the fold. A decision by Ocasek to take the band in a rock direction, a crucial lineup shuffle, and a name change begat the Cars so many listeners know and love.
Already a going concern in Boston, the quintet cut its teeth and woodshopped songs for nearly a year and a half before signing with Elektra and partnering with Baker. The Cars enjoyed success right out of the gate, hitting No. 18 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and netting a pair of Top 40 singles in the form of “Just What I Needed” and deceptively happy “My Best Friend’s Girl.” The sarcastic “Good Times Roll” climbed to No. 41, but soon enough, almost every track on The Cars became a radio staple — an honor far more meaningful than chart positions.
Obsessed with incorporating the latest technologies and sounds into its palette, the band spiced tunes with delightful and quirky accents — country-tinged guitar fills, echoing Syndrums, reggae splashes, hard-rock tones, robotic pulses. Orr's low, nuanced deliveries and Ocasek's cool, detached vocals lend shades of doubt and double meaning to the lyrics, which are further counterbalanced by synthesizer flourishes and electronic beats.
Accessible and eccentric, edgy and catchy: The results comprise a landmark whose characters come to vivid life with nuclear boots, dry-drip gloves, ribbon-festooned coiffures, suede-blue eyes, and rock ‘n’ roll hair. It's practically impossible to avoid humming along to every song, all enhanced by Baker's stellar production. Best known for his work with Queen, he ensured the record packed a punchy midrange, opened up with instrumental and vocal separation, and breathed with airy harmonies.
Indeed, from the timeless music to the sleek production and sonic restoration, The Cars on UD1S is just what you needed.
Recorded in 1989, this is one of the rare and sought after recordings by Larry Heard. Never been available since 1990 and a departure from his more familiar style that he released as Mr Fingers, Fingers Inc. and The It). Gherkin has been an outlet for his more experimental and techno-orientated productions. 6 tracks on this record, and everyone seems to have their own favorite... but worth mentioning are the dramatic opener ''Meltdown'', the cosmic ''Saturn V'' and the incredible extra terrestial ''Strange Creatures''. Tracks that are the foundation of the house we live in! - essential!
Backing it up can mean so many things. According to the urban dictionary, it means to carry on drinking the next day in spite of a rather large one the night before. According to Apple, it means to take your I-phone and attach it to an I-pad or Apple Mac - and copy the information to the cloud. Or the device. But in music.....what we mean is basically this....."Damn......that was a big hit......how the hell are they going to emulate that success on the next one."And it's hard for so many reasons. Was it luck Timing That one in a million sample With all the pressure, soon the artist can start second guessing themselves........and that's when backing it up becomes a real problem.But not for our boy PURPLE DISCO MACHINE. If BODY FUNK, his last outing on CLUB SWEAT, wasn't one of THE biggest songs of last year, from Ibiza to Miami and back again.....played by every single DJ under the sun, from BLACK MADONNA to JAMIE JONES to your mama......then I'm not sitting at my lap top writing this shpeel....which I'm very sure I am. AND I'm going to back myself (see what I did there) - and say that DISHED (MALE STRIPPER) is the best way to back up a hit ever. With another hit. Doesn't sound the same....doesn't worry about what the last one did...just does what it does.....which to be honest - is GO OFF!!!! It builds and builds and builds and......In the same way that BODY FUNK masterly made the sum of 2 disco songs bigger than their parts had ever been, this time PDM takes some Italo Disco from MAN TO MAN MEET MAN PARRISH's MALE STRIPPER and mashes it with the aptly named ELLIS D's DISHAPELLA to create a 12/10. Back it up PDM - you are a legend!!!!
Blending British techno and hyperpop with the Baile Funk and samba of singer Paula's native Brazil, PPJ are considered by British magazine NME to be one of the most innovative bands of the moment.
The double EP "Bloco Vol.1 & Vol.2" tells the story of the band's journey to Rio de Janeiro, far from the postcards we know of Brazil.
"One of the most innovative new names around" NME
"A fascinating and exhilarating blend of neoperreo, techno and electroclash from a group to watch" RESIDENT ADVISOR
"Kaleidoscopic techno-pop" DJ MAG
"A real anti-depression remedy"LINE OF BEST FIT
"Their main goal? To make everybody dance" METAL MAGAZINE
‘It’s hard to find an act as distinctive as PPJ » MIXMAG
This absolutely killer album marks Swankout's debut on Kniteforce, and the whole album is ridiculously good. Every style is authentically recreated, stretching the vibes from jungle to original rave and everything in between
Jonny L returns with this phenomenal three tracker EP. As always, Jonny brings innovation and class to everything he touches, smashing out gorgeous tracks with live vocals such as In Mind and UR Seeing U, but also dropping hard hitting dancefloor destruction with Log Long Time.
Jonny L returns with this phenomenal three tracker EP. As always, Jonny brings innovation and class to everything he touches, smashing out gorgeous tracks with live vocals such as In Mind and UR Seeing U, but also dropping hard hitting dancefloor destruction with Log Long Time.
BLIS701 by Chain Selector is a carefully honed two-track release from BLACKINSTOCK Records, a division of MixCult Records, showcasing Chain Selector’s mastery in blending emotional depth with atmospheric finesse. Designed for those who appreciate subtlety and sonic craft, this release moves between introspective melodies and immersive dub textures with remarkable control.
On Side A, School Days is a tender and timeless composition—melodic, cinematic, and evocative. It gently stirs memory and emotion, creating a world where every sound breathes with intent. On the flip, Autumn Guide opens a more shadowed dimension. Built on layered tension and low-end pulses, it introduces a restrained, dub-heavy soundscape ideal for setting the tone of a deeper set.
With BLIS701, Chain Selector delivers a refined double-sided vinyl, one to reflect, one to explore. Both tracks stand as elegant tools for shaping atmosphere with poise and intention.
Embark on a one-of-a-kind sonic journey through four electronic worlds.
Each side of the vinyl delivers its own distinctive vibe—hypnotic beats, immersive textures, soaring soundscapes, and driving percussive energy. every track transports you to a new dimension, all tied together by one unmistakable sonic identity.
SKYLAX RECORDS proudly unveils the final chapter in its monumental 4-part saga — SKYLAX BLACK 4: Enlightenment Theory. This visionary series, bringing together two of France’s most iconic electronic artists — ARNAUD REBOTINI and ACID WASHED — was never just a collection of records. It was a journey through the deepest layers of the underground — a conceptual project where each release was a coded message, each track a fragment of a greater whole. On the A-side, Enlightenment Theory explodes with fierce urgency — an anthem forged in the spirit of Underground Resistance, echoing the soulful intensity of early ’90s Detroit without imitation. It’s bold, emotional, and militantly underground — a future classic cloaked in defiance and elegance. On the B-side: B1. Space Is The Place channels the weightless gravity of dub techno at its purest — all echo chambers and endless delay, a direct line to the Berlin school of Basic Channel, Maurizio, and Deepchord. B2. Beyond Current Biological Constraints closes the chapter in deep space — an electro masterwork evoking Drexciya, full of aquatic melancholy and cybernetic funk. It’s not retro — it’s timeless. With this last installment, the puzzle is complete. The meaning is revealed: R.A.V.E. — four records forming one powerful word. One timeless idea. A tribute to everything this culture stands for: raw energy, emotional truth, sonic innovation, and spiritual depth. This project could only be born on SKYLAX RECORDS — a label that has always stood apart. Uncompromising. Devoted to physical formats. Fiercely loyal to the culture. While others chase trends, SKYLAX continues to chart a different course — one rooted in the sacred codes of house, techno, electro, and beyond. It is no exaggeration to say that SKYLAX is one of the last true purist strongholds of underground music — and this series, with its layered meanings and fearless artistry, is proof. From Redshifts to Blueshifts to Artificial Darwinism then Vision Quest, every chapter has pointed toward this moment. Now, with Enlightenment Theory, the full vision is revealed. RAVE is not just a word — it is the truth. A philosophy. A myth reborn. The circle is complete. The message endures. The legacy lives on.
The Armenian electronic underground has been quietly brewing something visceral. After years navigating the labyrinth of electronic production from his Yerevan studio, Dave N.A. strips away the excess to reveal six raw, uncompromising cuts that pulse with quiet intensity. Not the manufactured urgency of algorithmic dance floors, but the honest tension of someone who’s spent years refining his craft while the scene evolved around him.
Following his debut ‘Altura EP’ on no•id, where collaborations with freq444 showcased his ability to merge Armenia’s electronic scene with Brussels’ underground pulse, Dave N.A. returns with ‘Echoes EP’ after the label’s necessary creative hibernation. This isn’t about comebacks or grand statements. It’s about persistence. About the kind of restless creativity that emerges when you’ve been grinding in relative obscurity, releasing on labels like Uppers and Downers, Typeless, and Elicit Records, slowly building a sound that refuses easy categorization.
The EP opens hard and unexpectedly with “BLINK,” delivering a throat-cutting and all-consuming bassline. “ECHOES” builds around atmospheric sounds and percussive elements, driven by a straightforward yet effective drum sequence. “SHADO” ventures into darker and faster territory with sparse drum programming and heavy sub-bass emphasis. Both “RUSH” and “ORB” unleash torrents of unrelenting breaks, each percussive hit landing with surgical precision as sub-bass currents pull everything forward into hypnotic repetition. “HUNTER” closes the journey, stalking into frame with predatory low-end and razor-sharp hi-hats slicing through dense atmospheric fog.
The no•id ship continues to chart its course through Brussels’ underground, prioritizing artists who value craft over hype. With Dave N.A.’s return, the label reinforces its commitment to electronic music that functions on multiple levels: cerebral yet visceral, local yet universal.
At the end of the project’s 20th anniversary celebrations, ROME tolls in the next era of the band with a fresh and visionary album: ‘The Tower’. ROME’s new and ever more mature sound is informed by a radically minimalist folk approach, with nonetheless charmingly lush arrangements. ‘The Tower’ is an introspective and enigmatic work at whose centre stands nothing less than ROME’s raison d’etre: The Great Work and the sacrifices both necessary and essential on the demanding path to light. As an unreachable bulwark against the general decline of every value in life, the tower would have been erected long ago to defend the coast.
It would have been raised on a rocky platform resting on the sea floor. It would have been joined to the continent by a thin tongue of sand. It would have offered a heroic, magical point of view. A place for our claim to know and point out vaster horizons. It would have stood firm on the ramparts. This isolated tower would not have been just a refuge for more or less mystic escape, but also a post of resistance and combat.
The Temptations Get High on Psychedelic Soul: Cloud Nine Soars with Ambitious Arrangements and Production, Features Standout Vocal Performances and Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
The Temptations’ Cloud Nine announced that Motown — and “The Sound of Young America” — would never be the same. Influenced by the emergence of cutting-edge rock and pop currents, as well as increasing sociopolitical turmoil, the album broke down barriers between rock, psychedelia, and soul while heralding the arrival of visionary arrangements and production techniques. Bookended by traditional R&B numbers, the 1969 record sent the Temptations in bold new directions and signaled the advent of psychedelic soul.
Sourced from the original master tapes, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45PM 2LP set presents Cloud Nine in audiophile sound for the first time on a domestic pressing. This collectible reissue bestows Norman Whitfield’s extraordinary production with the grand-scale dynamics, natural tonality, expansive openness, and low-end weight it deserves. The timbre of each of the five members’ voices is readily identifiable — even within the group harmonies — bestowing a realism never experienced outside the recording studio.
Making its debut on 45RPM, the album further benefits from the wide groove space by playing with greater separation and more realistic presence than prior editions. Everything from the brassiness of the horns to the dry snap of the snare comes across with reference-grade clarity and positioning. And since Motown’s renowned Funk Brothers backing band plays on many of the cuts, you’ll want to savor every note. The imaging, soundstaging, and organic bloom-and-decay of the notes make that possible.
Amid Cloud Nine, the instrumentation and architecture stand out as much as any element. Never before had a Motown album contained such ambitious patterns and complex passages. Seemingly conscientious of the departure from their past methods, the Temptations and Whitfield bunched together the tracks that mark a deep dive into psychedelic territory and counterbalance them with seven sterling soul cuts that dovetail with Motown tradition drenched with heartfelt vocals, swelling strings, and finger-snapping beats.
On the original 33RPM release, traditional Motown soul — laden with heartfelt vocals, swelling strings, and finger-snapping beats — occupies Side Two. These songs reveal an ensemble still very much on top of delivering pristine pop-soul material graced with romantic sweetness, persuasive insistent, and soaring highs. Re-energized after the departure of lead singer David Ruffin, who was fired for a variety of reasons in June 1968, the Temptations seamlessly meld with his replacement, Dennis Edwards, on one melodic gem after another.
The collective tackles five songs co-written by the legendary Motown team of Barrett Strong and Whitfield. Not the least of which are the smooth, shuffling “Why Did She Have to Leave Me (Why Did She Have to Go)” and deceptively simple, horn-spiked “Gonna Keep on Tryin’ till I Win Your Love.” On these tracks, as well as on a lush rendition of the ballad “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing” and pleading, tender send-up of the Gerry Goffin-Carole King classic “Hey Girl,” Edwards and Paul Williams take turns on the lead with the estimable Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams providing backing support.
All five vocalists trade-off leads on the simmering title track, a groundbreaking composition shot through with wah-wah-pedal effects, liquid funk, deep bass lines, Cuban percussion, saturated reverb, and gang choruses. Whitfield mines each member’s natural vocal range with spectacular results, keeps time with cymbals, and channels both the heated temperatures and escapist desires of a society embroiled in war, conflict, and experimental drugs.
Amazingly, the Temptations top themselves on the similarly revealing “Run Away Child, Running Wild.” Nearly 10 minutes in length, the song explodes R&B parameters and harbors a cinematic scope. Urgent pianos, distorted guitars, stripped-down percussion, steamy Hammond organs, minimal bass motifs, five distinct voices narrating the tale of a boy who fled home and now finds himself amid the scary, unforgiving external world: They combine to give the urgent tune a walls-closing-in atmosphere where fear and desperation reign. Bolstered by an extended instrumental section that precedes a climactic return of the singers’ voices, “Run Away Child, Running Wild” equaled the success of the record’s title track, with both reaching No. 6 on the pop charts.
