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dedicated to promote young and evolving artists and to present musical diamonds in the rough, raster-noton is curating the unun series, which name derives from the atomic numbers of the chemical elements 111-119. »vortices« is ueno masaaki's first release on raster-noton, and the seventh release of this series.ueno masaaki takes his musical cue from natural phenomenon and laws of nature by trying to reconstruct, not simulating them. the results are mainly rhythmical patterns that set off a chain reaction, expanding and contracting and creating new formations all the time.the four tracks he presents on the EP are characterized by solid sound structures that appear to be very harsh and straight, sometimes even brutal, whereas the high pace even intensifies this impression. apparently repetitive at first sight, the tracks are in fact highly complex and intelligently arranged, presenting unforeseen breaks and shifts in direction.

'A densely textured, deeply lyrical portrait of life in Long Island City's Queensbridge projects, the record signalled the resurgence of the moribund New York hip-hop scene and helped pave the way for Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z and a new generation of New York rappers.' -NEW YORK TIMES

Marking 20 years since the genre-defining release of Illmatic which sparked decades of inspiration for other young rappers and performers, comes this anniversary vinyl edition.

Nas' lyrical style and storytelling finesse coupled with some of the best beat makers and producers in the game, including Large Professor, DJ Premier and Q-Tip have ensured this release has maintained its influential status 20 years later.

The album launched a lengthy, successful career for Nas with Illmatic still widely applauded as one of the most influential debuts in the world of rap. This package features the original Illmatic release in it's entirety and fully remastered with a second side of additional extras which include Nas' first ever radio performance from 1993 and eight remixes.

Dutch DJ, producer and Wolfskuil label boss Darko Esser is to self-release his sophomore album, Anipintiros, in April 2014. The eight track album comes four years after his debut and is his first as Tripeo, the techno leaning alias he has been working under most often in recent times.

Working as Tripeo has reinvigorated Esser, who under his own name has been producing his unique take on electronic music for a decade now. 'It was liberating to have another persona take over,' says the man himself. 'I have been so inspired and productive ever since that I woke up one day with the thought 'I'm ready to do another album' and started straight away that day.'

Tripeo music is aimed squarely at the dancefloor, and there sure are some full blooded cuts on the album, but so to are there concessions to the listening experience, meaning deep, dark passages and more leftfield experiments help tie the whole thing together into one cohesive and coherent whole. 'Like all albums, this is a very personal statement,' explains Esser. 'It's just me trying to translate the overwhelming inspiration I feel right now into sound. That, and making the record as diverse as possible without losing the purist identity of Tripeo.'

That identity shines through right from the off on the album, which has been made using a knowing blend of both soft and hardware. 'Anipintiros #1' is a firmly rooted, rubbery bit of deep techno that works you into hypnosis and comes detailed with plenty of otherworldly ambiances. From there, Tripeo explores gallivanting techno run through with celestial pads on 'Anipintiros #2' and tripped out, ever shape shifting and dusty minimal sounds on 'Anipintiros #3'.

'Anipintiros #4' channels the widescreen and pumping techno of Detroit's finest whilst 'Anipintiros #5' is a more industrial and muscular track of the sorts that would sound perfect in the bowels of Berghain. 'Anipintiros #6' is one of the busier and more kinked techno rhythms with punchy drums and fax machine like melodies, before 'Anipintiros #7' thumps with real menace and 'Anipintiros #8' hums and hisses, spits and stutters like the suitably epic and melodic comedown you need after such a captivating ride.Everything, though is backed with serene synth work and an otherworldly sense of alien spirit that runs through all great techno.

There is plenty to get lost in throughout Anipintiros and it proves once again that Esser is someone able to coax far more feeling out of his machines than most.

DJ FEEDBACK

Early support from Blawan, Rødhåd, James Ruskin, Reeko, Exium, Mike Parker, Ben Sims, Rolando, Pfirter, Craig McWhinney, Cadans, Sandrien, Nuno Dos Santos

Darshan Jesrani's new project Funn City continues to break open the notion of modern vs. retro and challenges the listener to categorize what is found inside. Extending the experiment in modern disco without re-treading already explored ground, Funn City offers a playful and rebellious approach to the recombination of old and new. Funn City sticks lightly to the fusion of live and electronic instruments, and heavily to its varied influences from rock and r&b to house and techno, yet casts them in a delirious, neon-lit sheen. 'All-Night People,' the project's first offering, is a relentlessly-upbeat, vivid, saturated trip of a maxi-single inspired by that liminal area of late-70s dance music which existed between shitty, bluesy rock, new wave and disco. Otherworldly, gurgling synths surf atop truncated, slashing guitar and thick, pattering congas. Taut synth sequences spar with sinewy lead lines and trashy vocals, bound together by a precise, modern sensibility, enticing you to waste your time inside a glorious, pinball machine dream. The dub on Side B works most of the same features but empties out the arrangement and infuses the mix with a bubbling, techno-inspired sequence and phaser-licked synth to create a new, more streamlined groove for the track-oriented dancefloor and style of play. Startree is proud to present this first release as a mission-statement in musical form and an indicator of things to come.

freshly repressed!
Leisure System, the collective, label and famed Berghain club night of four years standing, is back with their third release from co-founder and resident, Sam Barker. Known for its genre-defiant lineups, Leisure System's quarterly residency has consistently brought together artists with varying styles. Flying Lotus, Autechre, Afrika Hitech, Jackmaster, Surgeon, Jimmy Edgar, Blawan, 808 State, Dopplereffekt, Clark, Machinedrum, Surgeon, Venetian Snares, Objekt and Egyptian Lover have all graced the decks, showing off the collective's commitment to the exploration of new and experimental sounds in EDM. The development of the label, and now this release from Barker, is no exception. After discovering computers and raves in the late '90s, Barker began making tracks at age 13, building up a sizable collection of vintage analogue synths, paving the way for his future solo work and collaborations with artists like Tim Exile, Clark, Shitmat, Scotch Egg, The Field, Leafcutter John and Jimmy Edgar. Shortly after his 2007 move to Berlin, Barker began collaborating with fellow Berghain resident nd_baumecker, resulting in their ongoing project Barker & Baumecker. Their first EP 'Candyflip', was released on Ostgut Ton in 2010, followed up by a live show tour throughout Europe. The duo is currently readying their second EP and have a long player due out in August 2012. For this new solo EP, mastered by electronic music legend Pole, Barker presents a creative three-track lesson in diversity and highlights Leisure System's ever-evolving aural curiosity. The opener and title track 'Like An Animal' is a number that builds and builds, quickly changing course and mutating into a percussive and texturized melting pot of sounds. Up next the hypnotic 'I Feel', which is filled with moody pads and syncopated breakbeat rhythms, paving the way for the mechanical, yet smooth half-step rhythm of 'Hot Lover'. Siimilar to the collective, this offering pushes boundaries and mirrors the progressive ideals of the collective. Just like Leisure System's first two 12's from Pixelord and Eprom in 2011, Barker's 'Like An Animal' EP is a clear statement of the label's simple and distinct commitment : to be a platform for timeless, thrilling and soulful dance music in the fields of house, techno and electronica, disregarding media hype and genre borders. In keeping with this clear sonic manifesto, Leisure System's design aesthetic is equally individual, with all vinyl releases housed in deluxe die-cut jackets.

A new label offering from the ever active vaults of Mr. Sascha Müller is the new imprint named Psychocandies which is setting things straight for an Acid-poisoned future with cat.no. 001 which is a marbled, limited to 200 copies 7" pressing holding Sascha Müllers "Tempelrotation (Edit)" and Acidfloors "Goja 3" on the flip. Whilst the first mentioned tune is on a grinding, distorted MonoAcid tip clearly influenced by long gone labels like Labworks or Propulsion 285 we see Acidfloor working on a mind bending fusion of dry ElectroPhonk and a tweeking 303 that is about to make all breakers twist their legs and the rest of the crew jump around like mad. If you love alltime classics like "Higher State Of Consciousness" you'll surely appreciate this little tune as well. Watch out for more candy!