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Space Afrika, das in Manchester und Berlin ansässige Duo aus Joshua Tarelle Reid und Joshua Inyang, schafft rohe, detailreiche und eindringliche Musik mit Anklängen an Ambient, Trip-Hop, Techno und moderne Klassik, wobei es aus den Konturen seiner Stadt weitläufige urbane Dub-Landschaften entwirft. ,Quiet Storm" erweitert ihren Klang und ihre Bandbreite zu einer weitläufigen, kollaborativen Vision, die mit tiefer Geduld und Absicht geformt wurde und ihre eigene Coming-of-Age-Geschichte in eine bewegende Suite kathartischer Abstraktion einbettet. Die Songs spielen auf Spiritualität und die conditio humana an, auf die Spannung zwischen Kühnheit und Sanftheit, Ehrgeiz und hartnäckigen inneren Dämonen. ,Quiet Storm" ist eine Antwort auf den Werdegang des Duos seit der Veröffentlichung von ,Honest Labour" im Jahr 2021. ,Wir haben uns selbst und unsere eigenen Vorstellungen von Identität herausgefordert, insbesondere in Bezug auf Klasse und Diaspora, und wie dies in verschiedenen Musikgenres dargestellt wird. Wir wollten die Charakteristika unseres Projekts durch die Menschen zeigen, mit denen wir zusammenarbeiten wollten", sagt Reid. Inyang merkt an: ,Bei der Entstehung dieses Albums haben wir keine Kompromisse gemacht. Die Idee begann als eine Hommage an die Kunst der Schwarzen. Unsere Kooperationen waren sehr bewusst gewählt, als wir die Grundpfeiler der Geschichte entdeckten." Von der multidisziplinären Natur des Projekts zeugt die Beteiligung des gefeierten Künstlers Glenn Ligon, dessen Werk sich mit schwarzer Identität und Queerness befasst. Ligon, der zu Beginn der Aufnahmen eine zentrale Inspirationsquelle darstellte, stellte sein Werk ,Figure #30" (2009) für das Cover-Artwork zur Verfügung und erklärte sich nach Abschluss der Aufnahmen bereit, dem Projekt seinen Namen zu geben - eine beispiellose Geste dieses wegweisenden Künstlers. Beim Anhören der endgültigen Fassung dachte Ligon an ,Quiet Storm", das Radioformat der 1970er Jahre, das für seine sanfte Late-Night-Programmgestaltung mit Themen rund um Leben und Liebe bekannt war. ,Quiet Storm" führt den Hörer durch verschiedene Szenen, Zwischenspiele und Handlungsbögen, geprägt von dem Gefühl, dass seine Bewegung fließend und seine Figuren flüchtig sind. Monologe vor dem Spiegel setzen sich mit dem Existentiellen und dem Unmittelbaren auseinander: Überleben, Autonomie, Sinn. Das Album beginnt mit dem explosiven, von Streichern begleiteten ,Vanity", bei dem die Grammy-Preisträgerin Axelle Fanyo zu hören ist. Zunächst auf die Spalten eines stillen Raumes fixiert, entfaltet sich ,Vanity" unter Fanyos ausdrucksstarkem Sopran und durchläuft ein breites emotionales Spektrum von erhabener Kontemplation bis hin zu ergreifendem, herzzerreißendem Schmerz. Auf dem gesamten Album werden gesprochene und gesungene Worte sparsam eingesetzt, um eine kraftvolle Wirkung zu erzielen. Die Schönheit und Katharsis von ,MLN" ist ein kollektiver, langsamer Marsch, bei dem der britisch-nigerianische Künstler Tony Njoku mitwirkt, begleitet von Gabriel Evans an Gitarre und Lead-Bass, PIKE aus London am Schlagzeug und GB aus Kopenhagen an Keyboards und Streichern. Der letzte Satz verleiht ,Quiet Storm" seinen krönenden Höhepunkt. ,If This Is Hell" ist in einem einzigen Take als Bewusstseinsstrom des New Yorkers Deuén aufgenommen, dessen nachvollziehbare Spirale geistiger Aktivität von jazzigen, frenetischen Percussion-Klängen begleitet wird. Das Druckventil öffnet sich, als die phasenverschobenen Drums und die scharf beobachtenden, dialogartigen Phrasen abrupt nach der Zeile ,I wonder if that's what heaven's like?" abbrechen. Wir bleiben in der Behaglichkeit des Album-Closers ,Regards" zurück. Regentropfen treffen auf Orgel, Drone, Streicher und Keyboards, während das Nachladen von Waffen dem ruhigen Summen gegenübergestellt wird. Schwer und doch hoffnungsvoll erinnern Joshua Tarelle Reid und Joshua Inyang an ihre bisherige Reise. Als passend geheimnisvolles und mitreißendes Outro für ihr offenes Opus ist ,Quiet Storm" ein Meilenstein: selbst produziert, selbst finanziert und aus purer Tatkraft und Überzeugung entstanden. Durch verzerrte Zeit und schummrigen Dunst ist Space Afrika zweifellos angekommen

Space Afrika, das in Manchester und Berlin ansässige Duo aus Joshua Tarelle Reid und Joshua Inyang, schafft rohe, detailreiche und eindringliche Musik mit Anklängen an Ambient, Trip-Hop, Techno und moderne Klassik, wobei es aus den Konturen seiner Stadt weitläufige urbane Dub-Landschaften entwirft. ,Quiet Storm" erweitert ihren Klang und ihre Bandbreite zu einer weitläufigen, kollaborativen Vision, die mit tiefer Geduld und Absicht geformt wurde und ihre eigene Coming-of-Age-Geschichte in eine bewegende Suite kathartischer Abstraktion einbettet. Die Songs spielen auf Spiritualität und die conditio humana an, auf die Spannung zwischen Kühnheit und Sanftheit, Ehrgeiz und hartnäckigen inneren Dämonen. ,Quiet Storm" ist eine Antwort auf den Werdegang des Duos seit der Veröffentlichung von ,Honest Labour" im Jahr 2021. ,Wir haben uns selbst und unsere eigenen Vorstellungen von Identität herausgefordert, insbesondere in Bezug auf Klasse und Diaspora, und wie dies in verschiedenen Musikgenres dargestellt wird. Wir wollten die Charakteristika unseres Projekts durch die Menschen zeigen, mit denen wir zusammenarbeiten wollten", sagt Reid. Inyang merkt an: ,Bei der Entstehung dieses Albums haben wir keine Kompromisse gemacht. Die Idee begann als eine Hommage an die Kunst der Schwarzen. Unsere Kooperationen waren sehr bewusst gewählt, als wir die Grundpfeiler der Geschichte entdeckten." Von der multidisziplinären Natur des Projekts zeugt die Beteiligung des gefeierten Künstlers Glenn Ligon, dessen Werk sich mit schwarzer Identität und Queerness befasst. Ligon, der zu Beginn der Aufnahmen eine zentrale Inspirationsquelle darstellte, stellte sein Werk ,Figure #30" (2009) für das Cover-Artwork zur Verfügung und erklärte sich nach Abschluss der Aufnahmen bereit, dem Projekt seinen Namen zu geben - eine beispiellose Geste dieses wegweisenden Künstlers. Beim Anhören der endgültigen Fassung dachte Ligon an ,Quiet Storm", das Radioformat der 1970er Jahre, das für seine sanfte Late-Night-Programmgestaltung mit Themen rund um Leben und Liebe bekannt war. ,Quiet Storm" führt den Hörer durch verschiedene Szenen, Zwischenspiele und Handlungsbögen, geprägt von dem Gefühl, dass seine Bewegung fließend und seine Figuren flüchtig sind. Monologe vor dem Spiegel setzen sich mit dem Existentiellen und dem Unmittelbaren auseinander: Überleben, Autonomie, Sinn. Das Album beginnt mit dem explosiven, von Streichern begleiteten ,Vanity", bei dem die Grammy-Preisträgerin Axelle Fanyo zu hören ist. Zunächst auf die Spalten eines stillen Raumes fixiert, entfaltet sich ,Vanity" unter Fanyos ausdrucksstarkem Sopran und durchläuft ein breites emotionales Spektrum von erhabener Kontemplation bis hin zu ergreifendem, herzzerreißendem Schmerz. Auf dem gesamten Album werden gesprochene und gesungene Worte sparsam eingesetzt, um eine kraftvolle Wirkung zu erzielen. Die Schönheit und Katharsis von ,MLN" ist ein kollektiver, langsamer Marsch, bei dem der britisch-nigerianische Künstler Tony Njoku mitwirkt, begleitet von Gabriel Evans an Gitarre und Lead-Bass, PIKE aus London am Schlagzeug und GB aus Kopenhagen an Keyboards und Streichern. Der letzte Satz verleiht ,Quiet Storm" seinen krönenden Höhepunkt. ,If This Is Hell" ist in einem einzigen Take als Bewusstseinsstrom des New Yorkers Deuén aufgenommen, dessen nachvollziehbare Spirale geistiger Aktivität von jazzigen, frenetischen Percussion-Klängen begleitet wird. Das Druckventil öffnet sich, als die phasenverschobenen Drums und die scharf beobachtenden, dialogartigen Phrasen abrupt nach der Zeile ,I wonder if that's what heaven's like?" abbrechen. Wir bleiben in der Behaglichkeit des Album-Closers ,Regards" zurück. Regentropfen treffen auf Orgel, Drone, Streicher und Keyboards, während das Nachladen von Waffen dem ruhigen Summen gegenübergestellt wird. Schwer und doch hoffnungsvoll erinnern Joshua Tarelle Reid und Joshua Inyang an ihre bisherige Reise. Als passend geheimnisvolles und mitreißendes Outro für ihr offenes Opus ist ,Quiet Storm" ein Meilenstein: selbst produziert, selbst finanziert und aus purer Tatkraft und Überzeugung entstanden. Durch verzerrte Zeit und schummrigen Dunst ist Space Afrika zweifellos angekommen

After Caposile, at the peak of his growth, now consacrate as one of the most sought and removed clubs in the Italian and world undergoing circuit, is back to release high level music, returning to pressing on vinyl in its acclaimed label the second volume of “The Sound of Garden”.

Spring 2024 deserved a release made by an exceptional cast, it will be always divided in to parts, both 12”, and it will include an incredible team of artists led by the visionary and immortal master Alex Neri, the local phenomenon known for his productions in Slow Life and Altered Circuits: Paolo Mosca, our family members and residents Twineffect and Maggio, the duo Francesco Maddalena and Manuel De Lorenzi, Lee Burton, Jamahr, Franko Lopez and Matteo Point.

A perfect mix of artists who strongly believe in the club and in what we transmit as an experience to live, these tracks are explosiveness, elegance, magnetism, each with a different facet of house music: progressive, balearic, electro, acid, this double vinyl contains everything that the dancefloor requires and it is a transposition into music of the current vibe that can be felt at After Caposile’s garden.

The first volume begins with the mastery of the multifaceted and always prolific artist Alex Neri who never makes a mistake, and even after years continues to release masterpieces, like this one: "H-Arp Odyssey", which already from the title we can imagine as an instrument takes the lead in the construction of the piece, a rush of adrenaline that immediately makes it clear what awaits us.

“Unreleased”, the track by Francesco Maddalena and Manuel De Lorenzi, is a clear representation of their way of playing that characterizes them and brings them together, and that always makes us dance, a direct groove, old school, tech-house in its most pure.

If the first two tracks get straight to the point, in side B we start with a bang with Paolo Mosca and his "Landscape", where with a maniacal arrangement, worthy of his now established name as a producer, he teleports us into a progressive world of the 90s, in Balearic style where floating pads, organs, melodies and sequenced vocals are linked to the complex and rhythmic percussive groove and the more aggressive synths.

Thus the first chapter ends with "Visions Of Disco" by Twineffect, a track where a more direct house part elegantly contrasts, which presupposes the more dance part of the piece, to then take you and envelop you in a long drop made up of a main piano and vocals that are perfect for a truly exciting moment to experience on the track.

After Caposile thus confirms itself once again in constant evolution, with an output full of new talents and sacred monsters and a European tour that continues to expand their party concept in the most important clubbing realities and the biggest festivals.

Both the first and second volumes will be released this May, ready to bring us a breath of joy and madness this summer.

Rapidly gaining momentum, Drumcode’s new DC4 series returns to serve up a collaborative feast for its fourth edition.

Since debuting in summer 2025, DC4 has done exactly what it says on the tin: serving up four elite tracks that deserve the spot to shine.

You know you’re going to get A+ quality when you cue up a Victor Ruiz & Alex Stein collaboration. The Brazilians have a long history of studio jaunts and they deliver the goods via ‘Core’, a brilliant brain-scrambling outing with a strong dramatic arc.

Charles D & Weska follow up last year’s ‘The Answer’ on 1001 Recordings with ‘Can’t Get Enough’ feat. Bexxie. With a foot in prog and techno alike, this is driven by low-slung grooves and Bexxie’s sexy vox, packing an exhilarating energy throughout.

Enter two Drumcode debutants – SCRIPT & OKAYVAL. The former is a fast-rising American artist who is coming off collaborating with Brazilian superstar ALOK, while the latter is a Colombian born, US-based artist whose earned gigs at EDC Vegas and Tomorrowland this year. ‘LIKE THAT’ is a high-energy jam marked by tight rolling percussion and a sharp vocal loop designed for peak-time impact.

Another pair of fresh faces land on the comp as Martin Costas & Gabriel Gil drop ‘It’s All Around’. Lock in for a pulsating slice of prog driven by hypnotic rhythms and lush melodic textures. A versatile cut fit for a variety of party situations.

Following his recent appearance on Blueprint, Mark Broom returns to the label with a unique project, revisiting the work of techno pioneer Regis. Entitled "Power Is Neutral", the release sees Broom rework a selection of seminal Regis recordings originally released on Downwards Records across the albums Gymnastics (1996), Delivered Into The Hands Of Indifference (1998) and Penetration (2001).

Known as one of the key architects of the Birmingham techno sound, Regis (Karl O'Connor) helped shape British techno through his work as co-founder of Downwards Records and a catalogue that continues to influence generations of artists.

For Mark Broom, few artists embody British rave culture quite like Regis. Drawing on source material that has long stood as a cornerstone of UK techno, Broom approaches these edits with both respect and imagination. As Regis puts it, "Mark Broom is like some modern day Bagpuss... he has fired up his techno mouseorgan and polished old relics to make them all shiny and new."

Power Is Neutral delivers six expertly crafted reinterpretations that bridge the raw energy of Regis' original works with Broom's unmistakable contemporary dancefloor sensibility, bringing these timeless tracks to a new generation of listeners.

'Between Two Worlds' is the latest statement into Oscar Mulero prolific discography. This brand new LP expands the techno standards defined by the Spanish artist himself.

Deas joins the CROWD family with 'Silent Tension', a refined EP that channels the Polish producer's signature blend of hypnotic groove and hardware driven production. Known for his precise studio craftsmanship and deeply intuitive approach to groovy techno, Deas has steadily built a reputation as one of the standout figures of the contemporary Polish scene. Through years of releases and international touring, he has developed a sound that feels both timeless and unmistakably personal, as proven on the label's 12th record. Opening track 'I Won't Cry' immediately sets the tone with classy vocal sampling from Loleatta Holloway, warm chord progressions and rolling swung percussion anchored by Deas' characteristically rich bass. Following up, 'Waterfall' introduces bleepy modular sequences and chopped vocal fragments, with a sweeping drone synth cutting through the mix above the track's rolling bass. On the flip side, 'Silent Tension' continues deeper into minimal territory, combining crisp clap fills, subtle vocal chops and delayed chord repetitions into a slow burning groove. The vinyl's closing cut 'Where Do They Go' brings dense low end weight and fast dubby chord stabs, accompanied by sharply placed vocal cuts, creating a track that balances restraint and impact. The digital addition 'Here Again' is a classic Deas production, characterised by repetitive synth stabs that gradually transform the cut into a hypnotic hook, while stripped back percussion and a powerful kick give the track a commanding presence. Throughout CROWD012, Deas remains firmly focused on groove and subtlety, while retaining a strong impact. The tracks unfold patiently, with a focus on tension, repetition and gradual escalation, maintaining the hypnotic functionality that has become both Deas' trademark and a defining characteristic of the sound of the label founded by FJAAK and Ellie Acula. The 'Silent Tension' EP stands as a sophisticated and deeply effective club record that further cements Deas as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary techno.

ONE STEP CLOSER TO FULFILLING THE GLOBAL DREAMLAND CONTINUUM. THE RESULTS WILL KEEP YOU MOVING… ALL NIGHT. THE CIA ATTEMPTED TO CONFISCATE OUR TECH BUT HOUSE NATION INTERCEPTED THE CASE. THEY CAN’T STOP US FROM GROOVING. 4TH DIMENSION SONIC ENGINEERING PREVAILS AGAIN.


Label head GD returns to global swing with new EP, "Come Closer."

Following "Gary's Dreamland," his last outing on the label, Garrett continues to refine a sound that's distinctly his own. With "Come Closer," he delivers another confident, fully realized EP. Featuring a collaboration with Shanny Wise of Fcukers, marking a first-time collaboration between the two.

Garrett doesn't cut corners, and it shows. Every track here reflects the same attention to detail that's defined his output for years, pushing his catalog forward while staying true to the underground sensibility he's known for.

After his contribution to Tangled Waves Vol. 2 with “Grit Wave”, Little Sea returns to Bosconi for his first solo EP.

A producer, vinyl collector and lifelong student of electronic music, Little Sea has spent over two decades refining a sound shaped by the Italian progressive and techno scene of the ’90s, filtered through a contemporary approach. In 2025 he launched his own imprint, Sea Horse Records, followed by the Mental Tools Series.

Ritmo Divino moves across progressive house, breaks and trance without leaning on nostalgia, drawing naturally from a musical language that still feels relevant today.

“Minx” opens the record with rolling grooves, hypnotic sequences and a powerful electro-tinged breakdown. “Vital” shifts into broken rhythms, combining UK-inspired breaks with spacious pads and uplifting progressive melodies.

On the flip, “Shields” explores darker territory through restrained percussion, deep basslines and whispered vocal textures, before the title track “Ritmo Divino” closes the EP with a warm, emotional take on late-’90s progressive—melodic, expansive and perfectly suited to the final moments of a set.

Four tracks that bridge classic influences and contemporary production, confirming Little Sea as a distinctive new voice within the Bosconi catalogue.

The inaugural release from the fabled Baby Blue Records, run by Chris Simmonds between 1990-1993. Almost impossible to find, these tunes have become a thing of discogs legend, with flavours of breakbeat, house and bleep techno.

Marcal has emerged as one of the most distinctive voices of a new generation of techno producers, combining rhythmic precision with an instinct for detail, tension and movement. On Four Small Escapes, he delivers four tracks built around subtle shifts and carefully placed moments of surprise, where intricate sound design and groove remain in constant dialogue. Opening with Smoke from Respawn, Marcal immediately establishes the record's character. Syncopated rhythms, intricate percussion work and subtle sound design details unfold within a streamlined framework, creating a groove that feels both spacious and forward-moving. Wooden rimshots and glassy textures interact across an open arrangement, giving the track a fluid and trippy quality. Arapuca shifts into darker territory while maintaining the same sense of control. Organic percussion, rolling low-end momentum and sharply placed accents continuously reshape the groove, creating a track that feels alive through movement rather than dramatic intervention. On Ultimamente, Marcal introduces one of the record's most immersive moments. Fleeting sonic details appear and disappear throughout the arrangement, while a carefully integrated vocal element adds depth and emotional weight without disrupting the flow. The result is a track that invites complete immersion while remaining firmly focused on the dancefloor. Closing the EP, The Surprise Test delivers its most direct statement. Rough and driving without leaning into industrial aesthetics, the track is powered by rolling energy, syncopated claps and a series of subtle electronic details that continuously animate its surface. The contrast between rawness and precision gives the record a powerful closing moment. Across all four tracks, Four Small Escapes highlights Marcal's ability to create tension through detail rather than excess. Reduced yet expressive, the EP balances functionality with a strong sense of character, allowing small gestures and unexpected shifts to leave a lasting impact.

Some recordings herald the future in ways that are impossible to see in real time. Teodros Makonnen With His Organ (ቴዎድሮስ መኮንን ከኦርጋኑ ጋር), by the artist Teodros Makonnen, also known as Teddy Mak, is one of those. Today, electronic sounds, synthesizers, and digital production are taken for granted in Ethiopian music, but in the early 1980s, they were novelties that polarized opinion. Even to this day, the story of Teodros Makonnen’s legacy has never been properly told. He played a decisive role in defining the sound of the digital era of Ethiopian music that emerged in the 1980s and beyond, both as a keyboard player and as a producer, songwriter, performer, and sound designer.

Ethiopian music was at a crossroads in the early 1980s. Much like music in the rest of the world, technology and automation heralded either a quantum leap in musical development or the annihilation of musicianship, depending on who you’d ask. The changes were incremental nonetheless, but with the benefit of hindsight one can clearly see that the changes meant different things in different contexts. Drum machines and electric organs came to replace many hotel bands because, all of a sudden, one musician could control drums, melody, and accompaniment. Teodros was one of the first musicians in Ethiopia to explore the possibilities this opened up.

Teodros’ father, Captain Makonnen Beri, was a chief pilot at Ethiopian Airlines and a music enthusiast at that. This would prove important to his development, as Makonnen brought back a piano from Germany, which would lead to the first steps in Teodros’ long musical career. Captain Makonnen’s work as Head of Flight Operations and as a pilot exposed him to the wider world that was far from commonplace for most Ethiopians. In a house where music captivated the whole family, the piano gave Teodros’ talent an outlet. Not only was a piano at home rare in Ethiopian households, his father also brought an Indian teacher to their home to teach Teodros and his brother, Captain Samuel Makonnen, music theory (solfeggio or ear training) and piano. Teodros and his youngest brother, the late great Dereje, a member of both the legendary Ibex Band and the Ethiopian reggae group Dallol, took up music from that point onward, with Teodros beginning to develop his proficiency at the age of eight. His father encouraged him to practice tirelessly at home, and Teodros later received musical schooling at the German School in Addis Ababa.

His obvious talent led to studies and formal education at the Yared School of Music, followed by continued studies in American jazz at Northern Virginia Community College in Virginia. Teodros cut his teeth professionally in his mid-teens, not only as a keyboardist, but also as an arranger for the Wabi Shebelle and Dahlak bands in the 1970s. He mastered electronic sequencing early, rising to prominence through the midnight recording sessions held during the military curfew. The pressures imposed by the curfew required precise and disciplined recordings, and Teodros delivered just that. This, in turn, led to collaborations with iconic artists such as Mulatu Astatke, Aster Aweke, Menelik Wossenachew, Tilahun Gessesse, Mahmoud Ahmed, and Alemayehu Eshete.

In those days, he sat in as a keyboardist with the Dahlak Band when Dawit Yifru took a hiatus to study in Russia, and also with the Ethiostar Band. He secured a residency at the Wabi Shebelle Hotel with the Shebele Band, together with Zelalem Tadese (drums), later succeeded by Elias Bekele, Mulugeta Hailu (bass), Teferi ‘Bibisha’ Mengesha (guitar), Kumelachew G/Selassie (trumpet), and Teshome Deneke (saxophone). A friendly competition developed between the bands associated with the Ras Hotel (the Ibex Band), Ghion Hotel (the Dahlak Band), and Wabi Shebelle Hotel (the Shebele Band). The music scene at Wabi Shebelle saw teenagers commanding the spotlight in an industry otherwise dominated by musicians of an older generation.

At the Wabi Shebelle Hotel, Teodros met a diplomat from Saudi Arabia and later visited him at his home in Addis Ababa, a meeting that had unexpected musical consequences. The man owned a Yamaha double-deck keyboard. That evening, they recorded Teodros Makonnen With His Organ (ቴዎድሮስ መኮንን ከኦርጋኑ ጋር) in one take. This recording, a cornerstone in the early digital sound of Ethiopian music, came about almost by chance, simply because Teodros got the opportunity. Traditional Ethiopian songs were cast in a wholly electronic style.

Once freed from backing duties, Teodros’ keyboards could explore dreamlike soundscapes that took Ethiopian music in new directions. Even though the cassette contained well-known Ethiopian songs, they were given highly original arrangements, performed on an electric organ with drum machine backing and rhythm patterns that left the listener with suggestive, lingering sounds. “Libesh Kabashen” (also known as “Anchi Bale Game”) and “Odu Gol Golesa” wrap you in the very stuff that dreams are made of.

Originally released on cassette only, this recording exudes a mystique that surpasses even some of the most obscure Ethiopian recordings of the day. It remained more or less unknown outside of Ethiopia until now. Some of the tracks, like “Addis Fikir,” are permeated with an almost naive buoyancy, free-floating sounds that lost contact with the ground the moment they were conceived. Others, like “Meche New Hageren Yemayew” and “Lelitu Alnega Alegn,” carry a moodier, quirkier timbre, with pulsating rhythms in the background. Yet even the darker pieces contain an unmistakable wave, something essentially Ethiopian. If most recordings of Teodros’s contemporaries at the time were teeming with atmosphere, his songs seem instead at home in the stratosphere, almost ethereal. Some of the music here could be filed under “lullabies,” were it not for the recurring, almost brooding feeling that engulfs the listener on the aforementioned tracks. You could easily be forgiven for drifting into a blissful haze as the music washes over you.

Up to the advent of electronic music production, Ethiopia was totally dominated by big bands on the one hand, and small groups on the other. The former were tied to large institutions such as the military, the latter emerged from the entertainment industry, in hotel bars and nightclubs. These groups were commercially driven, and bands ultimately had to foster a mercenary approach to employment, albeit not to the passion for music. In the light of this, Teodros’ musical legacy can be seen in two ways. On the one hand, he is a key player in Ethiopian music from the 1970s onwards, leaving an indelible mark through hundreds of compositions and arrangements, including soundtracks for numerous documentary films and advertisements for different companies. On the other hand, the way he and others employed electronics brought Ethiopian music onto a fork in the road.

The replacement of traditional instruments with electronic equipment was seen as impending doom by some. Others, like Teodros, saw new avenues for performance, production, and creativity. Just as later producers like Abegasu Shiota of Admas, Teodros was a trailblazer who opened paths that it took Ethiopian music as a whole more than a decade to rush into. The hotel scene had already been pushed toward electronic music by financial necessity and cost-cutting. Today’s revived global interest in Ethiopian music from the seventies and eighties, alongside a broader resurgence, has changed the reasons for using digital means of music production. They have become tools for musical dreaming. This is where the dreaming began.

American DJ, producer and Lone Romantic / Ellum Audio label boss Maceo Plex joins Radio Slave’s Rekids with the ‘Monster’ EP.

Maceo Plex opens the ‘Monster’ EP with 'Flute Jam', a muscular, progressive cut with broken beats and subtle chords lighting up the airwaves. Drifting vocals and widescreen synths add great scale to this intergalactic journey while textured bass brings the weight. The hyper-real and aptly named 'Baby Monster' then features vocals from Baby Monsta, refracted through a full-bodied Electro-Techno fusion. The chords dance over fizzing bass, all with future-facing sound design and an outer space atmosphere. Closer 'Cold Flow' is a prickly breakbeat cut with dehumanised, trap-style vocals and precision engineering in the groove. It's a cinematic sound that takes breaks, techno and electro into new realms while retaining a soulful, melancholic core.

Active since the 90s, Maceo Plex haș long been operating in his own musical world, where Electro, Techno and House all fuse into something futuristic and fresh. He's been shaping the underground for three decades as a DJ and producer but also head of the infl ential Ellum Audio and Lone Romantic labels. Already this year he has dropped the dark 2-step sounds of his 'The Plan EP' via the latter, which also features Baby Monsta, and continues his purple patch with a standout debut on Rekids that finds him exploring yet more new ground.

K-LONE returns to Wisdom Teeth with “Have a few days off” - a mini-LP of vivid, 4K club music that seeks out precious moments of release in an increasingly restless world.

The record marks his first outing on the label since 2023’s Swells, and in that time - once again - the world has changed. Thousand acre data centres. Multirotor drones. These long hot summers. K-LONE’s music has always played with escapism, but this time the question is: can music and creativity continue to provide escape when the world gets too loud to block out?

Stylistically the record absorbs the full range of K-LONE’s key musical touchstones - from swinging minimal house through to autonomic d’n’b and drifting ambient techno. Many of his established calling cards are on display here: his bright resounding chords, buoyant basslines, and fragmented vocal hooks. The record is full of joy and rapture, yet something feels off. Amongst the glowing melodies is a creeping dissonance. ASMR vocals float in and out of the mix like eerie audio hallucinations, and synths melt and detune as if warped from excessive heat. Amongst the idyll, life creeps in at the edges.

Colourful yet discordant; familiar yet strange. “You’re looking kinda sleepy. Have a few days off.”

Unncecessary is the first EP released on his own label by Nocturnerror, extremely appreciated by the Bass scene led by Zuli, who many times has played his tracks in Web Radios such as NTS, Rinse FM, etc..

“Unnecessary" is the title of the second release on A Flooded Need. Previously tangled in the most slippery meanders of electronic music with strong punk and wave reminiscences, 1/2 of Hyperlacrimae alongside 11xxx27, Nocturnerror approaches this work in a totally different way. The six tracks of the EP, in fact, represent a melting pot of hybrid influences between audacious bass music, cinematic and cacophonic IDM, totally deconstructed techno - stripped of its dance component - and dirty rave jungle.”
Insert — Web zine

Te Toca marks a new chapter for Cimafunk. For the first time, the Afro-Cuban funk powerhouse records an album with his electrifying band, La Tribu, capturing the chemistry and funkiness that has made their live performances legendary. Recorded live at Criteria Studios in Miami, the album embraces the raw energy of the full band playing together in real time, bringing the spirit and groove of the stage directly into the recording. Te Toca, which can mean “it’s your turn,” is a gift to Cimafunk & La Tribu’s loyal live show followers who have been asking for recorded versions of “Cocinarte,” “Relajao,” and “Se Acabó,” staples of Cimafunk & La Tribu’s dynamic live performances. It’s also a nod to Cimafunk formally introducing La Tribu as full creative partners. Te Toca features seven new original songs and a reimagined version of “Paciente,” one of Cimafunk’s standout tracks from his debut album Terapia. All eight tracks were recorded over three days with all musicians performing simultaneously in the same room with no rerecording: just raw, authentic, live music. In a time when so much music and communication is developed with technology and filtered through screens, Cimafunk & La Tribu’s Te Toca connects the artist and audience the old-fashioned way with real music.

Japanese acid pop outfit Cho Co Pa Co Cho Co Quin Quin channel the globe-trotting spirit of Haruomi Hosono’s 1970s tropical boogie on their debut album, Tradition.

Named after one of the basic rhythms of Cuban folk music and drawing on influences from across the globe, Cho Co Pa Co Cho Co Quin Quin are quite simply a world unto itself.

Comprised of three childhood friends, Daido, Yuta and So, who reconnected during the coronavirus pandemic, Cho Co Pa initially emerged as a playful way for the three 23-year-olds to pass the time. Tapping into their youthful connection, they created a sound that exudes confidence and curiosity, a homage to the masterful world of YMO’s and Happy End’s Haruomi Hosono, rooted in the trio’s own idiosyncratic experience of the present.

Recorded at home and promoted on hugely popular DIY TikTok videos, their debut album Tradition is a technicolour exercise in armchair travelling – a kind of lockdown exotica for the housebound whose nostalgic flights of fancy are laced with a sense of whimsical melancholy for the lost freedoms of youth.

Referencing everything from Afro-Cuban percussion to lo-fi beats, Buddhist spirituality to trap, each member of the band brings different musical inspirations to the table. Latin American and Middle Eastern styles sit adjacent to a fascination for the electronic music of Aphex Twin, Dorian Concept, Underworld and Daft Punk. At times, the music verges on acid pop bliss, at others, it grooves with the instrumental funk sensibility of BADBADNOTGOOD.

“In the first place, when I create a song, my goal is to transport the listener to a mysterious place,” vocalist Daido explained in a recent magazine interview. Using lyrics as another sonic texture in the composition of ideas, Cho Co Pa paint beguiling sonic postcards of far-flung moods across 12 highly original tracks.

Marrying the organic and the electronic on rhythmically sophisticated compositions like ‘Chichibu’ and ‘Watatsumi’, it is on the album’s standout track ‘Gandhara’ that the experimental sound of Cho Co Pa comes to the fore. Referencing the ancient city of Gandhara through which Buddhism made its way from India to China, the track is a vocoder-trap-inspired, Udu drum-driven pop jam that lilts with unmistakable Balearic flair. If that’s difficult to imagine, then know simply that ‘Gandhara’ sounds like nothing else on this side of Saturn. Even Daido seemed surprised by the outcome: “I feel like we were able to create something that exceeded our abilities. That was huge!”

Hugely popular in Japan, with festival appearances lined up alongside BADBADNOTGOOD at Asagiri Jam in October, it's safe to say the success of Tradition has taken Cho Co Pa by surprise. You won’t have heard anything like it."

In response to popular demand, Traumers « District » is finally getting a vinyl release –the Parisian mastermind's hit is accompanied by a new mega club tool, “At Lanta”,as well two beautiful deep techno pieces from one of today’s most prolific artists and BERG AUDIO’s roster essential elements, Kolter.

HANDSTAMPED LIMITED COPIES !

The Vessel Recordings Group label is headed up by Ira James who has shown he has great taste when it comes to tapping into global house sounds. This new EP is another standout with Toronto talent Demuir behind the beats. He brings his signature mix of influxes to this one starting with 'Conversing With Angels' which has disco-tinged loops and soulful, feel-good vibes that liven up any party. 'Everynight' has a deep cut and funky groove that is made all the more arresting and emotive with the vocals and smart synth filters, while 'Mizz Hunni' comes as a hefty tech stomper and also as a dub.

12” comes with a hand-signed insert by PARAMIDA & a download card with high-quality digital files!

Boiler Roomification. Proteinmaxxing. Sonic branding. Vibe curation. Digital minimalism.Dopamine detox. Cortisol management. Engagement farming. Main character energy. Manifestation journaling. Growth hacking. Vertical integration. Thought partnership.
Instagram Live. BPM creep. Synergy. People, it’s time to chill out. Life is short and we want to dance. Presenting: BEST OF RELAX VOL. 1 (CLUB HITS): A collective chillpill, the antidote awaits on this new Love On The Rocks Sampler, selected for your pleasure by label boss PARAMIDA and accomplice Simone de Kunovich. They’re joined by Luuk van Dijk and Giammarco Orsini for four tech, deep & garage house workouts, club-ready, dripping with swagger, turned up to eleven and firing on all cylinders. It’s Love On The Rocks on cruise control, chewing up and spitting out references from hiphouse to Balearic with all the boisterous, unpredictable energy you expect. Remember when dance music used to be fun? We’re back baby.

A very classic, auditorily both honest and skillful, techno mini-album by US producers D-Knox and Tim Xavier of Black Nation, 773 Tekno, Limited 400serie, and Sonic Mind fame. The duo's six-tracker nods to old-school US 'multitrack' underground techno EPs, but is bombastically engineered for club systems. Stunningly starting with "Soul Kraft Intro", a hymn for the Detroit techno legacy, only to slip into the tracky club rider "Stream Of Consciousness" with short stabs and alarming strings. Ripping acidic riffs and multifaceted hi-hat programming are signatures throughout, particularly highlighted by the teeth-grinding Chicago-styled (almost 'French Touch' compressed) "Dead Star Grinder", and not the least by the ultimately classic "Tomorrow Is A Rainy Day" with its broken beat and deep-standing forward-driving chordal beauty.

2026 Repress

Portugal's Dextro returns for second EP of stylish deep techno on Mutual Rytm with ‘Planets And Stars’. Dextro’s tunes have long been a staple of Mutual Rytm label head SHDW's sets, with the esteemed veteran previously landing on the label with his ‘Covil Dos Abutres’ EP last year. His return with ‘Planets And Stars’ features a selection of his most requested IDs from recent times, with the Portuguese DJ/producers featuring as a longstanding favourite within the European underground since the 90s through his stripped-back, economical sound that is rooted in masterful design and intuitive grooves. He is a true studio craftsman, whether going deep or more destructive, and that range is on show here as he makes a splash for his sophomore outing. SHDW notes, “‘Planets And Stars’ feels like his most refined and focused work to date. It also further strengthens our relationship, rooted in a shared vision and values around music and how it should be presented.” The EP kicks off with the heavyweight ‘1000 Places’, a track that will rattle walls as eerie synth whispers and sonar blips snake through the mix. ‘Industria Acéfala’ is just as hypnotic with a deep blend of rolling bass and rooted kicks, while unsettling tension comes in the one-note synth loops and scratchy texture. ‘Planets and Stars’ provides an intergalactic trip with cosmic dust, conscious spoken words and an infinite horizon that has you gazing off into the distance. The all-consuming ‘Perpendicular’ is shadowy with impish motifs darting about the mix as watery droplets fall into cavernous kicks. ‘Winter Letter’ is the final 12”cut and is perfectly deep, linear techno with gorgeous ambient details that turn your thoughts inwards. Three digital bonuses expand the trip: ‘Torresmos com Pão’ is unsettling and sparse, ‘Historia da Vida’ ramps up the tension with oversized hi-hats and rising synth turbulence and finally ‘Ghost Particles’ has shimmering bell sounds evoking a spooky moon-lit church in the dead of night.

Lummer is the Swedish name for the now protected family of vascular plants (Clubmoss/Lycopodiaceae). Lummer grows slowly and the spores with which it reproduces can take 12—20 years to develop. These spores, known as Nikt in Swedish, were once ground into an extremely flammable light yellow “old woman’s gunpowder” that was used for early theatrical pyrotechnics. Volatile and explosive, Lummernikt requires careful handling.

There is something of the small scale dangerous in Finn Loxbo’s Lummernikt, too. A not-at-all-risk-free traversal at the limits of technique: building, blowing up and working through a band’s worth of harmonic scaffolding. Eight songs on a stage. Dramatic, breath-taking. At the same time the wild, flickering rush of tones spins up a centrifugal force that suspends a certain calm or sitting still at the music’s core.

On Lummernikt, Loxbo’s guitar often sounds more like a concert harp or the West African kora as he shifts a set of melodic fragments and extended lines through rapid-fire arpeggiated permutations with a spontaneous energy that is countered only by his extraordinary touch on the instrument and an undeniable sensitivity to his material’s dynamic potential.

It’s a glorious extension of the chiming chords and experimental preparations heard in his contributions to Magnus Granberg's Skogen (Another Timbre) or via his own ensemble Kommun (Fönstret, Thanatosis) and in striking contrast to the distorted wail he contributes to Anna Högberg Attack’s Ensamseglaren (Fönstret) or his all-in-the-red trio Kyosaku (Corbett vs Dempsey).

It’s now several years ago that Finn sent me the first recording of his new band Kommun and asked if I had suggestions for a label that might want to release it. I played that recording on repeat until I couldn’t shake the idea that I needed to start a label to put it out myself. Lummernikt is the spark that keeps that fire alive.

Channeling his honed sample craft towards the ominous portent of modern times, Romare returns with his fifth album Oblivion, with the previous 3 out of 4 LP's appearing on Ninja Tune. Across a suite of downtempo, broken beat, bubbling grooves and brooding reveries Archie Fairhurst threads a narrative that wrestles with the big questions of the present moment — the tipping points of the planet and technology, the fight for social justice and the power structures that govern our existence. While his trademark source material continues to cast a long line back through recorded history, this is Romare at his most contextual.

Nothing is placed by accident. 'Machines' hums its throbbing 4/4 pulse along to a German language recital of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's 'Blessed Longing' — an enduring reflection on the human condition that rings true from way back in the 19th Century when it was written. 'Computer Love' slinks into a sumptuous trip-hop lull laced with sci-fi flourishes sculpted from samples of old computer documentaries — a bittersweet romantic backdrop to our complicated situationship with the devices in our lives. 'Take Us' goes one step further on its hard-stepping boom-bap strut as a subtle tale of possession by screens unfolds around Romare's signature strain of technicolour mutant funk.

There is space for optimism in the message on Oblivion as well — the strength of the suffragettes as a benchmark for social justice and activism amidst the speakeasy slink of ‘Deeds, Not Words', and spring-loaded acid house joint 'Change' pointing to the need for positive action in the face of imminent calamity.

The artwork for the album follows Fairhurst's thought process, drawing on Edvard Munch's iconic 'The Scream' along with Philippe Halsman and Salvador Dali’s ‘Voluptuous Death’ to help render the ideas of the album visually.

The wild ride of Oblivion races towards a final beguiling opiate on 'The Last Lullaby' — the perfect sedative after the rush of information and emotion that comes with a full-length trip through Romare's vivid, uniquely creative world of sound.

Like a pelican spotting its moment, Dimitri Andreas returns with a collection shaped by patience, precision and instinct.

Pelican marks a new chapter for a respected figure in underground electronic music. While recent years saw Andreas immersed in theatre productions, immersive audio experiences and multidisciplinary artistic projects, his fascination with rhythm, space, tension and emotion never left. It simply found different forms.

On Pelican, those worlds converge.

Across five original productions, Andreas distills the elements that have long defined his sound: hypnotic grooves, organic percussion, tribal influences, rich atmospheres and a deep sense of movement. The title track glides on suspense and anticipation, while Omenica and Mahu explore the groove driven territory that has become synonymous with his name. Cambolisa delivers a powerful melodic payoff, and Ember closes the journey with vintage synth warmth and restless energy.

The release is completed by three outstanding remixes from artists whose influence on contemporary electronic music is undeniable. Deetron reshapes Pelican into a deep and sophisticated techno excursion, Extrawelt transforms it into a cinematic and evolving voyage, while Petar Dundov expands Cambolisa into an emotional and atmospheric journey of his own.

Following a series of acclaimed MOVE Recordings releases supported by DJs including Sven Väth, Timo Maas, Jamie Jones and Fedele, Pelican arrives as a body of work shaped by years of exploration beyond the confines of club culture.

Rather than revisiting the past, Andreas brings those experiences back to the dance floor: music with patience, depth and perspective. Pelican is the sound of an artist returning not to where he started, but with everything he discovered along the way.

Already Supported by Laurent Garnier, Alexi Delano, Âme, Ilario Alicante, Just Her, Adriatique, Karotte, Danny Howells, Drumcomplex, Paco Osuna, Steve Parry, Marco Bailey, Alex Neri, Pole Folder, Amand, Calao, Neon, Gay Barone, ….

Four years after Les Mystères de Lorient, Il Est Vilaine returns with Best Service, a rich and cosmopolitan album that broadens horizons in a bleak era.
Twelve tracks and interludes crafted with the aesthetic the duo has been refining since its inception: a blend of analog electronics, techno, vintage rock, and synth-pop.
Tailor-made atmospheres, oscillating between raw energy, groove, and dark romanticism, provide perfect spaces for unexpected guests.

Zuhause ist kein fester Ort. Es ist ein sich wandelnder Begriff, der in der Geborgenheit des Mutterleibs beginnt und sich dann in die Sicherheit der elterlichen Arme verlagert. In der Kindheit erweitert er sich auf Klassenzimmer und Freundschaften. Im frühen Erwachsenenalter entdecken wir unsere Unabhängigkeit und fangen an, Räume zu schaffen, die nur uns selbst gehören. Bei der Vorstellung eines ,Zuhauses für immer" geht es weniger um Beständigkeit als vielmehr um einen Rückzugsort. Dort fallen alle Masken ab, und wir finden zu unserem wahren Selbst. HOME ist ein Album, das auf der einzigartigen Chemie zwischen den Outer-World-Mitgliedern Kenneth Close (Positive No) und Tracy Wilson (Dahlia Seed, Ringfinger, Positive No) basiert - eine farbenprächtige Liebessprache, die synthetische Klänge und Samples mit Schlagzeug, Gitarre, Bass, Keyboards und Gesang überlagert und so die Grenze zwischen moderner Technologie, einer gemeinsamen Geschichte und einer einheitlichen emotionalen Wahrheit verschwimmen lässt. Zwei Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung ihres Albums ,Who Does the Music Love?" hat sich Outer World von einem Duo zu einer sechsköpfigen Band entwickelt, wobei ,HOME" sich wie der Soundtrack zu einem imaginären Spionagefilm anhört: hochdramatisch und spannungsgeladen, mit verhedderten Bettlaken als Höhepunkt. Hier gibt es keine Grenzen zwischen den Genres, es findet ein Dialog statt zwischen: ,Outernational"-Grooves, italienischen Western-Soundtrack-Komponisten, Hazlewoods Twang-Gitarren, Spectropop-Beat-Girls der 60er, Lagos-Highlife, zeitgenössischen klassischen Chorarrangements, isländischer Avantgarde, Bond-Bösewichten, Kunstobjekten aus der ersten Punk-Ära, östlicher Philosophie und der Kunstschule in Athens, Georgia, in den 80ern - all das ist darin enthalten, verwoben zu einer einzigartigen Stimme.

The year was 1989, and Derrick May was at a creative peak as both a DJ and producer. Under his Rhythim Is Rhythim moniker, he released a string of landmark records on Transmat, while his residency at Detroit's The Music Institute showcased the distinctive DJ style that would soon take him onto the international stage. Around the same time, he hosted a weekly radio show on Detroit radio station WJLB, alongside influential programs by The Electrifying Mojo and The Wizard (Jeff Mills).

For one of these broadcasts, May assembled a 15-minute megamix in his studio during the week leading up to the show. He opened his radio set with this continuous mix, blending his own tracks and versions into a seamless introduction that reflected his approach to DJing at the time. It includes unreleased versions of classics such as ‘Nude Photo 88’ and ‘Strings Of Life’.

‘All of this is unreleased because I made it as I was playing it on the spot as a special Mayday Mix for my show on the radio station WJLB in 1989, edited together straight from the keyboards live to tape. There is no other recording of these tracks in this form, only here’.

The original WJLB master tapes have since been lost, and no official recording is known to survive. Fortunately, many listeners recorded the broadcasts at home. One such cassette, preserved by Richie Hawtin, eventually made it our way. It has been carefully restored and mastered, with the artist’s approval.

To highlight this remarkable document of techno history, the recording is now available as a limited-edition, one-sided 12-inch release. The mix has been cut as a continuous side, visually divided into eight sections, while the reverse features a custom engraving.

Kyung Wha Chungs Debütalbum, eine Kombination der Violinkonzerte von Sibelius und Tschaikowski, gilt
seit über 50 Jahren weithin als Meilenstein. Bei seiner Veröffentlichung erhielt es eine begeisterte Kritik
vom damaligen Chefkritiker des „Gramophone“, Edward Greenfield, und wurde in der Sendung „Building
a Library“ von BBC Radio 3 zur Top-Empfehlung gekürt. Das London Symphony Orchestra unter André
Previn sind kongeniale Partner der großen koreanischen Violinistin.
Die Serie wurde von Rainer Maillard gemastert und von Sidney C. Meyer in den renommierten EmilBerliner-Studios unter Verwendung ihrer 100 % rein analogen Techniken (AAA) geschnitten. Es werden
ausschließlich analoge Quellen aus den originalen Stereo- und Quadrophonie-Masterbändern verwendet,
darunter auch kürzlich entdeckte analoge Master von frühen Digitalaufnahmen.
Diese in Deutschland bei der Schallplattenfabrik Pallas auf 180 g Virgin-Vinyl gepressten Deluxe-GatefoldVeröffentlichungen in limitierter Auflage enthalten: das Original-Artwork und Liner Notes; Archivfotos und
Faksimiles der Original-Aufnahmeblätter. Jede einzelne Veröffentlichung enthält individuelle Anmerkungen
von Dominic Fyfe, in denen die Geschichte der Aufnahme, der technische Hintergrund und der MasteringProzess detailliert beschrieben werden

L.O.T.I.O.N. Multinational Corporation have been percolating in the NYC underground for the past 10+ years - gaining notoriety for their unique brand of industrial cyberpunk with intense live shows, fiercely political lyricism and striking visual aesthetics (masterminded by the band’s vocalist, noted visual artist Alexander Heir.) Blending noisy electronics and pumping beats with live instrumentation, the band draws inspiration from the militant minimal techno of Detroit, 90s Gabber, and the thrashing riffs of Hardcore Punk. The upcoming release "Machine Hallucinations" is their most fully realized to date. Exploring topical themes of artificial intelligence, the horrors of ICE raids and the corrupt modern military industrial complex, "Machine Hallucinations" is a violent and sobering critique of the current fractured state of The USA. Recorded and Produced by Ben Greenberg (Uniform) and featuring guest appearances from Iggor Cavalera (Sepultura, Cavalera Conspiracy), LA electro-punks La Pregunta? and vocalist Lulu (Fairytale, Twisted Thing) - as well as an expanded dual-guitar line-up, "Machine Hallucinations" broadens the sonic spectrum only hinted at on previous releases.

Remastered limited edition double vinyl with double-sided screenprinted poster-cover (sleeve folds out to be one huge poster). A real collectors item!

When Off Off came out around June 1984, one couldn’t speak of an independent music scene in Portugal. Warm Records’ vague existence didn’t have any impact and Dansa do Som’s inaugural release appeared only in December. 10 years after the revolution, after two IMF interventions, a lot of political instability (not to say turmoil, in the first couple of years) and the natural excesses of a sudden burst of freedom, the Portuguese consumer had more choices but a generally poor standard of living. There was no entrepreneurial culture and serious second thoughts about investing private money in risky ventures.

After many complaints about the whole music scene (institutions, critics and record label executives, popular and classical music alike), something that would continue well beyond the end of the decade, Telectu decided to finance, record, produce, release and sell an album with complete independence from outside structures. Their karmic reward was profit. According to Vítor Rua, Off Off was the only album fully payed by the duo and the only one that really payed off. Not an easy accomplishment for a double LP housed in a large (also double-sided) screenprint with complicated cuts and folds. The artwork was conceived by António Palolo, a friend and multidisciplinary artist. It was based on a collage of heavily saturated and xeroxed polaroids framed in shocking pink and green. Palolo was considered the third member of Telectu, regularly producing slides, video and other visual support for their shows. The inspiration for the type of cover came from GRM’s Gramme series.

Off Off is divided in four distinct sides, each one corresponding to a “theme” or “function” related to Telectu’s manifold artistic interests and interactions. The titles are also gateways to influences and a small portion of Portuguese cultural life:

- Side 1 / “Diagonale” is dedicated to Egídio Álvaro, art critic and gallery director (he opened Diagonale in Paris). Performance art was arguably his main artistic concern over the years, so the music on this side is suggested for use by one or more performers in live or playback situations. The three tracks segue into each other, linked by a synth arpeggio much in the same way as Telectu’s previous “Belzebu” álbum (1983);

- Side 2 / “Anarké” is dedicated to the composer Filipe Pires, one of Jorge Lima Barreto’s recurring invocations when asked about worthwhile contemporary music in Portugal. It is subtitled “concert music”, proposing «a new form of listening». Three tracks also, and these are separated by “clap interludes”, which basically consisted in the following: JLB and VR each had a pair of headphones on, and they clapped their hands according to the rhythm of the music each one was listening. Both musicians were interacting with a different Steve Reich piece: Vítor with “Music for Mallet Instruments”, Jorge with “Six Pianos”. The result is disjointed clapping, an awkwardly deliberate celebration of their own music. Telectu applauded themselves.

- Side 3 / “Cornucópia” is subtitled “music for theatre” and dedicated to Luís Miguel Cintra and Luís Lima Barreto (JLB’s brother), both connected to the Cornucópia theatre company. The side consists of several short pieces previously used as interludes in the Cornucópia staging of “Mariana Espera Casamento” (1983). Field recordings, mood pieces, ambience and a numeric poem (“Soneto Soma 14x”, by E.M. de Melo e Castro) read by João Perry, a quite well-known stage actor. His voice is treated with a flanger effect;

- Side 4 / “Palolo” is “video music”. It’s a one-take mix recorded from cassette sources (Telectu studio experiences) and done live while watching António Palolo’s Om film (1978) projected on the living room wall. It’s a deep, immersive, quasi-mystical 20-minute piece perfectly suiting the meditative, abstract, fluid images created by Palolo by mixing paint and water inside a bathtub. One imagines the Cosmos, hardly suspecting the technique. The film is 90 minutes long, so the music on the LP is of course edited.

The six titles on sides 1 and 2 evoke demons, all of them with conflicting symbolism, since it varies from culture to culture, religion to religion. No explanation is given and Vítor Rua has no idea where this imagery comes from. During virtually the whole stretch of the 1980s, Jorge was the one in charge of titles and concepts, and Vítor didn’t bother too much even reading the liner notes :) In any case, when you synchronize the listening experience with the imagery, a powerful impression emerges, a feeling of being in the presence of these entities while placing yourself inside the sonic narrative.

Off Off is undoubtedly a seminal album in the history of electronic music, as much Heldon as Fripp & Eno, jazz and American minimalism, cosmic out-thereness, mantric miniatures. Telectu at the height of their powers, still very early on, delivering an album-manifesto advocating intermedia art and the fierce independence of Portuguese musicians «from the scum of capitalist music industry monopolies. It’s a path to follow, albeit one that requires enduring hardships and retaliation from music industry gangsters.» Despite a few journalists deemed «capable of being free», the media are «enslaved by the dominant and fascist imbecility of the speculators of light music.» Off Off is addressed to those journalists «and to an audience angry at the cultural misery imposed upon us ..., certain that this music will open new horizons of musical pleasure in the conception of Portuguese avant-garde music, and in the open consciousness of us all. OFF OFF repeats Freedom.»

Those two words are a direct lift from Alberto Arbasino’s 1968 book Off Off, the basis of which is a critical analysis of Theodor Adorno’s and Dwight MacDonald’s ideas concerning the stratification of culture in different levels (high, mid and low) and the pervasiveness of mass culture in the form of a culture industry. In very simplistic terms, and that is precisely the point that inspired Jorge, Arbasino argued that it was possible and desirable to effect a revolution from below, cultivating alternative circuits completely cut-off from what he termed the in-in reality. Telectu’s record was a deliberate demonstration that it could be done, displaying Freedom in the face of all the gatekeepers and other human obstacles.

Pioneering Ghanaian musician King Ayisobareturns September 4, 2026 with his forthcoming seventh album Pure Confusion, recorded and produced by On-U-Sound’s Adrian Sherwood.

Ayisoba is one of Ghana’s most distinctive musical voices. The world’s foremost player of the kologo - a homemade two-string lute fashioned from a calabash and covered in goatskin - he delivers fiercely political and socially observant songs using three different voices, including the voice of his grandfather that possessed him as a child. Sherwood meanwhile is the pioneering British producer and founder of On-U Sound whose hugely influential career has connected dub, post-punk, industrial, hip hop and experimental music through collaborations with artists including Lee “Scratch” Perry, Mark Stewart, Horace Andy, Sinéad O’Connor, Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode.

Ayisoba and Sherwood first collaborated during a BBC Radio 3 Late Junction session at Maida Vale in 2017, organised by Ayisoba’s long-time collaborator Arnold de Boer/Zea of The Ex. The pair immediately connected, and during the pandemic, when Adrian’s long-time African Head Charge collaborator Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah was in Ghana looking for musicians to collaborate with Sherwood suggested Ayisoba, who eventually featured on two tracks on African Head Charge’s 2023 album A Trip To Bolgatanga (Bolgantanga is the region Ayisoba is from). Ayisoba then returned to the UK in late 2024 and travelled to Sherwood’s Ramsgate studio where the pair laid down the songs that would become Pure Confusion: “All the songs were already in my head,” says Ayisoba. “This album is all recorded live, over one afternoon. Adrian only plays live, and I like that. And he works hard - he doesn’t sleep. I woke up in the night and he was still working.”

“In my role producing it, I just let it roll to make a good vibe,” says Sherwood. “We recorded it completely live, did some programming and processing on some tracks, using dub techniques live on the mixing desk and adding some slick touches. We wanted the colours on the album to swing off what Ayisoba was doing, so we invited some friends to participate. Doug Wimbish (Sugar Hill Gang) arrived from America and lent his services playing bass on a couple of tracks; the wonderful Ivan Hussey (Celloman) played bass, keyboards and cello - cello is not really featured on African recordings so we thought it would be really cool to try it. I'd been working with Alex White (Fat White Family/Primal Scream) on my album (The Collapse of Everything) and so he added sax to a few tracks and I brought Alan Glenn down especially - Alan was in Little Axe but also Nine Below Zero and played in the Yardbirds – to add some mouth organ; Mark Bandola added a bit of flavour with his Juno, Ayisoba’s long-time Ghanian collaborator Ayuune Sule added some percussion and vocals and Matt Smith did some programming.”

“King Ayisoba is quite amazing, so unique,” Sherwood continues. “He’s got his own handmade instrument and three different voices - when you’re listening you think it’s three different people. He’s a breath of fresh air, full of love for the music which he wants to share with everybody. Some tracks we kept very straight and others we experimented with - adding dubby psychedelic little touches to trip you out a bit. The added production we did at On-U has given it a shine while still keeping it vibrant, live and spontaneous. I’m really proud of this record”.

On Pure Confusion, Ayisoba documents the anxieties, contradictions and changing social realities of contemporary Ghana. “Land is a problem for everyone,” says Ayisoba of the opening track “Property”. “If you don’t build on your land they will take it away. Plenty corruption in Ghana, plenty confusion. They sell the land to two, three, four people and then everybody fights.”

Elsewhere Ayisoba explores illness, spirituality and social stigma on “Bemba”, warning against hiding sickness out of shame or fear of “bad juju”: “People hide their sickness and the sickness kills them.” “Tewigiloge” reflects on cultural difference and open-mindedness encountered through world travel: “We will tour the whole world and we will see many things we may not like or understand… your eyes will see, but don’t talk - you have to be open-minded.”

Spirituality runs deeply throughout the album. Ayisoba’s grandfather was a respected spiritual healer whose presence the musician says still guides him today. “The grandparents’ spirits are the ones you can contact,” he explains of the spiritual chant “Nkaase”. “This song talks about the forefathers.” The closing track “Leeda-Mampanga (It’s Not My Strength)” acts as a statement of humility and gratitude: “You have to be humble, even if you have talent. God gives you the power.”

For more than two decades, King Ayisoba has been one of Africa’s most distinctive musical innovators, transforming northern Ghanaian kologo traditions into a bold contemporary sound rooted in hypnotic rhythms, social commentary and spiritual intensity. Since the breakthrough success of 2006’s Modern Ghanaians, Ayisoba has built an international following through acclaimed albums, relentless touring and collaborations with artists including Lee “Scratch” Perry, Orlando Julius and African Head Charge. Performances at Roskilde, WOMAD, Le Guess Who? and the Barbican have further cemented his reputation as a singular live performer and cultural force.

D-Leria returns to Non Series in pure form, delivering four fresh, groovy, floor-focused tracks that showcase his signature futuristic sound. A precise blend of hypnotic rhythms, raw textures, and forward-thinking techno, built for the dancefloor.

As has been the case with a number of releases on Punctuality so far, Echo Chambered has already gained notoriety as a sleeper hit for those in the know. Fans of Evan Baggs and Rey Colino’s Radar stream from Dekmantel 2025 will instantly recognise Carousel, pulled from a white-label dubplate about half an hour into the set. Fast forward nine months and a flood of track ID requests later and PNCT011 is finally here: five expertly crafted rollers from a modern master of the craft, Bliss Inc.

It’s easy to see why there has been so much demand for Carousel. Its earworm vocal, delicate percussion programming, undulating low end and spacey sound design land it squarely in the sweet spot between the minimal, progressive and contemporary tech house that so many
diggers are seeking out.

While the A1 is an undeniable hit, each track truly sounds like a hard-to-find early 2000s gem—the kind of record a Discogs shark will flip for extortionate rates. Why? Maybe it’s the rolling basslines, the understated grooves, the organic but club-ready percussion, the vocal samples or the cerebral FX.

Maybe it’s the mature, floor-focused arrangements, or the way Bliss Inc. nods to different corners of the dance music spectrum while maintaining a distinct signature. Or more simply, perhaps it’s because each track is an expertly constructed club tool —built for DJs, but just as rewarding for listeners.

However you want to hear it, Echo Chambered has all the markings of a Punctuality classic. With all five tracks doing damage in equal measures, you know what to do…

Anders Hajem makes his space•lab debut with four cuts primed for dark rooms, deep forests and open skies.

Opening the EP, E44Z is a driving techno cruncher, pairing serrated riffs with soaring synth lines and relentless momentum. X66Y follows with a growling, psy-infused workout, weaving sci-fi textures through its propulsive groove. On the flip, A44Z tunnels deeper, its hypnotic groove rising and falling through the journey. Closing the release, the title track Absorbe strips things back with spacious, eerie sound design, understated percussion and a deep, rolling bassline that lingers long after the final beat.

Jonathan Kaspar returns to Crosstown Rebels with an eclectic four-tracker that shows his stylistic range. The EP features his own vocals, as well as some long-time personal secret weapons.

After an intense touring summer with acclaimed gigs, including Fusion Festival, Fabric London, Else Berlin or Woodstock 69 Bloemendaal, Jonathan Kaspar lands back on Crosstown Rebels. After remixing CRM head Damian Lazarus with two different versions in 2025 and his last massive "We Come EP” to the label in 2024, Jonathan is in a purple patch right now with upcoming remixes for the likes of Âme and Acid Pauli. This upcoming release reveals different sides to his sound while still feeling connected as one body of work.

Opener 'Take Control' will be familiar to fans who have seen Kaspar play recently - it's stripped back but tense, with a searching lead synth and tight, dusty tech drums that grip you and never let up. 'The Reason Why' came to life when Bákayan's incredible vocals were added to the deep, dreamy groove, bringing a smoky soul and human warmth that tugs at the heart. 'Play With Me' and 'I Love Your Voice' both feature Kaspar's own vocals: the former is a subtle, late-night grower that unfolds with trippy synth details and sci-fi motifs. The closer is a deeply immersive and widescreen mid-tempo sound that carries a heartfelt reminder to hold on to the voices of the people who love you when everything else gets loud.

Fort Romeau debuts on Rekids with the ‘Lovin’ U’ EP.

The British producer's three-track release lands this September. London-based DJ and producer Fort Romeau arrives on Rekids with the ‘Lovin’ U’ EP, releasing 11th September 2026. Opening the release, the title track beams sunshine through 8-bit melodies and a repeating, hypnotic vocal shot through with tasteful echoes, all underpinned by a tight drum groove. ‘No Limit’ dives into more of that endless depth, its vocal sample floating over the groove as delectable piano keys bring the party. Closing things out, the Trip Mix of ‘Breathe’ eases the pace, snappy rhythms laying the foundation while dubby chords spring through a track built for daydreaming.

Fort Romeau, aka Michael Greene, has spent more than a decade shaping a sound that blends deep house, hypnotic techno and ambient influences. His productions have appeared on labels including Ghostly International, Running Back, Live at Robert Johnson, Cocoon and Permanent Vacation, alongside more than 100 remixes for a wide range of artists. As a DJ, he's contributed mixes to BBC Radio 1's Essential Mix, the Resident Advisor Podcast and Circoloco Radio, while his latest EP for Rawax became one of Juno's bestselling records of 2026.

1993 Rising High classic by Caspar Pound & Laurence Elliott-Potter, blending tribal percussion, ambient techno, acid and early trance.

A deep cut from the extensive back catalogue of South African group Splash, significant artists in the narrative of the country’s fiercely independent Gallo Record Company, CWPT presents two uplifting mixes of 1990’s ‘An Eye For An Eye’, arranged by a modern day hero of the craft, Lipelis.

Originally released in parallel with the official beginning of the end of South Africa’s decades-long Apartheid, lead vocalist Daniel Tshanda dispels the philosophy of the track’s title, instead offering a still poignant call for unity; “An eye for an eye is no good… Let’s live together as one.”

Lipelis’s carefully crafted take retains this sentiment front and centre, while nudging the arrangement toward contemporary dancefloors, enriching a steady and bubbling mix of colourful keys, bubblegum percussion and a lifting backing chorus that includes another Gallo sensation, Dalom Kids.

These same voices form the spiritual centre of Lipelis’s 12” dub version, which further demonstrates the track’s irresistible rhythm, making space for complimentary piano melodies from Lipelis, alongside collaborator Eugene Piankov. Here, sunsetting piano lines dance with the analogue techniques of Lipelis’s own production instincts, forging a blissful tribute to a potent moment in South African musical history.

Still hot on the heels of compiling the first volume of the Italian Dancefloor Outsiders, and moved by the urge to explore new musical landscapes and discover sounds produced in subsequent years, we decided to continue our quest of tracking an alternative map of what was happen- ing in the Italian electronic music scene. This second volume takes inspiration from the concept of “Mezzanotte Mezzogiorno” (literally “from Midnight to Midday”), a term first used for a now legendary party held in 1992 at Club Imperi- ale in Tirrenia, Tuscany. The owner of the club, Roberto Pannocchia, was eager to attract a different kind of audience to his venue and so decided to extend the closing time until midday, well beyond the Italian law limits. But as Imperiale was a members club, he was allowed to do it, and he already knew that this act would forever shape the Italian club scene. "Mezzanotte Mezzogiorno" was then used to describe long dancing marathons that lasted for the whole weekend, spread across clubs, after-parties and more off-the-grid open air venues but, most of all, became the symbol of an era. The music ranged from slow, pitched-down landscapes to epic techno progressions, filling both feverishly packed big rooms and colourful chillout zones. A parabola of musical move- ments related to specific genres was born, reaching its peak and then fading towards the end of the millenium.