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RAWAX proudly welcomes Mr. Lamont Norwood aka Dj Di'jital to the family! A true pioneer from Detroit!

Truly an old school Techno Bass jewel, DJ Di'jital has been a key player in the development of what some call the "Second Generation" of Detroit Techno. Having released on classic Detroit labels like Metroplex, Direct Beat, and Twilight 76, there is plenty of good reason why his name and his work have become so legendary over the years.

Influenced by early groups like Kraftwerk and Parliament, it was no surprise that the 80's fusion of Electronic Music, Funk and Hip Hop that brought about the Electro Funk sounds, would have such an impact on him. As a kid, Lamont Norwood aka DJ Di'jital became acquainted with the idea of mixing two songs together using tape decks, which while being limited, still gave him the drive and passion to pursue a career as a professional DJ. Over the years he played many different house parties and underground clubs, even spending some time as a Cabaret DJ.

Throughout this time, Di'jital became an incredibly skilled turntablist, quickly gaining the reputation of being a formidable force behind the wheels of steel. The year 1996 would prove to be quite a momentous one for Norwood, not only signing to the already well established label Direct Beat, but also becoming the official DJ for one of the label's finest and most important artists, Aux 88. Having already released his first EP, "Prototype", on Direct Beat, this would become a great opportunity that would help seal him as an icon of what was now known as the Detroit Techno Bass scene. Over the next few years,

Di'jital continued recording for Direct Beat, releasing some of the greatest and most unique Techno Bass classics to date, even doing a few remixes for some of Aux 88's most well known releases like "Electro/Techno", "I Need To Freak", and "Break It Down". Hit EPs like "From The Mind Of The Master", and "360 Degrees" became instant classics, still very sought after to this day. He also had some of his songs appear on some of the various Direct Beat compilations that were released between the years 1996 and 1999 like "Xperience De Bass II", which released "Radar2Bass", one of his most notable works, as well as the all time collector's album, "Techno Bass: The Mission".
Perhaps what may have been one of the biggest signs that his career was becoming exactly what he had hoped for, was the opportunity presented to him to remix Aaron Carl's classic "Down", which was released on the iconic Metroplex Records in 1998; Something that to any Detroit native would have been an honor and a milestone, given the reputation and level of success and influence that Juan Atkin's imprint had on the Detroit Electronic Music scene, as well as the global Electro/Techno movement.

Between the years 2000 and 2002, there was a small hiatus in complete EPs or albums being released by DJ Di'jital, although there were 2 different tracks released on the labels Bipolar and Studio iK7. In 2002, he went on to sign to another of Detroit's legendary imprints, Twilight 76, where he released 2 EPs, "Bass Programmers", and Di'jital's Revenge". In 2005, already a veteran and having amassed the necessary skill and knowledge needed to be a true beat warrior, Di'jital was now ready to join the resistance...Underground Resistance that is! Featured on the Interstellar Fugitives Vol. 2 compilation ( also later released as a 2xCD/DVD set ), Di'jital also released on the Electrocuter EP, which featured the previously released "Bang", as well as "Track 19".

In 2006, already well into the digital age ( no pun intended ), Norwood would release his first set of downloadable works, starting with an album called "The Prototype", on Twilight 76, which was completely unrelated to his first EP which was also called "Prototype". Recently, Twilight 76 has also released what is so far a 2 volume set of battle cuts dubbed "Electro Battle Tools".

The only known material that is known to be in the future for DJ Di'jital at the moment is a remix of Morphogenetic's "Techno Bass Is Back!", which was originally released as a free download to members of Technobass, but will soon be released on a 12"/Digital release that will launch the site's own label "Techno Bass Music". There will also be a follow EP by Di'jital, so stay tuned! Over the years, DJ Di'jital has proven to be an unstoppable force in the Techno Bass scene, tirelessly working to push the boundaries of Electro forward with his futuristic and visionary beats that have unleashed mayhem across the globe, not just in his published works, but also in his incredible DJ acts, where one can truly witness one of the few actual turntablists in this style of music. Expect more in the future as Di'jital's revenge continues to spread across the globe with his out of the ordinary approach towards Techno Bass music.

Remember how badly we wanted to join them and be part of those sea-faring adventures: Jack London’s The Sea-Wolf, classic TV shows based on his novel The Road, on Radu Toduran’s novels... back then, a couple decades ago, the titles of these shows alone were enough to trigger some strong gusts in our hearts, salty squalls perfect for imaginary downwind journeys we dreamed of with billowing sails. We wanted to cruise alongside albatrosses, seagulls, and fellow sailors. Floating high above a three-masted vessel, we watched our own adventures unfold far below, an imagined movie scene complete with a whole crew that worked the rigging, and all the rest. Cutting waves. Amidst the storm and stress of sounds hitting our eardrums far out in the ocean. Combined with the sounds of rotors, of tropics crossed, of marimbas and cabin wood pounded, of strange music spotted in the distance. And even though it was merely for an hour or two that we were rescued by that seal-hunting ship “Ghost,” as Jack London had it, plus, even worse, often found ourselves surrounded by villains: it was a great escape, for we’d successfully set sails – to new and exciting places.

Both around their own Weilheim shores and elsewhere, brothers Markus and Micha Acher have launched various musical vessels, bands and free-floating constellations over the past three decades – and yet: amid all these other speedboats and unlikely sonic barges, The Notwist has always remained the mother ship. This new album documents the latest live incarnation of this very band, which also features Andi Haberl, Max Punktezahl, Karl Ivar Refseth, and Cico Beck. Recorded on December 16, 2015 on the second of three consecutive, sold-out nights at UT Connewitz in Leipzig, Germany, "Superheroes, Ghost-Villains & Stuff" indeed feels like a first-hand live experience caught on triple vinyl. That’s why it’s the definitive album of The Notwist’s career.

Although there is one song that points to the early, “louder years” of The Notwist – “One Dark Love Poem” off the album Nook –, the rest of the night’s set sees the band perform all the major hits off Neon Golden, The Devil, You + Me, and Close To The Glass. However, these are different, organically enhanced versions, new interpretations and combinations that feel much more alive; thanks to Olaf Opal’s incredible mix, they sometimes even outshine the original studio recordings. Listening to "Superheroes, Ghost-Villains & Stuff" feels like watching these songs evolve and change, moving from one frame to the next, much like a baroque triptych.

What starts out like ‘wimmelbook’ imagery, the music soon folds and unfolds like a Moebius strip: Sans bottom or top, sans inside or outside, the inside becomes the outside and vice versa. It’s all about sonic interconnection, about music as entanglement, music as reconciliation. The rather majestic, cinematic (indie) pop and experimental, kraut- infused jazz, the spirit of the enlightenment and baroque playfulness, the traces of modernism and minimal music, dub leanings, hip-hop lessons, and even hints of house music: here is where they all come together, reconciled in a sound that’s both melancholy and romantic. And ultimately, the spirit of these songs is set free – and the band has released itself, is free at last.

As for the album title, it’s lifted from the song “Kong,” and encapsulates Markus Acher’s motto. Throughout the track, the water theme first appears as a dangerous threat: a force that’s strong enough to wash away an entire house; and yet the fluid state keeps transforming and eventually releases that sense of threat into something rather hopeful, a new musical beginning, a melodic departure that ultimately leads to euphoria and a renewed spirit of adventure. These are the strong gusts mentioned above, it’s the spirit of discovery, the urge to set sail together. The crew’s back at it, working the instruments, the rigging, with sails a- billow, launching the next voyage of discovery, assuming the East in the West and vice versa. And thus the adventure saga continues.

Pico Be (Das Weiße Pferd)

Prince Jammy became a King while cutting his musical teeth working for the dub master himself King Tubby.
In that old Jamaican way, when everyone in Jamaica was given a new name to work with, Prince Jammy as he would be known so impressed his colleagues that he rose from a Prince to a King,both names given to him by producer Bunny 'Striker'Lee.
Out of the many protégés that trained and worked at King Tubby's....and there were many, Scientist, Pat Kelly .Prince Phillip Smart to name but a few it was King Jammy's work that was the main stay .
We have selected a set of tunes that were rebuilt with King Jammy at the controls...
Hope you enjoy the set

No light at the end of the tunnel. No helping hand to pull you out of the hole. No second chances. No God to cure this deadly disease. No heaven to save your soul after your final seconds... Hope will hold on, but in the end, death shall claim it.

All this, we understand a little more, day by day.

We will experience our absolute zero, and the stages of life that come as close. We think that we will never recover and that we are not strong enough to fight against it. Our immaculate, peaceful souls, that we begin our lives with, start to bleed, and slowly get torn into, bit by bit by the cold hard truth that breaks our protective walls.

We learn to handle and accept this even as pieces of us shatter and die every time a little bit more inside us. To give light, we must endure burning. But what if everything we are able to burn is gone
There is no other way... We are falling apart a bit more, every day...
Dedicated to this state of mind.

Debut album from Pacific NW rising star, named "Best Electronic Act" in 2015 by the Seattle Weekly. ** Past Press Coverage as included: A NPR Weekend Edition Feature, Spin, Stereogum, KEXP Live in studio performce, CMJ. ** Past performance highlights: Bonarroo Decibel Festical, Bumbershoot, Capitol Hill Block Party, Sasquatch Festival, What The Festival, & Bonnaroo, as well as national tours with acts like Emancipator, Blockhead, Blackbird Blackbird, Chad Valley, Yppah, ** First single from the album "What We've Got" feat. Flint Eastwood passed 500,000 Spotify plays and 135,000 Soundcloud plays in a month's time.

Amidst the lush environs of his northwest roots, Manatee Commune has fermented an organically molded electronic sound that has been teasing the synapses of audiophiles over the last few years. While not a stranger in the Pacific Northwest, Grant Eadie's tracks have grown tentacles that stretch deep into the dance floor, fueled by natural overtones that he extracts from field recordings. Following the head-turning EP 'Thistle' on Brooklyn-based label Bastard Jazz Recordings (Illa J, Lord Echo, & others) from earlier this year, he comes to the label armed with violin arrangements, nuanced programming and pressure-sensitive LED drum breaks peppering the audio-visual experience of his participatory live performances. His debut album Manatee Commune is set for a September 16th release on Bastard Jazz, and displays the elevated confidence and deft touch of a producer truly finding his footing. Already opening for Bonobo, and recently touring with Chad Valley and Blackbird Blackbird, Manatee Commune has been featured on NPR, Stereogum, and Spin, amongst other outlets.

Eadie describes the inspiration behind his approach: "Learning how to share my creative process with my friends completely revolutionized the last of year of music for me. Inviting those I trusted and loved into my studio to spend even just an hour talking or jamming opened fountains of inventive energy for me, especially from the ones who lacked any musical knowledge. I soon found myself incredibly inspired by the originality of even the smallest interactions with people, and so I pointed my field mic at anyone who had a story, a melody, or a stumbling beat they had been absentmindedly drumming, all in the hopes of capturing their individuality and framing it with my ever expanding insight into audio production."

Reimagining his musical approach by opening his studio and microphone to friends, collaborators and loved ones, Eadie was able to release fountains of inventive energy from these deeply personal interactions, inspired by anybody who had a story, a melody or a stumbling beat to share. Key elements are amplified that get Manatee Commune audiences bouncing, while cultivating his warm and textured production aesthetic to further complexity, layer by shimmering layer.

In 1997, a quiet, unassuming man of 59 years old named Victor Tavares - better know as Bitori - walks into a studio for the very first time to record a masterpiece which many Cabo Verdean consider to be the best Funaná album ever made. Bitori´s musical adventure had begun long before this point. It was 1954 when he embarked on a journey across the seas to the island of Sao Tomé & Principe. The young man´s hope was to return to Cabo Verde with an accordion.

Following two years of hard labour Bitori had succeeded in saving enough money to acquire what was to become his most valued possession, his cherished instrument. The two month journey back to Santiago, his island of birth, proved time enough to master it. Self taught, Bitori developed his own style, an infectious blaze, that quickly caught the attention of the older generation. Before long Bitori was being asked to share his musical talents, igniting the local festivities around Praia with his music.

But not everybody welcomed the rural accordion-based sound. Perceived as a symbol of the struggle for Cape Verdean independence and frowned upon as music of uneducated peasants, Funaná was prohibited by the Portuguese colonial rulers. Performing it in public or in urban centres had serious consequences - often jail time and torture awaited musicians that were caught in the act'. In light of such persecution the genre of Funaná began to slowly disappear.

In 1975 Cabo Verde achieved independence from Portuguese colonial rule. Along with Cabo Verde's independence came a lifting of the ban placed on Funaná. The musical repercussions in Cabo Verde were plenty - many upcoming artists embraced Funaná, translating and adapting its musical form in new ways. It was not to be until the mid-1990's, however, that Funaná in its traditional form was actually recorded. It was a young singer from Tarafal, Chando Graciosa, who was to play a key role in this event. Upon hearing Bitori, Graciosa immediately felt drawn to Bitori's unique playing style - a raw and passionate sound accompanied by honest lyrics that reflected the harsh reality of the Cabo Verdean working class. He eagerly approached Bitori suggesting they join forces and travel overseas with the objective of taking Funaná beyond its rural roots. The two of them, with others in tow, achieved their goal and travelled to Europe, introducing a receptive European audience to the vibrant energy of Funaná.

Eventually Bitori returned to his beloved Cabo Verde. Graciosa opted to settle in Rotterdam in order to pursue his career - he vowed, however, to bring Bitori across to Holland at a later date to record an album.

In 1997 the time was ripe to immortalise the sound Bitori had shaped over a time span of four decades. Built around a formidable rhythm section, formed of drummer Grace Evora and bass player Danilo Tavares, "Bitori Nha Bibinha" was recorded. The recording catapulted Chando Graciosa to stardom, making him Cabo Verde´s No.1 interpreter of Funaná.

The success in Cabo Verde was phenomenal and Funaná rapidly gained the recognition it deserved, especially in urban dance clubs. Bitori´s songs quickly became standards - classics known and loved throughout the country. The musical success, however, was solely limited to the Cabo Verdean islands - until now!
Analog Africa is proud to contribute to the worldwide promotion of Funaná - the once forbidden sound of the Cabo Verde archipelago - by releasing a worldwide re-issue of Bitori and Chando Graciosa´s legendary recording.

The release will herald Bitori´s first European tour taking place during the summer of 2016. Watch this space! And listen!

Alleviated Records is proud to present the first edition of ''Underground Files''. We hope to introduce you to new Artists/Producers/Technicians with this series. This first edition includes selections by 2 Memphis-based dj/technicians/producers, Adam Arthur and Michael Kuntzman. Side A features Arkansas native Adam Arthur starting off with ''Rogue Intent''. If you're looking for radical-pumping house, look no further to get your crowd going crazy on the dancefloor. Next, we change the flavor a bit with ''Flamenco'' for when you need some downtempo warm seductiveness. Side B features 2 selections from Memphis dj/producer Michael Kuntzman. First up is ''Shutter'' with a bumping sci-fi-house flavor. Then we have ''Mondane'' with a pumping abstract-tribal-surreal tone. We hope you enjoy these for many years to come! Musically yours!

we are very proud to announce the debut release of japanese brightest hope
"sauce81" on endless flight.
we really loved his past releases on eglo,catune,wonderful noise.
this 4 tracks ep is full of love for black music which are his music roots.

enjoy!

Owner operator of Finale Sessions Music Michael Zucker has brought you a sister label called future sessions music to showcase his own music with close friends and family and we are excited to able to share this label with you. Starting with our first release with the detroit veteren Norm Talley and Finale Sessions veteren Michael Zucker and we will start with Norm Talley's music first with the track called 'power 'it has the sublime detroit deep sound with its sharp chords and that pumping deep kick and claps and it also has additional work from another detroit legend delano smith but what makes this track is the fantastic vocals from the soul. Track two 'lock jaw' is just raw beatdown late night track with deep chicago classic sound with a pumping kicks and mind altering synth. Then next we have Michael Zuckers first track 'parisian nights' with it's classic filtered classic chicago sound with proper pads and chords with a vocal drifting in and out of the spectrum . Track two ' thought process' is just an amazing deep inspired melodic trip with key's and that classic b4 organ that sets the tone for the pads and that lifted filtered sound . We are excited to be able to work together Norm Talley and myself and we hope you enjoy this journey also.

Following the release of 2015's Animistas album on Mindtours, Steevio returns with the fourth and final volume in the Modular Techno series after starting the project in 2012.
Initially conceived as he moved his studio practice towards a purely outboard, analogue, modular synthesiser set up, the Modular Techno series has charted the development of Steevio's exploration of this working practice both on record and on stage. The work involved in live appearances across the UK and Europe over the past four years have fed into the creative process, with rehearsals for sets often yielding the material that has ended up on vinyl.
Volume 4 is arguably the darkest instalment in the series to date, dealing in a strict economy of minimalist rhythms and off-key melodic touches while still easily identified as the unmistakable tones and distinctive grooves of Steevio. In the grand tradition of techno as visionary music, the dystopian tone that lingers throughout Modular Techno Vol 4 points to a future of uncertainty, but this is far from nihilistic music; always within the darkness remains a glimmer of hope.

"It's the year 2024 and the planet Perth is under attack!!
The boys of SENATE Corp. are its only hope!"
Good Company Records returns for 2016 with two blasts of sci-fi Techno from the twisted minds behind last year's 'Gangstalker' cannonade for Lobster Theremin sublabel Pacific Command.
Strike one is the unrelenting, caustic hardcore of Pugilist Dub, strong enough to melt away even the toughest exoskeleton.
Into the centre hole & through the other side, it's Forza Rays - a dystopian electro stormer that will haunt your working week.
"Mission report: The Discoid invaders never stood a chance."
Select with extreme prejudice, and play without mercy: Just don't forget your gloves.

Our planet... IS NEXT! Yes, this is in fact the case, at least according to one Stockholmdwelling, 30-something (wishes-he-was-a) failed pop star, real name Arvid Wretman. Just how he fell from his position as poster boy of Kärrtorp's ever-vibrant noise scene to the pill-popping, Cher-covering discotheque pleaser standing before us today, we could not tell you. What we do know is that Studio Barnhus stands ready to ride that cash train all the way 'til the bitter end! So yeah, wanna pop some pills Or do you wanna chill Varför alltid dansa och spela det ena ...and do you, or not, believe in life after love These and many other questions are posed, but never answered, on this YPIN EP, the starting point of what we hope will be a particularly lucrative bizniz venture between those two powerhouses of Scandi-tronica, Your Planet Is Next and Studio Barnhus. PS. Your Planet Is Next's live show will bring added marketing value and guaranteed customer satisfaction to your dance party

Heavyweight soul providers Fat Freddy's Drop are about to take flight once again with the worldwide release of new album Blackbird on 24th June 2013. Blackbird is the third full-length release from the New Zealand band and will see Fat Freddy's Drop exceed half-a-million album sales worldwide, the result of playing over 800 shows in their career-to-date, clocking up 412 appearances in Europe, 27 Australian Tours and over 300 shows in their homeland.

Fat Freddy's Drop celebrate a decade of European touring by releasing Blackbird in East London. The already sold-out show at Village Underground attracted over 4,000 hopeful ticket ballot entries in just 24 hours for only 500 lucky spots.

Featuring nine tracks, Blackbird was written and recorded at Bays, the band's own studio, which was one of the last vinyl pressing plants in New Zealand and then an apostolic church. Fitchie says, 'What you hear on the album is the sound of Bays, the room itself, the vibe of the place and the performance we can get out of the band in there.'

'Blackbird is truer to FFD's musical philosophy than anything else we've done', says Chopper Reeds. 'The song structures are open and unruly - just like our live shows - whilst we've pushed ourselves to deliver rich and deeply layered arrangements that showcase Joe Dukie's exceptional voice. We feel totally at home melding together this unholy mix of disco, rootsy dub, blues, soul and electronic funk - it's what we do.'

Fat Freddy's Drop have released two studio albums, 'Based On A True Story' (2005) and 'Dr Boondigga & The Big BW' (2009), two live albums, 'Live At The Matterhorn' (2001) and 'Live At Roundhouse' (2010) and a stash of limited edition vinyl singles, including the now legendary 'Midnight Marauders' and 'Hope For

Michigan's ambient and soundtrack specialist John Beltran introduces a new LP that will be co-released by Delsin and his digital only label Dado Records. Entitled Through the Blinds, it features ten tracks by Blair French (who also appeared on his Music For Machine compilation on Delsin last year) and will be released on January 18th 2016. Blair French aka Dial.81 is an experimental producer and visual artist who won an award for his score of Detropia--a documentary about his home city of Detroit--and now makes his ambient debut. As you would expect of such a project, it boasts suspensory and near spiritual pieces of ambient music with angelic chords and glassy textures. There are also more frosty cuts that sound like a chilly Autumn walk, tracks that feature emotive neo-classical piano pieces and suggestively rhythmic compositions that sooth your mind. The second half of the record touches on church like passages of synth heavy sounds, strikingly sad violins and lo-fi arrangements that sound, one hopes, a little like what you might hear as you pass from this life to the next.

Richard Sen's last outing on (Emotional) Especial - the bleep revival brilliance of "Songs of Pressure" - was something of a stone cold killer, so hopes are naturally high for this belated follow-up. The title track again digs deep for inspiration, doffing a cap to the starry futurism of Detroit, psychedelic acid and the drum-machine driven jack of early Chicago house. The flipside Dub of the same track takes it into uncharted territory, with hazy, drawn-out chords and post-production effects only serving to emphasize the heavy nature of Sen's vintage groove. Bonus "Shoc Horracore" explores similar territory, while offering a knowing wink towards obscure 1980s horror movie soundtracks and the bold synthesizer lines of Italo-disco.

The multi-talented musician/producer Bing Ji Ling (Tummy Touch Records/Ubiquity Records/Lovemonk Records/Claremont 56) and DJ Alex from Tokyo are very excited to share with you a brand new, collaborative track Not My Day', that encapsulates their experience in New York, as well as their friendship. It's been a few years in the making, but well worth the wait! Alex and Bing moved to New York around the same time, and met in a bar (filled with Loft heads) after one of David Mancuso's Loft parties. Bing recognized Alex's voice from his weekly Shibuya FM radio show in Tokyo, and went up to introduce himself, being a fan. Turns out, they have many friends in common in New York, Tokyo, and beyond. They were instant friends, family. The track came out of several listening sessions from Bing's basement studio in the East Village, where Alex shared some tracks he'd be digging, across a wide range of genres, eras, tempos, etc.. Everything was very easy, very natural...Back in Tokyo Alex and Isao bring their club vibe and remix the funky and groovy Not My Day' into a magnifique electronic deep house anthem!


On the flip is Bing's version of Lil Louis' club classic Lonely People' Alex has been playing non stop, providing along here his own DJ friendly Tokyo Black Star retouch club version. Bing's version was originally recorded for his covers album called Sunshine For Your Mind' that was first released in Japan on the label Rush Production. This album came about, after years of playing solo/acoustic covers with a looping pedal in Japan. Bing has since performed the song live in New York, London, and at Croatia's Garden Festival with rave reviews!


Bing Ji Ling and Alex now live just minutes from each other in New York City as well as the Catskills, and enjoy frequent meals, music and mountains. We hope you enjoy...Happy Spring!

Tapper Zukie is not only a successful recording artist in his own right but a well respected producer also.
In the mid 1970's he set up his own record label Stars to help nurture the many artists who were rising in Kingston,Jamaica.
In doing so he created a great catalogue of Reggae music that few artists have bettered.
For this release with the help of Tapper Zukie himself,we have picked the highlights of the Star label to make this great album.
All the artists are stars and all the tracks shine....
Hope you enjoy the set.....

Reaching the milestone of its 100th single/EP release, Circus Company welcomes back Aquarius Heaven with a new EP of poignant, uplifting house music loaded with a meaningful message for these transient times. It's nearly three years since Brian Brewster delivered the Parallela Mundi 12', and in that time he has been on a relentless mission to spread his unique blend of house music, Caribbean roots and psychedelic magic across the globe in a whirlwind of live performances and collaborations. In a manifestation of his well-travelled soul, these new pieces call upon traditional influences in amongst the modern motifs that Aquarius Heaven has been built on, while lyrically dealing with the pressing issue of refugees escaping conflict, poverty and famine. The proud drum throwdown and carnival bleeps of 'Bato Chargé' conceal the seriousness of its theme. In Brewster's native tongue Creole, bato chargé translates as overloaded boat. With the Caribbean as equally rooted in the history of displaced humanity at the hands of sinister powers, the groove of 'Bato Chargé' takes on a defiant, hopeful tone directly inspired by the traditional percussive music style Gow Ka. '50 Drops' by way of contrast takes on a noirish tone with its gritty, street-weary tale and nocturnal melodics played out through enchanting arpeggios and warbling leads. Cooling off the tempo and heading into a digi-dub skank that plays off Brewster's roots in reggae and dancehall, 'Marie Galante' takes those same warm synths and runs them through a low-but-heavy stepping landscape; the perfect backdrop to the vocalist's dexterous ramblings on the mic. It's not often you hear Creole New Release Information delivered in contemporary electronic music, with a rare exception being the legendary work of Tikiman et al with Rhythm & Sound in the 90s.

Gone with the flow - after a little break the German musicians Julius Steinhoff and Abdeslam Hammouda revived their musical adventures and left all electricity untouched this time. For their new acoustic project the duo has chosen the alias Tonight Will Be Fine - a name that is familiar to those who followed their work in the past years. As Steinhoff & Hammouda they used the name for their first 12" on Smallville Records, the worldwide acclaimed house and beyond label and record store that Steinhoff co-runs. Now they reheated the phrase and chose it as the alias for a bittersweet acoustic singer/songwriter project. Their wonderful, captivating new musical venture came into life due to happenstance and old ferventness. After their trips into house music the duo parted geographically. Hammouda moved away from Hamburg while Steinhoff strengthened his label Smallville, built up a global DJ career and produced acclaimed house records on diverse labels - solo" and with his buddy Dionne as Smallpeople. In all the time Steinhoff and Hammouda never stayed out of touch, bound together through deep friendship.

At some point they met again for musical missions and started to record music that had nothing in common with their prior work. Steinhoff re-activated his self-taught guitar abilities and entered the studio of his friend Lawrence in the back of the Smallville record store to capture some steeldrums and vibraphone sounds. Hammouda brought more instruments like a banjo, a violine and tablas and they just started to record sketches and songs. Hammouda's musical backround leads to a widespread range of influences while growing up, before he got into producing hip hop and electronic music. For Steinhoff, the transformation from an electronic music producer into a singer/songwriter wasn't that new too, as his first musical steps have been routed in band music. Until his late teenage years, when he discovered house and techno, he played drums in a local indie group in Freiburg and for Tonight Will Be Fine he now also freed his old drum kit from cellar dust.

After the duo felt that their musical communication elevates into something more profound then a session thing, they provided themselves with additional instruments like new guitars, claves, an accordion, a piano and more. Initially the songs were very rough and sketchy. Musical ideas that did not have a real song structure. Then we started to arrange the tracks and added our voices and lyrics.' both reveal. Their charming singing covers almost the whole album with a characteristic sense of deep winking melancholy. Their lyrics are exercising the possibilities of words and are inspired by life, the world and all the those questions a human can ask in his time on earth. At some point both started to show their new songs to some friends and they liked it and encouraged the duo to move on. Somehow one of the tracks landed in Toshiya Kawasaki's mailbox. He instantly fell in love with it and asked if they would like to do an album for Mule Musiq. They did what was asked and after some reformatting and reinventing Tonight Will Be Fine originated 13 songs full of sweeping acoustic guitars, airy rhythms, piano melodies, gloomy accordion emotions, touching voices and a bunch of other exotic instruments, done without the help of electronics. They all form Elephant Island' - an incredibly inspirational place where impressionistic lyrics dance gently with kinetic acoustic music that comes out of plain jamming fun. The melange of a structured song base and free improvisation injects all songs a loose feeling. And shows two handsome fellas carving out their own musical utopia. It is a warming one, full of hope and musical freedom powered by an unabashed instrumental playfulness.
nstrumental playfulness.





É a5 | soliloquy

Dear Vinyl Enthusiast / DJ,

The tracks on this 2 X 12" received some special individual treatment which I hope you'll enjoy listening to or playing in your local disco as much as I did making the. Box Saga has been a firm favourite of mine for a good 20 years already and although it's baggy pants and loose groove is exactly why I love it so much I thought it would be fun to do a slightly different take on it.

Ü is a recent fave of mine but as the record is super long and has a very DJ-unfriendly ambient intro, I gave it a couple of chops and hope you're brave enough to bring it to the dancefloor where it belongs. The tracks by Joachim Holm & Alejandro Mosso, Actress, Hieroglyphic Being and Blacknecks are all quite sparse to begin with and with the approval of all involved you can now smile or cringe at these "Versions" where I "join the band" on some of my recent favourite records. Thanks to the artists and labels involved for letting me use their music.

After the Alma EP' by Shanti Celeste, secretsundaze' s 19th release comes from another UK home grown favourite Wbeeza.
Beeza is a firm part of the secretsundaze family and although it's his first release on the label, he has been a regular fixture at the parties now for 5 or 6 years playing at both the London events and touring internationally with Giles and James as a live act, as well touring extensively by himself.
We hope his music needs no introduction - his sound is quite simply fresh; an amalgamation of so many things from house, techno, jazz, hip hop to more UK leaning garage vibes. Born and bred in South London and the youngest of 6 brothers he has dance music pumping through his veins.
Black Moon EP is up there with the very best of his work and all 3 tracks show a level of maturity that comes from releasing over 14 EPs and close to 2 LPs (his second LP entitled Visions of Love drops next month on Third Ear)
Title track Black Moon is a murky, growling techno workout with syncopated lo fi beats, a thunderous bass line that is eq'd to within an inch of its life, and white noise FX. Within the right hands this should be a deadly weapon.
Like Butta is a hazy, percussive tool that keeps the tension high while B side track Ferguson is arguably the strongest track of the EP. Referencing the Ferguson case in Missouri that sparked vigorous debate about the relationship between the police and African Americans, the track is a timeless groove, coming on like a modern day version of Maurizio's 'M4' with its heads-down, hypnotic deep techno flow that one could simply listen to on repeat. Wbeeza on secretsundaze.....Need we say more!

Supported by: Ben Sims, Slam, Laurent Garnier, Adam Beyer, Truncate, Jonas Kopp, Ilario Alicante, Paco Osuna,
Gel Abril, CTRLS, Pfirter, Xhin, Regen, Roman Lindau, Antonio De Angelis, Lee Holman, Abstract Division,
Juho Kusti, Krenzlin, Felix Lorusso, David Att...
With the first Monasterio release, the team behind the Moscow clubbing institution has aimed to recreate
the atmosphere that has made the club such an important part of the Russian techno movement. Each track
from the compilation strives to represent a dimension of the club's style, starting with powerful opener The
Chamber. Oliver Deutschmann, a close friend of Monasterio, references the main room of the club and takes
us on an anthemic ride full of organs and sonic spectrum requisitioning buzz. The mutating and pulsating groove
of Russian resident Unbalance follows, bringing forth a change in the atmosphere and the hypnotic synths
and austere percussion work of young Ukrainian talent Recid take the listener to the prime hours of the party.
Danish DJ/producer Anastasia Kristensen overtakes by ways of air in a high-speed modular chase, bringing the
night to a close and leaving us with high hopes for our next journey through the corridors and chambers of the temple of techno

Something is looming on the horizon, a flickering presence, a sparkle in the twilight, hardly visible at first, then slowly taking shape and finally coming into view: "I will depart/I see, I will, I won't go far," Stefanie Boehm (Couch) sings on "Sirens", one of 10 tracks Ms. John Soda have recorded for "Loom", their first album in eight years – and it's true: It's a return that often feels like yet another departure, like it's time to say farewell once again, one last hug and off it goes into the valley, where life is already waiting.

A lot has changed since Ms. John Soda released the first 7" back in 1998, since Micha Acher (The Notwist, Tied & Tickled Trio, Alien Ensemble) joined Stefanie Boehm and completed the creative nucleus of this band around the turn of the millennium; day-to-day life indeed feels different some 16 years later (and half as many since the release of their sophomore album, "Notes and the Like"), but the basic chemistry, the intricate balance of electronic and analog molecules that orbit this nucleus – and thus, the resulting mood and vibe -, they're still recognizable, still undeniably Ms. John Soda: Whether it's the dense, intensely rushing soundscapes of "Hero Whales", numerous layers pushing and taking off into the same direction, the propelled clatter of "Sirens", a track like "Millions" that blows off more and more steam, a glistening, wheezing sort of madness even (though there is a tender side to it as well), the perpetual, magic lantern-like motions of "Name It" (think Trish Keenan and Broadcast) or the gradually descending melodies of opening track "In My Arms" – they're all lined with a certain tension, underpinned by a certain atmosphere, a unique brand of melancholy that never quite gives in, keeps searching for new outlets and answers.

The album title Ms. John Soda have chosen for their third full-length, "Loom", obviously hints at this feeling of re-emergence, gathering and looming, but according to the singer, it also refers to a weaving loom: It's about "weaving and combining a vast number of influences, ideas, instruments, melodies, rhythms, and layers to create a whole," says Boehm, whose vocals span these new tracks like thick, reliable ropes that glow with marine luminescence. "It's about weaving individuals into a group ('Millions'), weaving and merging former ideals and hopes with reality ('The Light'), combining 'hi' and 'bye', beginning and end ('Hi Fool'), interweaving opposite or contradicting concepts, such as pushing forward vs. being pushed ('In My Arms')." And while the weaving, just like life itself, can easily get out of hands, "because you lose track, and yet life goes on ('Name It')," a lot of these songs – e.g. "Hero Whales", the billowing "Sodawaltz", "Fall Away" – revolve around a shimmering sense of something we can't quite grasp or put a finger on just yet: "Intuitions, hopes, dreams, wishes, affinities, distances, temptations…"

Whereas Cico Beck aka Joasihno (drums, electronics), also part of Aloa Input and the latest addition to Ms. John Soda's live band, and drummer Thomas Geltinger helped out on various tracks they recorded with Oliver Zülch in Weilheim, Boehm and Acher were also joined by Karl-Ivar Refseth (percussions) and Matthias Götz (trombone). Together, they keep feeding the loom with countless spools of yarn, until epic piano closer "Fall Away" seems to offer a temporary respite: "find your way/take the dry suit off/for a night". Time to rest, to take a deep breath. Or is it already the first rays of dawn looming on the horizon?

Finale Sessions is excited about this reease and we are greatfull to bring you Natan H hailing fro the "City Of Angels" Natan has this energy that we at Finale Sessions as of late have not been able to find so as you know we are estatic to get this out to the masses and give you a little taste of what is going on out on the Left Coast and we start with the track "Lignes" with its melodic pads and its wavering synths make for a latenight beauty for sure then we move to track 2 which is " 0 (Phase)"This track is another latnight stomper with moving chords and melodic drum patterns that keep it a smooth sounding pieace, Then last but not least we have the song "Invariant" (Feat.Jordan) This dub techno track is floor filler for sure with its heavy laden pads and synths and its monsterous sounds one of my favorite tracks at the moment . We want to thank you at Finale Sessions for giving us the opportunity to share this music with you and we hope you enjoy it

The Sylvan Structure EP is a debut for Anja Zaube and Het at the same time.
The sound of this untitled 4-track EP is driven by the vision of deep-dark sonical forests:
A 1is taking the dancer from the floor to a far away soundscape.
On A 2 Anja experiments on the Ambient side of sound. Raising and boosting until it all sheds.
B 1 is definitely located on a forest glade, where you can find the hope, that is needed.
The glitchy sound of B 2 together with its' catchy main pattern is combining abstraction with groove.m

I am very happy and excited to present the new EP by 'Claudia Anderson' on Singular Rec., it's her second release on the label and it's a real pleasure.
She cooked a really varied record once again, 'Liquid Forms' takes place on A1 and it's real voodoo here, the effect of this track is very unique, it's space and deep, surrounded by many little effects that give such a special result, then comes 'Neutral State', a timeless dub & house feeling, very loopy, that reminded me some STL cuts.
'Be One' opens the B... I ve been really sensible to its very sexy percussion's play and delayed lead, it transports literally during all the length, it's very high quality.
To end properly this ep, Claudia did a superb ambient cut, everybody knows I love ambient and so here I ve been charmed... it's a deep, noisy atmospheric track that close the all perfectly, with simple little percussions that come and go, just what it takes...
It's a confirmation of all the good I thought about Claudia's talent, a very subtle, deep and charming record, and I hope you will like it as much as I do!
Marcelus.

We are very happy to start this new edition of Deeply Rooted releases with Insolate 'Mood Module E.P', produced by the very talented Miss Sunshine.
All artists on the new series will work under a new name,new projects and new collaborations. Going back to the roots of techno and house and let the music do the speaking and not the (hyped) names of the producers. Listen with an open mind to these releases approved by the Deeply Rooted (House) label. And as we all know... Dj Deep is a legend with his work as resident dj of the Rex since the very first days, a record collector and music lover extraordinaire, someone who is just like Laurent Garnier on of the key figures in the french house and techno scene for many years. Big up for him daring to choose a different path with his label, always trying to find new inspirations!

The ep goes through different mood and feelings, Epic is a straight up Techno journey, Werk is a great rhythm track that keeps building all the way through!, Parch is a dark and heavy uncompromising track, the record ends with Tuga a deeper and more mysterious jam. We hope you'll like it as much as we do!
Enjoy.
Dj Deep.

we are very happy to announce the first single cut from the long awaited new album of gonno.

gonno is brightest hope of japanese underground house&techno scene.
he has released from international feel,beats in space and name a few and his "acdise#2" on international feel have been supported from laurent garnier,james holden,francois kevorkian,todd terje.

Here comes Strike150, the 150th Shitkatapult release. We're doing the same thing again that we did for the milestone releases Strike50 and Strike100: Sensational tracks, most of them previously unreleased, collected in the hope of presenting a certain contemporary attitude and music of the now.
Feat. Apparat, Oval, Phon.O, Christian Vogel and many more

Slo -mo house at it's best deep shape, including the rare, sought after Maurice Fulton remix for Alice Smith 'Love Endeavour'. Compiled by Rainer Trüby.

We live in hectic, turbulent times. It seems season- and reasonable to slow things bit down. In fact: slow house down to what we calling now: SLOUSE. Implying down to earth club music, with a tapping foot under 116 beats per minute.
House music and its many sliding genres have ruled the clubs and charts, well, a special focus on the slo-mo house is well-deserved.
Rainer Trueby become a guarantee for vanguard soulful dance music and club tunes with such special vibe, which he had formidable approved not only as a DJ but also with sucessful compilations like - Glücklich', - Maiden Voyage' on Compost, DJ Kicks (K7) or compilations for Nuphonic, King Street, Talkin' Loud and other labels.
Rainer Trueby, an artist who spreads love like in the good old days, selected some of the best tunes on the planet, some rare, sought after like the rare Maurice Fulton Remix for Alison Smith - Love Endeavor', in demand tunes like S3A - Deep Mood Act2' or Ron Deacon's - Untitled', amazing discoveries like the Moonstarr tune, or a Laid Back remix, few underrated tracks, well all tracks are worth the grab and get played again & again. It's a full palette of slo-mo house flavors and moods as Rainer Trueby takes us on a magical trip into his imagination of Slouse.

The result is a future classic compilation with melodic and groovy masterpieces, made for your home-, garden-, car- , club listening pleasure. It works for the happy hour as well as the after hour.

Hope you love it as much as we do !

Optimo Music is usually known as a 12" label, but occasionally something rare and dangerous comes our way that compels us to release a full length album...

It's not exactly a dance album, although there is music you can dance to on it. It's more filmic in nature, with gads of references to wonderful directors like Kubrick and Carpenter that will enthrall a film buff, particularly if they're interested in electronic and dance music. There's a sleazy and unsettling feel to much of the tracks ("Tina Weymouth" is a sleaze-floor monster groove...), but we hope it will intrigue and delight!

The film references are directly relevant as Felizol and The Boy are film directors Yiannis Veslemes and Alexandros Voulgaris, who live in Athens, Greece and have composed music for numerous feature films. They also perform live in house clubs, heavy metal dungeons and hippy-friendly festivals...

They have this to say about their release: "We had a loose concept for this album and we compiled tracks that we've recorded the last 3 years that have to do with the cannibalism. Literally but also as a metaphor for the blessing and the tyranny of paying homage and influenced from music and films (and directors and musicians).

So these are songs about the agony of creating something new and personal when so much information and influences are fused in them."

Hot on the heels of his last outing for the Delsin house series comes this, another essential new offering from German producer Erdbeerschnitzel. The experienced producer has many skills in his arsenal and this new EP proves that once again. The title track The Ample Waters is a joyous and lively concoction that fuses curious melodies with busy little piano stabs and more trilling, sunny melodies. It's busy house for bustling dancefloors and next up, Never Tilt slows things down with jumbled, woody percussion falling over lazy drums and stretched, yawning synth smears. Colourful and effervescent, it's a track that makes you want to shake your limbs. With Level Hopes is again characterised by melodic colour, with pixelated patterns stretched over a funky, gooey bassline and clacking percussion. There's a beautifully DIY feel to the loosely assembled track that gives it a life all of its own before closer Yet Unfulfilled pairs slo-mo beats with neo-soul vocal snippets, lazy and stoned summer chords. It's the most emotive of the lot, but all four tracks are truly feel good jams that have come just in time for some serious summer action.

End Of Dayz Records was created in this year of changes, the end of an era, the beginning of other times.. That's what we hope. This new label is owned by a Discos Paradiso crew member, Dj Bruce Lee. After 15 years in the underground scene in Barcelona, he has decided to create this platform.

The productions of producer Bunny 'Striker' Lee were so extensive in the early to mid 1970's that labels were created just to handle his ever expanding output.
Three labels that came about during this time when dub was king were Jackpot. Justice and Attack.
Here we look at the Jackpot label and have compiled a collection of some of its finest dub cuts.
Jackpot Records was formed in the early 1970's as a subsidiary of Trojan Records to handle the output from the hitmaker from Jamaica..Bunny 'Striker 'Lee
Bunny was at the birth of dub and worked closely with Dubmaster King Tubby,having his masters stored at Tubbys allowed his rhythms to be worked on by Tubby, whether it was to remix or add vocals to an existing tape,the new interest in the dubbed version would see the next single being worked on for its version side.
We have gathered here what we think are some of the best dubcuts from this label and era..
Hope uou enjoy the set

For his new EP Nicolas Aftalion is still paying his due respects to the early House Meisters. 3 brand new trax of heavily NY influenced House Music. Still Old school but always fresh. From Paris with love, THAT'S SOME SERIOUS SHIT ! is a record label dedicated to old House music and to dancers. Following the steps of Kerry Chandler, Mr. Fingers, Ron Trent, Masters at Work and so on... Away from the hype, we want to bring back the spirit of the early 90's when House music was not only music, but a communion of body, soul, freedom and love. We hope to get you with us... in the dance, in the club.
Now ride on the sound

Repress

In this time of age where it seems many are slowing down the BPM on tracks and releases it makes us extra proud and happy to send you another Fast and XTRM Hardcore monster!

All 4 tracks rock out harder than hard and the slowest track on the EP is 190 BPM.. So you boys & girls get the message... This is not for the weak hearted... This is HARD Core!!!

Hope you guys enjoy these releases as much as we do and play it loud and fast just as DROKZ & AKIRA intended it to be played!!

It's not easy making jams that really work the crowd just as well in Bristol as in Berlin. Nor any other city for that matter. It's those crossover artists that really stand out for us with tunes that do so much more than just ride the wave of what's hot. Enter The Organ Grinder and his sick 3track EP for Heist. 'How did I get here", the A1 track, might sound like something you'd ask yourself when you realize you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, but for us, this track is everything but that. This track has the most gritty and rolling percussion we've heard in a long time, a looped key with a hint of sleazy techno and some subs that will easily blow your grandma's porcelain to pieces. Add some odd FM frequency noises and you've got yourself a killer tune. Changes all the time takes a more drawn back approach, aptly characterized in the vox: 'repetition, with tiny changes all the time.' A set of carefully placed stabs. pads and strings along with a great arrangement that keeps you wanting more of that warm but rough groove. The Valley of doom takes you on a journey through the whole B-side with a stripped down, almost dubby techno vibe, nicely countered with The OG's signature slamming and gritty percussion. I hope you will enjoy this record as much as we do. Sincerely yours, Lars & Maarten

William Kouam Djoko returns to Voyage Direct with Deflourished. After a year with a lot of high highs and some deep lows, William found himself on the dance floor listening to a set by Chicago Footwork specialists DJ Rashaad & DJ Spinn.
William experienced what religious people might call a divine moment. All the experiences, emotions and soul searching from the previous year came together in one emotional, energetic moment. William tried to recapture all of this in his studio the next day and within hours Deflourished was created. A pure form of energy shared by William for everyone to enjoy, hopefully as much as he enjoyed creating it.

B-side Behind Closed Doors completes the package; a lot more subtle and refined than it's A-side brother. A synth-heavy, down-pitched and outstretched song that builds heavily on space, both physical and mentally. On his Sophomore Voyage Direct release William Kouam Djoko truly sets out on a voyage to discover his inner-self. The result, whether it's the expressive energy of Deflourished, or the more mesmerising gloominess of Behind Closed Doors, is beautiful to say the least.

The package is completed by a stunning video of Deflourished made by graphic designer Saša Ostaja and animator Niko Lanzuisi. The video will be launched at a special party