The 40th Anniversary edition celebrating the launch of the legendary Max Mix series wouldn’t be complete without the reissue of the original megamixes created by Mike Platinas and Javier Ussía in 1985. Many of you have asked for this, and it was something we simply couldn’t overlook.
We are therefore proud to present the DELUXE editions of Max Mix and Max Mix 2 (40th Anniversary). Each release comes as a double LP: the first vinyl features the original megamixes, while the second includes the exclusive 40th Anniversary versions. Every edition is pressed on beautifully combined multi-color vinyl. In addition, each release includes a previously unreleased mix of the 40th Anniversary version, available exclusively on these new Deluxe editions
“LET IT SHINE” IS A MIX OF EXPLORATION, LIGHTNESS AND CREATIVE CONNECTION.
THE TITLE “ LET IT SHINE” HOLDS THE ESSENCE OF THE WHOLE PROJECT. IT’S ABOUT TRUSTING YOUR INSTINCTS, BEING OPEN, AND LETTING YOUR OWN SPARK COME THROUGH
NO MATTER WHAT FORM IT TAKES. IT’S AN INVITATION TO LET YOUR TRUE COLORS SHOW TO EXPRESS YOUR ENERGY AND LIGHT WITHOUT HOLDING BACK.
IN A WAY, IT’S A REMINDER TO STOP HIDING BEHIND WHAT’S EXPECTED AND INSTEAD LET WHAT’S TRUE SHINE THROUGH.
Rahaan has become a Chicago legend, a DJ who is widely recognised for his exceptional skills behind the decks and his exquisite taste in music. Lately he has also been earning plaudits for his production skills with some truly outstanding releases. Rahaan has collaborated on a very special release featuring Swiss-born and Italy-raised, Kihmy is an artist and producer who creates nocturnal soul music, where electronic textures and trip-hop atmospheres converge. Her sound lives in the shadows, intimate and cinematic, characterized by a deep and expressive voice and emotionally engaging lyrics.
"Let it Shine" EP released on Soulistic 360 (April 2026). Grab the limited edition vinyl before it's gone!
Dam Swindle nail 2026 as the year of House music’s glorious return with their new “Call me” EP.
2026 is the year of House music. Festivals, clubs, bars and living rooms have been craving for more warmth and soul in electronic music and you know we’re here for it.
It’s only been a few months since we celebrated the 100th release on Heist with our ‘House of House’ compilation; a 19-track embodiment of everything we love about house music where label heads Dam Swindle teamed up with Detroit legend DJ Minx on their track ‘Back to the old school’. Now, landing just in time for summer, the Amsterdam duo deliver a new EP filled with dancefloor energy across 5 original cuts and vocals courtesy of British-Bengali rapper Surya Sen.
The title track ‘Call me’ is a stabby and string-heavy peak time jam, where chopped female vocals and offbeat cowbells deliver a simply irresistible groove. ‘5 to 9’ features the vocals of London rapper Surya Sen whose deep voice add an instant vibe to Dam Swindle’s deep and Detroit’esque production. This track sits somewhere between gritty dark rooms and sweaty dancefloors.
Definitely not the stuff for your 9 to 5, but with plenty of funk for your after-work pleasures. The track comes in 2 versions; the vocal mix and a longer club-dub with some cleverly chopped vocals that comes in handy for the DJ sets.
The B1 is saved for ‘I like it’. A track full of old school Swindle swing, Rhodes chords, a dash of electronics and soulful vocals chops for good measure. The EP closer is ‘A house track’; a song dedicated to the old school New York house sound and an affirmation that great house music doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to groove.
This one has been road-tested all year and is now ready for your listening and playing pleasure. As always, share the music and play it loud!
Yours,
Heist HQ.
Don't Know How To Change: a timeless house music masterpiece.
Since Julian Lindsey slid smoothly into the New York House scene back in 2014, he has become renowned for his sharp musical intuition, slick selections and a symbiotic relationship with the crowd. He takes the groove on the record and transmits it to the groove on the dancefloor.
Don't Know How To Change is Julian Lindsey’s debut EP, released on the Sound of Vast. The title track is smooth beyond belief, funky house keys and a laid back soulful vocal work with the bass to make your hips start to move, before a house backbeat takes you by the hand onto the dancefloor. At 3:15 mins, Julian Lindsey plays his ace card with a TB-303 acid tweak drenched with emotion. Just superb. The Subb-an Dubmix stays true to the original, claps and snares bring a dancefloor immediacy, the vocal line chopped to bring the funk. Ibiza will go wild for this Dubmix.
Miami Air starts with a Funktion-1-lovin’ deep velvet groove. Close your eyes and you can almost smell that dusky, warm Atlantic coast beach at sunset, driving with the roof down as the lights start to twinkle across Vice City and the bass drum beats through your fulcrum. A perfect companion for Don’t Know How To Change. Francesca Lombardo’s remix takes Miami Air from dusk to deep night, A mini Moog 4/4, rimshot claps and a vintage synth line guides you past midnight onto the dark, humid dancefloor where bodies writhe.
Julian Lindsey tells us more: The EP is really the story of my relationship with house music and a snapshot of where I was in my life when I made these tracks. I have an obsession with house music that is borderline unhealthy. The sound is rooted in 2010s house music, which is the era where my love for house music really developed.
東京 / アムステルダムを股にかけるレーベルSound Of Vast から、NYC拠点のアーティスト Julian LindseyによるデビューEPをリリース！
レイドバックしたグルーヴに物憂げなコードとスムースなヴォーカルが踊るレイトナイト・ダンサー"Don't Know How To Change"、現代的でクリスピーなタッチと虚飾を捨てた洗練が宿る"Miami Air”。新鋭と聞いて疑いたくもなる研ぎ澄まされた感覚からは、さながら10年代「Pampa」や「Smallville」作品のメランコリア、Galcher Lustwerkのロウなアウトサイダー・ハウス、あるいはRed Pig FlowerやThe MoleによるSound Of Vast 原典を思い出す。実際Julian Lindsey自身、この年代のディープ・ハウスへの熱狂からキャリアを始めているようだ。
A-2には Sound Of Vast への帰還を果たしたベルリンのベテラン Subb-anの、B-2にはUK拠点のFrancesca Lombardoによるリミックスを収録。ここ数年「X-Kalay」やThomas Melchiorの「My King Is Light」等からプログレッシヴな快作を飛ばすSubb-anがアクアティックに再構築した前者、期待以上のサイケデリックなテクスチャーで時間感覚を狂わせる後者。それぞれの卓越したサウンドメイクで昇華されたDJツールが出揃っており、いずれも現代ダンスフロアからの要請に真正面から応えてくれるはずだ。
本作はJulian Lindseyのバイオグラフィーの第1弾を飾るエヴァーグリーンなディープ・ハウス作品であると同時に、常にダンサーを見つめてきた Sound Of Vast から送り出された、信頼のおけるフロア・フレンドリーなEPでもある。
Bruno Berle is a singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and figurehead of a contemporary Brazilian music movement. With a quiet mastery of songwriting and an astonishing voice, his music has won hearts around the world. Since the release of his debut album No Reino Dos Afetos (2022), Berle has performed across the UK, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and China, only leaving his home country for the first time in 2023. Shaped by these journeys, Berle’s third studio album, Sem Fronteiras (Without Borders), reflects a utopian vision of a unified world.
Recorded across London, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Germany, and Maceió, the album–co-produced alongside his longstanding musical partner Batata Boy–is the most expansive canvas Berle has worked on to date. Shot through with the imagery that has always animated his songwriting: open skies, morning light, vivid colours and the magic of human connection, Berle’s carefully crafted poetics and warm, delicate instrumentation drive this vivid body of work.
“I came from nothing”–Berle doesn’t take his rise to global prominence for granted.
Born to a working class family from Brazil’s northeastern Alagoas state, one of Brazil’s most economically deprived, Bruno moved frequently in his youth to follow any job opportunities his parents could find, before eventually settling in the coastal capital of Maceió. “I used to travel to Caruaru, Santa Cruz, Recife, Garanhuns, Arapiraca, which I loved and feel it made me ready to be in this rhythm i’, but at the same time I think not having friends from childhood and being in constant change made me a little numb to the constant upheaval”. On Sem Fronteiras, there is a similar duality at play. The album celebrates the collective joy and human connection that live touring brings, but it also sits with the darker realities of crossing borders. While music moves more freely around the world than ever before, our bodies are not granted the same privilege.
Though he’s never lacked self-belief, Berle recognises that talent alone doesn’t guarantee opportunity. “Before my second album No Reino Dos Afetos 2 everything I had ever recorded was made with the help and kindness of people who believed in my ability”. Determined to pay that kindness forward and help others from the sharp end of Brazil’s desperately unequal society, Berle produced and featured on the recent self-titled albums by his northeast Brazilian compatriots, Nyron Higor and Phylipe Nunes Araújo (both 2025), helping propel both onto the international stage. In turn, following the successes of Nyron & Phylipe’s albums alongside his own, Bruno finds himself at the forefront of a thriving community of artists now based in São Paulo, but primarily originating from northeastern states like Alagoas and Pernambuco.
Much like the famed Clube Da Esquina movement that spawned in 1970’s Minas Gerais, they operate with a free-exchange of ideas, writing songs with and for each other, performing on each other’s albums and on the live circuit together. Lead single ‘Manha’ flows from this ethos. It was written by Berle’s friend and fellow Alagoan João Menezes (writer of ‘Ate Meu Violao’ and ‘Te Amar Eterno’ from Bruno’s previous albums) and Marvin Viera, and originally recorded on their 2018 album Areia e Mar.
Sem Fronteiras opens with ‘Você Já Sabe Que Eu Te Amo’, just six beats of one nylon guitar chord ring out before changing key, paving the way for the gentle strike of fender rhodes and the arresting call & response duet between Berle and Higor. On ‘Amor Inteiro’, the album reaches a celebratory burst of catharsis, with the punch-packing drums of Pedro Lacerda and Nina Maia’s joyous backing vocals encapsulating the live energy that Berle and his band bring to the stage.
With the abundant talents of this musical community at its heart, Sem Fronteiras releases 10th July 2026 via Far Out Recordings, supported by a summer tour across Europe. Bruno Berle will perform in a four-piece band alongside Nyron Higor, Phylipe Nunes, and Batata Boy, culminating in an appearance at Roskilde festival, Berle’s biggest live show to date. He’ll continue to carry a hopeful vision of a world where artists and musicians can move as freely as their music flows.
Tracklist:
A1 “Você Já Sabe Que Eu Te Amo”
(Nyron Higor / Bruno Berle)
Nyron Higor – drums, bass, acoustic guitar, electric piano, synthesizers, vocals
Bruno Berle – piano, vocals
Batata Boy – piano
Jorik Bergman – score preparation and conducting
Klara Gronet – violin
Ségolène de Beaufond – violin
Cristina Ardelean Montelongo – viola
Ilektra Stevi – cello
A2 “Não Posso Viver Sem Você”
(Batata Boy / Bruno Berle)
Batata Boy – electric piano, organ, synthesizer
Bruno Berle – drums, bass, synthesizer, vocals
Jorik Bergman – score preparation and conducting
Klara Gronet – violin
Ségolène de Beaufond – violin
Cristina Ardelean Montelongo – viola
Ilektra Stevi – cello
A3 “A Noite de Estrelas”
(Nyron Higor / Bruno Berle)
Nyron Higor – synthesizers
Bruno Berle – bass, drums, vocals
A4 “Outra Noite”
(Bruno Berle)
Nyron Higor – drums
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitar, bass
Felipe Berle – congas
Lucca Francisco – guitar, vocals
B1 “Amor Inteiro”
(Bruno Berle)
Pedro Lacerda – drums, choir
Nyron Higor – bass, choir
Batata Boy – guitars, organ, electric piano, choir
Nina Maia – choir
Bruno Berle – guitars, acoustic guitar, congas, vocals
B2 “Ideias Mágicas”
(Batata Boy / Bruno Berle)
Heloisa Alvino – trombone
Batata Boy – synthesizers, beats, electric piano, organ, bass
Bruno Berle – synthesizer, vocals
B3 “Vim Dizer”
(Batata Boy / Bruno Berle)
Batata Boy – electric piano, organ, synthesizer
Thomas Stankiewicz – synthesizer
Nyron Higor – synthesizer
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitar, bass, vocals
B4 “Tô Assim”
(Bruno Berle)
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitars
Batata Boy – synthesizer
Nyron Higor – bass, synthesizer
B5 “Manhã”
(João Menezes / Marvin Silva)
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitar, vocals, congas, shaker
Batata Boy – piano, shaker, electric piano, vibraphone, synthesizers
Nyron Higor – drums, bass
B6 “Sem Fronteiras”
(Bruno Berle)
Filipe Mariz – guitar
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitar, vocals, bass
Jennifer Souza – vocals, acoustic guitar
Rudson França – drums
Credits:
Produced by Bruno Berle and Batata Boy
Mixed and mastered by Bruno Berle, Batata Boy and Felipe Berle
Audio engineering:
Nyron Higor (track 1 – production; track 4 with Felipe Berle)
Joe Osborne (tracks 7 and 9)
Victor Gelling (strings on tracks 1 and 2)
Filipe Mariz (track 10)
Photography: Claudio Virgínio
Design: Minchai
Recorded in:
Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
Tamandaré, Pernambuco, Brazil
Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
London, England
Cologne, Germany
FIG thief is an Amsterdam-based artist from Greece. This album refers to the healing process of opening up the self to diverse encounters. This diversity represents the transgression of the material and immaterial boundaries. Peonies are the healing flowers. Planting the peonies led this creation to bloom. It is a trip-hop album with pure hip-hop elements. It portrays the playfulness of making music and accepting transformations . Slam poetry, bars, and travelling melodies with punchy breaks. Art doesn't belong to the artist. It is a co-creation.
Sticky Plastik returns with its fourth album. Side A features two peak-time tech-house cuts by Romanian artist Mar.c., while Side B resonates with warm-up and after-hours deep house from South African producer Saunter.
A1 “Errand" is hypnotic and driving tech-house groove built around stripped-back percussion, rolling low-end pressure, and subtle tension. “Errand” delivers a raw late-night energy designed for peak-time dancefloors. A2 “Advised” refines a rhythmic journey with crisp drums, infectious grooves, and atmospheric textures. It balances deep minimal elements with dancefloor momentum, making it equally effective in intimate clubs and larger spaces. Side B opens with “Memories of Venice”, a dark and emotional composition enriched by an unfiltered acid bassline and deep tech-house aesthetics, the kind of track made for dimly lit and intimate environments. The closing track, “Plastik Dreams”, is a deep and airy composition, perfect for warm-up sessions or open-air settings surrounded by nature.
Freerange welcomes Italian via Berlin producer/DJ/label boss Enzo Elia for his debut on the label entitled The Lost Guitar Tapes. Enzo is someone who has been releasing consistently great music for many years, although
often hidden behind a myriad of pseudonyms and underground imprints. For starters he's responsible for a mysterious yet established and very excellent edits label as well as being a member of Balearic Gabba Sound System alongside Bjorn Torske amongst others. Following the philosophy of this collective, Enzo is also producing lovingly and respectfully created re-edits of long lost techno and house tracks as well as many new tunes
for influential labels including Golf Channel and Compost.
But for now we turn to The Lost Guitar Tapes and specifically the original mix of Drifting which opens up the release with a brilliant tension builder. A rolling bassline, crisp minimal drums and a subtly Middle Eastern-influenced melodic line give just a hint of mysticism to this jewel of a track.
For the remix we have none other than the Tel Aviv via Berlin producer Moscoman, fresh from his brilliant debut LP on ESP Institute and releases on Eskimo and his own Disco Halal label. Moscoman's organic, percussion- heavy sound and Middle Eastern roots make him the perfect choice to take
on Drifting and we couldn't have wished for a better outcome. He manages to inject his own identity to the track with newly recorded live guitar and bass parts and taking in elements of techno, new wave and house, he's created a sublime piece of dancefloor drama. Finally we have an alternate Dub version which lays down a firmer four on the floor, extra percussion and dubby stabs for a more driving atmospheric club tool.
The brand new ANORAX RECORDS label’s mantra is #eatsleepcollect - which makes its’ debut release right on point.
Drizabone’s anthemic “Pressure” has become a huge collectors want with appeal to Modern Soul fans, Northern Soul followers and House addicts via the much loved Roger Sanchez remix.
Drizabone burst on to a dazzling British Soul scene in the early 1990’s, following the footsteps of Soul II Soul and Loose Ends, rubbing shoulders with the likes of The Brand New Heavies as UK acts laid down their own distinctive Soul DNA.
After debuting with “Real Love” which went from a mystery white label to a chart smash, Drizabone went on to record the iconic “Conspiracy” album.
“Pressure” has endured like fine wine and is now hailed as an all time classic.
ANORAX present the original and very in-demand original backed with Roger Sanchez’s Nu- Solution remix on limited edition 7 inch single.
Peach Discs celebrates peak western-hemisphere summer with the perfectly-timed-and-titled "Soft Serve Summer" EP from I. JORDAN. We were delighted when they sent us these tunes, which represent a brighter, housier and more personal side to their sound than many have seen before. Inspired by their recent tour of Australia, the EP (named after the title track that got the ball rolling on the other side of the planet) bottles a loose, sun-kissed feeling across all five tracks that's keen to be unleashed at festivals, beaches and dancefloors worldwide.
Opener "Your Love" boots things off in style, sitting somewhere between Power House and French Touch as layers of oscillating synths, percolating drums and vocal chops take turns in the spotlight – but when all's said and done it's the bassline that gets the flowers, duh.
Things turn a little more introspective on "Little Tinker", as the titular bells sprinkled throughout summon up something…else? Whatever you think that is, the muscular bassline once again keeps us grounded, as washes of dreamy synths lap at the shore and everything is in its right place, before the urgent organ stabs and diva moans of "Soft Serve Summer" pull us straight back to the middle of the floor.
Echoes (1984) is the debut solo album by Wally Badarou, a keyboardist and producer closely associated with the Compass Point Studios scene.
This re-issue faithfully replicates the original Island Records UK release and is pressed on 180g vinyl.
Echoes has since gained cult status for its forward-thinking production and genre-defying style. Built around early digital synthesizer technology and fluid composition, the album remains a notable example of 1980s electronic music that continues to resonate with modern audiences.
The Bug and Ghost Dubs relentlessly probe and atomize original material culled from Kevin Richard Martin's critically acclaimed 'Sub Zero' album. ("Monolithic and unforgiving, even by the Bug’s standards, representing his most suffocating take on ambient dub yet." Pitchfork)
Remixed to punish sound systems and freeze up the dance, both Fiedler and Martin trade fresh, contrasting blows, after their recent IMPLOSION face off album on PRESSURE last year. (Dub/Reggae album of the year, 2025, in 'The Wire')
The resulting 4 remixes are every bit as hypnotic and persuasive as you would hope for from productions fresh out the soundlabs of Michael Fiedler aka GHOST DUBS and Kevin Richard Martin under his dancefloor destroying Bug alias. Both producers intensify the desolate mood of the originals but introduce demolition inducing beats which provide the literally irresistible momentum. Echoes of the originals are respected and heard throughout, but the extra gear shifts pay off brilliantly.
Guaranteed to push serious air, and test the most powerful of sub woofers, these 4 remixes vary from heavy to superheavyweight. i.e. GHOST DUBS outputs a deliriously stoned headnod with his zonal refix of 'When I'm Gone', which miraculously sounds both subtley mysterious, but monolithically huge, whilst The Bug prowls ice cold, on the noirish, narcotic, instrumental hip hop of 'Too Human', which sounds like prime Mobb Deep mixed by Rhythm & Sound' at 16 bpm.
Essential remixes of an already very special album, the original atmosphere is not only captured expertly, it is categorically amplified. LARGE.
RAW SOUL returns with its twelfth release, welcoming Hamburg-based producer, multi-instrumentalist, and creative force FRAG MADDIN - also known as BERUS and FMN - to the catalogue.
Across four tracks, Maddin channels the energy of live improvisation straight into hardware, capturing each take in the moment before refining the best parts himself and passing them on to mastering engineer Matthias Heinstein for the final polish. The result is a tightly focused, floor-ready record: deep, cavernous basslines, raw drum programming, and a sound firmly rooted in the spirit of original Chicago house while remaining fully present in today's underground.
Since 2012, FRAG MADDIN has been active internationally, releasing on respected labels such as Kerri Chandler's Madhouse Records, DVS1's Mistress Recordings, Glasgow Underground, and Snatch! Records. As an artist, he moves fluidly between groove, experimentation, and cross-genre expression - something that also shines through in his projects BERUS and FMN.
A standout moment on the EP is "Excuse Me," on which Maddin provides his own vocals - unfiltered, direct, and perfectly placed in the mix.
Goldmin Music label founder Romain Lanteaume alias EinKa meets Detroit minimalism master Terrence Dixon aka Population one for a truly conceptual techno 12".. Terrence Dixon is one of our favorite artists and biggest inspiration.. Detroitborn artist released his first 12" back in 1994 followed by several quintessential records and 2 epic albums "From the far future" on legendary Berlin-based label Tresor. Terrence is not only a great techno producer who makes subwoofers roar in clubs, he is a man obsessed by a concept, an idea that he's following from the very beginning.. "Minimalism" in the reaaaaal sense of the word.. For example, when thousands producers are wondering what's eventually missing in their new track, Terrence is rather wondering what's useless, what could be removed and that's definitely what he gets to share on his own "Reduction" imprint. After the release of Terrence's track "Steve Austin's mile" on Goldmin Theme Lp, Romain got to meet him in Detroit during summer 2014. The aim was to make an abstract record that could still be linked to a feeling or a situation.. A1 The edge track is probably a good example as it's designed and built to make you feel like you get closer and closer to the edge while the track is slowly growing until you fall.. Can you feel it :) As for the other tracks, there is also a special idea behind them but we better let you interpret it your way
After years of being lost at sea, the ancient scrolls containing the long sought after fragments of X-Coast were discovered. It was decided that the transcripts be pressed onto plates and scattered throughout the realms, so that the age-old knowledge may never be forgotten.
On the front side of the disc, we deciphered two XTC transmissions. The first, "XTC I" dates from the original session. The second is the final attempt known to us, "XTC V".
The reverse side unfolds with an interpretation of "XTC V" by the prophet known as Foamek, who brings it to new, uncharted reaches of euphoria. The next scroll, titled "Horns" is a real collector's gem, played just once before during the inaugural X-Coast Boiler Room - transmission Belgrade.
The plate ends with what we believe is the first X-Coast session ever recorded. Simply called "Horizon”, it was evident that the inhabitants of the island stumbled upon something legendary.
This is a one-time opportunity to obtain the scrolls. Do not let them fall into the wrong hands!
CEPX002 is around the corner and marks the second chapter of the X Series on CEP Records. With this release we welcome vinyl head Eubo from Glasgow to the label. From the first track he sent us it was clear that this is the direction we want to push. A strong old-school influence, shaped by vinyl culture and the energy of the early two thousands. The connection felt natural from the start.
A1 'Iron' is probably the most intense track on the record. A rolling bassline, sharp and slippy drums, and a lead that lays over the track with deep mids. It brings a short moment of calm, while the drive stays constant. A2 'Aluminium' stands out with its clear high hats and a modular synth that recalls sweaty and dark mornings. The sound has a slightly hypnotic and metallic touch. On the B side, 'Steel' moves through the interplay of its synths. The kick and bass stay steady and driving. A timeless track that can underline the peak moments in a DJ set. Closing the release is 'Lead'. It brings a funky bass together with serious, almost contrasting synth stabs.
Riviera Records is a brand new label that kicks off with ‘Move’ - a statement of intent from founder X-Coast. Continuing to perform across the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia, X-Coast is an unconventional character and little is known about the mysterious Serbian other than the concept for the alias is that it exists “somewhere in the deep blue Caribbean Sea, between your imagination and what’s real.” Having released on labels like Hot Haus, Lost Palms and Steel City Dance Discs, X-Coast now launches Riviera Records with a promise to be an uncompromising clash of sounds” and the label stays true to that from the get-go.
There is no mucking about here as X-Coasts demonstrates his versatility as a producer with three varying mixes of ‘Move’ making up the bulk of the package. First up is the Trans Mix: an arms-in-the-air, throwback trance track with euphoric vocal stabs all primed to inject real energy into any set. House Mix then bounces and bumps with a refracted garage vox and endless old school dynamism, before the twisting and turning Breaks Mix follows with its thumping drums, hits and rattling dub sounds that all explode to life. Finally, ‘Naos’ totally flips the script with a slow, deep, cosmic workout build on a rugged bassline. A breathy voice, warm chords and balmy pads all wash over you like a Balearic breeze and take you to hedonistic dance floor somewhere in 80s Ibiza.
Casino isn’t just a track to me. It comes straight from my love for the classic Italian American gangster films I grew up on. Being Italian, I was obsessed with movies like Casino and Goodfellas. I’ve watched them more times than I can count. The style, the tension, the way the characters talk and carry themselves always hit me differently.
The idea for this track actually came from one of those iconic moments: a scene between De Niro and Pesci as their relationship starts to unravel. I’d seen it countless times, but this time I stopped and thought: what if I used this in a track? Would it elevate the music or would I ruin one of the greatest films ever made? That thought lit the spark.
I wanted to capture that same energy. The power. The danger. The drama. And bring it into sound. Casino is the result. Raw, cinematic, and authentic. I hope it hits you the same way those films have always hit me.
Anthony Hüseyin presents their new album O Geliyor (Making O), in which they return to the rediscovery of their gender, their childhood, and their attachment to Zeki Müren.
Müren is widely regarded as the most important queer exponent in the history of Turkish Art Music (Türk Sanat Müzigi). This genre of music was open to musical hybridism, and Müren himself also included elements of jazz and pop music.
Stylistically, O Geliyor (Making O) is a combination of contemporary discoid electro-pop music, based on Turkish Art Music by Zeki Müren. After successful current re-interpretations of Turkish music styles like neo-Anatolian pop and neo-Arabesk, this album provides a first take on neo-Turkish Art Music.
The album title is referring to the third genderless person pronoun in Turkish called "O", which encompasses all gender possibilities in one word. The album reflects on the memories that haunt us and the indescribable wounds of displacement. Set against the backdrop of Berlin, home to many immigrants and political and queer refugees, it exposes the profound emptiness in a metropolis wishing to imagine itself as a safe haven for the free-spirited, yet always reminding the Other that they don't belong. At the same time, it delivers anthems for the displaced, for the queer migrants who traverse internal and external landscapes in search of a place called home.
Anthony Hüseyin is a non-binary musician and performance artist of Kurdish-Turkish and Arabic descent who works with voice, text, film, dance, and installation. Raised in Urfa in Southeastern Turkey, where they learned traditional local music, they went on to study both classical and jazz singing in Istanbul and Rotterdam. Their works combine the personal and political to explore memory, identity, community, collective consciousness, and the body.
Brutkho strikes back on Goldmin Music with his very first vinyl release. A first physical release is always something special and exciting, So of course, it had to be a very personal and deeply touching package of music. Horvath Tamas alias Brutkho is actually one of the artists we feel since the first listen of his music. This hungarian producer has the power to play with the unexpected, to build captivating structures without losing sight of the essential simplicity this music needs."Now & then", his first ep on Goldmin Music and "Magic 32" on the compilation were already authentic demonstrations of this guy's assertive personality and aspirations but he definitely pushed the process further on this record.
Gabriella and Coleman are two massive deep-techno stompers focused on the atmosphere, the texture, the immersion which will play with your senses from the beginning to the end and fool your previous certainties without any doubt.Tel-Aviv based producers Deep'a & Biri who recently joined Derrick May's Transmat agency and who deliver some of the finest dub techno cuts of today catched the original track delicious pianos and dropped them into their sumptuous cinetic industrial groove.French producer Jan Hendez drives it into a pure rhythmic and organic piece of music unbound by usual genre limits. Menacing, very cold yet still deep and sexy remix that reminds both his first releases and his newer strictly atmospheric and mental approach.That's exactly the point with this record. It's a meeting of spontaneous artists who never stop their musical research, who don't mind about fleeting trends and who push boundaries further on every single track they do.
EVPHORIA is not just a record. It’s a trigger.
140 BPM of tension, ascent and release — engineered to push the dancefloor into collective hypnosis.
Balancing power house propulsion, techno pulse and large-scale emotional lift, the track transforms a strangely familiar sensation into something raw, direct and uncompromising. No nostalgia — only forward motion. A rise that refuses to come down.
The original version unfolds as a sustained euphoric surge: driving percussion, insistent hooks and controlled repetition built for peak-time unity.
The edit version distills that energy into a tighter DJ weapon — immediate, sharp, floor-focused.
On the B-side, Inflammable Noise appears in its instrumental form — pure club mechanics, no vocals, no distraction. A stripped version that amplifies tension and turns the track into a true dancefloor weapon. Already tested in demanding environments, it notably detonated a peak-time moment when Chloé Caillet played it at Berghain — a point where the room tipped over.
EVPHORIA moves freely across scenes — from house floors pushing tempo to techno basements and high-intensity dance spaces — built for DJs chasing the rupture point.
Pressed in a strict limited edition.
Vinyl only — no digital release.
Created under the EVPHORIA imprint by Hardrock Striker — dancefloor architect and driving force behind the Skylax universe — this release stands as a physical, autonomous club statement.
Sleeve artwork by H5 (Daft Punk, Air, Étienne de Crécy, Logorama, Kanye West / Adidas), reinforcing EVPHORIA as both a sonic and visual manifesto.
EVPHORIA doesn’t ask permission.
EVPHORIA triggers.
A record for the moment the room tips over.
Strong international support from Richie Hawtin, Arnaud Rebotini (Black Strobe), Kristian Beyer (Âme / Innervisions), Dax J, Ilario Alicante, Chris Fortier, Michel Gaubert, DJ Mag, KEXP Seattle, Byte FM, Tsugi, Waveform Transmitter and many more.
Outstanding reactions included: "This is just perfect... one of the best things I've heard in recent weeks. Supported!" (Club Furies), "Great release! Adding to Waveform Recommended." (Ste Knight), "Excellent work here! Will play on my show." (Fly Radio 104 FM), "Great – will play." (Radio Reverb), "Energetic and ethereal club energy." (CJSW Canada)
The Sound of Love International 008 curated by Ivan Smagghe.
The next chapter of Love International's compilation series with Test Pressing arrives through the lens of Ivan Smagghe. Guided by his long-standing mantra, “the style of no style,” the 12-track selection drifts effortlessly between shadow and light - a reflection of the festival as he knows it.
This is Smagghe’s version of Love International: unpolished in the right places, intuitive, and deeply attuned to the stranger corners of the Adriatic experience. The compilation captures the balance at the heart of the festival: connection, curiosity, and a shared rhythm that holds it all together. Slightly out of reach yet exactly where it should be.
It took a while, but now Panthera Krause is finally back on Riotvan. With what felt like a thousand tracks sitting on the hard drive, we somehow narrowed it down to four and welded them together into one EP. A collection that belongs together while sounding completely different at every turn. From funky house to acid, from trippy percussion-driven sunrise excursions and back again, this record moves through moods and textures without ever standing still. A colorful bouquet loaded with energy, carrying that very specific spirit that somehow feels unmistakably Panthera and unmistakably Riotvan at the same time. We’re happy. Panthera’s happy. Hopefully you are too. Welcome back! It was about damn time.
On Board Music returns with its next remixes package. Following the "Point C Remixes" in 2024, the Rotterdam based label now revisits four tracks taken from its charity compilations "The Meaning of Time" and "The Meaning of Time II" - all reimagined by fellow On Board artists. Born during the global health crisis of 2020, "The Meaning of Time" series explored the shifts, fractures, and altered perceptions of time experienced during that period. This new remix edition not only reshapes selected pieces through the vision of close label affiliates and takes them closer to the dancefloor, but also sees all tracks freshly remastered by Neel. The four tracks were given a new life in two different ways - by remastering and reinterpretation. Luigi Tozzi treats Polygonia's aquatic ambient piece "Magnetic Force" and pushes the track deeper into dark and hypnotic late night territories. Vera Logdanidi's emotionally charged arpeggiated electronic work "Water bubble Floating In Space" receives a peak-time reinterpretation by Non Series head Psyk. Swedish artist Dorisburg reworks Human Space Machine's "Danz7" into a dreamier and more percussive journey. Closing the release in true deep On Board fashion is label head Laura BCR, who reinterprets Bas Dobbelaer's "T2310" in an earthy and textured manner, while keeping its ambient techno & dubby spirit vividly alive. Photography by Marius Renard.
The master of ambient soundscapes, intertwining authentic old school breakbeats with his inimitable style returns with a fresh album of choice cuts for the Spatial crew. A1 - Form of Defraction Opening the LP in his gloriously unique style, Aural Imbalance sets the tone with a powerfully ambient intro of padwork and delicately filtered breaks before dense, analogue old school breakbeats roar to life sending the track skyward. The sublime 808 bassline simmers beneath an ever-evolving soundscape of twinkling melodies and strings, the very essence of serenity captured in just under 7 minutes of audio bliss. A2 - Discreet Function Enveloping the listener with a warm blanket of silky ambience, Discreet Function soon jolts to life with a crunchy breakbeat that counteracts yet compliments the pads and myriad of delicious micro melodies so well, you wonder how it’s possible to take such extremes and mix them down so expertly that our ears accept it as one. After a relatively brief breakdown the track rolls out before the breaks are snatched away at the death - capping off a quite unique composition. B1 - Softlight Light cymbals and delicate textures introduce us to Softlight, a track which sees Aural Imbalance guiding the listener through the clouds to a haven of gentle serenity where your troubles simply fade away, punctuated by a stunningly programmed and memorable Hot Pants break pattern, timid classic basslines and an overall plethora of sun-baked energy - perfect for the headphones and the record box - as always. B2 - Airwave Immensely old school vibes are immediately present in Airwave, with analogue breaks and succinct female vocal samples that mingle with echoing melodies and synthwork to create a beautifully flowing and unique slice of atmospheric gold. Additional breaks are fused into the mix as the track progresses, elevating the piece to the heights we have come to expect from Aural Imbalance, yet never cease to amaze. C1 - Speed of Light Gentle cymbals and filtered breaks open Speed of Light, before a crisp barrage of amen goodness descends and dominates proceedings - just as a good amen should! Programmed to perfection with an immensely danceable rolling pattern, the amens lead us through a sea of washing synths and delicate melodies, intertwining and frolicking in the mix, completing a charming and memorable piece. C2 - Fading Star Playful strings and a luscious 808 bassline play with sumptuous padwork in the intro to Fading Star, a track which sees Aural Imbalance capture the essence of 90’s jungle and it’s symbiotic relationship with atmospheric drum & bass perfectly. Developing throughout with an array of unassuming effects and a quietly moving vibe, Fading Star is the perfect addition to sets spanning the entire history of this music. D1 - Drifting Under Bright Skies Aural Imbalance resurrects the excellent break last featured on Spatial in his sublime track Surface Area, this time chopped and sliced to a different vibe, with kickdrums at the forefront and that fantastically crunchy snare deployed more sparingly. Shimmering padwork and light melodies dance across the mix throughout to leave us with a refreshingly unique and memorable track you won’t be able to get enough of. D2 - Violet Completing this fine LP of old school ambient breakbeat mastery, Aural Imbalance deploys Violet to see us out - a climactic-feeling romp that opens with quiet intent before launching the listener through cheery melodic tones and bustling soundscapes, sprinkled liberally with airy pads and fluttering micro melodies that zip and whoosh around thick analogue breakbeats. A fitting end to a thoroughly enjoyable album. Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist) credits
X-Coast unveils 9-track 2xLP The Riviera Collection on his label Riviera Records.
Hot on the heels from remixing instant dance hits such as Shygirl's '4eva' and DJ Gigola's 'La Batteria' and spotted in the studio with adored vocalists Eartheater and Miss Bashful, Serbian-born, NYC-based DJ/producer X-Coast returns with a collection of signature tracks that feel like the lost treasure chest of his dance island.
X-Coast is your favorite DJ's favorite producer, whose tracks you’ve undoubtedly danced to, whether on a massive festival stage or at an intimate, underground rave. Over the past decade, he has quietly but consistently shaped the pulse of dancefloors worldwide, with a distinctive style that traverses genres like house, techno, electro, drum and bass, and trance. This rare versatility has led X-Coast to release on the likes of Mall Grab’s Steel City Dance Discs, Diplo’s Higher Ground, Anetha’s Mama Told Ya and DJ Haus’s Unknown To The Unknown, to name a few.
What sets X-Coast apart is not just his ability to move fluidly between styles but the unique character embedded in every track. His productions have an undeniable warmth and authenticity, often evoking the raw, euphoric spirit of the 90s and 00s rave era. This nostalgic yet forward-thinking approach makes his music feel timeless, effortlessly blending old-school rave energy with modern production techniques. It's a quality that has made him a go-to for DJs across the board, whether they’re playing peak-time techno sets or deep, groovy house sessions.
On The Riviera Collection, released on his own label, Riviera Records, X-Coast opens the vault to reveal a diverse range of tracks that showcase his deep connection to multiple eras of electronic music. This collection reflects the breadth of his eclectic DJ sets, where various sounds and styles converge into a cohesive journey. Each track feels like a contemporary reimagining of a classic moment in dance music history.
From the early 2000s tribal influences layered with X-Coast’s signature chord work on ‘Neapolis,’ to the soaring, synthetic trance energy of ‘Desert Storm,’ and the infectious, camp vibe of the diva house ‘Hold Me Baby,’ the collection takes us on a nostalgic trip back to the origins of rave culture. It echoes a time when DJs crafted a journey through genres, playing everything from house to trance to techno in one seamless night.
The collection’s first hidden gems and long-awaited singles are “Da Boing Boing Trak” and "Put Your Hands Together". Both staples in his sets at iconic venues and festivals like Pitch Music & Arts, fabric, Circoloco, AVA Festival, Melt!, and Intercell, this track has been in high demand among fans, finally seeing its release. With The Riviera Collection, X-Coast continues to cement his status as a versatile producer capable of bridging the gap between past and present, while delivering music that moves crowds everywhere.
How much weight does it take before something finally shifts? Character Builder EP is Voorman's introduction to Stelus, four functional studies arranged as a single passage. The A-side carries weight: 'Dense' opens with compressed momentum, focused and unrelenting; 'Pressure' follows with restrained propulsion, austerity with distance held deliberately between the music and any release. The B-side turns inward. 'Angst' sits inside psychological friction without resolving it, letting the feeling stand on its own terms. 'Relief' closes the EP with a gradual lift, not resolution exactly, but the slow return of space. Personal development is built under load.
Mihai Popoviciu, one of the most esteemed names in the deep house and minimal scene, is set to unveil his anticipated new album, ‘Puzzle Box’, on Bondage Music. As one of the label’s core artists, Popoviciu returns for his second full-length album release on the imprint following his successful 2016 album, ‘Home’ - available on vinyl from 15th November 2024.
With a career spanning over a decade and with releases on numerous influential labels such as 8Bit to Berg Audio, Popoviciu has firmly established himself as a go-to within the minimal-leaning realms of house music. Known for intricate soundscapes and deep, hypnotic grooves, his work continues to captivate audiences globally. On ‘Puzzle Box’, he delves deeper into his signature stripped-back yet soulful aesthetic, offering a diverse collection of tracks that traverse through various sonic textures.
“With Puzzle Box, each track unlocks something deeper with every listen” - Mihai Popoviciu.
Consisting of thirteen tracks in total, ‘Puzzle Box’ showcases the Romanian’s sound to its fullest. On the vinyl edition, fans are treated to standout tracks like ‘Batiscaf’, ‘Storm Rider’, and ‘Far Gone’ — vinyl-only gems that capture Popoviciu’s talent for layering subtle, dubby tones with groovy rhythms. The opening track, ‘They All Say’, sets the mood with smooth, atmospheric beats with a skippy groove, followed by the dynamic “Video” and the driving, pulsating energy of “Frankfurt.”
Popoviciu’s skill in crafting versatile productions is showcased throughout the album, with each track offering something unique.
From the sleek, melodic strains of ‘Puzzle Box’ to the hypnotic, rolling basslines of ‘Kinetic’, this LP is a journey into his meticulously constructed sound. The digital version also features the bonus track ‘Body Count 2’, offering a final, rhythmic flourish to round off the release.
‘Puzzle Box’ further cements Mihai Popoviciu’s role as a mainstay on Bondage Music, a label which continues to champion forward-thinking, minimal-leaning house music. With this latest LP, Popoviciu once again proves why he remains a favourite, building on his storied career with another masterclass in refined, deep electronic music.
After shaping a strong identity through our first three releases, this new record marks a tighter and more assertive expression of our influences through new sonic explorations.
This EP reflects the journey Triple Phase has taken so far. Inspired by one another, our music has grown denser and now moves toward something more physical, rawer, and more club-oriented.
More frontal and rooted in the dancefloor, these new tracks explore a palette where techno, breakbeat, and tech house intersect. Spirits captures the spirit of three passionate producers: each track retains its own strong character, while the connection happens through the energy that runs across the record as a whole.
Triple Phase is finding itself and falling into alignment. A new statement, still driven by the same desire: to create music that feels free, inhabited, and deeply alive.
Pressed in a limited edition, TPH03 is made to be played, passed on, and kept in circulation.
Baba Stiltz continues to showcase his songwriting capabilities with Relief.
Backed by Ilari Larjosto on drums, Relief sees Stiltz delving deeper into the slacker-country territory explored on his last album, Paid Testimony, though here the sound is more refifined and hi-fifi. The track hints at the indie apathy of decades past while maintaining a distinctly contemporary sensibility.
A dubby yet fractured-sounding bassline and sparse three- chord verse structure intertwine with Theo Stocks’ beautiful lap steel arrangement, while Larjosto’s steady, Moe Tucker- esque drumming keeps the song moving forward.
Lyrically, Stiltz navigates pop songwriting tropes with restraint and precision. The repeated refrain of “congratulations” feels both strung-out and melodic, while fragmented, Garielle Lutz- like imagery — “tick tock, wrist watch, clif bar, trunk car, its cargo” — quietly sets the scene. Somehow, the juxtaposition resolves elegantly.
When asked about the theme of the song, Stiltz simply responded: “There is relief in acceptance.”
With Relief, Stiltz offers another compelling glimpse into his evolving songwriting practice, and perhaps an indication of what is still to come. The release follows a prolifific start
to the year for Stiltz, including Blurb 2 with Okay Kaya, co- production, writing and mixing work on Ana Roxanne’s Poem 1, and co-production and mixing on the SY3 EP for Music From Memory.
The Signum Recordings label celebrates its 30th-year anniversary with a limited edition 7" single of 200 copies on green vinyl. The title track, "Fire Them Liars", presents a powerful fusion of leftfield ambient electronics, urban beats, orchestral strings and guitarsounds. Vocals and lyrics are provided by label founder Maarten van der Vleuten. The Bside, titled "The Story Of Nuffsy Nuff", is exclusive to this 7" release. Musically quite unexpected with its postpunk/psychedelic rock-influenced sound, on which Maarten plays drums (and some sparse vocals). The release includes a hand-stamped inner sleeve with a download code and sleeve featuring the lyrics.
Goldmin founder Romain Lanteaume aka EinKa meets Terrence Dixon for a 2nd record which is nothing but a logical suite to the one released last year.
This one is probably less deliberately "dark" but to us The Edge was not dark at all, like what we tend to call melancholy isn't obviously a negative feeling. We believe there's no real duality between things and states.. There's an incredible amount of degress in between.. It's always a bit more complex and deeper than the first impression!
Deep Inspiration Show Records continues to defy the norms of electronic music vinyl culture, seamlessly bridging the gap between dancefloor energy and deeper, more emotive soundscapes. Their latest release, “Friends of the Deep”, is another standout EP to celebrate the 10th record. The original coming from Sundaze Lab & Melchior Sultana, and the remix by the legendary Zarenzeit. In addition, there are two exceptional contributions from deep house stalwart Brad P (Brad Peterson) which help deliver a rich, immersive journey through classic original deep house. From the sundrenched textures of “Seaside,” with its lush pads, rolling bassline, and signature jazz guitar touches by Melchior Sultana, to the dreamy, exploratory tones of “Zarenzeit,” the A-side sets a warm, evocative mood. On the flip, Brad P brings his unmistakable depth and musicality — “Years Don’t Lie” unfolds as a mature, emotive piece layered with soulful strings and an bass driven groove, while “Metaphysics” channels the timeless spirit of classic labels like Deep4Life and Nu Groove, building from stripped-back percussion into a full, uplifting but heady arrangement. A must-have for true deep house heads — “Friends of the Deep” is a heartfelt, groove-driven collection that rewards both the deep dancefloor and the soul
Life In Patterns welcomes Amsterdam-based live act and producer VNTM for his debut appearance on the label with “Ostbahn”, a five-track EP arriving on vinyl and digital formats on 24 July 2026. For VNTM, Ostbahn marks a departure from his usual creative process. While most of his productions are conceived and developed within the familiarity of his studio, every track on this release originated elsewhere — each one tied to a specific place, encounter, or moment beyond its walls. These external sparks became the foundation for a collection that feels both deeply personal and unmistakably geared towards the dance floor. Across the EP, VNTM explores the intersection of emotional depth and physical intensity. Dark, immersive pads and melancholic atmospheres are woven into powerful techno frameworks, driven by heavy low frequencies, tightly locked grooves, and a precise sense of movement. The result is a body of work that balances introspection with impact, equally suited to peak-time systems and solitary listening. Based in Amsterdam, VNTM has established himself as one of techno's most distinctive live performers, appearing at major festivals and clubs worldwide with a hardware-focused setup dedicated entirely to his own productions. His sound combines harmonic exploration and narrative-driven composition with distorted percussion, futuristic sound design, and a constant embrace of emerging synthesizer technologies. Beyond his performances, VNTM is the driving force behind the acclaimed Mindscape events at Amsterdam's Lofi, where he has hosted artists including Len Faki, Kangding Ray, Sterac, Âme, Recondite, Polygonia, Luigi Tozzi, Vril, and JakoJako. Recent highlights include his debut on the Awakenings Festival Mainstage, an all-night-long live set at Lofi Amsterdam, and a sold-out debut performance at Refuge in New York City. With “Ostbahn”, VNTM delivers a compelling first chapter on Life In Patterns — a release shaped by experiences beyond the studio, translated into hypnotic, emotionally charged techno built for deep immersion and maximum physicality.
Sciahri and Sublunar are proud to welcome Spanish artist Vilchezz to the family. Known for his releases on labels such as KEY Vinyl and Vault Sessions, he makes his Sublunar debut with the powerful EP Deadlock, showcasing his unique ability to seamlessly blend contemporary sound design with timeless techno aesthetics. The release opens with the title track, "Deadlock", a highly groovy cut driven by sophisticated sound design and a compelling rhythmic flow. It is followed by "Ghost In The Code", where refined textures and carefully crafted elements create a hypnotic groove that remains effortlessly engaging. On the flip side, "Lamina" explores darker territory, delivering deep, shadowy atmospheres and a more intense energy. Closing the vinyl edition is "Room101", the deepest track of the EP, a versatile and timeless tool capable of creating memorable moments at any stage of a set. With Deadlock, Vilchezz demonstrates an impressive range of moods and sonic approaches, confirming himself as one of the most exciting and versatile artists emerging in today's techno landscape.
Eric Cloutier's career has always been defined by a certain kind of relentless, monastic discipline. With My Friend The Abyss (PALINOIALP01), Cloutier continues to bridge the gap between the selector and the creator. The album title itself suggests a reckoning with the internal-a realization that time is the only distance between an artist and their masterpiece-resulting in a body of work that feels less like a collection of tracks and more like a hard-won transmission from the deep.
Forged in a crucible of stress, chaos, and loss, the LP eschews the easy loops of his earlier output for a far more complex architecture. While Cloutier's signature hypnotic pulse remains the bedrock, the record expands into a startlingly broad lexicon: the dub-wise weight of "Havittaa" and the tribal intensity of "Desassossego" sit alongside moments of fragile ambient beauty. Perhaps most surprising is the inclusion of "Ligrothism," where Cloutier explores the broken rhythms of drum and bass, proving that his obsession with "Palinoia"-the Greek term for perfecting an act through obsessive repetition-has led him to a place of total creative fluidity. This isn't just club music; it's a masterclass in atmospheric tension.
Gala – Freed From Desire was first released in 1996 on NiteLite Records in Italy. 2024 and Ministry of Sound Recordings / B1 Recordings are happy to release two fresh new remixes for the first time on limited edition yellow transparent vinyl. Gala wrote this song when she was drawing on a Buddhist concept that challenges the constant craving for more and encourages us to value our principles and our own freedom instead. She believed that ‘Freed From Desire’ could resonate with people all over the world. Arguably one of the biggest sporting songs of all time, it has become a unifying sensation across the world. The main mix has been re-recorded for a whole new generation but is still very true to that original of ’96, whilst on the flip, Diplo; the American superstar, showcases his trademark, energetic, thumping style. A huge club and radio hit.
Enter the debut LP of the now Spatial regular Chronicle - Expect a joyous, varied blend of old school brand new atmospherics from one of the scene’s most talented producers. A1 - 20th Century Man Straight into the beats for the deliciously cheery opening, 20th Century Man encapsulates so much of what Chronicle does best - old school breakbeat sensibilities delivered with an inimitable atmospheric charm, strongly reminiscent of that peak Good Looking era we all adored. Incredible synthwork and analogue drums layered with danceable 2-step breaks and melodies take your mind exactly where you want to be. A2 - Terraformers Seminal synths and birdsong effects prepare us for an impossibly crisp breakbeat and 808 bassline to drive this track along, coloured by a myriad of subtle blips and bleeps, delicately flecked across a detailed and optimistic soundscape. Very DJ-friendly from the first to the final bar, the purity of Chronicle’s approach to atmospheric drum & bass is once again at its best here on Spatial. B1 - Boundless Space Playful twittering birds, gentle hi-hats and panning synths introduce Boundless Space, a blissful, serene treat for the senses which soon kicks into flourishing life with the timeless Circles break. Vocal samples punctuate the soothing breakdown with exquisitely programmed effects dotted here, there and everywhere, completing a stunning composition that both reflects on the past and looks forward in equal measure. B2 - Ephemeral Style A light, delicately calming pad-laden intro with echoing melodies opens Ephemeral style, soon punctuated by a sublime 808 bassline preceding the drop. Chronicle showcases his dancefloor breakbeat prowess with an energetic 2-step break pattern, expertly programmed and riddled with detail and density, creating a wonderful collage of sound and a perfect addition to any era-spanning atmospheric set. C1 - Modular Expansion Eerily reminiscent tones harking back to the golden, ultra-classic Good Looking era introduce us to Modular Expansion, a track which quickly adds layer upon layer of original identity to the vibe with crisp breaks, a wonderful metallic backdrop snare and subtle vocal samples. The joyously retrospective breakdown complements the energy of the track beautifully, capping off another gem for the record box. C2 - Limbic System Chronicle introduces Limbic System with swathes of swirling pads and synths, straddled with a subtle yet enigmatic melody carrying us through the drop, where we are treated to a lusciously constructed old school break pattern with a modern twist. Enter the breakdown and the keen ear will spot sampled quotes from Total Recall, which fit the vibe perfectly. “You went to Recall?” - yes, we sure did. And we enjoyed the trip! D1 - Non-Euclidian Continuing the blissful retrospective atmospheric tone of the album, Chronicle serves up Non-Euclidian which opens with a wonderfully synthy intro flecked with old school break samples and an earworm melody, before the onslaught of layered breaks provides variety as well as a thoroughly danceable pattern to unleash on the discerning dancefloor. Trademark dotted effects punctuate the track throughout. D2 - Deep Thought Capping off the LP we have Deep Thought, setting a calming and quietly brooding vibe before impossibly crisp beats kick in and elevate proceedings nicely. Chronicle effortlessly leads the listener through the drop with an analogue punch, earthy basslines and fluttering effects with the kind of flair we’ve come to love from such a vastly experienced and talented producer - perfectly complementing the vibe here at Spatial. Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)
Pianist Elias Stemeseder and bass player Thomas Morgan debut on Squama with 'Io Pur Respiro'. Recorded live at Sala Vanni in Florence, the album shows a duo at the height of their craft with an unmistakable instinct for melody and balance.
Io Pur Respiro ("Yet I breathe") is the title of an early 17th century madrigal by Italian renaissance composer Carlo Gesualdo that's also the harmonic basis for the album's opening track Madrigal, Variation, Courante. With two standards from the 1930s (Love Came / I Have The Room Above Her) and two original compositions by Stemeseder there's 400 years of melodic evolution enshrined in this record. Yet, the music sounds neither new, nor old giving the album a profound sense of timelessness that's owed to the eternal force of melody and harmony.
Where LWP001 moved inward, LWP002 moves forward - five artists converging around a shared pull toward the dance floor, each arriving from a different angle. Peryl opens with the precision and restraint his sound is built on, texture held under careful tension. Aöcram follows with something hypnotic and dense, pressure that doesn't let up. APRS and Lask, collaborating for the first time, match that intensity with something lighter in its construction - drive without weight, air without losing grip. nil closes the record in a different register altogether, slower and more introspective.
