Aestum’s self-titled debut album is an in-depth journey into supreme and tranceformative soundscapes. Oscillating around the apex of spacious power ambient and drone, the compositions recorded during 2020 combine monolithic electronica with decaying fantasies and slow-motion euphoria.
The imagination for the album was inspired by the idea of panortosia (universal reform) as described in old scholar books devoted to inter-communication and sacrosanct harmonies in order to find a way into divine temple and shining lux (eternal light). From sonic perspective Aestum created a juxtaposition between warped atmospheres and distant remnants for a state of trance, a multiverse vision of feeling that was evoked by timeless parties and almost religious peak-time club anthems during end of 90’s and 00’s when Aestum as a duo of young friends were entering dancefloors across Europe. With this attitude every composition - often accompanied with dreamy messages and heavenly choirs of Dutch vocalist Bobbie 0rkid - marks its own emotional landscape and reaches new enigmatic spheres.
Influenced by this concept a New York based multidisciplinary artist Emma Pryde created visuals for the album - not just the cover where the story of panartosia is being told across the front and back cover, but also transformative videos for tracks Panortosia and Himmel. Using pure elements like heaven or meadows on the base, she added layers of imagery from sci-fi effects to more ancient and religious images, warping and blending into each other, leading into a fantasy that represents the past and future, and gives a meaningful hope.
Cerca:j pan
Irish producer and DJ Mano Le Tough announces his new record, At The Moment, out August 20th on DJ Koze’s Pampa Records, and presents the first single, “No Road Without A Turn.” After more than a decade of releases and touring, Mano has spent the past year at home in Zurich, rearing his young family and focusing on the positives of 14 months without performing, amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. In the face of horror, Mano channelled inspiration. With At The Moment, the follow-up to 2015’s Trails, those struggles have produced a record which balances the ambivalence of the current moment, with wistful streaks of unguarded optimism.
At The Moment shows Mano’s modes of expression evolving too. The synths and rhythms common to earlier works are now complemented with less familiar sounds and influences. Jangling guitars and sun-bleached chords envelop his own tender, plaintive vocals in a dappled wash of summery pop. Another track grounds overlapping melodies and sci-fi soundtrack pads with hip hop beats, creating a hypnotic slice of slinky retro-futurism. Where there is reflection, there is also a sense of being unafraid.
“I’ve always liked that Mallarmé quote, ‘poetry is the language of crisis,’” says Mano. “It’s hard to make good music about everything being amazing. Everything is going great – who wants to listen to that? Anything I’ve done - anything which I thought had any kind of artistic merit, has been through struggles I’ve had in my life”.
- C2: Meanwhile (Dj Prime Cuts Remix)
- D1: Touch (Req&Apos;S Dub)
- A1: Steppe
- A2: Wanderer (Feat Dj Prime Cuts)
- A3: Meanwhile (Feat Sensational)
- B1: Touch (Feat Dj Prime Cuts &Amp; Sensational)
- B2: Layout (Feat Dj Prime Cuts)
- B3: Skitty (Feat Dj Prime Cuts)
- C1: Touch (Etch&Apos;S Pink Ladies In Space Remix)
- D2: Touch (Instrumental)
Debut release for The Fear Ratio's Mark Broom and James Ruskin under their 'Deadhand' alias, which proceeds on a strictly experimental hip-hop tip, accompanied as they are here by 4 x world scratch champion DJ Prime Cuts (of The Scratch Perverts) and illbient rap legend Sensational, who brings his characteristic broken charm to the EP's itchy, spartan production vibes: "Step into my office, now we sparkin' it... I spit the isms in yer ear... you better recognise it's raw shit from orbit."
This pairing with Sens makes total sense: Distinct from Mark and James' work as The Fear Ratio, their Deadhand project delivers something closer to 90s illbient in any case: extending the boom-bap era of hip-hop production with elements of hallucinogenic dystopianism, the energy of the EP nevertheless vibes playfully: Given the dispiriting global situation at present, the EP title 'Meanwhile' might simply refer to getting on with things in spite of all the cultural and political misendeavor the era will no doubt be long remembered for. Despite the global health pandemic and the looming spectre of wide-scale environmental collapse, little despair or surrender prevails here, but rather a hankering to attempt a few tripped-out experiments.
Three remixes bring further twists of the screw: A cosmic break flex from ETCH resituates Sensational amidst the magmic glow of Reaktor bass ensembles, while DJ Prime Cuts repurposes 7" soul gold by way of a more 'traditional' SP1200 approach. 90s trip-hop pioneer and graffiti legend REQ steps up with all the painterly flair he is rightly renowned for, obliterating the Monster Orchestra's classic 'I Can't Stop' stab towards a double dose of galactic melancholia.
g 07: Touch (ETCH's Pink Ladies in Space Remix) feat. Sensational
[h] 08: Meanwhile (DJ Prime Cuts Remix) [feat. Sensational]
[i] 09: Touch (REQ's Dub) [feat. Sensational]
[feat. DJ Prime Cuts]
Nuovo Testamento is the Los Angeles & Bologna-based trio featuring members of Horror Vacui, Sheer Mag, Tørsö, Terremoto and Crimson Scarlet.
With the addition of Chelsey Crowley on vocals, synthesists Andrea Mantione & Giacomo Zatti found that their initial coldwave tracks, originally written for the male voice, took on an undeniable synthpop feel. While still recording these songs for the debut Exposure EP in 2019, the band leaned into this evolution and their shared love of Italo disco, beginning to write what would become the New Earth LP.
Recorded in isolation during a global pandemic, New Earth is a dark Italo record dappled with light. For eight new tracks, dancing synths perfectly balance the rich dream of a charmed life with melancholy. Guitars have taken a step back, allowing disco beats to flood the floor and joyful fun to prevail. The record anticipates a return to dance spaces, imagines shared experiences and celebrates personal power.
Produced by sound engineer Maurizio Baggio (The Soft Moon, Boy Harsher and many more), with vocal recording by Riki and featuring guest vocals from B. Sven Gustavson (Spectres, Nouveaux), New Earth reflects international influences from the goth club scene to Hi-NRG classics, reminiscent of Italian Baby Records, Mute Records and the spaces in between.
After a brief hiatus due the pandemic, Russian label Minor Notes Recordings returns for their 7th release. During the first 6 releases they have gained a reputation as one of Russia's finest exports of house music to the world, introducing many us to the likes of Scruscru, Baltimore Chop and Lowres. However, after nurturing his own artists it's the turn of Guydee himself to shine and make a much-deserved debut on his own imprint. Over the last year Guy has taken some time out of releasing to rebuild his own sound and sharpen his production skills, now fresh out the studio he and has a full stack of new music to share with the world.
First up is “В стол EP” (which translated as “Hidden” from Russian), where Guydee presents 3 super deep compositions which include collages of organic sounds and original instruments by the man himself. Malta's deep house don Melchior Sultana is also drafted in on remix duty and provides a sub-aquatic flip of the lead track 'Svet'. As ever Minor Notes comes correct with releases on both Vinyl and Digital formats!
BEC meldet sich mit ihrer sechsten EP auf Pan-Pots Second State zurück und nimmt die Zuhörer auf eine Reise mit, die anfangs von treibenden Grooves, verzerrten Vocals, ravigen 90s Synths, industriellen Klängen und kraftvollem Techno geprägt ist ("Pleasure Seeker", "The Truth"). Mit "Reaching Nirvana" zeigt BEC aber eine andere Seite und haut eine Nummer raus, die mit deepen und schwebenden Synths heraussticht. Pan-Pots UKW Mix des Titeltracks mit dem unverkenntlichen Sound des Berliner Duos rundet die Platte perfekt ab.
Charlotte de Witte's mighty KNTXT label rolls on with another big new EP from Italian wonderboy Alignment. The Berlin based techno talent serves up four suitably supersized cuts that follow on from his Time EP, which landed earlier in the year.
For the last five years, this artist has been amassing a fine discography of thrilling techno. This has earned him a worldwide reputation amongst the techno cognoscenti, and despite the global
pandemic this year, he has still put out plenty of red hot new material that proves he has used his extra free time at home wisely. He can do old school inspired bangers as well as refined futuristic techno rollers with equal style, and proves that once more with this fantastic new EP.
He says it, “reflects more the ‘sentimental' moments during these hard times. Nevertheless, you can also expect trippy and hypnotic vibes that will make you dream to dance again until the early hours.“
While Charlotte adds, "Ever since I started playing these tracks, people started asking for track IDs. They stood out and always were one of the highlights of my sets. These tracks are made to
destroy any type of dancefloor. A true masterpiece by one of the most exciting artists around.”
Opener Nothingness is a hunched over techno power-groove, with high pressure kicks and scraping synths peeling off the drums. It's a big wall of irresistible sound, then Injection brings
even bigger and more kick drums that are sure to rattle any club to its foundations, while the rave synths will get hands in the air.
Reverberated keeps up the good work with a more all-consuming techno cut thanks to the laser-like synths that light up the track from above. It has superbly dark and unsettling vocals stitched into the groove for extra layers of mental intensity. Last of all is the dark and urgent Sensory Deprivation with its edgy synth motifs and unrelenting energy.
These are four more high powered tracks from man of the moment Alignment.
DC Salas’s second EP indeed is a tale of beautiful feelings: After his last year’s debut EP on Live At Robert Johnson called The Complicated Art of Dreaming, this fresh four tracker is a proof to his creative continuity.
A1 Did They Listen rhythmic structure banks on a pounding and effective combination of bassdrum, conga and cowbell, joined by a mildly distorted bass line figure, which embeds itself in a panoramic soundscape. A2 Beautiful Feelings introduces a remarkable striking sawtooth sequence, with repeated filtered and resonating variations, alternating throughout the track. On the flipside, B1 Within employs yet another bubbly bassline, keeping the soundscape wide-open to retain enough sonic space for that eerie, yet highly energetic Cosmic Disco touch. B2 Liquid Perception signature is a liquid acid bassline introduced in the second part of the track, perfectly befitting its track title. All tracks of this monolithic EP, thanks to its consistent approach to sound design, could easily be mixed subsequently with each others.
DC Salas is thirtysomething year old Diego Cortez Salas, a skilled talent with peruvian origins hailing from Brussels. A regular DJ at C12 and Kiosk Radio both in Brussels, Diego also co-runs Biologic Records with his mate Abstraxion since 2014.
Henriette Motzfeldt und Catharina Stoltenberg, alias Smerz, kombinieren für ihr Debütalbum „Believer“ Einflüsse ihrer Jugend in Norwegen mit den düsteren elektronischen Soundsphären einer Metropole, ihrer Wahlheimat Kopenhagen. Inspiration ziehen sie dabei aus allem: aus ihren Erfahrungen von Chor- und Tanz-Proben als Jugendliche, Winterurlauben in kleinen Hütten in der unberührten Natur der norwegischen Einöde, Musicals, klassischer Musik, aber auch von R&B-, Trance- und Hip Hop-Musik!
Während “Believer” sich wie ein innerer Dialog einer intimen Freundschaft vor dem Panorama der norwegischen Landschaft anfühlt, befassen sich die Songs mit Problemen, die die beiden Musikerinnen umtreiben: der Kontrast zwischen seinem Selbstbild und wie einen andere sehen, die Schwierigkeiten mit jemanden zu kommunizieren, mit dem man zuvor intim war und dem nie endenden Kampf zwischen Selbstbewusstsein und Selbstzweifel.
This year marks 3 years of Needs.
From humble beginnings in 2017, the label has since gone on to release tracks from some of our favourite artists in the scene, curated events with essential charities and initiatives, and in the process raised over L10,000.
To mark this special occasion we're back where it all started, raising money and awareness for mental health. October 10th marks World Mental Health Day and this year's theme set by theAWorld Federation for Mental Health is suicide prevention. To recognise and promote this occasion we've brought along another all-star cast to help us spread the message far and wide.
Needs 008 is a double vinyl compilation which features the talents of Shanti Celeste, OCB, Michelle, Bobby., Peder Mannerfelt, Yu Su, Adam Pits and DJ Sports.
Stay tuned to the Needs channels during our birthday month for regular updates, plus panels and artist features.
We'd also like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone that has supported us this far: especially Juno Records, For The Record PR, all artists that have kindly donated their music, and of course the music lovers, dancers and forward thinkers that have supported us on this wonderful journey <3
Who else would have thought before the year 2020, that this new decade starts with a devastating natural incident that pushes the entire world in a health crisis and recession? Well, we sure
didn’t. And still, after 11 months, this damn virus doesn’t seem to go away. But no matter how bad this pandemic is. There is no need to stop being creative!
Many people used their time during the lockdowns as much as possible to make new music. And Jakobin is one of these guys who took his time this spring to work on brand new material, that is slowly
but surely coming out the next months on various labels. One of them is his Locked EP on our imprint - fortunea.
The title track on the A-side is an amazing piece of house music. A great homage on the raw punching Chicago sound and the late 80s/early 90s UK rave era. Heavy Breakbeat-loops blend in
perfect together with the use of 909 kicks, low-frequenced acid lines and a stabbing piano.
Turning over to the B-side there is the track ‚Pad Work’. A deep dub house tune with a nuance of Lo-fi-nism in it. Mysterious voices that are coming forward from the background of this bouncing
beat, a restrained but also smooth bassline and hypnotic string- and synthesizer-passages are the main characters in this tableau. While ‚Dreadbox’ is sealing the deal on this release with an
abstract melancholic sci- fi elektro approach.
Overall a conspicuous release, that lets you forget the chaos that is happening right now in this world.
All we wanna say at the end of this text is stay safe out there! And don’t give up!
Limited to 300 copies! There will be no repress!
2020 sees Jazz & Milk celebrating its 15th anniversary! Since 2005 the label, founded by Dusty, offers an experimental playground for international artists that share a passion for organic and soulful dance music. Many legendary club nights and over 30 releases later, Jazz & Milk has become a household name amongst the eclectic music imprints. The focus has always been to transcend genres, including a broad spectrum of styles ranging from jazz, soul, brazil, afrobeat to house, broken beat and electronic music.
For this very special occasion, the label presents six exclusive tracks by the likes of Steve Spacek, Àbáse, Sam Irl, Feater, Bongani GiveThanks and Moe Fabrik - the club focused collaborative moniker of Wayne Snow, Ziggy Zeitgeist and StyleBoi 92.
With this compilation project, Jazz & Milk is not only celebrating an illustrious 15 years of operation. The label also wants to take the opportunity to highlight the importance of 'community', at a time when racism, greed, injustice and a deadly pandemic are jeopardizing our ability to harmoniously exist with one another.
Peace, Love & (Comm)Unity!
Alex Tea, half of the duo Patagonia is back on Panick Panick! presenting his first solo EP on the label.
His unique sound is a mix of eclectic percussions and effects, a real straight forward approach for the dance floor.
André Hommen präsentiert sein erstes Album 'More Than This' auf seinem kompromisslosen Label These Eyes. Das neun Tracks umfassende Album, das im Juli dieses Jahres veröffentlicht wird, ist eine melodische Reise, welche die vielfältigen Facetten seines Klangkosmos aufzeigt.
These Eyes wurde 2017 in Köln mit dem klaren Ziel gegründet, elektronische Underground-Musik begleitet von einer Vision für einzigartiges Design zu veröffentlichen. Mit einem Backkatalog ausgewählter EPs von Künstlern wie Marc Romboy, Jonathan Kaspar und Clavis ist 'More Than This' das erste Album des Labels und zugleich ein Debüt des Labelinhabers selbst.
"Eins" beginnt mit glühendem Ambient, Glockenschläge und funkelnde Tasten werden hinzugefügt, um einen üppigen Groove zu erzeugen. Wie ein verschwommener Traum eines unbekannten Paradieses, warme, gefühlvolle Akkorde und Gesang - der Klang klingt wie Wellen, die auf "Pantone" langsam an das Ufer gespült werden. Bei 'Mirror' wird verzerrter weiblicher Gesang zum Mittelpunkt der Melodie, in einem treibenden Techno-Track, der für das Warehouse gemacht wurde. Die funky Bassline von "Current Issue" bewegt sich, ein tieferer Vibe wird enthüllt, während die Harmonie Spannung und Charme aufbaut.
Unheimliche Perkussion verbindet sich mit teuflischem Klavier auf dem eindringlichen 'Arythm'. Unscharfe, kratzende Elektronik und die Energie der 808 lassen dich während 'Waste Your Youth' in einem schwindelerregenden Zustand zurück. „Emphase" ist ein spannungsgeladener nächtlicher Ritt durch den Wald. „Cohesive" beginnt mit nichts anderem als einem komplizierten Drumpattern und ist André in seiner hypnotischen Bestform, der wartet, bis man vollständig in seinen Bann gezogen ist, bevor er eine hypnotisierende Schleife hinzufügt. Der Titeltrack 'More Than This' besticht durch Synths, die in dieser schwebenden Downtempo-Nummer flimmern und fliessen.
- A1: I Forgot That You Existed
- A2: Cruel Summer
- A3: Lover
- A4: The Man
- A5: The Archer
- B1: I Think He Knows
- B2: Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince
- B3: Paper Rings
- B4: Cornelia Street
- C1: Death My A Thousand Cuts
- C2: London Boy
- C3: Soon You'll Get Better (Feat Dixie Chicks)
- C4: False God
- C5: You Need To Calm Down
- D1: Afterglow
- D2: Me! (Feat Brendon Urie Of Panic! At The Disco)
- D3: It's Nice To Have A Friend
- D4: Daylight
He's back. Twenty years after Boulevard, fifteen years after the multi-platinum album Tourist (over 3 million copies sold worldwide) and a world tour spanning several continents, Ludovic Navarre, alias St Germain, finally found his way back into the studio. An uncontested and respected figure in the world of electronic music for the past two decades, a pioneer of the 'French Touch' and a creator of intelligent and sensual deep house, St Germain has always stood out. His consummate art thrives on a subtle mixture of machines and instruments, of authentic roots and modern influences.
VincentIulian debuts on Subtil after his recently published EP on Atipic.
SBTL018 – called Various Whispers – kicks off with “Something”, a mesmeric groover, recurring layers of sequenced sounds and rhythmic patterns on side A.
On the flip side you find the particularly reduced track “Nue Tans”. Looping fragments of words merging with the drums wholly. The most notable characteristic of B2 “PWMA” is a bubbly synth bassline so rich and sugary that you might feel pangs of toothache.
RX-101 has quietly been making waves in the IDM/electronic music underground for the past few years, through a series of archival releases — material recorded in the late-90s, but previously unreleased until Suction Records began compiling and releasing these records in 2016. What’s truly mind-boggling about RX-101’s output is the sheer quantity of stunning, top-drawer material that Dutch producer Erik Jong recorded over the period of just 3 years, 1997-1999. Many have suggested that the whole thing is a publicity stunt — some insisting that this is all new material masquerading as vintage, while others have proposed that the material may in fact be a secret alias for Aphex Twin to release gems from his own legendary ’90s audio archive. RX-101 has absolutely nailed the sound, and quality, of early-90s AFX/Rephlex, that much is true. “Serenity,” this latest full-length RX-101 release, is no exception.
Just as RX-101’s last album, 2019’s Dopamine, concentrated on one hallmark of Aphex Twin’s sound — the smooth melodic techno of his Selected Ambient Works 1985-1992 LP — so too does Serenity reference another classic early-Aphex era, but this time it’s a completely different beast. Don't let the title fool you - Suction Records' latest dive into RX-101's 1997-1999 tape archives is not all lush, serene melodies. On Serenity, scorched, crunchy jackhammer beats combine with emotional, plaintive pads, delivering a classic set of vintage-Rephlex-style bliss, à la AFX, Caustic Window, and Cylob. It was Cylob who coined the term Industrial Folk Songs for his classic 1995 LP, and that release is clearly a blueprint for RX-101’s latest collection.
Standout cut Hearts Utd., featuring a stunning music video by Aidan Fantinatto and I Dream Of Wires’ director Robert Fantinatto, not only nails the magic of AFX’s trademark, irresistible jackhammer-beats-meets-plaintive-melody device, it arguably rivals the master at his own sound. As a whole, what could be a harsh and monotonous collection is lifted by RX-101’s subtle diversity and skill, particularly in his ability to create eerie, evocative moods, with gorgeous melodies that speak volumes of emotion.
'GO Wax' is a vinyl only record label designed to show off the underground sound that is the life and soul of the Game Over X One Night Stand parties in Ibiza.
The first release welcomes Salty Nuts & BE9 rising star Fabe who has been one of the all stars of the Game Over parties this summer -
The A-Side is straight club cuts designed to blow minds, while the
B-Side shows off the trademark Fabe groove which has made him one of the biggest names in the scene throughout 2019.
Vinyl Only.
High quality laquer cut LP with silver and pink pantone colors on cover.
Mutual Intentions is proud to present "Astral Traveling" which is Byron The Aquarius' debut album. A stunning piece of fusion built from everything between jazz, soul, hiphop and house makes Mutual Intentions a perfect platform for the release. String compositions is an on-going theme throughout the album. From the first chord on "Love Is 4U", until the very last second of "Spazzing Out", where Byron raps over a beautiful backdrop consisting only of Fender Rhodes, electric bass & strings. Byron jumps seamlessly between different genres throughout the whole album. From the acid house inspired "Sorry Kari", to 70's prog jazz sounding cuts like "Lost In Love". Once you put the needle on side B, you'll hear "Deep In That ***** feat. MDMA" which sounds pretty much like if Dexter Wansel took MDMA in 2019, inside Legowelt's studio and tried to re-create his classic cut "Theme From The Planets".




















