Suche:ki mi

Opening with a 130 BPM hard kicker techno tune, at the Doom frontier.... Full promess also of a good mix with De L'eauuuu : acid sirens and kicking Raving Hardtechno... And more to get on this delicious hard techno/ hardcore and acidcore record... With, to notice, some AcidTrance oldschool accents... BANGING and alive structures. Wake Up !

An ethereal, unresolved presence fading into the stereo field, Hilja breathes into life with a haunted synth line and self-sampling vocal hook that instantly creates an enchanted space. Hilja is the debut album by Glasgow-based musician Maria Rossi aka Cucina Povera. Named after a style of southern Italian traditional cooking associated with precarity and making-do, a philosophy of simplicity and stoicism that applies perfectly to the spare but beautiful music Rossi experiments with. Hilja's marriage of minimal synth, field recordings and the hymnal dexterity of Rossi's vocal performances creates a new language, sometimes literally, to be spoken in some mythological Fourth World we've yet to create.
Originally from Finland, Rossi brings an acute sense of space, surroundings, and practicality to her working practice, with each composition often relying on a limited sound palette to create deeply affecting messages which transcend language. Cucina Povera's power is to communicate purely, often down to the solo-choir nature of Rossi's multi-layered voice, an achingly beautiful instrument which has seems to have an innate spirituality in its grain. The tension between the means and the end is at the heart of Cucina Povera, the invocation of a kind of secular spirituality at times using nothing but Rossi's voice. Indeed there's almost a Dogme-like purity to the arrangements: Elektra is a soothing song based around the lapping waves of Rossi's wordless backing vocals and a simple field recording of stones knocked together. Kehoitus is completely a cappella, a haunted fairytale told in glossolalia, evoking a quasi-religious experience with very little.
For music often minimal and simple there's a boldness that belies Hilja's status as a debut. Rossi allows each word, each sound and rhythm to exist in its own space, finding its own relationship with its surroundings. Mesikämmenen Veisu is perhaps the most ecclesiastical sounding composition here, burbling water trickles below a virtuoso vocal, with incredible arrangements in several registers undulating above. A meditation to relieve hunger and restriction, it's a perfect summing up of Hilja, a music ambient but completely earthed, finding enchantment in what you have to hand, the realism of magic, the magic of realism.
First Press limited to 300 with hand-screened sleeves.

Paper Dollhouse is the production alias of Astrud Steehouder and Nina Bosnic. Having previously recorded albums for Jane Weaver and Finders Keepers' Bird imprint, plus the Folklore Tapes and Night School labels. The Sky Looks Different Here arrives via the group's independently ran MoonDome imprint. Paper Dollhouse have collaborated and performed with artists including Old Apparatus, The Wolfhounds, Daniel O'Sullivan, Killing Sound, DB1, Joe Cocherell and Pye Corner Audio, and their music has been featured in mixes by Skee Mask, Mark Pritchard, Blackest Ever Black, Lobster Theremin, Lanark Artefax and Ancient Methods.

The Sky Looks Different Here features twelve tracks that draw parallels between the project's past roots in spidery post-punk electronica and a neon-lit, radioactive ambient pop sensibility. This has lead to the creation of what is sure to be the most concise and realised Paper Dollhouse record yet. One that mixes the group's signature brand of darkwave influenced left-field pop, urban field recordings and electronic composition.

This 12' begins with Collocutor ripping into Miles Davis' 'Black Satin', from the benchmark On The Corner LP, and owning it from the off. A respectful homage is paid to the original with sensational improvised parts being added with a hip groove from the percussive wonders of Magnus Mehta (Magnus P.I.), Maurizio Ravalico and bassist Suman Joshi. The sparks fly as guitarist Marco Piccioni channels the spirits of late '60s psychedelic fires. The melodic riff of Miles' classic is stripped down by Simon 'Shwaa' Finch and Mike Lesirge who subtly encapsulate the original's atmosphere.

The A-side is completed with the label's latest signing, DJ Khalab delivering a sharp, warped assault on Collocutor's 'The Search', just in time for the LP's repress.

On the flip is a live version of 'The Search' recorded during the 'Live at the Fish Factory' Session in 2016 which, have so far resulted in two collector's edition dubplates that are as rare as hen's teeth. The invigorated far out sound has been mixed on this recording by producer Sam Jones who has entrenched himself with the On the Corner approach and brought his 'Sam Jones Construct' vision to the label. Marco Piccioni sold his soul at a highway crossroads on the way to the recording. There are spirits riding on the backs of the ensemble guiding this version of 'The Search' out into cosmic oceans.

The 12' ends with bassist Ruth Goller (Melt Yourself Down, Let Spin, Gufo and Bug Prentice) stewarding her virtuosic groove sensibilities into the twilight zone with this brooding off -kilter abstraction of 'Everywhere'. The stripped backbones of the tracks rhythm are punctuated by a dialogue and mantra summoned by Goller that moves menacingly over a synth bass augmented b-line.

As label founder Pete OntheCorner describes the release: 'This EP ushers in a string of releases that embody the label's vision. The futuristic concept first realised by Miles Davis with On The Corner and more generally during his electric period is at the heart of our collaborative, genre-less burning chalice. Analogue genius being mutated with a charge into something other, a vanishing point of ethereal musical feeling where the space for fresh narratives can be formed beyond genre and out On the Corner.

Victoria's artwork is always stunning and for this series of works she has already conquered the sublime with the sleeve for Black Satin".

Cute Heels is the project of Victor Lenis, a contemporary electronic artist living in Berlin, Germany. He grew up in Bogotá, Columbia during the 1990s, surrounded by the radial punk scene. Over the years, Victor's passion and fascination for synthesizers and drum machines to produce and compose resulted in his debut album 'Spiritual" for Dark Entries in 2014 as well as the Third Skin' EP in 2016. Inspired by equal parts Liaisons Dangereuses, Drexciya and Black Devil Disco Club, Cute Heels connects the dots between Detroit techno, early Chicago house and Belgium electronic body music.State of Mind' is a 4-track EP featuring the vocal talents of Berlin artist Aga Wilk, of electro-punk projects Walkman Music and 77TM, on the the title track. On the A-side are two fresh compositions recorded in New York and Bogota between 2016 and 2017. Victor says, 'State of Mind refers to the subconscious as dominated by real facts, natural, unnatural ,metaphysical or virtual and dynamism of the body as physical shield.' The track is a slow building foray into techno, elegantly suited for intangible moments. 'Golden Tears' kicks off with Cute Heels' signature metallic EBM funk played with punchy, percussive analog synths. On the flip we present two banging club remixes. The first is from LA-4A, techno DJ and producer Kevin McHugh aka Ambivalent, who adds a strong kick drum and lacerating hi-hats that build up to a mind melting breakdown with a full on acid squelch attack. The second remix comes from Noncompliant, Midwest US-based producer Lisa Smith aka DJ Shiva, who creates a raw, thumping exercise though off-kilter mechanics and punishing percussion. All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record comes in a custom-made die-cut jacket designed by Eloise Leigh featuring suggestive rope bondage graphic printed spot black matte on black hi-gloss finish. Each copy includes a postcard.

Artwork by Jennifer Nastanovich

Iron Curtis has felt like a Polytone artist for quite a while now. He recently delivered a breathtaking remix for Matthias Vogt, and shared a split EP with the man himself, Terrence Dixon. He's also played several label nights, but indeed 'Unwind' is his first very own EP on Polytone. The opening track 'Riders' is our floor filler here. A subsonic bass experience of the more intensive kind. It´s a pure groover, with a surprisingly long lasting breakdown that never lacks on intensity. 'Cream' on the A2 is a stellar ambient joint, with rhythmic elements and cosmic pads. On the flip we have the title track, 'Unwind', with an unconventional basic groove, bleepy touches and trademark 707 drum machine sounds. Pure and stunning deepness. The Final track is a remix from Force/Emerge and leads 'Unwind' into techno territory. Polytone stands for diversity, and again demonstrates the labels vision of versatility here.

Originally released in 1993 by the Italian imprint Minus Habens Records, 'Concrete Jungle' is the second album by this seminal project of Dirk Ivens (The Klinik, Absolute Body Control). A work considered as groundbreaking by lot of fans of early 90s industrial, noise and EBM. There are few electro-pioneers that are still active and successful and Mr. Ivens is one of them, inspiring a lot of acts to follow in the past three decades.Concrete Jungle' is being released for the first time on vinyl in a limited/numbered edition of 700 copies. Double record including all the original tracks plus the 'Extended Play' EP (1994) and some songs from old compilations. Artwork based on the original design and presented on a deluxe gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeves and numbered card.

UK techno veteran Kirk Degiorgio takes on the Future/Past guise once more for an exquisite 4 tracker on the Belgian De:tuned label. Kirk struck gold during a recent dig through some of his old DAT tapes and unearthed 2 previously unreleased gems: a finished version of his widely acclaimed 90s classic 'Hyperspace' described by Kirk as the real Hyperspace and 'Cosmos', a rough uptempo percussive workout, proper crunch Future/Past sound.

The DAT tapes also revealed a couple of tracks that were only ever released on CD: 'TRY 2004 Funk Mix 2' (from the historic 1993 'Applied Rhythmic Technology' compilation) and 'Locator' (from the sublime 'Objets D'art 92-95' compilation). The CDs have become rare and wanted items, and so Kirk and De:tuned decided to finally press these tracks on wax.

All tracks were mastered straight off the original DAT tapes by Matt Colton to guarantee that extra crisp sound quality. This release will be available on 180 gr vinyl. A separate digital release will also be available from the usual digital shops. Stay tuned!

TERRANOVA kicks off 2018 with a bang with 'Cosmo EP' (KOM378). 4 top-notch tracks showcasing the strongest outings yet in his impressive back catalogue.
Following an excellent entry in our SPEICHER series with 'Speicher 94' (KOMPAKT EXTRA 94 - co-helmed by Reinhard Voigt), the much- acclaimed full length 'Restless' (KOMPAKT 327 CD 123) hit turntables two years ago, TERRANOVA aka Fetisch, the creative mind & producer behind the project he likes to describe as 'the deep space electric ark' has been in orbit since the release of 'Terranova DJ Kicks' (!K7) in 1997.
TERRANOVA* now returns to the spotlight with COSMO EP, a jacking four-tracker inspired by raw Chicago House, early NYC Electro , old school computers /A.I. and some very special analog &digital machines featuring 2 excellent collaborations with Milan based artists.

Opening track COSMOCHORD features the Italian DJ legend Flashmob. The result is a peak time monochord banger that takes both producers' extensive expertise in propelling dance floor cuts to new heights.
COSMOCODE feat VOLTAGUE intense psychedelic Techno again with peak time quality. LANGSAM is an elegant, driving example of classic dance floor electronica. A skilled combination of an 808 with an obscure vintage beatbox of eastern origin, an Oberheim OB8 and a 1970 Kunstkopf Mic Instructions mixed on the original Deutsche Grammophon 1950 Valve mixer. PERFECT HAPPINESS wraps up this action-packed release with some a twisted afro stomper lead by a drunk sounding computer bouncing on the mic.
*Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit

Mandala Trax aka Shingo Suwa and DJ Mori is releasing a first EP on Merkur Schallplatten.
Shingo has established the Label in 2008.
DJ Mori is working as resident DJ at suicide circus Berlin.
They often performed at many clubs in the city.
Their first collaboration includes two different versions of rave influenced techno remixes by Anna Bolena.

Anna is Music producer, Promoter and Video maker, she is an underground activist since the 80`s.
She runs the label Idroscalo Dischi since 1999 and since 2005 the Video Production Company Idroscalo Digitale.
They both are working as resident for Button's party at ://about blank.

A1, their very first track, is called 11pm. The main solid synth line features deep kick drums surrounded by dubby industrial effects in the background.
On A2 we find a heavy bottom groove, surrounded by echoes in a dark atmosphere. Hand claps and white noises are driving any techno floor.
The B Side includes two different version by Anna Bolena. She produced some 90's rave structures affected by her experimental senses.

music is the silence between the notes.' the french composer claude debussy once said.
the german trio wareika, consisting of florian schirmacher, henrik raabe and jakob seidensticker, love the silence between their notes, even if their music is often fully loaded with many detailed sounds, rhythms, melodies and intercultural sound links.
since 2007 they spread their passion for repetitive club grooves in the minimal house spheres that love to swing in the epic way. with four albums on labels like perlon or visionquest as well as eps for labels like eskimo, tartelet, circus company or bar 25 under their wings, the trio proofed their craftsmanship for multi-layered dance music already arrestingly deep on numerous releases and during tours around the globe that brought them also to japan.
now they deliver a new one hour long sonic journey on the tokyo based mule musiq, the label on which wareika member florian schirmacher already released as part of the glowing glisses project in 2008. also wareika itself are not new to the japanese imprint, as they previously dropped a remix for mule for the mysterious project jemmy in late 2015.
and now water, sky, sun, wood' - an ambitious one-track (on vinyl separated into four parts) love letter that kicks you deep into meditation - assumed you surrender yourself to their complex sounding and grooving story-arc. it all started with an unplanned four-hour jam session between henrik and flo-rian, gaming and messing around on the piano, guitar and drum computer.
later florian edited the happening into a one-hour sensation, henrik added some congas and synthlines and jakob mixed it down. the result is a meticulously edited, deeply absorbing dance between the pi-ano, guitar, conga, mfb tanzbär, mfb dominion 1, ob-6, jupiter 6 and manikin mellotron synthsizer. you can use it to get lost. lost from the daily grind. lost from precast perception.
lost in music. you can use it for your imagination to move to a place beyond words that guarantees some genuine experience. or you just can shut yourself down to it, dive deep into your unforeseeable dream world and dance your sub-consciousness around and around.
whatever each listener chooses to do, wareika's latest adventurous blend of jazz, techno, house and world music will move each soul individual. primarily because water, sky, sun, wood' is a reverbera-tion of the inner notes that are floating and dancing in florian, henrik and jakob. and as the greatest music in the world is nothing but an echo of the inner music, wareika managed to reach a new fresh peak of their multidimensional artistic body of work, that grows and grows to stand out in terms of deepness, permanency, eternalness and silence between all sounding sensations.

Bucketround presents "Deep Encounters Vol.1" This will be a series where we can listen to the best producers in deep house music, this time we have on the vinyl to "Jesus Gonsev" (Trouble Kids/Spain) with his magnificent ""Terminal 5"" raising the essence of deep to a state of rhythmic beauty powerful chords.
On the same side is the unbreakable ""Tominori Hosoya"" (TH Pressing/Japan) with the strong and amazing ""Strider Practice"" unpredictable melodies in tune with your mind and with each beats. The B-side is impressive also with the track by "Allstarr Motomusic"(Deepart Sounds/Switzerland) ""Pulsate"" the best musical structure agreed with synthesizers drawn from a prodigious mind. Finally we have to "Manuel Costela" (Bucketround/Spain) with the latest work ""Mind Purveyor"" a composition taken from the soul of this great producer a track very focused on the dance floor and with some spectacular and harmonious changes.

Finale Sessions launch a new series entitled Unreleased, and their kicking things off with label boss Michael Zucker sparring with Jonno & Tommo (more commonly found lurking around labels like Ornate). As you would expect from Finale, it's a deep house masterclass, with Jonno & Tommo leading the proceedings with the deft piano licks and hard grooving sub bass of "Dirty Nylons" before Zucker steps in with the pattering rhythms and swooning pads of "Just Believe". On the flip Zucker embraces a gentle strain of electro for "Narrow Is The Gate" before Jonno & Tommo round the record off with the immersive tones of "Shark City".

Dr. Dundiff releases Muneybeats' as part of the Beats from Jakarta' series & continues what Ta-ku and Shuko started years ago.

Dr. Dundiff (done different) is a Hip-Hop/Neo-Soul producer based out of Louisville, KY. Dundiff has gotten into producing around 2010 and has been a busy bee ever since with a huge number of projects under his belt, from producing as well as him rapping.
Those who follow Jakarta Records might know the name from his ongoing collaboration with Otis Junior. They released their debut EP 1moment2another' on Jakarta Records receiving wide daytime airplay and recognition from French tastemaker Radio NOVA, as well as 1.500.000 Mio. Streams for their debut EP 1Moment to Antother' through Spotify & a placement on Radio Nova's le grand Mix 2016' compilation.

Muneybeats is Dr. Dundiff revisiting his roots in an all instrumental experience. Put the most attractive beats on top. The ones that make you pull the car over and go, 'Wow, I need this be a right now.' Those are the Muneybeats. Compact little tasty treats spanning a wide range of sounds while always sounding like Dundiff made them. He is currently also working on a new project with Otis Junior which will drop sometime in 2018 as well as their first Europe tour in summer 2018.

- Beats from Jakarta is a series Jakarta Records kicked off some years ago with contributions from Shuko and Ta-ku, heavyweights in their own right, and we felt it would be nice to bring that series back when Dundiff sent us his new album. So here we go. - Beats from Jakarta part 3....

"Fresh off the back of his debut EP '2nd Nature', which received support from Seth Troxler, Laurent Garnier, AME, Maya Jane Coles, Archie Hamilton, Mano Le Tough & Damian Lazarus, DOKTA returns to 20/20 Vision alongside the dance music and audio obsessive 'Leonidas' who's been topping the Juno vinyl charts recently with his releases 'Kay Suzuki' and 'Hobbes'.
The uncompromising 15-minute composition merges DOKTA's unique electronic arrangement style with a transcending live saxophone melody and an original vocal recording of NYC's Paradise Garage and Loft regular David Vickers, with a spoken word tribute to Dave Mancuso and his legendry Loft residency, recorded before the great mans passing last year.
Structured with a driving kick, off set drums and rhythmic keys 'Baby Powder' proves once again DOKTA refuses to work within formalities, offering up a release that is both truly unique and impossible to ignore.'Baby Powder' sees DOKTA continue to push the boundaries of electronic production, effortlessly compounding live elements that explore exciting new musical territories.

Record Kicks proudly presents "SuperStudio" the new single by legendary Italian cinematic funk combo Calibro 35 sampled by Dr.Dre and Jay-Z, taken from their forthcoming new studio album DECADE

"SuperStudio" - available on a super limited edition 45 vinyl and digital download together with bonus track "Gomma" - is Calibro 35's first single and anticipates their new album DECADE that hits the streets next 9 February. Quoting the band "SuperStudio is the main theme for a movie that doesn't exist, starring Clint Eastwood and Pam Grier saving earth from the invasion of deadly robots from another planet" and it's pure Dynamite. On the flip you'll find "Gomma", the bonus track out of the album which is an irresistible funk groovy shaker.

Recorded at the legendary Officine Meccaniche studios in Milan by CALIBRO's usual suspect and Grammy Award winner Tommaso Colliva, "DECADE" marks 10 years of Calibro 35's releases and it's the very first album recorded by Calibro with an orchestral-inspired enlarged line-up. Active since 2008 CALIBRO 35 enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the coolest independent band around. During their ten years career, they have been sampled by Dr. Dre on his Compton album and Jay-Z, they shared stages worldwide with the likes of Roy Ayers, Muse, Sun Ra Arkestra, Sharon Jones, Thundercat, Headhunters and as unique musicians they've collaborated with, amongst others PJ Harvey, Mike Patton, John Parish and Stewart Copeland and Nic Cester (The Jet). Described by Rolling Stone magazine's as "the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing, that happened to Italy in the last years", Calibro 35 now count on a number of aficionados worldwide which includes VIP's fans such as Dj Food (Ninja Tune), Mr Scruff and Huey Morgan (Fun Lovin' Criminals) among others.

**INITIAL 400 LPs CONTAIN A BONUS 7" BY MEL-O-MADNEZZ**

IT'S TIME TO PAAAARTY! Why The Universe knows that Tramp is celebrating their 40th trip around the sun in 2018. And what about planet Earth Well... it is as blind as it is in so many other situations. Therefore, it is time to shine the light on Tramp for all of its unremitting efforts. As musical diversity is vanishing, especially in the field of African American music from the 1960s/70s, it is our duty to stop the extinction of threatened species of music in the same way an animal welfare activist would do anything to save a gorilla's life. Tramp Records keeps this beautiful heritage alive, every single day, again and again and again. So we are here wondering why Earth people and especially to those from our beloved home country, why why are you just sitting there, going about your life unaware of this historic event What a pity!

The announcement is especially striking when it comes to the prestigious "Movements" series. Like all its predecessors, this ninth volume contains Rare Groove nuggets recorded between the early 1960s and the late 1970s. The fact that only one of the songs appear anywhere else is a jaw-dropping phenomenon! The chronological track listing starts with two amazing cover versions: "Fever" by Gee Gee Shinn & the Boogie Kings and "I'm A Woman" by Connie Kaye Trio. Bus Brown, Earl Demus and Chuck Finney remain in the same direction although their contributions are slightly jazzier. Chick Willis' gut-wrenching "Sometime Soon" easily rivals James Brown's "It's A Man's World" and the recordings by Australia, J.R. and Joe Akens are beautiful examples of privately produced soul from the 1970s. The latin-soul of "Cho Cho San" by Hummingbird 4 heads the sound in another direction for the next three tunes, highlighted by one more stunning cover version, Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Brother, Where Are You". The album closes with some pre-disco tracks from the mid-to-late 1970s. Funk 7" collectors will freak out to finally get a chance to listen to Mel-O-Madnezz' superheavy "What You Getting High On" but will certainly also enjoy The Counts, Reunion and Hot Cakes' dance floor bomb cover of "Harlem Shuffle".

Over a hundred great unknown songs have been re-released on the first eight volumes in the "Movements" series, the majority of which can not be found elsewhere, and Vol. 9 is no exception. The work of Germany's tiniest but grooviest record label is still incomprehensibly underestimated. We know you diggers, collectors, mavens, aficionados, fanatics, completists, enthusiasts, and just plain record geeks know what's up and we heartily salute you! Without your support there would be no Tramp Records. But now it's time for a broader cultural shift for good music and a sweeping move to uphold the legacy of the unsung heroes of funk and soul. Therefore, we humbly petition you: in 2018, Don't keep all this glory to yourself! Turn your friends and neighbors on! Thank you!

- initial 400 LPs contain a bonus 7" by Mel-O-Madnezz ("What You Getting High On")

- the double vinyl LP comes with a full album download code

- deluxe double-gatefold LP with detailed liner notes, label scans & unseen photographs

- all but one song appear on vinyl-LP for the very first-time

Hot on the heels of the critically acclaimed 2017 LP Windswept - which soundtracked David Lynch's Twin Peaks, Digital Rain is Johnny Jewel's latest album. Jewel is known for his extensive collaborations with film makers David Lynch, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Ryan Gosling, as well as for his work with groundbreaking musical groups such as Chromatics, Glass Candy, and Desire.

The 19 movements of Digital Rain are three dimensional beds of analogue warmth encompassed in raw electronic moisture. The result is an expansive pallet of soft color amid canyons of jagged oscillations. According to Jewel, "Digital Rain is a mirror image of itself designed to play as a singular liquid movement."

"After living a few years in a desert climate, I realized I was nostalgic for the constant presence of precipitation from every city I once called home. The sound of hail ricocheting off my roof in Houston...The floods crashing in from the Gulf of Mexico that would destroy my mother's house three times...The constant kiss of drizzle on the streets of Portland, and the morning rain against the windshield of Trimet city bus number 15 that I would ride home after recording all night...The snow buried row houses of Montreal where my daughter was born, and the rhythmic feel of ice cracking under my boots for six months straight."

"The desert is constant, and I love this repetitious ritual of Los Angeles so much. As moisture and humid weather seem more and more like a dream I once had or a fading memory of the places I fell in love with...I wanted to make a record without drums, without lyrics, vague in form. Each track morphing and eclipsing the next like the ever-changing movement of clouds obscuring the moon."

Cut By The Legendary Bernie Grundman In Hollywood. Recorded in Joshua Tree / Mixed in Los Angeles.

Omar Di Bongo is an audio-visual project that melts video feedback from Hugo Saugier with two figures of french underground techno scene, Somaticae (In Paradisum, Tanzprocesz...) known for his dark cutting edge techno, and C_C (Small But Hard, Kvitnu...) master of no input mixer feedbacks, and savage analog industrial beats. Their music merges industrial music with tribal polyrythms, and makes us dive into a certain kind of psychedelia between hallucination and dementia. Reduced to the essence, their productions bring back techno to its core, the trance dimension, often fogotten in many modern musics of this genre.

The Single > Side A 'PARALLEL UNIVERSE' is T.D.O.S. debut single featuring Thai rapper MC Sinnamon (Dujada-Dubway), is an cosmic trip between the heat of Chennai's bazars and Bangkok chaotic streets. Based on a rare indian library sample, Side B is 'WAT THAT TONG' featured samples of Thailand molam queen Yenjit Porntavi with modern dub beat and indian percussions. The Artist > The Dude Of Stratosphear aka T.D.O.S. is Jerome Doudet (Swiss/French artist and bass player based in Bangkok). DJ, vinyl collector, musician, graphic designer and East Asian music connoisseur, The Dude of Stratosphear was groomed in the vibrant alternative scene of the very international city of Geneva Switzerland. Growing up in a musical household (His father was a disco DJ), Growing up in a musical household (His father was a disco DJ), Jerome was exposed to a wide range of music at very early age, and started playing the 4 strings at the age of 10. Bass player in the swiss math-core bands Knut for a decade, he toured intensely all around Europe's biggest venues and festivals. He also joined the very underground american band Half Japanese for a couple of european tour and recorded the album Bone Head in 1997. And on top of the list was opening for the mighty KISS with the canadian band Bionic (CA) at Molson center in Monteal. Also member of various bands such as Imericani (SP/IT/CH), Intercostal (CH), Troll Patrol (CH), Bliscappen Van Maria (CH-IT), Edison (CH), Polar (CH-FR), Prejudice (CH-FR), Buz (CH), Void (CH), Ultra DB (CH), to name a few. Aside from the rock scene, he was also part of the multimedia team Ultra Pepita , developer of the today's world famous VJ software Modul8.

The Single > Side A 'PHRAKHANONG DISORDER' is T.D.O.S. second single featuring Japanese turntablalist DJ TO-RU (Dujada-Goja) is a bass battle on a downtempo hard drum beat, hypnotic and chaotic like Bangkok's streets. Phra Khanong is a neighbourhood of this megapolis where hip hop culture meets local traditions. Side B is 'NAMBA VIBRATIONS' with DJ TO-RU fine cuts on a dirty digital mish-mash of bass and dub beats,. Just in tune to get lost in electric downtown Osaka before heading to the dance floor facing a massive sound system. The Artist > The Dude Of Stratosphear aka T.D.O.S. is Jerome Doudet (Swiss/French artist and bass player based in Bangkok). DJ, vinyl collector, musician, graphic designer and East Asian music connoisseur, The Dude of Stratosphear was groomed in the vibrant alternative scene of the very international city of Geneva Switzerland. Growing up in a musical household (His father was a disco DJ), Growing up in a musical household (His father was a disco DJ), Jerome was exposed to a wide range of music at very early age, and started playing the 4 strings at the age of 10. Bass player in the swiss math-core bands Knut for a decade, he toured intensely all around Europe's biggest venues and festivals. He also joined the very underground american band Half Japanese for a couple of european tour and recorded the album Bone Head in 1997. And on top of the list was opening for the mighty KISS with the canadian band Bionic (CA) at Molson center in Monteal. Also member of various bands such as Imericani (SP/IT/CH), Intercostal (CH), Troll Patrol (CH), Bliscappen Van Maria (CH-IT), Edison (CH), Polar (CH-FR), Prejudice (CH-FR), Buz (CH), Void (CH), Ultra DB (CH), to name a few.

The Single > Side A 'BAILAN BREAK' is T.D.O.S. third single featuring Japanese turntablalist DJ TO-RU (Dujada-Goja) is Side B is 'UCHU DAIKAIJU NO BALLAD' (The Ballad Of The Space Monster) featured samples of Gozilla dialogues with a scary soundtrack mood.on a progressive and experimental beat. The Artist > The Dude Of Stratosphear aka T.D.O.S. is Jerome Doudet (Swiss/French artist and bass player based in Bangkok). DJ, vinyl collector, musician, graphic designer and East Asian music connoisseur, The Dude of Stratosphear was groomed in the vibrant alternative scene of the very international city of Geneva Switzerland. Growing up in a musical household (His father was a disco DJ), Growing up in a musical household (His father was a disco DJ), Jerome was exposed to a wide range of music at very early age, and started playing the 4 strings at the age of 10. Bass player in the swiss math-core bands Knut for a decade, he toured intensely all around Europe's biggest venues and festivals. He also joined the very underground american band Half Japanese for a couple of european tour and recorded the album Bone Head in 1997. And on top of the list was opening for the mighty KISS with the canadian band Bionic (CA) at Molson center in Monteal. Also member of various bands such as Imericani (SP/IT/CH), Intercostal (CH), Troll Patrol (CH), Bliscappen Van Maria (CH-IT), Edison (CH), Polar (CH-FR), Prejudice (CH-FR), Buz (CH), Void (CH), Ultra DB (CH), to name a few. Aside from the rock scene, he was also part of the multimedia team Ultra Pepita , developer of the today's world famous VJ software Modul8.

All that changed when Morrison received an email from Spacetalk Records two years ago, asking about the possibility of reissuing 'To See One Eagle Fly', the B-side to one of their 7' singles that has long been a favourite of label co-founder Danny McLewin. Once a deal had been done, Morrison mentioned that he had hours of unissued recordings in his loft; a treasure trove of ultra-rare multi-track master tapes that could be freshly mixed and mastered for release. When the Spacetalk Records' team finally got a chance to listen, they were astonished by the timeless quality of the songs. Put simply, they just had to be released.

The resultant album is a stunning set: an intoxicating glimpse into the world of two previously unheralded master songwriters whose musical vision encapsulates all that was good about Californian music during the late '60s and early '70s. Rooted in the American folk revival and folk-rock movement of the late '60s, the album's 15 thoughtful, heartfelt songs are laden with sly nods to the likes of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Ned Doheny, Michael Deacon, Cy Timmons, Gene Clark and Buffalo Springfield. The tracks were recorded at various times between 1970 and '82 and gives a small glimpse of the duo's total body of unissued work. The release comes with extensive liner notes telling the remarkable story of two lifelong friends and musical collaborators who thought their moment had passed.

Matthias Mayer: Superschön!
Tensnake: great atmosphere on the album
Lehar: I really like it very nice work !!
Andre Lodemann: das album gefällt mir sehr gut
Andre Hommen: Finde das Album ziemlich bemerkenswert!
&me: great one
Alex Niggemann: Great piece of work!
Vince Watson: Sound lush!
Luca Bacchetti: Deepness!! Excellent work from Patrick!
Philip Sherburne: Sounds nice and moody.
The Drifter: Congrats on the album Patrick! Thx for this
Matthias Kaden: Super Genius Album from Patlac!!will listen it a lot ...TOP!
Kiki: The intro and "Marcy" suck me straight into the vibe. Let´s see how "Marcy" and "Blinded" sound at the IPSE warehouse on NYE sunrise time...
Chris Fortier: great album, have been playing.
Pablo Bolivar: This is absolutely fantastic!
Sandrino: knowing Patrick and his music for so many years now and this musical package sounds to me that Paddy finally found himself and even better expressed what he found. Happy and proud of my Hamburg friend. Congrats and thanks for the music!
Yokoo: Super nice, well done buddy!
Andre Hommen: Finde das Album ziemlich bemerkenswert
Matthias Mayer: Superschön!
BOg: Sublime album from Patlac. Such great music, rich textures and deep sounds. So many options. My full support !!
Adana Twins: Congrats Paddy Boy! Is geil Diggi :)
Tim Green: great sounding stuff here!! :)
Rancido: nice album!

Motörhead, Kings of the Road for over förty years, are immortalized one more time in Clean Your Clock, the superb live album recorded at The Zenith in Munich, Germany during the Winter 2015 Bad Magic tour. The indomitable cocktail of power, purpose and head-crunching volume that Lemmy Kilmister, Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee always succeeded in producing is captured superbly by long-time producer Cameron Webb's mix, giving this landmark Motörhead release the warmth, curve and punch which helped the band achieve international acclaim during a career which saw the Grammy-winning icons sell over 15 million albums and play to millions worldwide. 

Clean Your Clock is also a fitting salute to the power of Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister, who founded Motörhead back in 1975 and so sadly passed away on Dec 28th 2015. Recorded only weeks before, Lemmy snarls, roars and bangs that bass with the magisterial air of a man who knows he's a leader.

Perhaps more than with any other Motörhead album, you need to TURN-THIS-UP because as Lemmy himself said, the only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud...

The group Knowledge and producer/DJ/Artist Tapper Zukie's stories are intertwined through their location in the Rema area of Kingston.
Tapper Zukie taking the band under his wing and getting this classic album 'Hail Dread' a worldwide release back in 1979 when it first hit the record shelves'
Knowledges line up included Anthony Doyley, Delroy Folding, Earl Macfarlane, Mike Smith, Michael Samuels and later Paul Freeman.
The groups debut release was 'Make Faith' featuring Tapper Zukie introducing the band as his proteges and began a winning formula.
The band released many of their early singles on Tapper's 'Stars' imprint and were produced by Tapper himself. This culminated in Tapper getting the band a deal with a major label A&M and the band were in fact the first Reggae to be signed to the label.
A&M were keen to work with Tapper as an artist and producer and at onetime motioned Tapper to be backed by one of their other signed bands The Police for a UK tour. Tapper thought that being backed by a band named after such an establishment would not be a wise idea and declined the offer.
But the connection did lead up to one of Jamaica's great vocal groups getting their debut album again produced by Tapper Zukie released on this major label.
Sadly the relationship was short lived and the album 'Hail Dread' would be their only release for the label.

'Hail Dread' we hope you agree is one of roots reggae's classic 70's releases and shows the group and their producer at the height of their powers and proof is in the listening....
We hope you enjoy the set.....

Nandu returns for his 2nd release on connected with another unique pair of tracks , the first an african influenced song with the mesmerising vocals of Oluhle , the second a 909 style acid dark dancefloor workout.
1. Nandu & Oluhle - Umfazi Omuhle (Original Mix)-
A gentle almost cautious arrangement building slowly and ethereally with a beautiful selection of sounds and an african influenced Nandu rythm with shakers and claves providing an original feel and leaving space for Oluhle's moving vocals.
2. Nandu - Another Jam (Another Acid Dub)-
A more aggressive,upfront side from Nandu. for the intense spot of the night with twisted groove of claps and percussion, heavier in the lows with a proper 909 kickdrum with the acid line coming in half way through..... hot.

The new OHM compilation from Ambidextrous Records features some top drawer electronic acts such as Norken (Delsin, Skam, Clear) and Christ. (Formerly Boards Of Canada) and has support from BBC Radio 1 in Scotland - New Music In Scotland, Kiss FM Australia - Brain Food, Annie Mac - Radio 1 UK, Orde Meikle (Slam DJs), Amazing Beats Show - Amazing Radio & many others.

*The No Man Is An Island EP is a single cut from the debut album of the same name by Aalko, a new project by Kebko Music founder Akiko Kiyama. Renowned for her minimal techno track featured in Richie Hawtin's seminal DE9 Transitions album, the Japanese producer reveals her another side under this new alias. The project has already created a stir as Aalko has garnered support from Gilles Peterson on his BBC 6 Music radio show and premiered a live performance at MUTEK's Tokyo launch, where she drew the audience into an inspiring frenzy.

Aalko is a culmination of Kiyama's recent practices in a wider musical spectrum that go beyond the confines of her minimalistic techno characteristics. It conjures her distinctive soundscape where a variety of styles coexists: she demonstrates her knack for breaks, ambient and irregular time signatures, her acute ears for unadulterated tone and texture of sounds standing out in sharp relief.

Taking a floor-oriented side out of the No Man Is An Island cassette album, this single cut features three tracks that work wonders in a DJ context. "Body & Soul" is an erratic rhythm experiment jumping between several beat styles. "Mixture" offers Kiyama's unique interpretation on syncopated dynamics of breaks. Wrapping up the EP is 'B.I.C', a long-awaited exclusive track that ranked among Gilles Peterson's top 20 tracks of 2017. Its dubby functionality makes it a powerful tool that can work at various stages of the night.

These tracks give the nod to Kiyama's peculiar self full of sonic idiosyncrasies, showing no fear of breaking accepted conventions.

* Each cassette comes with an individually hand-printed silk screen cardboard case and DL code, craftily designed by Damien Tran.

* Renowned for her tracks featured in Richie Hawtin's game changing DE9 Transitions mix, Akiko Kiyama reveals her another side under her new alias Aalko on No Man Is An Island. This is her Kebko Music label's fourth instalment and her fifth album. It is a culmination of Kiyama's recent practices in a wider music spectrum, going well beyond her minimalistic techno characteristic. It covers a variety of styles as she demonstrates her knack for breaks and ambient, reflecting her early influences from Ninja Tune and Warp. Each cassette comes with an individually hand-printed silk screen cardboard case and DL code, craftily designed by Damien Tran. Also, No Man Is An Island EP is set to be released on vinyl in this winter.

* Kebko Music is Tokyo-based Akiko Kiyama's independent music label focusing on releasing avant-garde music which is not bounded by any specific genres but embraces the whole range of techno, experimental music, field- & live-recordings and classical music. The label owner established her name by Richie Hawtin featuring her track in his well-known DE9 Transitions mix in 2005. Since then, her music style has gradually changed to explore the edge of electronic music. The core of the label is based on small handcrafted editions of cassette tapes. It aims to give a chance for all of artists and listeners to explore their musical experience and creativity.

Nach zwei ausverkauften 7inch Singles, Festivalauftritten auf so ziemlich jedem namhaften deutschen Musikfestival und Opener-Slots für Bands wie Balthazar, Future Islands oder Battles veröffentlicht das Kölner Quartet Xul Zolar mit - Fear Talk am 19.01.2018 seine Debut LP

auf dem von der Band mit-gegründeten Label Asmara Records. Um diese Vision in die Realität umzusetzen hat sich die Band sowohl mit dem Kölner Produzenten Marvin Horsch (Woman, Keshavara) zusammengetan, als auch die Besetzung mit Dennis Enyan zum Quartett erweitert.

Vielleicht ist es kein Zufall, dass die Musik auf Fear Talk, dem Debütalbum der Kölner Band Xul Zolar eine gewisse malerische Qualität aufweist. Immerhin hat sich die Band nach einem Maler aus dem 20. Jahrhundert benannt, dem Argentinier Xul Solar (mit bürgerlichem Namen Oscar Agustín Alexander Schulz Solari).
Genau wie die Bilder der Impressionisten vermittelt ihre Musik ein Gefühl der Nostalgie und Unmittelbarkeit und versprüht eine Aura, die man romantisch nennen könnte. Trotz der deutlich hörbaren Einflüsse von Künstlern wie The Smiths, Talking Heads oder sogar Phil Collins, ist Fear Talk - das vom visionären Kölner Produzenten Marvin Horsch aufgenommen wurde - ein Album auf der Höhe der Zeit, wie der Einsatz stark prozessierter Vocals, an frühen Dubstep erinnernde Sub-Kick Samples und von Electronica beeinflussten Clicks-and-Cuts belegt. Das Alte wird verbogen, verformt und in etwas völlig Neues verwandelt.
Textlich kreist das Album um persönliche Themen wie Liebe und Verlust, wenngleich auf höchst abstrakte und metaphorische Weise. Doch das Persönliche ist immer schon politisch und findet niemals in Isolation des Individuums von seiner Umgebung statt. Dies spiegelt sich auch im Titel des Albums, Fear Talk, wieder, der sowohl als Anspielung auf die wachsende Unsicherheit einer Generation verstanden werden kann, als auch als Kommentar zu der weltweit um sich greifenden Panikmache durch Populisten und Demagogen, die der Zeit, in der Fear Talk entstanden ist, ihren düsteren Stempel aufgedrückt hat.
Fear Talk wurde im Sommer und Herbst 2016 von Marvin Horsch (Woman, Keshavara) im Gottesweg, Köln aufgenommen und produziert. Gemischt wurde das Album von Marius Bubat (Coma) und Jan-Philipp Janzen (Von Spar, Cologne Tape), gemastered von Robin Schmidt. Die Album PR übernimmt Nordic By Nature, Berlin. Das erste Video wird premiert von Intro.de.

"Happy Freedom Tour 2017
präsentiert von INTRO, DIFFUS Magazin & Musikbox
24.11.17 Köln, Arthefter
01.12.17 Essen, Hotel Shanghai
05.12.17 Hamburg, Über & gefährlich
06.12.17 Berlin, Kantine am Berghain
07.12.17 Leipzig, Kulturzentrum So&So
08.12.17 Stuttgart, Kellerclub
09.12.17 Frankfurt am Main, Lotte Lindenberg
Tour 2018 TBA

Art pop meets Mongolian throat singing, Blade Runner meets Walter Carlos (Clockwork Orange), Tom Dissevelt and Kid Baltan (Bowie's favourite band) meet Tame Impala.

The fifth album from Marsmobil has been hailed by many as their best yet. With closer ties to Minx' (2006) than the last two albums, Fairytales Of The Supersurvivor' returns to Marsmobil's signature strength of wondrously brilliant songs ( And The Fishes In The Ocean', Shadows Of The Inner Light') that blend off-the-wall cinemascope sounds with dazzling beats and punchy, powerful hooks to create uniquely distinctive art pop anthems.
As always with Marsmobil, Roberto Di Gioia writes, plays, sings and programs everything himself. Here, as on Minx', he's brought in support from a fabulous singer - the very wonderful Amber Lin, who contributes vocals on four songs. All the cover illustrations are also by Di Gioia.

Multi-instrumentalist Roberto Di Gioia needs little introduction. The curious can explore his biography, discography and extensive lists of projects and collaborations as musician and songwriter (see below) for an impression of the hugely diverse achievements of this multi-talent and brilliant musician.
As a topical heads-up, Roberto Di Gioia is also the founder of the German jazz supergroup Web Web and released the album Oracle' in September 2017. The second Web Web album will follow in early 2018, hard on the heels of the fifth Marsmobil release. Di Gioia also wrote and produced Teufelswerk' for DJ Hell and contributed virtually all the songs on Hell's latest album, Zukunftsmusik'.

Blue fabric-covered deluxe replica gatefold with circle cut on the front and white hot stamp, printed paper inner-sleeve and black vinyl. includes CD (inserted in a clear pvc wallet) the new album! vinyl tracklisting : Side A: Sous le sable, Lasso, Fontaine de lait, Seeds, Les loups, Je ne mâche pas mes mots Side B : Twix, Nuit debout, Piscine, Fille à papa, Langue The internationally celebrated artist, award winning singer and composer Camille releases 'OUÏ' her fifth studio album and first for Because Music on June 2nd. Recorded over a year in La Chartreuse, a 14th century monastery-turned-artist's residence in Avignon, France 'OUÏ' is a cornucopia thrumming with folk, hymns, ballads, pop, lullabies and breathtaking a cappella. 'The story of the album is like this, moving from the arcane drums' - percussion is used throughout as the bedrock - 'to the treble and harmonics and light in my voice.' An instrument of exhilarating range and phenomenal power, Camille's voice provides all the vocal parts on 'OUÏ'. 'All the voices are telling a story,' she says, 'and I am all the voices. Co-produced by Camille with two of her longtime collaborators, composer and multi-instrumentalist Clement Ducol and sound and mixing engineer Maxime Leguil, and featuring the versatile Moog analogue synthesiser, 'OUÏ' is a work with a pulse. 'It really resonates,' says Camille, 'On some songs there are no drums, just this sub-bass like a kick drum, which leads the way and gives it a beat.' While she sets out to write politically charged songs inspired by drum-driven French traditional dances, that reflect upon the country's recent, tragic events, she was equally led to something peaceful, vowel-oriented and vibrational in her exploration of sound. The latter explains the album's title, 'Oui' - ooo...eee - a playfulness with sounds and language, a breaking free from its oft imposed restrictions.

Villa Åbo in the alternative solo project of Swedish musician and Villa Åbo in the alternative solo project of Swedish musician and producer Jan Svensson, who has been making electronic music for the better part of 30 years as the artist behind such aliases as Frak, Studio SS and Alvars Orkestra. Svensson also runs legendary Swedish dance and experimental music label Börft, the product of a mutual appreciation for Severed Heads and Terse Tapes. As Villa Åbo he released two records in 1997 on Börft and remained inactive for 17 years until the Dutch label Bio Rhythm coaxed him into revisiting the project and released a double 12 in 2014. Jan has since followed with a steady stream of 12' singles for Kontra-Musik, Noise In My Head and Radio Lundberg. 'Magnetic Moves' is Villa Åbo's debut album, originally released inan limited edition of 65 hand-numbered cassettes by Funeral Fog in 2016. Clocking in at over 46 minutes, this first-ever vinyl edition spreads the 8 ragged techno tracks across four sides for maximum loudness. Some songs are aggressively potent, with cyclical synth riffs and razor-sharp acid lines riding a heavy, funk-fuelled techno groove. Others tracks are more fluid, vintage Underground Resistance or Derrick May with killer drum machine workouts that come in handy as DJ tools. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record is housed in a custom made jacket designed by Eloise Leigh, featuring a photograph of Jan's mother's house, the meaning behind 'Villa Åbo'. Each copy includes a double-sided postcard with notes.producer Jan Svensson, who has been making electronic music for the better part of 30 years as the artist behind such aliases as Frak, Studio SS and Alvars Orkestra. Svensson also runs legendary Swedish dance and experimental music label Börft, the product of a mutual appreciation for Severed Heads and Terse Tapes. As Villa Åbo he released two records in 1997 on Börft and remained inactive for 17 years until the Dutch label Bio Rhythm coaxed him into revisiting the project and released a double 12 in 2014. Jan has since followed with a steady stream of 12' singles for Kontra-Musik, Noise In My Head and Radio Lundberg.'Magnetic Moves' is Villa Åbo's debut album, originally released in an limited edition of 65 hand-numbered cassettes by Funeral Fog in 2016. Clocking in atover 46 minutes, this first-ever vinyl edition spreads the 8 rgged techno tracks across four sides for maximum loudness. Soe songs are aggressively potent, with cyclical synth riffs and razor-harp acid lines riding a heavy, funk-fuelled techno groove. Others tracks are more fluid, vintage Underground Resistance or Derrick May with killer drum machine workouts that come in handy as DJ tools. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record is housed in a custom made jacket designed by Eloise Leigh, featuring a photograph of Jan's mother's house, the meaning behind 'Villa Åbo'. Each copy includes a double-sided postcard with notes.

- Team Dreams' is the collaborative album of Sin Fang, Sóley and Örvar Smárason of múm and FM Belfast. It combines the individual strengths of three acclaimed musicians, blends folk sensibilities with futuristic pop beats. It's an emotive ocean of sound, melodies and miniature stories that gently washes over you. And it's easily one of the best albums the three Reykjavík artists have been involved in.

On Kings Chambers sixth release Samo DJ brings his cheap Streetboxx sampler to Hidden Operators studio and they team up for some dancehall beat making and live mixing under the (obvious) name Streetboxxer.

Samo DJs releases on labels like L.I.E.S, The Trilogy Tapes, and of course his own Born Free label. But this ragga infused EP will not come as a surprise for those who have heard his excellent dancehall mix for Red Light Radio earlier this year.

Estetika 001 introduces the first release of the new imprint of Jason Patrick and Pat King. The label's objective is to release a signature style of timeless Techno. Berlin-based artist Mekas (originally from Buenos Aires) delivers the first 3 track record, Nodata. A1 starts off the release with 'Lebreton' featuring Qik. Thick kick and bass anchor a beautifully warm hypnotic synth riff that filters meticulously throughout the track working hand in hand with a subtle atmospheric pad and spacious reverb touches to create a uniquely huge engulfing sound. B1 is the second track titled 'Marshfield,' a heavy tune for peak time. Its kick, toms, and bassline form a rugged groove for its dark synth, which along with the mysterious pad capture the essence of the track while ride cymbals glisten and automate throughout. B2 is the third and final track, 'Nothing,' which continues the dark and mysterious vibe of the release. An acidy mid-range synth part works along with an ominous pad and well programmed hi-hats, claps, and rides with just the right reverb treatment to provide space and depth to the track.

Slow Town's 17th release from Melbournes Luis CL is an ode to analogue jams. The Cran town EP shows what Luis CL (one half of the Zanzibar Chanel duo and co-founder of Ruff Records) is know for: Dirty but groovy drum arrangements, analogue synths and dreamy melodies and his kind of Lo-fi and blurry mixdowns with definitely some Detroit influences. The three tracks were recorded in one take during his studio sessions.

After the success of his recent comeback EP entitled Exiles EP, the Icelandic artist Cold shows us that he is here to stay and ready to make his mark in the international techno scene.
Dub Safari offers us intricate soundscapes and otherwordly chords which are impeccably assembled into five minimal techno masterpieces. A side starts with a dreamy voyage where ethereal pads seamingly blend with punctuating kick and a acid bassline. Second cut gives us a darker experience. A pulsating groove where chords and percussions offer an interesting sonic playfulness. B-side offers three minimalistic techno tracks ready for both the dancefloor as well as for dancefloor within your mind. Thule Records is considered by many to be a pioneers in the field of dub-influenced techno music and was a starting point for many of Iceland's most renowned electronic musicians"

OMEN Recordings is off running to the industrial techno races againand this third release has already been gaining traction around the globe with high anticipation and support from many respected producers and DJs alike. The Puppetskin EP written and produced by German and French artists RENDERED with remixes by American producers BLACK ASTEROID and AXKAN is off to a great start. RENDERED starts off strong with the title track Puppetskin" (A1), with strong breakbeat kicks, thrashing snares and rich synth lines that are melodic and spacey. The dancefloor will surely love the Charles Manson samples. Nightmoves' (A2) also heads the pack with shuffling kicks while rich, minor-tuned pads take you on a persistent journey. About half way through, you will be moved by a 4/4 pattern that sneaks in and will be a favorite for the dancers. BLACK ASTEROID's remix of Puppetskin' (B2) does not disappoint as signature Black Asteroid textures and rhythms come alive in this rendition. Although it has rounded, full soundscapes that sound perfect for a large venue, its pumping, hypnotizing bass lines and screeching sirens keep you pulled into the darkness. AXKAN stays in the pack with his earthshattering remix of Puppetskin' (B1) by starting slow with a profound intro to then push the audio boundaries with his powerful kick and bassline, to gain more and more strength with vocal samples, distorted drums and FX. AXKAN uses every stem of the original in such a creative way to help win the race. This EP, soon to be available on vinyl and digital formats, exceeds the expectations of sound design and techno together. No matter what time of night it is, these tracks can be played in a versatile way. While still employing darker textures, a breath of light creeps its way in. Listening to this EP start to finish is definitely worthwhile.

This special collector's edition electronically reproduced stereo 7' single (only 200 copies), comes in two fantastic coloured vinyl options (100 x red vinyl and 100 x purple vinyl). A refreshingly new take on mono to stereo conversion. Elvis fans growing up in the 1960's and 1970's unwittingly listened to his 1950's catalogue in electronically reprocessed stereo, love it or loathe, it was pretty much all there was back then unless you could afford to track down expensive mono copies. To better understand where the electronically reprocessed stereo versions originate from, we need to go back to 1961, at which point RCA had begun the process of taking Elvis' 1950's mono masters and converting them into a stereo sounding effect. By 1960 when Elvis returned from the army, he was recording in true stereo and as far as RCA were concerned, mono was a thing of the past. You just need to listen to the sound quality of the 1960 'Living Stereo' version of the 'Elvis Is Back' album, to appreciate just how much the recording industry had moved on in just two years. Such was the demand for stereo records in the early 1960's most major labels had created their own process for converting mono into stereo or 'fake' stereo as it became known, with some labels producing better results than others. Opinions on Elvis' 1960's electronically reprocessed stereo versions are mixed, with some recordings making the transition from mono to stereo effect better than others. Some DJ's actually preferred playing the electronically reprocessed stereo versions, believing they gave a wider fuller sound on the dancefloor. By late 1970's, RCA had once again begun to re-issue original mono masters, giving many fans their first opportunity to hear how these tracks were originally issued. By the time compact discs had arrived on the scene in the 1980's, electronically reprocessed stereo was well and truly dead and buried. Very few electronically reprocessed stereo recordings ever made it onto a digital format and the few that did are now highly collectible. Recorded at RCA Studio 1, New York on the 30th of January 1956, My Baby Left Me is a driving powerhouse rockabilly masterpiece with a real Sun Records vibe to it (produced by Steve Scholes with Elvis on vocals and acoustic guitar, Scotty Moore on electric guitar, Bill Black on bass and D.J. Fontana on drums). Our flip side Blue Moon Of Kentucky is another rockabilly classic which first appeared as the opposite side to That's All Right (Sun 209) in 1955 (Elvis' first single). Blue Moon Of Kentucky was recorded on the 7th of July 1954 at Sun Records (produced by Sam Phillips with Elvis on vocals and acoustic guitar, Scotty Moore on electric guitar and Bill Black on bass). Both tracks have been painstakingly re-engineered to create a stereo effect sound. The result is a bigger, sharper sound that jumps straight outta the grooves at ya! One reviewer described the process as - it's as if a veil has been lifted off the tracks'. Both tracks are taken from the forthcoming album titled 'Elvis Presley - The 50's In Stereo' (mono to stereo re-visited). For best results play this killer double-sider very loud!!!

This special collector's edition electronically reproduced stereo 7' single (only 200 copies), comes in two fantastic coloured vinyl options (100 x red vinyl and 100 x purple vinyl). A refreshingly new take on mono to stereo conversion. Elvis fans growing up in the 1960's and 1970's unwittingly listened to his 1950's catalogue in electronically reprocessed stereo, love it or loathe, it was pretty much all there was back then unless you could afford to track down expensive mono copies. To better understand where the electronically reprocessed stereo versions originate from, we need to go back to 1961, at which point RCA had begun the process of taking Elvis' 1950's mono masters and converting them into a stereo sounding effect. By 1960 when Elvis returned from the army, he was recording in true stereo and as far as RCA were concerned, mono was a thing of the past. You just need to listen to the sound quality of the 1960 'Living Stereo' version of the 'Elvis Is Back' album, to appreciate just how much the recording industry had moved on in just two years. Such was the demand for stereo records in the early 1960's most major labels had created their own process for converting mono into stereo or 'fake' stereo as it became known, with some labels producing better results than others. Opinions on Elvis' 1960's electronically reprocessed stereo versions are mixed, with some recordings making the transition from mono to stereo effect better than others. Some DJ's actually preferred playing the electronically reprocessed stereo versions, believing they gave a wider fuller sound on the dancefloor. By late 1970's, RCA had once again begun to re-issue original mono masters, giving many fans their first opportunity to hear how these tracks were originally issued. By the time compact discs had arrived on the scene in the 1980's, electronically reprocessed stereo was well and truly dead and buried. Very few electronically reprocessed stereo recordings ever made it onto a digital format and the few that did are now highly collectible. Recorded at RCA Studio 1, New York on the 30th of January 1956, My Baby Left Me is a driving powerhouse rockabilly masterpiece with a real Sun Records vibe to it (produced by Steve Scholes with Elvis on vocals and acoustic guitar, Scotty Moore on electric guitar, Bill Black on bass and D.J. Fontana on drums). Our flip side Blue Moon Of Kentucky is another rockabilly classic which first appeared as the opposite side to That's All Right (Sun 209) in 1955 (Elvis' first single). Blue Moon Of Kentucky was recorded on the 7th of July 1954 at Sun Records (produced by Sam Phillips with Elvis on vocals and acoustic guitar, Scotty Moore on electric guitar and Bill Black on bass). Both tracks have been painstakingly re-engineered to create a stereo effect sound. The result is a bigger, sharper sound that jumps straight outta the grooves at ya! One reviewer described the process as - it's as if a veil has been lifted off the tracks'. Both tracks are taken from the forthcoming album titled 'Elvis Presley - The 50's In Stereo' (mono to stereo re-visited). For best results play this killer double-sider very loud!!!

Stiff Little Spinners Vol. 9+10 Release info This is the end, my friend. 10 LPs, 24 different artists, 61 tracks, almost 7 hours of music. With Stiff Little Spinners Vol. 9+10 we will release the last two volumes of the housey techno compilation series as a double 12 vinyl on 24/11/2017 via Hold Your Ground, Audiolith's new sublabel. The intention of Stiff Little Spinners was always to keep the party going and most of all to keep it interesting. With every new release, we introduce new artists and almost always new genres - shoo-bi-doo house, rumble tec, abrasive electronica, stress ambient, you name it! Stiff Little Spinners Vol. 9+10 showcases new and known talent from Hamburg to Berlin via Warsaw and Texas. Side A The first side of the four starts with Ben Böhmer and Antoni Sierakowski who get straight on it and pick you up with around 124 bpm and loopy hypnotic perfect deep house. We then slow down a little with Piotr Bejnar who gives us a dreamy slow-jam masterpiece that can only be described as the intonation of a summer longing daydream. The first side is definitely for the MDMA kids amongst you. Side B Side two starts off with Thomas Atzmann, who seems to only produce progressive house operas these days. This nine minute epos will take you on a trip through time and space, it tells a story of tension and precariousness.

The night is what makes a big city come to life. Right after sundown, the hectic buzzing of downtown makes way for adventure playgrounds, bathed in neon light, revealing their countless chances and opportunities. It's when you'll find the subway spitting out it's purpose seeking passengers by the minute. A coming and going of restless people passing through. All it takes is a few hours, before the sunrise makes it all disappear. Mental Bend captures the magic of that very moment in their dreamy soundtracks. If you close your eyes, you can see blurry pictures passing in slow motion, accompanied by their atmospheric songs. Grainy black and white snapshots, fragments of memories lighting up somewhere in the farthest corner of the cortex. 'One Step' is the Berlin-based indietronica duo's visually vivid debut album, released on Enfant Fenou. Mental Bend are all about letting go. Sissip (voc/synth/bass) and Hendrik Havekost (beats/production) know how to trust their instincts, crafting their hypnotic signature sound, somewhere in between electronica, ambient and dream pop. Before founding the band in 2013, the two were already shaping their skills in all kinds of different formations and styles of music. As soon as they got together, they had a viral mini hit with their song 'Take My Hand', praised on various tastemaker blogs and generating over 100.000 likes on Soundcloud in no time. The band's first long play record 'One Step' is all about important experiences and decisions, small as well as big steps, all a part of making progress, which in the end can even be life changing. It was a step, that recently got Mental Bend their record deal on Mo's Ferry's sub label 'Enfant Fenou'.

Uun returns to his imprint Ego Death with an EP that showcases his progression in both sound design and atmosphere. The A side kicks things off with On The Concept Of Irony, a broken beat assault which serves as a mission statement with it's scattered snares and vocal samples. The Tangled Web continues this mood but with a more intense structure, heavy on hypnotic synths that weave in and out of the tracks percussive framework. Where as the A side is the logical extension of the first three Ego Death releases, the B side serves to showcase a deeper atmosphere while maintaining Uun's preference for dense arrangements. The Other features a haunting ethereal pad that floats above a broken kick pattern and a bed of clicks, pops, and field recordings. The closing track, Absurd Existence, forges all the elements of the artist's sound into perhaps his most melodic work to date. It is therefore senseless to think of complaining since nothing foreign has decided what we feel, what we live, or what we are.' - Jean-Paul Sartre

Cryovac Recordings seeks out characters that give depth to the soundscape of Detroit's Underground. Cryovac individuals believe in their path and stand for their art. Ray7 is a multifaceted musical being surviving an ever evolving technosphere. He is an unknown hero that holds his own sonicly on any side of the planet. Ray7 provides the power needed for the Cryovac machine to hatch a new plot. Cryovac exists due to the efforts of craftsmen and artists that work together to make something unique
Side A starts with an ancient Zulu chant that provides protection as well as a funky sort of techno break pop. The next track grinds in to a ruff and gritty narration of ghetto mind-set under the influence of classic electro. A constant roll moves the last track into addition and subtraction inside of a spartan groove that breaks and turns with strength.
Side B opens with a busy 4/4 be-bop lackadaisically drifting with dreamy synth over the chatter of voice, hi-hats, and reverb broken down by a 303 buzzing. Track two is a dark and sloppy incomprehensible subliminal sing-a-long building and ebbing around a stark kick and clap.

Granny13 opens with Nicola Ratti's 'Odd Doubt'. With the use of a modular system and tape loops, a broken rhythm is obtained by parallelism between single sound signals as LFO one or processed tapes.On the second side, Giovanni Lami's 'Johnny Leech' is made with a small bunch of equipment, just a chaotic hand-made synth (cacophonator) and a memoryman, working mainly on static electricity and leakage current in the synth used without any kind of power supply.

Reviews

The Wire
''Two Italian mucisians share a split single of glitchy fun and everyone goes some happy. Lami s piece uses a defective unplugged synthesizer to make huzzing chitters that have a kind of rhythm in spots. Ratti s contribution is a bit more structured it sounds like a record of accordion miniatures broken into pieces, then glued back together with little pieces of felt stuck onto it. Which would definitely be a pretty hep thing to hear.''

Textura
''Some releases qualify as art objects as much as musical collections, a case in point this recent seven-inch vinyl outing featuring material by Nicola Ratti on one side and Giovanni Lami on the other. That shouldn't be interpreted to mean that the musical content isn't worthy of one's time, as it assuredly is, but more to emphasize how striking the sleeve artwork by Opora is and how effectively it complements the musical content.Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi and issued in an edition of 150 copies, the release opens with Odd Doubt, a concise experimental setting by the Milan-born Ratti, who's issued material on labels such as Anticipate, Preservation, Die Schachtel, and Entr'acte and who's presently working with Ielasi in the project Bellows, with Attila Faravelli as Faravelliratti, and with Enrico Malatesta and Faravelli in ~Tilde. Though Ratti started out as a guitar player, his current focus is more on beat-analog experimentation and sound installation. In Odd Doubt, Ratti's modular system and tape loops generate broken rhythms that varyingly call to mind dub-techno, even if dub-techno of an extremely wonky variety. Off-beat chords, crackle, and snare strikes add to the dubwise flavour of the material, though ultimately it registers as more of an experimental exploration than straight-up dub exercise.The flip side features Johnny Leech by Lami, a one-time photographer now known as both a field recordist and a musician focusing on soundscaping and sound-ecology. In his contribution to the seven-inch, Lami's chaotic hand-made synth (cacophonator) and memoryman give birth to blustery smears of static electricity that ultimately mutate into an Oval-like array of ripples and scratches. Johnny Leech is so removed from anything conventionally musical, it makes Odd Doubt sound like a Top 40 pop song. Like Ratti's piece, Lami's is short, so short, in fact, it gives the impression of being an excerpt from a larger sound art work. Here's a release where the abstract nature of the musical content matches its visual presentation.December 2014''

Vital Weekly 951
''Granny Records is from Greece, but the two musicians here are from Italy, of which I don't I heard from Giovanni Lami before. His piece is called 'Johnny Leech' and he uses a hand-made synth known as the cacophonator and a memory man (a delay machine), 'working mainly on static electricity and leakage current in the synth used without any kind of power supply'. It makes up for a nice piece of chaotic lo-fi sound, which is put forward through methods of improvisation. Quite a nice piece and it fits the format very well. The crackling of vinyl surely adds an extra layer. Nicola Ratti uses a modular synth and tape loops, of what seems to be percussive material, but the rhythm is broken down and the whole thing has a nice gentle feel to it, even when it bumps, clicks and glides, but the synth makes it more subtle. Here too one could say this perfect for a 7": one doesn't have the idea that this is cut from a longer part as is not unusual with this kind music. Especially Ratti seems to have worked out his music as a composition, which is very nice. (FdW)''Vital Weekly 951''Granny Records is from Greece, but the two musicians here are from Italy, of which I don't I heard from Giovanni Lami before. His piece is called 'Johnny Leech' and he uses a hand-made synth known as the cacophonator and a memory man (a delay machine), 'working mainly on static electricity and leakage current in the synth used without any kind of power supply'. It makes up for a nice piece of chaotic lo-fi sound, which is put forward through methods of improvisation. Quite a nice piece and it fits the format very well. The crackling of vinyl surely adds an extra layer. Nicola Ratti uses a modular synth and tape loops, of what seems to be percussive material, but the rhythm is broken down and the whole thing has a nice gentle feel to it, even when it bumps, clicks and glides, but the synth makes it more subtle. Here too one could say this perfect for a 7": one doesn't have the idea that this is cut from a longer part as is not unusual with this kind music. Especially Ratti seems to have worked out his music as a composition, which is very nice. (FdW)''Vital Weekly 951''Granny Records is from Greece, but the two musicians here are from Italy, of which I don't I heard from Giovanni Lami before. His piece is called 'Johnny Leech' and he uses a hand-made synth known as the cacophonator and a memory man (a delay machine), 'working mainly on static electricity and leakage current in the synth used without any kind of power supply'. It makes up for a nice piece of chaotic lo-fi sound, which is put forward through methods of improvisation. Quite a nice piece and it fits the format very well. The crackling of vinyl surely adds an extra layer. Nicola Ratti uses a modular synth and tape loops, of what seems to be percussive material, but the rhythm is broken down and the whole thing has a nice gentle feel to it, even when it bumps, clicks and glides, but the synth makes it more subtle. Here too one could say this perfect for a 7": one doesn't have the idea that this is cut from a longer part as is not unusual with this kind music. Especially Ratti seems to have worked out his music as a composition, which is very nice. (FdW)''

Mastered and cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin.

Hana's first and self-titled LP was recorded in Autumn 2010 at Facta non Verba and consists out of 5 tracks which are techno oriented with disposal of experimental and abstract elements.

Reviews

OMG Vinyl
Hana s S/T LP is easily the best promo records we ve gotten in months. This Greek duo has somehow, almost entirely below the radar, released one of the most exciting electronic records of 2011. Their wobbly brand of techno sometimes chugs ahead at full-speed, other times easing back into a wider waver, almost resembling some weird, warped IDM. I will be shocked if this record doesn t get wider appreciation very soon. Whether that happens or not, we fully recommend it, track one down.

Cyclic Defrost by Oliver Laing
Granny Records duo Hana come correct with their first album, offering a refreshing take on techno and IDM variants in the vein of Jan Jelinek, Raime, Actress and hints of the mighty Chain Reaction label. Mastered at Berlin s Dubplates and Mastering by none other than Rashad Becker, a name that often appears in the run-out groove of artists who inhabit a curiously funky techno-not-techno netherworld Hana s debut self-titled release grows in stature and listening enjoyment with every spin. With a sense of fun and adventure inhabiting the grooves, Hana (who are also part of label-mates, Good Luck Mr Gorsky), explore experimental timbres and ghostly vocalisations with a lightness of touch that belies their recording credentials.

Starting off with an abstract, Clicks and Cuts style intro, Liv slowly finds the sweet spot between mutant Detroit electro funk, a hint of the indie/dance territory of Matthew Dear and the abstract, yet rhythmic 12 releases on the Beatservice label, by Norwegian duo Information from the mid 90s. Obermaier implies the groove to begin with, until a wrong-footed man-with-two-left-feet rhythm leads into minimal acidic flourishes. Album opener SM heads in a Ricardo Villalobos vs. Nonplace Urban Field direction, as the lopsided rhythm and sepulchral vocals add a haunted edge to proceedings. CR80 uses beautifully syncopated live drums and urgent female vocals, and adds a driving, belligerent synth riff falling somewhere in between DMZ and Gary Numan. Echoic, boingy sounds threaten to derail the beat, but somehow it manages to maintain, reminding me of Shed and A Made Up Sound; more in overall feel than in the specific sounds. For those that enjoy abstract electronics that work just as well on headphones as on the dance floor, Greece s Hana are a duo to watch.

Textura
Hana's self-titled debut album arrives saddled with a (literally) cheeky front cover one would more associate with a 70s band like Wild Cherry than a Greece-based techno outfit formed in Thessaloniki last summer. Recorded in fall 2010 at Facta non Verba, the five-cut release finds Good Luck Mr Gorsky members Thanasis Papadopoulos and Thanos Bantis hunkered down in their chemical lab concocting formulae to go along with their material's stripped-down techno beats. Using analogue synths, samplers, and sequencers, the duo brings a decidely experimental edge to their productions, sprinkling as they do liberal doses of burble and flutter over bass-heavy techno rhythms.
The opening track, Sm, sets the scene with a heavy low-end pulse thudding alongside a steady kick drum and joined by acidy synths and percussive effects that suggest a lighter being repeatedly flicked open. On a slightly more aggressive tip, the B-side's Cr80 adds truncated vocal yelps to its bleepy, elephantine throb. A dubby dimension emerges in the track, too, when echoing waves drift repeatedly across the huge bass that slithers across the track's underbelly. The album's most elaborate track comes last. Liv opens beatlessly with flickering shudders and what could pass for the amplified workings of an ant community but then progressively fills in the dots with an insistent beat pattern, voice fragments, and even the demented meander of accordion playing. Though Hana hardly rewrites the techno guidebook on the release, it's nevertheless a pleasurable listen, in part due to the multi-dimensional experience provided by the vinyl format and the always superb mastering work done by Rashad Becker at Berlin's Dubplates & Mastering.

Blurt are perhaps the act who have played live at Optimo more than any other. Active for close to 40 years they are one of the UK's all time great acts, phenomenal live and on record and supremely underrated.
Blurt mainman Ted Milton is a living legend. Now in his 70s but more vibrant on stage than most artists 50 years his junior, he is a man of many talents; artist, poet, musician, performer....
In 1984 he released a solo 12'; 'Love Is Like A Violence', a no doubt accidental dancefloor gem completely out of kilter with any other music of the era that now makes total sense in 2017. Dubbed-out stabs, programmed rhythm, trademark sax squeals and a more subdued than normal vocal that is strangely reminiscent of Vincent Price. Thee definition of a cult classic and much in demand, side A of this 12' presents the A and B side (the equally outre 'It's Only Recently That Stalins Have Begun To Roost') of this mighty 12' on one side of vinyl.
'The Ruminant Plinth' is but one of multiple classic tracks in the Blurt catalogue and is a long, long time personal favourite that takes pride of place of the other side. Tribal hypno rhythms, chicken wire guitar, sax and Milton's voice on fire, this was a genuine party starter on the Optimo dance floor on Sunday nights Glasgow. So louche it should probably be banned.
12' vinyl release in full picture sleeve designed by Glasgow artist Andrew Beltran.

The fifth album, from 1976, originally out on Cobra. 'Intense, violent, bitter, abrasive, uncompromising prefigurations of Industrial and post-rock. It is easy to understand why Merzbow, Wolf Eyes and Oren Ambarchi all wanted to collaborate. Whilst run-of-the-mill comparisons between Heldon/Pinhas and King Crimson/Fripp are hitherto sustainable, Un Rêve Sans Conséquence Spéciale explosively busts open new ground.'

Planet Rhythm has come forward with quite some serious VA's throughout the last couple of years. The 109th installment in the ever maintaining vinyl series is exactly that. A compilation that features several of the label's great names combined on one slab of vinyl. Kingfisher EP is a four track counting release consisting of tough tracks that are completely in the vein of the label's recent direction. Intrusive, yet melodic contemporary dancefloor action.

Volume 2 from the Tropical Disco camp... 4 killer disco gems lovingly tweaked, treated & tested, all carefully constructed for discerning dancefloor destruction.

It's impossible to talk about this album without acknowledging the spectre of death that hangs over it - not only is it the third entry in Strata-East Records' Dolphy Series, a collection of archival recordings from some of the label's close associates honoring the recently deceased multi-instrumentalist, but it is actually dedicated to two members of the band, Wynton Kelly and Kenny Dorham, who died in between the recording sessions and its release. The point is driven home even further by the fact that the album begins with a tribute from Payne to the fallen Martin Luther King, Jr., a piece that acts as a de facto solo for Dorham - his playing all rosy elegance and regal warmth - before shifting into the lighter (though equally coolly-paced) "I Know Love," a showcase for Payne's sax. While not the most somber jazz track ever recorded, this opening suite is a low-key and mournful way to open the affair, but thankfully the album really picks off and shows these musicians more in their element the rest of the way.

"Girl, You Got a Home" is a funky piece, beginning very soulfully with some tight interplay among the rhythm section of Kelly, bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Albert Heath. Ware is in especially fine form on this track, tying together the disparate passages of the piece by grounding the more ponderous moments in a deep funk, while Kelly's playing is especially ear catching in the way he stabs at his piano like it's an organ. After the first two tracks take up nearly twenty minutes, the four-minute "Slide Hampton" feels almost impossibly brief, a feeling that's enhanced by its quick, jittery, and infectious rhythm, driven by some really dexterous work from Kelly. The final track, "Flying Fish," may be the album's highlight, a Caribbean-inspired composition that casts the rhythm section as flighty ground for both Payne and Dorham to vamp on. The track is oddly danceable for something released on Strata-East, maybe the most fun moment ever for the label, and relentlessly uptempo. Though this release may be in part defined by the deaths that preceded it, it's clear that the recording process was actually a lot of fun for everybody, as their enthusiasm and energy jumps right out of the speakers. This is one of the first Strata East records I really got into and is still one of my favorites, a must-hear for any fans of the flightier moments of Dorham or Kelly's career, and a fitting tribute for both master musicians.

Following the release of Synkro AKA Joe McBride collection of his formative early works earlier this year, Apollo Recordings is proud to present a brand new EP that draws on the rich heritage of library music. Despite having come up during the dubstep era McBride's music has always resisted easy classification - 'Hand In Hand' sees him shift his musical focus in a yet more cinematic direction. McBride explains : "The record was inspired and influenced by my love of electronic 80's UK library records like the Chappell AV series, Bruton, Soundstage & De Wolfe Music library. There's a lot of synth work that carries on from my album using my trusted Juno-6 / SH101 / JX8P combo with the addition of drum samples via an old akai S2800 I purchased recently. Most sounds I've made from scratch on hardware based on sounds used in the library records I mentioned above along with a few cheeky samples." Synkro's signature expansive atmospherics are still very much present, but now they have been burnished by soaring synth pads and pulsing drum tracks that call to mind the haunted melancholy of John Carpenter or contemporary such as Legowelt or Andy Stott. Rhythmically 'Hand In Hand' sees McBride moving somewhat away from his usual off kilter programming inspired by 2-step and garage, embracing the steady pulse of 4:4 which turns out to be an effortless fit.

We are very excited to present the new collabo release between Cosmic Compostions and Jitwam's selftitled album " ".

Born in Assam, Gauhati, in Northeast India, but currently based in New York's storied borough of Brooklyn, Jitwam spent his formative years in New Zealand and Australia, before living in monasteries in Thailand, orphanages in South Africa, and washed out apartments in London. Of everywhere and nowhere, his music draws influence from a litany of iconoclasts including, but not limited to RD Burman, Moondog, The Velvet Underground, Yayoi Kusama, Jay Electronica, Jay Dilla, Moodymann, Leon Thomas, Madlib and Asha Bhosle.

Across " (selftitled)", he utilizes knowledge acquired through years spent digging through dusty crates, and talents honed as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist. A series of stumbling, jazz/soul-rooted beat sculptures, each buried beneath a haze of fuzzy psychedelia, broken microphone blues, and articulated through a freestyled process he describes as "first thought, best thought", " (selftitled)" solidifies Jitwam's spot as a major emerging talent.

Recalling the fourth world dreamscapes explored by oddball songwriters like Connan Mockasin, Clarence Clarity, Jai Paul, Silicon, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, it represents a time of transition and remembrance for Jitwam, while still fulfilling the core qualities he looks for in song. In his words, "Music is a refuge. A shelter from the storm. A place you can go to close your eyes."

Since he first shared his music with IZWID Records boss Kutmah at a Brainfeeder afterparty in London, Jitwam has released through Leaving Records, Cosmic Compositions, and The Jazz Diaries (the label he co-runs with Casey Van Reyk and Nigel Mphisa). He's also written with Inkswel (BBE) and Paul White (R&S), featured on Moodymann's K7! "DJ-Kicks" compilation and been championed by Gilles Peterson, Alexander Nut, Andrew Jervis (Bandcamp), and Funkineven. Mainly mixed and mastered by Matthewdavid at Stones Throw studios in Los Angeles, " (selftitled)" will be available on vinyl and digital formats.

In early 2017, Public Release dropped a four-tracker by Brooklyn's Earth Boys, a duo comprisedof Julian Duron and Michael Sherburn, and now it's being followed by a collection of remixes by some formidable names from around the world.
Where the EP of originals fell squarely in the category of vibey, shuffling, laid-back house
grooves, Trail Remix is decidedly made for the after-midnight parts of club sets. The 12-inch begins with a T&P - that's Beats in Space's Tim Sweeney and Phillip Lauer's version of 'Trail Mix'. Acid-flecked and hard-edged, and tongue-in-cheek at heart yet seriously functional, it's the original red-lined and shot down the highway at ninety miles an hour. (Worth noting that this is
the transatlantic unit's first remix to be released.) After that is Earth Boys' own redo of 'Highway
1' a juiced-up re-imagining of the first version, filled out with chunkier kicks and fatter synth washes that completely envelope any sense of direction. The flip leans towards the ethereal, stretchy, abstract, though it, too, is tracky and driven. The B1 slot goes to Canadian wunderkind Khotin, of 1080p and Normals Welcome, who blows some stardust into the tune, enveloping it in a blanket of sharp drums and icy pads. NYC mainstay Mike Simonetti, formerly of Trouble Man and Italians Do It Better, currently of 2MR, caps the record with his beefy overhaul of 'Trail Mix' a compression of industrial percussion, tribal rhythms and sub-bass undulations.

Arts Gallery was born from the collaboration of two very talented minds. Asmar & G inst 2x12" Package is unique, each of the two artist present themself in their own space, this space is also shared in another bigger territory, Arts Gallery. Alchemy is a kind of philosophy: a kind of thinking that leads to a way of understanding. This Duchamp quote describe really well this record.

Just in time to warm up your winter, Hell Yeah revisit the peerless recent Tsuki album from ambient and Balearic masters Tempelhof & Gigi Masin. Two tracks from the album are included on this new package, as well as a remix from Jex Opolis. Trancendental and dreamy drums characterise the new age 'Corner Song', which is the sound of laying back on a boat and bobbing up and down on gentle seas at sunrise. It's organic and soothing to the max.
The other original is 'Flying Man', a suspensory film that feels like floating amongst the clouds on a humid afternoon.
Wordless vocals add a heavenly feel to the lush and all encompassing chords and pads and nothing sounds sweeter than being lost in this one. It is Corner Song that gets remixed by Good Timin' and Running Back man Jex Opolis.
Famous for his disco infused synth pop sound he is a master of his own musical world. His version is eight minutes of laid-back tropicalia. Slowly churning drums and knotted funk-bass prop it up as an eco-system of pops, clicks and hits add to the steamy and sensuous groove. It's grown up disco for cocktails on the terrace and will have you hugging anyone in earshot.
Support by Calm, Lexx, Leo Mas, Apiento, Zambon, Max Essa, Kito Jempere, Buena Onda Djs, Balearic Gabba Sound System...

"Good Morning Midnight" is the second studio album of French MC Biga*Ranx. Driven by the unstoppable flow of the artist, this album drags us into his special universe navigating between Reggae Digital, Hip Hop and Bass Music. As he says so well, Biga*Ranx wanted to "invent his own music". This album has 20 surprising songs from the artistic melting pot of Biga*Ranx. The proof is with the title Cumbia "Buck A Shot" which transports us directly to Colombia, or "Bad To The Bone" with Reggae-Trap influences. However the Reggae soul is still present on the entire record, as evidenced by "Boogie Man Skank" or "Confession". For the composition he used different talented beat-makers like the English of Vibronics or the Danish producers of Maffi. The French scene is also well represented by Manudigital, Tom Fire, Atili Bandalero or Barbés.D. Biga*Ranx loves to sing life simply, always in a personal approach. He approaches the themes of his generation by adding a touch of positivism and fighting spirit, approaching the original message of reggae.

After great success of Moondance 002, 003 is expected to be no less than great. One of Croatia's finest, Ivan Komlinovic is back with his brand new 4 tracker including The Analog Cops splendid remix. Straight up underground techno-funk filled with different vibes and mindsets that Ivan delivers at Moondance 12" is fragment of his arsenal of raw but warm-analog sounding elements. We are honoured to present "Ninja's Cross" killer cuts that represents Ivan's unique drift between different techno and house vibes.

Solar Phenomena welcomes singular rhythm master STL for a new EP that offers four fantastic tracks of dubby house. It is the label's fourth release and finds the Something label boss in a typically inventive mood.

First track 'Spy vs Spy' opens things with shuffling drum loops and eerie synth details that hypnotises over seven minutes. 'Atomsmasha' has wooden hits and rough shakers peppering a soft, imperfect groove as awkward chords bring an unhinged edge to the mix. On the flip, 'Summer Breeze & Brotherhood' has loose keys doing an off kilter dance over STL's trademark low-key drums where 'Freebird' zones you out with long held chords and detuned keys as cloudy, dusty kicks bring a barely-there groove deep down low. You know what to get from STL by now, but at the same time you can never get enough.

Superstar & Star are back on Porridge bullet with there first vinyl E.P Proper!: Mastermind E.P!
.
A collection of seven classic songs from Superstar's vaults available for the first time on an Estonian Vinyl Record!

Neville Lawrence Immigrated from his home country of Trinidad to New York in the mid 80's where, a few years later, following his fleeting east coast success, he re-settled with Wife Anne (Star) in Omaha, Nebraska where they continued to perform, produce and record music until the present day.

After releasing a cassette, 7' and 12' single with us in the last year we are happy to present yet another wonderful release from superstar and star! Big Big Hugs!

World excluding FR. Blackstrobe Records under exclusive licence to Because Music . LP with Printed Inner Sleeves. House music broke through in 1987, at the same time when AIDS arrived in France with the first contamination peak in gay and drug addict circles. In 1989, the founders of Act-Up Paris knew that both the fight against AIDS and triumphant house music should be joined together.

House music broke through in 1987, at the same time when AIDS arrived in France with the first contamination peak in gay and drug addict circles. In 1989, the founders of Act-Up Paris knew that both the fight against AIDS and triumphant house music should be joined together. From 1992 to 1995, the period covered by '120 BPM", house reached its most beautiful plateau even though techno was becoming dominant. '120 BPM' is a get-together moment through clubbing, this moment where fears are forgotten by dancing with one's friends, what we called 'the chosen family' at Act-Up. Boys and girls dancing in a club where the walls cannot be seen, flooded with simple light. This is their activist recess. Arnaud Rebotini, composing the soundtrack of Robin Campillo's previous film, 'Eastern Boys", is a recognized DJ, a composer and a kind man, which is for me the most important quality. Here, his work is marked by restraint of his love for house and after techno. I believe he deliberately withdrew himself in relation to the film's power and the AIDS theme. He accompanies and supports the image on the screen and even his remix of Small Town Boy by Bronski Beat is in a process marked by respect and almost intimidation (even if I would have

The long established and critically acclaimed DJ-Kicks series kicks off 2017 with suitably accomplished DJ, producer, vocalist and instrumentalist Matthew Dear at the helm.A man of many musical hats, Texas born, Detroit raised Dear has a wide reaching discography that takes in face melting techno as Jabberjaw, dark avant-pop under his own name and intricate minimal as Audion.Often with a gothic slant and full of curiousness, his pensive but playful music is an intoxicating distillation of many different influences, often withhis own stylised vocals at the centre.

Gili Yalos selbstbetiteltes Album verbindet verschiedene Facetten äthiopischer Musik mit James Brown und Mulatu Astatke, Soul und Funk der Siebziger, Psychedelia und Ethio-Jazz. Die Songs werden von einnehmenden Rhythmen getragen. Groove, Beat und Flow vermischen sich mit einem großen Schatz
betörender Melodien und den Lyrics, die Yalo mit seiner einzigartigen Stimme auf Englisch und Amharisch
vorträgt. Für dieses wirklich außergewöhnliche Ergebnis arbeitete Yalo mit den Produzenten Beno Hendler
(Balkan Beat Box) und Uri Brauner Kinrot (Boom Pam, Ouzo Bazooka) sowie vielen talentierten Musikern aus
der quirligen Musikszene von Tel Aviv zusammen. Zwei Jahre hat Yalo an den Songs geschrieben, getrieben
von dem Wunsch, seine Wurzeln und Vergangenheit im Hier und Jetzt zu verankern. Damit gleicht "Gili Yalo"
der kreativen Aufarbeitung seiner eigenen Biografie. Und die ist nicht ohne: In der geheimen Operation
Moses floh er mit einer Gruppe äthiopischer Juden 1984 während der Hungerkatastrophe im Sudan zu Fuß in
Flüchtlingscamps, durch die Wüste hin zum gelobten Land. Dabei sang er für seine Familie. Es war die
Musik, die ihnen die Kraft gab, weiterzugehen.

Aketi Ray are an all-acoustic dub-jazz group, playing original compositions grounded in the instrumental music of post-independence Jamaica -ska, rocksteady, reggae, rockers, dub -but drawing inspiration and influence from Ethiopian and US jazz, west African percussion traditions, all with the mind set of UK steppas. An outernational sound: Kingston to Chicago to Addis Ababa to Dakar to London.The sound of "From Ever Since" draws on the vibes and heritage of pre-electr(on)ic music, but gives that traditional sound new power through the use of dub techniques of reverb, delay and EQ manipulation.The Aketi Ray sound Band leader 'Mikus' Gorecki explains: At the time I was listening to a lot of tuff digital dub tunes, and much as I love that sound still, I thought there was a lack of dubwise music getting made that had that live feel of the 60s and 70s. At the same time I didn't want to just rehash the past - the best you can do is come close to replicating that sound, you definitely won't beat it. So I decided to try something different, and bring in other connected jazz and African influences to the mix. 'Sometimes when people fuse different music traditions it can sound a bit of a collage, the elements are all there but they don't actually fuse together. I think we have our own sound, and it's greater than the sum of its parts.The compositions are forward-looking, form-pushing, and although there are no vocals, they are message-driven, concerned with conditions of modern life, spirituality and politics. Mikus says The music definitely has a message. Each track has a very clear subject in mind when writing it, but it's down to the listener to tune in to that and take from that what they will. I find you can say more with the abstract language of music than you can in words.'

A kind of intimate scrapbook of the startling collaboration between the techno maestro and this long-standing musical collective based in Bishkek, devoted to the roots music of Kyrgyzstan. Loose-leaved but balanced, lucid and intimate, it sets out from stunning a cappella and virtuosic komuz and kylak, mouth harp and traditional percussion: not field, but expert studio recordings, using marvellous vintage microphones, made over several days in Berlin. Further, a few of these are deftly treated by Moritz, using Reichian de-synced double-tracking, and discreet effects. Also two ten-minute dubs: a deadly, signature Berlin steppers, plus its version; and an echoing, mystical drum session, recorded live on stage in Bishkek. And a side-long, dream-like summation: the locomotive, oceanic, clangorous, dread Facets. Ravishing, rooted, searching music; beautifully presented.

Rough and rugged Jahtari 7-floppy disc with a rudebwoy riddim by the rub-a-dub hacker team Art & Naram, well known in the community for their Red Robin productions. Epic drunkard's tale by the fast chat originator himself on the A-side - Peter King is heading down to the pub this time, returning from Maffi's Killah Tape EP' with even more story twists, odd rhyme meters and a recipe for disaster. Jammed straight to an 8-track cassette deck in the Jahtari studio, mixed by disrupt and coming with an high density dub on the flipside. LOAD...... Limited 500 copies edition!

qua" wurde im Jahr 2009 in Ohio von Tim Story aufgenommen. Das Album enthält 17 Miniaturwelten, manche eiskalt, manche warm, aber alle erfüllt von der für Cluster typischen spielerisch-irrlichternden Flüchtigkeit und Spontaneität. "Auf 'Qua' begegnen wir ständig dem charakteristischen Cluster-Pulsschlag, modern, aber zugleich durch und durch zeitlos", beschreibt der Produzent das Werk. Für die Aufnahmen hatte Moebius ein paar wunderbar schrullige Loops im Gepäck, alles andere entstand vor Ort aus den technischen Möglichkeiten und Spielereien, die die beiden im Studio aufstöberten. Dazu gehörten ein alter Drum-Computer, eine kitschige Farfisa, neueste Keyboards, digitales Equipment und ein billiges Yamaha Omnichord. Abgerundet wurde das Ganze durch Fundstücke wie eine quietschende Badezimmertür, die Moebius mit seinem Recorder, den er praktisch immer mit sich herumtrug, aufnahm und einer Zweitverwertung zuführte. Später gab Moebius den Songs noch verschmitzte Nonsenstitel, zum Beispiel"Putoil". Auch das fröhlich-dadaistische Plattencover stammt vo n ihm.

Henrique Oliveira aka HNQO, is the man responsible for this exciting full album release on DOC Records.

HNQO

is one of the fastest rising young stars in the techno, house and indie dance scene in Brazil.
Causing much attention and hype with his recent EP release on DOC Records (Balinese Death - also featured in MAGNUM VOL 1) and having reach the

#1 spot at Hot Creations Top selling single, it is time to introduce his first album "The Old Door", (influenced by Marlin Stimming and Anders Trentemøller, two of his heroes).
A weird string sound marks the opening of "The OId Door".

By mixing old sounds with new ideas, while recording different instruments, the track shows HNQO's life and it features Urzula Amen in the vocals.

"The Death of the Elephant' is a soundtrack to remind us how destructive human kind has been to the nature. Using sounds of Pizzicato Violin, "40s Cartoon' continues to take us to a journey through the artist's imagination.


The album is filled with the Henrique life moments during the year it took to produce the album.

For an example in "Egyptian Lover" HNQO describes how nice it would have been to have a lover flying overnight.

On this track Russian singer Cotry interprets the lyrics.

"Fallen Angel" is a dramatic piece telling a story still about flying.

"If" is another collaboration with the amazing Urzula Amen.


As we get closer to the end, when its finally time, 'Light a Cigarette' reaches a melancholic state where all melodies were recorded with eyes shut and in complete darkness.

A spiritual moment that became Henrique's favourite track of this project.

The scratch of a match, the flame and then a foggy synth that releases all the feelings in sound waves.
The album cover was inspired on a door.

A door that HNQO was able to enter by playing certain keys on his synths, percussions and strings that allowed him to reach a organic level while making it all a bit more human in terms of groove construction.
A poem from Rai Knight was perfect fit to give the density for the digital bonus track.
To get a better feel of what this album has to say, HNQO invites you to open 'The Old Door"

Blumoog music is proud to present its new release of 4 tracks of great musical thickness. This time, Blumoog music has selected quality and passion. We introduce a character like Aubrey Metroplex, Ferox, Outsgun and more...) with a classical song of his repertoire : low crushing bag and psychadelic; you will go to cosmic dimension. It's Gotshell time, colombian artist, who is pointing to into historical labels like Blueprint, Missile. His song is terrifying and powerful, not for the weak of heart. It's time for Frankie Serious(Blumoog music,Switch Off rec.,The Zone rec.), artist from Rome. With his very high production quality, he proposes with a powerful killer song; excellent for dancefloors but at the same time wonderful for a mental journey. Unchained Souls goes to end this ep of a large thickness; a mysterious duo whom we'll sure speak about. They propose a dark psychadelic selection which will take you inside the deep abyss of your mind... Blumoog music is always near you with soul and passion for the electronics music.....good listening

2024 Repress

Das 1973 von Neu!- und Cluster-Mitgliedern gegründete Trio markierte eine Wende im Krautrock: Weg von der Fusionitis, weg vom überambitionierten Gegniedel, weg von der Ironie, die allzu oft nur lausige Fähigkeiten kaschierte. Harmonia spielte seine impressionistischen Skizzen mit minimalistischem Gestus. Kein Text trübte den Sound, alles war repetitiv, friedlich atmosphärisch und irgendwie LoFi. Brian Eno hörte sich so tief rein in diese kitschlosen Versponnenheiten, dass er den Ambient erfinden konnte. Heute, nach 31 Jahren, klingt das etwas unfertig, vor allem die Ein- und Ausstiege, doch der naive Charme der Musik blieb erhalten. Das Album bildet den Auftakt einer Reihe von remasterten Neuauflagen legendärer Brain-Platten. Darunter auch "II" von Cluster. Hat Eno natürlich auch intensiv gehört.

Into the mystic. Crank up the amp and drop the needle on the record. Exclusively on vinyl only, it's the cross-genre collaboration everybody's talking about - between the don of drum'n'bass and one of the godfather's of grime. Goldie and Skepta share a birthday, an elemental connection and an impeccable taste in beats. Upstart is the blistering outcome of their studio sessions together - a fierce, futuristic alchemy of tense horrorshow melodics, street-level rhymes and bangin' breaks. Minted somewhere between Blade Runner and A Clockwork Orange, it's for the kind of kids who want to ram-raid tomorrow, become a ghost in the machine, a contagion that cannot be stopped.

Like a message in a bottle, carried round by the ocean streams for decades, Henrik Rylander's album 'Fran En Obestamd Plats I Rummet' has floated around in the space of Swedish underground music. Hoga Nord pulls the cork and unfolds the message that is a piece of music that was ahead of its time, sounding 'now' 20 years after its first release in the late nineties. This album is a well-kept secret even for the most initiated music lovers in Sweden! The music, influenced by Flying Saucer Attack and other reverb/distortion drenched acts from the early nineties, Harmonia and some of Kraftwerks earlier works and minimalism, still sounds fresh!

Rylander, a member of legendary acts such as Union Carbide Productions and The Skull Defekts, has been pushing the envelope for electronic music, varying between ambient and noise. Rylander's solo works could be described as sophisticated music and 'Fran En Obestamd Plats I Rummet' combines the sophisticated sides with his band oriented works that holds another kind of tension.

This record is the first release on the sub label 'Hoga Nord Arkiv' on which releases from the past, that hasn't got as much attention they deserve gets re-released in an appropriate context.

Berlin based Japanese industrial synth duo group A make their debut on Mannequin Records with a killer 3-tracks self titled EP.
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Tommi Tokyo (synth, drum machine, vocals) and Sayaka Botanic (violin, tapes and sampler) released 2 studio albums and 1 live album in Tokyo, before to move in Berlin in 2016. With their mixture of dark minimal synth, avant-noise, striking visuals and performance art, the duo still carries on the very breath of early industrial pioneers such as Throbbing Gristle, Die Form, Klinik, Cabaret Voltaire.

The EP was recorded in Tommi's bedroom and later mixed together with Mannequin Records head Alessandro Adriani in his own studio in Berlin. The first two tracks of the EP, 'T.O.P.' and 'Ketabali' represents the duo personal reaction against the current economy, an up yours to capitalism, news and politics, all permeated by industrial rhytmic-noises and words with no meaning.
The B2 'Alibi' instead was inspired by an autobiography of Hi-Red Centre(Japanese avant-grade art group in the 60-70's) written by one of the members, Genpei Akasegawa. Tommi found the word "Alibi" in the book and she just started singing about the group. As she never wrote lyrics for that, during their live performances they are always improvised, so changing and mutating every time.

Reviving Turkish brews of folk, psychedelia, funk and rock in the 1970s — legends like Selda, Baris Manço and Erkin Koray — with a mixture of covers and new arrangements

MISCHIEVOUS URGES EP' is an extract of the same-titled debut album of VELVET KILLS (self-released in digital and released in CD version by our partners in crime UNKNOWN PLEASURES RECORDS). Thanks to their outstanding debut Velvet Kills reached to be on important press windows with their unique blend of synth pop and alternative post-punk. 'MISCHIEVOUS URGES EP' arrives on SPECIAL EDITION presented on 12 EP format and produced in a ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 200 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid white vinyl. All tracks have been specially mastered and remastered for LONG CUT vinyl by Eric Van Wonterghem.

In recent years the clamour for the funkier side of AOR, Blue eyed soul, funky rock or any other description you'd care to imagine has reached heightened places. The hardest diggers have been endlessly searching for breezy, soulful and rock-infused R&B gems hidden away in the recesses of the major and independent label archives. Miami's CAT Records - one such independent, and an off-shoot of the hugely successful TK Disco empire had made it's mark since the early 70's with stellar sides from Little Beaver, George & Gwen McCrae, Raw Soul Express and many more. It was later, 1977 to be precise, in the height of the Disco era when Chocolateclay appeared. Their self-titled and sole LP has long been a thing of sought after beauty, a real Miami rarity that showcases a classy blend of funk, soul and AOR stylings delivered by the solid pairing of George 'Chocolate' Perry and Clay Cropper. Perry's name is well known among rare soul aficionados due to his involvement in some classic underground records from that scene (Wizzdom 'I'm So In Love With you' etc) and his part in writing, producing and arranging for artists like Blowfly, Milton Wright, King Sport, Bobby Caldwell, Latimore, Joe Walsh and many more. Cropper was also well known as a solid Miami session man who played keys, wrote and produced for a plethora artists from that part of the world throughout the 70's and 80's including Betty Wright, George McCrae, Frederick Knight and more. To say these 2 guys were seasoned pro's would be an understatement. No surprise then that their contribution to the CAT catalogue is a finely tuned, funky, sunkissed LP of jams that will bring unlimited joy and warmth to you via your turntable. Languid, melodic, grown-up soul music here folks, drenched in that sunshine state goodness. Oozing positivity and class - Chocolateclay is as deep as it gets. Often selling on-line for tidy sums (£60 +) this LP is a true gem, now is your chance to own a %100 legit, TK Disco sanctioned, vinyl copy of this killer Soul LP. Re-issued just the way it originally came out in 1977, no tricks. Essential!

The latest release from Bjarki Runar's bbbbbb label sees Bjarki delving back into his vast archives and shines a light on a bizarre detour during the early days of the label that involved
a peculiar commission from the Icelandic state. Bjarki introduces the story; 'It was back in 2015 and we were only just putting together the original plans towards making bbbbbb a label. While this was happening, I got a call from a friend who was
working for a local tech start-up and marketing company. They'd been contacted by the Icelandic Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture who came to them with a weird proposition.
They were looking at the idea of marketing Icelandic lamb as this user-exclusive commodity for high end restaurants, the same way they do with Kobe beef in Japan. His marketing company was going all in with this idea of creating an elite herd of sheep that would get the 5-star treatment - fresh food and beer, shampoo and geothermal baths for their fleece, and entertainment such as TV and music for when they were in the hills. That's where I came in'. The initial meeting between Bjarki and the marketeers however didn't go as smoothly as they hoped; 'When I met my friend and his team, they were going to have music pumped through a series of remote speakers across the hillside' Bjarki explains. 'But when they showed me what they were going to play to them, I almost fell of my chair laughing! It was all this
cheesy, easy listening, orchestral Icelandic bullshit. I said to them 'This is nonsense! Why are you bringing me into this project if that's all you're going to be playing' In the end, I told
them I would completely redo all the sounds and music they were going to be using. I was going to drag the Icelandic sheep into the 21st Century'. Bjarki was as good as his word. Over the summer of 2015, he spent several weeks at farm
locations near Kirkjubæjarklaustur and Reykholtsdalur, walking the hills and playing a variety of sounds and beats to various flocks of sheep to see what the best approach was. It
was tough going at first; 'At the beginning, I was working totally blind', Bjarki explains. 'Imean how can you possibly know what sort of modern music and sounds Icelandic sheep
would go for' But Bjarki persevered and he found certain sounds and tones made the sheep more active and engaged.
From this point, he began to make tracks that would encapsulate what the lambs were drawn to the most. 'A track like Soda 'Sugarlicious' for example, came about when I started
playing Candy Crush on the hillside. As I kept playing, the sheep began to gather around me showing interest in the bright chintzy sounds coming from my laptop and that deep voice that
would keep speaking to you. I simply put together a track that was all shiny colours and heavy on the chimes. The sheep fucking loved it!' A track like 'Drab' meanwhile was suited
for less sunny moments. 'I got caught in a nasty rainstorm, so I started playing these synth lines I had made, along with an improvised kick drum. The mix of the softness of the tones
along with the hit of the bass cased the sheep to follow me all the way back to the farm I was staying at. The farmer wasn't too impressed with that, but the flock was completely
hypnotized'. In the end Bjarki, amassed several tracks ranging from soft ambient to gnarly hardcore bangers to present to the Ministry. But in the end, they decided not to go with the whole
proposal. 'These people were fools', Bjarki says. 'They just couldn't get their heads around doing something completely different, that was a bit of fun yes, but was completely done in a
serious manner. We all spent weeks doing this stuff so yeah, it was a bit gutting'. In the end though, there is a silver lining to this story as these efforts were not wasted for we can now hear the best of Bjarki's efforts from this admittedly weird project on a limited 12'release that marks a storming 2017 for the bbbbbb label.