Cerca:l ow

South Londons’ indomitable Medlar delivers an ambitious new album

The long-time underground favourite has collaborated with the likes of Dele Sosimi, Rebekah Reid, Deevoenay, Finn Peters, Sam Virdie, Afla Sackey and Arnau Obiols on an album that finds him taking his production to new levels.
From roots playing illegal raves in the South West to building up a cultured catalogue that bounces between house and garage, Medlar has long been part of the underground conversation. He has dropped a previous album and many innovative remixes and edits for the likes of Billy Cobham and Shirley Lites, worked in the studio and on stage with Afro legend Dele Sosimi and most recently released an album under his own name that collected myriad different sonic sketches from the past 15 years.

Islands is an altogether different proposition that comes after establishing himself as a mix engineer and producer of other people's music. In that time, Medlar has honed his skills, learnt new tricks and grown more able to express himself in sound. The result is an album that explores a more electronic palette inspired by '80s fusion sounds whilst maintaining a loose, organic flow through his use of live instrumentation. “The idea for the LP was for a collection of music which could sit alone as club tracks, but would work equally well as part of a whole. The name Islands came from this, as there's some connecting ideas but the tracks sit independently in their own little sonic worlds. I took a lot of inspiration from early 80’s electronic music produced during early years of MIDI technology… proto house, jazz fusion, electronic disco and experimental ambient. I wanted to juxtapose some of these methods with more contemporary production and make something that's ultimately quite fun!” says Medlar of the record which could easily soundtrack a summer road trip.

Across 11 tracks, he blends old-school techniques like a fusion of live instruments, FM synthesis and MIDI triggered vocal samples with more contemporary touches such as punchy, club-friendly drums and dub inspired, speaker-wobbling low end. The result is less reliant on samples than his previous works and makes for a perfect blend of retro authenticity and future freshness.

Repress

Luca Olivotto returns to his own Small Great Things with a new four-track EP entitled ‘Let’s Get Deep’.

Luca Olivotto and his Small Great Things imprint has been keeping the house flame burning bright in recent years out of Berlin, regularly dropping soul-infused raw cuts perfectly sculpted for ultimate dance floor delight. Here to mark the label’s tenth release, Olivotto is at the helm once again with ‘Let’s Get Deep’.

Title cut ‘Let’s Get Deep’ leads with saturated drums, an amalgamation of intertwined keys, synth stabs, cinematic strings and vocal chants, underpinned by a weighty, bouncing bass groove. ‘I’m Not With You’ follows and shifts focus towards choppy piano chords, dynamic drums and tension building strings throughout.

On the flip side ‘Don’t Need To Know’, embraces a more dubbed out House feel with fluttering delayed chords, heavily reverberated vocal lines and swinging reduced drums. ‘Givin All My Love’ then rounds out the release with a more disco house tinged aesthetic fusing a snaking bass groove with plucked melodies, funk-infused keys and organic drums.

DJ Rocca and Chris Coco spent some time hanging out together by the pool at an intimate festival called La Casella in Umbria in the
late summer of 2019.
They spent a lot of time talking about Italo Disco, the Rimini / Riccione riviera in it’s heyday in the 90s and classic clubs from the early
days of the Italian scene.
By the end of that beautiful weekend they had decided to make some music together that would somehow capture and reflect their own
hazy memories of places they visited or played and nostalgic dreams of earlier scenes they were too young to participate in.
Over the ensuing months the idea developed into an imaginary retro-futuristic club called CocoRocca DiscoTeca, a fantasy version of
a past club that never existed and at the same time a future club that was really possible to create one day.
If there was such a club, what would the music sound like?
Surely, a fusion of various sounds of dub/house/disco that the pair of DJs had been collecting and playing out for years. So inspiration
lists were made and ,slowly, a soundtrack for a night at that imaginary club began to take shape, beginning slow and dreamy, for the
moment of arrival; lifting up to a peak; and finally drifting down to the final tune of the night.
The result goes something like this…

Repress

Luca Olivotto returns to his own Small Great Things with a new four-track EP entitled ‘Let’s Get Deep’.

Luca Olivotto and his Small Great Things imprint has been keeping the house flame burning bright in recent years out of Berlin, regularly dropping soul-infused raw cuts perfectly sculpted for ultimate dance floor delight. Here to mark the label’s tenth release, Olivotto is at the helm once again with ‘Let’s Get Deep’.

Title cut ‘Let’s Get Deep’ leads with saturated drums, an amalgamation of intertwined keys, synth stabs, cinematic strings and vocal chants, underpinned by a weighty, bouncing bass groove. ‘I’m Not With You’ follows and shifts focus towards choppy piano chords, dynamic drums and tension building strings throughout.

On the flip side ‘Don’t Need To Know’, embraces a more dubbed out House feel with fluttering delayed chords, heavily reverberated vocal lines and swinging reduced drums. ‘Givin All My Love’ then rounds out the release with a more disco house tinged aesthetic fusing a snaking bass groove with plucked melodies, funk-infused keys and organic drums.

Venice Affaie seeks only to give humans a look into their own lives, history, suffering, and peace, all while providing a backbeat sprinkled with sexuality, romanticism, and especially entertainment. The concept of “Ascension” is much larger than a description of upward motion; it is the human description of our evolution from four to two, from caves to high rises, from child to elder, and from stardust to flesh. This collection of songs has been in the works since 2021 and meticulously arranged to provide the best possible lens into Venice Affair’s concept of human existence.

The track “Alive” seeks to display the contrast between the wholesomeness of romantic affection and the emotional torture of such affection falling through due to externalities. “Dead of Night” is an observation of emotions one may feel when the subject of their love is away without care, leaving in their path longing and unspecified vitriol. “The Web” is a natural progression of these emotions in the verses, a culmination of feelings that leads one to leave. Leaving a once bountiful love is compared through the analogy of nomadic people leaving a region which was once home, now depleted of resources, rain, and vegetation.

Spread across two discs for maximum fidelity, this is sound system music with grooves primed for mixing and dialed-to-a-Tee bass weight, but hovering above the grounded structures are fleeting rhythmic textures that veer things off into a world worth getting lost in. Throughout its 11 tracks, “Club Dream” plays out like a full mix, ebbing and flowing through a variety of energy levels and moods. Some of the range you’ll find here includes half-time dream-step, peak time pulses, and dubbed out mid-tempo tech, all done with a cohesive restraint and appreciation of atmosphere. The record imparts it’s own kind of dance floor dream logic onto the listener, inviting us to let go of making sense of things and trust in its fuzzy logic.

**Gangster Music Vol.3: The Most Gangster Music Trilogy of All Time Comes to a Triumphant Close**

Imagine curating a dream lineup of MCs and producers from every corner of the rap world—sounds impossible, right? Not for artist and illustrator Gangster Doodles, who has been bringing this vision to life for the past decade. Now, with “Gangster Music Vol.3”, the trilogy reaches its grand finale, and it’s bigger, bolder, and more unpredictable than ever before.

Gangster Doodles himself puts it best:
"It’s hard to believe that I’ve been actively working on this Gangster Music series for the past 10 years. The most gangster music trilogy of ALL TIME is almost complete!! And in my humble opinion Vol.3 is the most exciting out of the 3, both from a music standpoint (special shout-out to all my music heroes on Vol.3) and artistically speaking this is the most fun I’ve had in years”

Since launching Volume 1 in 2019 and following up with the second volume in 2022, Gangster Doodles has been shaping the Gangster Music series into a one-of-a-kind sonic universe—an unfiltered mix of underground titans, unsung legends, and rising stars. Volume 3 is the biggest installment yet, boasting a staggering 30 tracks that traverse the entire spectrum of rap and beat culture.

This time around, the lineup is as eclectic as ever. From legendary pioneers like Lee Perry and Tommy Wright III, to veteran producers such as Mr. Scruff and Peanut Butter Wolf, the album pays homage to hip-hop’s roots while pushing forward into fresh territory. The roster also includes established up-and-comers like Devin Morrison, Low Leaf, DJ Harrison, Quelle Chris, Homeboy Sandman, and Suzi Analogue, ensuring a mix of classic flavors and new-school innovation. The bubbling underground is well represented too, with artists like Raz Fresco, Atlanta’s 645AR, and Pro Era’s Chuck Strangers bringing their own distinct heat.

From pioneering SoundCloud rappers like Pouya to genre-bending composer John Carroll Kirby, from Birmingham’s Romderful to Chile’s RVYO, the album encapsulates a truly global soundscape, proving once again that Gangster Doodles’ ear for cutting-edge talent is second to none.

As always, the cover art is a vital piece of the puzzle. This time, Bootleg Garfield & Friends take center stage, bringing the same playful irreverence that has defined Gangster Doodles’ artwork for years. Fans are encouraged to engage, remix, and make the cover their own, staying true to the spirit of interactive creativity that has always fueled the series.

After years of meticulous curation, countless DMs, emails, and behind-the-scenes wrangling, Gangster Music Vol.3 is here to complete the trilogy in legendary fashion. Expect boundary-pushing beats, next-level lyricism, and a lineup that celebrates hip-hop in all its many forms.

“Thanks to everyone who’s actively supported and continues to tap-in. Believe & trust when I say I've got more dope stuff cookin’. STAY TUNED!! GANGSTER DOODLES 4EVER. 1LUV."

Gangster Music Vol.3 is out April 7th on All City. Stay tuned, stay tapped in, and get ready for the most gangster music experience yet.

2025 Reissue

Exhibiting a solid background as a mastering engineer, Inner Lakes has spent quite some years locked in his studio (located between two of the biggest internal lakes in the north of Italy), to perfect his vast experimental sound. The use of modular synths, modified machines and sequencers is prevalent throughout his work. Defined in his own words as a "contemporary DJ tool" the forthcoming four tracker debut EP is set to be released via Vae Victis Records. The record is far from just a 'tool' with multilayered textures encompassed in dreamy soundscapes and a heavy driving energy throughout. His perfection in his work and passion for all things sound are a major catalyst for his sets. A mixture of unreleased material, futuristic sounds and hard hitting classics is what you can expect.

Funkyjaws is the Belarusian DJ and producer Sergey Abramov, who has been dropping his funky disco heat on the likes of Kolour LTD and Shadeleaf Music before now, as well as his own fledgling self-titled imprint. This one kicks off with 'WME' which has some big horn action and stomping disco drums to liven up any party. 'Snapshot' has a raw vocal and atmospheric energy that is sure to uplift and 'Dancin' then brings some sweet hip-swinging claps. It's a string-laced disco affair to close with the majestic 'You'.

Twenty-four years on from its original release, Monolake's seminal Gravity receives its first vinyl pressing courtesy of Field Records. Occupying its own space at the intersection of dub techno, minimal and electronica, it's an ageless album of staggering vision and technological prowess which has matured into an all-time pillar of electronic music. This edition, remastered by the album's key architect Robert Henke, follows on from the recent reissue of Monolake's first album, Hongkong.

Arriving just after the turn of the millennium, Gravity marked a turning point for Monolake. With co-founder Gerhard Behles moving on to other ventures, Henke produced most of the album solo and journeyed deeper into spatial exploration and the dub-informed principles that underpinned their project from the start. Minimalism and negative space run through the whole record, from the keen slithers of percussion pinging through lattices of delay to the hypnotising pulse of subliminal basslines anchoring the tracks. Gravity is a record which hangs on techno's linearity as a form of meditation, but the crystalline clarity of the mix allows every micro-fluctuation in rhythm and sound to cut through.

Compared to a lot of overly sterile digital music released in the early 2000s, Gravity endures thanks to the warmth and texture Henke elicited from his processes — even when leaning into none-more-digital effects like bit reduction. He described the ninth-floor view over Berlin from his studio at night as a key influence on the sound of the record, but the space Gravity shapes out feels thrillingly implacable. Unbound by the standard conventions of time and space, Gravity stands proud as a true original and finally gets the ceremonious vinyl pressing it so richly deserves.

Presenting the second vinyl release of Chez Doc, featuring Call Intro, Oter Order, Joshko and its owner Vikk. Black Shiokara refers to a traditional Japanese elaboration of the squid, which is presented only in his own black ink.

The record is designed not only for peak time moments, but it varies from House in its pure essence, to Breakbeat, to dreamy Deep-House and Rastafari Vocals. The EP embodies the spirit of unpolished, pure dance music, making it a must-have soundtrack for anyone seeking a record for different moments.

Red Pig Flower brings you her sensational debut album Practice Love, available on Sound Of Vast from 10th April. Her unique sound sits upon the apex of a three-sided pyramid. With Berlin, Tokyo and Seoul as the base, Red is a third culture kid, greater than the sum of her parts. The centre is filled with her incredible appreciation and knowledge of house and electronic music from every pin drop through history.

So taken with Red Pig Flower’s sound, Honey Dijon invited Red to her Southbank Centre show to play alongside her. Moxie loves her that much, that she invited Red to record a mix and to guest on her NTS show. Alan Fitzpatrick, and Just Her are amongst Red’s growing posse of followers.

Practice Love is a culmination of all of Red Pig Flower’s life experiences, brimming with her positive energy and an outlook on life of pure love. Red has collaborated with like-minded artists at every level: the music, the cover art and video all produced with talented friends, who get Red as the wonderful person she is and understand her vision. Her label partner and good friend, Knock in particular helped make Practice Love the incredible album it is. So intuitive is their musical symbiosis, they made 20 tracks and carefully curated and ordered nine of these, making an album of tracks that stand out on their own, yet flow perfectly as an album. Practice Love will make you feel joyous when you play it. By the end, you will feel like you know Red like a friend.

Practice Love kicks off with I don’t care, it makes you feel good: a dreamy, tribal mantra of a track that does exactly what it says on the tin. Next up is I Love To Dance. Red’s beautiful soft vocal is sweet yet poignant, leaving you in no doubt of her sincerity. Thirdly comes Feel Good Music. Are you getting a feel from the track names yet that this is an album of warmth and positivity? You can imagine this one at a Café Del Mar sunset, where those who get the spirituality of Ibiza come together, in the moment to appreciate the beauty of a sunset and understand that no matter how many you see, each is magical and unique.

The three tracks so far have taken you to twilight. The titular Practice Love takes you by the hand onto the dancefloor. There is a double meaning to ‘Practice Love’- The first is to make love your practice. The second is that you need to practice love to be able to become a practitioner of love. The video, shot by her friend Jelly, features Red Pig Flower in Brick Lane, London, wearing a little piggy mask and offering free hugs. The first passersby ignore her sign, but Red isn’t disheartened, spreading the right message, dancing with joy. Her optimism is rewarded, making peoples day better on a cold English afternoon.

Fifth track Sax and Drugs takes things a little sleazier, the beat is filthy and the synths are sexy. Your body starts to move to this one before your brain even realises. The incredible Declan McDermott joins on saxophone, the funkiest synths and Red’s sultry vocal washing your soul with Laurent Garnier inspired sunlight. On Thisiz House Music, again featuring Declan, Red takes you even further back. About Frankie Knuckles O’Clock, with a portal straight to 2025.

By now, you will agree with me that Practice Love flows so, so well. I Wanna Meet Somebody follows incredibly, continuing the feeling that if you close your eyes, you’re dancing with David Mancuso at the Loft. No Money completes this EP-within-an-album. Perfect vocal samples, valve synth riff and 808 drum patterns showing that producers as good as Red Pig Flower make it sound effortless. The best albums finish memorably and No Genre is one of those perfect finishers. Think Andrew Wetherall’s production on Screamadelica. The lights are up in the club, nobody wants to go home, arms in the air wanting more.

Red Pig Flower explains: Practice Love resonates deeply with me because house music has always been a sanctuary—a place for unity, joy, and self-expression. As a nomad and outsider, club culture and house music became my shelter. The cities I’ve lived in—Seoul, Tokyo, Berlin, and London and more—nurtured me and shaped who I am today. That’s why the cover, by the incredible Carlos Sulpizio features their skylines, and the album is multilingual, representing the diverse influences in my life.

Practice Love is like a meal that has been prepared lovingly. They always taste better. And there’s plenty more to come from Red Pig Flower. How was your appetizer?

Sciahri and Sublunar are proud to present Kameliia's first solo EP on the label, Dont Be Naive. After debuting on Sublunar with the various artists release Veil of Echoes I, she now returns with a record that fully embodies her artistic identity. With a distinct sound shaped by releases on SK11, Token, and Unterwegs Records, Kameliia continues to carve her own path.The journey begins with "MM6", a hypnotic and forceful track driven by sweeping strings that expand and contract like a living entity. "Aspects" follows, a piece of refined minimalism where every element feels meticulously placed.

On the B-side, the title track "Dont Be Naive" sets a relentless pace, steadily building tension with masterful restraint. "Eventide" introduces eerie, spellbinding vocals that weave through the track like an incantation. Closing the EP, "Keepers of the Secret" slows the tempo, its haunting female vocal etching itself into the subconscious.

Brussels-based artist Adja Fassa releases her debut album, two years after her well-received EP IRONEYE - and it is promising to be quite a ride.

This contemporary body of work showcases 11 stories, each telling their story of the impact our capitalistic society has on our most intimate moments: from dystopian neo-soul tales of Deliveroo-drivers being stalked by telemarketers (both of them selling/delivering literal 'hope and dreams'), to re-imagined jazz standards and classical songs about conditional friendships, based on time and money. We even get her take on the 'stick-it-to-the-man-sing-along-rock-song', which she called 'Sucking on my Emphatitties'. And then we have the title song 'Golden Retrieve Her' which is as much an accumulation of feelings as of musical curiosities

" 'Golden Retrieve Her' is a wordplay on wanting to retrieve my kindness in a violent social system. Simultaneously, it is criticizing the fact that we, the masses, are often asked to either be naive or pretend we are. All of this accumulated in a visual image of what our social system considers 'the perfect, obedient nuclear family': a kind couple with 2.4 children, a house in the suburbs and... a Golden Retriever." ~ Adja

Serious and concrete topics, wrapped up in a symbolic package, as Adja values both straightforwardness, critical thinking and, paradoxically, a bit of mysticism. For her visual artwork, she created four, self-made tarot cards, that represent the four themes on the album:

'The Wheel Of Fortune', embodies the desire to get the upper hand in a system that doesn't align with your values. 'The Mirror', represents projection and likeness within lost connections (whether with strangers or with friends), 'The Dark Wheel' embodies the turning point of the wheel of fortune, where one is completely surrendered to their own moral demise and 'The Cave' stands for the - sometimes painful, sometimes blissful - return to one's own mind and heart.

Musically, this album contains as much variety as song titles, as Adja continues to explore her own depths as an artist and musician, together with her partner-in-crime, guitarist, composer and jazz-arranger Alexis Nootens. She collaborated with music producer Adam Scrimshire, who was featured in the Guardian as UK's one of three most significant soul music producers alongside Swindle and Inflo, and renowned Belgianproducer, mixer and musician Koen Gisen, who both mentored her into deepening her own productional skills. Last but not least, she gathered 13 musicians to deliver the sound she brings to her album, among them her 5 steady band members and 8 studio musicians from all over Europe. As we said: it promises to be quite a ride.

LIVE:
09/05 : Ancienne Belgique, Brussels
11/05 : Jazz à Liège

More tba.

2025 Repress

The eight instalment in Calibre's archival series: Shelflife. Spanning productions from the last 20 years, many of the tracks have only ever been heard in Calibre's own DJ sets.

Hard Times proudly welcomes a new release from an artist deeply connected to the label’s storied past. Alex Arnout presents BLACK LOGIC with their debut EP, ‘Pull Up’, a project born from passion, collaboration, and a return to House music's soulful roots

Hailing from West Yorkshire, Arnout spent his formative years on the Hard Times dancefloors, absorbing the beats and vibes that would later shape his own productions. His journey with the label reignited when he was invited to remix Michael Watford’s classic 'Love Change Over' and Steve Silk Hurley’s fresh hit 'All I Need'. Now, he returns with something truly special

“Black Logic was born out of the pandemic,” says Arnout. “I wanted to move away from drum machines and synths, getting back to sampling jazz and the deep house sounds of the ‘90s - taking inspiration from artists like Bugs in the Attic, Jazzanova, and Ernest Saint Laurent.

What began as a solo project soon evolved into a collective effort. Bassist and guitarist Alan Riggs, a former member of Delta 5, joined the sessions, bringing warmth and groove to the productions. Vocalists Tempo O’Neil, Anthony Beckford, Mariana Orsho, and Sophie Barker added their distinct voices, completing the vision.

The ‘Pull Up’ EP is the first of a debut double-header from Black Logic, delivering five stunning tracks that blend jazzy keys, deep grooves, and rich, soulful vocals. From the warm basslines to the celestial closing moments, this EP is a statement of intent - a wonderfully fresh, yet nostalgic take on deep house from a collective of masterful musicians.

"Petrol", one of Manu Kenton's most iconic tracks, makes its highly anticipated return in a limited edition that will appeal to both collectors and techno enthusiasts. This special version features not only the original track, but also exclusive remixes that reinterpret the piece from different angles, offering a diverse and exciting sonic palette.

Manu Kenton, staying true to his creative genius, revisits his own track by adding an energetic and catchy vocal, bringing a fresh new dynamic to the already electrifying atmosphere of the original.
The Gregor Size remix is a true powerhouse: dynamic, industrial, and powerful, it transforms "Petrol" into a heavy, punchy piece, with dark textures and irresistible rhythms that leave a lasting impression.
Greg Denbosa, on the other hand, delivers a progressive techno remix, with a dynamic and repetitive beat that builds tension, creating a hypnotic experience perfectly suited for the dancefloor.
Finally, Bestien offers a nervous, straight, and punchy version, ideal for the peak moments of a night. His explosive remix ramps up the intensity on the dancefloors, with raw energy and power that demands attention.

Visually, this vinyl stands out with its "Yolk" effect, a unique blend of white and white with luminous accents, creating a striking and modern design that will enhance any collection.

Français

"Petrol", l'un des morceaux les plus emblématiques de Manu Kenton, fait son grand retour dans une édition limitée qui séduira aussi bien les collectionneurs que les passionnés de techno. Cette version spéciale inclut non seulement la version originale du titre, mais aussi des remixes inédits qui réinterprètent le morceau sous des angles différents, offrant ainsi une palette sonore variée et excitante.

Manu Kenton, fidèle à son génie créatif, revisite son propre morceau en y ajoutant un vocal énergique et entraînant, donnant une nouvelle dynamique à l'atmosphère déjà électrisante de l'original.
Le remix de Gregor Size est un véritable tour de force : très dynamique, industriel et puissant, il transforme "Petrol" en une œuvre lourde et percutante, avec des textures sombres et des rythmes irrésistibles qui marquent les esprits.
Greg Denbosa, quant à lui, propose un remix techno progressif, avec un beat dynamique et répétitif qui crée une tension croissante, offrant une expérience hypnotique et parfaitement calibrée pour les sets dansants.
Enfin, Bestien livre une version nerveuse, droite et percutante, idéale pour les moments intenses d'une soirée. Son remix explosif fait monter l’intensité sur les dancefloors, avec une énergie brute et une puissance qui ne laisse personne indifférent.

Visuellement, ce vinyle se distingue par un effet "Yolk", un mélange unique de blanc et de rouge lumineux, créant un visuel frappant et moderne qui enrichira toute collection.

One of the most iconic labels in house music made a major return in 2024. King Street Sounds is celebrating its legacy with a series of re-releases that dive into its extensive back catalogue, showcasing some of its biggest releases. One of these being Dennis Ferrer’s iconic debut solo album The World As I See It from 2006. A body of work that sounds as good today as it did 19 years ago and, in that time, has gone on to become one of the greatest house music albums of the last 25 years. This release will be the first time all ten tracks from the album have been included in one vinyl package, and will include a frameable, double sided record sleeve sized poster. With copies of previous editions of the album costing close to £100 on the second-hand market, this limited sky blue vinyl edition will give a new generation of house & electronic music fans an opportunity to own this piece of dance music history.

Classic 1988 'early' house LP reissued on yellow vinyl for the first time for RSD 2025. Made by Royal House aka Todd Terry, the legendary producer & DJ from New York who was a staple for house music and produced under many different aliases throughout his time such as Black Riot, CLS, D'Effect, Dred Stock, Frontline, Frozen Inc., Gypsymen, Hardhouse, House Of Gypsies, Limelife, and amongst many others, Masters At Work (Before he gifted the name to Louie Vega & Kenny Dope). Everybody who was into house and it’s culture in 1988 owned this record, now you have the chance to own this on yellow vinyl for the first time. 'Can you Party' is still played on national radio stations and one of the staples in rave and it’s scenes. Remastered for 2025 in the original 'PAID' designed sleeve but now in transparent yellow vinyl for RSD. Limited edition.