Buscar:low low

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.

* Making his debut on Subaltern with SUBALT014 is Estonian producer Bisweed, famous for his trippy and intricate sound design and original take on bass music. A psychotropic journey into the weald, this is a typically dark and surreal release from the well-established Subaltern imprint.

* Shelter
Sinister sounds welcome the listener to the journey as we enter the weald. Dark synths lead into weighty bass-lines, embedded in driving percussive elements and a spine-chilling atmosphere. Tasteful orchestral elements accompany before reaching a climax of tribal percussion and pure bass. Bisweed's musical sensibility and dance-floor know-how blend symbiotically to create this heavy yet soulful bass music masterpiece.

* Swamp
Going deeper, haunting textures guide the listener into a pulsating implosion of low frequencies, which is bound to shake up the dance as well as your expectations of a quiet night in. Rumbling and chopping wobbles complete a captivating piece of sound system music. Tread lightly so you don't sink in too deep - the swamp might just consume you.

* Dolmen feat. Mentha
Like stepping into a clearing, Dolmen lightens the mood - but only ever so slightly. Chanting voices hail the listener, as wide planes of sound unfold into a bass-heavy yet deep stepper. Subtly and slowly, Bisweed is masterfully transitioning into a soothing and melodic vibe, featuring label head honcho Mentha on Guitar.

Rat Life Records presents Serial Error a Project by Credit 00, Jacob Korn & Sneaker. This outfit was brought to life in 2013 when Red D called for some New Beat style tracks for his "Our Beat Is Still New" Compilation. Flying a bit too low under the radar ever since Rat Life decided to reissue Drum Abuse on a Super Sound Maxi Single. The Track was made in Jacob Korn's headquarter studio / synthesizer museum. The task distribution was hit quickly: Jacob squeezing the acid out of his huge Formant modular system, Credit 00 beating the drums on the Boss DR 660 and Sneaker throwing his unique vocals on top!

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.

Finally here we are with the fourth release on Last Drop Records, signed by the london-based Stavrogin. 'Collectors' takes a more subdued approach from his debut on Australian label 3BS, focusing on ampdriven ambient textures and digital experimentation. 'Sixty Acres' is a juddering mass of static textures and penetrative low-end, forcing itself to a crumbled close. Title track 'Collectors' is something like the afterglow. Weary and destitute, the track stumbles through heatwave-soaked atmospheres, fragmented voices stuttering like a malfunctioning android. 'Are These Actual Miles' is perhaps the most direct, with its tremors of noise punctuated by a rhythmic pulse. This is a feature Italian duo Ichinen have capitalised on in their closing remix, reducing the track to a warbling, dead-eyed drum workout.

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.

Swiss producer Honorée returns to Rekids with 'Marée Haute EP' this January, featuring two intelligently produced deep cuts with a remix from Perlon's Margaret Dygas.
Basel-based artist Honorée's inaugural release 'Marée Basse EP' appeared on Rekids earlier this year and demonstrated a musical understanding acquired from extensive DJ experience within Switzerland's club scene. 'Marée Haute EP' is Honorée's second outing on Rekids and includes a remix from renowned minimal DJ/producer and Panorama Bar regular Margaret Dygas.
'Dorian' delivers crisp drum grooves which underpin mesmerising chord progressions, haunting synthesizer motifs and spacey vocals before '208' provides infectious drum rhythms, glitched vocal cuts and hypnotic melodies which sit on top of a rumbling low-end. Margaret Dygas' take on 'Dorian' offers a pulsating bass hook and sharp percussion which lays the foundation for dubbed-out synths and ethereal atmospheres to close the release.

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

Argentinian producer CementO delivers four uncompromising techno cuts on Norwegian label PLOINK this December.
Now based in Norway, the South American DJ has spent well over a decade honing his craft both on the dance floor, organising his own club nights and in the studio, producing records for the likes of Antarctic, Primitive State and Diligentia.
After the release of his first full length album on Faarikaal Records earlier this year, CementO now delivers an EP on Bergen-based imprint PLOINK.
'Fjordens Vei' provides noisy ambiences underpinned by a pulsating low-end and a series of arpeggiated synthesisers which evolve with the tracks sharp percussion before 'Trolls Reise' grips us with enticing chord progressions, gloomy atmospheres and crisp drum fills floating above a powerful and grooved bass line.
'Forekomsten' hits hard with a heavyweight kick, rolling hi-hats and thick dissonant drones whilst haunting motifs develop with dubbed out effects. Remixed by enigmatic producer Twinspeaker, the Speaker Extended Mix of 'Trolls Reise' demonstrates an intricate structure of intertwining melodies with acidic overtones to close out the release.

Formed in 1997, and inaugurated that year with a split 12' from new-comers and label founders, Solvent and Lowfish, this year Suction Records celebrates it's 20th anniversary with the re-introduction of their famed Snow Robots series of compilations. While originally started as a North American answer to UK electronix labels like Rephlex, Skam and Warp Records, a sound that is still a staple of the current Suction Records catalog, Suction's sound has also swerved into new territories, reflecting our love of dark '80s electronic music - synthpop, EBM, and beyond.... Snow Robots Volume 4 features an international array of artists, from Suction Records mainstays like Digital Poodle, June, Celldöd, and Ceramic Hello (with their much sought-after 1982 vocoder anthem), to label-favourites appearing on Suction Records for the first time: Beau Wanzer, Morah, and one of Skanfrom/Sleeparchive's lesser known aliases, Civil Defence Programme.

Super deluxe lo fi 7" grape-colored vinyl housed in DIY low-budget sleeve, + includes "I love my VCR Sticker"

WRWTFWW Records is thrilled to announce the release of the long anticipated, always delayed, 30-years-in-the-making PSYCHOS IN LOVE Original Soundtrack, available at last and for the first time ever in a super deluxe low fidelity _7" grape-colored vinyl edition, housed in a DIY no-budget sleeve, and loaded with extras, including words from film director Gorman Bechard, lyrics of the theme song, a promotional postcard with a picture of the cast, a poster of a woman attacked in a bathroom, and the infamous as-seen-in-the-movie "I LOVE MY VCR" bumper sticker!

Filled with sleazy funk, macabre synths, homemade electronic kitsch, anti-grape propaganda, and rewind-worthy dialogue excerpts, Psychos In Love is the ultimate lo-fi horror-romcom soundtrack adventure with a theme song so memorable you'll find yourself humming it every morning. In Gorman Bechard's words, "For the Psychos In Love theme I purposefully wrote what I hoped were the worst lyrics of all time, giving them to Carmine Capobianco with one note, 'use them to write the worst song of all time.'"

The movie Psychos In Love (1986) is a trenchant, laugh-out-loud indictment of slasher films, romantic comedies, and grapes (that's right, pal, grapes), a true genre-defying post-modern cult classic that will wind its way into your heart as its characters work _their way through vats of gore. Packed tight with sly homages to - and parodies of the work of such cinema legends as Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen, Roger Corman, Groucho Marx, and Gerard Damiano, Psychos In Love foreshadows the grand guignol culinary delights of Silence of the Lambs, served up with a healthy portion of wry wit and all-American t&a.

Bugsy hails from Milan where he is resident and co-host of the brilliant Take It Easy club night which brings many of the finest house DJ's to the city and remains packed week in and week out. With his featured producers Astroloop at his side Bugsy has come up with a quality debut loaded with fat, low-slung deep beats and Detroit-inspired grooves for Freerange entitled the Svegsy EP. The lead track sets the mood with mid-tempo loping beats that have 'Freerange' written all over them. We can't get enough of the simple yet satisfying warm-up vibe which oozes from this track. Understated, warm and relaxed yet with a bump and grunt which calls you to the dancefloor.
A2 is a track entitled New Vision where we find a straighter groove underpinned by a restless, pulsing, analogue bass and shifting block chords. With it's heads down attitude and simple, rolling arrangement this is Jimpster's personal favourite for banging on a big system. Flip over for the aptly titled Ghost Song. Here we get off-kilter vocals and fleeting glimpses of a melody which then disappear into the ether. All in all a slightly surreal yet groove-heavy track which has a charm of it's own.
Rounding off the EP we have Chicago house legend Boo Williams on the remix of Ghost Song, where he takes a minimal approach with a hint of acid but keeping his soulful touch. Enjoy!

As we move forward, Corseque Records introduces a concept which we simply call Faction. A series of joint releases between artists from different corners of our beloved scene and label head Ascorbite. For the third vinyl we are pleased to have with us Berlin based producer Mike Wall (Wall Music/Wall Music Limited).

Legendary Los Hermanos member Santiago Salazar's album 'Aspirations For Young Xol' is given a vinyl release courtesy of Rekids.

A heartfelt dedication to his son Isaias, 'Aspirations for Young Xol' takes us through the life of a pillar in the electronic music community - Santiago Salazar. From his formative years spent in California to his connection with Detroit and the passing of a childhood friend, the long-player's tracks signpost the musician's significant experiences, both positive and negative. This meaningful body of work was released digitally on Pastel Voids and now Rekids release the album on wax.

'Saturated Fear' sets a deep tone for the LP, flanging melodies and echoing claps float through the composition before the album's title track 'Aspirations for Young Xol' offers haunting arpeggios with occasional acidic overtones which are cleverly offset by beautifully designed lead synth transitions. 'Bloodlines' follows a similar musical vein with delayed bass riffs that are suspended above shimmering hihats and a weighted kick.

Santiago provides three beatless pieces throughout, which digress into more emotional territory whilst offering brief respite from his heavier drum work. 'Xol's Pain' combines orchestral strings and swelling synthesisers which build tension with a subtly complex, evolving motif. Both 'Dark Matter' and 'Ode to Stinson' use arresting atmospheres, warped arpeggios and ethereal pads which lull the listener into a retrospective mood.

An intensity builds in the later tracks, a gritty but powerful low end provides a solid foundation in 'Orange Blossom Thump', eventually making way for a hectic and elastic lead synth before 'Pachuco Dub' displays drones that build a dissonant pressure in which the complex tom rhythms and rolling hi hats can grow. 'Sarah Rivera' hypnotises with its delectable chord progressions and complimentary melodies which seem to float above a rigid drum composition to close the album with style.

Anthone and Katsunori Sawa team up again under their BOKEH alias delivering a 12" single on The Weevil Neighbourhood.

On A side "Lancashire", BOKEH explore the realms of Drum & Bass tempo challenging the how-low-can-you-go with extremely deep subs while "Fast Fiver" on the B side doubles up on your regular 4/4 while on a heavy dub chord's leash.

The release comes on black vinyl. The center label artwork is done by Lee Noble (No Kings Records/ Bathetic).

Straight out of Queens NYC, Love Letters makes their debut on YIELD. The 5th tape release is accompanied by the first vinyl release of the imprint. Love Letters provided 3 stunning and diverse cuts of the track 'Ducue', traversing the variety of early house sounds.

The 'Single Mix' is the classic House jam with a warm piano, jacking groove and seductive vocals by Love Letters themselves. 'Xtended Dick Dub' sets the mark at a stripped back and hot pace. Its penetrating groove and thumping low end will make it impossible for any dedicated dancer to stand still and ignore the energy. On the flip side is the 'Turtle Bugg & L.L. Free Edit', a collaboration with DJ and friend Turtle Bugg, which will literally vibrate the sweat off the ceiling with its 808 and 303 violence, showing no mercy for those who fail to yield.

This November will see Elia Perrone launch his new Jun'Ai imprint with his very own 'Flowers' EP, accompanied by a remix from Romanian minimal powerhouse Vid.

Tuscan producer and DJ Elia Perrone has long been one of the most respected figures in Italy's underground electronic music scene having co-founded the Klang Club in Arezzo which has seen him play alongside the likes of Simoncino, Juju & Jordash and Move D. Amongst this Elia, alongside brother and production partner heads up Unclear Records which plays host to their collaborative works as Easy To Remember as well as material from the likes of Baby Ford, Roman Fluegel, Christopher Rau and Dandy Jack amongst others.

Here though we see Elia turning a new chapter with the launch of his Jun'Ai imprint and taking the lead on the inaugural release is 'Flowers', a mind-altering slice of micro house fueled by pops, whirrs, clicks and sample cuts while fluttering atmospherics and bright string plucks ebb and flow throughout the murky depths of the composition. Vid aka Egal 3 steps up on remix duties to follow, delivering a straight edged take on things via crunchy organic percussion, billowing echoes of the original's atmospherics and a robust sub driven bass line.

Opening the flip side is 'Rain Smell', a slow brooding, hypnotic number employing dynamic string licks, modulating synth drones and bumpy 4/4 drums before 'Moshishi' closes out the package with airy ethereal textures, glitched out off-kilter percussion and rumbling low end tones.

Idle Hands continues its quest to support new talent coming out of Bristol with a fresh 12" from local beatsmith Crump. Up to this point, he's been quietly slipping out razor sharp reduced house cuts on various artist releases for Extended Play and Banoffee Pies, but it's high time he had a 12" of his to truly showcase his sound.

The two tracks on this single tap into a consistent thread on Idle, fusing the minimal sensibilities of contemporary European house music with a swung, dub-weighted presence fit for soundsystem consumption in the fair city we call home. Much like previous releases from Leif, Christian Jay and Matt Karmil, this is a demonstration of stripped down music loaded with swagger.

"Ice & Spheres" pivots around an ear-snagging 2-step shuffle that cuts through any mix, but there's scores of subtlety woven in between the drums to reward the attentive listener. Snatches of vocal, distant field recordings, low-blowing synth licks and other unidentifiable sonic matter lurk quietly in the mix to cast a spell on the sleep-deprived twitcher and warm-up head-nodder alike.

Sporting a brighter disposition thanks to the sheen of its chords, "Mechanisms" provides a different vibe on the flip. The beat throws down with a rugged nod to West London broken styles while still tapping into that aforementioned continental 4/4 sensibility, injecting a refreshing variation into the densely populated minimal house landscape while maintaining the meditative qualities that keep the genre close to our hearts.

Written, performed and produced by Thomas Moen Hermansen @M57 Studios Asker Jan-Sept 2016

Published by Smalltown Supermusic/Sony ATV Scandinavia

Mastered by Schnittstelle , Photos by Ragnhild Fors, Design by Metric Design

After the slightly more conceptual "Principe del Norte"album, "5" takes two steps forward and one step back
collecting a batch of tracks that was recorded right after it's preceder and in tandem with the recent "Square One"album with Bjørn Torske.
A "freedom"album of sorts, beyond the slightly misleading album opener "Here comes the band" there's a variety in these tracks tracing inspiration from 35 years (unhealthy)obsession with all things "good music" played enthusiastically.
"5" also marks the launch of my new label "Prins Thomas Musikk".

A run through the tracks with a couple of hints to titles and inspiration:

"Here comes the band"
A planned album of a fake band consisiting of me only was ditched. This is their only entry...
Very loosely inspired by "Bandwagonesque"era Teenage Fanclub

"Villajoyosa"
Melodic ideas hummed into a handheld recorded and specific notes about instrumentation scribbled down while on holiday in Villajoyosa in Spain turned into this little ditty when back in slightly colder Norway.

"Bronchi Beat"
Made in bed during a rough patch of bronchitis. Heavily influenced by prescription cough medicine.
Orbe from Madrid made a dizzy techno version which comes out soon enough...

""
I find great inspiration in working on new ideas while travelling the skies. Partly inspired by a detour into the soundtrack of my early teens (Paul Hardcastle, Warp 9, Maze, Mtume...)this particular one was started on a bumpy flight home from Athens and later finished in my tiny M57 Studio(R.I.P.)

"Æ"
Another bronchitis-ridden idea. Slow and low is the tempo. Beat originally inspired by Brian Briggs "AEO", melodies beamed in from Wally Badarou.
"Æ"is the norwegian pronounciation of the A in Acid refering to the 303 screeches going through the "song"

"Ø"
By the title you might think I'm running out of ideas. Not sure what happened here and why...

"Lunga Strada"
The track that took me the longest to complete hence the "long road".
Personal favourites The Pilotwings from Lyon sent over 2 ridiculously good and fun remixes which will
be released on a separate 10"

"London til Lisboa"
Another idea made on a plane when I should have tried to catch some sleep.
Direction steered by Plaid and Pat Metheny. Thank you for the inspiration

"Å"
Initially the final track AND then: scrapped idea for the alphabet soup of "Principe del Norte".
Later evolved into what we have here. Comes with a really nice remix by Pional on a separate 12"

"Venter på Torske"
The final recorded addition to the album. Made while waiting for Bjørn Torske to reply on a text message...

"Aske Hermansen"
In all seriousness, this is probably as soppy as it gets with me.
Tears into my computer keyboard, made on the road missing my wife and kids.

* Walton drops his third instalment on Tectonic in fine style, calling upon Japanese influences to create a truly unique sonic across both tracks in the release. Asian instrumentation meets directly head to head with the cutting edge sounds of a UK grime-techno axis to great effect.

* 'Praying Mantis' captures all the charm of a fine Japanese watercolour painting by means of some spectacular midi-harp programming. Hi-hats and detailed percussion set a shuffling pace, building the mood up before a beautiful harp section unfolds and takes over, expertly programmed by Walton to sound as if a master harpist had stepped into the room! As drums and bass join the party we have all the makings of a low-slung grimey masterpiece, both soothing and energising in a perfect zen balance.

* Flip then for 'Koto Riddim' which again brings Japanese influences to the forefront of the track. Walton programs classic sounding Japanese percussion sounds along with grunting vocal cuts and a charming flute-based melody. As the track drops, it switches into a more familiar, grime-based palette of sounds, deftly arranged for most dangerous impact.

Dungeon Acid, bred in Gothenburg's (Sweden) obscure music scene during the eighties and nineties, releases his second 7inch on Hoga Nord Rekords. Dog Acid and Sex Beat focuses on those remote corners where Jean-Louis Huhta have rooted his musicality. With legendary bands like Cortex, Anti Cimex and The Skull Defekts on his resume, Huhta is most definitely one of the most interesting artists in Sweden!
The music on this 7inch breathes sex, concrete and dark seas. The tracks differ in instrumentation but they expresses the same feeling: uncomplicated and straightforward components, perfectly balanced In relation to each other, shutting down unnecessary body function, aiming for your lower back. Spastic curling synthesisers rests upon soundwaves heavier than the swell against the Norwegian North Atlantic coast.
Dungeon Acid is the miner of your record crate - hard at work finding the nuggets in punk, rock and electro to develop the strict techno.

Two of Hospital Record's most electrifying artists have formed an allegiance for a true coming together of titans. Bournemouth's Krakota and Sao Paulo's Urbandawn have combined their production talents to create the five-track 'Focus Shift' EP - a real drum & bass mash up of styles and sonic sequences.
The aptly named 'Coyote' is an absolute howler, unashamedly powerful and loaded with energy, distorting and plunging itself into new streams of audio chaos throughout.
'Laguna' fits with their alter-egos - sweet, pensive and majestic. Operating within a more classic Hospital framework, this rolling stroke of musical bliss will leave no party unsatisfied.
Sitting in the middle of this concerted creation is title track 'Focus Shift'. Informed by both liquid-funk and tech styles, it's gelled together with scathing bass riffs and high profile percussive chops.
'Epigram' has all the bassweight you'd expect from such a monolith collision of production powerhouses. Crisp and sinful, with a consistently militant atmosphere this song is pure depth, darkness and danger, with a genuinely intriguing sonic progression that renders this track as devastating as weapons grade plutonium.
Seeing the release home is 'Paladin'. An ardent dancefloor destroyer that fuses the power of the stepper with the groove of a roller, that even angels would find themselves bustin' a skank. Uplifting and powerful with cosmic subtleties in the low end twinned with sombre melodies and skittering drum-work all tempered in unison to create a certified banger.

Shimza, real name Ashley Raphala, is one of South Africa's brightest young talents. 'Ascendent", his 4 tracks debut E.P. on Cadenza reveals solid production skills and an innate instinct for peak-time bangers. The opening track, 'Congo Congo' is a dark ride over abysmal tom-tom drums, lively percussions and a gloomy bass lead, ignited dramatically by an ensemble of wide synthetic stabs and chords. In its 'Dub- Mix", the drums and the percussion become lighter without diminishing its dynamic tension. The overall weight of the leads and the stabs is reduced, leaving more space to its intense piano and string chords and swinging sub bass. 'Shimza - Secret Melodies' starts with an obscure bass line, but the intense twist of fractioned rolls and arpeggios bring an ascending piano progression that quickly blooms into an uplifting symphony. 'Selector' is a deeper cut that keeps the gaze on the dancefloor: the incessant hand clapping and a cloud of low frequencies bumps unexpectedly drag its hypnotic harmonies into a breath-taking drop.

In 2017, the musical term electronic' is nearly obsolete given the ubiquity of computerized processes in producing music. Even so, the prevailing assumption is that musicians working under this broad umbrella must be inspired by concepts equally as electrified as their equipment. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has demonstrated in her still-blooming discography that this notion couldn't be further from the truth, and that more often than not, rich worlds of synthesized
sound are born from deep reverence of the natural world. Smith (who by no coincidence, cites naturalist David Attenborough as a contemporary muse) has embodied such an appreciation on
The Kid in as direct and sincere a way as possible by sonically charting the phases of life itself.
The album, which punctually follows up her 2016 breakthrough EARS, chronicles four defining cognitive and emotional stages of the human lifespan across four sides of a double LP.
The first side takes us through the confused astonishment of a newborn, unaware of itself, existing in an unwitting nirvana. Smith's music has always woven a youthful thread befitting of the
aforementioned subject. Here she articulates it in signature fashion on the track An Intention,' which serves not only as a soaring spire on The Kid, but on her entire output. There is playfulness here, but it's elevated by an undertone of gravity into something compelling and majestic that is fast becoming Smith's watermark. The emotional focus of side two is the vital but underreported moment in early youth when we cross the threshold into self awareness. The subject is profound enough to fill an entire album, but rarely makes its way into a single track, indicating Smith's ambition to broach subtler and deeper subjects than the average composer. This side offers up another highlight in the form of In The World But Not Of The World' which serves its subject well with epiphanic, climbing strings and decidedly noisy textures over a near-Bollywood low end pulse.

Side three emphasizes a feeling of being confirmed enough in one's own identity to begin giving back to the formative forces of one's upbringing, which is arguably the duty that all great artists
aim to fulfill. This side ends with the exploratory album cut Who I Am & Why I Am Where I Am' recorded in a single take without overdubs on the rare EMS Synthi 100 synthesizer. This humble
piece of sound design serves as a contrast to side four's verdant orchestral moments, all written and arranged for the EU-based Stargaze quartet by Smith herself. This final side represents a
return to pure being, the kind of wisdom and peace that eludes most of us until the autumn of life. On To Feel Your Best' this concept is voiced in the bittersweet refrain one day I'll wake up
and you won't be there' which Smith intended to be a grateful acknowledgement of life rather than a melancholy resentment of loss. The song has both effects depending on the mood of the
listener, and both interpretations are equally moving.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith belongs to an ilk of modern musicians who are defined by their commitment to creating experiential albums despite the singles-oriented habits of modern listeners,
and here she represents her kind proudly. The subjects on The Kid are not simple to convey, and yet through both emotional tone and lyrical content, Smith does just that. There is a similar
gravity to both birth and death, and rarely is that correlation as accurately and enthusiastically mapped as it is here.

Alan Watts, another logical inspiration of Smith's, once expounded that people record themselves to confirm their own existence, and as such, echoes and resonance are reminders that we are alive. You're not there unless you're recorded,' Watts muses, if you shout, and it doesn't come back and echo, it didn't happen.' The Kid speaks to this idea directly. As Kaitlyn Aurelia
Smith explores her existence through music, she guides us in gleefully contemplating our own.

47013 sees the first solo EP from the label head himself, Tommy Four Seven.

After releasing 8 dance-floor focused cuts across 47's VA series, 47013 follows three well received solo EPs from Killawatt, VSK and Headless Horseman. This record sees Tommy present perhaps his most diverse and resolute release yet, exploring merciless low frequencies and sound design across 4 diverse tracks, as always offering his forward vision of techno.

Marco Bailey's 5th full-length album, one that he personally claims to be the best overall representation of his sound. With seventeen tracks comprising almost an hour and a half of music, he has ample room to stretch out and to give listeners an excellent portable version of his potent live show.

By maintaining a consistently high-quality output that does not merely ride the wave of current trends, multi-faceted producer Marco Bailey has managed to survive through decades of mercilessly shifting adjustments to popular taste in dance music. From his beginnings in the late '80s spinning eclectic sets comprised of everything from punk to old school hip-hop, to his present interest in pure unadulterated techno, the Belgium-based DJ and producer has won over audiences with his keen knowledge of how to squeeze the greatest physical and emotional impact out of a few well-placed elements, along with his instinct for seeking out the most innovative and resilient kindred spirits (his impressive number of professional friendships includes artists as diverse as Markus Suckut, Jonas Kopp, Alex Bau, Edit Select, Speedy J, Steve Rachmad and many more). These combined talents have led to his formation of several different labels: MB Electronics in 2001, the 'limited edition' label MBR in 2013, and lastly the new Materia Music label begun last year. His similiarly named event series, Materia, has also been a truly worldwide 'state of the art' summit for advanced techno artists.



The full-length personal releases by Marco Bailey, which stretch back to his mid-'90s period as a trance producer, have been gracefully arcing and anthemic affairs composed of individual tracks that follow that same blueprint. He is now about to drop his 5th full-length album overall, one that he personally claims to be the best overall representation of his sound. With seventeen tracks comprising almost an hour and a half of music, he has ample room to stretch out and to give listeners an excellent portable version of his potent live show. Of course, an epic running time alone is not the marker of a great audio experience, but an epic running time in which one loses track of time completely is - Bailey accomplishes this feat by never rushing the payoff; by organically building up each track until listeners are fully immersed in his alternate universe.



This skill can be heard on banging, sweat-saturated tracks like 'Ash', 'Genetix' and 'Hasai,' but also on comparitively gentle pieces like 'Klauth' (which straddles the line between disciplined electro and something more dreamlike and weightless), or the blissed out 'Suoh,' which feels like a fresh snowfall in audio form. Low-key cuts like 'Rex,' driven by echo FX and other windswept sounds, form natural counterparts to busier tracks like 'Ruth,' with its spring-loaded sequencer attacks, or 'Reboot That Device,' which is ingeniously driven by a psychedelic organ whose sound evolves with various filter settings. Minimalist vocals are occasionally injected into the mix - i.e. on the 'The Darkness' - to impart a subtle message of constant, ongoing expansion into unexplored galaxies without and within. It's as good a definition of the artist's musical mission as any.

After their highly acclaimed album - Dis Side Ah Town Roger Robinson and disrupt are returning with a reel full of new tales about survival in a Dog Heart City. These stories, delivered in Robinson's full vocal spectrum between low-end dub poetry tremors and haunting falsetto singing, are trying to make the invisible lives visible: giving people affected by gentrification, racism, unemployment and low wage work a sense of authority and aesthetic nobility.
Each song on this album became a story in that city, while the record itself is like the city holding these stories. Nightshift' tells about the workers who clean the buildings where power
is held, and the contrast between their lives and where they clean. Flowers' comments on the rate of young black men getting killed, where another victim dies even before the last mourning flowers have dried. There are stories about tower block life, the claiming of a postcode or how the city wears a Swastika like a proud badge in Post-Brexit UK.
This beautiful LP collects a pile of special riddim cuts from the Jahtari vaults, from re-edited classics by Bo Marley, unreleased gems by John Frum to completely new experiments, all lovingly dubbed live and soaked in analogue goodness by disrupt.
Stunning hand-painted cover art by Kiki Hitomi.

MICK HARRIS (SCORN, QUOIT, PAINKILLER) returns after several years of hiatus with ten tracks of blasting landmine bass and interlocking shrapnel rhythms.I've been asked to write a press piece for the dark lord MICK HARRIS.Where does one even start Especially for someone with decades of releases over various solo projects, collaborations and pseudonyms, whether it's doing blast beats in the original NAPALM DEATH to crushing techno brutality as MONRELLA, or savage drum & bass as QUOIT. Then of course there's the mighty SCORN and his numerous collaborations with fellow luminaries such as JOHN ZORN and BILL LASWELL (in PAINKILLER).Rather than being tied to genres or scenes, MICK HARRIS is one of those producers who creates a whole sonic world uniquely of his own, in which varying tracks, styles and tempos take form, but yet in which everything sounds unmistakably characteristic of the creator. Needless to say his work has influenced legions of producers like SURGEON, REGIS, ONTAL, VATICAN SHADOW / PRURIENT, FAUSTEN, SHAPEDNOISE et al, and pretty much anyone in the world of powerfully dark, abrasive music you could name-drop. And yet after all this time, it is impressive that HARRIS still stands way above his successors and has never been surpassed in his own production/performance game.After a hiatus of several years, he is back with a new album under the guise of FRET.Working at a faster tempo than his SCORN material, the FRET project first surfaced years ago on the DOWNWARDS label, rooting it firmly in the dark, industrial and technoid world, and appeared more recently on Tresor (Kern mix by OBJEKT), maintaining the characteristic colossal bass-heaviness and textural depth.And now a full album on KARLRECORDS, Berlin. HARRIS fans will be delighted to know that despite the 130 bpm tempo, the newest FRET still resolutely avoids any straight four-on-the-floor kickdrums, every track lurches, stumbles, staggers and charges forth with beats in beautifully broken asymmetry.We get 10 tracks of crushing, percussive destroyers, each itself a storm of precision chaos, with colossal low-end frequencies that'll cause stampedes in the right circumstances. The classic HARRIS sound is there, searing waves of feedback distortion, intricate, interlocking rhythms and cold, abattoir atmospheres, especially track 6 "Stuck in the track at Salford Priors" which sounds like you're being continuously suspended in the air from multiple explosions all around, each kickdrum throwing you up in the air, the next one going off before you can fall completely back to the ground.The lazy-minded would probably lump it in with the term "techno", but the disciplined brutality, blasting landmine bass and interlocking shrapnel rhythms are clearly HARRIS' own trademark style, sitting somewhere between SCORN and QUOIT.The tracks appear deceptively chaotic on the surface, yet each is meticulously and masterfully composed with great attention to layering and detail. MICK HARRIS fans rejoice, the dark lord still remains at the top of his game.

(Derek Szeto / Fausten / Combat Recordings)

New York native Caiazzo releases 'The Devotion' on his and P.Leone's E-Missions imprint featuring three dusky techno tracks and a remix from White Material co-founder Young Male.

Much like P.Leone, Caiazzo's debut release (entitled 'The Dredge') landed on Work Them Records; Spencer Parker's label that's featured names such as Radio Slave, Rodhad, DJ Richard and Ryan Elliot. Launching E-Missions earlier this year, the pair continue their high quality output by following up two releases from P.Leone with three uncompromising original cuts from Caiazzo himself.

Rolling percussion drives '917 (Sportmixxx)' whilst intoxicating drones operate throughout, making way for 'Lifeform' with its layers of thick synthesised sounds that build on top of a relentless drum composition with subtle but effective transitions. 'Godbody' offers a stripped back approach to techno with an intricate percussive composition that allows a deep low-end and a hypnotic perc to take control.

Finally, White Material label boss Young Male provides his take on 'Godbody' where bass hits combine with haunting atmospheres and warped rhythms, closing the release with style.

Gilles Peterson says: "If a Cuban record had come out on Sleeping Bag Records in 1982, I think it would've sounded a bit like this. It's an eccentric middle ground between Latin-styled pop and disco".

Reissued from the Spanish version of this awesome Cuban records with a unique picture cover. Probably one of the best 70's Areito releases, for sure ahead of his times. The entire record minus two tracks of 10 total are all upbeat with afro-latin breaks, dope choral vocal arrangements and chunky bass and conga lines, but don t sleep, the lower bpm songs are great mellow gems. Gilles Peterson says: "If a Cuban record had come out on Sleeping Bag Records in 1982, I think it would ve sounded a bit like this. It s an eccentric middle ground between Latin-styled pop and disco".

Despite his low profile, Ken Karter might be one of Berlin's most influential artists in the techno scene. Karter is known as a mastering engineer for the seminal M_REC LTD, however his own productions have gone largely unnoticed until his 2015 EP on Stroboscopic Artefact's Monad series. His EP turned heads and gained him well-deserved attention. Two years later, his follow-up EP on Escapism exemplifies his focus on quality over quantity. His passion for mathematical formulas combined with his intricate knowledge of sound created an outstanding record set to satisfy both fans of experimental and dancefloor techno.

On this new EP, DJJ's trademark jagged take on filtered French house is still present, but with Chicago bump, techno and more random elements thrown in for good measure.I Keep Trying To Convince Myself is the tougher, more rugged and even funkier cousin to DJJ's hotly-hyped 2016 summer anthem just a lil. Chi house meets soca in this carnivalesque new classic, which hits the perfect spot between sweetness and dirt.Yn Y Ty is fast, jerky funk and almost a new genre in itself. Both melancholy and pumping, think DJ Rush meets the Tetris theme in an oddball, groovy-as-hell work of genius.The cut-up, loopy loops and tough, tribal beats on Apilli are deranged in a good way and - as with the rest of the EP - demonstrate a quirkiness and subtle humour akin to Basement Jaxx's early golden period.A big sample drives the jacking, sweaty, glitz of Upsqwar's warped take on handbag, which channels the spirit of Modjo and features a ponderous, almost chiptune melody drifting subtly over the top.The EP closes with the Greek flavoured stomper Glas, which wouldn't sound out of place on Richie Hawtin's 1999 mix album Decks, EFX & 909. This new EP is first release since jus a lil for Crazylegs, which gained high praise from NPR, Resident Advisor, Indie Shuffle, Mixmag, Dummy, Hyponik and FACT - who commissioned a video and coined the tongue-in-cheek genre name 'outsider Ibiza'. Comparisons have been made to Thomas Bangalter, Alan Braxe, Todd Edwards and David Morales - albeit a skewed reinterpretation. Like the punks' assimilation of rock and roll, DJJ's fresh and irreverent take on highlights from dance music history make for some of the most exciting sounds since Daft Punk's first forays.Although distorted and with lowered bit-rates, to call theses tracks 'low fi' is to do them a disservice, as DJJ's manipulation of frequencies, distortion and samples is deceptively simple yet not easily matched. There's a mastery of sonics and leftfield sensibility at play, akin to fellow EQ tweakers Heiroglyphic Being, Aphex Twin and Adrian Sherwood.DJJ is a member of the Bristol-based label/collective Crazylegs, alongside artists including Gage, Sudanim, Finn (all of whom remixed just a lil). He's also one half of ISLAND, whose grime-flavoured Nokia EP was release in 2015 - also on Crazylegs.

Here comes the the Hamburg based duo Fallbeil with two brilliantly aggressive tracks filling each side with mutated acid face melt. With numerous scary records on Return To Disorder, New York Haunted, and Mannequin, among other labels, these maniacs have been burning a path of over carnage the last two years and this release signals they have no intention of softening up. They aren't going limp. They can go all night in hell, hell with a lower-case H.

Sparse and reflective, the Chicago native's work occupies a curious space on the periphery of the Techno genre. By stripping back the music to all but its most vital elements - most notably the Sequence, but at the same time maintaining a sense of urgency in its articulation, Litüus crafts exquisite, ghostly shadows of busier, more fleshed out material. Neither intro nor outro, but rather suspended in some middling point of formation - what remains is a remarkably pure examination of minimalist, experimental synthesis.

The enigmatic producer first appeared on the label with19805.-19905 - a collection of reduced hardware sequences released on cassette and 12" in 2015 and 2236 s Wentworth ave continues in much the same vein, though perhaps exploring a marginally more traditionally 'musical' sentiment. Nods to 1970's sound designer Irv Teibel's Environments series sit alongside more overtly contemporary structures, and the mood shifts gently across the recordings - from a low slung, pulsing anxiety to a gentler serenity via heavily ring modulated bells and spring reverbs, softly warping percussion and careful bandpass filtering.

Litüus creates music that is geared neither towards home listening nor the dance floor, but that exists somewhere in between - quite where exactly remains part of the the artist's undeniable allure.

Greenlight by DJ Manny is the fifth release from TEKLIFE Records. This 10 trackLP is a masterclass in footwork production by one of TEKLIFE's leading figures. Born and raised in Harvey on the South-Side of Chicago, DJ Manny has been footworking since the age of ten. The Footwork sound has developed in unison with the dance style that accompanies it, and Manny embodies this synergy.DJ Manny is without doubt one of the best dancers on the scene, harnessing control, grace and power in every movement. So when he steps into the studio, he knows instinctively how to create tracks that make you want to move your feet.Instead of relying on chopped up samples, DJ Manny is more inclined to pickup the microphone himself, and this gives Greenlight an original and individual personality.On the opening track titled Way you Move, his flow is soulful and almost vergingon melodic. His laid back drawl sounds equally great on club bangers like Life in This Bitch and If U Want It. As a young man, DJ Manny was the protégé of the late great DJ Rashad, and Rashad's influence reverberates through classic - sounding footwork tracks like Boop Me Down and I'll Hurt Ya Baby.Elsewhere on Greenlight, DJ Manny explores different moods to great effect.Ghost Out is atmospheric and menacing, with a sparse, minimal rhythm and fearsome lowend pulsing through siren synths. Life In This Bitch is a defiant statement of self-affirmation, and Zancrash feat. DJ Taye is uplifting and dreamy,with complex rhythmic patterns evocative of vintage jungle records.DJ Taye makes a significant contribution to this record, collaborating with DJ Manny on 5 productions including the title track. A fellow TEKLIFE squad member, Taye is a highly accomplished producer in his own right, Expect to hear more from him very soon on HYPERDUB Records. Greenlight also features guest appearances from DJ Lucky, Gant-Man and Sucia.

After the first successful record, Danish label front man Gaze ill pursues another excursion through the ever-growing Dubstep-spectrum. He returns to his own physical outline of Cue Line Records with four hefty cuts that surely make up another stellar record, however he s not alone. Last time it was his partner in crime RDG, this time its frontline support from the Dutchman & bass mammoth TMSV , who s given Space-Time a completely different spin.

CLV002 opens up with a serious wobbler: one that is reminiscent to the golden days of the fundamental Dubstep sound, but housed in a completely different straightjacket. It swiftly sets the pace, as the wobbles escalate into the leading element of the destructive Space- Time . The second cut by the Danish producer adds the step to dub music so to speak and lively resembles King Tubby on a Dubstep flex. Watch out for that naughty second drop, which holds
nothing but booming vibrations that ll hang fans upside down. Spirit Of The Forces unveils an equally refreshing take on bass music thanks to the creative structuring of both low-and-high melodies. This allows listeners to take flight
easily and fly away from what we call reality an excellent track for both spring and summer time. TMSV s spin-off is as bright as its forerunner, but far more up-tempo and hypnotic. Utrecht s producer instigates a spacious stepper that defeats time & momentum by incorporating his raw remix techniques. The right remixer for the right record: Cue Line Records at its best!

Swiss-based, Jamaican producer Ezikiel returns to Cadenza for his another outing, this time dropping the 'Tales Of Roots' EP. With this new EP he demonstrates his flair for the musical side of club compositions, imbibing his productions with sultry atmospherics, deep emotion and organic keys and strings. The title track 'Tales of Roots' is a 15-minute opus, which unravels slowly but surely, working from a soft yet persistent bassline and a hypnotic rhythm. Samples of tribal singers add a distinct human element, entrancing you with their organic vibrations. As the voices continue to sing out you're transported to a vibrant sub- Saharan landscape, captivated by the irresistible guitar riff... On the flip we have 'Makha Poetry', a more experimental workout with a variety of warped and twisted effects spluttering and wobbling away at its foundation. The jaunty yet slightly eerie low end gives this track a naughty allure, as those strange bleeps and whirrs continue to bounce in and out of the background. There's a controlled restraint about 'Makha Poetry' which gives it a devastating simplicity and a very unique aesthetic.

Fresh from wowing us with that crazy limited promo 45, Krikor Kouchian delivers 11 tracks of expertly executed, shimmering boogie funk. BIG TIP!
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Think of the neon lights of the boulevard or a late nite drive through the lonely hills, Krikor Kouchian's "Pacific Alley" propels you to a world of sleaze and excitement, where passion, money, and illicit substances take precedent and the sun beats down in a relentless unforgiving fashion.

Spending time as a youth in Southern Cailifornia, the French-born Kouchian developed an obsession with this Americana and the magic of everything California. The music on the radio, from pop, to funk, to hip hop fueled his impressionable mind, later on taking influence in his own music.

Pacific Alley is a snapshot of this lost period, full of juicy low slung basslines, slow bpm cruisers, Linn drum crashes, and ride or die melodies. The elements all meld together through this 11 track lp, it's equal parts uplifting and melancholic, downtrodden, yet not without rays of light; the soundtrack for days hanging in front of the corner stores and nights on the strip, both a naive love affair and backstabbing doublecross.

This is boogie funk for the grift, a dollar here buys a bottle there so step into the shade, pop the tape in the deck and enter into the concrete dreamworld.

Circus Company and The Mole have long been making eyes at each other across the same crowded dancefloor. Colin de la Plantes primary project is synonymous with the off-kilter corner of house music we like to spend our time dancing in, and the labels he releases on are close cousins of the Circus troupe. From Wagon Repair to Philpot, Musique Risquee to Perlon, its a wonder that we havent worked together previously, but finally thats been put right with Little Sunshine. Stripped back, understated disco grooves have always been the bread and butter of The Moles sound, while infectious, cyclical melodic patterns are equally important in making his unique version of house music. On the title track, those elements are presented with full force, but in between the driving rhythms linger the most gorgeous keys, bringing a mellow introspection to the track as a neat counterpoint to the energy of the drums and arpeggios. Compared to the clean lines and peppy tempo of Little Sunshine, Discotheque Airplane is an audacious swerve into low and slow territory, where dusty samples rule the day and the bass swells in and out of earshot with a truly mesmerizing effect. Its a moody affair loaded with tension, mystery and funk in abundance. As if that wasnt enough proof of the variety in The Moles repertoire, on his collaboration with Dutch hero Tom Trago for Down The Hallway we find the pair exploring lean, focused techno, where the simplest of rhythms propel a haunting, distant vocal lick. Its the drum sounds that make this a special cut, championing warm, natural percussion instead of the methodical drum machine hits found in most contemporary techno. Rounding the EP off in a beautifully mysterious style is Aardvarck, whose remix of Down The Hallway take

The sub label of Sonic Groove, 'Sonic Groove Experiments', returns after a 4 year hiatus with a stellar re-release of the Electrowave classic 'Eruption' by Beta Evers. Originally released as a Limited Edition 12' back in 2005 on Beta's own Kommando 6 label. Now in 2017 the original pressing goes for quite a fortune on the record collecting market. Often exceeding €60 for a mint copy. For the first time in a dozen years this release is available on vinyl in its original running order but with very sleak new artwork for the normal asking price of a new store bought 12'.

Beta Evers is Brigitte Enzler from Augsburg, Germany. An artist with a substantial amount of accomplished work to her credit including an early release on the storied Hague label, Cre`me and her side project Black Spider Clan. After ceasing Kommando 6 operations, Beta Evers continues on independently releasing music on her other labels Bodyvolt and Venus Noir. Her most recent release is the 2016 awesome 'Delusion' album on legendary Industrial/EBM pioneer Dirk Ivens prestigious Daft imprint.

The opening track's title serves as a warning, titled 'Don't Be Afraid', a cold introduction led by sinister synth lines soliciting our attention to expertly crafted true analog electronic percussion in the EBM/Dark Electro disciplines. Surreal, deep and seductive vocals lie in the wake at the center of the composition giving us a melancholic piece worthy of deep contemplation during listening on or off the dance floor.

The following track 'Move In My Body Rhythm' continues in the same sinister and dark aesthetic in a more driving manner, this track continues to bring forth energy with a precise beat and rhythm accompanied by acidic synth modulations.

Side B continues to hold the heavy weight of this extended player with the track 'Eruptive' This reference track to the title of the EP. is an electronic/vocal robotic analog circuit breaker suitable for dawn light on the floor. Traditional arsenal of classic analog sounds are arranged and rearranged with sonic manipulation at the test. Mutant dance music for cosmic venues.

The closing track, 'Destination Lost' is comprised of lyrics of urban angst and disturbance whispered out through sultry vocals. Dark minimalist and cinematic cyberpunk breaks reinforced by low drone synth waves and crystals of lysergic analog bleeps drifting along the perimeter. Dead serious wave infected electronics.

This sonic document also serves as a good example of a roots approach to creating music whilst at the same time giving us something entirely innovative. This is as futuristic as it is timeless and that reflects the elements of a masterpiece.

New Leipzig label Kontra's inaugural record presents a richly diverse collection of music that spans from world music infused house in the vein of many Sex Tags releases to break ridden, hard hitting, low-fi techno through to considered ambient music. Despite the variation Kontra is held together by a unifying underground style that every track shares. An excellent first release from a label that's sure to become a major underground player.

REPRESSED !
Bristol based producers Behling & Simpson take on remixing some Kerri Chandler classics this August with the 'Heaven' EP, set to drop via Kerri's very own Madhouse Records
imprint.

Madhouse Records boss Kerri Chandler needs no introduction having been one of the most prominent names in underground house music for over two decades now. While rising talents Behling & Simpson's collective output has been championed by the likes of Claude von Stroke, Derrick Carter, Ralph Lawson, Modeselektor and many more over the pairs 100+ previous releases between them (under various guises), this stands as testament to their undeniable ability to craft forward-thinking electronic music.

First up on the release we have 'Heaven' featuring Christopher McCray on vocal duties, Behling & Simpson's prevalent low-slung, dropped tempo rhythms take the lead, alongside hypnotic lowend tones, while the duo capture Chandler's warm musicality with style utilizing the original's bright chord progressions and smooth vocal licks, creating an intricate, intelligent slice of house. 'Peace Of My Mind' follows on the flip side, a track originally released on Madhouse in 2011, though returning to the label in 2014 with an intriguing reshape courtesy of the Behling & Simpson, again taking on the pair's niche slo-mo feel, setting the tone and radiantly showcasing why their sound stands tall above many of their
contemporaries in such an effortlessly cool way.

New Yorks' Matuss returns with the eighth release on her Absence Seizure imprint this September, comprising three originals from the Ukrainian born artist.

Julia Matuss, better known as simply Matuss has been steadily carving out a name for herself over the past decade, initially finding her feet as a prominent DJ in the Ukrainian scene she grew up in before a move to New York saw thing progress and the launch of her Absence Seizure imprint shortly followed. Now eight releases deep the imprint has piqued the interested of DJ's such as D'Julz, DJ Deep, Derek Plaslaiko, TWR72 and Beaner.

Taking the lead on the package is 'Fairy Dust' setting the scene via warbling Rhodes chords, raw dub sweeps and a pulsating low-end drive before a spaced out, sinuous resonant synth lead ebbs and flows throughout the focal point of the composition.

'Baelfire' follows and strips things back to raw percussive feel, employing thunderous claps, a weighty kicks and sweeping filtered sample as the foundation before the latter half of the record works in a frenzied acid-tinged hook. 'Faramant' then closes the package with an amalgamation of organic percussion, natural bass licks and glitchy percussive chimes which all subtly evolve and retract throughout.

Lowercase Life returns with more melancholia out of machines made in the past. Detroit and 90's UK vibes brought to present time in three originals and a killer electro remix by Orson Wells (777 Recordings). Limited vinyl with hand made iris printed silkscreen covers.

Spatial Cues is a series of split singles sounding out main(void)'s and Kon Janson's shared musical space. Operating out of Berlin and London, the two artists join forces to showcase their mutual vision of techno music.

CUES003 explores the darker side of the series with a focus on low frequencies, echoing percussions, and vast spaces, evoking a deep introspective motion.

Diffracting a manifold of sounds around its massive kick drum, CUES003 A builds and releases tension through a dramatic sequence of smooth swells and intense surges.

Grounded by its captivating groove, CUES003 B evolves around the sinister funk of fierce FM bass stabs, leading up to a powerful break that introduces a razor-edged hi-hat.

New York's P. Leone is back with the second release on his newly launched E-MISSIONS imprint featuring Work Them Records founder Spencer Parker on remix duties.Born and raised in Brooklyn, where he discovered the legendary Storm Rave parties run by Frankie Bones and Adam X, P. Leone cut his teeth DJing in the Lower East side of Manhattan before making techno himself. Before long the producer dropped his first two releases on Work Them Records, joining a roster spanning Radio Slave, Spencer Parker, Young Male, Anetha and Physical Therapy. E-MISSIONS was then launched in early 2017, acting as a platform for co-founders P. Leone and CAIAZZO with more exciting artists soon to be announced.'Discipline Signals' is dark and robust from start to finish, with 'Functions of Discipline 1' inaugurating the package with resonating kicks, trippy elements and industrial synths. 'Functions of Discipline 2' follows a similar aesthetic but heads into a deeper direction with its cavernous atmospherics and glitch inspired effects, making way for 'Laced' with its sinister drones and tantalising melodies. Spencer Parker then remixes 'Laced', concluding matters with rugged drums, energetic hi-hats and a rumbling low-end.

Copenhagen's Echocord Colour returns this August with Stephen Brown's 'Power Factor' EP, featuring three originals from the UK Techno stalwart.
Scottish producer Stephen Brown is a name synonymous with Techno across the globe having been releasing material since the mid nineties on imprints such as Derrick May's Transmat, Subject Detroit, Skudge Records, Ben Sims' Theory and Holland's Djax Up Beats amongst many more.
Here we see Brown join the roster of Echocord's sub-label Colour, slotting him in alongside the likes of Mike Dehnert, Nick Ho¨ppner, Luke Hess and Deadbeat in the back- catalogue.
Up first on the release is 'Sandtext', a stripped-back dubbed out opening cut fuelled by a robust kick and minute percussive hits running alongside a sturdy sub bass drive and spiralling dub stabs before 'Wet' takes things even deeper via muted kicks, shuffling shakers and delayed synth chords. 'Back Stroke' then rounds out the release with an amalgamation of airy reverberated stab hits, rumbling low end pulsations and a thunderous kick drum to once again create an understated, hypnotic composition.

After his memorable 'Wolves' EP of last year (which garnered great support and earned record of the week on B.Traits BBC Radio 1 show) Florian Busse returns to connected for his new release 'Heus' EP on vinyl and digital,retaining and developing his idiosyncratic sound sculpting, Florian has delivered another unique take for the dancefloor.
1. 'Heus' A hypnotic tom and bass groove, heavy on atmosphere and noise, foreign and far away synthesizers and a deceptive bass note, the melody starting slow with a repetative phrase, then telling its whole melancholic, wistful, but powerful story before an arpeggio in the main break brings things to an end and delivering a powerful moment in the club when the beat comes back. Memories of summer.
2. 'Intro'. As the track name says, the long intro is the 'featured' part of the track, a good starter for any dj-set where people do not leave the dancefloor if the beat hasn't kicked in after the first 10 seconds. Child like voices, steady synthesizer note coming and going and a low bass create an intense first 3mins before the beats kicks in for the first time continuing with a pretty minimal beat before the elements of the intro come back and voices replace the synth line.
3. ''Guem'. A steady bass note and a waylaying, moody synthesizer theme ,tastefully selected drums, heavy beat and percussion ,joined by weird bird like sounds place you into a wood where the sun has already set.

Pet Shop Boys are pleased to announce 'Catalogue: 1985-2012', a very special series of reissues of all their studio albums released on Parlophone. This definitive edition will feature each album from the duo's peerless discography on the label, remastered and released with additional 'Further listening' albums of bonus tracks, demos and mixes created in the same period of time as each album. Many tracks are being released for the first time. Each album will be accompanied by an extensive booklet in which Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe discuss each song, illustrated with many archive photographs. The entire project is designed by Farrow.
Alongside the 'Further Listening Editions' the remastered original albums will also be reissued on 180gm heavyweight vinyl.

3 overlooked jams on one 12" single, excavated from the deepest realms of the TK Disco vaults. Remastered, represented and brought back into focus for 2017's DJ bags and dance-floors. Side A sees Wizzdom's 1980 boogie jam 'Free bass' kicking off proceedings. A P-funk-ish, low slung jam indeed, it has everything you'd want including some Furious Five esque shouts of 'Free-Bass!' weaving in and out of the mix. This one is a true heads cut, one for the diggers! Over on side B we get Jimmy 'Bo' Horne's slamming 'Is it in' - a stomping piece of Disco-funk that in the right hands will cause maximum damage. Also, Jimmy's mildly double-entendre lyrics are hugely entertaining! Following up we have a cut from Herman Kelly & Life, 'A refreshing love' was an LP only release and is some serious downtempo Latin tinged soul super soaked in Miami sunshine! All in all, 3 majorly overlooked gems nestled away in the TK archive now brought back into the light. As usual, these TK represses are always done in the proper manner. 100% legit re-edits, from the archive, remastered and released in conjunction with Henry Stone Music / TK Disco - Miami FL.

For our fourth release, we're pleased to welcome The Showfa inside the Excursions kitchen, to cook us up something sizzling for your mind, body & soul. Wielding a nifty set of disco scissors, he's selected the finest of gospel cuts and brought them neatly to the boil, serving up three delectable dishes of hot spiritual gumbo. Soul food of the highest calibre.

Taking us to church straight off the bat, 'Thankful' builds and builds along an infectiously uplifting piano-heavy hook, an edit that bubbles away effortlessly akin to a Moodyman-esque disco groove, perfectly crafted for the dancefloor.

'He'll Answer' drops the tempo and tone to something slower & lower, lending its sound to that of the most proficient beat-masters, incorporating moody synths and haunting strings, in a true future gospel style and pattern.

The last serving on the plate is 'Jus' A Little Talk' - a cheeky flip of a classic that's destined to make the AOR diggers and connoisseurs salivate profusely. This retro yacht rock bumper closes out this joyously ethereal platter perfectly.

Already finding its way into the crates of selectors such as Gilles Peterson, Horse Meat Disco and Patrick Forge, it's also received love in Mixmag and across the airwaves, from NTS to Mi-Soul to Rinse FM.

Another essential Excursion on wax, and one that will never leave the box.

With 44 releases across 12 years since its inception, Butane's infamous Alphahouse imprint closes its doors this June as he welcomes long time colleagues and friends Alexi Delano and Worldline to shape up the final EP on the label 'Omega'.

Having established the imprint back in 2005, Andrew Rasse aka Butane's Alphahouse has served as an example of unapologetic underground quality and curation for over a decade. With previous releases from the likes of Ricardo Villalobos, Ryan Crosson, Ion Ludwig, Quenum, Mark Broom and of course Rasse himself, the final Alphahouse EP welcomes back another staple of the imprints success, Chilean Alexi Delano, and mysterious American talent Worldline who marks his debut on the label.

'Sometimes in order to grow, you have to leave things behind. It's time for a fresh start... the final Alphahouse record. Alpha/Omega' - Butane.

The A-side sees Delano and Rasse effortlessly re-combine and pick up where they left off in 2013. 'Bass Theory' is an energetic, blooming production that lays the focus on raw crunchy drum licks, chunky bass slabs and an ever- evolving melody that eases listeners into a state of trance, before 'Jazz Lick' reveals a lighter aesthetic with a delicate jazz-infused lead line, filtered vocal loops and crisp organic percussion that hold the production in sync.

On the flip Butane is joined by a new collaborator, Los Angeles-based underground fashion designer Worldline for two brooding cuts. 'How Deep' kicks things off showcasing eerie low ends layered beneath tripped out vocals and hypnotic, meandering chords. 'What We Do' wraps up the esteemed Alphahouse catalog in style. An underground manifesto with a trademark Butane groove and Wordline's vocals punctuating over a decade of work. That's a wrap.

In true Alphahouse style, Rasse signs off here alongside two extremely talented artists with an EP that radiates understated sophistication and intricacy throughout, whilst opening the door to his new project 'Extrasketch' in the most fitting and suitable way imaginable. Stay tuned; this is only just the beginning...

Domenico Crisci's imprint Summa Cum Laude is ready to release its 2nd issue, featuring powerful, peak-time rave cuts signed under the name of Lowfreq77.
Mastering expert Matt Colton keeps collaborating with Summa Cum Laude to define its sound character.
Fine artist Mariangela Levita thought a new, tailored artwork, Extremely Iron View Extremely Black.

First Word Records are very proud to present a heavyweight EP in collaboration with seminal groove collective, CoOp: 'Selectors Assemble'.

It's been almost two decades since a bunch of music makers, bored of the genre constraints of their time, began toying with time signature and syncopation to birth what is now known as broken beat. Summer 2017, the 'Selectors Assemble' EP is in our laps and we have a fitting reminder and long-overdue renaissance of one of London's most valuable musical movements.

IG Culture and Alex Phountzi were integral to this movement, the focal point being the CoOp club night, which ran predominantly on the famed floors of Plastic People, up until 2007. CoOp remerged late in 2015 as a Boiler Room session, in which the originators linked effortlessly with new school players such as K15 and Alex Nut. The following day, a session was inspired between an assortment of artists, and the seeds were planted for the 'Selectors Assemble'.

Here we have the first offering. The steady-paced roller of 'Gangz' (IG & Seiji), the dutty wine-ready getdown of Henry Wu's 'Substance', the heads-down low-end theory of '2nd Intention', the dominant soundclash call-out of the 'Spartan Riddim', riding out with the garage-flecked jam 'Can't Hold It', also featuring Sonar's Ghost (Domu). Five tracks deeply rooted in groove and as beautifully diverse as Bruk ever was.

Pressed up lovingly onto 140g vinyl, this release is accompanied with a fully-printed insert, featuring an extensive piece on the history of Bruk, written by Andwot (Touching Bass), classic photography by Sarah Ginn, and full-colour artwork by Mitchy Bwoy, a legendary artist to the original scene in his own right. This is an essential artefact for followers of the sound, new and old.

First Word prides itself on its ethos of musical diversity, and we're ecstatic to welcome aboard the CoOp foundation to the stable. A crew of British dance music pioneers, sound-system legends, and now-school heavyweights, this is but a taste of what's to come. Lead by the don IG Culture, the family spirit has quickly formed, the selectors have assembled.

The stage has been set for bruk's second wind. Be ready.

A A1 | Henry Wu - Substance (IG Culture & Alex Phountzi Remix)

In a brief time Parris has not only engineered but fully-stabilised an otherworldly sound of unique resonance. Through leadership of cult label Soundman Chronicles and his own work on Idle Hands, Tempa and Ancient Monarchy, his research and publishing has attracted fervent interest in the UK Bass community and is rapidly gaining wider international recognition.

Measured with due diligence, he has propagated and influenced key research topics and industry best practice standards through regular transmissions on Rinse FM and the recent C90 Cassette 'TX280916 / TX111116'issued on Keysound.

Hemlock is honoured to present his most recent work exploring low frequency encryption and optimisation. HEK028 contains some of the most sophisticated and realistic models we have manufactured thus far.

'Your Kiss is Sour' a slow release payload observed from inception to destruction through decay. Malic tones are exposed, individually suspended then vacuum sealed allowing multiple strains to be dissected and ranked according to their sonic weight and availability.

'Flowering in Threes' introduces technology sensitive enough to detect and harness resonance from long-submerged sub frequency transmissions. The available models can be layered across several axis concurrently with minimal phase or gravity distortion.

'My Beautiful Fantasy' explores and challenges several popular weightless theories in an engaging and controversial tone sequence.

It is summer time in Nang land which means the dials are being set to Balearic. Step forward our all-around good chap, friend and producer buddy Pete Herbert. He has teamed up with Bali based musician and keyboard player Martin Denev to deliver an album of the finest Bali-inspired Balearic House. Hot and balmy evenings here we come.

Recorded on the tropical island of Bali, the album swings from Balearic grooves, to sun-filled terrace house, seaside electronic and swimming-pool funk. We open up with "Batu Karang", summery key stabs, lazy drum machine set the album tone hot, low-slung and swimming in positivity. Things take a more electronic turn with "Time" with its twisting synth-lines and locked on sun-drenched groove.

House music royalty Robert Owens swings by the cabana for a very special guest vocal appearance on "Pass Me By" next. His smooth and powerful soulful vocal compliment the pool terrace house grooves and sneaky thumb piano. As ever, Robert does not disappoint. To close off Side A the title track "Made In The Shade" gives us a slice of Nu Disco summer swing with funky strat and more cowbell of course in for good measure.

The flip side of the album opens up with a hands in the air terrace anthem. House pianos, punchy synth hits and beach disco groove all the way. "Sun Fish" takes things again in an electronic direction. Meandering lead synth lines, walking synth bass giving the perfect back drop to this island hopping anthem. Recent single "Night Boat" is next. Darting firefly arpeggios and lush keyboard layers prevail here. We end on a high with the up-tempo Gamalan inspired "Ruby Star" sending us out on a ocean deep wave..

Welcome to Nang Balearic airlines. Your pilots Pete and Martin hope you enjoy your flight.

The second EP by Control Remote finally drops with 3 stunning cuts destined to become phuture classics in years to come. The first EP was a strong seller for the shop and provided the footwork for this second EP to drop. 'Music' on the A side gyrates a house groove with a moody man nod of guidance. This is one sure fire hot jam! On the flip we have the divine acid groove of 'Fragment Of A Sermon' kicking of proceedings whilst riding locked in groove. 'Give My Luv' closes the EP off with a low rider house slide that leans to left whilst moving you to the right! This second EP by Control Remote sets the standard for others to follow. HOTNESS personified!

Philippe Hallais returns to Modern Love with a new album, the first under his own name following his label debut as Low Jack with Lighthouse Stories in early 2016.
It's by some distance his most important work to date, setting aside the squashed dancefloor productions of his Low Jack Alias for an album of emotive, indefinable ambient pieces.
After working through different subcultural musical languages as Low Jack, this time Philippe takes inspiration from the TV biopics of high-performance athletes for an album of exceptional
emotive impact; somewhere between pastiche, tragedy and electronic futurism.
Fascinated by the sports documentaries mass-produced by the US TV channel ESPN, Hallais transcribed and amplified its dramatic recipes. These form the material of tearful soap operas
which develop the same narrative ad nauseam; the rise to the top, the betrayal, decline, salvation, comeback and, ultimately, nostalgia and regret. The TV formatting reduces the life of these high level athletes to a generic tale, transforming them into impersonators of their own lives through extreme use of editing, slow motion and musical themes.
Divided into four sides (and eleven tracks) acting as parts in a greek tragedy, the album delves into the dislocations of the mythology of sports and its achievement in mass entertainment; whereby the hero becomes a dispensable and mimetic body. Hallais delves into this unusual portrayal of triviality and disaster, naivety and cynicism that make the real life and ordeals of the hero indistinguishable from their scripted form on TV.
This obsession with storytelling and the creation of bigger than life characters forms the narrative of 'An American Hero', a parable for our times.

It s time for Lewis Fautzi to introduce his first album on Pole Group, a collection of ten tracks of cosmic techno, carefully crafted making a soundtrack of the future, deep, intense and scientific.

Psycho path is the intro, made of granular textures, subtle drones and ambiences, stepping into Entering, pulsating sub bass, continuous sinoidal sequences, pads and tension.

Subconscious starts with the beat, opaque bass drum, micro hi hats, atmospheres and monotonous sequences at a low bpm rate while Diffracted speeds the tempo a bit with electric synths, flanges and twists creating an hypnotic number. Rentless pain follows, with resonant bleeps starring until assymetrical sequences appear and the synth lines evolve in a hi pass filter galore.

Seasick is humid and liquid, gummy sounds, clean drum programming, spaced out sounds and a lot of room. Then we come into Furrow, aimed to the intelligent dancefloors out there, synthetic bubbles, rolling sub woofer action , bleeps and noises. Cyclic Human reminds to the best scifi techno with bell like sequences, digital clicks, jazz harmonies and abstract progression.

Number nine is Optic Chiasm a direct number based on an obscure drum workout and filled with hi pitched relentless sequences, intelligently arranged to create a mental feeling as well as inducing to dance. Album closes with The Brain Revolution, like an evolution of Entering, beatless but still preserving the tension and the movement.

A coherent and complete collection of precise, surgical and futuristic music to be enjoyed as a whole adventure..

After what can only be described as a storming start to their label, Luke Hazell, Ben Murphy and Elliott Owen continue the exciting evolution of their brand Music Related with their first vinyl release and it's nothing short of sublime.
This spring, Music Related makes its bold entrance into the ever growing vinyl market with a heavy dose of minimal and house cuts in the form of a 4 track Various Artists, EP. MRRV001 drafts in the talents of Salva Stigler & Dubquest, Pat Ondebaak, Duky and Manuel De Lorenzi, and it's easy to see why as these 4 artist each bring a unique flavour to this well rounded minimal infused record.
The listener is welcomed on the A side by Salva Stigler & Dubquest - 'Dead Men Tell No Tales', which teases dark techno elements with a rolling progressive baseline. Definitely a track for the later hours, this dance floor weapon is sure to send heads tripping with the dark eerie vocals taunting the equally as impressive clicky percussion.
A2 takes a more laid back approach from A1 as Pat Ondebaak's track Matter offers up a low slung dubbed out groove with a sprinkling of crisp skippy high hats and a highly seductive mix of low and high percussion elements setting deep in the mix.
As we flip the record, Deep Tech records head honcho Duky brings an absolute club banger in the form of 'It Takes One'. Built around an old school drum break this hypnotic hard hitting track seduces you with its repetitive vocal stabs only to find yourself slapped hard in the face with the powerful 4 or 5 note synth line. Built for the big systems this high impact track is a certified party starter!
Closing of proceedings we have Manuel De Lorenzi's slightly more house oriented 'Whole Night'. This deep groove conveys a sweet mix of bouncy baseline, heavily swung hats and rides with a spaced out mix of filtered chord stabs and pads. Manuel's warm up vibe really rounds off what is a brilliant entry into the vinyl market for Music Related.

Eric Fetcher has been given the honour of contributing to Invite's Choice and does so with a four-track banger for it's ninth output.

Kaissa s neurotic synth and wobbly bass combined with it s forceful hi-hat open this EP in a stripped-down fashion, which makes it perfect to build tension and make transitions in any dirfections while mixing. Mephisto continues on the path chosen with coherent and hypnotising synthesis, whilst keeping a funky kind of feel due to the very present kick and hi-hats, yet has a darker feel to it. Deep Blue on the B-side is a more four-to-the-flour track with a rousing synth and banging hi-hat, perfect for lifting up a crowd! Cray Blitz combines hypnotising bleep-like sounds and a mind-blowing string with droning low-end sounds. Hypnotising like the other tracks - but with more drive - this EP is closed down. Eric Fetcher showcases his take on techno which fits perfectly between both modern day and oldschool techno!

One of the core members of the Apollonia family is the mastermind behind the label's latest release. Shonky steps up with his first solo EP since 'Plombiére' which dropped in July 2016. Full of funky flavours and that distinct 'Shonky style', the new EP consists of four brand new tracks produced exclusively for Apollonia. Each track emanates its own unique vibe, while reppin' Shonk's irresistible groove. On side A we have 'Tyrolien', a jaunty number with bright tones and a tight, rolling groove. Shonky injects it with a series of unusual FX and what sounds like an wizened old creature, speaking about 'the foulest stench in the air'. It's a superb combination and sets the EP off to a great start.Next up is 'Beat Street' which has a heavier set of beats, which stomp down as a marauding b-line gets to work. Tiny fizzes and cheeps in the background add depth, sounding like robotic birds at play in the wild. The track is minimal in its make up, but deep and engrossing, classic Shonky material.Flip the vinyl over and we have 'Torro Rosso', a bold, stomping workout with fresh percussion and a jovial analogue riff. As the bubbly low end percolates way down below, the beats pump the track along and an extra layer of analogue funk enters the fray midway through. The final track is titled 'Serpent a` Sonnette' and swithes the vibe. It's loose, meandering and twisted, with a hypnotic bassline and super sharp percussion. This one is going to get the dance floor locked into a groove, as it progresses a sweet, chirpy melody brightens the mood. Feel the glow!Once again Shonky demonstrates his ability to produce groovy dance floor cuts that have their own unique fingerprint; danceable, unusual and utterly captivating. Grab the new EP now!

Farron continues the course of Shaw Cuts with his 'Legend Of The Bat' EP, following in the footsteps of Chu Liu Hsiang: the journey to Bat Island.
The voyage begins with 'C.I.T.G', its relentless break-beat fundament combined with coarse synth lunacy to wipe out the first dark shapes - moonlit slaughter.
Joining forces with rivals, Chu Liu Hsiang is no longer alone as he advances on Bat Island. 'Semi-Final Thoughts' accompanies the newly-formed crew to the mysterious ground - a melody of warm synth and light churned by industrious oldschool drums. But who to trust
The fleeting harmony ends when several combatants unveil their guise and true motives. Loyalties revealed, massacre ensues. 'Unlimited Mind' pulsates, its bassline and sharp percussions decapitating those who dare to deceive.
'Derby' epitomizes the tension of the final showdown with low rolling tones, echoing chords and heavy percussion weaving the air like the rival in pursuit. With teamed forces and clever combat the traitor is annihilated from head to toe - bloodbath and game over...

This box contains all four solo albums by Bill Wyman, the first Rolling Stone to release a solo record. The first two (from 1974
and 1976, both issued on Rolling Stones Records) were made the help of a galaxy of musical friends like Lowell George, Dr John,
Joe Walsh, Van Morrison, the Pointer Sisters, Danny Kortchmar, Dallas Taylor, Leon Russell, Bob Welch and Nicky Hopkins.
- The eponymous third album was home to Bill's 1981 big hit single (Si Si) Je Suis Un Rock Star' as well as follow-up hits
Come Back Suzanne', A New Fashion' and Visions, while fourth album Stuff' appeared in 1992, originally in Japan only.
- The albums are now issued on vinyl for the first time since their original release (and 'Stuff' on vinyl for the first time ever),
gathered together in a beautiful rigid slipcase. The new inner sleeves feature all the lyrics and the musician credits.

"SUCIO is a series of weekly parties, which take place at the Goethe University of Frankfurt/ Main since 2010. The idea to start a record label under the same name is as old as the event itself. SUCIO is also a platform for local DJs, artists and music lovers. With this record we want to offer these people a medium.

A1 - Phonk D opens the release with a great hybrid of Disco Edit & Housebanger. The raw and funky loop heads up to the peak which exposes the sample source more and more.
A2 - After a joint gig at the SUCIO Homebase ‚Café KOZ', Jacob Stoy & Le Rubrique recorded their experiences in a session. The result is a classic Deephouse track that reflects the evening with all its facets and emotions.
B1 - The young live artist Dan Bay is adding an experimental piece that connects House with Bass Music. The low frequencies and the dreamy melody drive the listener into absolute trance and melancholy.
B2 - This dark Downtempo Edit reminds you of early 1990s smoky folk evenings in New York. Raw & dirty, he rolls down everything that gets in his way."

After a string of releases on Melting Pot Music, Plane Jane and Yoruba Soul - vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Miles Bonny returns to the Bastard Jazz family for a special one off 7" paying homage to the Purple One, covering Prince's "Dear Mr. Man", a track that couldn't be more timely considering the state of the world.
"Miister Man" goes for the jugular with a low slung drum break, a deep synth bassline, Miles signature understated funky vocal growls and horn injections. The instrumental is included on the flip.

Apollo proudly presents the debut from Haramia Tapes, a new mysterious side project from renowned Hungarian electronic music producer Laurine Frost.
More usually known for his refined techno sensibilities, Frost has packed 'Pfunk' with deftly programmed rhythmic structures and infused it with low slung bass and jazzy textures that make for a sumptuous, enveloping listening experience, ideal for fans of Nonkeen, Jazzanova or Leftfield.
'Pfunk' contains seven unique beat sessions - smooth funk, crossed with unique broken rhythms, live drums, bass and found sounds - shot through with cinematic melancholy.
From the elegiac piano of opener 'I Am You' to the twisted drunken breaks of 'Pfunk' to the cooled out percussion and spaced atmospheres of 'Hail', or the moody spy-movie atmospherics of Farewell Four - this is an album that traverses a variety of moods and textures, effortlessly fusing traditional instrumentation with modern electronics and a perfect addition to Apollo's beguiling canon of mellowed out grooves.

After starting out with EP's showcasing tracks by various artists, Invite's Choice is back with a 3 track EP by Drafted.

The EP is opened by Detached with it's dominating, repeating tom/percussive low-end sound. The frequential spectrum is filled up by other percussive elements and reverb-filled effects, which give the track a spacious feel. Oxidian starts out in your face with it's droning and repetitive synth. The track evolves into an abstract apogee with intense synthesis before it breaks down again, allowing for a smooth mix to be made. Sphere closes down this 3-track EP on the B-side and does so with lot's of fast changing hi-hat and ride patterns and one sharp sounding synthesizer, which makes it a perfect B-side closing track. Once again a great showcase of sustainable modern day electronic music by Invite's Choice!

M_Step's roots go back to the heyday of Vienna's Cheap Records, and the echoes of that label's seminal style can still be heard on his TRUST debut: Stone-cold electro funk meets the kind of low-slung basslines and laid-back jazz chords that the Viennese producer, DJ, and (double) bassist contributed to classic releases of 550 Rondy, Pulsinger & Tunakan, Sluts 'n' Strings & 909, and even Kruder & Dorfmeister remixing Madonna. Fourth release in the 'Covert Systems' series

Joining the Unknown Precept forces are C.G.I. Records' label head Matthew Wei- ner teaming up with Christopher Daresta as Pyramid Club. Being known for their T.W.I.N.S. and Anticipation solo activities, Cyclic Obsession comes as the debut re- lease of the four-handed formation taking its name from the eponymous venue which helped define the counterculture and queer sound of lower Manhattan in the late 70's. Recorded in their stronghold of Atlanta following a handful of tracks released via the jointly-operated D.K.A. Records, it shows the duo taking over primitive body music in its most physical and psychedelic dimension. Thick as a brick bass lines for the basement turmoil — reflecting the hazy vortex smoldering out of an ill-lighted nightclub. Think of spasmodic synth-driven tunes interspersed by convulsive vocals and throbbing snares, in which one could see the whites of the dancers' eyes right before the lights turn back on.

Echoe returns for its first outing of 2017 and fifth release since starting in earnest last year. ECHOE005 marks the first remix package in the label's discography, offering up four stellar remixes of Francesca Lombardo's "Remembrance" song. A clear stand-out in the label boss's inimitable repertoire, "Remembrance" has been given the rework treatment by house and techno stalwarts: Cassy, Laura Jones, Jade and La Fleur.

Cassy offers up the first remix, focussing her reinterpretation around an enormous and insistent bassline, murky and dense in equal measure, that rolls from start to finish. Undulating hats inject further energy, doubling in pace strategically whilst complimenting the 4/4 groove. Utilising the originals' emotional resonance, Cassy creates soft textures and refined arpeggiated patterns, adding a further dimension to the track's impassioned narrative.

Laura Jones's remix comes in the form of a low-slung, jazzy drum work-out, adorned with sub-heavy kicks and a snarling low-end that offers much of the track's sonic weight. Gentle bell-like keys float alongside modulated synth stabs that filter in and out of focus, whilst Jones's drum programming becomes progressively more and more frenetic.

Jade's reimagining sees a broken beat take the reigns, leaving space for soft percussive rhythms and an earth shaking low-end that pushes the song into ghetto house territory. Hi-hat pick-ups and jittery vocal cuts provide further momentum before the groove lands on sturdy 4/4 terrain. Jade's deftly arranged breakdowns, punctuated by panned drum fills and granular FX, adds welcome tension to the track, making a return to rolling drum-patterns and buzzing bass-sequences all the more rewarding as they come back in.

The final remix comes courtesy of La Fleur who delivers the most peak-time, club focussed material on the package. Staying true to the original's hook, La Fleur brings melody to the fore, whilst deploying snappy drums alongside chilling atmospherics and tech heavy stabs, set to keep dancers moving into early hours and beyond.

Work Them Records producer P. Leone kick-starts his new Brooklyn-based imprint E-MISSIONS with three animated techno tracks featuring a twisted remix from label co-founder Caiazzo.

Beginning his journey through electronic music upon coming into contact with Sonic Groove record store in New York, P. Leone subsequently discovered the legendary Storm Rave parties run by Frankie Bones and Adam X before quickly immersing himself in underground rave culture. DJing house and experimental music in the Lower East Side of Manhattan before producing his own techno, it wasn't long until Spencer Parker signed two of his releases to Work Them Records label which garnered support from the likes of Slam, Roman Fluegel, The Black Madonna, Rolando, Midland and Axel Boman.

Crunchy kicks and ethereal atmospherics set the mood in 'Coast Atlantic' as echoing stabs heighten in intensity. 'Boil Until Pure' is more of a rolling percussive affair containing a medley of metallic nuances whilst 'Tears' demonstrates infectious chords, claps and vocal coos whilst ghostly pads add to an air of melancholy. Fellow Work Them Records artist Caiazzo then steps up to remix 'Tears' - completely reimagining it into a trippy shadowy cut.

Ryogo Yamamori announced the start of a new imprint called Kagerou in 2017, which focus on both digital and analogue releases. First cut Ryogo'ssolo Shakunetsu E.P. is this low-key Tokyo veteran techno artist's most ethereal work yet.

In this space between chaos and conformity disorderly moments welcome new phases into existence, leading to the awakening of an elevated version of the self. Between highs and lows, Transitions of Life remain; the concept behind Synthek's first solo full length sound narrative on his Natch Records imprint. Unfolding across a vexing two-year transformation phase, Synthek's crossings along rough roads are the tribulations to reveal this intimate personal journey of reve- lation through emotional downshift, spiritual upheaval and cerebral quandary. In this dominion, Synthek shapes the eleven track escapade along a sophisticated array of synths and warm analog drums, while contrasting the build and decline of atmosphere through deep bass soundscapes.
Pivotal turning points execute the programming of the album's three part sound design; beginning from darkness and repression, evolving to a more colourful aerial majesty of lucid dream state, morphing into the developed nature of life lessons learned; Transitions of Life making its incarnation into the discovery of the self and re-entry into reality.

*Transitions of Life is a 2x12' release made available through Natch Elements, intro- spective extension to the Natch Records imprint. Visual embodiment of the project artfully presented with photographic time capsule by Salar Kheradpejouh of Berlin, Germany with graphic work curated by Jacopo Saveritano, co-founder of Natch Records.

There was a time when to die was something slightly different from what it is today. Back in the last days of the middle age, some hidden monk was concerned about how to die properly, according to the catholic standarts of that era, so he wrote a book that was a cornerstone in that period.
This has been the leitmotiv and ispiration in the concept that drives this album, the Ars Moriendi book from 1415, a book that gave some clues about how to die properly, avoiding lack of faith, despair, impatience, avarice or spiritual pride, all those actually track titles in this compendium.

Album starts with Impatience a short atmospheric drone sets the path to post industrial mayhem, based on a continuous and obsessive metallic sequence that drives the angst over a dirty rhythm workout until the textures go on top after several bars.

Rules of behaviour breaks the beat into metallic hits as starting point, then more percussive layers add to the main beat until the dark pads take over mixing hate with beauty on a grey canvas.
Despair return to adrenaline, icreasing the tempo, running unstoppable on a relentless sequence with skeleton beats as a driver.
Speculum acts as a sequel from the first track, same sequence different rhythm, extending the anxiety feeling but with a cleaner groove, again a few elements make everything run smoothly no fillers, just tension.
Lack of faith keeps on with the beat as fundamental component, based on a cemented kick and breathing components that grow during the running time.
Avarice returns to harsh kicks and martial sincopation having distortion as the main element until Fm percussions shine on top.
Spiritual Pride is the adrenaline shot in this album, obessive dry sequences, harsh kicks and razor hats in a direct floor burner.
Closing the travel, The search for identity goes underwater: cavernous landscapes and absence of brightness with a pulsating sub frequency doing the low end, while drones and obscure sound design make the rest.

Repress

After his warmly received digital release in our Aine Platform we are glad to introduce you the first solo Ep by Refracted in our label. This Berlin based spanish producer is a modular and analogue expert and this work is a perfect example of his scientific approach to techno.

Expedition 1 is the first cut: a tight drum kit and sub bass frequencies come along resonant sweeps and subtle drones in a non break arrangement that automatically leads to hypnosis.

The Exium duo takes over Expedition 1, reforming the frequencies, working wisely with drones and atmospheres preserving the pulsating feel below. extracting the mental spirit of the track in a continuously evolving structure.

Expedition 2 is a more profound number, low filtered components, again drones and atmos as fundamental ingredient until shuffled hihats add the needed movement to keep things on place.

Expedition 3 fattens the bass, and has a more complex synth approach while preserving the ambiental factor, the elements come in and out of the game wisely creating a profound but still danceable track.