House News

Hot on the heels of their sophomore release with DJ Rocca, Cyphon Recordings welcome Tijuana’s Cyborg Nerve to the family for the third installment in their busy label schedule.

A new project helmed by the Cedillo brothers - also known for their work under the monikers Soul of Hex and Mano De Fuego - Cyborg Nerve’s sound tips the hat to the roots of Detroit electro and techno.

The Vicario Musique Recordings bosses have already made a mark under their Soul of Hex alias, pushing their cosmic, vibrant take on deep house. It’s caught the ear of labels and artists across the world; the likes of Delusions of Grandeur, Freerange Records and Quintessentials have shared their music and they’ve even earned the Larry Heard seal of approval, with the legendary Chicago producer stepping up to remix their 2014 track ‘Lip Reading’. As Mano De Fuego they’re also getting their music into the hands of pioneering figures in the American dance music scene - summer of this year saw them release a shamanistic debut via the inimitable Underground Resistance.

For their debut outing as Cyborg Nerve, the pair deliver four tracks of old school electro grooves. Title track ‘Cristalizacion’ kicks things off. A slice of intergalactic electro; celestial pads soar above warm bass and staccato drum rhythms. Their eponymous track follows and takes the energy levels up a notch: a warbling bass line drives the track forward, whirring and revving while crisp hats fizz overhead.

‘Tijuana 3000’ is another cut that's custom-made for the dance floor. As with the title track, the duo call to mind the interstellar jazz-tinged electronics of Detroit outfit Galaxy 2 Galaxy, as they pair cosmic twinkling melodies with a hypnotic acid line that takes centre stage. ‘Machine Effect’ brings the EP to a close. Like its name suggests the track is powered by a raw, machine funk groove and precise drum programming - no bells and whistles, just pure cosmic vibrations to move your body.

Dx2ov arrives on Blank Mind with Tonegues, his second vinyl LP following on from Interzona on Gost Zvuk in 2024. The LP title is a wordplay on the idea of speaking in tongues and sonic tonalities, echoing the process and dialogue that went into creating the record. Taken from a vast archive of material from 2019-2025, these ideas were arranged with the collaboration of label owner Sam Purcell and then completed with the long-distance assistance of Toupaz.

Tonegues is best seen through the lens of a beat-tape, with the playful flow and variety that the format provides, bursting with oddball ideas and punctuated with intangible vocal samples. Much like the LP’s beguiling, hand-drawn artwork by Wolfgang Matuschek, it is a glimpse into an inner world, a portal to somewhere uncanny and strange borne through imagination.

Light dub flourishes mix with footwork/IDM hybrids and understated, melancholic synthesis on ‘2018’, whilst the loose, rhythmic march of ‘Fon32’ evokes the dusty beatdown styles of early 2000s Detroit downtempo records. Whilst on one of the LP highlights ‘Trout’ he lays down a gleefully strange bed for the surrealist storytelling of Jacob Dwyer about interactions with dogs, dripping old houses and a perennial wish for the phone to ring with a heavy dub poetry slant. Dx2ov swiftly moves through more footwork adjacent, almost bedroom hyper-pop territories with a penchant for gabber kicks on ‘No Strings (feat DJ Paprika)’ and the maximalism of album closer 'Demetch' which continues in the tradition of wonky, mid-2010s UK bass music flips. The outcome is a confounding, unorthodox piece of work, zigzagging between forms, textures and moods.

Edition of 200

Repress.

One of Stockholm’s finest exports, Elfenberg arrive at Bordello with four slices of synthesizer goodness. The duo open with “Forever Alone”. A cruising arpeggiator steers its way through glistening snares, rolling kicks and classic italo vocals. Night falls in the jungle “Conga Coronation”. The treetops bristle with birdsong, thickets of bongos, toms and rain sticks lead a path to dawning melodies. A wonderfully textured percussive piece, the track is intricately carved and demonstrates the diversity and depth of Elfenberg. The disco dipped futurism of “Sphere Of Missing Out” follows. Echoes of “Conga Coronation” rhythms are countered by beaming synth bars and vocoder lyrics with the Swedish pair pushing for the floor. “Cosmic Tribune” is the curtain close. Astral chords, spiralling key shifts and incising drums coalesce in this space inspired finale. A truly stunning debut from this talented partnership.

Gudu Records continues a busy start to 2022 with Italian due Hiver’s debut for the label - a high-definition EP that draws on classic electro and techno, following the group’s acclaimed past releases for Curle Recordings, Bokhari and Deeplabs.

A record that both marks and celebrates Hiver’s 10 years of operation, ‘Wave Sliding’ wears its influences on its sleeve: lead track ‘The Initiative’ is a “tribute to Detroit’s Hi-Tech Funk of the early 2000s”, lead by the sort of ostinato bassline and legato strings that have become Hiver’s trademark. ‘Vapour’ and ‘Entangle’ continue the EP’s retro-futurist outlook, drawing on sci-fi imagery and themes of travel, while ‘Stateless’ looks to the “easy-trance” sounds of 90s dancefloors for inspiration. Together, the tracks mark a perfect summary of Hiver’s vision of the dancefloor - bound together by vibrant colours and a starry-eyed, utopian nature.

The 5th Groove to Grave release is here. Step into our spaceship and head toward Merov’ Galaxy, a universe where the funk, groove, and electro planets collide. This EP invites you to explore a musical cosmos of irresistible rhythms and richly detailed sound design, perfect for electro-funk lovers.

Each track is built around sharp Rhodes and Clavinet keys, laying down cosmic, groove-heavy foundations. At the heart of the tracks, deep textures and bleepy FX create a hypnotic space, while the synths deliver airy, futuristic leads, giving every cut an interstellar dimension.

Peer Du is the next artist to be released on the ever-versatile Zenit Ltd.

This EP fully reflects the spirit of the label, unfolding through a wide range of moods and textures. Side A opens with “Spezial,” the title track of the release: a melancholic yet hopeful piece suspended somewhere between electro and trance, and one that is hard not to be moved by. The A-side closes with another version of the same track, deeper in tone, yet still as dreamy and ethereal as the original. Side B shifts gear and atmosphere, reaching further into the night. “DYT” is an insistent breakkatone cut with moments of lift and openness, as if stretching toward the sky. The mood remains recognisably Peer’s, but there is also a clear change in intention. DYT reworks a minimal electro break, drawing its roots from the late 1990s. The release closes with “Rabotnik,” where all the uncertainty of the night takes shape. An intense and multifaceted release, rich in nuance and hard to walk away from untouched.

Sinitsin is back on Abstract Rhythm, this time with a full EP of six strong and versatile Electro tracks, called “A Temporal Paradox”. A Temporal Paradox is a hypothetical contradiction of cause-and-effect within a timeline. The tracks contain everything from deep and subby to higher frequency driving basslines, subtle to distorted acid sequences, warm pads and melodies to harsh percussion sounds, from smooth floating grooves to energetic, dancefloor ready gems, while overall having the ability to make you travel through time and space, bringing you closer to the Temporal Paradox.

CircoLoco Records is proud to present the Monday Dreamin’ Vinyl Box Set, a 5-LP collection releasing on May 20, 2022.

Featuring heavy-hitting releases from visionaries of every era of CircoLoco’s 20-year party history, including Carl Craig, tINI, Kerri Chandler, Rampa, Sama' Abdulhadi, and other icons, the acclaimed debut compilation album from CircoLoco Records is presented in matte full color sleeves with box artwork designed by TOILETPAPER.

With support from DJ’s worldwide and accolades including back-to-back Essential New Tune awards from BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong for Seth Troxler’s “Lumartes,” and DJ Tennis’ “Atlanta,” Monday Dreamin’ has already carved out a unique place in the world of dance music having been featured in the digital world of Los Santos in Rockstar Games’ blockbuster Grand Theft Auto Online: Los Santos Tuners which also featured Monday Dreamin’ artist Moodymann as a new character in the world.

Monday Dreamin’ is the first project from the pioneering partnership between global club culture icons CircoLoco and the creators of some of the world’s most popular and critically acclaimed video games, Rockstar Games, a partnership aimed at elevating and supporting dance music through the collective power of the two entertainment brands.

"Know Your Toms", it struck us that we have in our collections a number of amazing releases from artists writing deep and underground house music all going by the name Tom. The mission - to collect a track from each of them and make the kind of release which finds its way into only the best record collections. Tom Lown records as Lucky Sun and runs his own label of the same name. His track "Tomcat" is deep, pad drenched house for when the sun is out and the dancefloor is heating up.

Tom Gilbert is a master at crafting melody-rich, future-facing electronic music that's as timeless as it is tuneful, atmospheric and pleasingly nostalgic as can be heard in his track "Tom & Roland". Tom Churchill is a Scottish-based electronic music DJ, producer, and label owner involved in the scene since the mid-90s, his track "Backwards Glance" is his trademark deep house at its finest.

Tom (Shur-i-kan) Szirtes needs no introduction and has produced the kind of track which lights up the dance floor in a peak time house set, "Round Robin" is an instant classic. Between them they have been signed to the cream of the crop in underground house labels: Freerange, Headspace, We're Going Deep, Winding Road, Innate, Tronicsole, M>O>S, Nordic Trax, DiY Discs, Echocentric, Lost My Dog, 2Sox, Distant Worlds. The EP Comes on eco marbled vinyl, with "Know Your Toms" sticker and insert which is a guide to identifying the different types of Toms out there. A limited run of T-shirts available from Fourier Transforms Bandcamp

French beatmaker Farres returns with Get Out Of This House, a four-track EP navigating the space between driving house and tech house, with subtle electro tendencies woven through it. Rather than chasing trends, the EP leans into subtle tension and rolling energy, building patiently and with intent, reflecting a sound that feels refined, deliberate, and increasingly distinctive. Built through patience, consistency, and a clear sense of direction, this EP marks a significant step for Farres — and we’re glad to welcome him to Partisan.

Bienvenue Recordings head Gene Tellem is back with a first collection of tracks on sub-label GT. Three yet to be released + two hard to find songs originally released on a short run of lathe cuts. All newly mastered and together on one powerful piece of plastic.

‘Five tracks that have yet to be officially released, produced during the making of other projects over the last 5 years. All of them with a taste of their moment, presented to you as this collection of ‘unreleased’ songs.’

-G.T.

New Japanese Ambient Electronica from Tokyo

Composing primarily with the piano, Kotaro Maruyama creates music for a variety of visual media, including commercials and short films. Influenced by the composer Toru Takemitsu, he places importance on the “silence” and "ambience" of sound, aiming to create works where the music quietly depicts a scene.

Kotaro Maruyama's first solo album, "Vapor Curve," is constructed entirely from the sound source of the OP-Z digital synthesizer. Notably, he avoids the concept of harmony for a single tone, instead pursuing a unique "woven harmony" created by intricately layering multiple independent melodies. Using only the OP-Z, and recording everything in a single take without using a computer, Kotaro Maruyama's "Vapor Curve" is distinguished by its uncompromising production style. The minimalist melodies that are layered to create an ambient soundscape, along with the incidental noise that gives an organic texture to the inorganic electronic sound, showcase the raw appeal of sound that is imperfect."

Originally scheduled for release September 2025, this album faced delays due to a series of errors involving the distributor, pressing plant, and cutting engineer. However, earlier this year, Personal Affair teamed up with a new distributor, Rubadub, who introduced them new pressing plant, allowing them to restart the entire pressing process from scratch. Emerging from Tokyo via Glasgow, this release is now ready to deliver a fresh sound to the world."

Veniceberg Records returns with its eleventh installment. After a series of remarkable releases featuring some of the biggest names in the Italian and international underground scene, the label has chosen not to look too far afield for this EP. Instead, it proudly presents a very promising young talent and current resident of the club: Banjo.

With productions characterized by catchy vocals, this is an excellent blend of house, electro, breakbeat, and techno sonorities. He doesn’t fail to deliver a 4-track EP that's ready to ignite the sweatiest moments on the dancefloor.

Love Never Sleep.

Winter Defeating Nitro Madness

Cross Ball EFX Pounders

22Recordings pres: 2226002 . Total Network Only 350 Copies machine-numbered.

Junki Inoue presents the second release on his recently founded label SAISEI from prolific Japanese producer Takuya Sugimoto under his COLOGNe alias. Deep Talk EP features 6 tracks originally released on Japanese CD only label Viola in 1999 and is a snapshot of the elevated warped-techno meets IDM productions Sugimoto is so respected for.

Famous for releasing under many synonyms including COLOGNe, Web and Sammansa it was his EVA EP - the first release on FatCat Records in 1996 that stands out in his recording history. The tracks were in fact licenced from Syzygy Records in Japan, which was one of the main Japanese labels including Viola that homed his work during the 90s era he was most productive in. More recently German label Acido released The Sound There, a mini album of previously unreleased Web material recorded between 1994 and 1995 which was released last year in 2020.

Deep Talk EP presents 6 tracks of intelligent and elevated techno, which show the balanced and intricate approach Sugimoto applies to his output. It has all the warmth and positive essence of the 90s era of electronic music - combining deep and beautiful sounds with headsy and intricate constructions. This is the first time this music has been made available on the vinyl format.

SAISEI is a Japanese word which translates to ‘reproduction’ and ‘to play’ (as in playing records). Japanese culture is widely known for its traditional nature just as much as it is for being forward into the future and this label’s concept does justice to exactly that. Having started digging for records as early as 16 years old, Inoue delved into productions from 1990s Japan to uncover these native gems. SAISEI’s core concept is to recapture and reintroduce unique

pieces of Japanese electronic music onto vinyl, to an audience it never reached before as most of this music was only released in Japan

"The electroclash genre sure has been having a bit of a renaissance moment. During its first coming an odd 25 years ago the French act Sweetlight was a favorite over here. Originally active between 2002 and 2010, they quickly positioned themselves within a refined strand of the global underground scene: inspired by 90s acid house club culture, they rose to prominence by releasing a sparse selection of original tracks and a multitude of remixes that were both dancefloor-effective and immediately recognizable. After the EPs stopped coming, the project seemed to have faded. But their tracks never left our bag: they combined minimalism with ambiguous elegance and retained a distinct, timeless quality, easily transcending the turn-of-the-century style they were most closely associated with. We are delighted, in what we consider nothing less than a full-circle moment, to release "Selected Recordings: 2004 - 2006" and shed light on an underrated yet, in our eyes, absolutely essential project. ALT022 is an anthology release featuring four extensive, remastered cuts. Abusator, arguably the act's hallmark track and a crossover hit, kicks off the EP. It is joined by Mecaniques Remontees, which opened the milestone Suck My Deck mix by Ivan Smagghe, and Too Shy, both initially part of the same EP back in 2004. Noir Comme Le Beat, an unreleased curiosity from the same era, closes the record. You will find dark, endless, ever-modulating arpeggiator basses, Detroit-via-Paris chord progressions, and spartan drums. The work is, in the artists' own words, low-profile, detail-oriented, and built for late hours. It's an ideal compilation or - depending on the case - introduction, especially now that new work is rumored to be finally on its way."

The Marseille-based label run by FaF returns with the second volume of the Electrik Pulse series. Four French producers are at work, brought together on a various artist compilation featuring a wide range of sounds.

Black Vinyl