Techno Vinyl New Releases - News

The seventh volume of Drumcode's annual A-Sides compilation hits with no less than 10 debuts for the label, with Charlotte de Witte, ANNA, B.Traits and Scuba's SCB project, among the collection of topline artists to release their maiden productions on the imprint.

Over two decades into its lifespan, Drumcode keeps evolving and excelling, pushing techno forward while remaining wholly respectful of its roots. This reputation for progression was further fuelled this summer with its inaugural festival at the NDSM Docklands in Amsterdam, featuring a long list of heavyweights including Nicole Moudaber, Joseph Capriati, Amelie Lens and Ida Engberg, among others.

As ever, the A-Sides compilation provides a timely opportunity to showcase the full range of its sonic repertoire, with Adam Beyer scrupulously selecting unreleased tracks that have taken prime position in his sets over recent months.

Part 1 see's the outstanding all-round talent ANNA kick off the compilation with 'Portable Paradise', a pulsating cut that sets the tone for the top-shelf club cuts to follow.

Wehbba's straight-talking 'Just' hits with an immediate sense of urgency before neck-snap claps strike with force.

Label mainstay Luca Agnelli rounds off part 1 with 'Shipment' an industrial techno workout that has been featured heavily across festival main stages all Summer long.

Over the course of the last few months a small coterie of DJs have been armed with specially encoded secret weapons. From clubs and festivals across the globe, COD3 QR 001 & 002 have been road tested, extensively scrutinized and passed fit for public intrigue...

For now the artists are known only via their encrypted aliases. This is Music to Arouse Curiosity. Quite simply, Cod3 QR (Code QR) puts the music first. The who, the what, the where will be revealed over time on the label's website but for now we venture into the...

The people behind the label remain in the shadows, curating for the curious, the seekers, the adventurers and the brave. Cod3 QR is about going back to basics. About that feeling of discovering hidden gems and long sought after oddities. Not knowing who made what. If it's good, it's good. The music is the message.


CODE3 QR: label mission statement
Music is our sole driving force. Eclecticism, open-mindedness, divergence and non-conformity are the values we cherish. To achieve this, 3 or 4 artists from different musical backgrounds will come together on each release.

All of our artists, whether known or unknown, will work under a secret code name so that their true identities remain out of the public domain to avoid any preconceived ideas or a particular bias. By doing this, the music will always come first. Each release will be identified by a simple QR code, which, when flashed, will take you to a web page that will give, among other things, the artist's code name.

In the current market, most digital and vinyl sales occur over an average period of 2 months. Once this time period has elapsed, the true identity of each artist (if they wish) will finally be revealed on our web site. It is only then, two months after the release that the artists will be allowed to start communicating.

Contrary to the usual practice, COD3 QR will search out artists rather than the other way around, so it won't be possible to send us music. The founders of COD3 QR will also remain anonymous because their identities must not affect the image, expectations or perception of the label. To ensure anonymity, all of our artists will sign a contract agreeing to keep silent or be economical with the truth about the identity of those behind the label and the artists.

The music alone will be the reason why we sign an artist, and we want music to be the only reason for people to take an interest and engage with the label. For this to succeed, we must remain free of all expectations and all prejudices because only one thing counts: the music, The Music, THE MUSIC in every shape and form!

COD3 QR = MUSIC TO AROUSE CURIOSITY

Over the course of the last few months a small coterie of DJs have been armed with specially encoded secret weapons. From clubs and festivals across the globe, COD3 QR 001 & 002 have been road tested, extensively scrutinized and passed fit for public intrigue...

For now the artists are known only via their encrypted aliases. This is Music to Arouse Curiosity. Quite simply, Cod3 QR (Code QR) puts the music first. The who, the what, the where will be revealed over time on the label's website but for now we venture into the...

The people behind the label remain in the shadows, curating for the curious, the seekers, the adventurers and the brave. Cod3 QR is about going back to basics. About that feeling of discovering hidden gems and long sought after oddities. Not knowing who made what. If it's good, it's good. The music is the message.

It’s been a very challenging year for everyone, but one thing we will always need to help get us through is music. And as Shakespeare said ‘Music be the food of love’, so we will play on, continue to provide a diverse style of electronic music that will hopefully help lift your spirits. Although this is our last release of 2020 we promise to bring you a big surprise for 2021, keep your eyes peeled !!
With previous releases including tracks from the likes of Agents of Time, JoeFarr, Nicolas Bougaieff, Madben, CYRK and raising talent R.O.S.H; plus support from from Djs like Laurent Garnier, who licensed one of the previously released tracks to his Tsugi 'Electro' mix (Francois V ‘Electro’ taken from Cod3QR001) Cod3QR’s profile is steadily growing as a label releasing quality music. With music being the main focus you'll have to wait another 2 months to find out who is behind this latest release. The curiosity continues. Head to their Instagram page (ig: cod3qr) for clues to the artist identities of Cod3QR001, 002, 003, 004, 005, 006, 007 & 008!

*Repress*

Huge 10 Track compilation featuring 10 exclusive new tracks from regular SRTX crew plus a few new faces.

All sides are cut loud for DJ use and will bang the party and won’t disappoint fans of the label.

The double LP features artwork from the hugely talented ‘Giacomo ‘Run’ Bufarini, a prolific street artist whose work appears around the globe and he’s nailed the vibe completely.

After ending 2021 with a big announcement that Laurent Garnier and Scan X were the masterminds behind the label, we start the new year with another big announcement: our 11th release being the labels first 'artist code' album !

Once again a focus on eclecticism, open-mindedness, divergence and non-conformity. Expect to hear a wide range of electronic music from House, Techno, Electro, and even Drum n Bass carefully selected by Monsieur’s Garnier and X.

COD3 QR wants to remain free of all expectations and all prejudices because only one thing counts for us: the music, The Music, THE MUSIC in every shape and form!

Incase you missed the announcement 010 artist reveals were: Laurent Garnier, Speaking Minds & Amarcord, Scan X, Diego Infanzon.

Previous releases have included tracks from the likes of Agents of Time, JoeFarr, Nicolas Bougaieff, Madben, CYRK, Biz and rising talents Works of Intent aka R.O.S.H, LOIS, Softly & Voltaire.

Cod3QR’s profile is steadily growing as a label releasing quality music. With music being the main focus you'll have to wait another 2 months to find out who is behind this latest release. The curiosity continues…..

Head to their Instagram page (ig: cod3qr) for clues to the artist identities.

We are here to deliver another episode of mayhem. Book three is our biggest VA Yet. 4 stompers from the hitters. Rebekah & Mickey Nox have teamed up for a collab to open the A1 with pure horsepower and madness. AnD welcomes the Distortion in typical fashion. 7+ minutes of energy. The B side opens with the class and balls of Ghost In The Machine. The leading to Cancel to close out the EP with his sig sound. It's an all round banger. Let's roll.

The numerical solution of nonlinear partial differential equations plays a prominent role in social engineering. Artificial intelligence and consciousness algorithms, confusing soul with a determined mind state, this is the point to explore. Where is the limit?

This compilation consists in 4 sound artworks trying to program complex algorithms for isolated and confused individuals with an altered state of mind through Differential Quadrature methodologies.

Hilltown Disco celebrate 5 years with a star-studded compilation of artists that have featured and helped shape the label over the past half decade.

We dedicate this release to the legend, Wibo Lammerts who sadly passed away during the production of the record. Fly high, brother.

On the A-side of the vinyl we welcome back w1b0 and the excellent, Ole Mic Odd, who offer crunchy, dark electronics, perfectly sewn together, producing two future classics, with their bass-heavy electro.

Flip to the B-side and the record ups tempo, with the first track from Larionov & St. Theodore that showcases their slick, punchy electro productions, followed by a spiraling, hypnotic, machine-funk weapon by the brilliant PRZ. The record finishes with Robyrt Hecht’s stripped-back electro track with classic Hecht, signature, captivating vocals.

Massive thank you to everyone who has supported Hilltown Disco since we were founded. Here’s to the next 5!

A Credible Eye Witness & Ghost Ride team up once again to deliver another milestone of an EP, their third to date altogether! Traveling at light speed from planet to planet on a mission to make you dance, the Electro Scuderia proudly presents four brand new tunes tinted with robotic and funky tones. Heading 'Striptrix' introduces on A side a rhythmic electro cut made of cosmic swirls fused into Techno textures while well cadenced 'Khepresh' coming next links emotive synth elements to hypnotic arpeggios, gloomy pads and dreamy bleeps. Top notch! Climax of the 12', cerebral 'Spell Checker' combines on the reverse subtle oriental overtones to glimmering beats, ethereal synths and intelligent IDM beautifulness, leading the way to Detroitish 'Tias'. The most energetic track concludes the vinyl with a groovy trip, flavored with acidic notes and warm melodic flights! Craftily written and produced, 'Locked Loops' continues the voyage through cosmic universe started on A.C.E.W's previous release. An ultra dancefloor release powerful enough to penetrate any crowd!

GAB002 sees Gimme A Break Records keep things local with a rowdy EP from Leeds-based DJ and producer BEERUS. Over the last six months, BEERUS has demonstrated his production power through two bodacious releases on Gunfinger Food’s new sub-label, Booty Frooty Records. Fusing UK styles including hardcore, acid and jungle with US staples such as electro, juke and footwork, BEERUS has established a playful sound primed for the dancefloor.

BEERUS’s “9000” EP opens with a hardcore weapon which combines rave stabs with Dragon Ball samples and an acid line threatening to spiral out of control at any given moment. “Play This Shit” sees the EP take a sensual turn as BEERUS channels the sounds of Chicago with an enticing juke number. “Booty Acid” follows suit, offering up a particularly self-explanatory track title: luscious electro meets 303s. “Love4U” is BEERUS’s love letter to the happy hardcore scene as a thumping 4x4 bassline collides with melancholic vocals and piano lunacy. Finally, BEERUS rounds off GAB002 in style with the junglist mediation “DO U WANT ME”.

Hand stamped Bleep and breaky acid action, very limited copies..

Spray, founded in 2020, is a Berlin based record label providing the freshest old and new trance infused house, breaks, acid and downtempo sounds. The label focuses on reissuing slept-on ‘90s gems and aims to provide a platform for new artists. The first release brings in an outstanding reissue from one of LA’s finest artists from the ‘90s ‘Dimension 23’ including a remix from Spray favourite, Or:la - the perfect sonic combination between old and new and a testament to what the label aims to project.

"Tenebre" is the soundtrack of the eponymous film directed by Dario
Argento in 1982, which celebrated its 40th anniversary
Even if released as 'Simonetti - Pignatelli - Morante', it's usually considered an actual Goblin album; "Tenebre" is the last great collaboration between Argento and Goblin, before a 20- year break until 2001's "Non ho sonno". Here Dario Argento moved from a warm-coloured sound to a cold hard sound of Rome. The music of "Tenebre" responds to this change: Claudio Simonetti was returning
from his first experiences in the techno/ dance field and, since the band was missing a drummer, synthesizers and samplers were used, in a mix of rock and electronic music that blends perfectly with the images of the film. Not to be missed by any horror movie and soundtrack fans.

Heiko's first Kanzleramt release was actually produced back in 1992, always pending for the chance to start the label.

Merv with 2 perfectly executed Dub Techno tracks...

Right Diagonal' kicks off with the title track which presents a potent wall of sound that undulates across a pensive current. Distant vocals, frazzled signals and stuttering drum patterns work together to build a fantastically unheimlich vibe. The Crosser version then projects sound into a spacious, chilly warehouse as reverberated flashes of sound depict futuristic machines at work.

'Conjugated In Boring Crimes' then follows up with a dense, shuddering recording. Growls and whispers swell beneath more dystopian sonics before 'Safe Resist' rolls out as a jagged Techno experiment. A steady kick propels a rich, metallic sound palette before 'One Man Clearing' renders another scene of murky futurism.

'Farewell Seesaw' then follows up with a subtle Electro track peppered with hypnotic vocals and a distant, snappy snare. The 'Clubmix' version then delivers what it promises as urgent drums whip up a menacing, heady dance floor vibe.

'Night Voodoo' then brings things to a close as cinematic sweeps suffuse a sawtooth sequence and thick, bubbling bass tones. Frazzled hats bleed through in giving the track a certain live feeling which brings the record to a close.

Limited hand stamped copies..

clear red vinyl

stranger is back on the grind presenting his first solo release in 4 years, traditionally delivering a double a-side release on the Perspektiv label! 90s influenced rave cuts from Rotterdam's finest. Highly essential!

The Egyptian Lover's 2021 album 1986 was a widely-hailed blast of electro funk perfection from a true lifer - is there anyone other than Greg Broussard you would trust to bring the heat with an 808 and not much else? Now one of the album's standout cuts, 'Lose Control', is getting the single treatment with an extended mix which lets Jamie Jupiter and Brian Ellis' bonus musical contributions to the track take off in full flight. As a bonus treat on the flip, we get the sparkling new joint 'Vocoder Jam', ensuring you have two sides of raw electro heat from one of the sound's true originators.

Timeless classic delivered entirely by 8-bit tracker by Alex Cortex.

On behalf of re:discovery records, it is with great excitement that we announce the release of 'Ambient7 - Excepts from 1995-2000' compilation. Ambient7 was a threesome out of Japan that included Chica Asamoto, Masayuki Momo and Shuichi Ikebuchi. Chica Asamoto, an accomplished saxophone player while Masayuki Momo and Shuichi Ikebuchi are both talented synthesizer players and producers in their own right. Together, they released 3 full albums during a 6 year span from 1995-2000. Ambient7's sound was a blend of chill-out styles including ambient, techno, balearic house and everything inbetween. A unique and heartfelt far east version of chill-out music going on at the time like what you would have heard on Waveform Records, Silent, Quango and many beloved other labels. While it was hard to pick out just one EP's worth of tracks from 3 full length cd's, we felt these that were chosen is a great collection and examples to fit the vinyl
medium. Also, this record could be equally appreciated in the hands of chill-out aficionado's, music collectors or brave and ecclectic DJ's. Those 3 customer bases are always on our minds to make happy here at re:discovery records. The track 'Escape' covers most of the A-side. A soft ambient techno track with a touch of dub that is sure to sit along the greats of the genre and the time. Surrounding 'Escape', are two short but worthy examples of the Ambient7 sound. First, is the unique tribal attention getter that is 'Prologue' then ending with the beautiful Balearic saxophone serenade that is 'Epilogue'. The b-side might throw you for a loop after hearing the first side. 'Deep Sea' comes in just under 11 minutes that has to be heard to understand what is harder to explain. The balancing of mood is particularly interesting. How something can be so hauntingly relaxing yet can evolve into something so ominous and mysterious had to make this EP collection. We won't say much more. Check it out and make up your own mind. Turn up the volume, close your eyes and enjoy the trip! Lastly, is the Balearic ambient house lullaby that is 'Orange Sunshine. Some who have heard this track call it a reason to buy the record alone for not even hearing the other tracks on this EP. A standout and a perfect set opener or closer, this is sure to be the re:discovery track for the summer for 2022.

re:discovery records wants to thank the Ambient7 members: Chica Asamoto, Masayuki Momo & Shuichi Ikebuchi for being great to work with and allowing us to highlight some of their amazing music. It is our hope that these will influence them to make future music together after a 20 year absence and that others will seek out the rest of their works from this period. It is also our hope that these bring you as much happiness as they have brought us and that this release gives them new life to a new audience and a special fond memory to those that knew them. Dare to Dream!

Ambient7 - Excepts From 1995-2000

Repress

Die Berghain-Residents Ben Klock und Marcel Dettmann knüpfen mit ihrer ersten Studiokollaboration seit zehn Jahren - Phantom Studies - anlässlich der hundertsten O-TON 12" EP-Veröffentlichung an die Ostgut Ton-Labelgründung 2005 an.

Mit den Phantom Studies beschwören Dettmann / Klock den Geist ihrer ersten gemeinsamen Veröffentlichungen Dawning (2006) und Scenario (2007). Die neue doppel 12" EP ist ihr erstes gemeinsames Release in zehn Jahren, mit dem 40-minütigen Release bauen Marcel Dettmann und Ben Klock ihre tiefe persönliche Verbindung und das gemeinsame musikalische Repertoire aus, betonen funktionalen Techno ebenso wie hypnotische, melodische und beseelte Musik, frei von Konventionen. Die sieben neuen Stücke reflektieren diese Attribute, richten sich an die Bedürfnisse und Erwartungen von sowohl DJs als auch anderen Musikliebhabern, beide nicht außer Acht lassend.


english version

Berghain residents Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann link back to Ostgut Ton's label launch in 2006 with their first studio collaboration in ten years and the extended Phantom Studies, on occasion of the one hundredth O-TON 12" EP release.

With Phantom Studies Dettmann / Klock channel their first joined releases Dawning (2006) and Scenario (2007) from over a decade ago with their first co-production in ten years. On this extended, 40-minute 2x12" EP Marcel Dettmann and Ben Klock parlay their deep personal alliance and musical repertoire through emphasis on new functional Techno as much as hypnotic, melodic and soulful music by thinking outside the box. The seven new, original tracks reflect these attributions by communicating to the needs and expectations of both DJs and home audio listeners, but not neglecting one over the other.

Modular synthesizers / electronics + a drum kit enhanced with triggers and sensors: on its self-titled debut album, the duo hÄK / Danzeisen creates a sonic energy that oscillates between high-precision rhythm patterns, analogue sounds and frenzy climaxes.

One must imagine hÄK / Danzeisen as a man-machine apparatus. A collection of cables, resonating bodies and restless limbs that together question all routines. Who overthrow conventional role of instruments and explore the possibilities of a new sound language. Bernd Norbert Würtz alias hÄK operates modular synthesizers, self-soldered circuits and control knobs. Philipp Danzeisen plays a drum kit enhanced with triggers and sensors. These two poles are connected to an interdependent whole in which a constant musical dialogue takes place. The dependencies within this system have been meticulously defined by hÄK / Danzeisen: Drum rolls and sound modulations are interconnected in such a way that there is no contradiction between the strict technological structure and the creative outburst that is possible at any time.

What drives hÄK / Danzeisen is the basic idea that the contrast between acoustic drums and synthetically produced sounds must be overcome in order to create a new experience. Würtz, Danzeisen and their combined instrumentation simultaneously rub up against the same edges, finding a single, piercing voice.

Ideal manifestations of this approach are the duo's live performances: raw energy that oscillates as precisely as it surprises between drones, abstraction and noise attacks, driven by an impudent take on jazz. Constantly oscillating between the registers of "composed" and "improvised", each performance by hÄK / Danzeisen ultimately becomes one of a kind. (Arno Raffeiner)

With huge support on digital from The DJ Producer, DJ Hidden, Outside Agency & Scheme Boy.
Indicator Records first release finally arrives on a limited 140g vinyl.

Pentiments continues its work spotlighting post-conceptual artist and writer Joseph Nechvatal. They have already dropped a retrospective Selected Sound Works album that spans 1981-2002 and now comes a companion across two slabs of wax that focus on more recent audio works. This is in cahoots with Andrew Deutsch and it makes use of anonymous reading of Virginia Woolf's 'Orlando' as an anchor point around which the "virus-modelled artificial life audio material" from Nechvatal's 2006 piece viral symphOny: the enthrOning is reanimated. The second then uses a rather controversial record performance of Antonin Artaud's radio play To Have Done with the Judgement of God which the artist takes apart and reweaves into something radically new.

Following well-received collaborative outings for us as 1/2 of the SF dynamo duo Moniker whose classic “Billy D” anthem and respective Patrice Scott remix graced the early catalog, followed by the galactic
flex Straylight EP with Cali brethren Dave Aju on velvet vocoder vox b/w a stellar Kai Alcé remix on the Another offshoot imprint, and of course his indelible contributions to the arrangements/derangement of the wondrous KAMM LP Cookie Policies, Kenneth Scott is essentially an extended family household name for our camp and so we’re beyond proud to present his initial solo release for the Circus Company label proper. Schooled as always in the deepest of electronic music roots and classiest of track traditions, the three pieces that form the Light Blooming EP puzzle display all the prized synth wizardry and production ingenuity we’ve come to expect from the Berlin-based veteran.
“Firesound” kicks us off in fine form, with a glistening array of pads and tight arpeggios that give way to a soulful funk strut that any fan of Detroit-style electro flavors will enjoy to the fullest. We then move to
the stylized 4/4 pulse of the aptly-titled “Lost Sonar”, an extended live set for Lost Sonar Collective skillfully condensed and finessed into a smooth-as-silk true deep house cut, where warm synth tones set the sound bed while shards of sharper percussion and angular textures flash and fizz throughout, creating an ultra-fresh contrasting feel while a rock-solid groove grinds us along faithfully. Scott then finally closes out the set with the powerful and titular “Light Blooming” which begins with a similar rising pad intro before unleashing fierce and raw overdriven drum programming, teasing us out to the two minute mark when the mighty sub bass line and multi-layered arps drop in to devastating effect, bubbling and building to a bold harmonic apex, before eventually bringing us down softly and somehow with ease
after such a glorious rise.
Filled with early-Warp feels and futurist sci-fi hopes in equal measure, the Light Blooming EP is three tracks of pure funk precision and expressive musical class from the man Kenneth Scott

Merzbow (Masami Akita), the seminal Japanese noise project since 1979, remains one of the most influential and prolific figures in modern electronic composition.

Originally a limited CD-only release on Waystyx in 2005, ‘Scene’ is now available on vinyl for the first time with remastering by Masami Akita and an exclusive bonus track from the original recording session.

Scene is revered by fans as one of Merzbow’s best surrealist works from the mid-2000s ‘laptop era’. The intro track, Part 1, immediately grabs listeners with hysteric carnival music. The ascending parts then warp into hallucinatory passages with rhythmic drum patterns, metalworks, echoing bird calls, and eerie wind chimes tinkling atonally in the gossamer moon.

Ultimately, Scene is a vital part of Merzbow’s ever-evolving experimentations with analog and digital manipulations. Limited to 300 copies, the long unavailable Scene is officially back in our hands.

Australian improvisers Joel Stern and Adam Park dropped their Sunshine Has Blown in 2006 and since then it has acquired a truly cult status. It was a CDR-only drop back then and now makes it onto vinyl as well as CD. It is a droll work in the genre of electroacoustic improvisational music in which the artists excavate lost sound objects, focus on event, space, and moment in history and build real intensity throughout. This remastered special edition repress comes with full colour labels and jacket, an insert and liner notes by Christoph J. Harris.

Vitamina gives back energy with the 3rd Vinyl, this time presented by his resident dj.

4-track club-ready to make you sweat on the dance floor: get ready for some jacking snares, electric basslines and steamy vocals.

Tracks from Cromby, Annika Wolfe, DJ City and 131bpm.

Constructive is pleased to announce, 'Utopia or Oblivion', a new compilation featuring ten artists inspired by the pioneering work of R. Buckminster Fuller, with each track inspired and in response to Fuller's work specifically Utopia or Oblivion', first published in 1963.

From the irregular glitch pop scintillation of 'How Would I Be? What Would I Do' by German artist & founding member of To Rococo Rot, Robert Lippok, to the heartfelt ambient and seraphic voices of 'Afterimage' by Japanese artist Tujiko Noriko (Editions Mego, PAN, Room40), through to the tensile, eruptive, dub-contoured emittances of 'Tensegrity Rhythms' by Peruvian experimental composer Ale Hop (Karlrecords).

Elsewhere, there are appearances from the Bafta-nominated composer Adam Janota Bjowski (Saint Maud OST), musician & Constructive co-founder Adrian Corker, London-based experimentalist No Home, Italian artist & NTS Radio resident Silvia Kastel (Blackest Ever Black, Palto Flats, Youth), British sound artist David Prior, and a unique collaboration between the British DIY experimental musician Richard Skelton & Corey Fuller, a descendant of R. Buckminster Fuller.

One of the most exciting artists to emerge in techno circles in recent times, Drumcode is excited to present the label's first EP from Boxia. Over the last 12 months the UK artist has impressed with his classy take on techno that mines two decades of rave.

Last year's 'Colour Sequence' EP on We Are The Brave marked one of 2017's standout releases, before being tapped by Maya Jane Coles to remix a track from her latest album 'Take Flight', while B.Traits also shone the spotlight on him for a Future 12 residency on BBC Radio 1 throughout September.

Boxia first came into contact with Adam Beyer when he opened the Car Park at Tobacco Dock for LWE's NYD event in 2016, and since then the pair have spoken regularly sharing similar tastes in music and DJing. He dropped his first cut on DC during the summer of '16, with 'Revolution' that featured on A-Sides Vol. 5, making him primed and ready for his first full length EP in 2018.

The four-track work lives up to his growing reputation for crafting beautiful, nuanced and ultimately very powerful electronic music. The EP opens with 'No World Order', a deep transcendental slice of techno propelled by a wicked acid line and vocal that leads to a galloping finish.

'Only Human' is drenched in atmosphere and old skool wonder, a brilliant composition of punchy multi-layered drum work, catchy synth lines and cutting acid that reveals its tender side with emotive broken beat interludes. 'Unreal' is a big peak time belter, raising the tempo to sweaty palms level, as a propulsion of acid and a memorable riff fill the techno sphere.

The title track 'Ethereal Education' closes out the work, a beautiful chord-driven vocal cut that evokes images of the classic dance that characterised Boxia's earlier years and makes a fitting outro to this outstanding EP.

One year after its original release, the Placid Angles album Touch The Earth is being remixed by an impressive array of artists from the extended Figure family. With John Beltran being a distinct voice within the electronic music scene for over thirty years now, Figure is thrilled to reveal a whole LP’s worth of reinterpretations, including two works by the original artist himself.

Opening up is Marcel Dettmann, who seamlessly has integrated the lush soundscapes of the original album into a beat-driven but equally serene journey. Picking up on the LP’s underlying dark garage tropes, Planet Mu headmaster M-ziq infuses his rework with even more rolling drums and ethereal vocal chops. The also inherent IDM roots of Touch The Earth have been kept close by Warp-veterans Plaid who deliver a shuffling flurry full of horns, synths and syncopated rhythms. More straightforward interpretations include Dauwd’s dazzling piece of feathery, fast, atmospheric techno; a gorgeous melodic house remix by Baltra and Cassy who turns in a rigid UK stomper.

Amidst all the reworks, John Beltran himself makes two appearances across the record. As Placid Angles he adds another heads-down percussive/ambient swirl, which represents exactly what the producer has been hailed for since more than three decades now. His own remix finishes the record on an epic note, with an organic drum track that celebrates life and the necessity for communal gathering in order to dance.
Beltran’s own additions to this LP are like the essential glue that makes it all bind together, forging the old and the new into something equally exciting as already intimately familar.

Arresto Temporaneo was born very spontaneously as the natural continuation of a collaboration that has lasted for over a year with Tamburi Neri, Adiel and Danza Tribale.

It is pure magic when seemingly different worlds meet and create a dialogue which is the foundation of successfully bringing the creation of this record into fruition. The EP functions as the fusion between the past and the present of the musical experiences of all of us.

Arresto Temporaneo was born by cutting a text "Prepariamoci ad un arresto temporaneo" that the artists liked. The sentence is free to interpret as any of the listeners wish, there is a deliberate reason why the subjective interpretation is avoided.

The EP is filled with the voice and lyrics of A.B. The track "Silenzio" symbolises a moment with which all of us, in spite of ourselves, had to deal with, the deafening noise of silence that can sometimes be devastating and for this reason it is important to understand it and not be afraid of it when it resonates within us.

"Nella penombra" refers to something that moves inside us, not too deep but just important enough to understand, with sounds that nature emits at dawn, when the light still reigns in the dim light, we must learn to move with skills and lightness without harming ourselves and especially others.

Push presents Retro Active heads up our next vinyl release with the four-track techno monster, Blacked Out. The main man is relentless in his pursuits, churning out top-notch grooves, sending the crowds into a frenzy. Mostly known for his trancey exploits, Push is no stranger to techno, some of his very first releases were full blown techno efforts before he branched out to other genres. Retro Active focusses on all things big and bold in the techno arena, with a classic twist. Always a pleasure having his on Bonzai.

First up in the A1 slot, Blacked Out intros with a monstrous, pounding kick drum and slicing hi hat combo. An underlying bass rumbles through the groove as techy, rave synth stabs and infectious rising sirens come through. The track breaks to reveal a subtle 303 line which transforms into a gnarly acid riff, ushering in a massive climax that will dominate the floors no doubt. A2 hosts the equally full-on Dusk Till Darkness, which delivers a mesmerizing experience. The bass drum, with its trailing bass tones is powerful and forces you to move as rhythmic elements fade in. An almost industrial level is reached with metallic sounds dominating, making this a must have for the big arenas. On the flip, in B1 we have, Hands Alert which sets the tone with another huge kick drum and bright hi hat combination. A solid, rhythmic track, thanks to an array of perfectly arrangement percussions and drums, the groove soon bursts into a climactic rave goliath. Classic sounds litter the sound as retro 303 lines converge to create a chugging groove. An absolute stomper that is not to be missed. In B2, Dark Motion closes out the 12” with an all-encompassing banger of a tune. Heavy duty kick drums power the track as stuttering hats cut through the murk. A dark, sinister vibe emerges as gnarly pads fade in alongside frantic arpeggios. A scathing 303 line erupts on the break before the drums kick back in for the final act, sending the dancefloor into a frenzy. Top-notch stuff.