quête:no fit state

Originally released in 2000 on Smalltown Supersound, Kim Hiorthøy’s first record Hei captures an artist who had made very little music before – yet it seemingly was the starting point of a musical career that would stay away from easy categorisation. Now, Hei (2026 Remaster) returns on blickwinkel, released digitally and on vinyl on 30 October 2026, as part of an ongoing series revisiting and reissuing Hiorthøy’s work.

Made in Copenhagen with little equipment — an Akai MPC2000, a stereo microphone and a DAT machine — Hei was assembled from samples, sequences and rhythms, with no outboard mixing or processing. Without really knowing what he was doing, the music was created intuitively while drawing inspiration from instrumental hip-hop he was listening to, the techno and drum & bass he admired but did not yet know how to make, and a broader fascination with music that felt personal, homemade and slightly uncertain of its own identity. Hei sits somewhere between those impulses. It is beat-driven without belonging entirely to beat music, experimental without announcing itself as such, but unmistakably coming from a playful series of events and decisions.

In that regard, the title of the closing track might be a fitting description of the album itself and, in hindsight, also of how we can look at Hiorthøy’s subsequent work. Taken from a story by Tove Jansson, the title evokes a state of openness and curiosity, a state where thoughts and impressions are simply given the space to unfold:

“He didn't care to get up, all day he let new images and ideas come and go as they pleased, now and then slept a little and woke up again and had no idea who he was. It was a peaceful and very exciting day.”

There is something of Hei in that state of mind: a willingness to follow an idea without knowing exactly where it might lead, a willingness to follow guts and the heart rather than ratio. Perhaps that is also what makes Hei still feel relevant today. As Hiorthøy puts it when reflecting on the music he made then and the music he makes now: “If I compare the music on Hei to music I’m making now, the general sentiment or smell or air or tree or pull of what I’m looking for and listening after when I work is, I think, for better or worse, more or less the same.”

All music by Kim Hiortøy
Mastered by Stephan Mathieu
Portraits by Kim Hiorthøy
Design by Jelle Martens

The next WOLF Music EP is here, and once again it comes courtesy of a new addition to the label roster. New York-based DJ and producer DJ Alone Again is a natural fit for what we do at WOLF, delivering a sound that hits that sweet spot where deep meets soulful, with the raw, understated energy of the authentic New York underground running through every track.

With a growing catalogue of original productions and edits, DJ Alone Again has released music through labels including YORE Records, House Salad Music, Dobro, Fantin Zoo Records, and Dealt With Records. His musical roots extend beyond house, too. Earlier work with the band Vain Pursuit, alongside a wealth of SoundCloud mixes and underground edits, reveals an artist with a deep appreciation for melody, songwriting and the emotional side of dance music.

Opening the EP is ‘Freedom of House’, a sublime take on the classic NYC-meets-Chicago deep house sound. Warm, soulful and hypnotic chords sit at the heart of the track, surrounded by intricate, skippy percussion and a deep, driving bassline. Carefully placed female vocal snippets drift in and out of the groove, while a spoken-word ode to the freedom and self-expression that house music offers provides the track with its emotional centre. It’s a celebration of movement, individuality and that unspoken connection forged on the dancefloor.

On the A2, ‘State of Flux’ keeps those warm, evocative chords front and centre, building an infectious groove around an instantly memorable melody courtesy of the vibes. Subtle synth strings add depth and atmosphere, bringing a touch of late-night melancholy to the arrangement, while the rhythm rolls steadily underneath. Everything is expertly layered without ever feeling crowded, giving the chords, melody and percussion room to breathe whilst pulling the listener deeper into the track.

‘Horizontal Patterns’ takes the winning formula of ‘State of Flux’, adding a beautifully understated vocal hook that sums this track up perfectly: deep in the groove.

Closing out the EP is ‘In Your Orbit’, a serene, dream house number with a deeply hypnotic edge. Ethereal flute lines drift through the arrangement, weaving around vocal phrases that seem to lift the consciousness somewhere beyond the dancefloor. There’s a sense of weightlessness and escape in the arrangement, but the dance floor pulse courtesy of the warm chord stabs never lets you float too far away. Dreamy yet deeply rooted, it’s a meeting point between introspection and movement; music to lose yourself in.

If this EP had landed on Guidance 30 years ago, it would probably be changing hands for a small fortune on Discogs by now.

Instant classic material.

Presenting ‘Nothing Is Lost’, A.Morgan continues his journey through high pressure, pummeling techno, this time on SIDE B. Proving the degree of his effect as well as his stylistic versatility, Morgan pulls different influences from afar to craft a record that pushes forward with a nod to the past through three powerful cuts and a remix by Yant. The EP starts with ‘Sucker Love’, appropriately named for its commanding rhythmic section while bleeding almost into house music with a hypnotic vocal loop. The track oscillates between stabs of cold dissonance and an extraverted flare, creating a natural intrigue throughout its progression. The follow up is Yant’s remix, a hyper-focused take on ‘Sucker Love’ with significant weight in the low end. Thundering percussion widens the dimension of the track, flicking through a brutal synth sequence over slithering hi-hats and claps. Yant reaffirms his understanding of uncompromising club music with this remix, creating a tunneling track fit for a concentrated peak-time set. Highlighting the B-side, A.Morgan takes back control of the record with the ‘Cloudfall’. Undulating the bass of the track, Morgan sneaks in a lurking melody that detunes throughout his arrangement, creating increasingly destabilized moments to pack intrigue in the cut. White noise whips around the production to create a storm of ambiance over a violently binary lead, underlining the undeniable effect of minimalism in techno. The EP concludes with the title track ‘Nothing Is Lost’, combining instructive percussion, biting chords, and cold vocals - as is Morgan’s custom. Here, the British artist brings a harmonic quality with the synth work that comes and satisfyingly completes the project. The embrace of the chord selection immerses the listener over a highly tuned rhythm, pushing ‘Nothing is Lost’ into a state of euphoria for the conclusion. Words by Noah Hocker

FatCat was recorded in a single session-live, with all four musicians together in the same place. What you hear on the record isn't a polished production, but a one-of-a-kind recording of four people playing at the same time in the same room.
This is not a nostalgic gesture. It's a stance. As music is increasingly understood as the output of a prompt, the question of what actually makes music becomes urgent again. Not flawless, efficient production, but the imperfect moment and its context. Not the result, but the process in which four people listen to each other, react to each other, misjudge, and find one another. This fallibility - the hesitation before an entrance, the slight pull in the timing, the glance between musicians that signals a turn - is not a weakness but the substance itself. It cannot be synthesized, because it isn't a data point but a lived relationship: between the instruments, between the people, between their shared history and what emerges new in this one take. The album is thus also a statement on the question of where, in the age of generative music, authorship and art can still be located: not in the result alone, but in the shared risk taken in creating it.
"The question was always: how do I bring my work as a producer and beatmaker onto the stage? How can something that usually happens alone behind closed studio doors become a live experience?" With the album FatCat, Sepalot pursues this question to its logical conclusion: what began as a live performance now becomes the recording itself - the studio becomes a stage for a day, and the stage becomes the definitive version of the album.
The love for electronic music remains, the raw pressure of hip hop is still palpable - and yet everything on FatCat sounds like a fresh start, captured in the very breath in which it was played.
On stage as in the studio, the four characters fit together like a puzzle. Sepalot's signature as producer and mastermind is unmistakable. On drums, Fabian Füss, longtime partner behind the kit and the voice that makes Sepalot's radio hit "Rainbows" so unforgettable. On bass, Robin Jermer. On trumpet, Matthias Lindermayr, multiple award-winning jazz virtuoso with his own albums on Enja Records. And then there's Sepalot himself, who turns it all into more than just the sum of its parts.
The eclectic beats, the pulsing bass, Sepalot's passion for atmospheric sound design - all of it remains, now joined by an element of jazz and captured in its most immediate, unpolished form. The album shows what four people in one room are capable of: a sound born of shared experience, and precisely for that reason, unique.

‘An Undying Love For A Burning World follows Converge’s Love Is Not Enough this year as a pivotal metal album about acknowledging the darkness for what it is and trying to accept it.’ - the QUIETUS

‘Neurosis Know You’re Hurting. Their Stunning New Album Is a Life Preserver.
An Undying Love for a Burning World, the band’s first album with new member Aaron Turner, is a reminder of how even the darkest music can be a guiding light’ - 9/10 ROLLING STONE

Evolution can be ugly and beautiful, painful and euphoric. An Undying Love For A Burning World is the first new release from Neurosis in a decade, and a potent statement of intent and rebirth - one that marks the first new steps of resolve and resilience.

An Undying Love For A Burning World is an epic album of colossal hypnotism - beautiful, fearsome and utterly compelling in a way that only Neurosis can be. Aaron Turner (Sumac, Isis) joins the band on vocals and guitar, a name whose legacy is intertwined with the band’s own and a true kindred spirit.

“From the moment I first heard Neurosis over 30 years ago, I felt this was the music my heart and mind had been seeking but not yet heard. Now after many years travelling along various musical paths of my own, the singular sound and spirit embodied by Neurosis continues to speak to the depths of my being. It is an honor and a true pleasure to have been welcomed so warmly into a band that not only shaped my perspective on the limitless possibilities of music - but has lived and exemplified the necessity of upholding creative integrity and camaraderie above all else.” - AARON TURNER

Neurosis have never been afraid of change, and here they embrace endless regeneration, surrendering to the emotional exorcism through heaviness and distortion that their music incites. Just as the universe tends towards balance, Neurosis’cacophony of noise, rhythm and dissonance always resolves towards moments of beauty. The addition of Turner's powerful vocals and wildly creative and unhinged approach to guitar proves to be a vital force as Neurosis find themselves again at the mercy of evolution and expression.

On every song in the band’s history, Neurosis shifts restlessly between tension and relief, invoking a feeling both feral and transcendent in listeners. The band describe their songwriting process as an inescapable impulse to create with each other - a need rather than a choice. Indeed, the band insist that their return is “not a reunion - we never broke up.”

The album was recorded by Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, Sumac, and Great Falls) at Studio Litho in Seattle during three weekends this winter, and mixed in three days just six weeks before release at Evan's Antisleep Audio in Oakland.

Neurosis will play their first show in seven years on the traditional lands of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana as part of Fire in the Mountains festival by special invitation of Firekeeper Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to reducing youth suicide in Indian Country.

FITM, is a unique festival known for bringing epic music to epic landscapes with the intent of reconnecting and immersing oneself with the natural world, and strengthening our ancestral roots as human beings - an aim which aligns directly with Neurosis’ deep-rooted power.

Stay tuned for further news over the coming months.

PREVIOUS PRESS:

‘In less skilful hands, this relentless sonic oppression would be gruelling, but by expressing human frailty with such visceral abandon, Neurosis have once again turned darkness into euphoria.’ - 4/5 THE GUARDIAN

‘The Oakland band has evolved from gritty metallic punk to harrowing post-hardcore prog to the majestic doom of their current phase’ - 7.9 PITCHFORK

‘It’s not often an album of such stature exceeds one’s anticipations, but Honor is too astounding to not be revered.’ - The QUIETUS

“Fires Within Fires is the summation of thirty years of experimentation in tonality and texture. Yes, NEUROSIS are firmly positioned within the extreme metal underground yet their music, with its ability to generate images of beauty akin to those many of us have experienced in our own lives – not to mention the loss that accompanies them – challenges this categorization. ‘’ - WIRE MAGAZINE - FULL PAGE REVIEW.

"Their intensity remains undimmed on Fires Within Fires...The already converted will take heart from the evidence that age is unable to wither the fury of this heaviest of bands." - KERRANG! 4K REVIEW

"Every monstrous sludge riff gnashes menacingly for the right amount of time and every delicate moment of folk-inspired drift is emotionally exacting. Neurosis continue to create art without equal, and Fires Within Fires is another worthy addition to an awe-inspiring canon containing a number of truly pioneering and timeless albums." - METAL HAMMER - 8/10 LEAD REVIEW

Whether via Yung Lean, JonatanLeandoer96, Död Mark, or through visual art and acting, Jonatan Leandoer Håstad has consistently reinvented himself and pushed the boundaries of self-expression throughout his decade-plus career. With Jonatan, he makes his most direct artistic statement yet, one that synthesizes his career to date into a singular and powerful statement of intent. “Take off your mask” he sings on lead single “Forever Yung,” a fitting metaphor for this new, more direct, and earnest approach.

Ja:ck is an artist who moves beyond fast-paced trends, focusing instead on a clear, driving vision. His releases on the renowned label Cocoon Recordings represent an uncompromising sound that balances hypnotic techno and energetic club dynamics. With a keen sense of tension and atmosphere, he has developed a signature style over the years that works as effectively on large floors as it does in intimate sets.
His new track, Dinamo, perfectly encapsulates this energy: pulsating, powerful, and precisely crafted. The track builds with subtle intensity before erupting into a forceful, captivating movement designed for the peak time.
Notably, Ja:ck has been supported for years by techno icon Sven Väth, who consistently integrates Ja:ck's sound into his sets. This ongoing backing underscores not only the quality of his productions but also his relevance within the international scene. With Dinamo, Ja:ck delivers another clear statement: raw, direct, and absolute club material.
The Oliver Keim remix of Ja:ck’s Dinamo translates the original track into a clean, stripped-back club aesthetic with a steadfast focus on groove and energy. From the start, a driving flow emerges: precise, dry drums meet a deep, rolling bassline that constantly pushes forward. The arrangement remains intentionally minimalist, yet leaves enough room for subtle details to unfold and build tension. Finely placed breaks provide dynamics without losing momentum, leading back into powerful, controlled drops.
The remix eschews clutter, relying instead on clarity, punch, and timing. This makes it versatile enough for both intimate club settings and larger floors, fitting seamlessly into Tech House, Melodic Techno, or driving House sets. It is a modern, functional remix—minimalist in sound, powerful in impact, and strictly geared toward the dancefloor.

Ja:ck ist ein Künstler, der sich jenseits schneller Trends bewegt und stattdessen auf eine klare, treibende Vision setzt. Seine Releases auf dem renommierten Label Cocoon Recordings stehen für kompromisslosen Sound zwischen hypnotischem Techno und energetischer Club-Dynamik. Mit einem feinen Gespür für Spannung und Atmosphäre hat er sich über die Jahre eine eigene Handschrift erarbeitet, die sowohl auf großen Floors als auch in intimen Sets funktioniert.
Sein neuer Track Dinamo bringt genau diese Energie auf den Punkt: pulsierend, druckvoll und gleichzeitig präzise ausgearbeitet. Der Track baut sich mit subtiler Intensität auf, bevor er sich in eine kraftvolle, mitreißende Bewegung entlädt, gemacht für die Peak-Time.
Besonders bemerkenswert: Ja:ck wird bereits seit Jahren von Techno Ikone Sven Väth unterstützt, der seinen Sound immer wieder in seine Sets integriert. Diese kontinuierliche Rückendeckung unterstreicht nicht nur die Qualität seiner Produktionen, sondern auch seine Relevanz in der internationalen Szene.
Mit Dinamo setzt Ja:ck ein weiteres klares Statement : roh, direkt und absolut clubtauglich.

German Text:
Der Oliver Keim Remix von „Dinamo“ von Ja:ck übersetzt den Original-Track in eine klare, reduzierte Club-Ästhetik mit konsequentem Fokus auf Groove und Energie.
Von Beginn an entsteht ein treibender Flow: präzise, trockene Drums treffen auf eine tiefe, rollende Bassline, die sich konstant nach vorne bewegt. Der Aufbau bleibt bewusst minimalistisch, lässt aber genug Raum für subtile Details, die sich im Verlauf entfalten und Spannung erzeugen. Fein eingesetzte Breaks sorgen für Dynamik, ohne den Drive zu verlieren, und führen kontrolliert zurück in kraftvolle Drops.
Der Remix verzichtet auf Überladung und setzt stattdessen auf Klarheit, Druck und Timing. Dadurch funktioniert er sowohl in intimen Clubsettings als auch auf größeren Floors und lässt sich vielseitig zwischen Tech House, Melodic Techno und treibenden House-Sets einsetzen.
Ein moderner, funktionaler Remix, reduziert im Sound, stark in der Wirkung und konsequent auf den Dancefloor ausgerichtet.

PLAYED BY SVEN VÄTH

This is not a Ben Vida, Booker Stardrum, and Will Epstein record; it’s a Play Time record. That’s a subtle but important distinction, for a couple reasons. One, the sound of Magic Object—a polymetric blend of improv and pulse minimalism for saxophone, drums, and Moog—doesn’t really sound anything like any of their many other ensembles or respective solo projects. And two, it was only while making Magic Object, their debut album, that Play Time realized they were a band at all.

Let’s back up. The roots of the trio date to 2020-21, when Will and then Booker moved to the Hudson Valley, where Ben was already living. The three got into the habit of playing together at Ben’s house, and they soon realized that their hang sessions felt fundamentally different from making music in some falling-down studio in Bushwick. Where those experiences were rushed and cramped, a new sense of time and space now suggested itself. Where once they rat-raced the music, now they relaxed into it.

Early gigs yielded similar revelations. A booking at Tubby’s, the beloved Kingston venue, evolved into a kind of residency. Tubby’s is a small space, fitting around 100 people, with a bar in the front room and a stage in the back. Play Time decided that they didn’t want to play on the stage; they wanted to play in front, among the people in the bar. Rather than hogging the spotlight and overpowering the other voices in the room, they blended with the energy of their surroundings and emerged as a sort of minimalist-jazz-krautrock bar band.

Gradually, they discovered a newfound “elasticity”—Ben’s word—that reshaped the music from inside. “It’s this communal thing,” he says. “It’s vibes. And it’s embedded in the community up here, which feels really vital and nourishing.” They were jamming, but it wasn’t just a free-for-all; they found themselves listening to each other in new ways. “Ben and Booker joke that they’re always playing in different time signatures,” Will says. “We’re all going forward with our own ideas, but we’re open to each others’ as well, and they’re all sort of dancing together.”

“We all have our painterly solo projects,” Will says—where, Booker adds, “we do a lot of studio arranging and thinking and composition that takes shape over a period of time.” Play Time, on the other hand, is all about being in the moment. That spontaneity was key to the process of recording the album. They booked two days in their friend Joey’s studio, a converted wooden barn. “It’s just a live room,” Booker says. “There’s no separation or anything. So we’re all in the space together and it’s got this beautiful, woody sound, and that’s very much the sound of the record.” For two days, they just jammed, for seven or eight hours each day. When it was over, they went through, edited down the portions they liked, and added very judicious overdubs designed to enhance the original recordings without fundamentally altering them, staying true to the spirit of the sessions.

The result is something like a snapshot and a mission statement all rolled into one. “You’re hearing us discover the voice of the band in real time,” Ben says. “We finished those sessions and we were like, ‘Oh, that’s what our band sounds like now.’”

Now, with Magic Object, the rest of us get to find out too.

—

Balmat is a label with a cloudy outline. Jointly shepherded by Albert Salinas and Philip Sherburne, two friends living in Cardedeu, Catalonia, and on the Balearic island of Menorca, Balmat grew out of Lapsus Radio, a weekly show born almost ten years ago. Balmat’s mission is simple: to foster new ideas, expand upon personal obsessions, and put enveloping sounds out into the world.

“Balmat” means “empty” or “void” in Catalan. But quite apart from any negative connotations, we prefer to think of it in terms of possibility: a space waiting to be filled.

Kercha’s debut album ‘Open The Door’ arrives this April via DNO Records. The Black Sea artist’s mystical, disorienting style has set the tone for the label since he dropped the inaugural release six years ago. Now, across 16 tracks — including collabs with Mystic State, Congi, NST, Khromi and Finnoh — his smoky sampledelic dubstep is tighter, heavier, and more curious than ever, with a new sense of danger and bubbling rage that feels fit for our chaotic times.

Themes of movement and change course through the LP. On the opening gambit ‘A Path Into The Unknown’, twinkling arpeggios emerge from the gloom like stars lighting the way. Tracks like the eponymous ‘Open The Door’ and ‘Mind Extraction’ deliver that classic Kercha sound, where left-field samples dart in at right angles. ‘Dangerous Road’ weaves between the call and response action of grotty stabs and devilish subs. ‘Take A Break’, featuring Mystic State, goes on the attack with searing acid. ‘Can’t Wait For Today’, though lethargic in its pace, sees San Francisco-based rapper Finnoh deliver stream-of-consciousness bars that skewer our present and nudge us to revolution.

Work took place over the course of several years, during which Kercha relocated with his family from Russia to Georgia, where he now resides in the capital, Tbilisi. “Sometimes I wrote music while travelling on a bus, sometimes late at night while my family was asleep, sometimes just sitting on the grass in a park, and of course in my home studio as well,” he says. “By the time the album was finished, it included music from different periods, and it may vary in sound and concept.”

Any major upheaval in life will result in moments of hardship, but also hope. Both can be found throughout ‘Open The Door’. There’s times when the darkness threatens to envelope everything: during the cold, crackling ‘Disclosed’ and the eerie, dystopian ‘Infection Of Lies’; on ‘Trigger Activation’, with its grunting lows and broken glass hook, and ‘Ballistics’, where a wall of sub-bass is pierced by shrapnel stabs.

The balancing light comes on ‘4 AM’, featuring Nottingham duo Congi, when clashing swords and cinematic strings, meet a soft Rhodes piano — the juxtaposition between heavy low-end and floaty keys and vox reflecting those moments of transcendence often found in the early hours. From the injection of garage energy on ‘Bubs’, with Edinburgh’s Khromi. And on with ‘My Feeling’, featuring South Russian vocalist NST, which closes the album on a deep but expansive note, bookending the experience with more starlight synth tones.

“It’s a reflection of my life journey and the changes connected with emigration and overcoming various difficulties,” explains Kercha. “This period means a lot to me, which is why the album includes tracks from the time of preparing to leave up to adapting to a new country.”

Still, he wants listeners to be able to derive their own understanding. “I think the essence lies in the ability to contemplate, not in any predetermined meaning,” he says. “I can only say one thing: thank you for appreciating what I do and for your support. I hope it inspires you to make the same firm decisions to change for the better as it did for me.”

Out via 4 x 12” vinyl, ‘Open The Door’ is a captivating artistic statement, showcasing the journey of an artist with a truly original signature sound — a rarity that should be treasured and celebrated.

Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.

On this recording, one can hear both resolve and farewell. Just before departing for the United States, Masabumi Kikuchi pours himself into these now-legendary compositions.

Gifted with a singular artistic voice and a keen sense of his time, Masabumi Kikuchi established himself as a pianist of international stature. In 1973, he relocated his base of operations to New York. Recorded immediately before that move, End For The Beginning captures a studio live performance held in front of invited fans, documenting a pivotal moment in his career.

During this period, Kikuchi was exploring innovative sounds through the use of electric instruments and unconventional ensembles. Yet on this album, he returned to a more traditional format: a two-horn frontline backed by a piano trio. The program consists entirely of five original compositions by Kikuchi himself.

The determination surrounding his imminent departure fuels the music's intensity, while the sense of farewell evokes a distinctly Japanese emotional depth. Masterpieces such as “Shuuu”, “GinKai”, and “Green Dance” emerge like waves from beyond an atmosphere charged with tension and anticipation. Each performance unfolds with remarkable focus, lyricism, and power.

A work of striking conviction and emotional resonance, End For The Beginning stands as one of the defining achievements of Kikuchi's career and a fitting summation of his artistic vision.

The union of Antwerp synthesist David Edren and Tokyo minimalist Hiroki Takahashi is a fit so natural as to feel preordained. Both traffic in subtle shades of contemplative electronics, marked by patience, space, and poetic restraint. And both have rich histories of curation and collaboration – Edren in the duo Spirit & Form alongside Bent Von Bent, and Takahashi as proprietor of the Kankyō record shop, as well as one fourth of cosmic ambient quartet UNKNOWN ME. Mutual fans of one another’s work, they began sharing stems in the latter half of 2020, which slowly blossomed into a collection of multi-hued compositions inspired by notions of connectivity and impermanence, translated for east and west: Flow | 流れ.

Opener “Dusk Decorum | 黄昏 礼節” maps the mood of what’s to come, elegantly pirouetting and percolating through an expanding vista of looming stars and half-light horizons. Takahashi describes Edren’s arrangements as evoking “a strange feel, something we haven't heard much of before.” The sensation is one of “in-betweenness,” a restless current whispering beneath the beauty, like seasons seen in time-lapse footage: flickering but infinite, transience turned permanent. Takahashi’s signature sculpture garden tones plot spiral patterns over which Edren cascades dazzling pointillist synthesizer coloration. The pieces veer between delicate and dilated, micro and macro, their aperture forever softly in flux.

From the oscillating orchestral lullaby of “Stalactime | 鍾乳石時計” to the sweeping, sparkling dream sequence closer, “Shift Register | シフトレジスタ,” the album achieves the elusive goal of being more than the sum of its parts. This is music of rare air, elevated and amorphous, shimmering just out of reach. Though Edren and Takahashi have yet to cohabitate the same room in person (a fact that should be rectified soon by an astute festival booker), their palettes and poise are perfectly paired, twin fragilities woven into seven radiant and regenerative vibrational states. The cover design of a beatific, beaded leaf rippling on the surface of a hidden pond aptly captures the record’s muted majesty. Takahashi’s quiet pride is justified: “We are very happy with this time-consuming and carefully crafted work.”

“The group has no niche, it doesn’t fit in anywhere,” explains Necessaries drummer Jesse Chamberlain in a 1980 Melody Maker interview. “We just state the facts about life in America, like The Clash did about England, but we’re not so heavy about it.” The Necessaries rose from the ashes of Harry Toledo & The Rockets, a little-known New York art-rock band playing gigs at Max’s Kansas City during glam’s metamorphosis into punk. —From the liner notes by Michael IQ Jones The Necessaries came together in 1978 and in the too-brief lifespan of the band counted among their members, Ed Tomney (Rage To Live, Luka Bloom), Jesse Chamberlain (Red Crayola), Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers), Arthur Russell (The Flying Hearts), Randy Gun (Love Of Life Orchestra). First championed by John Cale on the strength of Tomney’s songs, Cale produced their first single for Spy Records (under the I.R.S. umbrella) which was released in 1979. With the forward momentum brought about by the single, the band set about tracking demos intended for Warner Bros., but The Necessaries ultimately would sign to Seymour Stein’s Sire Records. These rough demo basic tracks lacked overdubs, mixes and any finishing touches that would have made them viable for commercial release, but due to tour commitments, the band had to put the sessions on hold to hit the road. While on tour, the band was shocked to discover that Sire had issued the unfinished tracks as their debut album Big Sky (issued in 1981). The band had Big Sky withdrawn and replaced with Event Horizon (issued in 1982) which included half the original tracks from Big Sky and continued to record throughout 1982 aiming for a follow-up. It was not to be and their final studio sessions remained unissued until now. Completely Necessary (Anthology 1978–1982) is the first authorized collection of recordings by The Necessaries and includes 37 tracks, 28 of which are previously unissued. Completely Necessary represents the most accurate musical history of the band laid out across three albums. Disc one is the band-approved first album Event Horizon, followed by Pilots Facing North, a disc collecting studio recordings spanning 1978–1981 and disc three finally sees the release of their final sessions, Songs From The Blue Colony. Album notes by Michael IQ Jones trace the history of the band for this compilation produced by The Necessaries’ Ed Tomney and Cheryl Pawelski (Omnivore Recordings). The audio has been restored and mastered by Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, and both the 3-LP and 2-CD sets feature previously unseen photos across the package. Finally, an essential missing piece of the late ’70s/early ’80s New York scene that was just slightly ahead of the college alt-rock soon to come, is finally available to rediscover—this time it’s authorized and absolutely necessary. BUY! HERE’S WHY! • The first authorized and comprehensive anthology by The Necessaries. • Mid-’70s/early ’80s New York rock/punk/art scene band included members: Ed Tomney, Ernier Brooks, Arthur Russell, Jesse Chamberlain, and Randy Gun. • 37 tracks, 28 previously unissued. • Liner notes by Michael IQ Jones, plus unseen photos.

This transcontinental techno VA gathers five forward-thinking artists from across the globe.

Icelandic techno forward Exos opens the release with "Tunis" - a no-compromise, fast-paced track that pulses with distant echoes of African tunes. This piece that moves you forward, propels through time and textures.

Hailing from Paraguay, Victoria Mussi brings "Imaginary Rush", a track that shifts the grid: behind the steady four-to-the-floor pulse hides a maze of unexpected sound accents. This is techno that demands both dancing and deep listening.

Latvian producer Ksenia Kamikaza follows with "34 hours of C" - a cinematic narrative shaped by futuristic sound design. Taking you to the sci-fi movie scene with echoing synths - it's a sonic adventure drifting across an obscure dancefloor.

Chilean artist Andrea Riffo offers "Fissure State", a fragile yet deeply intentional track that blends minimal structure with immersive depth. Thoughtful and hypnotic, it carries a subtle intensity that fits perfectly into both opening and prime time sets.

Catalan non-binary artist Basso Mata closes the record with "Open Close" - a departure from strict techno into mid-90s-influenced electro. Combining distorted guitar-like basslines with synthetic groove, it's both unexpected and irresistibly danceable.

Together, these five pieces form a cohesive yet diverse vision of modern techno - experimental, emotional, and deeply rooted in each artist's local context. This record is built for DJs who play with narrative, contrast, and surprise. A secret weapon for those who mix stories, not just beats.

Ottagono Italian Dojo presents the second release on the Ottagono Retro outlet imprint label through South America. This special occasion marks the opening of a second Ottagono headquarters in Argentina, introducing an exclusive project that blends the essence of the Italian music family. If you’re familiar with Latin American music genres like Rock, Post Punk, Industrial, Minimal Synth, New Wave, Synth Pop, and the broader electronic music scene of the last 40 years, you’ve surely heard of iconic bands such as Virus, Soda Stereo, and Sumo. Among these bands, having in common their birth in Argentina, Alfredo Peria is another influential music pioneer and key figure in the entire Latin American underground movement. In the mid-80s, he founded the techno duo Mimilocos. Because of this, over the years, Alfredo has been renamed the “Juan Atkins de Latino America”. Later in the 90s, he joined major labels like Polygram and BGM, living between Spain and the United States. He founded another project called Limbo with Julio Moura, a member of Virus and brother of Federico Moura. In the late ’90s, he released his first solo album with Fonovisa. After spending years travelling the world, Alfredo returned to Argentina and, alongside Cecilia Olariaga, founded his own production company, Pulpería Discos. The music world once again showcases the strong connection between Argentina and Italy, evident in the heritage of artists and figures like Maestro Alfredo Peria and la familia Ottagono, including the new Latin America manager, Federico Luchetti.

A.1: Sentidos is a new wave Latin American classic! After over 30 years, it finally received its first vinyl release. Originally written in the early ’90s by Alfredo and Julio Moura, then members of Limbo, a band formed after Virus disbanded following the passing of Federico Moura, Julio’s brother, Virus frontman. This updated version, enhanced with synthesizers and additional production by tech wizard Franco Colombo , transforms the original lyrics into a retro-futuristic club anthem with 80s vibes, It captures the essence of early Depeche Mode, Nitzer Ebb, and the Chicago Warehouse scene, while also being a great fit for fans of Juan Atkins and Yellow Magic Orchestra as well.

A.2: Yo soy su Cuba – 3.0 Adicta mix is the latest version inspired by the original demo from the 80s. This mix showcases Electro Tech Synth Pop music created by Alfredo, Rudie Martínez, Joaquín Franco, Juan Pablo Bidegain, Germán Moreno, and Pablo Torterolo, collectively known as Adicta.

A.3: Castillitos de arena – original ’87 demo, it’s a classic in Argentina underground music movement, among fans and people lost in club culture, even though it never got an official release in any format. This was frequently performed during the early years of Mimilocos live shows, but it was never officially released. A few years later in Spain, a Latin pop tropical house version was released, presenting a fresh and entirely different take from the original’s obscure essence marked by minimal synth, EBM, and deep, atmospheric sounds, which thanks to Ottagono family will see the light.

B.1: Gesell – From Villa Gesell to Ibiza, from Alfredo with love to another renowned
“Argentino” known as DJ Alfredo. This is an Ottagono tribute to one of the Isla masters and the Balearic sound. Gesell feels like a fresh 90s UK track by Farley & Heller or DJ Harvey, immersed in the emotive Alfredo Peria landscape—something you could easily hear at Café del Mar during sunset, played by another maestro we all miss, José Padilla.

B.2: Yo soy su Cuba – Now available on vinyl for the very first time, featuring the original demo. There’s not much to add—just sit back and enjoy this pure 80s treasure in all its glory.

B.3: Over the past months, Claudio and Federico have listened to many unreleased
demos and tapes from Alfredo’s extensive musical career. Among them, “7 Days” stood out for its simple beauty and potential as a hit for underground enthusiasts. This track seamlessly combines post-punk, new wave, and tropical Balearic vibes. From ’95 to ’25, it has remained fresh and innovative, once again proving that the Ottagono crew understands the essence of timeless music.

2024 Repress

The ever-reliant Deepchord kicks off 2014 in his usual stylish way with two deep cuts in the Luxury EP. After last years jaunt into the ambient with 20 Electrostatic Soundfields, Rod Model return to the world of slick beats and even dreamier synths and atmospheres.

Luxury 1 ebbs in majestically as beautifully crafted layers of synths glide across field recorded drops of water that instantly play with your senses. Pumping sub bass fills the rest of the spectrum as Rod does what he does best by creating an unending slick groove, pieced together by crisp percussion.

Yet more atmospherics come into play in Luxury 2 as otherworldly field recordings are brought to life through the use of Rod's unique processing and layers of dream state synths. A perfectly worked groove seems to come out of nowhere and glides gently under the atmosphere; again subtle percussion ties everything together seamlessly.

The master of Deep Techno strikes again with nothing short of 2 elegant works that typify his skills as a producer.

Pan-Pot - Luxury 1 +++++
Alan Fitzpatrick - digging this! excited to play it!
Steve Rachmad - Luv Luxury 2
Joel Mull - Lovely warm music. Timeless pieces right here.
Jonas Kopp - cool vibes over here , thanks.
Tommy Four Seven - thanks!
Markus Suckut - deepchord as I like him!
Martin Landsky - yep...both tracks are brillant..Deepchord never disapoints....
Nadja Lind/Klartraum - what a luxury indeed :) Happy New Year!
John Selway - into Luxury 2
Stacey Pullen - cool thanks
Shlomi Aber - another cool one from soma
Heron - This deepness is more than impressive. Completely mindblowing!
Manic Brothers - Both tracks are super fat ! Thank you :)
Toma Hades - Epic tracks ! it sounds like real film music ! love it ! :)
Daniel Stefanik - follow them from the beginning. i love it! thx.
Vector Lovers - Lovely mixes, really warm production to chase those winter blues away. Great start to 2014!
The Welderz - Great opener tracks !
Master-H - Fantastic release! I Love DEEPCHORD!
Hermanez - love the sound from deepchord, thank you
Kazumi Ihii - Quality release as usual from Deepchord

Balmat 17 marks both a return and a new frontier. It is the second album on the label from Patricia Wolf, whose 2022 album See-Through is one of the most beloved in Balmat’s catalog; it also marks the first time that Wolf has turned her hand to a film soundtrack. The results are every bit as magical as fans of the Portland, Oregon, composer’s music might expect.

Hrafnamynd—Icelandic for “raven film”—is a new feature-length documentary by experimental filmmaker Edward Pack Davee. Shot on a mix of film and digital formats, and incorporating his father’s Ektachrome slides from the 1970s, the autobiographical film works on multiple levels at once: a reminiscence of his childhood in Iceland, an exploration of landscape and folklore, and a documentary study of the island nation’s ravens—including a talking raven named Krummi.

Wolf is the perfect artist to score such an unusual film. Mixing ambient music and field recording—including extensive experience documenting bird song—Wolf brings an unusually empathic perspective to her music. In the context of Hrafnamynd, her airy melodies, pensive atmospheres, and vivid textures intuitively complement the film’s grainy film stock and blown-out colors. Friends for years, the two artists further bonded when Wolf asked Pack to film music videos for her songs “Woodland Encounter” (from See-Through) and “The Culmination Of” (from I'll Look For You In Others). Pack used Wolf’s previously recorded music as placeholders as he began assembling a rough cut of the film, which made her a natural choice to help him complete his idiosyncratic vision with an all-new, bespoke score.

But Wolf’s soundtrack also indisputably stands alone as a full-length album. Largely created using the UDO Super 6 synthesizer, it features a carefully distilled palette of warm, string-like pads and darkly glistening mallets, rounded out with the very occasional introduction of nylon string guitar. Musically and stylistically, the album’s 11 tracks represent both a continuation of the ruminative sound of See-Through and also an extension into new expressive modes. Few musicians, ambient or otherwise, are as skilled at balancing melody with atmosphere, or at finding ways to eke fresh at finding ways to eke fresh, surprising sounds out of an intentionally reduced toolkit. Meditative, immersive, and emotionally generous Wolf’s Hrafnamynd soundtrack evokes a range of ambient classics from decades past while confidently marking out its own verdant patch of ground.


Artist’s Statement:
Edward and I have been friends for years, but we really started to get to know one another better after I hired him to make music videos for my songs “Woodland Encounter” and “The Culmination Of.” For those projects we got to spend a lot of time hiking in various locations around the Pacific Northwest with his camera, very nice lenses, and tripod. Keeping quiet, hidden, and vigilant we searched for wildlife, good light on the trees, meadows, lakes, rivers, and skies. Edward was already an appreciator of my music and I was already in awe of his filmmaking talents so it felt like a great fit. Although we work in different areas of art our styles compliment one another. We both tend toward slow and careful pacing, with a focus on emotion and introspective reflections on life and the landscapes around us. For this reason, Iknew that I could trust Edward to create videos for my music. We saw so many beautiful and unexpected things on our filming days, but I was moved to tears once I saw how magnificent and poetic it all was. His video work from the cinematography, to the editing, and color correction helped bring my inner vision to life.

A few months after that, Edward surprised me with an invitation to work on the soundtrack for his new film, Hrafnamynd. I enthusiastically said yes. I had always wanted to work on a film, and I knew that his filmmaking style would be inspiring to write music for. I had recently acquired an UDO Super 6 synthesizer but hadn't used it much. I decided that this would be the synth that I'd use for the film. It has the ability to sound very modern, but can also sound so warm and fuzzy, like a synth from the 1970s. It turned out to be the perfect instrument for this project as the film itself straddles time from the ’70s to today.

When Edward sent me the rough cut of the film, he used placeholder music to help give me an idea of the emotion and energy that he was hoping to achieve for each scene. For many of the scenes, Edward used music from my albums as temporary tracks. This told me that he trusted my work and style and therefore I should just trust my intuition with how to proceed. I wanted to make sure that everything that I made was a direct reflection of what was happening on screen, a mirror of its emotion and energy so people could really lock into the film psychologically. This process took my composing to unexpected places—like being led by a strange cat or a raven that seemed to have something to show me. I found that the approach made the music so much more dynamic than my usual style. I really enjoyed being influenced by the action and dialog on the screen. Thankfully, Edward was very happy with the work. I made sure to handle this project with the utmost care because this is about his life and his family, and an exploration of the experiences that made him an artist and filmmaker. While watching the film many times over, I found myself thinking about my own family and my early memories with them and how the place where I grew up has influenced who I have become. I found that his film invites the viewer to reflect on their own lives in a similar way. I hope that this music and film can guide others to contemplate on the history of their beingness and the people and places that shaped them.

Another aspect to this project is the splendor and wonder of Iceland itself. I had the opportunity to visit Iceland for the first time in 2023. I got to play a show there for the Extreme Chill Festival and met many friendly and brilliant Icelanders. I also got to collect field recordings that I used in the film. It's a fascinating place and culture that easily captures the hearts and imaginations of anyone who visits. Whether you spend your time in the city immersed in its impressive arts scene, or venture out into the wilderness to behold its wondrous landscape, it will leave a lasting impression. The soundtrack is also a love letter to Iceland itself.

New entry in the legendary fabric presents mix series, home to standout releases from SHERELLE, Overmono, Saoirse, Kode9, and more.
- Curated and mixed by Pretty Girl – rising star producer/DJ/vocalist known for emotionally rich dance music and a global touring presence including Coachella, DC10, Lost Village, Glastonbury, and more.
- Mix includes exclusive unreleased material, the brand-new single “Innadream”, and hand-selected tracks from Australian and UK scenes.
- A journey through melancholic club textures, groove-heavy house, UK garage, and lo-fi rhythms – all tied together with Pretty Girl’s signature melodic flair.
- Backed by recent remix work for Romy and George Fitzgerald, and the acclaimed EP Get Back To Me.
- Launch party at fabric London (June 6)

o Resident Advisor: “A star in the making”
o Dazed: “Crafting nocturnal soundscapes for the party, the after-party, and the morning train ride home”
o The Sunday Times: “Succession of brilliant tracks”

Pretty Girl is the alias of Melbourne-born, London-based producer, vocalist, and DJ who’s rapidly emerging as a defining voice in emotive club music. Fusing dreamy textures with deep house, UKG, and lo-fi rhythms, her sound bridges dancefloor euphoria with introspective detail. A regular at global festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury, and DC10, she’s earned acclaim for both her immersive live sets and expressive studio work. Recent highlights include her Get Back To Me EP, remixes for Romy and George Fitzgerald, and now her most expansive statement to date: a mix for the revered fabric presents series.

Auntie Flo finds a natural home for OUTERNATIONAL DANCE on Multi Culti Throughout his long career in music, Brian d’Souza aka Auntie Flo has made a name for himself for his adventurous and open minded approach to music making. Travel and collaboration is key to his work, and over the course of four albums and various singles, he’s showcased music made in Cuba, South Korea, Uganda, Brazil and more, often fusing long standing musical traditions, field recordings and artist collaborations with a modern production techniques. As Auntie Flo, he has bridged not only cultural gaps as a Scottish-Goan in hybrid genres like Afro-disco, Indian Classical and Dub-Techno, but recently crossed over into bioelectrical music, with his Plants Can Dance, Mushroom Music and full-blown ambient psychedelica all housed under his A State Of Flo label and Substack. Outernational Dance helps define this expansive sound with a set of tracks that brings dance culture back to nature, inspired by ‘Esperanto’, a form of universal language created by L. L. Zamenhof in 1887. The notion of music as the universal language has always been at the heart of Auntie Flo’s practise and makes this new EP a perfect fit for the boundary dissolving reverie of the Multi Culti ethos: pointing the way to a better world, borderless, free and in symbiosis with nature.

Born in 1989 in Bamako, Mali, Nfaly Diakité is a member of the Donsow, Bambara animist hunters. Nfaly Diakité is named after his grandfather, the late Nfaly Diakité, one of Mali’s most respected donso chiefs. His grandfather did not play, but as a leading figure in the donso brotherhood, he was always accompanied by musician Yoro Sidibé. Nfaly grew up alongside Yoro Sidibé, who became his first master of the donso ngoni, a type of eight-stringed antelope skin harp. After leaving school to devote himself to his instrument, Nfaly continued his apprenticeship with Diakaria Diakité and Oumar Sidibé, two donso masters from the Wassolo region.

He quickly made a name for himself in the donso community and was much asked to play at the traditional ceremonies of his brotherhood. He then met percussionist Ibrahim Sarr and joined the BKO Quintet, with whom he recorded an album and toured Europe and the United States. His virtuosity on the donso ngoni soon attracted attention, and he took part in numerous music and dance festivals in Mali and abroad, with the aim of raising awareness of this little-known traditional instrument.

Nfaly Diakité is also a Kônô, meaning that he is responsible for passing on the history and culture of the Bambara people through music and song. He pursues his mission by combining tradition with more contemporary sounds and by collaborating with artists from a wide range of musical backgrounds. For him, music is a means of conveying messages of peace, love and harmony, and his compositions evoke the values of respect, tolerance and open-mindedness.

‘Tribute to Toumani Koné’ is Nfay Diakité’s first solo album, recorded in Bamako in June 2020. On the album, Nfaly is the only singer, providing backing vocals and playing the donso ngoni and keregne. The album is a tribute to the storyteller and poet Toumani Koné, the greatest donso ngoni player since N’gonifo Bourama. Nfaly Diakité is a representative of the new generation of donso ngoni players and he wishes to pay tribute to Toumani Koné, who throughout his long career has been a symbol of courage, daring, loyalty and honesty.

The nine-track of this solo album leaves no room for hesitation. Three instruments (donso ngoni, voice and keregne) manage to carry one into another dimension without ever tiring. The fitting and precise rhythm is a deep but melodious transe. Nfaly’s voice plays between expressive urgency and calm wisdom, and the choruses with his own voice multiply the planes of dimension of the music. The donso n’goni, of which Nfaly is an excellent player, sounds rough and earthy but always clear and sharp. All the strength of a music that does not belong to a single musician but to a long cultural tradition of which he is the spokesman is expressed here. The young Nfaly, thanks to his experience and sensitivity, succeeds on his own in pushing us into this world without feeling the weight of tradition but only the liberation of music that sounds all the more contemporary. This album is to be listened to in its entirety as one tight journey between repeated formulas, highlights and moments of rest within the same relentless rhythm. The densest moment is probably found in the heart of the album, between the tracks Nankama (the predestined one) and Mogote Diabeye (no one can please everyone). Here, the message, which can be deciphered from the translation of the lyrics, seems to transcend language barriers and intepret us directly about our human condition, urging us to move our bodies to the dense rhythm of life.

The package, posted from Inglewood in California, dropped through my letter box…
I was looking forward to seeing this, the VHS of the then relatively ‘unknown’ but now legendary live show at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. But when I fed it into my VHS player, I was disappointed. I could not quite figure out why. The band were tight, each musician sounded great, the product of being on the road, year after year, club after club in the States, sometimes playing five shows a night, all propped up by one of the best soulful voices we had ever heard, the maestro Frankie Beverly.
It took a second play of the VHS to realise what was missing. It was ‘too comfortable’ an atmosphere. A few wealthy customers sat around coffee tables quaffing champagne. It seemed to me that this audience, somehow, did not fit the band.
Paul Fenn at Asgard promotions received the contract from the band to appear live in London and Manchester. I became more and more convinced that his UK fans were going to be a lot more responsive than those from New Orleans.
We put the word out with just a couple of exclusive ‘shout outs’ by Robbie Vincent on his Radio London Soul programme. Those two plugs were enough to sell out all four shows at London’s premier music venue, the Hammersmith Odeon. The ticket office was rammed and the queue six deep, stretched halfway down Queen Caroline Street.
“I have never seen anything like it” expressed the manager of the theatre as he rolled down the shutters and turned on the “Sorry, SOLD OUT” notice above the theatre box office.
I was curious, so I went up and stood in the wings of the Hammersmith stage on that first show. Frankie, introduced to the stage by his sound engineer, Greg Blockman, sauntered past me, strumming his rhythm guitar, dressed in a casual dark green towelling suit, a brown leather visor and flip flops…and then five seconds later, he suddenly stopped. He seemed suddenly to be aware of the thunderous ’Welcome to London Maze’ roar, circling around the theatre about to engulf him. He slapped every black and white hand offered up to him that night, with a huge smile as he circled the edge of that stage. We wanted to get next to him, even if it meant climbing over rows of seats in front of us to do so.
That was the beginning of our love affair with Maze and Frankie Beverly. It certainly wasn’t New Orleans comfort; it was more like a crazy, but friendly, London riot.
Five albums on from the “Live in New Orleans” LP, Frankie sauntered into the California recording studio, probably with the same swagger as in London, to cut the delightful A-side here, “Somebody Else’s Arms”, from his aptly named ‘Silky Soul’ album. Along with the B-side, ‘Love is’ (from the “Back To Basics” CD, 1993) both are so delicious you might want to relax and pour yourself that London glass of champagne, 1983 vintage. Tell your mates your Maze/Hammersmith story too. You deserve it.

Following up last year’s Acrobatic Thoughts album, Panoram delves even deeper into his own musical universe with Keep Looking Where The Light Comes From. We find the producer in confident form, exploring the fuzzy fringes of beauty and chaos. The result is an album that sounds even more like himself and yet surprising at each turn.


Opening track Feathers sounds like only Panoram can, buzzy arpeggiated distortion takes flight somewhere in the direction of a distant multiverse where Animal Collective and Boards of Canada soundtracked Koyaanisqatsi. But the psychedelic drift is all Panoram’s own, conjuring a stark sense of the uncanny with the repeated phrases. The digital guitar and vocal loops of I Can Only Repeat Your Love are practically on the brink of collapsing in on themselves, to the point where the structure begins to shift like a collapsing monument. Flat Stones nods towards ASMR, as flute and woodwind tones caress the ears and a whispered voice teases out an altered state.


It’s this dreamlike mood that pervades the whole album, a maximal effect that’s wrung from minimalist compositions. The Wide House picks up the baton from Laurie Anderson to trip gently through different states of awareness, while the piano patterns of Blank Sheep float through the synth ambience like ideas entering an empty dream. There Is A Hole Here is another mutant loop that unravels as it proceeds - the rhythms turn into a pulse, and despite what the lyrics say, it does indeed mess around with your brain.


Panoram balances dance tropes, classical composition, ambient drones and a washed out, fuzzy twist on avant garde pop, and manages to transform it all into a uniform whole that fits all those puzzle pieces together. Yet such is the assuredness of Panoram’s production that it sounds effortless. At this point, the music is more like a midwife, manifesting your future self‘s enlightened consciousness with surreal effect.

the EP FACE I is an evolution from the previously released album JAHRE. it fits into the narrative of urban life and our own personal development. both chronology and emotions are explored here and adapted with lyricism and atmospheric digital and analog sound.

it starts with 1984, beginning of our emotional journey and also literary (GEORGE ORWELL) fixpoint of the electronic adaptation. we feel a kind of lightness in our society, upswing and freedom determine everyday life for a large part of germany. we are free, everything seems possible! almost we move through an utopia. new prosperity and contentment let us blossom, no digital friends and in-between worlds alienate our seemingly naive and peaceful being.

in TMV a first individual emotional world comes to the fore, the mood is mixed and seems fragile. euphoria and melancholy mix to an undefined state of emotional and musical confusion. LYRIK gets a first big space here and carries from the part of confusion into a part of detachment. despite the ambivalence of the first moment, the scene ends in a transcendental, positively driving state of letting go and rest ...

the next part takes us away from the familiar and seemingly peaceful MOMENTS. we jump into the year 2184! 200 years later we are sitting here now, society has turned into an emotional desert like in ORWELLS fiction. a lonely CYBORG sits in the ruins of our once joyful cathedrals and sings about his tearing apart. he can't be without, but also can't be with his own anymore. like a cursed of two worlds he sits stranded in space and time.

the conclusion is made by TMVA, here we get into a very intimate emotional farewell to a lost and unfulfilled love. the calm tempo lets everything flow out that has confused and driven us for years. who or what do we want to become emotionally? are we even capable of letting ourselves fall after decades of searching and disruption? are we already dying? in the end only art and the love of it remains to save us.

ALL LOVE
AMAS_DHE / AMAS_PHI

Introducing twelve.to.zero, the new sub-label by black.round.twelve - an independent record store, record label and distributor based in Berlin. After releasing Ricardo Villalobos and Pirvu on its mother label, the sub-label adheres to the same principles of releasing highly polished, minimal music but now expanding its distribution to a broader market by including digital formats.

The first release on twelve.to.zero "Nexam EP" welcomes Faster to do the honours with three tracks highlighting the producer's exceptional skills. The EP's title track, 'Nexam', fills the A-side of the record with a light-hearted tone, especially fitting for the morning after-hours: minimal house equal parts hypnotic and deep, which subtle (yet thumping) basslines and captivating lead synth elevate it to a dreamy state. The flip side continues the deepness introduced earlier with 'Gush Me' and 'Sunflower' and expands both on sound design and ambience, expertly filling the palette with modular bleeps, groovy synths and organic sampling.

Hypnotic and energetic, this collection of tracks reflects an artist whose love for the craft, production values and deep understanding of the genre are as high as they are noticeable.

Four Flies Records is proud to present its brand new imprint Edizioni Della Notte, which expands the label's musical range. The sound of Edizioni Della Notte is a sound of twilight atmospheres and moonlit nights, traversing genres from disco-funk to soft rock, jazz-fusion and city pop. It's the music that creeps out of smoky nightclubs and car cassette radios, breaking the silence of empty streets and offering an escape from metropolitan reality into cosmic-exotic dreamlands.

Quite fittingly, the first official release on Edizioni Della Notte is called By Night. It's the debut EP of Scerida, a solo project of musician and singer-songwriter Daniela Resconi, and a perfect match for the sound that the new imprint intends to represent.

Its four tracks explore the idea of night as a time of ecstasy and torment, as a land of freedom and imagination but also of delusion, as an accomplice, a friend and an enemy described through feelings and mental states that range from expectation and euphoria to disillusionment and resignation.

Resconi, who hails from Brescia, northern Italy, formerly released music under the moniker Cara and as part of the duo The Loud Vice. Her new alias Scerida, which combines the French term chérie with the Spanish word querida, signals both a revolution and an evolution. "Scerida is a dive into the exotic side of my imagination, into mischevious thoughts, into a crazy night where I lost and found myself again," she explains. "She is still me, Daniela, but she keeps her eyes wide open on this restless, troubled world to write songs that try to ward off the horror vacui of everyday life."

By Night celebrates the dark hours as magical and mesmerizing, even when mysterious or dangerous. It evokes images and scenarios cinematically – a taxi passing by and fading into the distance, ice-cold Martinis during a party, whirlwinds of emotion, psychedelic sunrises and neon sunsets – through a stream of consciousness filled with noir-inflected pop, lo-fi vibes, slow hypnotic rhythms, suspended grooves and swelling atmospheres.

Jessy Lanza has always made music that perfectly suits the mood - whether it's the heads-down trance of the dancefloor or that hazy, post-club bliss. It's no surprise for an artist that takes electronic music's most intoxicating sensibilities and effortlessly reimagines them as experimental pop and R&B. The Canadian singer, producer and DJ from Hamilton, Ontario, has trodden an inspiring path which led to 2013's boldly minimalist debut Pull My Hair Back, released on revered UK label Hyperdub. Gorgeously complex follow-ups Oh No - shortlisted for Canada's prestigious Polaris Prize - and 2020's All the Time crowned her as a singular talent in the left-of-pop sphere. It's with this genre-bending approach that Jessy Lanza presents her entry for the DJ-Kicks series - a sprawling, club-indebted odyssey that draws you in closer and closer with each listen. Recorded this summer, the mix is an incisive snapshot of her emotional landscape during the past 18 months. In 2020, with nothing but a van, a few personal belongings and her musical gear, Lanza and her partner relocated from New York City to the Bay Area to ride out the pandemic. A change of scenery, buoyed by the slower pace of their new home, gave her a fresh perspective during a worldwide screeching halt. Jessy Lanza's DJ-Kicks mix also arrives as a divine stroke of timing. As the world slowly starts to re-open, it's a portal into the ecstatic energy of the dancefloor; an emblem of genuine healing - both personal and communal - that transports listeners to a state of pure euphoria.

Repress

The multi-faceted producer and DJ, and one of electronic music's most respected, Calibre releases his brand new record 'Planet Hearth' on November 29th. An album featuring exclusively new material, and dedicated to a very close friend who passed away last year, this is by far the most personal and poignant record he has ever made.

First coined in 2015, the album has taken four years to complete and in his own words 'part of a slow metamorphosis that I have wanted to do for a long time'. Escaping to Valentia on the West Coast of Ireland, he sought solace away from the grind of modern living to write music and draw inspiration from his surroundings. It was during this time that he experienced great personal loss, which can be felt throughout the record, forming an emotional narrative that will make even the hardest of hearts shed a tear upon listening.

The title track 'Planet Hearth' was made in Belfast a few weeks before losing his close friend, and in his own words: "I remember this one feeling very automatic and emotionally engaging, the timing for me has great meaning". Whilst the track 'Five Minute Flame' was written in five minutes one morning in Valentia with the sun streaming in and the coffee being made, showing just how he can draw inspirations at any moment of the day, "I love the immediacy of writing music very much" he states. Largely ambient, there is a nod to his drum and bass roots with 'Walking in Circles', a track that can, and has been played in one of his dnb set. Whilst the album has been playing throughout the year in different club settings, opening the night with the sound that he so loves, the record wasn't made for the club as such, 'originally the idea was to put music together that didn't need to be played in a club, that it could be whatever I wanted.'

This is an honest and pure record that steps away from Calibre's drum and bass persona that he's so synonymous with. A somewhat melancholic and atmospheric piece of work, it still has that signature Calibre sound, attesting to incredible diversity of the man. A true master of his craft, his ability to constantly create and consistently deliver with such honest expression is staggering. A chameleonic creator in the purest form - as a painter, fine artist, multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer - he has a career stretching over two decades with over fifteen albums of varying genres.

To coincide with the release of the album on November 29th, it's perhaps fitting that he makes his return to XOYO - the London venue he resided in for 10 weeks from July through to September - as he plays on the Dekmantel Soundsystem residency, who he passed the baton onto for the Autumn Winter season.

This is Calibre in his rawest, purest and exposed form, delivering a body of work that he cares about the most.

A well-known figure of the Roman nightlife, resident of the city's iconic Goa Club and its infamous Ultrabeat nights, Simona Calvani, aka DJ Red, steps up on Danza Tribale with 'The Prophets Are Smiling' - her first material to surface since the release of her 'Raw Cacao' EP on Wolfskuil in 2016, here featuring an exclusive revamp from local hero Lorenzo D'Angelo, alias Lory D.

Fitting the label's trance-triggering ethos to perfection, this new record finds the Italian DJ and producer rushing headlong into tropicalised techno grounds, halfway ethno-ritualistic music and a future-ready kind of big-room churn, primed for Berlin's fiercest subterranean raves as much as ayahuasca-induced rituals in the heart of a misty rainforest.

Dipping its toes in teeming beds of organic textures and ancient rhythmic tribalisms, 'The Prophets Are Smiling' fully gears toward awakening your senses and elevating your mind to a broader and further acute state of consciousness. Bathed in a mystique-imbued atmosphere, the track steadily oscillates betwixt a no-nonsense steely swing, glazed industrial tints and epic-sized primitive chants to better daze and confuse its audience.

Hopping on remix duty, Italian techno legend Lory D provides the wares with implacable efficiency, as he reveals the more intricate side of DJ Red original's cogs and wheels to turn it into a proper off-axis floor crusher. Rolling onto a more classic and functional pathway, 'Moon' is a paragon of hypno-tech efficiency. Channeling the pulsating energy of a thousand dancing hearts through a distinctively rich and deep melodic prism, DJ Red confirms her status as one of the Roman scene's most gifted pacesetters.

A rare treat for Drumcode faithful: A-Sides Vol.10 is set to drop in December, the second edition of the beloved series to come in 2020.

Fuelled by the extra time and space to be creative during lockdown, Drumcode’s collective of artists have stepped up. Across 17 contributions, the producers have gone deeper into their sonic repertoire, crafting powerful, yet reflective works that capture the range of the label’s sound.

Jay Lumen leads the way with a rousing riff-driven weapon, ‘Galactic Rainbow’, while Ramon Tapia brings us the muscular gem ‘Drum Control’, mixing up ruffneck techno with a barrage of synapse-tickling synths in the second half. Both rousing highlights of the compilation.

Victor Ruiz, Drumcode’s most prolific contributor in 2020, dishes up ‘Love Story’, led by a huge vocal lead. Zimmz also returns with ‘Tension’, which deftly combines deep squelchy grooves with a silky synth interlude. Thomas Hoffknecht follows up his debut on Vol.9 with ‘Escape’, keeping listeners on their toes with dynamic, choppy shifts throughout. Veerus joins with another stirring addition ‘I Know’, reinforcing why Beyer rates him so highly.

Elsewhere a string of debutants feature: buzzy newcomer Lilly Palmer gives us ‘Amnesie’, a brilliantly pummelling and eerie cut; Alex Lentini & Stomp Boxx serve up ‘Expanders’ mixing up drone effects, trippy vocals and an unsettling melody line; and Patrik Berg’s ‘Activated’ is full-bodied techno that drops down into funky rhythms.

Long-time DC family member Bart Skils brings his A-game with the thrilling no-nonsense ‘Solid State’ that hits like a steam train. Likewise, Alan Fitzpatrick who brings a momentous slab of techno energy with ‘Rochus’, while Thomas Schumacher, now feeling like a regular on the imprint, crafts another dark techno opus, this time in collaboration with CAITLIN.

There’s even a special appearance by the chief Adam Beyer, who makes a welcome return with the progressive-tinged ‘Changes’, driven by organic tones and spacey atmospherics. The track stands as his first original contribution to A-Sides since 2017.

A rare treat for Drumcode faithful: A-Sides Vol.10 is set to drop in December, the second edition of the beloved series to come in 2020.

Fuelled by the extra time and space to be creative during lockdown, Drumcode’s collective of artists have stepped up. Across 17 contributions, the producers have gone deeper into their sonic repertoire, crafting powerful, yet reflective works that capture the range of the label’s sound.

Jay Lumen leads the way with a rousing riff-driven weapon, ‘Galactic Rainbow’, while Ramon Tapia brings us the muscular gem ‘Drum Control’, mixing up ruffneck techno with a barrage of synapse-tickling synths in the second half. Both rousing highlights of the compilation.

Victor Ruiz, Drumcode’s most prolific contributor in 2020, dishes up ‘Love Story’, led by a huge vocal lead. Zimmz also returns with ‘Tension’, which deftly combines deep squelchy grooves with a silky synth interlude. Thomas Hoffknecht follows up his debut on Vol.9 with ‘Escape’, keeping listeners on their toes with dynamic, choppy shifts throughout. Veerus joins with another stirring addition ‘I Know’, reinforcing why Beyer rates him so highly.

Elsewhere a string of debutants feature: buzzy newcomer Lilly Palmer gives us ‘Amnesie’, a brilliantly pummelling and eerie cut; Alex Lentini & Stomp Boxx serve up ‘Expanders’ mixing up drone effects, trippy vocals and an unsettling melody line; and Patrik Berg’s ‘Activated’ is full-bodied techno that drops down into funky rhythms.

Long-time DC family member Bart Skils brings his A-game with the thrilling no-nonsense ‘Solid State’ that hits like a steam train. Likewise, Alan Fitzpatrick who brings a momentous slab of techno energy with ‘Rochus’, while Thomas Schumacher, now feeling like a regular on the imprint, crafts another dark techno opus, this time in collaboration with CAITLIN.

There’s even a special appearance by the chief Adam Beyer, who makes a welcome return with the progressive-tinged ‘Changes’, driven by organic tones and spacey atmospherics. The track stands as his first original contribution to A-Sides since 2017.

Spanish producer Pedro Vian is dreaming of the sea on “Ibillorca”, his third studio album.

Vian, whose Modern Obscure Music label is at the heart of the Barcelona electronic scene, moved to Amsterdam in 2018. While the Dutch capital has embraced this inventive producer and DJ, Vian says the new album is inspired by a feelings of absence and longing for his Mediterranean home. “On this album I explore my feelings of missing the light,” he says. “Ibillorca is a journey to a utopian island, a journey to a new state of mind.”

You can hear this displaced utopia on songs like “Can Mortera”, a dreamy reflection on house music, recorded in Ibiza in summer 2019, that brings to mind Larry Heard at his most meditative; or “Medusa” (featuring artist Rosalie Wammes), which sounds like Tangerine Dream drifting over the sea.

The Quietus called Pedro Vian’s debut album “Beautiful Things You Left Us For Memories” “the soundtrack to walking around the city at night”, while his eponymous second album was both deeply personal and more suited for the dance floor. “Ibillorca” is his Mediterranean album. “I love the Mediterranean sea,” Vian explains. “I come from there and I miss the light, the sun and the smell of the sea, so I dedicated this album to this feeling.” Fittingly, “Ibillorca”’s enigmatic cover art, painted by Spanish artist Blanca Miró, depicts the Mediterranean islands of Ibiza & Mallorca

“Ibillorca” is also Vian’s most varied release to date: “The Destiny Manifest” nods to drum and bass - albeit a touchingly Iberian take on the genre - while “Western Snow” has a hint of Erik Satie’s piano minimalism. Vian’s new home in The Netherlands also played a role in shaping “Ibillorca” .Vian recorded the album during his residency at HetHEM, a new contemporary space in Zandaam, 30 minutes from Amsterdam. “I have my studio at the top of the building, from there I can see all the boats going up and down the river IJ,” Vian says. “The art space is located in an industrial area, everything is grey, also the sky.” All the better, then, for dreaming of the sea.

Canadian composer Scott Morgan’s 12th long-player as loscil takes its title from an influential series of early 20th century photographs by Alfred Stieglitz, abstracting clouds into miasmic, painterly canvases of smoke and shadowplay.

It’s a deeply fitting analog for Morgan’s own musical process across the past two decades, fraying forms and tones into widescreen mirages of opaque texture and negative space.

The name Equivalents referred to Stieglitz’s notion of the photographs as being equivalent to his “philosophical or emotional states of mind;” the same could be said of these eight weighty, shivering chiaroscuros of sound. Each piece unfolds and evolves enigmatically, adrift in low oxygen atmospheres, shifting dramatically from pockets of density to dissipated streaks of moonlit vapor.

The entirety of the record was created specifically for the album with the exception of “Equivalent 7,” which began as a dance score for frequent collaborator Vanessa Goodman.

The album version of this track was reworked with Vancouver musician Amir Abbey aka Secret Pyramid.Cloud photographs taken by Scott Morgan at various locations throughout Cascadia in 2018.

Mannequin's 100th - a comp looking forward featuring an international and serious cast... BIG TIP!
The modern synthwave scene would be significantly poorer without the keen ear and tireless efforts of the Mannequin label run by Alessandro Adriani. Geographically situated within the nerve centers of Rome and Berlin, yet with a musical spirit that easily transcends these boundary lines, Mannequin's back catalog has been an important component in the modular assemblage that makes up electronics-based independent music in the 21st century, and an important reference point for those who need to defend against the lazy accusations that this such is purely retro' in its form and content. Recent accolades and accomplishments - being named Resident Advisor's label of the month' for May of this year, starting the 'Death of the Machines' 12' series, and being given the 'green light' for bi-monthly parties at the Säule room in Berghain - have been earned through Mannequin's unflagging commitment to sonic diversity and Adriani's own realization that the anxious and sharp-edged sounds associated with, say, the Cold War of the 1980s can convey a completely different message today. Adriani says it best when claiming that there is no such thing as 'old' or 'new' music...only the music of now'. With this cogent statement of intent, Mannequin continues to go on exploratory missions to find the best and most relevant aspects of genres like acid, industrial, EBM, post-punk, coldwave and still more.

Which brings us to Mannequin's newest project and 100th release overall: the Waves of the Future double LP compilation, which itself is not a conventional retrospective collection. Case in point - none of the artists appearing on this collection have put out their own releases on Mannequin yet, despite acting as Mannequin's unofficial ambassadors (via DJ sets and other means). This makes the set even more compelling rather than less so, since it shows how Mannequin fits into a larger picture that includes other scene leaders and label owners including Beau Wanzer, Willie Burns (WT Records), Silent Servant (Jealous God) and Ron Morelli (L.I.E.S.). Of equal importance is how Waves of the Future projects a sense of aesthetic resilience and continuity, showcasing just how well the current artists allied with Mannequin employ and re-interpret the sonic lexicon that appears on that label's reissues of 'classic' acts such as Nocturnal Emissions, Bourbonese Qualk, Din A Testbild and Doris Norton.

However, none of this would matter as much if the music itself didn't have strong potential for lighting a blaze in the dark corners of the human imagination, and of course for forcing bodies into motion. Each track here pivots around a couple of key sound elements that seem to set the stage for the next track to come: see the sputtering / chopped ghost voices on Morelli's Charges Won't Stick,' which easily informs the slicing drone and authoritarian beat of Shawn O' Sullivan's Ill Fit,' which then lays down the emotional foundation for the sequencer-powered With You' from An-I & Adriani or the glassy landscape of Illum Sphere's Exhaustion'. Elsewhere, the wired mischief of Not Waving intersects easily with the spherical electro-funk and coded commands of Beau Wanzer. When all the disparate parts of Waves of the Future are soldered together, it perfectly illustrates Mannequin's non-linear philosophy and Adriani's suggestion that Mannequin listeners directly engage with the music rather than trying too hard to analyze or dissect it.

OTHELLO is the debut album by pianist and composer Orson Claeys. Bringing together influences from jazz, hip-hop, urban culture, and everyday life, the record offers the clearest portrait yet of an artist shaped as much by the worlds around him as by music itself.

The title refers to Claeys' full name, Orson Dwight Othello Claeys, and reflects the album's central concern:identity. Throughout the record, personal experiences, cultural influences, and artistic inspirations converge into a body of work that seeks to understand how an artist is formed, both within and beyond music. Musically, OTHELLO builds on jazz, strongly intertwined with hip-hop, contemporary culture, and ideas beyond traditional musical frameworks. For Claeys, music is not a fixed genre, but an open and evolving form of expression.

This broad perspective is evident in the album's carefully chosen collaborations. A track like "WHAT A NIGHT" first took shape during a studio session with indie-soul singer Sevens, whose harmonic ideas laid the foundation for the track. As the composition evolved, Claeys felt it called for a stronger hip-hop voice. Through a recommendation from Mixmonster Menno of STUFF., he was introduced to L.A. rapper IAMOMNI, whose contribution brought exactly the energy and perspective the track needed. The result unfolds like a late-night journey through Los Angeles, with IAMOMNI's contribution adding a sense of movement, character, and place.

Elsewhere on the album, "SPIRAL", featuring Belgo-Brazilian vocalist Helena Casella, grew out of a long-standing mutual admiration. Conceived as a meeting point between R&B and jazz, the composition balances the groove and emotional depth of the former with the improvisational spirit and spontaneity of the latter. The collaboration developed naturally from the outset, with Casella instinctively understanding the atmosphere Claeys envisioned while enriching the music with her own warmth and nuance.

A long-held ambition materializes on "SHADOWBOXING", where Claeys is joined by drummer, producer, and one of the key figures in contemporary Belgian jazz, Lander Gyselinck. Gyselinck's work, particularly his collaboration with Zwangere Guy on Pourriture Noble, was instrumental in showing Claeys how the language of hip-hop could coexist naturally with jazz, an idea that runs through OTHELLO. Drawing inspiration from boxing, the track is a musical equivalent of a fighter's walk towards the ring: focused, intense, and driven by the sense of anticipation that precedes stepping into the fight.

After this heightened intensity, the album gradually moves toward its closing statement. OUTRO / HANIN", featuring oud player Akram Ben Romdhane, a longtime collaborator whose playing forms a natural bridge between Claeys' previous work and the broader musical landscape explored across the album. The title references the Tunisian Arabic word hanin, meaning "nostalgia", a fitting conclusion to a work deeply concerned with memory, identity, and personal history.

Beyond music itself, OTHELLO is informed by a wider cultural landscape. Urban culture, with its visual language, creative independence, and sense of community, forms an important backdrop to the record. Sport also plays a significant role, particularly boxing and basketball, whose emphasis on discipline, focus, and resilience mirrors Claeys' own creative process. Rather than being treated as separate influences, these worlds coexist without hierarchy, reflecting an artistic vision that resists rigid boundaries and allows different disciplines, communities, and experiences to inform one another.

Gradient returns to Alt Dub with Random Layers, a deeply focused EP built around his exceptional control of minimal elements.

With a restrained palette of kick, bass, chords and texture, each track evolves with patience and precision, allowing subtle shifts and carefully placed layers to create a powerful sense of depth and space

Sound layers are introduced with such control that the music evolves naturally, revealing its depth over time. Nothing feels rushed and nothing is unnecessary.

Gradient’s productions have a rare ability to make minimalism feel rich and alive. Nothing is excessive; every sound has a purpose. The result is four timeless, immersive dub techno pieces that balance classic dub techno atmosphere with a distinct sense of detail and control.

The EP also features a timeless remix from Echospace Detroits CV313, One of the most respected figures in the deeper end of dub techno, he brings his unmistakable sense of space and depth to the release, making this a particularly fitting and exciting collaboration.

Elegant, restrained and deeply atmospheric, Random Layers is another strong statement from Gradient and a perfect fit for Alt Dub.

The unconscious element to the conscious process.

The practice of dub techno and its tendrils is a fundamental for me, both aesthetically and from an engineering perspective.

I start every recording session with a dub inspired jam, the first piece I ever recorded in 1996 was an effort to recreate Phylyps Trak with only a Korg X3 and an Ibanez PUE5 (borrowed from Gary Howell). It was an awesome introduction to jamming, and the footing stones of noise, delay and saturation were explored with my foot hard on the enthusiasm pedal.

These practice jams are in some sense cathartic, the first step taken again & again, which helps me move forwards each session and additionally helps to 'warm the circuits' both of myself and the machines.

After realising the genius of Basic Channel is akin to the genius of peasant food, using every ingredient with nothing left to waste, (up to and including the oft maligned working noise of the machines themselves), this was a watershed moment for my own subjective progression. No longer tied to just emulation of something inspiring, but taking these learned tools into other areas of music helped to break free from a strong current of influence and also to progress into other areas with the new toolbox.

Dub:

The importance of the dub pioneers should never be understated, in modern music and my own practice. Yet with my initial inspiration being two german dudes issuing extreme techno variants with obscured label designs, who then signposted their listeners to their own inspirations (via their Wackies re-issues or nodded to on their Rhythm & Sound/Burial Mix sub-labels), meant that I started late and travelled backwards.

Learning to notice the live mixing of Mikey Dread or Lee Perry when the faders are bleeding through even when turned down, (echoed in BC's Quadrant Dub), or the brash send effects literally thrown into the mix also taught me that 'rough' mixing can inject a recording with life, uniqueness and the most right wrongness. Looking back Basic Channels very few elements helped me realise that the rules to be understood, are also the best ones to be broken.

Push the mixer into the red.

Amp that noise up from the tape delay cos it sounds sick.

Pseudo side-chain effects cos the kicks are way too loud and the mixer can't sum it nicely.

Spam the send knob into the delay units now, now and now.

Carelessness.

Noise:

Once I wrapped my head around the intrinsic 'noise' element that set those records apart, this became a torchlight into the alt noise movements which I was tentatively exploring at the time, and also is evidently a connection or thread into them.

Whether the Industrial/Post Punk UK scene (This Heat, TG, A Tent, F.E.) or the prolific output of the US Noise scene (Wolf Eyes, Live & Shave in LA, and subsequently following the lineage all the way back to Chrome's Alien Soundtracks), I had finally discovered a connection from techno to this 'free for all' corner of music.

This input from the Noise arena of sound is, in my experience, an all important step for a sonic artist, taking it's roots and extending out from Stockhausen/Pierre Henry and utilised/warped/mangled by thousands of adventurous pioneers ever since, I now see the line separating the high brow and the low brow is actually an artery carrying information from the head to the heart.

Vault is a selection of these jams that precede each of my solo recording sessions, for 30 years I've recorded hundreds of these 'workouts'. They are never intended as serious statements, just moments of naive enjoyment, yet most importantly they are time & space captured as practice.

The objective is always a warm up exercise, but sometimes those exercises turn a different corner, with a certain focus or direction dependent on what random samples are left in my machines from the previous session, instead of conscious choices, these unconscious elements can facilitate those 'positive mistakes' that make a piece of sound retain a different feel or colour and thus become special, or at least special to the creator.

I am quite conscious that the 'record everything' aspect of my ethos has been invaluable in cataloguing and saving these jams, while the attitude of carelessness during this process (after all, it's only a warm up jam) invites more enjoyment than seriousness ever could. Even if you don't feel the piece at the time, record it, because some years later it may well fit, or become relevant in a way you never intended.

-Miles

“Music for me, is rarely complete,” says GODFLESH mastermind Justin Broadrick, “but it has to reach a point where enough is enough. Creatively, there has to be self-discipline. One has to end it.” Broadrick is primarily referring to the nebulous process of writing and arranging songs into their various potential shapes, but he could just as easily be describing GODFLESH’s imminent conclusion. Just three years after the hypnotic crunch of Purge, 25 years after an uncertain hiatus that nearly scuttled the band, and 38 years since GODFLESH’s inception, Broadrick and bassist-at-arms Ben Green set out to mercilessly crush this cold world with their tenth and penultimate album, this year’s Decay. “Decay was born from the same sessions as Purge,” Broadrick declares of the new record’s six tracks. “It was one huge pool of songs. I picked what I felt was appropriate for what I wanted to achieve with Purge, with the intention of releasing the songs that didn't fit as a new album within a year of Purge being released. Unfortunately, two years passed whilst considering external labels, so that I didn't have to self-release GODFLESH anymore, but it took an awful lot of time to establish a comfortable home for me. The recordings were done, but as usual for me, I did change a lot of stuff once I came back to it.” Now, GODFLESH is ready to unleash an even bolder, bleaker series of sounds in Decay. These songs arrive shortly after Broadrick released a public statement about major abdominal surgery he underwent earlier this year.