Crowns by The Rebel feat. Corey James Gray is out now on 7’’ via Little Beat More!
The Rebel, aka Tommaso Taroni, producer from Rome and Founder of DJ’s Choice label, delivers a raw, soulful track that opens the door to his debut album. Crowns features the sharp lyrics and smooth, magnetic delivery by Corey James Gray (FKA Ill Spookin), riding over a sturdy groove with crisp drums and deep guitar loops.
On Side B a further explosion comes: Clap! Clap! signs a Power Trio remix of the track that flips everything on its head. With thunderous syncopated riddim and wild brass stabs, this version hits like a futuristic brass band from New Orleans: unrelenting, joyful, and rhythmically overpowering. A bold reimagining by one of Italy’s most visionary electronic producers.
Packaged in a stunning disco bag illustrated by El Moro, this 7” is both a record to play and a piece to keep. A snapshot of a fresh project in the pipeline, ready to go!
Good things take time, and this time they bring us a true gift: Brett Johnson, a living house legend. From his base in Austin, he delivers a special mix of two classic tracks and two new ones, all with his unmistakable sound that has moved dance floors worldwide. His timeless beats return in the most beautiful format: vinyl. A unique release to enjoy!
For the latest Klasse Wrecks release, the label combine with Japan's finest festival and events crew Rainbow Disco Club to collaboratively present WRECKSRDC. Overrocket were an electro-pop band from Tokyo that enjoyed a grip of great releases in the early 2000s while signed to Neon Discs and its parent label Aten. During a digging session Luca Lozano discovered the forgotten tracks 'Duralumin' and 'Shadow of the Sun' and immediately set out trying to contact the band's members to arrange a re-release and remix. A few months of patient trying, the connection was finally made and wheels were set in motion. Musically the EP conjures up perfectly the sonics of that time, a grey area between analog convention and the unexplored territories of new digital freedom. Shadow Of The Sun is electro-pop perfection, with breezy vocals and a bouncing beat that sounds like nothing else around...past, present or future. Duralumin is a more dancey collection of blips and beats, one that will make sense in the current return to early 2000s aesthetics. To round out the release and propel it into 2025, KW label bosses take a track each and interpret in their own way. Lozano revisits his electro roots with two remixes of Shadow of the Sun, distorted 808s and growling 101 basslines provide a simple backdrop for the perfect vocals. Mr. Ho takes Duralumin into a more driving and pacey direction, upping the energy and excitement with fast percussion and a huge side chained breakdown that recalls the unbridled rawness of the early 2000s, when everything was just a little bit more fun. Keeping within the confines of Japan and in an effort to bring everything full circle, the label enlisted Japanese artist Gonno to master the tracks for an updated modern sound. The tracks themselves being mastered a few miles from where they were originally penned over 20 years ago.
Bruce returns blistered and ablaze, with three flame-licked, windswept and deadly dancefloor deities on 12” vinyl, for the second edition of Poorly Knit.
Following on from it’s daft and fisty older brothers on The Price / Mimicry, the raw power of wind and fire takes over on Belly / Burned Alive, as we are plunged into devastating sonic worlds, adorned in UK sound-system badness and Mother Nature’s vengeance.
Providing elemental catastrophe catharsis, through sound exploration, Belly’s steppas storm of wailing wind and clattering thunder is backed by Burned Alive’s soaring and demented UK garage inferno, to finally subside to the smoldering, dubbed-out vocal remains from Hot One (Chapped Lips Version).
With a continued emphasis on the importance of physical medium within dance music, the digitals are an abridged edit of the full release; Hot One is vinyl only and only on the vinyl can you hear the full mixes of Belly and Burned Alive. Pressed on eco-friendly “Eco-Mix” reground PVC and sleeved in DIY lino printed sleeves, each record is a unique shade of marbled storm grey. Cut loud at 45rpm, not only does this sustainable slice of dance floor mayhem come at an attractive price tag, you can rest assured that sound quality has not at all been sacrificed.
Do minerals dream of becoming semiconductors? Do they yearn to carry charges, amplify, switch, and convert energy into emotions comprehensible to humans? And what if, from the darkness of the underground, they had been listening to us sing in caves before the emergence of the first flute? Could they have guided us, through the course of history, to find them, extract them, and create new sounds through sinusoidal waves, to form valves and bend circuits?
If so, minerals would transition from what philosopher Eugene Thacker defines as the ‘planet’—that virginal and unreachable realm for humans that we study through geology, paleontology, and environmental sciences—to the ‘world,’ the space we inhabit, interpret, and synthesise in our daily lives. Sadly, we only remember the world when it erupts violently, through climate catastrophes or when a new virus emerges. Sometimes a tsunami collides with a nuclear plant, or viruses are cultivated as biological weapons in high-security laboratories, provoking a deep biological anxiety, hard to quell, which we all feel beneath our skin.
There exists a third realm, disconnected from both the world and the planet: the ‘earth’, an immense, dense rock floating in space alongside other planets, situated in the cosmological dimension. Relating to the earth is so complex that we only do so through theoretical speculations of a scientific nature or through science fiction, interweaving until one becomes the prophecy of the other, in an infinite, pendular dance. Beyond the darkness of space and Lovecraft’s cosmic horror, the fantasy of human extinction is the most recurrent: to reach a collapse so devastating that we do not survive it, even though the earth does, without us.
In a world where we quantify everything through body sensors, financial algorithms, nanometre-scale robots, and surveillance drones—a world in which everything that can be domesticated and controlled can also be commodified—a superior artificial intelligence would survive the collapse of the species (some speculate it might even cause it) and learn from our mistakes, thanks to our obsessive gathering of data.
Long after our voices fade, minerals will persist in the darkness of screens, in the silicon of chips, and in their pure form, still unexploited underground. Over the millennia, this intelligence might piece together fragments of our reasoning, as if an alien civilization finally connected with one of our spacecrafts loaded with messages cast into the void. It would sort through endless streams of data, unable to grasp the depths of emotion behind what it quantified, recreating simulations of our past, stripped of the nuance that once defined us and conducting experiments in sandboxes.
Some remnants of our existence—faint echoes of forgotten beauty—would be pieced together in an atlas of loss, buried beneath layers of numbers, decayed bots, and corroded hard drives. What will follow? Perhaps bison will once again roam—trotting to the strange pulse of techno, their ancient forms framed by the ruins of our cities.
Buildings will crumble, slowly dissolving under the soft touch of ambient music, and a thousand flowers will bloom with that ancient music created through electrical signals and computation. 7 songs for a future both improbable and inevitable—a final message from a world lost to itself, from planet Earth to planet Earth.
Marcos Valle is one of the few artists you cannot miss if you have the slightest interest in Brazilian music. Whether your taste is focused on bossa jazz, samba, psych folk or soul, Valle has surely recorded a great album for you. His much sought-after and stunning self-titled album from 1970 includes ‘Ele E Ela’, as sampled on Jay-Z’s ‘Thank You’, as well as some of his most popular songs like ‘Freio Aerodinamico’ and ‘Os Grilos’, swinging between sophistication and groove… Remastered from the original tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl. This release is part of our new reissue series that comprises many other outstanding Brazilian classics by the likes of Evinha, Cassiano, Gerson King Combo, Hyldon... Marcos Valle is one of the few artists you cannot miss if you have the slightest interest in Brazilian music. Whether your taste is focused on bossa jazz, samba, psych folk or soul, Valle has surely recorded a great album for you. By the late 60s he had already put out enough quality records to secure a place within the top Brazilian songwriters of all time, but his career luckily did not stop there and he continued releasing amazing music over the following decades until this day. By the dawn of the 1970s, the multi-talented Valle was entering a new era, ready to test the government censors (Brazil was under strict military rule since a coup d’état in 1964) and express a socially aware stance and a playful hodge-podge of musical styles including samba, bossa nova, baião (a rhythmic beat from the rural northeast of Brazil), black American music, and rock. “Marcos Valle” was originally released in 1970 and features a dynamic musical backing from some of Brazil’s most gifted players. Hip-hop fans may even recognize the opening horn blasts of ‘Ele E Ela,’ sampled to great effect on Jay-Z’s “Thank You.” It includes some of his most popular songs like ‘Freio Aerodinamico’ and ‘Os Grilos’, swinging between sophistication and groove…
Marcos Valle is one of the few artists you cannot miss if you have the slightest interest in Brazilian music. Whether your taste is focused on bossa jazz, samba, psych folk or soul, Valle has surely recorded a great album for you. “Garra” was originally released in 1971 and brought us Valle’s classics such as ‘Com Mais De 30’, ‘O Cafona’, ‘Vinte E Seis Anos De Vida Normal’ and the rare groove classic ‘Wanda Vidal.’ Remastered from the original tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl. This release is part of our new reissue series that comprises many other outstanding Brazilian classics by the likes of Evinha, Cassiano, Gerson King Combo, Hyldon... By the late 60s he had already put out enough quality records to secure a place within the top Brazilian songwriters of all time, but his career luckily did not stop there and he continued releasing amazing music over the following decades until this day. By the dawn of the 1970s, the multi-talented Valle was entering a new era, ready to test the government censors (Brazil was under strict military rule since a coup d’état in 1964) and express a socially aware stance and a playful hodge-podge of musical styles including samba, bossa nova, baião (a rhythmic beat from the rural northeast of Brazil), black American music, and rock. “Garra” was originally released in 1971 and maintains the same socially conscious content as in his previous album while also combining diverse musical styles and influences. Recorded amongst sessions for a steady stream of popular TV soap opera soundtracks, it brought us Valle’s classics such as ‘Com Mais De 30’, ‘O Cafona’, ‘Vinte E Seis Anos De Vida Normal’ and the rare groove classic ‘Wanda Vidal.’
Marking his first EP on Damian Lazarus’s revered Crosstown Rebels, OMRI. (pronounced “OMRI dot”) steps into the spotlight with ‘Nothing Wrong’—an infectious, immersive dive that traverses well beyond the dancefloor, laced with rhythm, tension, and soul. Dropping in June, the EP brings together a shimmering original, a hypnotic club-focused cut, and a peak-time remix from fast-rising US talent AYYBO.
Having already left his mark on the label with his remix of Jessica Brankka’s ‘Musk’, OMRI. now arrives with a statement of his own. The ‘Love Mix’ of ‘Nothing Wrong’ leads the release as a full-blown vocal anthem, layering captivating vocals over sweeping melodies and crisp percussion to create a powerful record destined for both club rooms and open-air settings. The ‘Club Mix’ takes a more experimental route—glitchy, stripped-back, and built for locked-in dancefloors and after-hours sessions.
AYYBO adds his own bold interpretation to the mix, injecting a darker, punchier energy that’s become synonymous with his releases on the likes of Experts Only, Insomniac, and HARD Recs. It’s a remix that captures the raw electricity of his sets while reimagining OMRI.’s original through a distinctly West Coast lens. An in-demand name, OMRI. has quickly carved a reputation for transcendental performances at some of the world’s most revered institutions. His sound, shaped across labels such as Hot Creations, Disco Halal, Haccabi House, and more recently through his own imprint Collecting Dots Records, blends deep psychedelia and hypnotic grooves with a forward-thinking approach, with past collaborations alongside Adam Ten, Moscoman, Yamagucci, and more. Set to feature regularly at Lazarus’ Hï Ibiza residency throughout the summer, expect standout sets that reflect his genre-blurring style and connection to the Crosstown Rebels sound as he serves up one of the label's most essential cuts of the year to open the summer in style.
Following up on his first DJ Friction Presents Ground Control album „Boogie Some More“ via Sedsoul Records , Soulsonic Recordings, the just founded label of DJ Friction is working on the second album. The exciting tune features again vocals from David Whitley, now on one track on the A-side and a dub version on the flipside as the first single of the upcoming album and is an exclusive first release on 7“ vinyl. This marks the beginning of a new era for DJ Friction who launches Soulsonic Recordings in collaboration with Soulkitchen. This original songwriting, ‘Step Into The Light‘ is again a tribute to the golden era of funk and disco, this release perfectly captures the electrifying energy of the early 80s while keeping things fresh for modern dancefloors. It is a fully positive feel good song with a meant to be enlightened touch of a gospel ceremonie, asking to join in with clapping, dancing and singing. The writing and production make this another certified dancefloor bomb, embracing the spirit of 80s funk with authentic precision.
When you’re running a label, a demo occasionally comes across your desk that makes you reconsider everything you thought your label was all about. For Balmat, such was the case with this stunning album from Stephen Vitiello, Brendan Canty, and Hahn Rowe. It sounds like nothing we’ve released so far—and that very otherness opened up a whole new world of possibilities for us.
Fans of ambient, experimental electronic music, and sound art will be familiar with Vitiello, a New York native, long based in Virginia, who has collaborated with a cross-generational list of greats: Taylor Deupree, Steve Roden, Lawrence English, Tetsu Inoue, Nam June Paik, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Pauline Oliveros, and many more. On labels like 12k, Room40, and Sub Rosa, he has explored a wide range of minimalism, microsound, lowercase, ambient, improv, and other styles. But this album is something different. It may begin in ambient-adjacent territory, but it quickly veers off, and it just keeps zigzagging, taking on elements of krautrock, post-punk, dub, and the groove-heavy interplay of groups like Natural Information Society and 75 Dollar Bill.
This stylistic turn is thanks in large part to Vitiello’s choice of collaborators. “We’re coming from three different schools,” Vitiello says: “sound art, art rock, and punk rock.”
Active since the early 1980s, Rowe—a violinist, guitarist, and producer/engineer—has played with, or manned the boards for, a frankly jaw-dropping list of musicians: Herbie Hancock, Gil Scott-Heron, the Last Poets, Roy Ayers, John Zorn, Glenn Branca, Swans, Live Skull, Brian Eno, David Byrne, Anohni, R.E.M., Yoko Ono, and many more. But he might be most closely associated with Hugo Largo, a one-of-a-kind New York quartet—two basses, vocals, and Rowe’s violin—that in the late 1980s helped lay the groundwork for what would eventually become known as post-rock.
Canty, of course, is the legendary drummer of Fugazi, the visionary DC post-hardcore group, as well as Rites of Spring before them, and, currently, the Messthetics, a Dischord-signed instrumental trio with guitarist Anthony Pirog and Fugazi bassist Joe Lally.
Vitiello’s trio first collaborated on First, a 17-minute piece released on the Longform Editions label in 2023. Second picks up where the freeform drift of First left off, channeling the trio’s exploratory energies into more intentionally structured tracks and—in a real first for Balmat—some almost shockingly muscular grooves. “Sometimes my projects are more conceptually driven,” Vitiello says, “but I think this was more musically geared. I just wanted to open up the references and bring in an incredible drummer, bring in some melodies, and I’m sort of the center.” But his collaborators, he stresses, are “vastly creative in making anything I might suggest better.”
Like its predecessor, Second took shape in phases, shifting between improvisation and collage. Vitiello laid down the skeleton of the music at home, sketching out initial ideas on Rhodes keyboard and acoustic and electric guitar; he then fed the parts through samplers and his modular system, recording 10- or 20-minute jams. Once he had edited them into more structured forms, he hit the studio with Canty, who added not just drums but also bass and piano; finally, Vitiello took the results of those sessions to Rowe, who played violin, viola, electric bass, and 12-string acoustic and bowed electric guitar, and assisted in some of the final structuring and mixdown.
A few more surprises along the way: Reanimator’s Don Godwin, the studio engineer where Vitiello recorded with Canty, contributed what he calls “resonant dustpan”; and none other than Animal Collective’s Geologist, who just happened to be in the studio that day, sits in on hurdy gurdy on “Mrphgtrs1,” the album’s gorgeous, stunningly atmospheric drone closer. “I love these chance encounters,” Vitiello says. “Somebody I admire, a group I admire—that was an unexpected gift.”
An unexpected gift is a great way of describing Second as a whole: three veteran musicians venturing outside their usual zones and finding a new collaborative language together. The results can’t be neatly slotted into any given genre; they belong not to any given category, but to the spirit of conversation itself.
Originally released in 1993, the ‘Brown Album‘ defied expectations and had a significant genre and cultural impact - showcasing the duo's scope and ambition. It was also met with widespread critical acclaim upon release, with NME awarding it 9/10 in their review, and it was chosen as one of Mixmag’s “best albums of all time”. The album's blend of diverse influences and its rejection of conventional norms helped to solidify Orbital's reputation as The Godfathers Of Rave, expanding the horizons of electronic music beyond local DJ nights.
Over 30 years on, London Records re-release this genre defying album – loaded with 23 additional tracks - rarities and previously unreleased material, including ‘Live From the Limelight, New York 1992’. Also includes a hardback book containing unseen photos, a track-by-track by Phil and Paul Hartnoll + interviews and essays on the making of the album by esteemed music journalist Andrew Harrison, a slipmat and flyer recreations from the era.
Vinyl masters cut at half speed, to ensure maximum audio fidelity.
A Haste solo release after a series of collabs and chucking in a bit of hardcore alongside the jungle.
Tek is a full on \'9294 style slammer. Ragga, amens, 808s. You know the drill by now. Send fi the body bag, tek out the dead!
Your Time is a wild mish mash of stomping kicks, crazy amens and discordant melodies all alongside vocals from a totaly random Jamaican movie
Rounding off the release with a melodic stomper, Come On mixes pianos, ethereal pads and a catchy vocal. One for the hardcore crew who like to mix their hardcore with jungle sounds.
"Cosmic Love" is an EP by Neg, one of the co-founders of Metrica Recordings, and marks the label's second release. The project features original tracks that merge house foundations with electro, cosmic, and deep soundscapes, creating an expansive yet grounded atmosphere. Adding distinctive interpretations to the mix, the EP includes two notable remixes. Alex Neri's interpretation of Cosmic Love offers a more refined, dancefloor-ready version with driving beats, while Manuold explores a dub-inflected approach, emphasizing echoing textures and a deeper, more contemplative vibe. The original tracks were mixed by Manuold, the EP was mastered at MDLMastering.
3volution in the recent past, Divide is like a bridge between old generations and new ones. Its sounds range from Sci-Fi techno to 90's techno, characterized by minimal sequences, heavy drum patterns, and an accurate sound design.
Third and last chapter for the VA vinyl trilogy on R3volution Records called
This edition includes exclusive tracks by the following artists:
- UVALL, from Tbilisi, Georgia. Born there and at the age of 23, he is no longer at the beginning of his musical journey and the refinement of his taste and style. Always on the cutting edge, he has been impressing with productions and releases on labels such as Semantica, WSNWG with Rohad, Float Records, Hayes, MALoR, and many many more. Already well known in our roster thanks to a previous collaboration for a remix, the talented young music producer delivers deep, muscular rhythms in his portfolio and translates this energy into a raw, dancefloor oriented session.
- Operator, there is no need to spend many words to describe one of the most talented and innovative British artists on the scene for a long time, recently appearing on
- Divide co-owner of EvodMusic and South Berlin Studio, with recent appearances on all the top labels on the planet (WarmUp, Semantica, MindTrip, Tremsix, Hayes, to name a few), and several collaborations and remixes for
- PTTRNRCRRNT aka Dave Brody from Antwerpen - Belgium. Characterized by efficiently percussion tunnelling through juggled textures, PTTRNRCRRNT's technical know-how and conceptual intentions can be masked by the efficiency and singularity of his music. Taking techno's tendency to constantly reinvent itself as a priority and researches between experimentalism and futurism. He is one of the artists with the most collaborations within our roster (some of his remixes are memorable), he alternates his productions on our label with frequent appearances on highly referenced labels in the scene, such as Soma, Materia and Devotion among others.
to rococo rot?s the amateur view (1999) will be reissued as a highly limited expanded edition, featuring 12 bonus tracks on an additional disc, a new gatefold sleeve with previously unseen photos, and liner notes by Jon Dale. The Amateur View is widely hailed as one of the definitive records of late '90s analog electronica. Released in the U.S. via Mute Records, it was named one of UNCUT's Albums of the Year in 1999 and perfectly captured the introspective, experimental mood of the era. The album's influence was far-reaching-so much so that Saint Etienne enlisted To Rococo Rot for their 2000 album Sound of Water. At the time, To Rococo Rot were the band of the moment-jetting across the globe to play the most cutting-edge electronica festivals, including wild WARP events where none other than Aphex Twin spun support DJ sets, The trio was invited three times by John Peel to record radio sessions in the BBC studios between 1997 and 1999. Bands like Modeselektor still cite them as key influences and pioneers. Stephen McRobbie of The Pastels, Mark Fell (SND), and Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) are all big fans-Kieran even remixed a track from their debut album so did Mira Calyx and Daniel Miller of Mute, a longtime supporter, and yes Björk is a fan too.
DEENAMIC steps up with 4 deep hitters for Syncro65. Raw dubtech pressure,future echoes and machine soul straight outta Madrid. Don't sleep — this one's got that late-night basement grip
Francois Kevorkian (Wave) : The whole EP is nice, "HAL 2024" is the standout track for me on first listen.
Laurent Garnier : Lovely deep organic dubs
Jaye Ward (Dalston Super Store / Netil Radio) : synchrophone is rockin' 4 fab tracks moonbus is heavy!
Eddie Richards (Evil Eddie Richards) : 800 mistakes
Danny Howells (Dig Deeper) : Sheer quality .. all four sound ace and up my street. Especially HAL 2024
Luke Solomon (Classic / Freaks / Music For Freaks) : hot hot hot
Bake (All Caps/Rinse FM) : love! thank you
Marcel Dettmann : thx
Harri (Sub Club) : liking, will play and support
Domenic Cappello (Subclub) : nice release
Pat Hyland (Northside Loft Society) : Loving these deep and dubby vibes.
Colin Dale : Excellent EP. All 4 cuts rock!
Ame (Innervisions) : thanks
Showbiz! nennt sich MIKEs zehntes Soloalbum, das auf seinem Label 10k erscheint. Pitchfork bezeichnete es als "bisher größte Leistung des jungen Künstlers" und vergab das Prädikat "Best New Music". Es setzt neue Massstäbe für ihn und die teilnehmenden Zeitgenossen (Thelonious Martin, Salami Rose Joe Louis, Jacob Rochester, Anysia Kym, Harrison SURF GANG, ShunGu, Laron, redLee, u.a.), während er das nächste Kapitel seiner Karriere als unverzichtbare Stimme des 2020er-Jahre-Hip-Hop aufschlägt. Zur Unterstützung von Showbiz! startete MIKE seine bisher grösste Tour mit unzählig vielen Gästen, die ihn Anfang 2025 nach Europa führte (mit 6 Daten in DE+AT), von wo aus er über UK & Irland ausgiebig durch Nordamerika touren wird.
""A Synonym for Repetition" weaves together a tapestry of parallels, all intricately linked to Japan. The project initiates with a collaboration with a Tokyo-based musician, which ultimately fails to materialise during Jason Kolar’s recent visit to the country.
From an original approach that has to mutate in its starting phase, the record was conceived from the beginning to embody a sincere homage to Ryuichi Sakamoto, also a Tokyo native. Shaping ideas within the context of a city with a vibrant soundscape, through an exploration where tradition and modernity intersect in an ongoing quest for correspondences.
Yet, the barriers of language and cultural disparity emerge, casting a veil over the perceived connections and rendering them more projection than reality. This dynamic delineates the space observed from an external perspective, perpetually distant from true understanding, framing it in the fields of imagination, both Japan and Sakamoto. Nonetheless, Kolar tries to pay an honest ode to the artist and its scenic background, with all the implications and contradictions of this kind of process, even with the risk of falling into clichés, pastiches, and Eurocentric bias.
Connecting it to ‘vertical listening’ rather than to an obvious tribute exercise, he has morphed his sound to a synthetic and midi approach, aiming to set an ironically fictitious stage, one that resembles something, but it’s not really it."
Positive Reaction is a vinyl-focused electronic music label founded by HMEHDI. Rooted between Tunisia and Berlin and looking outward to the global scene, the label aims to build a cultural bridge between North Africa and the rest of the world by spotlighting both local and international talents.
Drawing heavy inspiration from the raw energy of ’90s electronic music, Positive Reaction blends genres such as electro, breakbeat, techno, and especially trance — vibrant, nostalgic, and emotional.
Positive Reaction is more than a label — it is a timeless journey.
This one-off Belgian New Beat project from The Zodiacs at first glance seems like standard fare from this time and place in dance music history - even with call to action, commanding listeners to ‘Move & Dance To The New Beat!’ that could well have earned a place at one of the slogans of the entire movement in an alternative universe where this record was a hit. However, a hit it was not - what we have here is an obscure piece of music shrouded in mystery, previously released only on 7 inch, and its enigmatic nature only adds to eerie quality of the children’s voices throughout the record. This, alongside its higher tempo not usually associated with New Beat as a musical form, come together to bring forth a bizarre oddity of the genre that also has the potency of a modern, peak time weapon. Anatolian Weapons on remix duties takes the material and reduces the speed but increases the malevolence and is a testament to his skills as one of the great producers working today!
Over the decades, the image of Kompakt as a pirate ship has taken root in our minds, braving the dangers of the seven seas of the music market. Sometimes it glides with a tailwind through calm waters, sometimes it has to survive violent storms. When we set sail in 1993, we never would have dreamt that our journey would still be going on after more than three decades and with 500 releases to date.
In our fast-paced business, the 500 mark is rarely reached, so we want to celebrate it with a lavish 5LP box set. In a democratic process, we have selected 50 pearls from the thousands of tracks released over the last 33 1/3 years and pressed them onto 5 brightly coloured vinyls. Alongside many Kompakt evergreens, there are also some real rarities from the early ‘Kompakt Sound of Cologne’, which have been lovingly remastered here to shine in new splendour.
The box also contains a 144-page book that tells the story of Kompakt from 1993 to today with detailed texts and images. In addition to the manifold musical and graphic achievements of Kompakt, the multidisciplinary links to the visual arts are also highlighted here.
The Bonus Picture Disc opens with the symbolic tolling of 500 bass drums, followed by 50 locked grooves from the 5 Kompakt founders, looping into infinity at 133 1/3 BPM, and the ‘33 1/3 Years Loop Opera’ – in which the loops are combined into one track that, in its reduced essence, is more than the sum of its individual parts. The magic of groovy loop minimalism and the ‘art of omission’ are once again brought to the proverbial point.
On 23 May 2025, the big KOMPAKT 500 art exhibition will open at the venerable Kölnischer Kunstverein to coincide with the release. The entire visual cosmos of Kompakt will be shown here in an unprecedented way on three floors, with the participation of many renowned artists. Of course, there will also be dancing and partying at the vernissage party, with DJ sets and live shows by the Kompakt Allstars.
The last one turns off the bass drum.
Im Laufe der Jahrzehnte hat sich in unseren Köpfen das Bild von Kompakt als Piratenschiff festgesetzt, das den Gefahren der sieben Weltmeere des Musikmarktes trotzt. Mal gleitet es mit Rückenwind durch ruhige Gewässer, mal muss es heftige Stürme überstehen. Als wir 1993 die Segel setzten, hätten wir uns nicht träumen lassen, dass unsere Reise nach über drei Jahrzehnten und mittlerweile 500 Veröffentlichungen immer noch andauert.
Die 500 ist in unserem schnelllebigen Geschäft eine selten erreichte Katalognummer und soll daher mit einer üppigen 5LP-Box gebührend gefeiert werden. In einem demokratischen Prozess haben wir aus den tausenden Tracks der letzten 33 1/3 Jahre 50 Perlen ausgewählt und auf 5 knallbunte Vinyls gepresst. Neben vielen Kompakt-Evergreens finden sich auch einige echte Raritäten des frühen “Kompakt Sound of Cologne”, die hier liebevoll remastered in neuem Glanz erstrahlen.
Die Box enthält außerdem ein 144-seitiges Buch, das mit ausführlichen Texten und Bildern die Kompakt-Geschichte von 1993 bis heute erzählt. Neben den mannigfaltigen musikalischen und grafischen Errungenschaften von Kompakt werden hier auch die multidisziplinären Vernetzungen zur bildenden Kunst beleuchtet.
Die Bonus Picture Disc wird mit einem symbolischen Glockenschlag von 500 Bassdrums eröffnet, gefolgt von 50 Endlosrillen der 5 Kompakt-Gründer, die sich bei 133 1/3 BPM in die Unendlichkeit schleifen sowie der “33 1/3 Years Loop Opera”, in der die Loops zu einem Track zusammengefügt werden, der in seiner reduzierten Essenz mehr ist als die Summe seiner Einzelteile. Die Magie des groovenden Loop-Minimalismus und die “Kunst des Weglassens” werden einmal mehr auf den sprichwörtlichen Punkt gebracht.
Am 23. Mai 2025 eröffnet parallel zum Release die große KOMPAKT 500 Kunstausstellung im ehrwürdigen Kölnischen Kunstverein. Der gesamte visuelle Kosmos von Kompakt wird hier unter Beteiligung vieler namhafter Künstler*Innen in nie gesehener Form auf drei Etagen gezeigt. Selbstverständlich darf zur Vernissagenparty auch getanzt und gefeiert werden zu DJ Sets und Liveshows der Kompakt Allstars.
When Omar J Neri sent us the DAT with a white sticker marked with the date “26 January 1996” and some psychedelic drawings, we were quite astonished. Even more so when we listened to the incredible material inside the tape.
In 1996, Roby J was probably at his best, playing constantly in clubs like Insomnia, Imperiale, and Ashram, as well as Alex Piacciafuochi, the mind and owner of one of the studios (Alex Midi Studio) that defined the Tuscan progressive sound.
At that time, Omar J was a young talent building his reputation around the best clubs in the region. It was a fertile period for him, leading to his first release: "Primitive Pulsar".
Roby and Omar’s distinctive leftfield touch can be heard in these two long, slow-evolving, and structure-changing tracks. Truly two steps ahead and forward-thinking!
Unfortunately, Roby left us too soon in 2014. With Omar’s help, we are extremely honored to continue his important legacy and lucky enough to open their archives. More is yet to come… in loving memory of Roby J.
When SW. AKA, Stefan Wust, first established SUED in 2011, their compelling, cosmic and anonymous material struck a rare chord, emanating far beyond the freeform Berlin underground in which it was written. Unknowingly, Los Angelean Oliver Bristow had
established a parallel musical universe, founding the hyper-specific label Acid Test, inviting pioneering artists such as Donato Dozzy, Tin Man and Pepe Bradock to indulge in glorious interpretations of 303 control. Without compromise, these were records that quietly
reinvigorated electronic music.
Some years later, a new label, SWOB, unites Wust and Bristow in a very different landscape. And while it would be easy to transform the purity and integrity of this special alchemy into something like nostalgia, yearning for an alternative culture before
influencers and against algorithms, SWOB endeavours to find inspiration in arguably tougher truths.
“By the mid-90s, the techno scene had already reached a breaking point”, recalls Wust.
“Today, the scene is so highly professionalized that it barely resembles what was once called the "underground. But "underground" was never more than the simple reality that music circulated on cassettes among friends or that dubplates were played at illegal
parties... The consequence of today’s professionalization is the death of the original movement.”
Still, no one can kill an idea. Here, inspired by the “Outside Tekno” or “Outkast Techno” that emerged to subvert even back in the day, SWOB are proud to introduce the tekkNOthing trilogy, a new project from SW. beginning on cassette and culminating later
on vinyl. Some years in development, tekkNOthing first began to take shape during the 2020 global pandemic, when ‘the underground’ quickly began to mean something radically different once again.
“I noticed how everything was accelerating while simultaneously spinning in circles – existing in a kind of creative limbo on a global scale”, recalls Wust. “And that’s where true freedom lies: for artists – in any sense – to consciously engage with this necessity. In
other words, irrationality or nonsense can eventually generate meaning.” While hardly capitulating to the contemporary hammering of techno’s most recent developments, tekkNOthing’s first chapter quickly establishes a frenetic pace; tracks like ‘nuclearFALLoutX’ and ‘paslolESmess’ interlock and unfold at a tempo removed from that typically associated with SW. while ‘euroBSS’ and ‘viscousHEAT’ successfully experiment with a more guttural palette, veering far into a rejuvenating and previously uncharted leftfield.
A resolutely human endeavour, the music of SW. is nonetheless written and recorded in the looming shadow of AI, whose free-form adoption of pop culture, hip-hop and techno reminds Wust of “when photography emerged in the 19th century... painting was no
longer bound to naturalism. Similarly, music today is no longer bound to fixed standards – through AI, it can become truly free.”
If not in competition, than taking inspiration from this landscape of new opportunity, tekkNOthing diversifies further with eight unpredictable tracks across part II, taking in stuttering machine-funk on ‘crAMPDUNK’, a freeform organ jam via ‘sonicENdo’ and the
inexplicable piston-percussive, post-punk exotica heard on ‘poorTENOOR#a#01’ DJs with dual cassette decks skills might even find function in the more overtly floor-focused ‘DU ¨NEhowSE#1takeÄ’ or ‘lookLOOK’.
The times may have changed, but the promise remains simple; more music, more freedom.
Scruniversal's sub label Tunes Delivery invites Moscow scene veteran Leonid Lipelis to don his Beard In Dust moniker for their third instalment, one which dips into various different eras of dance history for inspiration. There's a distinctly late 80s feel to opening tune 'Music of the U', complete with sampled bell stabs and the kind of beats that wouldn't be out of place on an S'Express or early Coldcut house affair. 'The Armenian Break' and 'City of Love' look back even further, back to the female-fronted disco efforts of the 70s, the latter adding a touch of Balearic flourishes. 'Abstractish P' circles around some serene arpeggios, with rave whistles and, as it progresses, twisting guitar notes, lending it an individual air, while closer 'RoRyaRe' nods to ExCel-era 808 State with some nice bleepery before settling into more progressive headnodding territory and some distinctive synth play.
It’s been 6 years now since our last collaboration with Roar Groove and The Revenge in 2019. So it was about time to unleash some new heavy hitters by this House master.
With the opener “Twisted Signal” this EP sets the pace and tone to spiraling and pulsating sines, great grooves and hypnotic vocal use. Dark dance floor material at it’s best! Followed by the deep “Spiral Highway” the a-side is one long live jam. On the b-side we take back the pace and make it groovy-er with the House cut “Open Your Eyes” in a true classic “Revenge” style. Closing out with the excellent lush journey that is “Your Life”, bringing back again his great vocal sample use and adding deep soulful chord flavors.
Get real Deep with this new 4 tracker by The Revenge! Enjoy!
All tracks mastered by Salz Mastering in Cologne. Art by Hugo Barne.
Bomj Diego had one simple dream – to spend a lazy summer weekend at his friend’s dacha, kicking back in a plastic lawn chair, sipping on Ovip Lokos, and letting the world spin as slowly as the rusty ceiling fan in the old guest house.
One Friday, he finally got his chance. He loaded up a plastic bag with a few cans of Ovip Lokos, an ancient Bluetooth speaker, and a single flip-flop (he’d lost the other one in a heated game of dominoes the week before). But as soon as he got off the train at the dacha station, Diego realized he had no idea where the actual dacha was. No address, no signal, just the distant sound of a chainsaw and the smell of freshly cut grass.
Undeterred, he followed the smoke of a barbecue like a hungry wolf. After an hour of wandering, he stumbled into a random backyard where a group of old timers were playing cards around a makeshift table. “Ah, Diego! You made it!” one of them shouted, raising a can of Ovip Lokos. Diego had no idea who the guy was, but he immediately sat down, cracked open his own can, and joined the game.
Hours later, as the sun dipped behind the trees and the mosquitoes started their evening shift, Diego realized – this wasn’t his friend’s dacha. In fact, it wasn’t even the right village. But the old men insisted he stay for shashlik, and as the Ovip Lokos flowed, Diego figured, “Eh, close enough.”
He never did make it to the right dacha, but sometimes, it’s the wrong turn that makes the best story.
One And Only opens up yet another chapter in Reznik & Mikesh’s collaborative efforts on Keinemusik. And what a nicely written chapter it is. The boys are laying down what might be their most heartfelt material to date, with an original version that is drafted in rather classical song structure—a yearning piece graced with string and piano arrangements, and most notably: Mikesh’s vocals.
The club mix on the other hand picks on the original’s vibes and translates them into a more functional, but still deeply fervent peaktime weapon. Both tunes have been road tested by the Keinemusik crew over the last months and generated some serious collective emotional release and ID requests alike.
One And Only opens up yet another chapter in Reznik & Mikesh’s collaborative efforts on Keinemusik. And what a nicely written chapter it is. The boys are laying down what might be their most heartfelt material to date, with an original version that is drafted in rather classical song structure—a yearning piece graced with string and piano arrangements, and most notably: Mikesh’s vocals.
The club mix on the other hand picks on the original’s vibes and translates them into a more functional, but still deeply fervent peaktime weapon. Both tunes have been road tested by the Keinemusik crew over the last months and generated some serious collective emotional release and ID requests alike.
Large Music is proud to announce the highly anticipated re-release of Jazz Ascension from the legendary artist duo 95 North. Originally released in 1997, Jazz Ascension has long been celebrated as one of the defining tracks in the label’s illustrious catalog. Now, over two decades later, this jazz-infused spoken word house masterpiece returns, remastered and reissued for a new generation of listeners, while retaining all of its original soul and energy.
With its stunning blend of deep, soulful house rhythms and sophisticated jazz elements, Jazz Ascension quickly became a fan favorite upon its first release in clubs across the globe, further cementing 95 North’s place in the pantheon of house music innovators. Its intricate production, smooth piano lines, and poetic spoken vocal from Baba Lukas swells continue to captivate dancers, DJs, and jazz lovers alike.
The re-release on Large Music marks the continuation of the label’s commitment to preserving and expanding its rich musical legacy. As with many of the label’s timeless offerings, Jazz Ascension is a track that transcends time and genre boundaries, a perfect example of Large Music’s dedication to crafting sounds that stand the test of time.
4 Monstruous Tracks Straight From the Basement Feat. One of the Original House Music Creator Ron Hardy. All the Real Djs Were Looking for Those for Years. Grab It Before It's Sold Out, We Have Very Few Copies. a Must Have. Essential Item Limited Edition No Re-Press...
Two IDM icons, Roel Funcken and exm come together on Science Cult for an LP that is nothing short of alchemy. Flyphel feels like a living, breathing entity — an intricate fusion of sound that shifts between the mechanical and the organic. Each track unfolds like a story told in textures and tones, with Funcken’s razor-sharp precision meeting exm’s ethereal abstractions. You're not just invite you to listen, you're pulled into its world, where every detail reveals something new on repeat visits. This stunning release arrives as a 2x12" LP encased in a beautifully printed outer jacket with matching inner sleeves featuring paintings by Roel Funcken, making this as much a visual statement as an auditory one. With their combined expertise in sound design and their shared commitment to pushing boundaries, Roel Funcken and exm have created something that feels both timeless and ahead of its time.
It was less than a year ago that Italy-born but Denmark-based musical artist Alex Puddu released his latest album Deliria, an enticing blend of erotic disco, soulful grooves and electronica inspired by Italian pop music of the late 70s / early 80s, which went on to enjoy extended radio play across the globe including on BBC 6, NTS, KCRW, and national Spanish station Radio 3, to name a few.
But it wasn’t long thereafter that indefatigable groove purveyor Puddu travelled back to Rome for a new musical adventure, heading straight to The Sound Work Shop, the recording studio of legendary Italian composer Piero Umiliani, where he recorded the 10 new tracks that are included in his latest musical opus, Professione Reporter, another funky and soulful adult-oriented disco-pop album entirely sung by himself in Italian.
Professione Reporter tells the story of a photo reporter who travels the world following and stalking rich recently-widowed women whose husbands died in mysterious circumstances. Attracted by their charm and wealth, our protagonist transforms himself into a gigolo, becoming a dedicated lover-boy to these rich sugar mamas and a slave to the sweet life, going so far as to become an accomplice in their criminal plans to ensure the inheritance of their dead husbands.
Once again Alex Puddu has hit the mark with a collection of polished and ear-friendly grooves that tell the alluring story of a private eye embroiled in a web of love affairs, wealth and deceit, evoking images of satin sheets, champagne and dim lights set against the backdrop of one of the most hedonistic decades so far.
Totoyov is back with a new identity and is pleased to present its fourth vinyl release, featuring four tracks by the talented Brazilian artist, and one of our label heads, Dru.
Giuliano Lomonte and the rising Romanian star Constratti complete the record with their powerful and refined touches on A2 and B2. A perfect combination of meticulously crafted drums, instruments, and groove that will keep you engaged.
“Unlikely Possibilities EP” is a manifestation of powerful moments in life that happen for a reason, when you least expect them.
The record’s artwork is created by the talented Juliette Siraj, a French artist with synesthesia—a rare condition that allows her to see colors and shapes while listening to music. Each of her paintings is a visual translation of the sounds she perceives. For this release, Juliette painted while immersing herself in the EP’s tracks, transforming the sonic experience into a unique and sensory artwork.
Hitting release number three, Slush Records remaster and reissue Spacer IV aka James Zeiter’s sought-after 1997 EP on Pleasure Records. The man behind a slew of lauded records under a variety of different aliases, his sound is one that is cherished for orbiting the spheres of progressive trance and atmospheric dub techno. This four-track EP, however, saw James venture into unchartered territory, exploring a more melodic, house-tinted spectrum, before flipping back into the progressive techno-trance underbelly.
Having started life in 1995, Spacer IV had already gone from the leagues of limited white labels, to being the name stamped on one of Pleasure’s biggest-selling records by the time this EP came out. With only 195 white labels of his first record ARC 1/ARC 2 pressed, a copy was passed to Pete Robinson at Robs Records. ‘ARC 2’ was plucked from that release, supplemented with a new cut ‘ARC 3’ and given a proper pressing on Robs Records offshoot label Pleasure to notable success.
Fast forward to 1997 and James chose to depart the trance-infused techno sound of those first releases. Absorbing elements by osmosis, this EP sees James dipping his toes into fresh waters. Using what limited hardware he had available, including an Akai S950 sampler, Ensoniq ESQ-1 and Novation Bass Station 1, James laid down four distinctive and versatile club cuts.
‘Sirocco’ opens the EP, a tingling hit of endorphins that only the most timeless of tracks can elicit. Echoing pads feed acid murmurings, that sit atop dusty breakbeats and rattling sub-bass. An aural exploration, that is equal parts ethereal and empowering, taking cues from breaks, ambient, chill out and house. It’s one of those rare tracks that has the power to float you away or fuel your buzz, giving a healthy tug on the heartstrings in the process.
‘Mono’ follows, merging heads-down dancefloors with the embrace of warmer climates. It’s deep and Detroit-infused yet bolstered by a dream house bassline straight out of the Italian riviera. A dose of eyes-closed euphoria that hits just right.
The flipside sees James in more familiar territory with ‘Jetson’ and ‘Dust’. The former is a hit of space-age progressive house. Trippy, hypnotising, driving goodness, showcasing James’ ability to lock your body into a groove, yet send your mind to another world. The latter rounds out the EP, serving up an acid-swirling club stomper, forever building in intensity before dropping you into the vacuum of deep space.
Much has changed for Ilan Pdahtzur since the release of his Night City Life compilation six years ago. Back then, he was a little-known record collector who shared obscure, synth-heavy music that “captured the night-time glow” of the city he calls home, London, via a dedicated Instagram page. Fast forward to 2025 and Ilan is now a respected member of the international digger-selector community, having delivered must-check mixes for the likes of Bordello A Parigi, Bayete, Hunee’s Lifetones and Sound Metaphors.
It seems a fitting time, then, for Spacetalk to unleash Night City Life II, a second deep dive into Ilan’s distinctive, neon-lit sound world – a place where European synth-pop rarities, Italo-dance treats, dancefloor-focused post-boogie instrumentals soundtrack strolls around shuttered skyscrapers, dockside housing estates and wharf-side warehouse conversions.
In the six years that have passed since the release of Night City Life, Ilan has uncovered many more rarities, private-press gems and slept-on treats, with 14 of these featuring on the dusty-fingered crate-digger’s sublime sequel. As with its predecessor, much effort has been made to track down the artists behind the synth-heavy songs on show, with the vinyl edition featuring extended liner notes where some tell the story of their track in detail. Musically, there’s much to set the pulse racing within Ilan’s superb selections, from the slow-motion shuffle of Playground’s self-released 1984 B-side ‘Rainy Day Woman’ and the brilliance of Shamor’s 1985 South African synth-pop special ‘Close To You (Bwela Pafupi)’, to Sharon & Tracy’s ‘The Sheik’ – a belly-dancing inspired slab of TB-303 bass-driven house – and the kaleidoscopic, piano-rich 1992 Euro-house brilliance of ‘Come Into My Life’ by Jennifer.
Dive deeper into the collection and more under-appreciated musical masterpieces make their presence felt. There’s Sicilian musician Claudio D’Ignoti’s lesser-known boogie-era single ‘Anche Per Noi’, where rubbery bass guitar, Nile Rodgers style disco guitar licks and spacey synths dominate the sound space, Lena’s fashion circuit-inspired, early Pet Shop Boys-esque ‘Embrasse-Moi (Strumentale)’ – one that members of Milan’s Paninaro movement would surely have enjoyed – and a sublime, spaced-out and effects laden dancefloor dub of ‘Rescue Me (Imagination)’ by Jimmy D, a genuinely sought-after jam originally released on a now impossible-to-find seven-inch single. Offering another genuinely distinctive, carefully curated collection of lesser-known musical treats, Night City Life II is another essential, immersive and synthesizer-powered journey through Ilan’s unique sonic world.
Razor-N-Tape goes big for their first ever edits VA on their legendary white label series! Timed to drop at their Detroit Movement weekend event, this spicy 12 Inch includes contributions from four of the artists on the bill: Glenn Underground, Rahaan, The Patchouli Brothers and JKriv. Classic RNT style, all killer no filler disco heat on this one!
"Are You in Heaven?" was famously shouted by Roxy DJ Eddy de Clercq to the crowd at one of the very first legendary house parties in Amsterdam. This phrase not only symbolizes an iconic moment that captured the spirit of the era—it’s also the title of one of the three tracks featured here.
In 1991, inspired by the dance music craze that swept across Europe at the time, Arnoud Winkler and Jochem Peteri (who would later become the one-man supergroup Newworldaquarium) produced music that is equal parts euphoric, emotive, vital, and vibrant—youthful in spirit, naive yet clever. A European translation of a US-American art form, born from pure enthusiasm and concentrated passion for a culture that, to this day, continues to resonate universally.
Originally released on Lower East Side Records, the story told here is full of rave symbolism, after-party joy, and literal can-you-feel-it moments: rattling sub-bass, blissful pads, whispering voices, dub techniques, and subconscious peak-time signals.
Complemented by a new edit of Ulysses Horizon by Gerd Janson (alongside a revised version of the original), alongside Flowerdale Beach, and Are You in Heaven?, the music here hasn’t lost a single inch of its charm or allure. A taste of Dutch house deluxe.
Several Years Ago, the Disco Records Dj Crew Members Got Their Hands on a Couple of Original 70s Obscurities, While These Standout Records Shone Brightly in Their Own Right, the Team Finally Decided to Put Them Out as Those Obscure Old Records Fetch Eye-Wateringly High Prices on the Second-Hand Market. Due to Popular Request & Lovingly Mastered to the Highest Possible Standards, They Are Now Available to Play and Share in Very Special Moments at Parties Around the World. This Will Surely Be One of the Most Keenly Anticipated Disco Release of the Year. for Our First Release, We Are Extremely Proud to Bring You at Last, Three Very Hard to Find Disco Anthems on Sides a & B in Their Glorious Full Extended Versions...
5/5 LEAD TWO-PAGE REVIEW IN MOJO: “SHACK'S SONGWRITING HERO'S ROMANTIC , OPIATED FOLK DREAM, RESTORED AND AUGMENTED WITH A COMPANION ALBUM OF UNHEARD SONGS.
5/5 LEAD TWO-PAGE REVIEW IN Q MAGAZINE: “SCOUSE CULT HERO'S MAGICAL MOMENT REVISITED. THAT THESE ARE SONGS THAT FEEL A LITTLE MORE TRANSCENDENT WITH EVERY PASSING YEAR IS NO MERE CONJECTURE.”
9/10 IN UNCUT : “ANDMOREAGAIN! A LOVE-LORN MASTERPIECE AND ITS LONG-LOST SIBLING”
SUNDAY TIMES 'MUST-HAVE REISSUE' “ONE OF THE 1990'S GREAT LOST ALBUMS..MORE REDOLENT OF SUMMER-OF-LOVE SAN FRANCISCO THAN BRITPOP MERSEYSIDE...A CLASSIC...
Analog Africa doesn't do anything other than special releases really, but this one tracing the label's origins back to Zimbabwe over 20 years ago is a real standout. A carefully curated collection of 25 tracks with a fine booklet proving plenty of extra context, it captures the birth of the country's modern music scene and brims with the creative sound explosion of the 70s and 80s. Before genres were fully defined, artists blended rock, rumba, soul and traditional rhythms in bold, experimental ways that still stand up and get diggers and dancers excited in 2025. Included are never-before-released tracks from Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi and more and they all add up to rich and dynamic snapshot of Zimbabwe's peerless musical evolution during what was a transformative era.
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