quête:one two

Zeitgeber and L.B Dub Corp split the second in Stroboscopic Artefacts' series of fifth anniversary records. Zeitgeber is the collaborative project of SA label boss Lucy and Dutch techno royalty Speedy J. Their joint alias birthed an exceptional long-player last year and has since been presented as a b2b act at festivals and clubs around the world. 'Totemism' is their first officially released output since that album, and is every bit as compelling. 'Totemism' opens with distant, reverberating bells and a thin film of hiss and crackle. But, one minute in, heavy and incessant drums cut through the ambience, hitting you straight in the chest. The surrounding atmosphere evolves and filters in-and-out of the mix until, halfway through, the track takes an unexpected turn with an elastic bassline and acid squelches. Then, the drums hit you again. This is an 11 minute masterclass in widescreen, narrative techno from two of the scene's most experienced and inventive producers. Luke Slater, a man of many aliases, slips into L.B Dub Corp mode for the B-side of this record. This particular moniker of Slater's generally trades in raw, culturally-inspired house music, though has also appeared on Stroboscopic's Stellate series with two deep and beatless dubs. For his contribution to SA's 5 Year anniversary, Slater re-visits a classic club cut of his own, delivering 'Take It Down Again (In Dub)'. 'Take It Down Again' is a brilliantly-realised exercise in tension, dub delay and mixing board creativity, all made to shine by a dose of oddball musicality and sampling. This version of 2010's 'Take It Down' is more restrained and tonally varied, equipped to instil a brooding and tribal darkness on the floor.

Audiojack's Gruuv label returns this October with a four-track package from French producer Okain, featuring a remix from Tuccillo. Parisian artist Samuel Thalman aka Okain has quite the standing in contemporary electronic music having been a prominent name as a DJ and producer for the past fifteen years. Playing at some of the leading nightclubs across the globe such as Fabric, Watergate, Space Ibiza, Rex Club and Electric Pickle to name but a few. Thalman's also built quite the respectable back-catalogue in his time, releasing material via the likes of Tsuba, BPitch, Memento and Cadenza, and here we see him add Gruuv to his affiliations.

Kicking off the release is 'Down the Block', seeing Okain offer up a rugged percussion and bass led house cut, fuelled by swinging rhythms, rumbling sub tones, sporadic sax licks and processed vocal lines, opening up the EP on an energetic tip.

'RZ One' follows this, retaining a similar aesthetic with an insistent drive and penetrative low-end, though Okain opts for a grittier production feel here, distorting the drum sounds, instilling expansive, atmospheric reverb tails and drawn out delays alongside hip-hop imbued vocal lines.

On the latter half of the release we have two versions of 'By Your Side', the first of which is the original mix from Okain, which takes on a more stripped-back approach in comparison to the preceding composition's, laying its focus on fluttering synth sounds, a stab-led bass hook and warm motown style vocal chops. 2020Vision artist Tuccillo then rounds off the package with his mix of 'By Your Side', turning in his signature percussive-led style on the mix with intricately programmed drums and a subtle underlying tension that softly bubbles away in the depths over the cuts seven minute duration.

Poker Flat is gearing up to celebrate fifteen years strong, with a series of releases that will assure their standing as one of electronic music's best known and most loved imprints. Poker Flat's unwavering dedication to the finest underground house music has unearthed new talent, developed rising stars and welcomed veterans into the fold, and the first of the label's 15th anniversary compilations brings together four of the brightest leading lights of the scene. With four seminal labels - Raw Elements, Dessous, Traffic Signs and Poker Flat - to his credit, Steve Bug has little to prove, but the tireless artist has never been a slouch on the DJ and production front, as he's proven time and again. Tracks like 'A Shot In The Dark' showcased his musical chops, and tied together elements of classic warehouse sounds, deep and sophisticated production and an uncompromising techy edge. The anniversary reworking of the tracks made for 4 Jacks boasts the remix talents of Taylor, whose sleek approach chops up the old school piano chords of the original for a bumping, more streamlined result. Another smashing new remix features in the form of Boris Dlugosch's 2012 acid-disco-house hit 'Sweet Talk". Here The Organ Grinder crafts a bass-heavy monster with a walloping kick drum and syncopated handclaps that enhance Boris' acid melodies and make it rough and ready for underground tastes. Two brand new productions round out the Jacks package.

Mark Henning returns to Soma with yet more jacked up machine funk in Titan. Mark has firmly established him self within the Soma mainstays and continues to further his sound on the label. This latest EP sees him take to the street with two energetic drum workouts laden with his unique flavour.

Title track Titan is very typical Henning, keeping the ingredients simple yet effect and created live. A solid groove from his trusty 909 that just oozes dance floor compatibility hooked up with a quirky synth stab, weird vocals and a eerie organ-like riff all rounded off with a fantastic arrangement makes for one seriously infectious track

Roots gives of a real ghetto-tech feel, as once again a 909 groove is enough to get things going while squelchy synth hits bounce of rimshots working up to a subtle rolling bass line. Mark's skill in the arrangement process take hold as he allows the tracks to develop into a full drum workout with mutes here and there and the simple addition of more stuttering percussion help to pick up the pace.

Henning as the enviable talent of being able to create dance floor burners with the simplest of elements, a task he delivers of with blinding result on this EP.

Dear reader,
as part of Massimiliano Pagliara's album 'With One Another', Ramona presents 'Major Fun', a limited 10" vinyl release only. The record is dedicated to two of Massimiliano's closest friends - Joshua, who sadly passed away and Lucky who is gladly still with us. Side A features 'Major Fun' - a piece that celebrates the essence of life with a sprightly chicago-rooted acid-bassline and a certain italo-flair. On the flipside the much deeper disco-house excursion 'Your Love Away', featuring Jules Etienne on vocals. Ramona is proud to fulfill your desire for the complete Massimiliano Pagliara enjoyment.

Stay humble,
Ramona

This next release demonstrates exactly what can happen when you merge a formidable heavyweight with one of the genre's most promising talents. Jaguar Skills needs little introduction; he's infamous for his ninja-like DJing skills with years stacked behind the decks.

As a result, it was no surprise the artist tried his hands at production alongside Chord's impressive musicality. Already unstoppable from its conception, 'Lust' could only be released on an imprint known for its high quality. And RAM Records is proud to unleash this toe-tapping, catchy piece of sonic artwork on the dnb community...One that's already taken the radio airwaves by storm.
Opening with a rhythm that curls itself around your aural senses, prepare to be pulled into 'Lust' by its funky groove and well-chiselled hooks. The vocal delight of Matti Roots really brings light to the seasonal feel this track creates; an arpeggio of notes underpins each high-hitting voice crescendo. Bright but not without substance, Chords' production style is instantly recognisable. This debut from Jaguar Skills serves as a perfect platform for the high standards this mix-maker is about to set, as well as the benchmark which Chords has already carved.

On the flipside, Break holds onto the A-side's sunny disposition, yet throws down a riddim that hits as heavy as a freight train. The foundations laid by the producer are slightly different, as it rattles forward with clinking percussion, alluding to the kind of drop Break is renowned for. With his distinctive, boundary-pushing drum rolls and bouncy, booming and concise hits, there's no mistaking a sound which adds another dimension to the remixes' original.

You're also served up with another dish which is vastly different from house-guru Monstro. like the previous edit, the record's humanism winds up within the first thirty seconds, however the seismic impact of its drop rolls out into a house-bassline that thumps with every bar. A genre transition which doesn't fall short of the original's production prowess, prepare to hold onto your seats because this serves as the optimal way to wrap up two striking remixes of an already impressive track list.
Dominating playlists for years to come, this release from RAM is yet again taking the genre to another level. But considering the parties involved, there was no other direction for this record to take.

Alexander Skancke makes his debut on Eskimo Recordings with the beautiful and compelling 'Found My Place', which will also appear on the forthcoming Green Collection. Deep electronic strings lead the almost melancholic yet balearic melody with luscious pads filling the low end and the infectious vocals from HEwrote flowing throughout for an overall emotive feel. No stranger to the label Vinny Villbass delivers two remixes. His first 'Tropical Mix' rolls with intricate percussion, sonic synths and plenty of groove, while his 'House Mix' is a deep house delight and one for the dance floor with a playful loop on the vocal and trippy synths. Local Berliner Oskar Offermann rounds off the release perfectly with his remix, adding a raw bass and sharp kick, with the warm synths and FX running throughout, this is another groovy addition for the dance floor.

The Jamaican Reggae duo Dave and Ansell Collins hit big time in 1970 when they topped the UK Charts with one of the all time classic reggae singles 'Double Barrel'.
It also became one of the first Reggae hits in the USA.
The distinctive chant of singer Dave Barker calling out the intro to songs letting the listener know what about to hit them is timeless.
He also carries a great soul voice that has added magic to many a great reggae tune.
Dave and Ansell are two talented artists that on their own have added so much to the reggae sounds we know and love.
But together they have made a name that will go down in history as one of the great duo's that came out of Jamaica and onto the world's stage.
We have compiled a set of songs that show the wide ranging talents of Dave Barker and Ansell Collins..
Time to Double Up...one more time........

Fokuz Recordings presents the 'Miracles EP' by Russian music soulchild Intelligent Manners. It's a two piece vinyl effort showcasing his signature style of soulful, smooth drum & bass. Drenched in positive vibes his sound reminds one of classic hiphop and early r&b.

From uplifting sounds to deeper, introvert grooves, Intelligent Manners continues to impress all fans of musical drum & bass with his output. The Miracles EP is not only a stunning piece of work but also shows the artist's current level of esteem. It's an accomplished release well worth bagging.

After the success of the first A-sides compilation in 2012, Adam Beyer has decided its time to release another. With Adam's stature steadily growing as one of the leading talents in the Techno scene and the rise of Drumcode, the standard of demo's that have been sent to Adam have been top notch. Adam has now decided to release two compilations with 10 tracks each, consisting of tracks that Adam has tried and tested.

There are also new artists that have been invited to release on Drumcode for this compilation and others who are a staple in Drumcode's core family. Combining both old and new talents Drumcode have come up with something unique and distinctive to make this two-part compilation something extra special.

Two of Harvey Scales' finest recordings back to back on one 45rpm single re-issue. Trying to Survive is probably his most sought after release in the world of soul 45rpm single collectors. It is not only the rarity but quality though which makes this re-issue a must-have for all soul lovers who do not want to spend $1000+ for an original copy.

* Partial Records come with two brand new tracks from roots veteran Danny Red whose recording career stretches back to the mid-80's when he was known by his deejay handle Danny Dread.
* Danny, who is one of the most respected, lyrically-savvy and consistently reliable voices on the UK/European circuit with his classic `Jahvovia' being the best-selling single in that genre over the last few years. He also worked with Leftfield on the track `Inspection'.
* Both tracks here come with respective dubs mixed and produced by Dougie `Conscious Sounds' Wardrop.

Sparse and daring sonic experimentations, as the name suggests, on this fresh imprint by the upstream collective that is John Swing, EMG and Battista. The first two have now established their patterns of work via the Livejam and Relative stables, while the third has been busy pushing his sound through the younger and ever-promising Uaudio label. A common obsession with machines and spontaneity has led them to this latest collaborative effort; two extended, wide-eyed jams - one per side of the plate - which shift from moments of stability to sudden bursts of chaos. The A-side represents the former; a thick layer of chords, gritty low-ends and icy percussion slither out of the whirlpool only to become locked into a moody, cut-throat groove. The flip cuts the formalities and dives head first into a deluge of saturated hardware fuzz, showcasing the trio's more abstract personalities as conjurers of fine noise-funk.
Limited to 300 hand numbered copies, 180g.

Bunny 'Striker' Lee's standing in the Jamaican recording business has remained unassailable for over four decades.Known by many aliases including 'Gorgon'.
The legend of the Gorgon originated in Greek mythology some three thousand years ago and has become a common image in art, literature and in Jamaica...Music.
The name actually derives from the ancient Greek word gorgos which means 'dreadful' ,appropriate when one considers that the avalanche of Gorgon inspired records came as a direct result of the influence of the Rastafarian movement on the Jamaican musical mainstream and the dread locked hair of the Rasta brethren was likened to that of the Gorgon sisters.
''About her shoulders she flung the tasselled aegis, fraught with terror...and therein is the head of the dread monster, the gorgon, dread,awful....'' Homer

This 5th release consists of three tracks made by the twin duo Manic Brothers, one edited by Petter B. They have during their relativity short career proven themselves as worthy keepers of the Swedish techno heritage with big releases on Drumcode a.o. What they bring to Bond on this release is their signature big room sound but with a much more simplified approach than previously heard. On the a-side there are two great tool tracks with lots of space for creative interpretation for a DJ. On the flip there are a long and epic track with a massive vocal breakdown. Groove based but yet with a big and strong hook.

The label Bond is the brainchild of Swedish techno DJ and producer Petter B. The concept of the label is 'music by DJs for DJs'. The label focuses on releasing tracks that enable the DJ, rather than the producer, to be creative. It is based on that special bond which is created every time a DJ combines tracks, loops and sounds live into something new and unique.

One of the main features of techno music is that the music is not limited by geographical boundaries. This feature is well demonstrated by the second release of the Techno Gipsy label, which presents their works of techno artists from different corners of the globe. Two tracks from Swedish breakthrough Sev Dah are simply «dancefloor killers» - Shaban gradually increasing voltage and polished groove and Hamush hits right on target. Remix by Frenchman - Antigone sounds like powerful waves of pulsing bass and Argentinian Jonas Kopp presents two very different interpretations of the original, each of which is in his own original style.

During the '70s, work days at Umiliani's Sound Workshop Studios were hectic; thousands of sessions were held in order to keep up with a very busy Italian movie industry: Hundreds of soundtracks alongside with music library were recorded and released on vinyl in very limited quantities for TV and film production use only. Those LPs are now proper collectors' items, extremely hard to find.

Filled with hypnotic bass lines, heavy drums and screaming fuzz guitars "Underground", the first LP of the fictitious group known as Braen's Machine, is one of the rarest and the most expensive of them all, always "reaching" sky high prices throughout the second hand vinyl market. A fast-beat jam with hammond scales and a twin lead guitar theme ("Flying") opens the A Side soon followed by "Imphormal", a classicfunk-beat-meetsfender- rhodes-and-psychedelic-guitar number. The music then switch to "thriller territories" with "Murder" which is based on prepared piano swells and a deeply hypnotic walking bass, reminiscent of the best Morricone's soundtracks for Dario Argento's movies. Two highly percussive songs complete the A Side: "Gap" is an improvised song with guitar and keyboards dwelling over an infectious drum rhythm while a marching snare and a vibraslap effect are the special features on "Militar Police".

The mood relaxes slightly on the opening of the B Side with a lazy jazz groove on "New Experience" but the rock influences are soon brought back on the following track "Fall Out". "Obstinacy" is all about keyboards with syncopated rhodes themes and distorted hammond sustained notes whilst the fuzz guitar is back again screaming through the left channel on the last song of the album, "Description". We could happly say that that was the golden age of the Italian music library. But who's behind the name "Braen's Machine" On the original cover the songs are credited to the composers Braen and Gisteri. Braen was a pseudonym often used by Alessandro Alessandroni, an extremely skilled and versatile musician, and one of Umiliani's closestcollaborators. He could write, conduct and arrange, he could sing (ever heard "Mah Na Mah Na"), he could whistle (ever heard Morricone's "For a fistful of dollars") and he could play almost anything: guitar, bass tuba, accordion, sitar and the list grows..... His first album "Alessandro Alessandroni e il suo complesso" (Sermi, 1969), had transformed the Italian library music from orchestral sound beds into the psychedelia we all love; the extremely fuzzy guitars are very "present" on "Underground" too. For a long time Gisteri's real identity was rather mysterious; often wrongly attributed to Umiliani. Gisteri was the pseudonym of Oronzo De Filippi, art name of Rino De Filippi, music supervisor to the Italian public broadcast company (RAI) between the '60s and the '70s. De Filippi composed other notable pieces such as "Riflessi" (Edipan, 1975) and "Nel mondo del lavoro" (Sermi, 1972).

De Filippi passed away few years ago but we were able to contact Alessandroni to talk about this LP. Remembering "Underground" recording session as one of the thousands he took part of, Alessandroni told us that this record was produced very quickly, in two days maximum. This was made possible by a team of wonderfully capable session musicians and the creative genius behind the mixing desk; this incredible combination helped to focus on the mood of each track even more. Unfortunately there are no liner notes but Alessandroni's memories and speculations, based on other music tracked in the same period at Soundworkshop by resident engineer Claudio Batussi, led us to identify this as the most probable lineup: Munari on drums, Majorana on bass, Vannucchi on keyboards and Alessandroni himself on guitar. For this reissue the sound has been restored and the cover art reproduced exactly as it was.

The second of the Decadub vinyl-only releases dedicates three of its four sides to a volley of woozy and twisted footwork from most of the key members of Chicago's Teklife crew. Side One starts with DJ Rashad and Gant Man's squiggly 303 banger 'Acid Life' and moves onto Taso & Djunya's Darwinian banger 'Only The Strong Will Survive'. Side Two descends into DJ Spinn's bombastic 'All My Teklife' and then Earl, Rashad & Taye's 'Bombaklot' which takes Hyperdub full circle with a yardcore bomb like a 2014 upgrade of the label's early days. Side Three leads with DJ Earl's immaculate diva vocal cut-up of 'I'm Gonna Get You', then moves on into DJ Taye's fizzling R&B jam 'Get Em Up' and the stone cold, warped humour of 'Icemaster' by Heavee. On the fourth and final side, Tokyo-based ally Quarta330 returns to craft 'Hanabi', an epic, uptempo synthesiser jam. Young gun Champion follows with 'Power Cut', its minimal, energetic and militant kicks and bass molded with cowbell and lots of tight edits, before dropping some neat keys and a warping bassline two thirds in. Ikonika finishes things off with the solemn march of 'Tug Zone', opening slow but building in flickering high hats and gaseous cymbals into a track which could have emanated from Battlestar Galactica.

Pink marble vinyl / Sleeve artwork by ' The 'Warm'
Friendly Feeling Embodied in a Red-Pink One 1961 by Mcdermott & McGough.

ISNISNT offers it's second release of forward leaning electronics with a diverse group of modern techno from label head Jesse Siminski. Acting under his Heartthrob guise, Jesse initiates the release with 'Someone Called Again' a tough, but funky, bass driven tune that marries detailed production with his signature ominous melodies to great effect. Subtle modulating percussion work against harder, swung snare and synthetic drums workouts, as surprising analog synth bursts glue things together. Building smoothly into a headfirst groove, the track pressurizes and never loses it's drive as heady synth riffs keep things musical and emotionally interesting. In an even funkier tangent the two mixes of 'Cougar Juice' draw together an irresistible bass line with pushing breakbeats and precise synth stabs. These horn like synthesizer bursts mark surprising turns and recall similar moments in classic Hip-Hop jams or even tracks from Detroit's Anthony Shakir or Robert Hood- two of Jesse's production heroes. The 'Driving Past the Jail Mix' incorporates these synth stabs hypnotically within the melodic structure, while the 'Reduced Dub Mix' dials things back and focuses on the bass line, drums and dubbed out flourishes. With their funk driven momentum constantly moving forward, either mix will bring something unique to either a house or techno set. And finally 'Let Them Go' rounds out the group in a deep, yet still driving fashion. It splices sub bass pulses, a melancholic synth atmosphere, absurd bleeps and submerged voices amongst stripped down drums into a steadily building hybrid cut- not quite house and not really techno.

On the back of an exciting debut album in 2012 that saw him perform live at Sonar festival and later with his band at Vienna's Volkstheatre, before disseminating music on Permanent Vacation, Suol and Connaisseur Recordings, enigmatic Basque Country producer El_Txef_A returns with his sophomore longplayer 'We Walked Home Together'.
El_Txef_A (pronounced 'Elchefa') has crafted a work that just like its journey-conjuring title, charts a shifting palette of sounds and moods, exemplifying its creator Aitor Etxebarria's breadth of skill.
Produced entirely in Aitor's homeland of the mountainous Basque Country, the album showcases the talents of not just its creator who producers, sings and plays piano on the record, but also some of the Spanish region's most outstanding musicians.
Local artist Biskonti is one contributor, whose vocals coat a brooding bed of rough-cut drums on the ice-cold slice of electronica 'I'm Going to Paint You', while Hannot lends his pipes to the moving 'You Left Us In This Physical World' that sweep over a delicately crafted brew of guitars and keys. Both Basque vocalists featured on El_Txef_A's debut 'Slow Dancing in a Burning Room'. Sublime title track 'We Walked Home Together' turns into a family affair, with Aitor's brother Hibai playing the grand piano.
A graduate at 2013's Red Bull Music Academy in Madrid, El_Txef_A has an impressive array of sonic strings to his bow and the Detroit techno inspired 'Claim of Planet Earth' deliciously rubs shoulders with the album's single, the alternative slice of pop 'The Love We Lost' featuring DFA's Woofly.
Elsewhere, Aitor paints a dream-like soundscape with the sublime shoegaze-inspired trip '0730' that seamlessly bleeds into 'Every Day Is Blue Monday', with its atmosphere-heavy swirl of subtle acid lines, floating synths and evocative vocals delivered by Suol records contributor Meggy.
An artist whose music is inextricably connected with his homeland, the album concludes with the stirring 'Mugarrirantz' sung in the native tongue of Euskera by country folk band Napora Iria. It's proof that El_Txef_A is equally adept at doffing his cap to tradition as moving a dancefloor with his inspired brand of electronica.