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Vinyl Only

Back with our 5th vinyl installment and 4 amazing artists to introduce.

Herman Saiz, a Chilean producer with an extensive and successful career, delights us with his organic minimal sound and mellow grooves.

Next, we have Delphie, a talented Argentinian producer, bringing the heat with an acid house breakbeat.

On the B-side we have some familiar names, Noon Do, the traveling producer, taking us on a minimal house ride with a beautiful vocal.

And Baban, a young producer who still amazes us every time with his tracks. This time with a track drenched in some surround pads and layered with a groovy bassline.

A tale of two Indians recorded in Cologne, Stockholm & Berlin.
Anurag Choudhary & Pawas Gupta are Non Solo.
Friends from more than two decades, these gentlemen decided to bring together their knowledge of music at Anurag's apartment in Stockholm back in 2008. Anurag’s life journey took him to Stockholm,
Sweden and Pawas’ culminated in Berlin, Germany; both cities a cultural and a musical powerhouse in their own right. Anurag, a professionally trained Flautist (bamboo Flute or “Bansuri”) in the traditional Hindustani Classical Music and Pawas, someone who has been exploring the realms of electronic music since 1997 as a DJ and releasing records under different monikers since 2007 decided to bring in their forces on a gloomy Stockholm afternoon.

You may ask, why Non Solo? Well, for obvious reasons!
In traditional Indian classical music you are trained as a soloist, mastering a single instrument and each instrumentalist has a deep understanding of the common syntax and rules of engagement that produce some brilliant duets. Both Anurag and Pawas have been pursuing their solo music careers and mastering their craft. However, ‘Non solo’ brought these two (soloists) together to collaborate on something that has not been done before in this way so two soloists coming together and forming NON SOLO.
It all started over a “Fika” which translates to “ a concept, a state of mind, an attitude and an important part of Swedish culture. Many Swedes consider that it is almost essential to make time for fika every day.
It means making time for friends and colleagues to share a cup of coffee (or tea) and a little something to eat” in Anurag’s favourite Cafe, not to forget his exquisite palette for Coffee. After a short brainstorming on how to create something new and fresh without it being too cliched and with the help of impeccably roasted coffee beans that were freshly brewed, the men decided to jam it out to see where this goes.

The first attempt resulted in the second track on the record “Svar” which means “note or tone” which was a one take track. Motivated and excited, they both decided to continue working on this project.
A few months later Anurag visited Pawas' previous Studio in Cologne to record, where Sarang, Tandav and Bhoop were born. Even though the creation had happened, they felt it wasn't the right time to put
it out there just yet. However, time flew by and after almost 14 years of waiting, the men came back to what they had created and decided it was now the time to release it.
The title track “Sarang” is inspired by raga Brindavani Sarang, where Anurag infuses the romantic and mystical flavour of this raga with his flute and Pawas brings his deep repertoire of electronic grooves and
atmospheric sounds to create an intelligent track that touches the listeners.
Svara is inspired by raga Hansadhwani (translated ‘svan song’ or ‘sound of swan’) is an endearing melange of Indian classical and house music.
Tandav is a high energy track based on a variation of Sarang raga. With Pawas’ in-depth knowledge of both Indian classical percussion and electronic music….. This track combines multiple rhythmic layers
manifesting in one exhilarating track that is filled with polyrhythmic cadence and interludes.
Bhoop is melancholy and nostalgia infused into one melodious offering inspired by raga Boopali laid over a bed of organic drums and bass.

The Feel:
Svara is falling in love, the feeling you get when you are walking after that first wonderful date, smile on your face and so much anticipation and joy in the heart for all that excitement that is about to come.
Sarang is being in love, when you start to experience all those emotions you didn’t know even existed inside your heart. It is a complete journey.
Bhoop has a tinge of melancholy, longing and missing each other , while Taandav is coming back together after a long time away from each other. Re-discovering each other and re-experiencing all those
emotions at an even deeper level and celebrating the togetherness, be it in friendship or relationship.
Non solo is first in its kind to bring the melodious/musical depth inspired by the raga traditions to the exhilarating rhythmic world of deep house and electronica.
Available now in your favourite digital store and on limited edition Vinyl with an exquisite typographic artwork by Shantanu Suman in collaboration with Masala Movement's Manoj Kurian!

Robin Lee makes his most organic disco sounds as Andromeda Orchestra and Faze Action Records have tapped him up for more sonic treasure here. His signature sound is apparent from the off with the dancefloor dub vibes of EP opener 'Bad Girl.' It's bold bass, string stabs and robust pianos are all run through with a fine Moog solo. There is then plenty of cello and vocal delight to 'Twilight Lady' and a fiery dance floor cut 'Mozambique' as well as a full vocal mix of 'Bad Girll' to close out the EP.

Nazamba & Dubsetters kicked off this new Finnish Dub & Sound label in a superb style recently and what better way to follow that up than with the reggae master, smoking king and weed aficionado Linval Thompson. This might sound like one of his classic lost cuts from the 70s but it is actually an all new tune from the Jamaican reggae icon. Dubsetters provide the gentle, percussive rhythms which are organic and deep, with Linval's smooth mic work up top adding to the global conversation about the decriminalization of cannabis. Flip it over for an even more mellow and dubbed out sound on the b-side.

Bonzai Classics is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated release of the 3rd installment of the Bonzai Power Vinyl series. This 2 x 7" vinyl set comes in a stunning orange color and includes Phrenetic System's "Wayfarer," Aqua Contact's "Cinderella," B.W.P Experiments with "Organic," and Cyberdelia with "Deconstruction”.

This vinyl set is essential to any electronic music lover's collection. The tracks have been remastered for optimal sound quality and are presented in a beautiful gatefold sleeve. Be sure to grab your copy and experience the power of the 90s again!

Intrinsic Rhythm is proud to present a new EP by John Heckle entitled "Return To Titan" and the first on the the label from a different artist other than label owner Tr One.

This will be John's first release under his own name for a number of years and also includes a remix by Michigan techno visionary John Beltran.

The EP kicks off with "A" where energetic skillful production combines with Chicago and Detroit influences to concoct a brilliant mix of styles very much focused on the floor.

Next up is 7C where melodic bass and chords merge together to offer a brilliant whimsical approach towards analogue music that only John has mastered over previous releases.

Following this is the brief and one of the most beautiful tracks on the EP entitled "DSI" where building strings engage with soft percussion and kickdrum interplay to pull the listener in to the musicality on show.

On the B side we kick off with the beatless and ambient driven "CII" where 8 minutes of melodic density and synth interplay swirl between crescendo and musical culmination.

Finally John Beltran steps up and delivers a beautifully hypnotic club ready version of "A" where the Michigan artist teases between Detroit techno elegance and organic flair to show why he is one of electronic music's all time great producers.

Damian Lazarus’ Secret Teachings imprint welcomes a unique project from Malian and French pairing Siraba, unveiling their debut single ‘Ngana Fôlly’ alongside remixes from Philou Louzolo and Peaking Lights. Meaning ‘The Great Path’ in Bambara, Siraba - the duo consisting of Malian hunter Boubacar Samake and Damien Vandesande, one half of French electronic band dOP - are on a path of bringing the traditional sound of the Wassoulou to the world. They met in 2003 when Damien visited Mali to work with local artists and met Boubacar’s father - the legendary Sibiri Samake. Working together on multiple occasions, the two promised to work with one another and Boubacar on a project one day, and 17 years later, the two connected to begin to develop their unique sound and showcase their shared universe.

Inspired by the music of the master hunters from across Mali, the ‘Dozo’, the project transmits values based on justice and righteousness, love and respect for others, moral and spiritual rectitude and protection for everyone. Debuting on Damian Lazarus’ Secret Teachings imprint, an outlet for the Crosstown Rebels boss to delve deeper into musical realms outside of the norm and away from the dance floor, the pair will release their debut album in September, with a series of live performances set to be announced. Their first single arrives in early June with ‘Ngana Fôlly’

A spiritual and hypnotic production rooted within Dozo musical tradition, featuring Boubacar playing the Ngoni while singing in Bambara, ‘Ngana Fôlly’ is a resonant and rich production combining organic textures with warping synths, rich bass and sweeping electronics, capturing the magical essence of Mali across a fascinating journey. Providing the first remix on the package, Dutch DJ/producer and DJ Mag ‘Artist To Watch for 2023’ Philou Louzolo harnesses Boubacar’s vocal and places it at the heart of his soaring remix as stripped-back percussion and a commanding low-ends guide sweeping synths, before handing over to San Francisco husband-and-wife pairing and Dekmantel signees Peaking Lights who tip things down a bright and blissful rabbit hole of soundscapes as vibrant guitar riffs and twisting leads work amongst off-kilter melodies and acid flecked tones for an eight-minute trip.

Parasol Dance' embodies the musical headway and fruition Fabio experienced exploring different soundscapes and rhythms in his London based studio this last year. The crisp analogue cuts in the album are peppered with Monesi's organic evolution from the New Jersey sound drawing inspiration from Jazz, Funk and even Disco, all the while never faltering on the end product of raw undulating grooves.

In a sentence, in 'Parasol Dance' Fabio has dished up a vibrant collection of raw and robust cuts that keep you locked from start to finish and will be no doubt be finding a welcome home in record bags across the globe.

For the exhibition “Flowers in 20th and 21st Century Art“, Eiko Ishibashi and Jim O‘Rourke had created the installation ”Lifetime of a Flower“ in which they set parameters but allowed the process itself to grow uncontrollably. Literally: in the garden of their Japanese house, they planted seeds and filmed the plant growing and thriving throughout the duration of the exhibition. Visitors were able to watch the stream in real time - and they heard a composition in which Ishibashi and O‘Rourke reflected the organic process in sound. The eponymous composition now available on LP, is an enigmatic and sophisticated layering of sounds, melodies and rhythms, noises from everyday life, all of which are repositories of associations, memories and expectations.

Bristol’s Remotif makes his highly-awaited debut on space•lab with his wormhole of a new EP, ‘Substation Fever’. Kicking things off on the A side, the title track enters the scene with spacious, organic drums, building in energy as we tunnel through its course; travelling from the cool, oxygenated air of a forest-scape into dazzling, far-reaching intergalactic realms.

Next up, ‘Substation Fever’ gets a dreamy reimagining courtesy of Leeds legend and space•lab regular, Adam Pits. Channelling the energy of Remotif’s original into a hazy, blissed-out cloudscape, this track was made for accompanying early morning sunrises where orange-hued dashes of light reflect off the surface of gently rippling water.

On the flip side, ‘Hi Tek Lo Life’, crackles with the fluctuating electrical impulses of a TV without signal or a radio between channels. Flecked with corroded vocal samples and billowing synthlines, this is a track that explores the inbetween - the moment when connection is almost lost, but not quite. There is a beauty in the roughened-edges of these partially obscured details.

The final track of the EP, ‘The Signal Prevails’ is perhaps an answer to its precursor. Opening out onto trip-hop-esque terrain, this track follows the path set out by a blurred-out, echoing vocal as it deftly works its way through narrow, winding pathways of powerful 90s-style breaks.

A much-loved DJ regularly making an appearance on space•lab’s lineups, we are delighted to now showcase Remotif’s skill in the studio with this mind-opening new EP.

Band: VORNA Album: Sateet palata saavat Release Date: September 27th Clichés almost always have a true core. That artists from the (European) Far North tend to melancholy is one thing that has already been confirmed many times. VORNA is no different. The band from Tampere has been in existence since 2008, and still is today in its original line-up. The six-piece group is well-rehearsed and has continuously developed its sound over the years. With pride and self-confidence the musicians grasp their playing as "Finnish melancholic metal". This means songs with a dark mood and an emotional state-of-mind, which cause reactions from the developing atmosphere. The melancholy comes to bear on different levels, but without ever slipping into pessimistic gloom. VORNA's access to the heavy spectrum is broad and open-minded. The six musicians are guided by their emotions and transform them into dark tuned music. Starting from a base between Folk and Black Metal, the Finns have enriched their playing since 2008. The symphonic extension of the third album underlines the atmospheric and melodic composition of the songs. "Sateet palata saavat" means something like "Return to Rains". In other words: something is brewing before the sky opens its floodgates and the power of nature discharges. This picture fits very well to what VORNA musically have to offer. "Sateet palata saavat" develops to be tense and intense. VORNA's vocals, left in Finnish, don't compromise the access to VORNA's "Finnish melancholic metal". The underlying emotions can be empathized and create an interaction with the listener right from the beginning. The organic songwriting of VORNA underlines the down-to-earth approach, the Finns are following. Partially, however, "Sateet palata saavat" sounds uncanny and creepy.

Joaquín Cornejo is back on Earthly Measures with 'Vision Versions' his 2nd vinyl release - a unique reimagining of Markandeya's dub album 'Vision Dubs'. Journeying through the depths, the Ecuadorian producer reinterprets Markandeya’s works with his signature flavour, space echoes, dub sirens, digi delays, organic grooves and all to provide the perfect follow up to the hugely popular 'Las Frutas' EP.

DJ Feedback:

Valentina Montalvo – “Beautiful and uplifting, gracias!!”

Severino Panzetta (Horse Meat Disco) – “LOVELY”

Jaye Ward – “wow!! this is super lovely.. so so deep and well balanced.. brilliant want to love heart the whole thing because its a proper long player version excursion”

Balearic Clouds – “Mountain High my favorite but all sounds beautiful!!”

Paul Cottam – “Holy Father Feat. Cedric Myton (Joaquín Cornejo Version) is a BELTER”

Mark Sampson - “Favourite has to be 'Holy Father' because I love Cedric Myton's voice.”

Pete Herbert - “Superb!”

Roberto Rodriguez – “Lovely dubs”

Max Essa – “Deeply Satisfying!”

Chris Coco – “These are beautiful”

With its cinematic mood and compelling groove, “Bona Fide" is a fitting title track for the debut album from the duo Michael Leonhart (producer/multi- instrumentalist) & JSWISS (emcee). The high level of lyricism and dynamic feel are key characteristics of the work they create together. "Bona Fide" is defined as “genuine"and “real", an apt description of the partnership. Leonhart & JSWISS come together from two different musical worlds, organically intersecting at a place where their outlooks and backgrounds create genre-bending music. It's the type of record that's gold for a pure hip-hop head, but also has an energy and groove that anyone with a heartbeat can get into. The Side B “Instrumental” showcases the rock-solid swagger of Nicholas Movshon (drums), Elizabeth Pupo-Walker (congas) and Leonhart (bass) with flourishes of harpsichord and upright piano along with dusty choir and strings courtesy of Leonhart’s mellotron. TRACKLIST: 1. Bona Fide 2. Bona Fide (Instrumental)

Siamese Twins Records presents Temple Rat, known offstage as Mei Yuxin, and her highly anticipated debut EP, "The Composition of Air." This album signifies her first solo release with Siamese Twins, following her contribution to the Kāthā V.A. (ST-๐๐ห้า), which Higher Intelligence Agency later reworked on ST-๐๐๘. Each track gracefully transitions, creating a harmonious blend of ethereal haze yet grounded echogenic brushstrokes. Despite the otherworldly ambiance, the EP remains deeply rooted in an ancient mystique, which Mei has skillfully crafted.

Hailing from Chengdu, Mei is a master of the traditional Chinese Erhu, a two-stringed folk instrument made of wood and snakeskin. The soulful resonance of this time-honored instrument intertwines with Mei's productions and live performances.

The opening track, "Dreaming of Electric Sheep," immerses listeners in a dystopian sci-fi atmosphere, masterfully merging rustic ambiance with hissing field recordings and IDM-inspired elements. Hypnotic rhythms envelop and wash over meditative alchemy.

"Rooted in the Soil of Your Heritage" features a captivating collaboration with Portuguese vocalist Meta_, taking on a contemporary darkwave approach. This track spirals into the horizon, offering solace through interlacing oscillations, and perfectly illustrates Mei's ability to facilitate interethnic dialogue with her distinct and enthralling Erhu sound.

The true story unfolds in the title track, "The Composition of Air," as Mei expertly employs organic synths to create absorbing arpeggios and sequences.
The final piece, "东风," feels familiar and otherworldly, as drums pirouette beneath melodies that balance delicately, culminating in an intriguing and welcoming soundscape—the ideal conclusion to a captivating EP.

The Inter-Atlantic duo of George Btp Dan Piu & Roger K. Versey return to your shores to traverse more mystery, adventure, and musical journey with an all new double 12" album.

Passport - Wonderful Elixir. Named for its nutritious flavor and mixture, Wonderful Elixir is crafted for the deep frequency connoisseurs, explorers not constrained to genres, not afraid to vibe with the tides of life, but rather seek the deeper feeling that is true and Indigo Blue. The main ingredients are 10 visions that await inside the fine grooves of two 180 gram disks crafted to capture the moments in the best way; a seamless connection of Air, Land and Seaways that harbor elements of Jazz, Acid, Deep House and Street Beat. From the organic forests to the concrete jungles, From Zurich to St.Louis, your Wonderful Elixir is here. Featuring very special appearances from DJ Nata, Jesus Gonsev, and Grant.

Presented on 2×12" vinyl by the legendary No Acting Vibes label, and on CD and Digital by Deep Inspiration Show. Includes original acrylic paintings by Zara Versey.

n this Second Edition of eli.sound we bring you High-End Music with the Best exponent of Our Catalog in this moment, This time Our Happy House Side our Leader Son of Elita releases a Party Deep House with many changes of analog Synthesizers and pads chords and so on close Side A with a Incredible Argentinian Collaboration Trentz & Cajal induce to wear out all your Sneakers with a very emotional Fast Groove.

A Roman Side dresses up by hosting one of the best Romanian Exponents the great Direkt already known by all in the Underground environment releases a track with Experimental Minimalistic Trends and Organic Groove, to close our Project SOEm launches Breakbeat cut with Arpeggios and Organic Synthesizers. We assure you that this LP cannot missing from your Selection.

Jimmy LaValle’s The Album Leaf has spun from solo outlet to full band and back in its nearly 25 years. His acclaimed catalog spans releases for labels such as Sub Pop, City Slang, Relapse, and others. He also composes music for film and television, scoring over 20 projects (narrative features, documentaries, and TV series) since 2009. The cinematic sensibilities of The Album Leaf were present from the beginning. His 1999 debut introduced the start of a signature sound: melodic and meditative electro-organic soundscapes constructed with guitar, percussion, Rhodes, and field recordings.

His seventh full-length LP, and first since 2016, arrives in 2023 via Vancouver’s Nettwerk Records. FUTURE FALLING finds LaValle working with an array of musicians, shaping slightly darker, more spacious, and synth-driven songs with contributions from Bat For Lashes, Kimbra, and many others.
The music registers a shade darker and more synth-driven than most moments in his acclaimed catalog, a bridge between shadowy, cerebral terrain and dreamy precision pop, where softly percussive frameworks meet shimmering sound design and emotive instrumentation.
LaValle sees the construction of FUTURE FALLING as less conventional than past work. Contributions were done remotely with a “throw everything at it” mindset, making LaValle the arranger of layers from all over: drums, synths, horns, violins, voice, and more. LaValle created a pastiche of these layers and elements; in some cases even moving vocal takes to new tracks entirely. Without the in-the-room dynamics, he had more time to experiment, adding and subtracting ad infinitum.
The album opens on “PROLOGUE,” an evocative, slow-building instrumental that rides a pattern into a symphonic sea of static. Keys and horns glide atop the rhythmic pulse of “DUST COLLECTS,” setting the contemplative scene for “AFTERGLOW,” the record’s most pop-minded performance. Here Kimbra, the Grammy-winning New Zealand singer-songwriter, renders a striking recollection of past love as percussive elements shimmer and swirl.
A plaintive piano line moves throughout “Cycles 19.9” encircled by light ambient washes, both a valley between two peaks and a powerful composition in its own right. “Future Falling” follows; with origins tracing back to 2015, the track embodies the full sonic journey LaValle has taken. All the hallmarks of The Album Leaf — melodic builds, vivid sprawl, tonal shape-shifting — assemble to a blissful finish.

For the next stretch, “Cycles” begins with a uneasy Rhodes loop that builds and erupts into a wall of texture paving its way into “Give In,” where LaValle models a movement that begins subtle and measured before curving up with skyward, percussive bursts (“Stride”) and settling back down to the album’s back-half centerpiece, “Near” featuring the acclaimed English artist Natasha Khan aka Bat For Lashes. “Do you feel me near?” she sings into a mist of widescreen synths and soothing, distant drum beats as if searching through the dark.

New INDEX:Records transmission comes courtesy of Texan vibist Gi Gi. Trodding his own path of introspective, nu-age-infused ambient scapes and trip-hop-laced downtempo divagations, Gi Gi eases us in a distinctively soothing headspace. A self-driven, immersive audio bubble engineering a polychromatic mix of organic field-recording, exotic dub shades, lushly textured envelopes and smooth loungey jazz accents.

From the A1, “The Lower”, a steady-churning combo of retro-stepping UK dynamics, 90s-schooled atmospheric dub and low-slung, LA beat-style swagger, down to the verbed-out summer pop of “Sinews” featuring Hysterical Love Project, Gi Gi puts on a riveting synthesis of seemingly distant varietals.

On “Maiolica”, the mystique-imbued power of drums and shadowiness of the bass collides with the faux-organic vibrancy of singing robot birds; “Pyxis Glint” shows off an ambiguously feverish ASMR-like temper with its tightly woven web of chimey Andean melody and straight out Rephlex-fashioned escapism, whereas “Palm Slick” heads for further exhilarating heights through Hassellian brass flights a la “Blues Nile" and breaksy off-piste, all set at buckling a few knees along the way.

A full-fledged, soulful trip-hop number disguised in matching neo-vintage camo, “Lilted Song” treats us to a fulfilling blend of bleached pads and FX-laden slo-mo percussions swaying with a strong couldn’t-give-a-damn attitude. Gi Gi coming up with the mind trip.

After a string of sought-after releases on labels like Barefoot Beats, Cocada Music, Bongo Synth and Too Slow To Disco, Bernardo Pinheiro brings his seasoned production skills to Onda Boa.

A man at home working in a myriad of styles, the third release on the label sees Pinheiro assemble The Amazon Orchestra to create a brilliant cover of the Marcos Valle / Azymuth jazz dance classic, “Virabrequim”.

Diggers of Brazilian wax andjazz-funk aficionados will know the tune from the O Fabuloso Fittipaldi OST that first united Marcos Valle and Azymuth in 1973.

Pinheiro’s updated disco version maintains the original track's swinging piano, propulsive bassline and soaring horn charts while pushing the material into the future, earning high praise from the man like Marcos Valle himself. Live bass, keys, guitar and brass bring an organic sound to Pinheiro’s stylish production, creating a euphoric take that's ready to elevate any house, disco or jazz dance set.

Voilaaa’s remix sees the French maestro pull back the reins a bit, stripping things down before reassembling the elements in a way that allows each section to shine in a supremely funky way. With the third release on the label, Onda Boa has cemented their sound, one which honors the iconic Brazilian originators while charting their own unique course to a cosmitropical future.

Mr. Confuse returns with a brand new series of 7Inches on Confunktion Records.

"No Time To Snooze" is a heavy up tempo funk tune with a disco feel. On the flipside "Break It Loose" catches your ear with a nice melody and a smooth breakdown part. Both songs feature heavy funk drums, a powerful horn section, funky guitar and driving Rhodes sound. Just the right sound for funkateers, organic sound lovers, disco heads and b-boys.

Don't miss this release on Confunktion Records as the 7 Inch vinyl version is limited to 300. Be quick on this one!

Ten years ago, Parish Bracha anonymously released his Disconscious album Hologram Plaza, significantly influencing the still nascent Vaporwave scene. He continued producing a number of disparate anonymous projects until Cascade II was released in 2020 on Arca's Mutant Mixtape.

Cascades of Refinement, which includes the single Cascade II, is Parish's debut album released under his own name and his focus on the dialogue between the digital and the organic continues. The techniques that defined his influential early sound have been refined into a flawless hybrid of analog and digital textures which give his post-minimalist compositions an unmistakably personal expressivity.

Classical instruments are mutilated and transmuted into razor-sharp shards of glass suspended on piano wire above warped opalescent metal while never losing sight of their tonal integrity. Much like the impartial juxtaposition Parish employs in his timbral exploration, each composition explores the concepts of beauty and gentleness through and with extremity, violence, and chaos as equal counterparts, with each successive piece refining and relieving the artificial tension between these states. Employing use of the Una Corda, prepared piano, bowed piano, plucked piano, harpsichord, church organ, untuned violin, voice, synthesizers, and resampled field recordings, Cascades of Refinement lies somewhere in the indefinite space between acoustic and electronic and is beholden to neither.

Parish's initial electroacoustic experiments with piano and strings were interrupted by the pandemic lockdown when he was limited to sampled instrumentation and digital processing available on a computer. Out of this necessity evolved an appreciation for the incidental nature of digitally sampled acoustic instrumentation and the unpredictability of its interaction with digital signal processing.

As work on Cascades of Refinement continued and acoustic recording was reintroduced, the focus turned to the tension between recorded and sampled instrumentation, with the goal of integrating the two into a singular indistinguishable material to be warped and shaped together. Each of the four pieces of the Cascade series explore this tension, successively integrating and collapsing their distinction with each piece.

The subtle artifacts of digital processing and incidental mechanical sounds of the acoustic are amplified and given presence alongside the tonal elements of each piece until a point of indivisibility is reached. The sound of a bow scraping along a string or a granular buffer freezing are neither discarded nor hidden, but selected as the ripest material to accompany and structure each composition. Cascades of Refinement is a dialogue between organic and digital, between the mercurial and infinitely reproducible, not as opposites, but as mereologically cohabiting counterparts with equal expressivity.

Now in its 14th year, the unique and constantly evolving Fire! Orchestra is back with their largest line-up so far, counting an international cast of no less than 43 members that includes mainstay singer Mariam Wallentin as well as newcomers David Sandström and Joe McPhee, both on vocals, McPhee also on tenor sax. The popular and widely praised Arrival is a highlight in both our and the band's catalogue, but this epic triple album ups the ante. While following in the great tradition of ensembles led by the likes of Carla Bley, George Russell and Keith Tippett, Echoes is firmly placed in 2022 and takes in elements of rock, jazz, folk, electronic, classical and contemporary music. Starting out with the working title Big Bang, the near two-hour piece had its concert premiere at Stockholm Jazz Festival in October to rapturous applause from a full house, with major national newspaper Dagens Nyheter calling it a feast for eyes and ears in their ecstatic review. The core elements of Echoes are the seven self-titled parts, each mostly over 10 minutes in duration, interspersed with shorter pieces where we find a string quartet, an "African" stretch and generally music of an exploratory and experimental nature. Considering the size of the orchestra and the somewhat intimidating working title, this is a very open, breathing, organic, detailed and dynamic recording with a lot of space. As previously, a defining base element in the music is the repetitive and hypnotic grooves from the main rhythm section of bassist Johan Berthling and drummer Andreas Werliin. Needless to say, the hand-picked musicians are all on a very high level and on top of their game, conducted by Mats Gustafsson but given free reign when it's called for. And Jim O'Rourke was given free reign when it came to the selections and the mix and is a big part in how the final album turned out. The album closes with a vigorous tribute from Joe McPhee to one of the late, great masters, McPhee being a pretty decent finger wiggler himself, to say the least. Echoes was mostly written by Fire! founders Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin and recorded at the legendary Atlantis studio in Stockholm in March last year.It was mixed by Jim O'Rourke in Japan in the course of two autumn months. The mastering and vinyl cut was done by loop-o mastering in Berlin, making for a fantastic sounding album, especially the vinyl edition is a real treat.

The Mellophonia label offshoot Fusion Sequence won us over with its well-presented and great-sounding first EP, and now a quick follow-up does the same. This one is another various artists affair that starts with some nice futuristic robot disco from Vanity Project. There is more organic and lush Balearic from Bobby Bricks and Pacific Coliseum follows that spine-tingling Ibiza sunset vibe. On the flip side, there is everything from late-night electronic house to lazy disco via Sorcerer's blissed out 'Just For Love' which would entrance any dance floor. There's as much quality as there is variation on this one, which makes it a useful EP indeed.

Manda Moor hits back-to-back releases on Hot Creations with her Picante EP, accompanied by a remix from Hot Creations artist and Mood Child co-founder Sirus Hood.

It’s safe to say that the past 24 months have seen Danish/Filipino DJ, producer and label founder Manda Moor surge onto the international house scene with a combination of stand-out releases alongside sets at the likes of Hï (Ibiza), The Beams (London) and Club Space (Miami). Having made her debut on the label with the excellent ‘The Climax’ EP last year, she returns to Hot Creations almost a year to the day with her latest EP as she brings the heat once again with her ‘Picante’ EP - with fellow Mood Child co-founder Sirus Hood joining on remix duties.

A bubbly and playful title cut fusing rolling drums, vibrant vocal interjections and a slick groove to bring plenty of energy, ‘Picante’ takes cues from its title to bring a zippy production made to make crowds move, while Sirus Hood’s take lays a focus on snaking drum grooves as crisp organic percussion arrangements take a hold. In keeping with the theme, the EP is rounded out with another dynamic effort in the form of ‘Tabasko’ as Moor fuses more lively and hard-hitting drum grooves with sweeping bird noises and further vocal samples for another helping of dancefloor energy.

Markus Popp is endlessly curious and his music as Oval is delightfully inventive. Since pioneering albums in the 90s systemisch and 94diskont., Oval has continually excavated new spaces in electronic music, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape. New album Romantiq finds Popp delivering his most light and delicate tones to date. Like the plucking of harp strings, Popp"s organic and playful approach to sound is warm and bright. Oval continually, confounds with his ability to conjure such lithe, evocative sonics from software. Romantiq evolved from an audio-visual collaboration with digital artist Robert Seidel for the grand opening of the German Romantic Museum, where a huge outdoor projection covered the museum building. Popp sought a more expansive definition of the romantic, conjuring flickering images that glitch, evolve and collapse in on one another - opulent neo-chamber music lit by the paradoxically heartwarming screen glow of social media flirtations. Popp crafted dozens of short vignettes that each sought to evoke a specific mood or emotion. Processed period instruments trace luxuriant spaces that shift from low-lit chambers to glistening palatial grandeur, glitching through past, present and future. Swelling atmospheres emerge like perfume, rich scents flooding the senses before evaporating on the breeze. Romantiq"s musical oxytocin is made from ancient instruments processed and edited by a modern electronic master with the utmost deftness and delicacy.

Markus Popp is endlessly curious and his music as Oval is delightfully inventive. Since pioneering albums in the 90s systemisch and 94diskont., Oval has continually excavated new spaces in electronic music, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape. New album Romantiq finds Popp delivering his most light and delicate tones to date. Like the plucking of harp strings, Popp"s organic and playful approach to sound is warm and bright. Oval continually, confounds with his ability to conjure such lithe, evocative sonics from software. Romantiq evolved from an audio-visual collaboration with digital artist Robert Seidel for the grand opening of the German Romantic Museum, where a huge outdoor projection covered the museum building. Popp sought a more expansive definition of the romantic, conjuring flickering images that glitch, evolve and collapse in on one another - opulent neo-chamber music lit by the paradoxically heartwarming screen glow of social media flirtations. Popp crafted dozens of short vignettes that each sought to evoke a specific mood or emotion. Processed period instruments trace luxuriant spaces that shift from low-lit chambers to glistening palatial grandeur, glitching through past, present and future. Swelling atmospheres emerge like perfume, rich scents flooding the senses before evaporating on the breeze. Romantiq"s musical oxytocin is made from ancient instruments processed and edited by a modern electronic master with the utmost deftness and delicacy.

Trace is a masterclass in sound design. Alison Chesley"s formidable skill as a cellist and composer ground the compositions with rich organic sounds of cello and bow. Will Thomas"s equally deft hand-manipulated electronics, and keyboards create potent frameworks that bolster the sense of mystery and searching across the album. Chesley and Thomas"s unique voices as composers remain discernable and present throughout the album, but Trace is a celebration of the connection of collaboration with an acute sense of details and the power they convey. On Trace, the duo utilizes timbre, tone, and dynamics as essential tools in crafting stunning emotive narratives. Together, the duo wields sound with inquisitive aplomb, burrowing into each other"s sonic aesthetics and unearthing irrefutable beauty. Chesley is an unparalleled cellist and composer who has been making boundaryless music for nearly three decades under the moniker Helen Money. From her work in Verbow to her solo releases, extending to her work as a highly sought-after collaborator with Jarboe, Bob Mould, Steve Albini, Neurosis, and many more, Chesley has remained a singular voice and a pioneer in expanding the scope and perception of the cello. Will Thomas is an active composer for commercials, TV, and film (GvsE, CSI, The Haunted Swordsman). He has also contributed to several of Helen Money"s solo albums and an ongoing collaboration with Roger Eno.

MD Pallavi & Andi Otto first crossed paths on a theatre stage in India ten years ago. They started collaborating instantly and in 2016 MD Pallavi's mesmerizing vocals for the downtempo raga Bangalore Whispers warmed hearts and ears. Their musical relationship flourished with artistic residencies in Bangalore and Hamburg, their respective hometowns, and a concert tour in Japan. The collaborative track Six made ears turn again on Andi’s album Bow Wave (Multi Culti 2019). And now, years later, the fruits of this artistic endeavour are fully formed here on Songs for Broken Ships - the debut album of the duo.

The album presents an interwoven pop-aesthetic vision of the two artists with their contrasting musical backgrounds. It ranges from organically woven folktronica to cut-up disco tracks and acoustic ballads. Reminiscent of, but not akin to Nicola Cruz, Beach House or Four Tet’s early productions the music is experimental but focused on the listener and their experience.

MD Pallavi is a singer, actress, filmmaker and performer from Bangalore, South-India, where she trained in Hindustani music and poetry since childhood. On Songs for Broken Ships, poems in her native tongue Kannada*, one of India's many languages, are performed over Andi’s alluring production, translating the stories into musical narratives. The poems address topics that are as timeless as the music itself. Social equality is touched upon in Bayalu (written by Bontadevi in the 12th century). Artistic struggles - communicated on An Unwritten Word (Gangadhar Chittala, 1865) - are almost prophetic and the surreal, dreamlike scenario of Clockshop (KS Narasimhaswamy,1958) brings you further inside the sonic journey.

Andi Otto is a composer, cellist and DJ based in Hamburg, Germany, He is known for his idiosyncratic and unconventional dance music productions on labels such as Multi Culti, Shika Shika and Pingipung (which he co-runs and curates). For this collaborative experience his dubbed out basslines gently interlock with the 7/4 and 5/4 beats to create a backbone for the instrumentation and expressive vocal timbres of MD Pallavi. His sound design combines graceful acoustic recordings, juxtaposed against modern drum machines, computer generated noise and vintage synthesizers.

*The LP comes with a text sheet containing all Kannada lyrics - which have their own vocabulary and script - together with the phonetic transcription and English translation.

Having emerged as a luminary of the Los Angeles Beat Scene, MatthewDavid immersed himself for several years in the rich, neglected, and all-too-often-derided archive of New Age sound/culture, stewarding a kind of New New Age sensibility into being. Mycelium Music constitutes a synthesis of these aesthetics, an alchemical marriage of sorts, in which the digital and the organic, the earthen and the aethereal, the bloom and the rot all collide and coexist. How might the Mycelium sing? Where other sound artists might be tempted to capture the phenomena, reaching for a field recorder, MatthewDavid responds with a succinct, impressionistic, and diaristic suite of “songs” (although, as with the mycelium itself, one cannot easily distinguish where one song/organism ends and another begins). Leaving Records founder Matthewdavid announces his new album Mycelium Music, his first proper full-length since 2018. The first single to be taken from the album 'Liquidity', was created as a direct response to ambient pioneer Laraaji encouraging Matthewdavid to innovate zither music. Beautifully textural, Mycelium Music constitutes an alchemical marriage in which the digital and the organic, the earthen and the aethereal, the bloom and the rot all collide and coexist. The record is a product of serious contemplation on the meaning, the problems, and the promises of interdependence.

Essential UK experimental composer Richard Skelton returns to Phantom Limb for new album selenodesy, interweaving his newfound love of electronics and synthesis with mastery of gritty organic texture.

Skelton’s music has always been rooted in landscape, in the loam and grit of the earth: from his 2009 Pennine Moors-inspired modern classic Landings to his more recent Moraine Sequence of geological excavations, his work has been bound inexorably with the stark and untended wilderness of northern landscapes. With this new album, however, Skelton shifts his gaze skyward — in part the result of a move in 2017 to the countryside near the Kielder Observatory, and to a so-called ‘dark sky’ region of the UK. In this remote landscape, light pollution is minimal, allowing the austere majesty of the night sky to be seen with greater clarity.

The resulting album, selenodesy, reveals a new, reverberant spaciousness to Skelton’s use of electronics. It marries the twin worlds of his previous Phantom Limb release - 2020’s These Charms May Be Sung Over A Wound, and its abandoned-factory threnody - with the landscape-revering arcana of his earlier work, which saw him bury instruments in the soil to return months later to recover and record with them, newly imbued with the land they occupied. selenodesy was prefigured by a period of insomnia and the relief found

in stargazing, during which Skelton tried to transcribe his hypnagogic visions: “much of this music came to me in the early hours, in that nowhere state between dreaming and waking. I’d look out the window and the night sky would be swirling with stars. Mars or Venus would be hovering in the corner of the room. I’d lie there and watch the Aurora Borealis dance across the ceiling.”

In selenodesy, we find the lingering, distorted sine waves of album opener “Albedo” that thrum and fizz with an icy, foreboding moonlight, rays of subtle movement that illuminate and darken alternately. Next follows lead single “The Plot of Lunar Phases”, whose passive shrieks echo about a cold, yawning space, reaching an ecstatic crescendo of hissing sonics and swirling celestial drone. Its dynamic range acts like the light of a lunar passage, from utmost darkness to radiant luminosity. Elsewhere, the pulsing, precessional bass of “Faint Ray Systems” gradually opens to reveal mournful, elegiac synthesis that reaches high into the night sky with an unearthly beauty. It is as if, during those long months of lockdown in the Scottish countryside, Skelton tapped into a series of sidereal electromagnetic transmissions, and transposed them into musical form.

Essex-based trio Statues have made their presence felt with a string of impressive singles for a variety of labels from Sweden's Lovely and Plastic Idol in the US. Here they offer up their timely summer breezer 'Clear Skies' with crystal cleat synth lines evocative of John Carpenter or Tangerine Dream powered by a simple but effective groove. Coyote Ambient are the first of two guests invited to remix it, and theirs is more of a classic 90s chillout reworking, while Vendetta Suite combine a similar vibe with some soaring solar guitars and live drums. Another original from Statues, 'The Creek ', completes the package, with arpeggios melded with organic voices and guitars.

Without a doubt, Kiriku is the hottest upcoming producer of contemporary Balearic Beat music of this year.
Kiriku lives between London and Ibiza, two poles which are well audible in his versatile style, ranging from
groovy Downtempo to clubby House. Uplifting Balearic atmospheres meet jazzy club vibes, featuring loose
drum programming, jazzy chords, bouncy basses, laid back vocals and sophisticated sampling. From song
structures to straight up club track, his tunes always combine electronic and acoustic instruments, which
results in a throughout warm and organic feel.

His new EP for The Magic Movement is co-produced and mixed by The Magic Movement' label head
honcho Noema, who gave "Washingtonia" an extended balearic club treatment. If you liked Dj Gregory's
"Elle" back in the days, this will be right up your alley. "Santa Rita" features the vocalists Monblume , Yalisaxx on Saxophone and comes with an bouncy uptempo club version of Brazil' own Kurup. "Jacaranda" features Hallyx on Vocals and is accompanied by a remix by no one else then legendary Balearic Beat DJ, poducer and label owner Chris Coco, who gave the track a dubby and extended chill-out sunset-sound treatment. Smell the sea, and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly!

GRAPH embarks on a search for sound beyond trends within electronic music. The focus is on sound and rhythmic structures that are constructed and deconstructed with the help of digital musical instruments and effects. The focus here is on the attempt to create a living, organic "soundspace".

On their seventh album, GRAPH work with vocals for the first time in their 17-year history, and the result is astonishing! The track "Mad World (astonished)" is a cover version of the Tears For Fears classic, dressed in GRAPH-typical electronic garb and produced atmospherically dense. With "Instabil", GRAPH present one more completely newly produced and extremely danceable track. The whole thing is rounded off with a remix of "Instabil" by Bob Humid. Stunning, astonishing, allways unconventional and very Düsseldorf!

Magic Source invites you to a journey to the obscure side of disco music.

Led by producer & notorious tape operator Björn Wagner (of Mighty Mocambos, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band and Mocambo Records), the group follows up on their rootsy cosmic debut LP Earthrising and last year's EP Riviera Drive, whose stunning flute jazz cover of “Genius of Love” is also featured on this longplayer.

Further exploring the more unusual facets of disco in its otherworldly and international stylings, Voyage Spectral travels through a wide musical scope, ranging from “lost” tropical grooves, Mediterranean funk, outernational boogie, to cosmic sci-fi soundtracks. All 100% organic - created by real musicians with real vintage instruments, captured on 16-track analog tape.

An all-star cast of musicians invites you to a fantasy trip where angelic voices blend with spaced-out synths, ethnic string instruments interplay with sharp horn lines while the rhythm section is holding down a polyrhythmic puzzle of guitars, clavinets, B-3, drums and percussions.

"Morphing Chinese traditional music with bass, Chicago footwork and AI-manipulated birdsong. It's quite a feat to sound this ancient and futuristic simultaneously." The Guardian

"The album presents a world where flute and guanzi find common ground with choral vocals, ambient and AI- manipulated birdsongs." Vinyl Factory

"There has never been a record that sounds like this. And, very possibly, never will be again" Bandcamp

'At once fine-grained and expansive, Lee's work combines traditional Chinese music and historical references with wild electronic experimentation" Pitchfork, 7.6

'Island Birdy' samples Bollywood vocals, 'Foreign Flowers' has hints of warped drum & bass and 'Feather Signifier' is steeped in jazz fusion....Lee's most organic work has plenty of diverse influences" Resident Advisor, Album Of The Day

Swirling layers of OST-style sound design, dreamy choir vocals and traditional Chinese folk combine across eight dynamic and transportive tracks on Birdy Island, the latest album by Beijing-based producer/artist, Howie Lee.

On Birdy Island Lee's intricate brand of traditional pan-asian exploration meets experimental bass weight sound via stripped-back UK Grime sonics and ceremonial taoist music.

Tape

The music of Melati ESP aka Melati Malay is a euphoric vision of megacity rhythm and rainforest escape, club breaks and weightless pop, mapping new dreams from the sound of futures passed: hipernatural.

Drawing on the music era of her teenage years growing up in Jakarta – Javanese radio Dangdut, gamelan cassettes, Moving Shadow-era liquid jungle, Japanese chill-out, etc. – as well as her current work in progressive percussion trio Asa Tone, Malay’s solo debut is boldly borderless, bridging worlds and wavelengths into a richly imagined hybrid synthetic utopia.

hipernatural is momentous linguistically, too, as Malay’s first foray into singing in Indonesian, the language of her youth. She characterizes her lyrical mode as “abstract, and a bit broken,” an intuitive collage of diaristic emotion and oblique poetry (“plant me in fleeting twilight / missing home, where is home? / I am another you”). Her voice serves as its own versatile instrument, alternately intimate and alien, sensual and sacred, shaded with the haze of hidden heavens.

Co-produced with long-time collaborator Kaazi (100% Silk, Asa Tone), the album’s 12 tracks are cohesive but eclectic, threading through temple bass music, cyber siren techno, Stereolab drum n bass, new age downtempo, and dial-up rave reveries, flecked with tactile fragments of offworld dialogue, computer hum, bubbling water, and beyond.

Malay’s technique of sampling and processing her voice into an electronic palette which she then performs on generative instruments gives the songs a bewitching artificial intelligence elegance, exquisite but uncanny. Hers is a hybridity both organic and hypermodern, deeply personal yet globally sourced – YouTube rips, nature tapes, cheap sample packs, club bootlegs. hipernatural champions a dynamic new language at the axis of then and now, of east and west

»Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time (4/4) and often characterized by a repetitive four on the floor beat.«

Well, that's what Wikipedia says about »techno« - but can Laura BCR's music simply be called »techno«? We say it's much more than that. The French DJ and On Board Music label founder who took her name from the much-loved and now closed, Berlin record store, Bass Cadet Records, started to produce her very own music in 2020. Music which could easily fit in her transportive, deep techno and dubby ambient DJ sets. Sets that have brought her to some of Europe’s finest venues.

After her releases on SoHaSo, Semantica, Paloma, RDV Music, Technologia Organica or Sublunar we're happy to present to you her latest work for Live At Robert Johnson: »Human Behavior«.

The four tracks all share a deepness which is typical for a lot of her productions so far. This is repetitive music, yes - but also very atmospheric music. Whether it's the helicopter sound in first track »Farewell« which Laura put on top of layers of whirring synths sounds or the swelling and decaying sounds of »Long Wait«. Sounds which swallow you deep into their core and make you forget about the here and now. Yes, Laura's music is hypnotizing - and it has a certain psychedelic quality attached to it as well. This aspect of her music can be heard quite good in »Post Dynamic« with its electronic blowing wind sounds galore. Or in »Human Behavior«, the title track of Laura BCR's LARJ debut. Yet Laura never forgets the importance (and the power) of the bass drum and its four on the floor beat.

A beat that is the heartbeat of techno. And a beat that defines Laura BCR as well.

Now all hail the bass drum and all hail Laura BCR!

Îlot, an isolated element within a different whole. For his new album, Sheldon, emblematic rapper of the 75e Session collective, continues his work of introspection on organic compositions, filled with the multiple references that build the musical universe of the artist.

Produced by Epektase and mixed by Sheldon himself at Winslow Studio, the project leaves a lot of room for the guitar and the rapper's 60/70s rock influences such as Bowie and the Beatles. There are also influences from Soul, R&B, Lo-Fi and Jazz, pushing the meeting of rap with other musical genres even further.

A nod to Böcklin's painting Isle of the Dead, a work of multiple interpretations that obsessed the painter himself, the island echoes feelings of isolation and solitude, but also the need to escape and introspect. We thus find the themes that haunt Sheldon: his childhood and his relationship with others, his questions about his place as a human being, which he poses head-on or through lighter notes of humour, and his dismay at a world for which he "knows the problems, not the solutions". His texts, unique and personal, reveal his most intimate thoughts. Like a conversation, they resonate within each of us and create a strong bond, a deep sense of understanding, against the backdrop of all the sweetness and melancholy of the images he conjures up: "One more day on my islet, watching the sailboats go by."

The metaphor of the islet continues in the visual universe built around the album, where the central element is a monolith used to represent isolation and emptiness. Made up of four mirrored sides, this imposing artefact represents both the island and the subject of the album: the central element is not the main subject, Sheldon, but rather what he tells us about the world around him.

As bassist for dance-punk outfit The Rapture, Mattie Safer cut his teeth in the music scene alongside a wave of now-legendary early 2000s NYC acts like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, LCD Soundsystem and more (a time period recently immortalized in the documentary film ‘Meet Me In The Bathroom.’) Fast-forward nearly 2 decades and Mattie has found the sweeter side of dance music as the current lead vocalist for slo-mo kings Poolside, and now he presents his solo lovetempo project on Razor-N-Tape.

A chilled-out singer/songwriterly affair, the lovetempo EP moves between organic laidback disco, modern bossa nova treatments, and Sade-esque grown-n-sexy jazz grooves. Hitting notes of both melancholy and positivity, Mattie’s plaintiff vocals wind through all 4 of the original songs, delivering catchy and singable hooks. RNT regular Yuksek does what he does best, and takes the most uplifting tune of the pack into positively joyous hands-in-the-air territory with a stunning remix.