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Bress Underground presents Pastasoul Records with a debut EP that moves across a wide spectrum: from classic 90's underground flavours to modern club sounds, touching raw house, Chicago vibes and breakbeat. A record built for different floors.

"Potency rolls into double figures with a new release from Malik Kassim, aka Retromigration. Following albums and singles on labels including Love On The Rocks, Rhythm Section and Wolf Music, the tenth release on Cromby's rapidly-evolving, floor-focused imprint locks into the sound of one of house music's most consistent and consistently exciting producers, seamlessly bridging the established Potency energy with a luxurious vision of the genre. 'Love Rock' summons an instant block party energy, showcasing the expert weight of Kassim's basslines, as well as hinting at the fusion of hip-hop and jazz that bubbles through the textures of the German-Nigerian producer's studio work. Meanwhile, 'I Do Dance' stays true to the promise of its title, delivering blissful sun showers of synths amid emotional pads and hints of the classic Korg M1 organ sound, a universal signal to party. Ushering in the flip, the more tightly-wound percussion of 'Neighbourhood' maintains Kassim's driving groove, while dancehall samples and dub influences expand the established Retromigration sound into new spaces. Finally, 'Go 2 Nowhere' completes the dance, masterfully blending pillowy breakdowns and wistful keys with the EP's most urgent groove. Rich in detail while keeping the floor in constant motion, 'I Do Dance' reinforces Malik Kassim's timeless touch for unmistakably modern house music."

Body2Body's first release is from its three founders: Elia, Nikizi and Axel. Three friends who've spent the last 6 years making music together. The label is new. The friendship isn't. Four tracks, each one its own room. Nikizi opens with a fearless, percussive-driven groove. Axel follows with classic, raw bassline-driven depth. Elia brings a hypnotic groove with subtle vocal infusions. Oclock closes with a jazzy hip-hop turn with tantalising vocals. A debut for the long bag. Made for the kind of nights that don't end early.

Following the success of their debut release, the Dig This boys return with another statement-making record. If the first EP is anything to go by, this is not one to sleep on.

Brennan is no stranger to the scene, having enjoyed an incredible breakthrough year marked by several releases that have caught the attention of some of the industry’s biggest names.

This cohesive house record explores a range of flavours, equally suited to an intimate club or a festival dance floor. Brennan’s signature sound runs throughout, while revealing a softer side of the house music spectrum less seen by him before.

The A-side is driven by tribal drums, weighty sub-bass and summery chords with Brennans signature style sprinkled on top. On the flip side, the record moves into dreamier, deeper territory, drawing on the classic elements of deep house we all know and love—bringing the five-track release to a fitting close.

Collecting orders for 2026 Repress

A year or two back, original Nottingham deep house don Gavin Belton (famed for being part of Smokescreen and Drop Music-adjacent duo The Littlemen) returned to the UK after living in New Zealand. One thing led to another and soon he was back in the studio alongside former creative partner Steve Lee for the first time in 15 years. Featuring heady spoken word vocals from Hector Moralez, the result is 'House For Change', a lightly electrofunk-fired slab of classic East Midlands deep house. Raising funds for homeless charity Help The Framework, this surprise EP also includes 2004 classic 'Tell Me' (a free party deep house classic) and two fresh reworks: a TB-303-bass-driven revision of 'House For Change' by their old pals Inland Knights, and a squelchy, spacey take on 'Tell Me' by Lee under his solo alias, Positive Divide.

The long awaited return of NOVUM is finally here!

Packed with three stripped back heavy weight house cuts from the spanglecore man himself, Mella Dee whilst the NorthSouth Records head honcho Harry McCanna takes you on a hypnotic trip with rendition of Hidden Frequencies on the B side.

All tracks have been tried and tested around the world by the industries finiest

Big Energy inside!

Don't sleep on this one!

A timeless classic - coming up on nearly 20 years since the original 12's were released and the very first time this LP has collectively been available on wax. (over 15 years since last in circulation) This edition was remastered to analog perfection from the legendary Stefan Betke (POLE) sonically sculpting the original work into a true masterpiece - this album has never sounded so alive! This is truly a multidimensional sound experience; it's like taking a swim in an analogue ocean and being immersed into the deepest end of the Marianas Trench. This edition features two cuts, "A Night To Remember" (as featured on Richie Hawtin's ENTER: Ibiza 4XCD mix) & "Under The Ocean" from the original 2009 edition of the album. The remaining tracks were selected from CD2 including "Tswana Dub" (Phase90 Restructure) as featured on Deadbeat's classic mix "Radio Rothko" on NYC's theAgriculture. Also included is a "live" (recorded from the house booth) performance at "dub echoes" in NYC (a screening for the feature film).

a A1. A Night To Remember Remastered 11:07
b A2: Ocean View Remastered 5:30
c B1. Kingston’s Burning Dub live in nyc 8:08
d B2: De Lion’s Den Remastered 4:20
e C1: Never Forget Remastered 9:06

g D1: Love In Lofi Remastered 13:00
Remastered 4:44

a A1. A Night To Remember Remastered 11:07
b A2: Ocean View Remastered 5:30
c B1. Kingston’s Burning Dub live in nyc 8:08
d B2: De Lion’s Den Remastered 4:20
e C1: Never Forget Remastered 9:06

g D1: Love In Lofi Remastered 13:00
Remastered 4:44

Polish rapper Wiktor Zapala aka Abel has been laying down albums and EPs for 20 odd years and now features on a new 7" with apparent production debutants Sheak and RareMatthew for Milkshake Mondays. He takes care of the A-side with 'Livin' Fast', a low slung and unhurried jam with elastic bass stretched between lazy, slouchy beats with storytelling and classic-era bars unfolding up top. Sheak/RareMatthew completely flip the script on the B-side with 'La Murga,' a Latin-flavoured sound with Spanish vocals over a live instrumental topped with horns and carnival atmospheres. Two equally effective tunes.

Focus On Egoless returns with a powerful new Various Artists release, bringing together Dutch talents Sosef and Kai Stein with three artists from the Canary Islands: Daniel Rodríguez, Funke, and Moray.

A diverse collection of club focused cuts, this release moves across different shades of energy, from hypnotic, groove driven tracks made to set the tone at the beginning of the night, to powerful and intense weapons designed to take things deep into the dancefloor.

Balancing raw energy with more subtle, rolling warm up grooves, each track brings its own character while staying rooted in the distinctive sound and spirit of Focus On Egoless.

The fourth release from 5511 Records brings together seven different producers, each contributing their own interpretation while staying true to the label’s musical vision and distinctive identity. Across the EP, four original tracks explore a range of sounds and styles connected by a common direction, a mix of Brazilian music, eclectic, and groove driven influences. The fifth track come by a remix from Otis, adding a fresh and energetic perspective to the EP.

Curated By Time digs into the early 2000s once again with 'Skipton Bassett 2001', unearthing four previously unreleased tracks from Affie Yusuf under his Lilac Road Productions alias.

Recorded in early 2000s, the EP captures the raw, stripped-back sound of UK tech house at the time: rolling basslines, tight percussion, trippy details and hypnotic grooves. Four cuts pulled straight from the archives and finally making their way onto wax more than two decades later.

* Co-produced by One Over

Hot ones. Release your release.

Nuclear Waste is arriving to the LP series with the album called “Uranium Dealer”. The Spanish based artist is a long friend of the label who has already appeared on Exarde, therefore is a great honour to welcome him back with such profound and complete body of work. Per usual completed with the art of graffiti artist Gkoner the album is really shining through with the radioactive particles it consists of. Whether it’s brutal electro numbers or more spiritually infused dense techno the album may find a home with its listener. The elements appearing to be colliding at an intensive speed to form the fuel for the nuclear audio warfare.

Formed in 1969, Soul Media set out with a clear mission to fuse jazz and rock. That approach took a decisive next step with In The Groove, recorded in 1973. Here, the sharpness of jazz is brought to the forefront, rock elements are dissolved and refined to give a cutting edge, and funk is injected to add drive, elasticity, and physical force. The result is a body of music that transcends existing genre labels—jazz-rock, jazz-funk, or fusion—and stands instead as something simply, undeniably cool: strong yet sophisticated.

This album is often described as Soul Media’s response to The Crusaders, a band that saxophonist Jiro Inagaki was paying close attention to at the time. The aim hit its mark. With In The Groove, Soul Media acquired a “refined black feeling”, setting them firmly on the path toward their ultimate destination: Funky Stuff.

White label reissue of the legendary Housey Doingz remixes for Frankie Knuckles’ Baby Wants To Ride. A rare slice of house music reissued as limited edition hand stamped vinyl.

A key yet elusive figure in UK acid and tech house history, Dexter has spent decades refining a sound driven by hardware, repetition and pure instinct. Built on dry sampled grooves, heady vocal fragments and hypnotic synth patterns, his music locks into
trippy, rolling rhythms with a distinctly futuristic edge.

For his debut LP, Dexter opens the vault. Presented as a triple 180g heavyweight vinyl release, the nine-track collection brings together unreleased archival material, rare alternative cuts and sought-after classics from the early noughties. Together, they trace a
vital body of work originating from the roots of the London underground.

This is far from a nostalgia trip. Unbound by trends, these tracks have lost none of their character or impact over the decades. They showcase a singular vision, uncompromising, open-minded and as inspiring today as when first conceived.

A key yet elusive figure in UK acid and tech house history, Dexter has spent decades refining a sound driven by hardware, repetition and pure instinct. Built on dry sampled grooves, heady vocal fragments and hypnotic synth patterns, his music locks into
trippy, rolling rhythms with a distinctly futuristic edge.

For his debut LP, Dexter opens the vault. Presented as a triple 180g heavyweight vinyl release, the nine-track collection brings together unreleased archival material, rare alternative cuts and sought-after classics from the early noughties. Together, they trace a
vital body of work originating from the roots of the London underground.

This is far from a nostalgia trip. Unbound by trends, these tracks have lost none of their character or impact over the decades. They showcase a singular vision, uncompromising, open-minded and as inspiring today as when first conceived.

The oddjob concept was conceived on a mountain top at a festival with friends . The artist is unknown, the tracks are made for moments at festivals and open air gatherings rather then club environments. Tech house with a twist

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

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

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

PLAYED BY SVEN VÄTH

The “Late Loop” LP by Andy Stott is released on Modern Love and marks the producer’s return after a five-year break from the studio. The album brings Alison Skidmore, Stott’s long-time vocal partner, and for the first time Elaine Howley to the forefront; their voices are used partly as full vocal performances and partly as fragmented, pitch-shifted loops, forming the emotional center of the record. Stott largely avoided established production tricks: no basslines, no reverb, just a delay as the sole effect, giving the arrangements an unusual clarity and fragility.

“Late Loop” sits somewhere between downbeat, electronica, and leftfield, and emerged from an experimental process that ranged from drone passages and brass-like concrète moments to song-oriented structures. Rhythm often emerges indirectly here: a drum machine was played back into the room, re-recorded, and pitched down; a pump organ was recorded with a microphone placed on the floor; valves and an aging mixing console audibly contribute to the atmosphere. Lyrically, themes of separation predominate; the voices were layered multiple times, then pared back until only the essentials remained. Mastering was handled by Rashad Becker, and the cover photo is by Myriam Boulos. With “Late Loop,” Modern Love presents an austere, meticulously crafted album whose details gradually reveal themselves with repeated listening.

Welcome back, hope you've had a good trip so far. While we're digging global tunes, let's not forget what's cooking in our own yards. No less then a new dub don has risen from the wastelands of bratwursts, nutcrackers and garden gnomes: Toni Wobble is looking back on over 20 years of roots in punk, free parties and political movements. From anti-nuclear activism to the Gaggeldub performances, Toni's dug deep into the Dub universe: from Dubstation to Rootsbase to Subardo. By 2012, Toni became a respected operator of Leipzig's Plug Dub Soundsystem. Soon after, he didn't hesitate to create the very own solarpowered Sunplugged sound. Toni's live dub sets hit with all depth and energy of low bass sound culture, shaking the foundations with refreshing freakuency adventures. After a guest spot on our 18th release, helping RUZ dubbing out a deep b-side, it's time to unleash the full Wobble fury on 45Seven!
Out In Da Streetz was born in a lockdown, when urban life got stall, opening space for experiments. Inspired by Juke and Footwork at nights such as Bassmæssage, Toni ventured into Jungle production - the genre him love from way back. The result is an opus of subs, breaks, skanks and dubs. Expect 30 Hertz bass, wobbly midranges, halftime snares and Jungle edits sharp like razor. Don't miss the Ini cameo and hand-made skank work straight from the lab. The result ain't just a track, it's a state of inner and outer emergency, a deep dive into groove, texture and creative chaos.
Irie Cruise rolls up like a cloud of green smoke riding through the streets with a sick ride in a surreal vibe. Rootsy rhythms meet subtle Jungle twists inbetween the twinkles of Dub and the flickers of breakbeats. When the hook drops, the impulse fires up, the lowrider bounces through the turns of skanks, throwing dub delays and gliding deep into the night. By the final tone, you didn't just take a ride, you're actually a bit closer to the sun.
Toni Wobble is giving the full hundred. Dub ain't just a genre, it's a portal to infinite spaces of sound. It's a culture, a process and an attitude, all about echo, bass and space. But it's also about experimentation, consciousness and transformation. Each delay loop is reshaping reality, tearing it down and rebuilding it from the ground up. D.U.B. equals to deep universal beats, the universal frequency... Deep, wide and open. Tune in and dub out!

T. Jacques presents ‘Rowhill Trax’: - four cuts of straight-up house music, drawing on the raw sound of the ’90s and early ’00s. Heavy low-end, swinging rhythms and resonating chords run throughout, keeping things stripped back and firmly focused on the dancefloor.

Opening with ‘Worked Up (House Mix)’, a high-energy groove of filtered chords and analogue drum programming, followed by ‘Rub Down’, built around slamming, hard-hitting drums and a low-slung bassline.

Over on the B-side, ‘Under Cover’ settles into a heavy swing with big drums, low sub and classic house chords, while ‘Do It Right (Deeper)’ closes things out with a deeper sound, warm chords and swinging drums.

On the 9th instalment of MAXIMILIAN’s vinyl-only MIKROKOSMOS EP series, he returns with two atmospheric tracks: speedy Deep House and spaced-out Acid House. It’s time to squeeze the Roland TB-303 once again with our boy MAXIMILIAN, delivering two tracks that move from raw acid basslines and hypnotic grooves to deep, atmospheric territory.

The Body Works begins from a simple idea: sound does not end at the speaker, and music is something that is not only heard, but held, felt, and carried. By translating sound into physical form, the project creates an encounter that exists between listening and touch.

Rhythm is anticipated by muscle, voices affect breathing, and repetition changes our sense of time. Listening is already a physical act. Rather than treating the body as a subject represented by the music, The Body Works treats it as the place where the music happens; the physical and perceptual space through which sound is experienced.

Primarily consisting of left-leaning club music, the LP moves between trap-tinged tech funk, sweaty nocturnal throb, bottom heavy breaks, seedy cowbell acid, pumping techno workouts, doting hi NRG, cosmic homoerotica, and electronic disco. Interspersed and laced atop are more exploratory approaches to sound. Synthesis, field recordings, voices, electroacoustic and musique concrete techniques, plus a dose of offbeat humour are all treated equally as compositional material.

The record travels through ordinary human actions and situations - partying, sleeping, travelling, cooking, flirting, drinking, dancing and listening. These are not presented simply as themes; they become compositional material through which sound, attention, movement and the body interact. "A lot of the record is just weird normal things happening around me. Sleeping, travelling, flirting, drinking water, trying to kill a fly. The more attention you give these things, the stranger they become", comments Bjarki.










[j] C1 | Isn't it nice [to be somebody]

Sean and Bohm’s Swedish–Dutch collaboration EP is a tribute to their shared love for the raw grooves of Chicago and Detroit house, with a subtle New York twist woven throughout. Across four carefully crafted tracks, the duo moves between shadowy, deep synth-driven atmospheres and brighter, more uplifting cuts built around classic organ sounds. Each track reflects a true joint effort, blending their styles into a cohesive yet varied release that nods to tradition while keeping things fresh on the dancefloor.

discotech is back with our second Various Artists colour series! Returning with another essential collection, we've unearthed a selection of rare underground cuts from the late '90s and early 2000s. Carefully remastered from the original recordings, this release shines a light on timeless productions from Big Hair, DJ Quiz, Rob Pearson and Crowdpleaser.

The response so far has been incredible, with support coming from some of the scene's most respected selectors, including Archie Hamilton, Francesco Del Garda, Chris Stussy, Josh Baker, Skream, Arapu, Ivan Schmagge, Dungeon Meat, Alexndria, Toman, Mella Dee, Marco Carola, Alexander Skancke, Chris Carrier, TIJN, David Gtronic and many more.
Limited 300 press. Coloured vinyl x

Relieves debuts with its very first release, “Layers 1,” a timeless journey into house music with old-school and minimalist undertones on vinyl-only format. This foundational first chapter comes to life under the direction of producers Ronan Portela and Ariel Rodz, the label owners, who join forces with Franco Cinelli and Jorge Savoretti to solidify the sonic identity of this compilation.

On the A1, "Unison" by Ariel Rodz showcases his signature sound engineered for the dance floor, featuring wrapping basslines, percussive rhythms, musical textures, and a hypnotic groove inspired by the West Coast wave.

Followed on the A2, Franco Cinelli takes the reins with his remix of "Unison," delivering a track of his minimalist footprint with perfectly defined elements and that organic, characteristic sound that defines him.

Opening the other side on the B1, Jorge Savoretti delivers "Speziale Spaziale," a piece that radiates his signature aesthetic by flawlessly blending dancefloor flow and purist sounds with soulful melodies inspired by classic house.

Finally, the closure of this compilation arrives on the B2 with Ronan Portela's remix of Jorge's track, showcasing his rawest house music persona where he fuses percussive rhythms, synths, and a baseline that drives great dynamism and character into the end of the record.

Abacus, Analog Stories Vol. 9. Three cuts, all heat: deep basslines, swung drums, and that raw machine soul you can only get from analog gear. Built for the floor, pressed for the heads.

Inner City Sound Archives reaches its third transmission.
Six extended cuts built around the language of late-night New York disco — loose percussion, rolling basslines, open arrangements, raw repetition and the kind of long-form movement made for a room rather than a radio.
Volume Three moves deeper into the series.
Midnight Passage opens the doors slowly: nocturnal, hypnotic and suspended in motion. Afterglow stretches the groove into warmer territory, while Mercury Rising pushes toward a rougher, more physical pulse.
On the reverse, West Side Motion locks into an extended downtown groove, Golden Hours drifts between soul and after-hours disco, and Crosby Street closes the record with the stripped-back intimacy of a late-night loft cut.
Six cuts. Two sides. No filler.

It’s time for the seventh edition, and oh boy do we have a special one for you. Close friend, fellow Lisbon resident and incredibly talented musician Oliver.r delivers for club tracks that perfectly balance fun, emotional depth and heads down moods.

Bizarre Trax co-founder, Felon5 member and everyone's favourite financial advisor; Raynerfromfinance; this fella only does things properly.

We’re very proud to put this one out into the ether!

Five extended cuts taken from Yung Prado’s latest album GUFI (Gremio Underground, Fiesta Infinita), featuring collaborations with Mexican producer Theus Mago and Catalan producer Tibi Dabo.

Solid drum machines, analog basslines and a playful, eclectic approach run throughout the record. House, electroclash and tech house collide across five dancefloor-driven tracks, keeping things raw, groovy and unpredictable.

Released by Mainline Planet, with graphic design by Totxres.

Smoked transparent vinyl, limited to 150 copies.

Paul Guido and Laron McNally, AKA Locomotive & Swan, conjured up ‘Way Out Here…’ in the living room of a tiny apartment in San Francisco in 2003. The duo were part of a bustling West Coast scene inspired by the pioneers that came before them, pushing the music into a more experimental direction. Their sound was a hybrid of looping tech-house with a freshly dubbed-out soul, soft-edged pumpers made with long sessions on the dance floor in mind.

The four versions of ‘Way Out Here…’ contain the same tripped-out samples and driving percussion, but with their own distinct attitude. The ‘Breakbeat Mix’ provides the most bone-rattling bassline of all time, balanced by the more restrained and stripped back ‘Bonus Breaks’. The ‘House Mix’ subtly plays with pressure and release, while ‘Posse Up’ goes full throttle lift-off.

With this four tracker all bases are covered - each track is suited to different moments across a night’s arc from warm up, to peak time, to after hours. This EP is a testament to the grooves and groovers of the time, reflecting an era of music that informed much of what we cherish today. The shimmy is strong with this one, and we are happy to give it another lap.

The undisputed don of acid tech house makes a huge return to Slow-Wave.

A rare reissue of pure, sought-after golden era tech house, do not sleep!

The Doobie Brothers faced a serious predicament as they prepared to record Takin’ It to the Streets. That the group navigated a potentially serious personnel problem that would’ve tanked lesser bands and scored its fourth straight Top 10 album — while again expanding its range — speaks to the collective’s chemistry, broad-mindedness, and songwriting abilities. Known as the effort on which vocalist-keyboardist Michael McDonald makes his debut, the 1976 set stands as an all-encompassing representation of the various styles the Doobie Brothers explored during their heyday.

Sourced from the original analog master tapes, mastered by engineer Krieg Wunderlich, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition 180g 45RPM 2LP presents Takin’ It to the Streets in definitive sound. Given the luxurious room of a 45RPM version for the first time and benefiting from the wider grooves, the music unfolds amid large soundstages replete with ultra-quiet backgrounds, big dynamics, and accurate imaging. By then a key component of the Doobie Brothers' success, Ted Templeman’s production is brought to light with stellar clarity and definition.

As is the case on Mobile Fidelity's four other acclaimed Doobie Brothers 45RPM reissues, myriad facets that help make Takin’ It to the Streets timeless, natural, and organic — minimal overdubs, voices that realistically rise and fall, notes that properly carry and decay, warm tones, bass lines that pop with color, well-placed percussive accents, defined separation between the players — emerge with incredible presence, openness, and fullness. Nothing is overdone or out of place. No small feat given Templeman and company didn't know how everything would unfold when they first met up in Southern California.

Confronted with a change in plans by co-founder Tom Johnston, whose contributions to the band up to that point in its career identified him as an indispensable member, the Doobie Brothers were thrown for a loop when he curtailed pre-planning work and retreated home to deal with ongoing health problems. Thankfully, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, the group's newest full-time recruit, had a possible solution in his former fellow Steely Dan colleague McDonald. The singer-keyboardist had already sat in with the Doobie Brothers on their recent tour. So, why not give it a shot?

McDonald's prodigious talents notwithstanding, he couldn't technically replace Johnston. For starters: McDonald's soulful timbre bore little resemblance to Johnston's grittier voice. And McDonald played keyboards, not guitar. No wonder Templeman initially expressed reservations. He also knew the Doobie Brothers needed additional material before they could consider wrapping the record. Yet the skepticism began to dissipate on the first day of the sessions. Still waiting for second drummer Keith Knudsen, the band gathered in the studio with former roadie Bobby LaKind on congas and Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward for a live run through "Wheels of Fortune." The instrumental parts of that take landed on the record. Johnston would even return to share the lead vocal duties with Patrick Simmons.

Those magical results, and the experience of hearing McDonald woodshed the title track at the piano, turned Templeman into a believer and cheerleader. Spurred by their veteran producer's encouragement and McDonald's ideas for songs, the Doobie Brothers embraced new directions just as they did after their debut LP and on subsequent efforts with orchestral and horn treatments. The latter return on Takin’ It to the Streets courtesy of the five-piece Memphis Horns. Yet outside of viola accompaniment on "Losin' End," string elements step aside in favor of McDonald's pianos, synthesizers, and clavinet. And, on five cuts, lead singing.

As the new face of the band, McDonald ended up crafting all or portions of four tunes. His fingerprints are all over two of the singles, including the jazzy, blue-eyed-soul delight “It Keeps You Runnin’” and irresistibly melodic title track, which cracked the Top 15 and became one of the Doobie Brothers’ signature numbers. He and Baxter’s penchant for smoothness, and a precursor to the band’s coming transition into rhythmically oriented yacht rock, informs the brassy sway of “Carry Me Away.”

Further enriched by Tiran Porter’s gorgeous, time-signature-shifting ballad “For Someone Special,” Simmons’ peppy, spring-loaded “8th Avenue Shuffle,” and Johnston’s “Turn It Loose” — the move-your-feet boogie serving as kind of apt farewell to the band’s prior rock ‘n’ roll sound — Takin’ It to the Streets spun uncertainty into gold. Altered yet unbowed, the Doobie Brothers once again offered countless listeners “the best kind of remedy” with feel-good music that holds up amid any era.

Devo Marries Gritty Guitars with Expansive Keyboard Canvasses on Duty Now for the Future:
Transitional Album Furthers the Band’s Satirical Stance, Includes Cover of “Secret Agent Man”
Hear the 1979 Record in Audiophile-Grade Sound and at 45RPM for the First Time:
Mobile Fidelity’s Numbered-Edition 180g 45RPM 2LP Set
Benefits from Enhanced Definition and Presence
1/4” / 15 IPS Dolby A analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe

“Pop music needs a big enema.” Devo created Duty Now for the Future with that mission statement, relayed to the press by co-founding bassist/vocalist Gerald Casale, in mind. Though unfairly pegged by some as an example of the common sophomore slump, the record spurred the group’s interest in electronic instrumentation, extended its penchant for biting social satire, and contained another transformative cover song in the form of “Secret Agent Man.” Above all, the 1979 work proved the Ohio pranksters were anything but a joke even if they would have to wait one more year until for their mainstream breakthrough.

Sourced from the original master tapes, mastered by engineer Krieg Wunderlich, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition 180g 45RPM 2LP set presents Duty Now for the Future in audiophile-grade sound. Benefitting from the extra groove space on this first-ever 45RPM version, it plays with enhanced definition, deep-black backgrounds, and ultra-quiet surfaces.

Though certain band members later expressed regret with some of his decisions, the merits of Ken Scott’s production emerge like never before. A lurking edginess serves as a signpost in Devo’s progression before it fully embraced keyboards as a primary tool. Guitars possess punch and grit and, along with the crisp arrangements, are sharpened with an ear toward accuracy and vibrancy. It all helps give Duty Now for the Future a direct immediacy that answers the complaints of listeners who felt the affair too processed or sterilized.

Notably, a majority of the material here stems from the same grab bag of songs Devo banked before Warner Bros. signed it to a deal. The album marks a capstone to Phase One of a career that for all intents and purposes began in 1973. And just like many of the group’s performances of that era, Duty Now for the Future remains just as famous for the critical disdain it inspired as the music itself. A vicious review in Rolling Stone — the very publication that a few decades later would trumpet the band as one of the most important of its age — ended with the writer offering to send readers shards of the LP he planned on smashing to bits.

Perhaps he just needed to experience this new-wave effort with the restored sound that makes everything now feel so explosive and urgent. Whatever the case, the songs hold up and, amid a contemporary period which gives increasing license to artificial intelligence and behemoth conglomerates, seem more apt than ever before.

Consider “Blockhead,” which skewers the predictable appearances and numb-to-the-world actions of a rule follower. Or the similarly themed “Clockout,” an uptempo ditty whose thumbing-its-nose bravado and sardonic lyrics send up corporate culture with an irresistible smirk. As for the wiry, hard-hitting urgency of “Wiggly World” and Mark Mothersbaugh’s loud declaration that “They say the fittest shall survive/Yet the unfit may live”: Evidence these art-school rabble-rousers still had some punk fury to flush out of their system. And the sincere allure of the charged power pop and wishful circumstances of “The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize” cannot be denied.

To point to an interesting bit of history that makes Duty Now for the Future all the more intriguing, particularly for the most committed Spuds, more than half its tracks were selected for Greatest Misses — a 1990 anthology that celebrates lesser-known cuts and functions as a rejoinder to a hits compilation from the same year. (The only track from the 1979 album to make the “hits” disc: “Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA.”)

Indeed, tunes like the riff-driven albeit controversial “Pink Pussycat,” atmospherically twitching “S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain),” and ceremonial instrumental “Devo Corporate Anthem” may lack the catchy appeal and all-together coherence of what follows on the group’s third and most commercially successful effort, Freedom of Choice. Yet in order to get there, to de-evolve if you will, the band needed the smorgasbord that is Duty Now for the Future.

Dig in.

Move in Stereo: The Cars’ Eponymous Debut Album Functions as a Greatest-Hits Set with Classics Such as "You're All I've Got Tonight," "Good Times Roll," and "Just What I Needed"
Experience the Six-Times-Platinum Record in Definitive Sound on
Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP Box Set:
Strictly Limited to 4,000 Numbered Copies,
It Plays with Reference Definition and Presence
1/4” / 15 IPS analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe.

Among the most critically and commercially successful debuts in history, the Cars' eponymous album doubles as a greatest-hits collection. Not one song on it is widely unrecognized or unknown. Consider the list: "You're All I've Got Tonight." "Good Times Roll." "Just What I Needed." "Moving in Stereo." "My Best Friend's Girl." "Don't Cha Stop." “Bye Bye Love.” Just call The Cars the best new-wave rock album ever made. And a natural candidate for preservation on a Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step pressing.

Sourced from the original analog tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, mastered by engineer Krieg Wunderlich, and strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, MoFi’s UD1S 180g 45RPM 2LP box set presents the six-time platinum record in the most vivid, wide-spanning, three-dimensional sound it has enjoyed on vinyl. Compared to the label’s outstanding and out-of-print 180g 33RPM version, this collectible edition features richer textures, broader openness, greater presence, and bigger dynamics.

Benefitting from the extra groove space on 45RPM by playing with enhanced definition, deep-black backgrounds, and ultra-quiet surfaces, this reissue portrays the band’s oscillating rhythms, futuristic keyboard passages, and panned images with stunning realism. Songs take on an absolutely surreal quality. The Cars and producer Roy Thomas Baker manipulate arrangements at will to mesmerize listeners' senses. The concept of "moving in stereo” has likely never been truer.

The industry-leading packaging of the UD1S set gives fans another reason to gravitate towards the 1978 album. A deluxe slipcase, two foil-stamped jackets, faithful-to-the-original graphics, and MoFi inner sleeves make for a premium tactile experience. It invites you to immerse yourself in everything about the record, including the now-familiar cover art depicting Nataliya Medvedeva behind the wheel. Enhanced by her glistening ruby-red lips, her face flashes an expression caught between surprise, ecstasy, and disbelief — an apropos way of responding to The Cars whether you’re hearing it for the first or 1,115th time.

Introduced in 2024 into the National Recording Registry for its significance, and ranked the 353rd Greatest Album of All Time by Rolling Stone, The Cars explodes with emotion, energy, and hooks. Its songs unite then-disparate styles: bubblegum melodies, art-rock angularity, progressive structuralism, terse minimalism, and power-pop sheen. The stylish arrangements also benefit from a laidback cool and understated irony that remain uncommon in the world of contemporary mainstream music.

Equally rare is the deep chemistry the members shared before they entered London’s AIR Studios and knocked out the record in less than a month. Benjamin Orr and Ric Ocasek began their first band together in the early ‘70s. A subsequent group with future Cars keyboardist Greg Hawke preceded Orr and Ocasek bonding further by temporarily performing as a duo. One final pre-Cars ensemble, Cap’n Swing, brought guitarist Elliot Easton into the fold. A decision by Ocasek to take the band in a rock direction, a crucial lineup shuffle, and a name change begat the Cars so many listeners know and love.

Already a going concern in Boston, the quintet cut its teeth and woodshopped songs for nearly a year and a half before signing with Elektra and partnering with Baker. The Cars enjoyed success right out of the gate, hitting No. 18 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and netting a pair of Top 40 singles in the form of “Just What I Needed” and deceptively happy “My Best Friend’s Girl.” The sarcastic “Good Times Roll” climbed to No. 41, but soon enough, almost every track on The Cars became a radio staple — an honor far more meaningful than chart positions.

Obsessed with incorporating the latest technologies and sounds into its palette, the band spiced tunes with delightful and quirky accents — country-tinged guitar fills, echoing Syndrums, reggae splashes, hard-rock tones, robotic pulses. Orr's low, nuanced deliveries and Ocasek's cool, detached vocals lend shades of doubt and double meaning to the lyrics, which are further counterbalanced by synthesizer flourishes and electronic beats.

Accessible and eccentric, edgy and catchy: The results comprise a landmark whose characters come to vivid life with nuclear boots, dry-drip gloves, ribbon-festooned coiffures, suede-blue eyes, and rock ‘n’ roll hair. It's practically impossible to avoid humming along to every song, all enhanced by Baker's stellar production. Best known for his work with Queen, he ensured the record packed a punchy midrange, opened up with instrumental and vocal separation, and breathed with airy harmonies.

Indeed, from the timeless music to the sleek production and sonic restoration, The Cars on UD1S is just what you needed.

Dan Piu and Grant's Theory of Movement project is rather sporadic - we last heard from it more than a year ago - but that only makes fresh drops all the more essential. This return to When The Morning Comes opens with the swirling ambience and deft house depths of 'The Geometry Of Leaving', which is a heady scene-setter before 'Suspended Motion' floats you amongst more airy pads. 'The Distance Between Things' has a joyful feeling of hope and optimism in the luminous keys, and the Acid version beefs it up for extra club impact. Artful sounds from two seasoned heads.

The mystery continues.

Matahari returns with its fourth chapter, bringing another collection of carefully crafted underground cuts from familiar faces hiding behind unknown identities.

Four secret weapons, reworked with a fresh perspective and built for those who know. Raw grooves, unexpected twists and a touch of nostalgia, all made with one thing in mind: the dancefloor.

No names, no rules, just music.

Vinyl only. Limited copies. MATAHARI 004.