quête:real

"Acid Floresta" is the result of a process of sonic recognition and translation. A term that has taken shape over the past few years to name a search that, in reality, began more than a decade ago: the intersection between foreign rhythms and the music that inhabits the streets, with its social dynamics and its irreducible vitality.



This album is born from the observation and listening of the everyday sounds that shape the sonic identity of the neighborhood: the corner store, the metro, the billiard hall, the street corner. Spaces where music is not a choice but a constant pulse of life. The percussion of the street, the echo of a distant radio, the spontaneous phrasing of a conversation—these become raw material. From there, the process moves to the studio, where bass, synthesizers, drum machines, and samplers serve as tools of translation: what begins as a documentation of reality transforms into a musical interpretation.



At this point, a tension emerges between what is learned and what is felt. For years, tropical music and vallenato were part of a sonic landscape that coexisted with external influences, generating both distance and affinity. But within that push and pull—between the familiar and the unknown—a common thread was revealed: sabor. Not as a genre, but as an essence, a vital and irreplace able force.



"Acid Floresta" is structured in three and the performative stage, where music returns to the streets, closing the cycle. It is in this final moment that its true nature emerges: in the shared vibration, in danceability, in what connects beyond geography and context.

The album proposes a dialogue between intimacy and collective experimentation, between latineo and electronic music, between the raw and the processed. A space where the music of the streets and the music of the floresta converge to create a new sonic memory.

A1 - Tidal Realm

Opening with the kind of finely-honed, sumptuous ambience we know and love Aural Imbalance for, Tidal Realm slowly reveals its welcoming arc with filtered breakbeats and a captivating off-beat string melody before analogue amen breaks are expertly chopped and sliced at will for our listening pleasure. Further melodic charm is added as the soothing ambient backdrops rise like a calming mist, blanketing the scene in style.

A2 - Tears Of An Angel

Subdued breaks sleepily laze during the intro to Tears Of An Angel, gently roused to movement by a sombre backdrop of delicate pads and high pitched ambient textures. Once in full swing, the old-school breakbeats nestle perfectly over a deep, earthy 808 bassline while the atmosphere develops continually through a melodic, ethereal landscape crafted with a trademark understated panache.

B1 - Surface Area

Readying for the unexpected, a suitably eerie ambient intro to Surface Area sees Aural Imbalance flex his versatility once more as a stunningly crafted break pattern suddenly takes center stage and immediately whisks the listener on a journey to lands afar. Micro melodies and inimitable pads add depth but make no mistake - these breaks are sublime, and will inspire both the listener and the dancefloor in equal measure.

B2 - Warm Embrace

Closing out the EP we have Warm Embrace, which opens with the sounds of playful fireflies in the twilight, emitting their soft glow through the washes of inexplicably radiant FX. Old school breaks soon enter the mix, constructed with aplomb over a bed of deep, classic 808 bass perfect for the occasion. The breakdown introduces a deliciously delicate melody, adding further depth to the track perfectly before the breaks and nightlife resume their frolics.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Vinyl-Compilation mit den besten Tracks der bei Kent erschienenen Sampler 'This Is Lowrider Soul'. 14 Tracks, schwarzes Vinyl!

Appart … long time ne see on vinyl... And again a superb album, trippy and thin... very rich of many influences and ambiances... From Klez to jazz... Breakbeat Fanfare for everyone ! This is a real high level musician from the underground since years ! Don't miss !!

The Situation collective headed up by Mr Mulatto and Frank Situation return with their much-anticipated new album ‘Audio Proxemics’. Across nine sumptuous tracks it explores a warm array of sounds from jazz-flecked deep house to soulful nu-disco with guests like Javonntte, Faze Action's Robin Lee and more. Situation is a collective of DJs, producers, editors, and musicians who hail from the five valleys of Stroud in the UK. Between them they have deep roots in electronic music and have been entrenched in the scene on many levels from hosting their own events, organising free parties, releasing everything from deep house to tech under several aliases and, since 2014, have established Situationism Records with cultured sounds from the likes of Ashley Beedle, Greg Wilson, Dr. Packer, and more.

This accomplished new album has been two years in the making and began with three tracks recorded by South African vocalist Venessa Jackson while she was on tour in the UK. As well as Venessa’s sweet tones, vocalists from across the globe contribute alongside some core Situation members: James Payne, Phil aka Dr Keys and Jon Gray aka BitterSuite who take care of bass, arrangement, production, and guitar.

It’s a timeless record that spans everything from jazz to funk with real musicality and standout instrumental skills lighting up each track. Underground favourite Javonntte adds deep and smoky tones to the flute laced and sunny house sounds of 'Bullit' while 'Never Taken A Weekend Off' is a lush broken beat sound with radiant synth leads and vocal hooks that echo classic Brit funk. 'Mrs Donovan' is a more club-ready sound with dazzling keys dancing over dusty house drums and 'Fairy Godmother' is a gorgeous slice of disco house with vibrant strings from Faze Action's Robin Lee and an effortlessly cool acid jazz vocal. Add in 'Over & Over', a lovely jumble of chords, organic percussion and life-affirming horns, and the hip-swinging drums and expressive interplay of sax and synth on the uplifting 'Rodborough Groove' and you have an album perfectly suited to bright days and hot summer nights.

Running Back is delighted to introduce RB Studio Sessions, a new sub-imprint of music envisioned, recorded and fully realised at Running Back’s in-house studio.
Built on the promise of unfettered creative freedom and aided by agreeable local autobahn connections in the Hesse region, the RB Studio Sessions project is christened with the work of Running Back’s founder, chief dreamer, and Geschäftsführer, Gerd Janson.
For this debut edition, he is joined for a momentous jam by the new-school hero of the house, good friend and kindred spirit, Narciss.
Just as Running Back’s earliest releases dropped a stylus to preserve timeless ideals of club culture, the four tracks on ‘No Maze Like Heaven’ further this continuum by turning back the sonic clock just a decade or so. Picture, if you will, a nascent Narciss, youthfully club
hopping and deeply inspired by the selections of Gerd himself, alongside a selection of DJs coaxing the Panorama Bar blinds open with exquisite, mid-tempo precision.
As such, new light immediately floods in for ‘Chicco’s Chips’, which captures many of those irresistible elements—Italo-tinted synths, hooky vocals, and perfect percussion— regenerated with the wide-eyed, high energy of Narciss’s own solo productions. ‘Elka,
meanwhile, is a richer, deeper dish, masterfully interlocking multiple heavenly melodies under layers of optimistic analogue fuzz.
Narciss and Gerd then look to the Netherlands for further collaboration with one of electronic music’s best-loved vocalists and another fine producer, Coloray, who fills ‘Look For You’ with a yearning performance in the vulnerable, synth-pop tradition. Finally, ‘No
Maze Like Heaven’ builds on this mood and melody for a finale that hits the sweet spot between machine power and oh-so-human emotion.
Featuring labyrinthian artwork from the mighty Gasius., via a sleeve that appears to blend M.C. Escher with MC Hammer, ‘No Maze Like Heaven’ proves to be a divine foundation of RB Studio Sessions. For Narciss, “a memory they will cherish forever.”
For Gerd, a taxdeductible working lunch. For DJs and dancers? Four ebullient hits-in-waiting, sounding great and meaning more.

MixCult Records is glad to introduce its new release, deeply curated various artists compilation that will take one journeying through resonant realms within Deep and Dub Techno. It boasts a lineup that features renowned artists such as Kirill Matveev, Genning, TM Shuffle, and Nicolas Barnes. Now this record offers four compelling tracks with rich sonic textures and emotive depths, characteristic of the genre.

A1: Eric Louis - Voice Memo Original: The first track, "Voice Memo" by Eric Louis, is purely an introspective personal record. Soft pulsations of the bass weave in and out of haunting melodic vocal samples to create an atmosphere that is strong and enduring.

A2: Kirill Matveev - Never Losing That Track Genning Remix: The second offering is Kirill Matveev's "Never Losing That Track", remixed with the masterly touch of Genning. The track builds on the core of the original with added layers of rhythm and heavenly synths soaring above the driving beat. It raises the energy a notch without losing the sophistication, with melodic elements perfectly laced into pulsating basslines. A track that makes the listener immerse themselves in the song: upbeat, yet wistful, so that listeners can get lost within the depth of the sound. The track is designed for those who love to dance at sunrise.

B1: TM Shuffle – Artist by the time the B-side gets underway, TM Shuffle brings the past to the present via "Artist", a rock-solid track now pressed on vinyla gain with some of the very best of strong dub techno sound which we love when mood-setters take over the dancefloors. This track invites introspection, drawing listeners into its depths as they explore the nuances of sound that define the dub techno genre.

B2: Nicolas Barnes - Outro: The "Outro" by Nicolas Barnes is a reflective, ambient conclusion to the journey. This track wraps up the listener in a soothing embrace of lush soundscapes with soft melodies. It's a meditation of the experience, with the stillness of quieted moments ringing deep. The spacious nature of the composition invites listeners into their reflection of this auditory voyage they've just embarked upon. Outro" - demurely deep, summing up the release and leaving its memory in a head long after it really fades. For sure, one of those tracks you do not want to forget while performing a warm-up set.

Every track represents a different exploration of sound, all combined to tell one story that resonates deep and with elegance. The vinyl release of the album is a must-have for any lover of immersive music, as it will invite listeners to get lost within captivating soundscapes.

Christian Kleine continues to unearth long-lost transmissions with Electronic Music From The Lost World: Vol.2 - another batch of pristine artifacts from his personal DAT archive. Much like its predecessor, this release serves as both a time capsule and a reminder of Kleine’s effortless blend of melodic warmth, intricate rhythm programming, punk influences, and a deep-rooted love for the fringes of electronica.
Where Vol.1 felt like an invitation back to the late ‘90s, a time when IDM was still an evolving conversation, this second volume extends the dialogue, revealing more of the sonic experiments and fully-formed pieces that never saw the light of day. Tracks recall specific moments from Kleine’s time living in Berlin, an era of minimal comforts but maximal creativity, where all that really mattered was that the PowerPC, sampler, and synths kept running. This period of introspection, coupled with the musical freedom afforded by cheap rent and late-night school classes, shaped the deeply personal and solitary sound of these recordings.
Visually, Vol 2 shares its origins with the first volume, as Midori Hirano’s stark Berlin photography forms the foundation, and Noah M / Keep Adding pushes the imagery into a brighter, more reflective final space. Final touches remain in familiar hands, with LOOP-O on mastering and lacquer duties, bringing new life to Christian’s OG DAT recordings. 
And much like the classic City Centre Offices era that shaped this sound and Kleine’s early career, this release nods to that legacy. A special limited 7” EP with two bonus tracks, designed in tribute to CCO’s iconic DIY aesthetic, will be available on release day direct from the label’s Bandcamp. 

Tony Johnson--the electrifying new alter ego of multi-talented artist Toon Janssens. Under this moniker, he delves deep into the world of acid and electronic soundscapes, capturing the raw energy of the early days. Get ready to be transported into a hypnotic realm of cosmic atmospheres.

Foxtail Records delivers its first vinyl release with a true soundtrack for the skies of heaven.
Celestial Dance EP by Tommy Vicari JNR and Loopdeville. A 4-track journey through celestial soundscapes, this release is a cure for the heart, pulling you into a dreamlike, cosmic realm.
Join us on this journey.
The stunning artwork comes from legendary Japanese painter Suyama Masaru, capturing the essence of freedom and escape-how our souls truly feel.

Dreamlogicc's a hard producer to second guess and he shows why with this latest outing on Sub Terrain. It explores everything from high-tempo and half-time to jungle, footwork and more. There is a real swagger and menace to the opener 'Finite Resource', 'Take It And Break It' then brings minimal drum & bass and caustic synth textures, 'Thyme To Goa To Bed' is a piano happy jungle workout, 'Dos Equitus' slows things down to smeared synth ambience and half-time steppers, more wobbly low ends come on 'Dox Equitus' and there is some manic IDM on 'Uncredited.' This one is mad limited so do not sleep as it won't be around long.

DJ Rocca and Chris Coco spent some time hanging out together by the pool at an intimate festival called La Casella in Umbria in the
late summer of 2019.
They spent a lot of time talking about Italo Disco, the Rimini / Riccione riviera in it’s heyday in the 90s and classic clubs from the early
days of the Italian scene.
By the end of that beautiful weekend they had decided to make some music together that would somehow capture and reflect their own
hazy memories of places they visited or played and nostalgic dreams of earlier scenes they were too young to participate in.
Over the ensuing months the idea developed into an imaginary retro-futuristic club called CocoRocca DiscoTeca, a fantasy version of
a past club that never existed and at the same time a future club that was really possible to create one day.
If there was such a club, what would the music sound like?
Surely, a fusion of various sounds of dub/house/disco that the pair of DJs had been collecting and playing out for years. So inspiration
lists were made and ,slowly, a soundtrack for a night at that imaginary club began to take shape, beginning slow and dreamy, for the
moment of arrival; lifting up to a peak; and finally drifting down to the final tune of the night.
The result goes something like this…

Gangsta rap history makes a comeback for RSD 2025 with the re-release of Tweedy Bird Roc’s 1994 album, 'No Holds Barred.' This album, which was previously only available on CD, is now available for the first time as a LP vinyl after 30 years. It was the second and final project produced by the Compton rapper, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 52. One of his most significant achievements was organising and recording a collaborative album featuring both Bloods and Crips rappers and gang members (Tweedy Bird Roc, an active Crips member), aiming to promote peace between the rival gangs. Limited edition.

No words are needed for tracks and collaborations this bold, but we still decided to give it a short introduction.

Hips don’t lie on the title track “Make A Scene”, which comes with two massive remixes. Dirty Dutch legend Chuckie teams up with Finnish talent Skuwa to deliver some real old-school bubbling beats. Man of the moment, DJ Babatr, completes the A-side with his Raptor House remix—a heavy, drum-driven build-up that erupts into a volcanic dancefloor moment.

Koperblond collaborates with hot new producers AUTOFLOWER and Beau de Wit on “Feel You”, a piano house track with a catchy vocal. It’s all fun—perfect for getting every crowd on their feet.

Closing duties for “Plan B.”, a deeper house groove that captures the bittersweet loneliness of being without your love. Even when everyone assures you it will come, the emptiness can still feel real— and this track captures that emotion perfectly.

We are so back.

This time with a different approach. Focusing on what just feels right and letting go of everything else. Last year was not spent in silence and this one won’t be either. Join us for Underworld, a 6-track mini album by Eric OS.

Hope you enjoy!

Red Pig Flower brings you her sensational debut album Practice Love, available on Sound Of Vast from 10th April. Her unique sound sits upon the apex of a three-sided pyramid. With Berlin, Tokyo and Seoul as the base, Red is a third culture kid, greater than the sum of her parts. The centre is filled with her incredible appreciation and knowledge of house and electronic music from every pin drop through history.

So taken with Red Pig Flower’s sound, Honey Dijon invited Red to her Southbank Centre show to play alongside her. Moxie loves her that much, that she invited Red to record a mix and to guest on her NTS show. Alan Fitzpatrick, and Just Her are amongst Red’s growing posse of followers.

Practice Love is a culmination of all of Red Pig Flower’s life experiences, brimming with her positive energy and an outlook on life of pure love. Red has collaborated with like-minded artists at every level: the music, the cover art and video all produced with talented friends, who get Red as the wonderful person she is and understand her vision. Her label partner and good friend, Knock in particular helped make Practice Love the incredible album it is. So intuitive is their musical symbiosis, they made 20 tracks and carefully curated and ordered nine of these, making an album of tracks that stand out on their own, yet flow perfectly as an album. Practice Love will make you feel joyous when you play it. By the end, you will feel like you know Red like a friend.

Practice Love kicks off with I don’t care, it makes you feel good: a dreamy, tribal mantra of a track that does exactly what it says on the tin. Next up is I Love To Dance. Red’s beautiful soft vocal is sweet yet poignant, leaving you in no doubt of her sincerity. Thirdly comes Feel Good Music. Are you getting a feel from the track names yet that this is an album of warmth and positivity? You can imagine this one at a Café Del Mar sunset, where those who get the spirituality of Ibiza come together, in the moment to appreciate the beauty of a sunset and understand that no matter how many you see, each is magical and unique.

The three tracks so far have taken you to twilight. The titular Practice Love takes you by the hand onto the dancefloor. There is a double meaning to ‘Practice Love’- The first is to make love your practice. The second is that you need to practice love to be able to become a practitioner of love. The video, shot by her friend Jelly, features Red Pig Flower in Brick Lane, London, wearing a little piggy mask and offering free hugs. The first passersby ignore her sign, but Red isn’t disheartened, spreading the right message, dancing with joy. Her optimism is rewarded, making peoples day better on a cold English afternoon.

Fifth track Sax and Drugs takes things a little sleazier, the beat is filthy and the synths are sexy. Your body starts to move to this one before your brain even realises. The incredible Declan McDermott joins on saxophone, the funkiest synths and Red’s sultry vocal washing your soul with Laurent Garnier inspired sunlight. On Thisiz House Music, again featuring Declan, Red takes you even further back. About Frankie Knuckles O’Clock, with a portal straight to 2025.

By now, you will agree with me that Practice Love flows so, so well. I Wanna Meet Somebody follows incredibly, continuing the feeling that if you close your eyes, you’re dancing with David Mancuso at the Loft. No Money completes this EP-within-an-album. Perfect vocal samples, valve synth riff and 808 drum patterns showing that producers as good as Red Pig Flower make it sound effortless. The best albums finish memorably and No Genre is one of those perfect finishers. Think Andrew Wetherall’s production on Screamadelica. The lights are up in the club, nobody wants to go home, arms in the air wanting more.

Red Pig Flower explains: Practice Love resonates deeply with me because house music has always been a sanctuary—a place for unity, joy, and self-expression. As a nomad and outsider, club culture and house music became my shelter. The cities I’ve lived in—Seoul, Tokyo, Berlin, and London and more—nurtured me and shaped who I am today. That’s why the cover, by the incredible Carlos Sulpizio features their skylines, and the album is multilingual, representing the diverse influences in my life.

Practice Love is like a meal that has been prepared lovingly. They always taste better. And there’s plenty more to come from Red Pig Flower. How was your appetizer?

We kick off our Prozpektiva series for the first time this year with relative newcomer Ocean T. Co-founder and manager of the Laconica label this talented DJ & Producer from Lviv has 3 releases to his name which has seen good support from some top selectors. This EP features perfect examples of contemporary house music with lush pads, banging beats and some real deal Plastic City vibes.

Announcing the debut album from one of London’s most electrifying acts, New Regency Orchestra. An 18-piece Afro-Cuban big band, inspired by the musical melting pot of NYC in the 1950s, but with the punch and power of a whole host of London’s best Latin and jazz musicians. Blowing new life into these compositions, the album is a reimagining of some of the finest music from that golden era. From early 1950s René Hernandez and Tito Puente, through to the 1970s salsa of Rafael Labasta and Orlando Marin, produced and performed with fresh fire.

NRO is the brainchild of its artistic director, and the man behind Total Refreshment Centre and Church of Sound, Lex Blondin. Through a long-held passion for jazz, Lex discovered the explosive Afro-Cuban rhythms of mid-1940s NYC via the godfather of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mario Bauzá. A time when two musical worlds collided in a fusion of creativity and energy, jazz luminaries like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker joining forces with Cuban greats like Machito and Chano Pozo. This vibrant sound was music to dance to and found a home at The New York Palladium, a formative space of freedom and expression that was key to the scene’s development.

Although dance-focussed in their makeup, those early recordings are not often heard in modern club environments and Lex dreamt of retelling their story with a contemporary dynamism. A slice of serendipity followed, as a slot at a new festival opened up and Lex jumped at the chance to make this idea a reality, an 18-piece big band breathing new life into these beloved songs.

Enlisting the expertise of some of the capital’s finest talent, Lex and co-captain Andy Wood, of Como No fame, put together a world-class line-up of talent. Bringing in Eliane Correa as musical director and bandleader, a fluid and interchanging 18-piece band was formed.

The album itself is a hand-picked selection of timeless Afro-Cuban jazz classics, reimagined with NRO’s unbridled energy. It contains ten incredible instrumental tracks including 'Pregon' with its anthemic horn stabs and the addictive head nod bounce of 'Mambo Rama', alongside two scorching vocal numbers in 'Papa Boco' and 'Labasta Llego'. Coupling a heavyweight rhythm section with a wall of horns, they provide a fresh spin on songs from Tito Puente and Chico O'Farrill, René Hernandez through to Rafael Labasta.

“Some of the tunes like Tito Puente’s ‘Mambo Rama’ and ‘Scarlet Mambo’ might sound like they went to a gym as extra drums and bass synth were added to them whilst the tune ‘Sahib & Tito’ is a mix of Tito’s ‘Mambo Buda’ and Sahib Shihab’s ‘Nus’. Our intention is to be both respectful to the innovators and inventors of this incredible music and to pay our dues, but also to add something special from London where the city’s new jazz scene connects with its Latin American musicians and the musical influences around us.”

This pure collective joy, shared experience and music you can’t help but move to.

DJ Support: Louie Vega, Kerri Chandler, Jimpster, Kevin Yost, Mr. V, Brian Tappert, Julius Papp, Jovonn and many others

Italian DJ and Producer Jo Paciello makes his debut on Groove Culture with 'The Jazz Syndicate' a stunning 10-track album melting House with Jazz. An album with warm sounds that takes us back to the good glory times of jazzy house. Trumpets, saxophones and guitars grooves dominate the minor chords of piano and rhodes. The Producer invites you to explore a realm where the past and present merge, creating a soundscape that is both nostalgic and refreshingly unique. It's a richly textured journey that combines jazz's improvisational spirit with house and deep-house influences.