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''In a time of peace and prosperity on Phantom Planet, three unwanted heroes arrive home to seek justice where there is none to be sought. Shunned by modern society, Forsh gets a job at the electricity board, Red Defender snoozes through work at the local news and booze, and Bin Man finally finds his dream job... as a postman. With no evil to lay waste to, they put their dinner money together to create the world's greatest record label, BOSS TRACKS. Using broken dustpans and Dance Ejay '98, they create what will go down in history as the most seminal and brilliant piece of musical forgery known to Merseyside. 4 tracks packed full of pure dance floor steroids for your love-pump; this is interstellar muscle music at its finest, let it reach out grab you by the tenderloins! Thank you Phantom Planet Outlaws. Once again the world has been changed forever, for the better.''

Warehouse Find!

After his heroic release 'Like You Mean It EP' Uffe returns under a new name - U Dee, where he looks to explore a more stripped back, lo fi, floor focussed sound.
a Uffe has seen great success in the last year with release on Pets as well as the release of his second LP 'No!' on Max Graef's infamous Tartlet label, which has seen amazing support form the likes of RA, XLR8R and DJ Mag.
Here on 'Love Is Gone EP' we're treated to 5 tracks of lo-fi, minimal DJ tools full of character and a quirkiness that come like a breath of fresh air

Love Notes from Brooklyn offers up this platter from a very exciting new Brooklyn artist, Subtenant. As it says on the tin, The Artisanal Acid EP is heavy on the 303 squelches and emotional content. Each track has a unique pairing of soul and heavy acid funk. Evergeen Soul is the clear lead track here, using a female snippet to keep this otherwise tough little number dancefloor friendly. This track is then reworked by Detroit underground darling, D'Marc Cantu, who pitches things up into funky rave territory. The flip side sees the title track feature the most soulful chords on the entire record, and then on the B2 the artist himself takes to the mic on Know How It Feels. This whole EP feels live and direct from the Brooklyn underground.

Kepler. makes the second contribution to Silencio's catalog with "Planetary Systems I".
With refined ethereal elements rendered from what is surely an eerie origin, "186f", is truly engaging. This track is fueled with a seductive synth heralded by haunting vocals that effectively whisper over its steady, punchy bass line. Meandering in the background is the type of idiophone sound one would associate with a hand-percussion triangle instrument. Its particular effect provides a complex, rolling rhythm that vibrates in a beautiful tone until its objective has been achieved.

On the B-side "452b" is a great track to open up a set with, gentle yet still energetic in how it introduces itself to the audience. It begins with a series of echoing sounds that rise and dive throughout, seemingly reflected off the surface of one's subconscious, in a satisfying manner. Accompanied by a deep pulsating bass line that accents its driving drums, this track will set the tone time and time again.
Imagine the dawning of a realization formed from an inspiring event in nature. The second track, "Luzon", features a laid back tropical tempo and samples that feel transported from a lush, rhythmic rainforest. Kepler expresses this vision within the confines of a catchy groove, utilizing subtle bird sounds and rattles that resonate over layers of atmospheric synth. This is emotional music meant to move a crowd or manufacture a sincere moment of clarity.

POP AMBIENT - our longest-running compilation series after Total - sees a new instalment for 2017, featuring exclusive material from acclaimed genre veterans and series newcomers JENS-UWE BEYER, YUI ONODERA & SCANNER, MAX WÜRDEN, LEANDRO FRESCO, THORE PFEIFFER, KENNETH JAMES GIBSON and SOULSAVERS remixed by WOLFGANG VOIGT.
Following his own cues from preceding entries, Pop Ambient chief curator Voigt again strikes a perfect ratio of established producers and debuting guests: our complete Pop Ambient solo album crew makes an appearance, from JENS-UWE BEYERs atmospheric soundscapes on the tracks FINAL 9.1 and FINAL 10, to THORE PFEIFFERs glitch romance GOOD LIFE, LEANDRO FRESCOs beatific drone fests SONIDO ESPAÑOL and EL ABISMO, as well as KENNETH JAMES GIBSONs melancholic epic HER FLOOD KNOCKED ME TO THE GROUND (BUT I WAS ALREADY THERE. Other returning artists include ANTON KUBIKOV of SCSI-9 fame (with electronic reverie DEKKA) and Cologne soundsmith MAX WÜRDEN, who was last seen releasing wonderfully immersive albums on BineMusic and Wolfgang Voigt's very own Exponate series. His guitar-infused, dubbed-out cut FERNFELD and the mysterious electronic mantra 186.000 MILES PER SECOND are particularly striking renditions of the rich sonic narratives possible in Pop Ambient.
For the 2017 release, we welcome Tokyo-based Pop Ambient novice YUI ONODERA with his tracks CROMO1 and CROMO2, which both serve as opener: a trained musician and architectural acoustic designer by trade, Onodera embeds diverse influences from traditional sound design, film scores, contemporary composition and electro-acoustic experimentation in his work, resulting in intricate drone sculptures and sound skylines. This skill set gels naturally with the sonic sensibilities of iconic experimental composer SCANNER who teams up with Onodera for the cut LOCUS SOLUS - it's an incredible honour to have such a towering figure in advanced electronic music on board. Wolfgang Voigt himself makes an appearance as remixer, turning the track HAL from electronic-rock-gospel duo SOULSAVERS' 2015 album "Kubrick" into a voluptuous and immersive sound journey. It's the cherry on top of a particularly fluffy cake that will prove irresistible to any connoisseur of ambient music.

This is the first 12' of a 2-part series of 12's that will be released digitally as a full-length LP.
After a split single with Muslimgauze and a single of their own on Optimo Trax, we are delighted to present the first Optimo Trax album release by Italy's Underspreche. The album is split across two four- track EPs, released two weeks apart (and also as a complete digital album).
We try to avoid over-hyping our releases, but this one is really fully deserving of the hyperbole I am about to bestow on it. Underspreche first sent me some music a few years ago and seeing them grow and develop has been nothing short of astonishing. I think this is some of the most nuanced and advanced music that Optimo Trax has ever released. There are several dancefloor destroyers here but also music for more developed/leading-edge floors too, as well as some music simply designed to make one's mind melt.

It is very rare that I listen to 4/4 music at home, but this album has been a constant on my hi-fi since it was sent to me.
Super-advanced, organic sampling, inspired vocalisations, acute psychedelic modular sequences, forward- thinking drum programming, this is exactly what I hoped Optimo Trax would be about when I started the label.
From Underspreche's souls to yours.

We certainly have a soft spot and a proven track record here at All Ears for these kind of magical, mysterious morsels
Elaborate Hoax follow up last year's instant sell out 001 with Another fine EP of lovingly mined tracks, expertly reshuffled for contemporary floors From a buried Brazilian Jazz-Funk gem, to a killer early 70's jam outta France, to a super addictive Hot Gossip rewire...Seek, and ye shall find !

Certain sounds inspire us, certain sounds move us, and certain sounds simply propel us deeply and immediately into a place where everything else becomes irrelevant. The latter is the vein of sonic manipulation that can be found on "What One Sees", Sta an Linzatti's latest workout for Chronicle. A prelude
to a forthcoming album, Linzatti has once again shown his incredibly ability to morph time and space to his liking. From the pressure cooking low end in "Brink of Collapse" to the dissonant twilight zone antics of "Just A Thought", Sta an works his way through inner space nding the perfect balance of tension and release, discord and resolve. The resolve comes during moments like "Nobody Observes The Ordinary" and "Passing Ceres", which harmonize subtle yet intricate patterns with chimerical synthwork. It's a vast feat, and a warning bell for the incoming musical architecture that we are so grateful to share with you.

Here comes R-Zone 05, this time coming from a pair of established producers who work both solo and as a duo (and one of them runs a prominent German label). The first track is 'Jungle Fever', a slowed down, dub-culture tinged track of sampled loon bird calls, tooting melodies and raw metallic drums that churn deep down below. It's the sort of track that needs to be played in summer, ideally with a reefer on the go. 'Down-E rave' again calls on druggy references for its inspiration - this time E'd-up dancefloors in the mid-nineties. It's a lazy beat with curious vocal stabs, prominent drum breaks and plenty of deft synth work that takes you up, up and away in style. The flip-side sees two versions of 'nRg Zone'. The Happy Mix is a rinsed out and tripped out track of streaming melodies, more old school and rough drums and plenty of bright, pixelated melodies stabs as well as softer background pads. The Moody Mix operates much more down in the darkened doldrums. It seems to have heavy heart and sultry mood as the percussion churns on beneath golden streaming pads and like everything on the R-Zone series, is stuffed with plenty of very real atmosphere.

In the lead up to their 5th year as a label Music is love celebrate by continuing their infamous VA series the 'LOVEBOX'. Sticking to the winning formula of a hefty double vinyl package comprising of 8 tracks from 8 top artists, this time they have some familiar people alongside new faces to the label.
Kicking off the package in fine form is South London's prodigy Wbeeza and his track 'Bodyman'. It's as if this track announces the the opening of the VA with its beat-less and thickly textured opening... when that beat drops you know your in it!
Label main stay Jamie Trench is up next with his track 'Oil Spill ', this sees Jamie veering away from his tech house roots, delivering a quirky house track laced with an almost footwork groove.
On the Flip we see more new additions to the MIL roster as Ingi Visions ( Samuel Deep & Julian Alexander ) drop Nauyaca, a deep druggy track, with the kind of hypnotic flow and delicate arrangement the pair have become known for. Liam Geddes finishes up the B side , fresh from dropping the previous release on Music is Love his track 'reach out' continues to stamp his unique sound on the label.
And it don't stop...
As we reach for the second vinyl in this double pack we are greeted with a familiar site in the shape of Dutch duo New Jack City. 'Pick Me up' is everything you want from a NJC track, big, bumpy and beautiful.
Mak & Pasteman counter with their very cool track 'U Said', the boys are in serious form at the moment and this track is no different. Slick drum workouts decked out with Juno licks, what's not to love.
The final side welcomes another new act to the stable. Am Unit present their track 'Bang Dat'. With 'Bicep' style production values echoing throughout this track and THAT break, this one will be big.
Closing out the final track is label boss, Oli Furness. 'Broken Summers'. A huge 808 rave workout. Broken beats and sub rattling kicks are the setting for this track, finely polished electronic music for those with a fondness for rave.

American experimental musican Shane English continues in a long tradition of outsider electronics as he's been humbly prolific in his output though the years involving himself in numerous recording projects.Collaborating with Jonah Lange in their group Corporate Park as well as an ongoing collab with Beau Wanzer (seeing a release last year under the CP/BW name), English now commits his second full length solo offering to vinyl in the form of the General Dimensions lp.Sparse machine driven electronics dominate the recording providing a back drop for the occasional pulsating rhythm, metallic clank or floating obscured vocal. While it is a dark and sparse affair there is a quiet downtrodden beauty throughout giving the recording a sense of uncertain serenity in an almost shoegazey way. Highly recommended for those into early electronics.

It's been five years since his acclaimed debut 'Severant' and time has proved it prescient, its futuristic trap influence is now ubiquitous. 'Slow Knife' seems to return to where 'Severant' left off, but with the intricate sound design of last year's haunting EP 'Assertion Of A Surrounding Presence' subsumed into the compositions, making them more exacting and beautifully crafted. Between albums Kuedo has been working as a sound designer and composer for hire and the application of intent and widescreen rigour that commercial work requires has definitely found its way into the new album. 'Slow Knife' has the subtlety, ambition and pacing of a brilliant soundtrack - a sense of an album of scenes, that easily lends itself to an impressionistic narrative. But, as with 'Severant', the title suggests relationship unease, with the slow knife being a metaphor for the building resentment in any close relationship. 'Slow Knife' is almost two albums, the first half, according to Kuedo, invokes the seduction of the city, taking the music of Michael Mann's 'Manhunter' as a cue, with the latter half being inspired by the bloody starscapes and voodoo wilderness of films such as 'Angel Heart', 'Night Of The Hunter' and more recently the 'True Detective' series. Both halves of the album are also in thrall to Mica Levi's inspiring 'Under The Skin' soundtrack, especially in the turbulence of the mid-section. The songs of the albums first half are synthetic and seductive, a gelatinous veil with shades of the pseudo-sophisticated trance of Enigma, of all things, underpinned with dusky unsettling shadows and atmosphere. 'In Your Sleep', perhaps surprisingly, features the vocals of Hayden Thorpe from Wild Beasts, who settles his dark, whispered vocals into the moonlit shadowy atmosphere. 'Floating Forest' is the first track to allow back some of Kuedo's experimentation with the Southern rap template, which he explored before it became commonplace, with echoed drum splashes and a sinister repetitive motif, ending with a haunting growl. The second half of the album enters wilderness territory with 'Approaching's slow descending notes, before 'Broken Fox - Black Hole' throws the record into the cathartic darkness, as undulating chords play hide and seek with riotous reeds and scratchy strings grown from challenging collaborations with cello player Koenraad Ecker (from Lumisokea). 'Breaking The Surface' shivers and coils, before metal and strings dominate while 'In Your Skin' feels like being lost in a vast hinterland before 'Warmer Light' introduces some memories of sunshine, with its plucked bassline and spiralling dub. 'Halogen Light' opens with the sound of crickets and a clear piano, cleansing the soul before 'Lathe' brings things down to earth with a short, yet powerful coda.

Hotflush are proud to welcome an exciting new talent to the roster. Her name is Or:la and she arrives at her debut 12' already boasting a formidable reputation as a DJ and promoter in the UK - her long-standing Meine Nacht party is Merseyside's finest and her appearances on WHP line-ups are turning heads. The 12' in question is 'UK Lonely' - a four track EP that flaunts enviable range and seems to contradict the producer's youthful years. In it she covers a broad spectrum of past and contemporary influences spanning garage, Afrobeat, breaks and dubstep.
The A-side is punchy yet elegant: vocal cut-ups drift through off-beat percussions in title track 'UK Lonely', while riddims and melodies weave in and out of each other on an exotic 'Limbosoup'. The B-side is more contemplative: 'X & O' recalls the wistful vocals and layers them over aughties breakbeats before 'Jaipur' rounds off this opening salvo in delicate and playful fashion, hinting at things to come.

Double 180 gram, half-speed vinyl re-release of the orchestral epic. Norwegian Grammy-nominated and critically acclaimed masterpiece «The Mechanical Fair» finally gets it's long awaited vinyl release

Jampacked with a wellspring of harmonic slingshots, pumping beats and melodic rollercoasters, critics called The Mechanical Fair «the best movie you'll never see» and drew comparisons to Igor Stravinsky's «The Rite of Spring» upon it's original release in 2014. It's apparent appeal to an surprisingly wide range of musical communities finally brought it right into DJ dance-wiz Todd Terje's hands. And make no mistake: the physicist hands doesn't settle for an iPad. It craves vinyl. His wholehearted endorsement led the captain of the Olsen Family to clear the rights, assemble his own killer remix and requisition Grammy-winning cutting engineer Matt Colton for a gorgeous double 180 gram, half-speed vinyl re-release of the orchestral epic.

Originally written for a quintet including heavily merited jazz cats Erik Nylander, Ole Morten Vågan, Petter Vågan and Even Helte Hermansen in 2013, The Mechanical Fair expanded at the initiative of the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival, growing bolder and more powerful with the addition of the adventurous and Grammy-winning chamber orchestra The Trondheim Soloists in 2014.

Having just spearheaded seven genre-blending shows in just six days as the «Artist in Residence» of this years prestigious Molde International Jazz Festival, the multi award-winning Norwegian violinist/multiinstrumentalist, composer and producer Ola Kvernberg (35) can look back at an already impressive recording- and performing career. The once 17 year old jazz manouche violin sensation quickly and impatiently moved beyond the jazz realm for inspiration - resulting in seven albums as a solo artist, eight feature films as a movie score composer and countless additional recordings as a sideman. His list of collaborators range from jazz legends Pat Metheny and Joshua Redman, via post/prog-rock act Motorpsycho, to collaborations with world renowned novelists Lars Saabye Christensen and Jo Nesbø. His fearless attitude and relentless drive towards the boundaries of genres has given him a well-earned high standing on the Scandinavian scene today.

Don't miss out on this rollercoasting, genre-twisting magnum opus as it finally hits is true potential on the Olsen label on November 11 this fall.

Original release from 1977 "Reissues of a legendary artist, pioneer of the French electronic music. "The French proto-electro is making a come-back as we've seen it with the success of both Cosmic Machine compilations. "Their 7 Onyx"sold over 3 million copies worldwide. "Space Art is behind the massive hits: Onyx", Give Me Love", Love In C Minor"and more "One of half of the band, Dominique Perrier, is one of legend Jean-Michel Jarre's closest collaborators. Recognized as a keyboard virtuoso, he worked on all Jarre's albums from Rendez-Vous"(1986)to Oxygène 7-1 (1997) and still tours with him around the world. Space Art also toured with him in China in the early '80s. "Alongside Jean-Michel Jarre and Cerrone they are one of the most influential bands that pioneered electro music.

The Tiger is back - finally on full length again! The second studio album for Tiger & Woods not only marks a desired return to a specific format, but is also a huge leap forward in their area of expertise: their brand of fun and functional dance music gets broadened by influences from electronica, italo disco and up-tempo house, while keeping a groove that is distinctly linked to what some people refer to as boogie. After travelling the world from left to right and from top to bottom with a live-set to boot and skilful DJ sets that resemble that genre melting approach, "On The Green Again" is the result of spending valuable studio time at the "Tiger's Lair" - a carefully-built new work place that plays its own part in the creative process of one of the most prolific production teams of our days, while simultaneously starting T&W Records for all sorts of adventures that are linked to Tiger & Woods, but not narrowed to a specific sound. See "Unleashed Tapes Vol. 1" for further reference. A double A-sided 12-inch that owes as much to disco as an influence as it pays homage to the funkier and brighter sides of house and techno. Honing a craft that is rooted in edit culture as an ethos, but has since long left that bumpy road dependable on samples and their clearance, T&W make "On The Green Again" work as the second album that defies the difficulty usually attached to such ventures. 10 brand-new tracks (and three previously released bonus tracks on the CD version) make up the course between peak-time prime cuts similar to "RockMeLoveMe" or "Come And Get My Lovin" and an almost heart-aching track like "Endless Affair". Mixed with bits and pieces in-between and neatly placed between a classic intro and outro segment, those tracks are testament

Amongst the first bunch of this new label releases, we couldn't miss a tribute to one of the greatest masters of libraries recordings, Alessandro Alessandroni, born in 1925. In his long career Alessandroni has published lots of soundtracks - and we mean lots of - and for this he's considered a real star of Italian music. As a friend, and close collaborator of Ennio Morricone, he's remembered as "the whistle man" for his fundamental contribution to the immortal scores of Sergio Leone's movies. His class allowed him to range between genres and atmospheres, from beat to avant-garde, from funky to abstract compositions, always reaching and keeping the highest quality. This is immediately clear in "Il Tempo Dello Spirito", originally published in 1971 for the meritorious Flirt label. It's an album full of sacred music, gospel and spiritual, yet capable of personal flashes that make it interesting, particular and unique. Simple church songs In some cases it may seems so - titles as Ave Maria, Gloria In Excelsis Deo, Pellegrinaggio or Messa Solenne do not leave much room for doubt and interpretations - but Alessandroni is able to astonish even in extreme cases like this.

Josh Praus has been involved in San Francisco's Bay Area scene for the last two decades. A prolifc collector and player of records, What We Tellin' Them marks his frst public outing as a producer. As debuts go, it's pretty darn impressive.
Praus has been working hard in the studio over the last three years, creating tracks that draw infuence from a wide range of styles and artists. He cites 'downtempo, disco, house, Italo and techno' as major inspirations,
and listeners may hear elements from all of these disparate styles on this assured, confdent EP.
Some may hear echoes of the trippy, tribal-infuenced house sound of Siesta and Tango Recordings in the dense, drum-heavy shuffe of 'What We Tellin' Them', while others may fnd comparisons with African rhythm tracks and hypnotic, late night techno. However you frame it, 'What We Tellin' Them' is
an impressively percussive, mid-tempo workout designed to tease and titillate late night dancefoors. Flipside 'Lucas Valley Dr', featuring the dreamy, freestyle vocals of experienced San Fran singer Nina Lares, couldn't be more different. Sparse, synthesizer-driven and undeniably intoxicating, it seemingly channels the spirit of both dubbed-out West Coast deep house, and the similarly delay-laden New York proto-house of Winston Jones and Paul Simpson. Throw in clear Italo-disco and Chicken Lips infuences, and you've got something that's undeniably magical. Both tracks were produced by Josh Praus at his home studio, with additional production, mixing and mastering by friend Layne Fox, best known as part of regular Leng contributors 40 Thieves.

GA008 sees another 7" release from the label, this time, Spain and Norway collide to give you Joy! On vocal duties, Spanish rub-a-dub Queen, Ponchita Peligros delivers a powerful and personal message of triumph as only she can. Norwegian 8-bit aficionados, Helgeland 8-bit Squad provide a melodic steppas riddim featuring a twangy nylong guitar and nuff bass to move tings forward inna proper 80s digikal style.

Taken from the acclaimed "Migration" album, "Kypoli" sees Poirier sharing production duties with fellow Ninja Tune alumni and hot property Machinedrum. Taking vocal samples from Aleisha Lee (co-writer of Tinie Tempah's recent smash "Girls Like" amongst others) and twisting, chopping and manipulating them into a completely new composition, the pair create a brooding post-dancehall/soul fusion, gaining the perfect balance between ethereal beauty and heavy dancefloor menace. Bukem-esque pads and deep dub elegance give way to pounding kicks and floating harmonies, relentlessly building a wall of sonic beauty.

Remixes come from France's dub mad scientist Moresounds, who ups the jungle influence with a classic Reese-style bassline and signature rolling snare chops, whilst retaining the balance between dark & light and Montreal-based newcomer Thomas White who flips the vibe completely for a slo-mo Soulection style builder.

New project from Massimo Vanoni in which his black streak with Slow-Down & Nu-Disco-Funk features prevails.
The tracks have strong groove rhythms, with intense, rather thick and ascent.loops. The contaminations collected
by the club consoles seem to merge in the creation of unreleased songs which recall an interesting return to the
old beat with dynamic rhythm. Deluxe package Artwork.
For fans of Frank Booker, LTJ Xperience, Stereo 12", Tee Mango, Fouk, Inkswell, The Revenge, Session Victim, Debonair...

The poised, confident 'Stranded' remains the favourite for many fans of the band's earlier works and it's not difficult to see why. From the hurtling urban alienation of album opener 'Street Life' to the soulful, contemplative closer 'Sunset' it's a perfect example Roxy's expert balance between style and substance. To all intents and purposes it's probably the most Roxy Music' of the band's peerless catalogue.

The Benoît Pioulard Listening Matter is the sixth kranky album from Thomas Meluch under the nom de plume Benoît Pioulard. It arrives on the 10th anniversary of his first LP Précis, and offers a rekindled focus on self-examination, as well as a return to vocal-based pop structures following the mostly instrumental Sonnet (2015).

Recording for the Listening Matter began during a period of grief, turmoil and self-medication, and continued throughout two years of growth and healing. Reflections on vice ("Layette", "Anchor as the muse"), virtue ("Narcologue") and death ("A mantle for Charon") feature equally in this concise treatise aimed at the flawed-but-resilient core in us all.

By coincidence this album was completed on the very day Meluch's only brother died; accordingly, it's dedicated to him and anyone seeking paths away from their demons.

Remember how badly we wanted to join them and be part of those sea-faring adventures: Jack London’s The Sea-Wolf, classic TV shows based on his novel The Road, on Radu Toduran’s novels... back then, a couple decades ago, the titles of these shows alone were enough to trigger some strong gusts in our hearts, salty squalls perfect for imaginary downwind journeys we dreamed of with billowing sails. We wanted to cruise alongside albatrosses, seagulls, and fellow sailors. Floating high above a three-masted vessel, we watched our own adventures unfold far below, an imagined movie scene complete with a whole crew that worked the rigging, and all the rest. Cutting waves. Amidst the storm and stress of sounds hitting our eardrums far out in the ocean. Combined with the sounds of rotors, of tropics crossed, of marimbas and cabin wood pounded, of strange music spotted in the distance. And even though it was merely for an hour or two that we were rescued by that seal-hunting ship “Ghost,” as Jack London had it, plus, even worse, often found ourselves surrounded by villains: it was a great escape, for we’d successfully set sails – to new and exciting places.

Both around their own Weilheim shores and elsewhere, brothers Markus and Micha Acher have launched various musical vessels, bands and free-floating constellations over the past three decades – and yet: amid all these other speedboats and unlikely sonic barges, The Notwist has always remained the mother ship. This new album documents the latest live incarnation of this very band, which also features Andi Haberl, Max Punktezahl, Karl Ivar Refseth, and Cico Beck. Recorded on December 16, 2015 on the second of three consecutive, sold-out nights at UT Connewitz in Leipzig, Germany, "Superheroes, Ghost-Villains & Stuff" indeed feels like a first-hand live experience caught on triple vinyl. That’s why it’s the definitive album of The Notwist’s career.

Although there is one song that points to the early, “louder years” of The Notwist – “One Dark Love Poem” off the album Nook –, the rest of the night’s set sees the band perform all the major hits off Neon Golden, The Devil, You + Me, and Close To The Glass. However, these are different, organically enhanced versions, new interpretations and combinations that feel much more alive; thanks to Olaf Opal’s incredible mix, they sometimes even outshine the original studio recordings. Listening to "Superheroes, Ghost-Villains & Stuff" feels like watching these songs evolve and change, moving from one frame to the next, much like a baroque triptych.

What starts out like ‘wimmelbook’ imagery, the music soon folds and unfolds like a Moebius strip: Sans bottom or top, sans inside or outside, the inside becomes the outside and vice versa. It’s all about sonic interconnection, about music as entanglement, music as reconciliation. The rather majestic, cinematic (indie) pop and experimental, kraut- infused jazz, the spirit of the enlightenment and baroque playfulness, the traces of modernism and minimal music, dub leanings, hip-hop lessons, and even hints of house music: here is where they all come together, reconciled in a sound that’s both melancholy and romantic. And ultimately, the spirit of these songs is set free – and the band has released itself, is free at last.

As for the album title, it’s lifted from the song “Kong,” and encapsulates Markus Acher’s motto. Throughout the track, the water theme first appears as a dangerous threat: a force that’s strong enough to wash away an entire house; and yet the fluid state keeps transforming and eventually releases that sense of threat into something rather hopeful, a new musical beginning, a melodic departure that ultimately leads to euphoria and a renewed spirit of adventure. These are the strong gusts mentioned above, it’s the spirit of discovery, the urge to set sail together. The crew’s back at it, working the instruments, the rigging, with sails a- billow, launching the next voyage of discovery, assuming the East in the West and vice versa. And thus the adventure saga continues.

Pico Be (Das Weiße Pferd)

With a title that suggests great things, making reference to 6 Victoria Crosses awarded to the Lancashire Regiment in World War 1, Mr Fantastic and Coherent (of Journeymen fame and much more) have set themselves a tall order. Before you have even listened to the music, the presentation points to success in this venture, with original artwork by the brilliant Stilts and marbled camouflage coloured vinyl to boot!

100 years after the press reported 'the winning of 6 VCs before breakfast' during the Gallipoli campaign in World War 1, S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) opt for beats and rhymes rather than guns and bombs, and the resulting record is essential. The initial salvo is fired in 'Ready For Combat' which sees Mr Fantastic combine hard-hitting drums with stabbing guitar chops for Coherent to set the tone. The result is an instant smash which will have you rewinding, as I was, time and time again! From there, the duo, joined by Rola (The Numskullz/Journeymen) and Truck (also a member of The Journeymen), stage a three pronged assault over a haunting beat, spitting verse one after another like a creeping barrage before Mr Fantastic delivers the final victory courtesy of his trademark tight scratches. The concept for this EP is highly original and perfectly apt and on 'Foreign Lands', this is perfectly demonstrated as Coherent weaves tales of carnage that would sound at home on a jungle warfare documentary. 'Lyrical Assassin' once more sees Coherent dropping vocal hand grenades over double bass and electric piano skilfully fused together by his fellow soldier Mr Fantastic. Throughout, the subject matter and music is dark and 'Heavy Artillery' encapsulates this perfectly - Mr Fantastic's thumping, bass-heavy production would have sat perfectly on Show & AG's sophomore LP next to tracks like 'Night Time'. On 'Carcasses', Coherent shows the enemy why he is such a skilled MC, delivering surgical strikes with his tight metaphors and hard-hitting punch lines.

The question, then, given the highly ambitious nature of this project, is whether S.O.E. have won the battle they set out to win. With meticulous artwork, dark brooding beats and Coherent's masterful wordplay, the result is clear. They didn't just win the battle but the whole darn war!

The next volume of Wonderwheel's long running Turntables on the Hudson series, curated by Nickodemus, heads down to the Caribbean encompassing diverse music made for the dancefloor. TOTC touches on the culturally rich shores of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, Belize, Mexico, Colombia and the USA and beyond with Island inspired vibes.

This double 7" taken with our favorite cuts from the compilation features tracks from DJ Jigoe, Captain Planet feat Chico Mann, Corrado Bucci, and Poirier. On the A side, Afro Cuban artist and recent US & UK Press Darling DJ Jigue gives us the stripped down, Cuban house stomper that is "RIVE", while on the B side Italian producer Corrado Bucci teams up with the classic Columbian group Los Corraleros de Majaguel for a brand new modern take on their Cumbia classic "La Cuidad De Eterna Primavera". On the C side, Captain Planet & Chico Mann's tropical AfroLatin dancefloor smash "Aguacero" finally sees vinyl release, while on the D side, Montreal producer Poirier delivers a jumping Haitian/Creole tune "Pale Mal" with Fwonte on vocals to round out the compilation.

First complete Sonic Youth album is one of Thurston Moore's favorites. Includes live cover of The Stooges' I Wanna Be Your Dog'. Vinyl includes digital download. Originally slated to be a 7' to follow up their self-titled debut, Sonic Youth's Confusion Is Sex blossomed into the band's first album: a brain-bludgeoning, completely fried endeavor of dissonance and disarray, a perfect soundtrack for running from a chain-wielding gang near the SIN Club. This was the sound of 1983 New York City, nothing like the jangly roots of college radio rock starting to formulate in Athens, Georgia. It sounded like no one else on Earth, for that matter. The raw, Wharton Tiers 8-track production is dark, the Kim Gordon- scrawled cover figure art of Thurston Moore is dark, Lee Ranaldo's back cover photo-collage and Catherine Ceresole's crumpled-xeroxed images that adorned the inside are dark. It's an album that moves Sonic Youth forward from their first EP almost by devolving backwards into true ugly, lo-fi primitivity. The bareboned arsenal of junkpile guitars and implementation of alternate tunings was growing, and so were the songs that matched the individual attributes of each instrument: certain ones groan and growl a specific way that the band started to realize itself could become the compositional germ of a song. Herein is the threshold of a new explosion of the band's creativity, replacing the comparatively cleaner buzz of the Sonic Youth EP with guitars that spew fractured, uglier chunks of sound everywhere, held down by menacing minimalist basslines (actually played by Thurston on half of this LP, and for the only time ever on Protect Me You,' Lee) and the brutal-yet-controlled metronomic drumming of Jim Sclavunos, augmented with replacement drummer Bob Bert's notable bashing on Making the Nature Scene' and grotty no-fi live rendition of I Wanna Be Your Dog.' Hearing the crashedwindow intro of Inhuman' and subway-brake screech of The World Looks Red,' you can attest that while Sonic Youth's guitars are not quite yet being utilized in the totally controlled, lyrical fashion seen later on albums like Evol, Daydream Nation et al., they were well aware of the colors and tonalities that were unfolding and the possibilities presented. Also, they were getting a grasp on adding colors to the chaos with tempered, simmering moments like Gordon's Shaking Hell' and Renaldo's chimy, home-taped Lee is Free.' Making the Nature Scene' and The World Looks Red' even toss in glints of hip-hop vocal approach way ahead of its time, albeit through a blender. While its confrontationalism might have put off some critics, time has rewarded Confusion with a truly distinctive air and atmosphere in the Sonic discography, enough to have Moore declare it his fave along with the band's swan-song The Eternal. Brian Turner, WFMU.

The next volume of Wonderwheel's long running Turntables on the Hudson series, curated by Nickodemus, heads down to the Caribbean encompassing diverse music made for the dancefloor. TOTC touches on the culturally rich shores of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, Belize, Mexico, Colombia and the USA and beyond with Island inspired vibes.

This double 7" taken with our favorite cuts from the compilation features tracks from DJ Jigoe, Captain Planet feat Chico Mann, Corrado Bucci, and Poirier. On the A side, Afro Cuban artist and recent US & UK Press Darling DJ Jigue gives us the stripped down, Cuban house stomper that is "RIVE", while on the B side Italian producer Corrado Bucci teams up with the classic Columbian group Los Corraleros de Majaguel for a brand new modern take on their Cumbia classic "La Cuidad De Eterna Primavera". On the C side, Captain Planet & Chico Mann's tropical AfroLatin dancefloor smash "Aguacero" finally sees vinyl release, while on the D side, Montreal producer Poirier delivers a jumping Haitian/Creole tune "Pale Mal" with Fwonte on vocals to round out the compilation.

The Martinez Brothers Cuttin' Headz returns with a new EP from The Butcha, entitled '10001' and backed with two remixes from Matrixxman.Phil Moffa aka The Butcha is a New York City based musician, producer and engineer most notably known for his works alongside DJ Spider and Anthony Parasole for Sublevel Sounds / Plan B Recordings and alongside Seth Troxler for Hypercolour. Here we see him return to the fledgling Cuttin' Headz imprint with his idiosyncratic take on raw, emotive house music following his Destination Void release alongside DJ Spider and Brendon Moeller last year.Up first are two originals from The Butcha, the first of which '99 Prince St.' lays focus on echoing atmospherics, snaking Rhodes and shuffling dubbed out percussion while the latter, '6 Hubert St.' pivots towards an amalgamation an upfront organic rhythm alongside a weighty low end drive and wandering synth swells.
To complete the package San Francisco's Matrixxman delivers two interpretations, firstly the 'Acidized Mix' which as the name would suggest draws on squelching 303 lines layered over processed snippets from the original before the digital bonus 'Transhuman Mix' closes on an arpeggio fuelled Techno tip.
The Butcha's '10001' is out on Cuttin' Headz 23rd September 2016.

Munich based pair Jorkes are something of an enigma, having appeared on the scene recently with a fully formed sound and a desire to let their music do the speaking for them. Musically the duo seem to be operating with few boundaries, looking to express their emotional states through their music with scant consideration for styles or genres. This latest release sees Jorkes team up with fellow Munich resident and vocalist Karol Schmejchel to deliver a slice of evocative, slo-mo nu-disco. The release kicks of with the original mix of 'Thank You', marrying chugging drums and warm bass with stirring pads and the emotionally charged vocals of Schmejchel. It's a perfect track for dark backrooms and home lounging alike. The remix comes from Manchester trio Menage a Trois who deliver a sonical beautiful reworking built around heartwrenching keys and heavily reverbed guitar parts. Simple understated drums carrying the record along as their vocal treatment soars towards the heavens, this is sublime stuff. The vinyl release will also feature an exclusive instrumental of the Menage a Trois mix for those who like things a little more stripped back. In keeping with Jorkes' creative outlook, and following on from their previous release, there will be an exclusive music video of 'Thank You' forthcoming which is likely to set pulses racing once again! Thanks for purchasing a real copy!

Late September marks the arrival on the second edition of Unclear Records 'A Tribute To Klang Club' featuring Move D, Fred P, Christopher Rau and label-heads Easy To Remember.
The Unclear Records imprint has carved out quite the reputation over the past few years with an already impressive back catalogue featuring material from Juju + Jordash, Rick Wade, Gigi Masin and Gerry Read. Here thought we see the welcome return of the labels 'A Tribute To Klang Club' series with its second contribution, following the inaugural various artists package that boasted material from Baby Ford, Roman Fluegel and more.
Move D opens with 'Rise!' and delivers a typically brooding, hypnotic number before Fred P follows up with 'Lush Life' laying down raw acidic bass and ethereal pads alongside shuffled rhythms. On the flip Christopher Rau's 'Unclear Joint' ups the energy levels via weighty drums and intricate use of string, bass and vocal samples before label-heads Easy To Remember round off the package with 'I Don't Know' a stripped back house cut led by sparse percussion, jazzy synth licks and soft pads.
'A Tribute To Klang Club Vol.2' is out on Unclear Records 26th September 2016.

Quintessentials is very happy to present their 50th release! To celebrate this, we invited some buddies to bring the deep beats. And damn they did! Mat Chiavaroli, one of your main artists who is getting stronger and stronger, opens this jubilee release with upbuilding powerful tune, just the tune the get Quintessentials 50 started! Great to see profilic dutch producer Nachtbraker (Heist, Quartet Series) on the label too. We love his style and he will soon be as popular as Ajax Amsterdam! His subtle and dirty "Bronco" fits in perfectly. The definitive club tune that grooves and grooves and grooves comes from Ponty Mython (Dirt Crew). Alexandr is a cool guy and this is defo a cool tune. Last but not least is Soul of Hex (Freerange, Vicario). Our mexican friend is going very raw this time. Yes, why not call it electronic body music (remember)! As we are gentlemen, we added a Quintessentials sticker in the vinyl edition. Go and get it!

Peng Sound Records kick off the year 2016 with their first set of 10' discs - the original dubplate format does seem rather fitting for what is perhaps one of the biggest and most in-demand cuts from Ishan Sound & Gorgon Sound in recent years, a big contribution to their unstoppable rise in soundsystem music territory. Trojan, the grime-tinged steppers is reminiscent of the seminal 'Find Jah Way' by his peers Gorgon Sound, yet it's still an unmistakeable Ishan Sound production, in the way it's sonics are laid out and presented. In perfect combination fellow Young Echo cohort Rider Shafique steps up in authoritative style, going full charge at the walls of babylon with lyrical firepower. The Ishan Instrumental and the Gorgon Remix have been staples in sets from the likes of Iration Steppas, Kahn & Neek (aka 'Gorgon Sound') Mala, Dubkasm and and of course Ishan Sound himself. The list of selectors who have played this is small but refined, this one has been kept close to the chest, in true tradition to the dubplate ethos of exclusivity. In addition to the instrumental cuts, Peng Sound Records present the burning vocal cut with Rider Shafique. Flip the disc, and the Version awaits, letting the rhythm take full control, for extended dubwise pressure. For all the selectors out there, this release comes packed with enough version excursion to keep the fire burning 'til the dance is charred and dusted by means of frequency. The second disc comes loaded with the infamous Gorgon Sound remix, sonically pretty much exactly between the sounds of Bandulu and Gorgon, with their extra overdriven low-end and amplified, multiplied kick drum pattern, their version of Trojan is arguably the most explosive of them all. The combination of Ishan, Gorgon and Dubkasm is something we've come to expect from Peng Sound now, but this is the first Record that combines all three on one plate - the final cut on this set of Trojan interpretations gives us an exclusive, brand new Dubkasm counteraction - flipping the energetic steppers on it's head in favour of an uplifting one-drop beat, giving the vocal and rhythm a brand new space and presence. If the first three cuts were there to mash down the place with unhinged, dangerous soundsystem attitude, then the Dubkasm cut could be seen as the cool and easy soundboy burial, cementing Rider Shafique's message with deadly effect.

Finally, Justus Köhncke is unveiling new tracks! His first release since »Justus Köhncke & The Wonderful Frequency Band« (KOMPAKT, 2013) is both daring and serious. Five songs in German, interpretations of material by Howard Carpendale, Juliane Werding and Nik P. plus English-into-German translations of two pop classics (»Twist In My Sobriety« by Tanita Tikaram, »Captain Of Her Heart« by DOUBLE). This is not an ironic joke about seemingly ›stupid music‹ or ›Schlager‹: Köhncke embraces these five compositions and turns them into his own. They transmutate into his very own vision of ›nu-german comps-soul‹ while retaining Justus' unique sound. The EP will be released digitally and as a limited vinyl 12" on the Berlin-based label »Martin Hossbach. We cry, we sing. Alone.

Next installment of Rex Ilusivi archive uncoverings - This time a live concert from SNP (srpsko narodno pozoriste / serbian national theatre) in Novi Sad, Serbia. Again it's a sublime masterclass in layering and mixing from the much revered King Of Illusion. TIP!
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'To this day Rex Ilusivii remains an enigma of the global music culture, caught between late cold war electronic spheres, classic and the power of found sound. A musician from the Southeast European counterculture, whose art today seems to be the worldly intelligence of the modern age. Listening to the early music of Mitar Subotic sounds like catching the future even tough you know here sounds the past. How can somebody be light years ahead of most of his contemporaries in terms of individuality and uncompromising vision, creating such musical narratives with a feeling for outernational space' It must have been the signs of his time in Yugoslavia, that lead him to compositions in which two or more antithetic forces fight each other for the cause of an unheard harmony that melts industrial, sample art, Musique concr'te and ambient. His 'Koncert SNP' from 1983 demonstrates his ingeniousness to the core ' about 38 minutes of experiment and appeal that move playful between demonstrative frankness and seductive sensuality. You hear pulsating synthesizer bliss, widescreen sample art full of Bosch-like images and elusively drama catchiness that absorbs deep. So deep that words can't express their meaning. Only notes can spell out the score. Listening to his live recording several times without a break reveals also a story arc of literary transcendence. And as transcendence is something beyond speech, the music of Rex Ilusivii can't be narrowed down in phrases. Only one thing must be recommended: surrender to it and it will surrender to you.
Michael Leuffen in June 2016

Diggin' Disco Deep's massive RSD 2016 release has been split into 3 separate vinyl releases.The 3rd & final part features tracks from Obas Nemor, Monsoon Season, Manuel Sahagun & Space Coast Feat. Terry Grant.

Fuckthegovernment.Ltd, a.k.a. F.T.G (Alfredo Trastulli) and Music Box head honcho, Marco Riff, return to the Skylax fold in 2016 with a cache of house nuggets for our listening pleasure. Their last venture on Skylax saw F.T.G collaborate with a bunch of his friends, resulting in some of the best tracks we'd heard all year, including the unforgettable Fuckthegovernment theme. Their tracks have been celebrated and hailed by some of the best DJs in the game, names such as Derrick May, Ricardo Villalobos, Raresh, and DJ Harvey. The bar set by the first record remains sky high, and somehow, these two manage to raise the bar even higher. It may be the biggest cliche going when talking about an album, but the duo certainly do take us on a journey, through the past and present of house music. It's a record not too dissimilar in tone to Paranoid London's from a few years back, but F.T.G and Marco strip things back even further than those guys did, in our opinion; The sound is more raw with less frills, and no track names to predispose feelings in the listener either. This eight track project is cohesive and elaborate, with movements through sounds both acid and jazzy, minimal and maximal. It explores sounds that came to prominence in famous house locales such as Detroit and Chicago over in the U.S., but the underground European influence is definitely present, from Paris to Berlin, and of course F.T.G and Marco's home of Italy. With this album, these guys add to the underground sound that has cultivated in the city of Perugia for years now, a place that has seen the likes of Simoncino and Nicholas hone their craft.Don't miss out on a piece of Skylax history!

On this confusing ball of mud we call Earth, where things sometimes appear to be drifting apart, it's refreshing to see things coalesce. MindTrip is pleased to announce F Method, which sees label boss Pfirter present 4 brand new tracks - rich in variety and very firmly stamped with his hallmark. This is MindTrip.

Deep'a & Biri's Black Crow Records further expands its horizons with its seventh release, welcoming another new artist to the family following appearances by 2030, Aril Brihka, Hakimonu, Luke Hess, ROD, Inland and Markus Suckut. The Analog Roland Orchestra's label debut follows the widely acclaimed 2030 EP and shares with it a widening of the label's sonic scope to once again showcase Deep'a & Biri's desire to reach beyond techno and explore ambient and cinematic musical textures. Michal Matlak's Analog Roland Orchestra finds the Poland born & Berlin based producer in the conductor role among an array of classic electronic hardware, taking on the role of shaping & directing a free flowing sound that moves across genres, whether in a studio or live setting. His previous releases for labels including Ornaments, Rotary Cocktail Recordings and Pastamusik have seen the project indulge in an array of sounds across the techno spectrum. 'Aftermath II' is no different, moving from the classic roots techno sounds of 'Plant' and 'Father Detroit', through the dub excursion of 'Urei Dub', to the cinematic, Boards of Canada & Tangerine Dream-recalling pair 'Her' and 'Aftermath. For those with a taste for electronic music's widescreen possibilities, TARO's arrival on the Tel Aviv imprint will be a long term favourite.

What Ever Not is the variegated music outlet from experienced Dodi Palese and Dan Mela, Italian DJs and producers supporting, selling, playing and releasing instrumental and dance music for two decades. What Ever Not tenth record, 'Galegos Bar / The Ritual', sees a split release signed by Dan Mela and Marco Erroi. Label co-founder Dan Mela inaugurates a new moniker 'Man Dela' for 'The Ritual' - the original track gets remixed by Anton Zap, with whom Mela already collaborated for a digital release on his own Ethereal Sound. Flipping on the other side, Marco Erroi, head of Common Series Ltd, continues his production career with 'XXXV Gold Fingers' for the 'Galegos Bar' side - one of the many different aliases he personifies - also contributing by realizing the artwork. 'Galegos Bar / The Ritual' offers two sides of the same coin and we can have both things with one stroke. The common denominator is the ethnical ritual. It is fully expressed in the Man Dela side with deep and hypnotic ride out turned upside down by Anton Zap with a dynamic electronic waltz. The same item, however, is magically hidden in the XXXV Gold Fingers side, where we can find it in the form of drink beer and play cards just like in most terrible bars in South of Italy.