We’re thrilled to present Volume 2 of ‘30 Years Of Freerange’. Six more, brand-new and exclusive tracks from a variety of label regulars including Fouk, Aroop Roy, Coflo, Fred Everything, Matt Masters & Radic The Myth
Three decades in, Freerange doesn’t look back - it expands. 30 Years Of Freerange - 30 tracks from 30 artists across Five EPs. A slow-burn rollout culminating in a beautiful boxset meticulously assembled to outlast trends, algorithms, and short attention spans. A handpicked cross-section of the Freerange continuum from artists who’ve shaped the sound alongside up and coming voices pushing it somewhere new.
Sa Pa launches Dub Techno For Life: a dedicated outlet for the artist’s more dancefloor-focused material - work that has largely sat outside the conceptual frame of his previous releases.
The label’s first release, Girls on Tour EP, opens with “Mokira Ultra Dub”, a 10-minute club rework of Mokira classic “Manipulation Musik”. Originally produced alongside an ambient version commissioned for Kontra Musik’s 2016 Kontra X compilation, the dancefloor mix was ultimately shelved until now. With Andreas ‘Mokira’ Tilliander’s blessing, it finally surfaces as a standalone Sa Pa production. A track too banging to go unreleased.
“Waiting For You” traces back to Sa Pa’s orbit around the giegling ecosystem via FORUM. Once lined up for an official release on the parent label before plans stalled, the track slipped into the archives. Buoyant and disarmingly pop by Sa Pa standards, it finds its place here as the A2 - tuned to the collective memory of mid-2010s German house music.
Harnessing the spirit of Chain Reaction from the abandoned patches and borrowed machines of a rainy night’s recording in Taipei, the B-side’s “Modular System” captures a late-night, one-take modular jam. A broken yet hopeful “World Saving Banger” closes the EP with some raw and IDM-leaning force, showcasing Sa Pa’s new label - and the Girls On Tour EP - as a space for neo dub techno ideals to take shape.
Mit der neuen Sommerausgabe taucht Buddha-Bar tief in die vibrierende Atmosphäre Ibizas ein - einem der weltweit prägendsten Hotspots elektronischer Musik. Als sorgfältig kuratierte 2CD-Compilation konzipiert, begleitet diese Edition den musikalischen Fluss eines perfekten Tages: vom entspannten Sonnenuntergang bis in die pulsierende Nacht. CD1 Sunset vereint warme, organische und melodische Klangwelten aus Chillout, Downtempo und Deep Electronic - ideal für Strand, Terrasse und Aperitivo. CD2 After Dark steigert die Intensität mit hypnotischem Melodic House und Ethno-inspirierten Grooves für DJ-Sets und Dancefloor-Momente. Gemixt von Ravin entsteht ein eleganter Spannungsbogen mit hohem Wiedererkennungswert. Über 50 % unveröffentlichte Tracks verleihen der Edition exklusiven Charakter.
Egyptian-born, Barcelona-based Raxon makes his Lone Romantic debut with a two-tracker that sees him step decisively into breakbeat territory.
A DJ for over 20 years, Raxon's journey through sound took him from the late 90s rock, hip-hop and trance of his early teens through to the Barcelona scene where he began releasing music with some of the most respected labels in dance music — Kompakt, Ellum, Cocoon and Turbo Recordings among them.
Heads will move on 'Vision Mission' - low-slung and deliberate with gated breaks cut sharp into a two-step swing that carries a distinctly UK sensibility, and underpinned by a gritty, warping bassline and a twisted vocal coiling through like a live wire.
'Wrong Song' shifts the weight forward into physical, modern drum and bass terrain. A deep and relentless, undulating bassline drives the momentum while mechanical stabs and a grinding mid-range give the track its industrial edge.
For their first release, it was pretty obvious for Hypnophone to give a new life to an all-time favorite but forgotten project : GLO. Released in 1995 on CD’s only, « Even As We » is the first and last album of the duo, composed of Stephan Lewry and Gilli Smyth, both ex-members of the legendary rock band GONG and pioneers of psychedelic music.
This double LP, carefully handcrafted and redesigned, is the result of a lovely 2 years collaboration between Hypnophone and Stephan. A cosmic, unique masterpiece, who also features a new thirteen minutes track, specially produced by Stephan while remastering the album in 2025. In the dear memory of Gilli ♡
Note: Includes two printed inner sleeves, transparent red vinyl and an A5 insert.
"After years of audio exploration and creativity together, Bizarre Trax co-founders B.Love and oliver.r unveil their much-anticipated LOVE.R alias with a dynamite, four-track EP on the ever-vibrant Dias de Campo imprint. This powerhouse pairing has been on the label's radar for a while, and their Dos Cremaet Por Favor EP proves exactly why.
Brimming with intricate textures, playful grooves, and the duo's unmistakable flair for left-field dancefloor energy, each track delivers a heady mix of quirky rhythms and off-kilter beats that define each of their signature sounds. The A-side marks the grand entrance of LOVE.R with two innovative collaborations, while the flip lets each artist shine with a solo cut of their own.
And if that's not enough, you can catch these prolific tastemakers lighting up the decks at this year's festival. See you front left."
The corner of the cover is slightly wrinkled, STILL A VERY GOOD PLUS COVER
,Mount Zero", das Debütalbum von Swapmeet, ist ein mitreißender, gitarrenlastiger Road Trip, der an den Slowcore und Alternative Rock der 90er und frühen 2000er Jahre erinnert und diesen Stil neu belebt. Es markiert den Moment, in dem das australische Quartett zu seiner eigenen Identität findet. Nach ihrer verträumten Debüt-EP ,Oxalis" aus dem Jahr 2024 erscheint ,Mount Zero" kurz nach der Unterzeichnung des Bandvertrags beim in LA ansässigen Label Winspear, nachdem sie in ganz Australien für Aufsehen gesorgt hatten, bei den South Australian Music Awards Auszeichnungen für die beste Veröffentlichung und den besten Song (,Ceiling Fan") mit nach Hause nahmen und bei SXSW Sydney den Titel ,Bester Newcomer" erhielten. ,Mount Zero" verbindet luftige Sanftheit mit schrägem Surrealismus und verwandelt so viele der Bedauern und Unsicherheiten des jungen Erwachsenenalters in ein aufkeimendes, neu gewonnenes Selbstvertrauen. Obwohl die Mitglieder von Swapmeet ihre Songs oft zunächst einzeln schreiben, drehten sich die Titel auf ,Mount Zero" letztendlich um gemeinsame Themen: erste Lieben, erste Liebeskummer, erste Peinlichkeiten, erste Katastrophen. Wie schon seit ihren Anfängen als Band tauschten Swapmeet auch bei ,Mount Zero" die Instrumente untereinander aus und teilten sich die Produktionsaufgaben als Quartett. Sie entwickelten ihren Sound, indem sie Dutzende (manchmal Hunderte) von Spuren in jedem Song übereinanderlegten und dann sorgfältig Elemente entfernten, bis die Produktion eine klare Form annahm. Das Ergebnis ist ein Album, auf dem Swapmeet die zähneknirschende Intensität einfangen, die man empfindet, wenn man sich unter dem unerbittlichen Druck der Realität auf zellulärer Ebene verändert. Es ist eine Hommage an all die Leben, die niemals gelebt werden können, an all die Wege, die niemals beschritten werden - und zugleich eine Ode an das Leben, das direkt vor uns liegt.
The Gravitate label is back with a new drop from an artist who has chosen to remain anonymous. The EP is anything but, however: it's the sort of characterful garage, minimal and tech melange that is going to announce itself in any setting. 'Track 1' builds with layers of percussion and a rolling bassline that becomes more sleazy on 'Track 2' with retro stabs and soulful pads harking back to early US garage days. 'Track 3' is another gritty bumper with plenty of details that make it pop before the closer flips the vibe with a more wavy slice of comically inclined space tech for smooth late-night cruising.
Now over two decades into its story, DJ Mes' Guesthouse Records imprint continues to serve up floor-friendly heat - fun, groove-driven, party-starting house tracks from a mix of newcomers and label stalwarts. There's much to enjoy on the label's latest vinyl outing, a ninth instalment in the ongoing Super Squirrel Tracks series of compilation style EPs. Dafunkeetomato kicks things off with the swirling, filter-rich disco-house heaviness of 'Can You Dig It', before Frivolous Jackson does a terrific job in beefing up and cutting up disco loops on the DJ Sneak-esque 'Work It Out'. DJ Mes opens side B with the low-slung, P-funk-goes-house excitement of 'Felter', while Wolfgang Gartner goes deep, warped and sub-heavy excellence of 'Dubplate', which boasts more than a nod or two to late noughties fidget house.
Broadcasting from the Portuguese interior, SARaMAGO returns to Carpet & Snares with four more cuts of deep and streamlined technoid house. ‘Flowing’ matches a jacking beat to addictive 90s organs and acidic accents, while the moody, metallic ‘Inner Peace’ evokes the classic UK techno of Stasis or Luke Slater. On the flip, the pulsing bassline and robot vocoders of ‘The Blackbox’ evoke Belgian body music, but housed in a contemporary groove. Saramago closes out the EP with the quirky electro-funk banger ‘Smile’, which is sure to raise exactly that on the dancefloor.
Constantly pushing his studio craft into unexplored realms, Pugilist returns to Samurai with a fresh clutch of innovative hybridised meditations transmitting from upper tempos. The versatility in Alex Dickson's approach is proven by the broad spectrum of labels he releases on — as comfortable shelling down for Shall Not Fade as he is tearing out on Rupture London. As the Melbourne / Naarm-based producer opens up the Triads EP with 'Rune', he hones in on a dynamic fusion of insistent technoid propulsion and brooding bass snarls with a mysterious portent. 'Pyre' swiftly turns up the percussive intensity with bludgeoning kicks and whipcrack snares that evoke classic electronica as much as D&B. For all the sharp attack of the drums, though, Dickson manages his ingredients with ruthless restraint, creating a fierce kind of meditation in the process. 'Woven' allows a rich variety of snaking synth lines to take centre stage as we tunnel into the second half of the EP, relishing the space for dynamic modulation and slowly evolving, cinematic pads that offer a glacial foil to the twitchy pace of the snappier elements in the mix. 'Machiavellian' plays the consummate closer in its lead in, playing a patient game in ritualistic drums before the herald of rave tropes rear up in some pronounced, choppy snare science. Yet again, Dickson opts for a softer approach where you might be expecting an explosive drop, allowing the skittering drums to roll on until they become a mesmerising texture in the track. In the end, it's an expert flourish demonstrating the energetic possibilities that lie in the spaces beyond more obvious peaks and troughs. Across four brilliantly original, highly advanced rollers, Pugilist nails the balance between subtlety and impact and proves himself a worthy advocate for the path less travelled.
After his 2024 sold-out debut 12" "Selective Attention", which was praised by many artists like Karotte, Jamie Jones, Michel de Hey, Stefan Weise, Sam Paganini, Slam, and more, Blauert releases his new 4-tracker for the episode of 2026. Four deep dub and house-influenced techno tracks!
Written and produced by Dominic Jabs
Mastered by Emanuel Geller at Salz Mastering
Fresh from fine outings on Legofunk Records and Scruniversal Records, Frank Virgilio pops up on historycal Hollywood Records with a quartet of warm and seductive workouts. He kicks things off via the sun down beauty and latin mood of "Is This The Spirit Of The Party ?", before joining the dots between beatdown, disco 80' and dancefloor on the bubbly and hypnotic "That's The Groove!" The other side is dedicated to a double version of a classic killer dancefloor of 80' " DJ's Talk" by the american singer Vivien Reed . Frank Virgilio and L.D.F. aka Lello Di Franco give 2 different ways to read the track . A slightly bolder than the original (but no less deep) mixture of drifting melodies, head-nodding house beats, groovy bass, select vocal snippets and enveloping chords.
System is back with UK based Shacklo and his "Magia EP". This record is very much designed to echo early ’90s Italo house aesthetics, that slightly nostalgic, almost “sunset on the Adriatic” feeling is very intentional.
Lambrini Girls kündigen am 15. Januar ihr mit Spannung erwartetes zweites Album „NO REFUNDS“ an. Ihr Debütalbum „Who Let The Dogs Out“ schaffte es in die Top 20 der britischen Charts, wurde von Magazinen wie Kerrang! und NME auf den Titelseiten vorgestellt, sorgte weltweit für ausverkaufte Tourneen und löste einen regelrechten Hype in den sozialen Medien aus. „No Refunds“ ist düsterer, direkter und radikaler. „BANG BANG BANG“ eröffnet die Kampagne mit voller Wucht: scharf, schnell und explosiv.
Lambrini Girls sind ein Punk-Duo aus Brighton, das Musik über all das macht, worüber deine beschissene Regierung, deine beschissenen Chefs und deine beschissenen Männer lieber nicht reden würden. Phoebe Lunny (Gesang, Gitarre) und Selin Macieira-Boşgelmez (Bass) stehen ganz in der Tradition des Riot Grrrl – roh, laut, witzig und wütend. Ihre Songs über sexuelle Übergriffe, Queerness, Sparpolitik, Rassismus und toxische Beziehungen werden mit einer chaotischen Live-Energie vorgetragen, die Veranstaltungsorte in Moshpits und Fremde in Gemeinschaften verwandelt. Ihr Debütalbum „Who Let The Dogs Out“ (City Slang Records, Januar 2025) war eine der meistgelobten Platten des Jahres: eine Metacritic-Bewertung von 83, was auf „allgemeine Begeisterung“ hindeutet, ein Einstieg auf Platz 16 der britischen Albumcharts, Rough Trades „Album des Monats“ und Platz 12 in Kerrang!s Liste der 50 besten Alben des Jahres 2025. NME kürte es zu einem der 20 besten Debütalben des Jahres. Die Band zierte die Titelseiten von Notion, Kerrang!, Paste, New Noise und Variety und erntete Lob von Größen wie Kathleen Hanna, Sleater-Kinney und Peaches, die ihren Hit „Cuntology 101“ remixten. “ Im Anschluss an das Album folgten mehrere ausverkaufte Headliner-Tourneen durch Europa, Großbritannien und Nordamerika, bei denen sie das O2 Forum Kentish Town ausverkauften und sich einen Auftritt beim Coachella sicherten, bevor sich Frontfrau Phoebe Lunny mitten auf der Tournee in Australien eine Halswirbelfraktur und eine Hirnverletzung zuzog. Die US-Termine wurden verschoben. Und dann neu angesetzt. Eine Reihe von Festivalauftritten wurde angekündigt. Ein Auftritt als Vorgruppe von Bikini Kill in New York wurde hinzugefügt. Das ist nicht die Ruhe vor dem Sturm … Die Lambrini Girls sind schon mittendrin, und sie werden gerade erst richtig loslegen.
Lambrini Girls kündigen am 15. Januar ihr mit Spannung erwartetes zweites Album „NO REFUNDS“ an. Ihr Debütalbum „Who Let The Dogs Out“ schaffte es in die Top 20 der britischen Charts, wurde von Magazinen wie Kerrang! und NME auf den Titelseiten vorgestellt, sorgte weltweit für ausverkaufte Tourneen und löste einen regelrechten Hype in den sozialen Medien aus. „No Refunds“ ist düsterer, direkter und radikaler. „BANG BANG BANG“ eröffnet die Kampagne mit voller Wucht: scharf, schnell und explosiv.
Lambrini Girls sind ein Punk-Duo aus Brighton, das Musik über all das macht, worüber deine beschissene Regierung, deine beschissenen Chefs und deine beschissenen Männer lieber nicht reden würden. Phoebe Lunny (Gesang, Gitarre) und Selin Macieira-Boşgelmez (Bass) stehen ganz in der Tradition des Riot Grrrl – roh, laut, witzig und wütend. Ihre Songs über sexuelle Übergriffe, Queerness, Sparpolitik, Rassismus und toxische Beziehungen werden mit einer chaotischen Live-Energie vorgetragen, die Veranstaltungsorte in Moshpits und Fremde in Gemeinschaften verwandelt. Ihr Debütalbum „Who Let The Dogs Out“ (City Slang Records, Januar 2025) war eine der meistgelobten Platten des Jahres: eine Metacritic-Bewertung von 83, was auf „allgemeine Begeisterung“ hindeutet, ein Einstieg auf Platz 16 der britischen Albumcharts, Rough Trades „Album des Monats“ und Platz 12 in Kerrang!s Liste der 50 besten Alben des Jahres 2025. NME kürte es zu einem der 20 besten Debütalben des Jahres. Die Band zierte die Titelseiten von Notion, Kerrang!, Paste, New Noise und Variety und erntete Lob von Größen wie Kathleen Hanna, Sleater-Kinney und Peaches, die ihren Hit „Cuntology 101“ remixten. “ Im Anschluss an das Album folgten mehrere ausverkaufte Headliner-Tourneen durch Europa, Großbritannien und Nordamerika, bei denen sie das O2 Forum Kentish Town ausverkauften und sich einen Auftritt beim Coachella sicherten, bevor sich Frontfrau Phoebe Lunny mitten auf der Tournee in Australien eine Halswirbelfraktur und eine Hirnverletzung zuzog. Die US-Termine wurden verschoben. Und dann neu angesetzt. Eine Reihe von Festivalauftritten wurde angekündigt. Ein Auftritt als Vorgruppe von Bikini Kill in New York wurde hinzugefügt. Das ist nicht die Ruhe vor dem Sturm … Die Lambrini Girls sind schon mittendrin, und sie werden gerade erst richtig loslegen.
OLIVER HO returns as SLOW WHITE FALL with a new album.
Three years after his last release, FLOOD (2023), Oliver Ho reactivates his most introspective pseudonym, SLOW WHITE FALL, unveiling a new 11-track album: O CURSE UPON THOU HOUSE
Presented by KR3, the album continues the sonic journey that defines SLOW WHITE FALL, described by Oliver as "atmospheric metal / post-rock soundscapes / drones." These elements unfold through raw, sharp atmospheres, creating a contemplative and mystical listening experience.
The album will be released on vinyl in two editions: standard and limited. The limited edition will also include a 16-page fanzine featuring photographs taken by Oliver Ho, designed to expand the dialogue between sound and visual identity - an essential dimension of the project.
The vinyl edition contains 8 of the 11 tracks, while the remaining 3 will be available exclusively as digital bonus material.
O CURSE UPON THOU HOUSE - is a work of raw sonic and visual power!
A Chicago soul legend meets the West Coast's most reliable modern funk architects on this red-hot 7". Doug Shorts' story stretches back to 1971 and his band Master Plan Inc., and his career has earned him releases on Daptone, Cherries and Jazzman as well as a reputation for songwriting and vocals that go straight to the heart. Here he joins Cosmic Slide for something that bridges generations like a boss. Both cuts are modern funk grooves laid down with craft, rooted in soul but with a new school swag. Shorts' deep, restrained voice remains as expressive and lived-in as ever over the duo's tight, ass-wiggling production. Pure vibes.
Finland-based producer Slowct is a new name, but his Panelia EP — the second 12″ to come from the rising DISCO.VERY imprint — lands with a quiet confidence and a rich, sunlit warmth. Pressed in an edition of just 300 copies, vinyl only, this is music that nods to the 90s without ever sounding trapped there: the chord language, the swing, the palette all carry echoes of that golden era, yet the production breathes with a fresh, contemporary clarity.
Across four tracks, Slowct blends house music with hip-hop shuffle, street-soul texture, and Balearic drift. There’s an unhurried, melodic quality here — drums with weight, chords that float rather than pound, melodies that feel both familiar and pleasantly unexpected. Made for summer parties, late drives, and those hazy moments when the sun sits low and the speakers are just loud enough.
On the remix front, GFH (Grooves From Heaven) steps in on “Panavia” and delivers something genuinely singular. Lush and humid, yet unmistakably futuristic. It’s a remix that twists the original into new and wonderful shapes.
Never Sleep charity tape series ends up in Thornton Heath, London for the grimiest of bedroom work outs.
Early Fruity Loops philosopher Plasticman aka Plastician teams up with fellow trailblazers DJ Suicide & N Double A crew for a prompt internet radio set of prototype Grime. Rugged, raw and filled with the occasional KAOS Pad trigger / gunfinger FX; the devilish miscreants bring the lyrical vehemence.
Broadcasting from his parents place and utilising early productions Plasticman keeps the fibre optical momentum burning with early production, laser precision polyphonic instrumentals and quantified eski.
N Double A crew have so many quotables but its a "pass the mic" affair as limited equipment fort his bedroom bedlam. L Man spits certified gold on demand whilst Narstie echoes his signature cadence, Typah goes in hard with the colder than waiting in a queue outside Plastic People flow and Uzi destroys the stream with typical flair.
A landmark moment in innovation, internet radio was a key player in the growth of Grime and Dubstep. Helping build profile, connections and galvanize the online community.
The incredible story that began with The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet (TMMS) now enters an exciting new chapter: Skyscraper, the debut album by FEX.
Skyscraper features ten original tracks recorded in the early to mid-1980s-carefully re-transferred, remastered, and brought back to life. The album cover, designed by Darius S., brings the story full circle. Darius is the very person who preserved the now-iconic track Subways of Your Mind by recording it from NDR radio in the mid-80s. Without him, FEX may never have been discovered.
FEX's debut opens with its namesake, Skyscraper-a brooding, previously unreleased track the band once described as part of their "psychedelic phase." With haunting synth-helicopter textures and deep guitar riffs, it immediately sets the tone and raises tension.
The release flows naturally into the energetic and fully remastered studio version of Subways of Your Mind. This version of the TMMS - re-discovered on the "yellow label tape" by Reddit user Marijn-was long believed to be from a smaller home studio, but was actually recorded in November 1984 at Hawkeye Studios in Ganderkesee, near Hamburg.
Goldrush, first teased in raw form on FEX's YouTube channel, bends toward mechanical rhythm and shimmering synths, a snapshot of the band's experiments with programmed drum machine sound. Rückwardt's lyrics point to greed and criticizes materialism, and while the music leans toward pop sensibilities, it carries a raw, fractured edge.
Heart in Danger and I've Got My Eyes On You offer contrasting experiences-one rooted in classic post-punk tension, the other floating in melodic synth layers. The latter in particular feels like a fragment from a parallel radio history: a precise and one of a kind synth pop love song with a progressive touch.
From a rehearsal tape comes Dirty Slapstick, its urgency intact. Missing keyboard parts were later reconstructed by Michael Hädrich using his original DX7 synthesizer-recovering lost elements without rewriting the past. The lyrics take a wry look at forced optimism. Also included are the songs Talking Hands, Jenny and Strange Feeling, the latter being a slower blues-tinged cut, revealing yet another facet of the band's reach and Rückwardt's songwriting diversity.
The album closes where the legend began-with the original radio recording of Subways of Your Mind from Darius' cassette. This version of The Most Mysterious Song features alternate vocal effects, contributing to the track's enigmatic aura. Digitally transferred using a high-end Revox machine and carefully remastered, it now has its long-deserved official release.
The cover features a photo of the Eichenberg Bunker in Kiel-one of FEX's original rehearsal spaces and a symbolic monument to their sonic legacy.
MASK Records founder ZentaSkai joins forces with Berlin-based creative Laura Merino Allue under the name Cuddling Monsters, a project centered on analog processes and tactile sound design. Debuting in March 2024, the project explores Detroit-infused House, dub Techno, and minimal soundscapes shaped by raw texture and spatial depth. Working exclusively with analogue instruments, the duo prioritise warmth, imperfection, and presence over polish. Alongside her music work, Laura Merino Allue is also a graphic designer, bringing a strong visual identity to the project’s wider aesthetic.
‘Cuddling Monsters' is inspired by real-life experiences — the raw, imperfect, beautiful moments we move through. We believe in staying present, feeling everything deeply, and embracing the analog flow of the now. It’s about living the moment fully — and like a cuddle on the dancefloor, creating a space where sound holds you, warmth surrounds you, and even the wildest monsters feel safe enough to soften.’ -
Cuddling Monsters
The Cuddling Monsters ‘Vol. 3’ EP opens with ‘Bubble Bloom’, a melodic house track featuring warped, filtered synth tones that set a hazy foundation before a dub-leaning beat settles in. It’s layered with aquatic, bubbly textures and fragmented samples, adding warmth and movement. ‘Warm Waves’ shifts into a lighter, more atmospheric space, increasing the tempo slightly while maintaining a restrained, ethereal character. The B-side closes with ‘Secret Signal’, a long-form techno piece stretching over ten minutes, where evolving synth lines gradually merge with soft, dubby drums and analogue percussion, building steadily without excess before easing out.
Creating their own brand of psychedelic infused downtempo electronica, Birdsnake
explore the line between digital and organic. Their debut longplay Biofilter is an
aquatic themed exploration through their lens of electronica, filled with watery
dubscapes, shimmering reverb, rolling layers of synths and organic percussiontinkling like shells on the ocean bed. With hints of throw-back '90s, atmospheric,
trip-hop and forward focused electronica, the album both energises and soothes.
Coming off the back of what could only be described as ‘THAT’ CBRK001 track, we are thrilled to welcome Lindsey Herbert back to circuit|breaker with our first full length artist EP. Lindsey presents four highly effective, stripped back weapons - displaying her artistry in style. ‘You and Me’ opens the A side, perfectly encapsulating the essence of Lindsey’s signature peak time sound. An unfolding journey, leading with a wonky, yet sinister synth on top of driving percussive elements. As we begin to explore the world of the A1, the track is elevated once more, with a homemade vocal cut, paired with some expertly engineered percussion, giving us a greater sense of depth and flow through call and response techniques. Up next is ‘Tunnel Vision’ - a minimalistic tool injected with a thumping low end, dense rhythms and metallic textures, exhibiting a unique atmospheric restraint
with the dance floor in mind. As the track progresses we are introduced to a murky bleep sequence, keeping the track grounded for those deeper moments on the floor.
The B side launches into ‘Fluctuations’, once again presenting us with a classic peak time slammer. Carrying the track, a huge funky swinging hook, enticing the listener into its trance, feeling like it will never let you go. Amongst its energy, there is a sensation of playfulness that will invite the listener into its groove and functionality. We cap off the release with ‘Fragments of Light’ - a stripped back, potent cut, indulging into a more textural approach and allowing the track to breathe through subtle atmosphere, moments of low end resonance and percussive exchange. A detroit-esque dub hitgives the track a soulful offering and reminds us of the nucleus of techno.
First EP from new Australian label Royston Park Records is straight out the gate with five heavy tracks from High Priestess - Raw Loops For The Heads. Drawing inspiration from tech-house, electro and more!
Tip! Amazing and subtle groovin house! This is exactly the kind of record that does not need to scream for attention, it pulls you in slowly, hypnotically, with groove, texture and an effortlessly cool sense of restraint.
“Dancing is immediate. It happens in infinitely small blips of the present, strung together one into the next, direct and spontaneous. And as each moment fades out of the present and into the past, these blips coalesce and ferment and refract into memory.
Play is the first album from Sam Hall’s new project, Spinbeat. Sam has previously released glitch-inflected bedroom pop under the name Ghost Orchard, putting out albums on Orchid Tapes and Winspear. Spinbeat comes with a turn towards rawer sounds and something like the dancefloor.
The tracks on Play linger in the space between music for dancing and music for listening. They are the memory of a dancefloor- sounds, feelings, moments of darkness and color. In contrast with other recent music to come out of the dubby post-club zone, Play is marked by its lightness and warmth. Fragile, intimate moments come bubbling up from underneath the surface, glimmering in plain view for a moment before sinking back into the fog. These pockets of earnestness lend depth and substance to the mystique of the murkier stretches.
Dance music for post-rave romance, for August haze, for the frogs in the pond out behind the warehouse party.
Featuring rare- and first-on-vinyl tracks from beloved producers such as 2000 And One, Stasis, and CiM. Remastered by DMX Krew and with an accompanying online essay by Oli Warwick.
Across eight carefully selected slices of starry-eyed machine soul, Cold Blow presents an exquisite tour through backroom techno and downtempo electro. With a focus on thematic flow and an immersive listening experience, the London-based label explores works from leading lights of the 1990s and previously unreleased cuts that celebrate the human heart that can be discovered in synthetic sound practices. The development of techno in the 1990s saw the music evolve in different directions across the world. From the expressive blueprint laid out by the Detroit pioneers, a wide range of tempos and energies emerged. Techno's evocative synthesis and intricate drum machine programming was especially potent for deeper explorations away from the dancefloor. Documents Of A Different Reality casts back to when technology was steering quantum leaps in communication and creativity and the future was shot through with naive optimism. It was also a time when the media and industry hadn't caught up with the music to box it into distinct categories. As such, there's a sense of creative freedom that informs the older tracks on the album, from 2000 And One and Sandy Huner's sparkling example of early Dutch techno to London-based LA Synthesis' detailed take on braindance and the majestic night sky vision of cult legend Stasis. There's also space for rare, late 90s machine funk from Icelandic outlier Thor alongside Connective Zone's charmingly fractured bleep dream and a more contemporary offering from Barcelona-based duo Permutation. Meanwhile Mind Control and CiM both capture the spirit of stylistic fusion with twitchier rhythms that take influence from hardcore and jungle as much as techno. With an atmospheric through-line of melancholic pads and harmonious leads, this small but perfectly formed collection naturally follows on from previous, equally thought-out compilations on Cold Blow, and adds a distinct perspective on the history and continuing legacy of pioneering early ambient techno.
Deeppa Records kicks off a new 7" series here that aims to pair emerging artists with established names from the label's artistic circle. The opening release introduces Tolyatti producer Pasadena with 'Vodichka Nice', a laid-back, groove-led gem that recalls 'Stepoing Into Tomorrow' era Donald Byrd with its seductive drums, squelchy slow-bass and soft-focus melodic wonder. It's already becoming a fave on the scene and on the reverse, respected producers Scruscru and Tony Lavrutz reshape the original with a remix that leans into deeper club territory, though keeps the bright melodies and inviting horizontal feel. Two sides, two moods, two essential cuts.
40 years after Dave curated the 'Garage Sound of Deepest New York' series featuring the cream of the crop of American US Garage, the series ran for 4 instalments. Dave re-ignites the torch to bear once more and champion the sound more locally, the leafy area of Crouch End, London, to be precise. This four tracker is a testament to the knowledge and expertise Dave Lee has with this particular soulful sound & genre. First up is 'Everybody Needs Somebody' with its powerhouse gospel vocal performance from Rance backed up with swathing chords, piano & organ work by Matt Cooper and Dave's swinging heavy drums. 'Every Second Every Minute Every Hour' is next from Dave Under, his new Hillman Avenger alias, who takes things in a more jazz funk direction, with masterful piano & brass work and scorching synth solo as the cherry on top. 'Our Love' is an updated rework of a vintage Republic Records track featuring the dynamic vocals of AJ Lewis. Bouncy house drums backbone the syncopated chord stabs before a gear change around the halfway mark signals a big heads down, hands up moment. Before the famous clock tower of Crouch End strikes 12, we have time for one more cut by the name of 'No Excuses' featuring the legend that is Lifford, who does what he does best, soulful yet mighty vocals. This is a peak time, feel-good slab of the Garage house that would have maybe made it onto one of Dave's original comps back in the day.
The Reflex has been back remixing on his multitracks again and if you have been out anywhere decent in recent times you might already have heard this one as it has been a favourite of those DJs in his inner circle. Finally, the unrelated rework of a legendary disco diva arrives on wax and dazzles from front to back. 'Lolita' has it all - the deft hi hats sliding above funky bass, a rhythm driven by busy piano chords and lung-busting vocal full of burning soul. 'Camels' rides funky, chunky drums and has more expressive tones this time in unison with an off-balance chord sequence and fluttering sax. Lovely stuff.
After its first release, the renowned Italian club of international caliber, Sound Department, is back with a new production. This time, the reins are handed to their DJ and producer Fisherman, who presents his EP Walking, featuring four explosive tracks!
Connecters Vol. 1: Original Recordings, 1992-1999 ist die erste Veröffentlichung von Larrison, dem Pseudonym des bildenden Künstlers und Musikers Larrison Seidle aus dem Mittleren Westen. Larrison komponierte, programmierte und nahm alles komplett auf einem Casio CZ-5000 auf, während der guten alten Zeit der selbstgemachten Experimente und Entdeckungen in den frühen 90ern. Er lebte in einer Traumwelt, die er selbst erfunden hatte, mit Soundtracks aus Space-Age-Pop-Vignetten, gespickt mit hypnotischen, überschwänglichen, vielschichtigen Synthesizer-Melodien. Mit 26 Tracks, die alle neu restauriert und aus den Originalquellen gemastert wurden, erfindet sich Connecters Vol. 1 Song für Song neu, überwindet die Zeit und trotzt der vorbestimmten Vergessenheit dieser brillanten, diskreten Musik, die vor drei Jahrzehnten entstanden ist. Larrison Seidle wuchs in den 70er und 80er Jahren in Greenwood, Indiana, einem Arbeitervorort von Indianapolis, auf. Er stammte nicht aus einer Musikerfamilie, aber aus einem Haushalt, in dem Musikalität gefördert wurde. Sein Vater kaufte eine elektrische Orgel, in der Hoffnung, dass Larrison und sein älterer Bruder das Instrument lernen würden. ,Am Ende saß mein Vater einige Abende an der Orgel, improvisierte und spielte immer wieder dieses eine Lied, von dem ich mich noch an die ersten Takte erinnern kann", erinnert sich Larrison. Möglicherweise war es in diesem Moment, in dem es zwar keine formale Ausbildung gab, aber viel Ermutigung und Entdeckungsfreude, dass der Künstler seine ersten musikalischen Experimente machte. Diese Erlaubnis, sich auszuprobieren, sollte seine kreative Arbeit in den folgenden Jahren deutlich prägen. Während in Larrisons Elternhaus klassische Rockplatten leicht zugänglich waren, lieh sich sein Vater 35-mm-Dokumentarfilme aus der Bibliothek aus, um sie im Wohnzimmer zu zeigen, die alle mit skurrilen Instrumentalstücken unterlegt waren. Als Teenager nahm er John Carpenters und Alan Howarths Endthema aus ,Die Klapperschlange" mit einem kleinen Kassettenrekorder neben dem Fernsehlautsprecher auf und liebte Tangerine Dreams Beiträge zu Ridley Scotts düsterer Fantasy ,Legend". Seine Faszination für diese weitgehend textlosen, synthesizerbasierten Kompositionen führte zu einem eigenwilligen Verständnis davon, wie Musik nicht nur das ergänzt, was wir vor uns sehen, sondern auch das, was wir in den Tiefen unseres Bewusstseins erleben. 1985, als er dreizehn Jahre alt war, überzeugte Larrison seinen Vater, ihm ein Casio CZ-5000-Keyboard zu kaufen. Wie zuvor die Orgel war auch dieses Instrument eine Neuheit im Haushalt der Seidles. Erst nach seinem Highschool-Abschluss 1991 und dem Beginn seines Studiums an der Herron School of Art in Indianapolis entdeckte er den in das Casio integrierten Sequenzer und begann, seine Kompositionen auf Band aufzunehmen. ,Das CZ-5000 und sein 8-Spur-Sequenzer sind die einzigen Musikinstrumente, die ich benutzt habe. Es hat eine fast unbegrenzte Funktion zur Erzeugung neuer Klänge", erklärte Seidle. Während seiner Zeit an der Herron School of Art freundete sich Larrison mit seinem Kommilitonen und Klangkünstler Michael Northam an, den er bei einem Konzert auf dem Campus kennengelernt hatte. Nachdem Northam Larrison für die Musik von Severed Heads, Throbbing Gristle und Roger Doyle begeistert und damit seine Zuneigung und sein Vertrauen gewonnen hatte, überredete er ihn, nach Austin, Texas, zu ziehen, das in den frühen 90er Jahren für seine lebendige Kunst- und Musikszene bekannt war. Die beiden wohnten zunächst bei Northams Freund Daniel Plunkett, dem Herausgeber und Verleger von ND, einem einflussreichen Magazin, das sich von 1982 bis 1999 mit DIY-Musik und Tape-Trading beschäftigte. In seiner Blütezeit hatte ND Tausende von Lesern, und Plunkett verschickte die Ausgaben weltweit. In den letzten Monaten des Jahres 1993 und Anfang 1994 schrieb und nahm Larrison mit begrenzten Mitteln und grenzenloser Intuition eine Reihe von Songs mit seinem CZ-5000 in einer kleinen Wohnung nördlich der Innenstadt von Austin auf, bastelte eine farbenfrohe, illustrierte Beilage, in der einige Songtitel durch Linien oder Pfeile dargestellt waren, und gab sie an Plunkett weiter, damit er sie für ND rezensieren konnte. Diese einzelne Kassette mit dem Titel Connecters sic war eine von 1200, die im Laufe des Bestehens der Publikation bei ND eingereicht wurden und die Jed Bindeman, Mitbegründer von Freedom To Spend, 2020 erworben und fast wie durch ein Wunder entdeckt hat. ,Ich hatte große Schwierigkeiten, mir die Kassetten in dieser Sammlung anzuhören", gibt Bindeman zu. ,Aber dann legte ich Larrisons Connecters ein und dachte sofort: ,Wow! Was höre ich da?' Die Kassette war von Anfang bis Ende einfach fantastisch." Mit Musik von genau dieser Kassette und anderen Aufnahmen aus Larrisons Experimenten in den 90er Jahren ist Connecters eine Übersicht über Instrumentalmusik, die sowohl durch vielfältige konzeptionelle Strategien als auch durch spielerische Neugierde geprägt ist. Seidle arbeitete unter Bedingungen, die viele Musiker als Einschränkung empfinden würden, und entwickelte technisch innovative Ansätze, um die Klänge und integrierten Effekte des CZ-5000 zu modifizieren. Das Gerät ermöglichte es ihm, die Wellenform, die Hüllkurve und die Tonart von Klängen mithilfe der Phasenverzerrungssynthese zu verändern und so im Grunde genommen Instrumente zu schaffen, während er Songs komponierte. Die Tracks zeichnen sich durch eine durchdachte impressionistische Vielfalt aus, die mal lo-fi, mal symphonisch klingt. Inmitten der Zerlegung und Verstärkung der Fähigkeiten des CZ-5000 gibt es auch einen geschmackvollen Rückgriff auf eine kindliche Interaktion und Erfahrung von Klang. Vielleicht ist es diese Erfahrungsqualität, die es so schwierig macht, Larrisons Projekt einfach als Ambient oder Elektronik zu verstehen. Sein Wille, die ihm zur Verfügung stehenden Werkzeuge zu transformieren, hebt die daraus resultierenden Kompositionen auf eine persönliche Ebene und verleiht der Musik einen bezaubernden Sinn für Mystik. Connecters ist ein Beweis für eine künstlerische Vision, die sich nicht durch Grenzen einschränken lässt und keine Angst vor Informalität hat. Diese Aufnahmen, die dreißig Jahre nach ihrer Dokumentation auf magische Weise an die Oberfläche kommen, zeigen, wie personalisierte Produktionsmittel die Zeit ausdehnen und verkürzen können. Larrison lädt die Zuhörer ein, sich auf die Wunder der auditiven Vorstellungskraft einzulassen - eine Brücke zwischen visueller Erinnerung, emotionaler Resonanz und der grenzenlosen Möglichkeit, mit den uns zur Verfügung stehenden Mitteln Musik zu machen. Larrison's Connecters Vol. 1: Original Recordings, 1992-1999 wird am 3. April 2026 von Freedom To Spend als Vinyl- und Digitalausgabe veröffentlicht.
Chlar returns to his Primal Instinct label with 'Modern Survival'
Following the widely praised Funk Assault (Chlar & Alarico) 'Minimum One Post A Week' EP, which kicked off the Primal Instinct label last summer and won the support of the likes of Rodhad, Tasha, and Luke Slater, as well as routine plays from Sarah Story on BBC Radio 1, Chlar now returns to his imprint with solo venture 'Modern Survival'. While the first Primal Instinct release saw references to artist urges and behaviours on social media, this next instalment explores a modern recontextualisation of humanity's hierarchy of needs in yet another high-concept EP.
First up, 'Internet Soulmate' boasts a crunchy bassline as its drum work chugs along the track playfully. The groove twists and turns before the hypnotic and tribal 'Supermarket Hunting' continues with sounds of nature, loopy rhythm and syncopated bleeps.
On the B-side's 'Body Control Officer', human-made grooves intertwine with machine-like thrum, synths whirring and zapping, while 'Competitive Influencing' takes off with rolling percussion, subtle whistles and distorted vocal one-shots. Closing out another stellar offering from the Primal Instinct frontman, Chlar brings the dark 'Scout My Algorithm', a brooding slow-burner offset by smooth arpeggio snippets and warped slices of digital noise.
"In an era where technology entwines our everyday existence, where the virtual realm shapes our interactions, and where the pursuit of influence takes centre stage comes an EP that delves deep into the modern tapestry of human existence. 'Modern Survival' is not merely a collection of songs and visual clips, but a poignant reflection on the intricate dance between our primal instincts and the brave new world we navigate today. The EP invites listeners on a journey of self-discovery and reflection, prompting them to ponder the fundamental essence of our existence in an environment of fast-paced technological evolution." - Chlar
Zum allerersten Mal auf Vinyl, präsentiert in einer cardboard single sleeve LP inklusive vierseitigem Einleger
mit einem Text von Hermann Conen.
Im Juli 1995 trafen sich Arvo Pärt und Manfred Eicher in der Frankfurter Festeburgkirche mit vier aufmerksamen Musikern – dem Geiger Vladimir Spivakov, dem Cellisten Dietmar Schwalke sowie den Pianisten
Alexander Malter und Sergej Bezrodny –, um eine Aufnahme zu realisieren, die sich ganz auf die Kompositionen “Für Alina” und “Spiegel im Spiegel” konzentriert. Das Ergebnis, das ECM New Series Album Alina,
nimmt sowohl in der Diskografie des estnischen Komponisten als auch im ECM-Katalog einen besonderen
Platz ein. “Für Alina”, geschrieben 1976, war für Pärt eine bahnbrechende Komposition und zugleich
symbolisch der Ausgangspunkt für die folgenden Werke. „Ich könnte meine Musik mit weißem Licht vergleichen, das alle Farben enthält“, sagte Arvo Pärt damals. „Nur ein Prisma kann die Farben aufteilen und
sichtbar machen; dieses Prisma könnte der Geist des Zuhörers sein.“ Zeitgenössische Rezensenten meinten,
dass das aufmerksame Verfolgen des Flusses von Alina die Wahrnehmung schärfe. Gramophone beschrieb
das Album als „die Stimme eines inneren Exils, in sich gekehrt und zutiefst persönlich, aber für jeden
zugänglich, der bereit ist zuzuhören. Die große Gefahr beim Hören von Alina besteht darin, dass vieles von
dem, was man danach hört, plötzlich wie Lärm wirkt – zu viel Lärm. Aber es ist ein Risiko, das einzugehen
sich lohnt.“
Slope114 are Dmitri SFC & Elise Gargalikis, a duo that makes their house music live from home in San Francisco. That lends it a rare musicality and melodic lushness that sit their work right up there with deep house forefathers. This outing starts with the slouchy goodness and endearing bass of 'Dystopian Blues', complete with aloof vocals that exude cool. The dub is even more pillow and smooth than the Mark Ambrose mix that brings a little more roughness to the drums but still locks into a hypnotic vibe. 'Emu 2' is a gentle rhythm with dusty pads and candle-lit chords for when slow-burn subtlety is prized over immediacy. Classy stuff.
The world of UKG is as fruitful as ever right now and someone who continues to make fresh moves in it is IsGwan, a Melbourne/Naarm-based artist adding his own twist to the classic template. London label Bad Parrot welcomes him for a series of bouncy and bright originals as well as some on-point remixes. 'Next To Me' has low-key groove that skates and scuffs along with a classic r&b vocal from Amber Ferraro, adding the sunshine. There's a slow, more bass-driven heft to 'All That You Want', 'On Your Mind' is sun-baked and blissed out and 'Feel Free' brings more adventurous synth work to a busier framework. Of the remixes, Harvey Sutherland brings his usual sun-facing synth sounds and Rich Ellis makes 'Feel Free' into a more dark and gritty low-end workout.
Leopard DaVinci is the official keyboardist of Dabeull's Band.
“Casual Conversation” pairs Leopard DaVinci’s high-gloss funk production with Moniquea’s signature vocal charisma for an instantly addictive modern funk single. Flirty, confident and groove-heavy, the track balances retro-inspired synth textures with a contemporary boogie pulse, making it a strong fit for editorial playlists centered around funk-forward, danceable and soulful music.
Moniquea already holds a respected position in the global modern funk community, and this release delivers exactly what that audience wants: attitude, melody, replay value and undeniable groove. “Casual Conversation” has crossover potential between dedicated funk listeners, nu-disco audiences and feel-good R&B selectors.
“Flaws” pairs Leopard DaVinci’s signature synth-led funk production with Helena’s fresh and expressive vocal presence for a release that feels both timeless and relevant. Built around a message of self-acceptance and inner strength, the track transforms vulnerability into groove, offering a refined mix of modern funk, boogie and soulful pop energy.
Its lyrical theme makes it especially effective beyond niche funk circles, opening space for playlisting tied not only to groove and retro-funk aesthetics, but also to confidence, empowerment and uplifting mood. “Flaws” is melodic, elegant and emotionally direct — a strong crossover track with both artistic identity and listener accessibility.
Mr Bongo are thrilled to have one of the leading lights in contemporary soul joining the label. Melbourne-based vocalist, musician, and songwriter Ella Thompson is an artist whose name is being championed by some of the best in the business. She’s been building a reputation as one to watch, with two standout releases on Hopestreet Recordings, Domino EP in 2023 and Ripple On The Wing LP in 2024, alongside a heavy touring schedule and a stacked list of support slots and collaborations.
For this new 7” single, Ella collaborates with a selection of artists at the forefront of Naarm/Melbourne’s soulful DIY community. Featuring members of Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo, Liam McGorry from Temporary Blessings (College Of Knowledge) joins Ella as co-writer and co-producer, with go-to Melbourne engineer Henry Jenkins also producing and recording the track.
Bridging the worlds of classic and contemporary soul, Ella’s songwriting is drenched in emotion and personal experience. With a timeless feel that is hard to tie to any particular period, she has crafted a sound that instantly hits deep. It’s warm, tasteful and distinctly Ella. That talent has also seen her tour with Mark Ronson, and support other contemporary greats like Jalen Ngonda, Lee Fields, and Thee Sacred Souls.
‘Promise To Keep’ is the first taste of Ella’s new material on this 7” single. An irrepressible upbeat groover that echoes mid-to-late-sixties vocal groups. That influence though never overpowers Ella’s own unique creative voice or distinct sense of self. She draws from it, but the colour is all her own. The song tells a story of being carried by the current that keeps us moving, giving us courage. A commitment to oneself that speaks to action shaped by vision, and the pull of following what feels correct even when the distance is far.
The flip side finds Ella in a different mood. ‘Change Of Heart’ is a heavy sweet-soul ballad. Rich in drama, Ella’s falsetto vocals build to a stunning climax in the final section, with triumphant horns that signal the release of letting go. The lyrics reflect on temporality and impermanence, and the way moments can be missed or arrive with synchronicity. It’s that bittersweet paradox of triumph and sadness, where everything contains its opposite: absence and presence, innocence and experience. The song is underpinned by a brooding production quality and atmospheric, beat-heavy flavour that Surprise Chef and cinematic soul fans will relish.
Mixed by Wayne Gordon (Daptone, Womack Sisters), ‘Promise to Keep’ and ‘Change of Heart’ are a glimpse of things to come from Ella. Keep an eye open for more new music incoming from this phenomenal artist at the top of her game.
Odlazak – the third full-length from multidisciplinary artist and musician Ivan Masic as Ex Ponto – takes its name from the Serbian word for departure. It’s a theme that reverberates throughout the release as the motifs of departure, arrival and the journey between the two are woven into an intimate personal narrative from 1980s Yugoslavia to contemporary suburban Coburg and back. Odzalak feels like a bookend to a decade of concerted, illuminating visits to the place of his birth and a countenance to the departure that long defined his youth.
Alongside Ex Ponto’s signature mix of electronic and organic textures, Masic has interspersed moments of exchange from his homeland. The haunting sound of the gusle — a traditional Serbian instrument played by his ancestors — opens the album, alongside 40-year-old VHS recordings of family members reflecting on life and death. The cover was designed by long-time friend Rick Milovanovic (TRiC), whilst photographs from Masic’s visits to Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina by his wife, photographer Sarah Pannell, are featured on the inner sleeve. The release was mastered and partially mixed by Belgrade-based Goran Simonoski (La Plant), a collaboration rooted in shared lineage and a mutual love of the darker edges of the sonic spectrum.
Taking cues from ambient to kosmiche, dub to post punk and everything in between, this is a sonic journey as much as it’s a personal one. Part Balkan Bladerunner soundtrack, part Vini Reilly in wonderland, Odzalak is Ex Ponto’s most pointed and heady release to date, equally at ease in the club and at home.
Turn On The Sunlight is the long-running project of Texas-born, Maui-based musician and producer Jesse Peterson.
Originally formed in New York in the late 2000s, Turn On The Sunlight has evolved into a fluid, location-spanning practice rooted in collaboration, intuition and process. Now based on Maui, Peterson’s work draws together a wide network of musicians and environments, with recordings taking shape across Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, San Miguel de Allende and Haʻikū.
Loosely situated within a framework of organic, ambient-leaning jazz, 'Iseo' unfolds as a series of open, exploratory pieces, with electronics sitting subtly beneath acoustic and environmental elements. Built from layered instrumentation including synthesizers, guitar, zither, flutes, voice and field recordings, Peterson moves between grounded, tactile detail and more expansive, immersive states. A sense of warmth and permeability runs throughout: organic percussion, environmental textures and drifting rhythmic elements lend the record a gently saturated humidity, reflecting Peterson’s base in Hawaii, where the presence of nature is felt as much as it is heard.
Underlying the project is a way of working rooted in gathering, listening and tending. Instruments, ensemble sessions, field recordings and everyday environments are approached with attentiveness, shaped through collecting, refining and allowing things to settle. Relationships, landscape and lived experience shape the sound, giving 'Iseo' a tactile, almost hand-made quality.
Rather than fixed arrangements, the album feels as if it has been organically and lovingly assembled through a process of listening and response, each element finding its place within a wider, evolving whole. This approach reaches a natural centre point in the 15-minute piece 'Medianoche En La Calle Aurora', which unfolds patiently, bending through shifting environments as motifs and textures emerge and dissolve with quiet continuity.
Peterson’s role as both instigator and facilitator is central to the project. Bringing together a diverse group of collaborators including Carlos Niño, Mia Doi Todd, Laraaji, Ko Ishikawa, Luis Pérez Ixoneztli and Miles Spilsbury, he creates space for individual voices to emerge within a shared language. The result is a music defined by openness and generosity.
'Iseo' takes its title from Peterson’s son’s middle name, a word that can be understood to mean ‘one-world life’. The piece itself takes the form of a gentle lullaby, its melody loosely shaped around the syllables of his name and sung to Peterson’s son by Luis Pérez Ixoneztli, a close collaborator whose presence across the record reflects a long-standing relationship that extends beyond the music itself.
Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.
'Electronic lullabies and folk songs from Ethiopia! A landmark recording from Ethiopia’s vibrant cassette era of the 1980s, Resonance of Time features pioneering composer Wesenyeleh Mebreku reimagining Ethiopian folk melodies through the humble circuitry of an early Casiotone keyboard.
'Historically, the works featured on Resonance of Time (የጊዜ ቃና Yegizie Kana) stand as quiet documents of Ethiopian musical memory. Many of the original songs included in this release emerged during important moments in Ethiopian history when music carried the collective emotion of the nation - love, loss, resistance, dignity, and hope. By arranging these pieces from Ethiopia’s musical heritage instrumentally, Wesenyeleh Mebreku aimed to preserve their essence while protecting them from being confined to a single era or performance style. In doing so, his preservation of Ethiopia’s musical heritage became a contribution to his country’s musical legacy itself, as Resonance of Time serves as an important musical milestone of this composer’s innovative recordings and musical developments in the prolific era of Ethiopia’s 1980s cassette tape culture.
'On Resonance of Time, Wesenyeleh made use of the first Casio electronic keyboard - the Casiotone CT-201 - to arrange and perform Ethiopian folk songs in his own unique style. Implementing the soulful, lo-fi character of the keyboard, Wesenyeleh’s interpretations of these works take on a life of their own. Charming analog tones interpret swirling sounds of organ and piano in kignit modality to the beat of a nostalgic rhythm machine while twinkling synthesizer sounds carry the melodies drifting out of time. The recordings reflect a watershed moment in Ethiopian musical history - when traditional melodies started being interpreted on electronic keyboards, and the advent of cassette tape recording allowed for music to be transmitted more accessibly than centuries-old oral traditions. During this time, Ethiopian musical modes were syncretized with new technology and budding musical experimentation, and Wesenyeleh’s interpretations on Resonance of Time are a landmark recording of this era, following in the tradition of reflecting upon and re-interpreting historical Ethiopian music for a new generation.
'Featured on the release are timeless Amharic folk songs and lullabies, Tigrinya love songs, Gurage and Oromifa popular songs, and even works closely associated with performers from Ethiopia’s 1970s popular music era such as Tiz Alegne Yetintu (ትዝ አለኝ የጥንቱ) which was famously performed by Tilahun Gessesse. Each piece, thoughtfully chosen by Wesenyeleh, is beautifully transformed into instrumental music of his own style - allowing these worlds of song to echo into the future while they are synthesized with the electronic innovations of the 1980s and Wesenyeleh’s own musical history.
'Wesenyeleh says this about his musical approach - ”Instrumental music, for me, is a space of reflection. Without words, the listener is invited to remember, imagine, and feel freely. In Resonance of Time, I hear my own musical philosophy: respect for Ethiopian kignit, careful dialogue with Western harmony, and a deep trust in melody as a storyteller.”
'Each piece performed on Resonance of Time speaks to a time when Ethiopian music was shaped by oral transmission through live performance and communal listening. In today’s fast-moving musical environment, revisiting these works is an act of cultural responsibility. These works remind us that melody once traveled slowly, settling deeply in the listener’s heart. The instrumental format allows these works to cross linguistic and generational boundaries, making them accessible to audiences who may not know the original lyrics but can still feel their spirit.
'Resonance of Time also reflects a broader historical dialogue: the meeting of tradition and adaptation. Ethiopian music has always evolved while holding onto its core identity. These arrangements affirm that evolution does not mean abandonment. Instead, it can be a form of safeguarding - ensuring that the musical wisdom of the past continues to resonate in the present and inspire the future.
'In this sense, the album is both personal and collective. It carries Wesenyeleh Mebreku’s own musical fingerprint, shaped by decades of practice, but it ultimately belongs to a wider cultural continuum. It is the artist’s contribution to keeping time audible so that memory, history, and sound may continue to speak to one another.'
Outdom Records returns with another dose of uncompromising underground material on wax. For its ninth vinyl release, Outdom presents: Latent & Retrolog, none other than the founders of the label themselves, for a special split EP: “Vertigo EP”.
Across four carefully crafted cuts, Latent & Retrolog deliver a record designed for adventurous dancefloors: sharp rhythm science, low-end pressure and mind-bending textures, all wrapped in a distinctly raw, UK-influenced and analog spirit.
A record for selectors who like their dancefloors groovy, unpredictable, quirky and slightly dangerous.
LP,180, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART
The two sides of 1973's Big Business / Wind of Change are mainly the work of thegreat Keith Mansfeld but there's a killer cameo each from Alan Hawkshaw and David Snell to help deliver a thematic suite, diverse in mood, applicable to dramatic and environmental situations'. A Be With favourite and truly one for the heads.
The Big Business of side A is all the work of Keith Mansfeld. It's heavy on the suspense and features the vital Hot Property', an insistent groove so good that Madlib sampled it to lace the ace Long Awaited' by Lootpack with Dilated Peoples.
Sleeping Giant 1' is a more feshed out version of the equally-dazzling Fatal Error', evoking the orchestral magic of David Axelrod. Indeed, it conjures images of Diamond D falling over himself in the early-to-mid 90s to loop its intoxicatingly
eerie soundscape. Complete with guitar flls that recall Paris, Texas-era Ry Cooder, you need this record for this piece alone.
The horn-and-fute-led "Tycoon" is a head-nodder and "Power Complex" has some fantastic percussion. Other highlights include the breezy glide of Whistle Stop Tour' and its sister groove Clean Air.'
Over on Side B is the more expansive Wind Of Change, which includes the David Snell and the Alan Hawkshaw contributions. But these ain't no fller. Snell's shufing International Flight' sounds like a smooth Dorothy Ashby track tossed from the heavens. Hawkshaw's Road And Rail' is about as luxurious and strung-
out as the great man gets and it might just be the highlight of this whole set.
Not to be outdone, if Mansfeld's Balance Of Power' doesn't make you feel like king of the world then you must be playing it wrong. Oh, and did we mention World In Action'!
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Big Business / Wind of Change comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regularSimon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's
brand identity.
180g 2027 Repress They Say: “Descriptive scores for scenes of visual impact”.
We say: Arguably the single greatest album in KPM history. An ensemble piece of staggeringly heavy works from none other than Brian Bennett, John Scott, Steve Gray, Jim Lawless and Johnny Pearson.
For our immense pleasure, Visual Impact includes the insanely ace “Nuplex” by Brian Bennett, a nagging, sweeping, punchy funk piece that exists in a world of its own. If you don’t know, get to know - the record’s worth getting for this track alone. The same goes for the beautifully paced, string-drenched, horn-fed LP opener “Canaveral Scape”, courtesy of John Scott. Truly sublime. Other highlights on the A-side include Bennett’s easy, bass-heavy jazz groover “Sequence Of Events” and the spare, building, undercover funk of Steve Gray’s aptly-named “Low Profile”.
The B-side is straight-up fantastic. The percussive, vibey exotica of Jim Lawless’s “Keeping Pace” is followed by five tracks of slick, weighty funk breaks from Johnny Pearson. Check the pure groove of “Jaguar” with its head-nod drum break intro, the creeping piano-strings combo and… er… giant neck-snapping breaks of “Giant’s Causeway”, the speaker-smashing progressive bass groove of “Fugitive”, the tense "Rock Climb" and the sheer heft of "Heavy Load". Library largeness. If that isn’t enough, John Scott’s incessant “Flight Of The Phoenix” ends the session, brilliantly pilfered by M.O.P. for their much-loved “We Run New York”.
Originally released in 1976 but wonderfully timeless, Visual Impact is a rare example of a library record that’s genuinely great listen from start to finish. Just too good…
As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for Visual Impact comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We’ve taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity.
And don’t worry! Those KPM stickers aren’t stuck directly on the sleeves!
Mermaids is many things at once: The debut single by Fila Brazillia (named after the mishearing of a Brazilian mastiff breed mentioned on the radio), the second release on Pork Recordings, a deep house master piece, the brainchild of the summer of love, a pen friend to A Man Called Adam’s Barefoot in the Head and most of all pure balearic bliss. Originally released in 1991 and subsequently featured on Old Codes, New Chaos, which according to Frank Tope at Mixmag, is "the Best Dance LP ever made”, it marked the beginning of a long and illustrious partnership for Hull natives Steve Cobby and David (Man) McSherry.
Mermaids still sounds as good and as addictive on any kind of beach or natural environment as it supposedly did on Boris Dlugosch’s Front dance floor or any other basement suffused with strobe lights at the time (or any hedonistic place for that matter). Having been already part of the latter’s and Klaus Stockhausen’s Mastermix Front Compilation, it has now been dusted off and remastered for an individual performance. Added for the first first time though is the original demo version that makes use of a different yet not less enchanting bass line.
Also included is Fila’s 1994 trippy, dare we say progressive, UK house blueprint Slacker. A seismic shift from the traditional tropes of house, it set an example for what should rock the dance music boat just a few years later. Delivered in a previously unreleased extended version for your utmost enjoyment.
Artwork note: The sleeve photograph is a proto-selfie taken by Steve in 1983 (the year the two first met). Man still has those braces.
LP,180g, 2027 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART
Hot Wax is an assured KPM masterclass from a dream team line-up of Brian Bennett, Alan Hawkshaw and John Fiddy. Here we're treated to what happens when all three decide to explore the latest trends in production music'. The latest as of 1976, of course.John Fiddy's numbers are sumptuous, string-led and light. Floaty soft-psych underpinned by a solid groove, particularly on Taste For Living' and "Fresh Start". If you're into Koushik and those early Manitoba/Caribou records - and you should be - you'll appreciate these.
For us, the Bennett and Bennett/Hawkshaw stuf is on another level. Capitol City' oscillates between driving funk and downbeat sentiment. Name Of The Game' is tough, smokin' funk, famously sampled in 2007 by Madlib for Percee P's Who With Me'. Bop On The Rocks' knocks hard and Full Throttle' features a guitar solo with some of the nastiest, about-to-explode fuzz you're ever likely to hear.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Hot Wax comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.
LP,180g, 2027 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART
The 'vivid contemporary sounds for a fresh visual image' make up the now canonised Synthesis from Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett. These two greats go deeper than usual on this collection, and the end result is a synth concept record of sorts. Released in 1974, it's an essential companion piece to
their Synthesizer and Percussion LP, released on Themes International Music in the same year.
Like most of our favourite library records, Synthesis has that gloriously funky, 'weird electronic music' vibe without ever being inaccessible. With the awesome ARP Odyssey at the fore, Hawkshaw and Bennett have created a blissed-out soundscape that, whilst laid back in all the right places, somehow remains heavy on the funk. It's a sort of throbbing, proto-G Funk sound and you can fnd it on many of these low-lit basement workouts.
Take the ice-cool 'Alto Glide'. It's a sunset-funk highlight with an electro-fute refrain that conjures those dreamier Dre / DJ Quick instrumentals from '91 to '92.
Stereolab, Koushik (again) and all those Ghost Box artists were clearly listening very closely in the years since. The equally relaxed 'Mermaid' glides efortlessly with soft, shimmering piano, understated percussion and kaleidoscopic synths.
It's a really beautiful piece.With these two soft-focus closing tracks allowing the LP to foat away over the horizon, the preceding ten tracks have a more insistent, neck-snapping rhythm
section to back the synth overload. Highlights include the head-nod funk of 'Getting It Together' and the synth break in 'The Executive', which informed classic video game soundtracks.
For once Be With really is stuck for words to describe just how good this record is.
Best just to listen. As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Synthesis comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.
LP,180g, 2027 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART
Veteran library musician Alan Parker recorded with session vocalist Madeline Bell for his Themes International Music label and the result was 1976's The Voice of Soul.
The sensational uptempo dancer 'That's What Friends Are For' is probably the most well known track on the record, and is a big hit on the rare groove scene, but it is by no means an anomaly. The Voice of Soul is essentially a perfect, sophisticated soul album with heaps of swagger and sass from beginning to end.
Its once generic-sounding title is now deservedly defnitive.
And the whole LP oozes sex. It oozes sex so much that it could have soundtracked a period porn flm. Indeed, parts of it did. 'Love Is All' and 'You've Got What It Takes' both featured on the infamously banned Pretty Peaches from the same year.
As is usual with library records, The Voice of Soul was hard to get even when it was frst released. It's next to impossible now. So here's your opportunity to own what is in our opinion one of the fnest rare soul LPs of the late 70s, and a superb example of Madeline Bell's superlative vocal talents.
But that's not the whole story. As well as pitching the record as 'a varied selection of modern female vocal features which are equally suitable for background or radio programme usage', the original release notes go on to explain that 'the corresponding backing tracks are issued on TIM 1022 The Sound of Soul. Therefore it is possible to edit from vocal to instrumental version and vica versa where commentary or scene changes occur.'
So yes, all of the backing tracks from The Voice of Soul were released as The Sound of Soul, and we couldn't re-issue one without re-issuing the other.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for The Voice of Soul comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.
With Panorama, Frank Maston pays homage to the classic era of library records and Italian soundtracks of the 70s. A blissed-out, grooving collection of filmic cues, it continues the unique brilliance of Tulips and Darkland. Elegant and easy, subtle and stylish, breezy and beautiful; this is his Maston-piece. Commissioned by legendary label KPM, Panorama cements Maston as a master of modern classics and the most mesmeric of contemporary composers.
In early 2020, Be With suggested to Frank that he should make a KPM record. He wasn't aware that they were still putting out new library records - but he was super keen: "It was completely surreal and it still hasn't fully sank in that I have a record in that catalog, sitting alongside those incredible albums that were so influential to me."
Frank was visiting family in his hometown of LA in March 2020 when the world ground to a halt so the KPM project arrived at a fortuitous moment. Having fantasised about committing to a record with no distractions, with a proper budget, access to his gear and space to work in - to really dig in and try to write and arrange the best work he could possibly make - it was a real "be careful what you wish for" moment. But, as Frank explained, "it completely saved my year and sanity to have something to focus on and get excited about. It was my lifeline." He spent seven months on it, working almost every day.
Maston had already been making library-influenced music so when KPM outlined the criteria for the tracks it was exactly what he had been doing all along. He thought the best approach would be to make a follow-up to Tulips that had a parallel life as a KPM record. Enjoying complete creative freedom, “gave me the drive to power through and dig in deep. I'm not sure if I could have kept myself on such a rigorous recording schedule under my own steam, and I think the momentum I had writing and recording it is part of the strength of this record."
Maston’s sleek retro-groove instrumentals emulate the classic KPM “Greensleeve” reel-to-reel recordings that provided mood-setting music for mid-century cinema, television, and radio programs. Apparently in close conversation with the John Cameron-Keith Mansfield KPM pastoral masterclass Voices In Harmony, Maston's Panorama could be heard as that record's funky follow-up. Yes, it's *that good*. Another reference point from the hallowed library would be Francis Coppieter's wonderful Piano Viberations.
Opener "First Class" is a blissed-out groove, featuring the soothing vocals of Molly Lewis and a glistening harp over drums, a two-note bass motif (from Eli Ghersinu of L'Eclair) and an assemblage of guitars, synths, French horn and glowing vibraphone. Acid Lounge, anyone? The irresistibly funky "Easy Money" is a gorgeous cut led by more of Molly's vocals, pastoral flute and Rhodes, underpinned by drums and percussion, grooving bass, chilled guitars and synth strings. Kicking the tempo up, the percussive "Storm" is a vibin' filmic-fusion jam where psychedelic guitars (courtesy of Pedrum of Allah Las/Paint) organ, jazzy flute, Rhodes and vibes all compete for a place in the sun, over drums and walking bassline.
The heavenly "You Shouldn't Have" is a delicate, melancholic wonder; a dreamy instrumental where the melody is shared by a whistle, harpsichord and celeste, over a cyclical piano chord sequence and bass, synths, guitars, organ and distant French horn. The tempo rises again with the passionate, sticky "Fling", a summery, nostalgic groove with skipping drums and percussion, warm bass and electric guitar, yearning flute and synth strings. The brilliantly titled "Fool Moon" has that Voices In Harmony sound down pat. A romantic slow-mo dreamscape of Rhodes and harpsichord, piano, light drums and softly strummed acoustic guitar.
Side B opens with "Medusa", a hopeful, mellowed-out track with shuffling drums, feel-good flute, muted horns, glowing Rhodes and synth strings. The soft and gentle "Morning Paper" is an elegant way to start the day; a beatless blend of flute, guitar, percussion, ambient synths and vibes. The upbeat head-nod jam "Scenic" has that widescreen car-chase feel, uptempo drums and percussion, grooving bass, piano, synths and ambient electric guitar. "Adieu" is a smooth summer vibe, relaxing with brushed drums, Rhodes, flutes and horns. Molly Lewis's gorgeous vocals steal the show, alongside vibes, jamming organ and synth strings.
"Hydra" is another laid-back 70s-sounding retro cinema cue with light drums and percussion, walking bass, spacey synths, clavinet, glowing vibraphone, vintage organ and electric guitar. Closer "Jet Lag" is a laconic bow out; bass-driven drum machine soul, featuring hand percussion, Rhodes, vibes, synths and organ.
Multi-instrumentalist Frank played a bit of everything across Panorama. Yet, humble as ever, he believes the time, energy, and enthusiasm of all of the musicians invited to the sessions helped him realise his vision: "There were two Italian flautists who really understood what I was going for. Two french horn players, cor anglais, a vibraphonist and a flügel horn player. I've never involved this many people in my projects before, and yet the result is the most "me" record I've ever made."
Musically, a strong Italian theme runs through the record. Frank is fascinated by ancient Rome and both his parents are Italian (Maston was originally Mastrantonio before anglicisation). So, it felt natural to fully embrace these strands and tie everything together with the striking artwork. The Romans were influenced by Greek culture, emulating their art and architecture, which, in turn, influenced Renaissance era artists. Frank acknowledged this tradition when reflecting on his place in the lineage of library and soundtrack composers. He then asked his friend Mattea Perrotta, a painter and sculptor, for some sketches. What he received was exactly what he had in mind: "Especially the theater mask, which really captures the range of moods on the album". Frank arranged them as per the cover and it soon felt right: "I wanted to make a cover that was reminiscent of the classic KPM albums without making it too pastiche - so it has its own identity and looks at home alongside other library records, while still fitting in nicely in the KPM catalogue." The last step was for us to introduce Frank to Be With-KPM’s Rich Robinson, who helped put together the back and centre labels and align it all within the KPM standard.
Panorama is a perfect title for the album. With no opportunity to travel for tours or recording projects, Frank arranged postcards from his collection on his desk with beautiful views of the mediterranean coast, the Roman Colosseum and Cinque Terre. These also served as visual prompts: "That was part of the sonic concept - imagining myself driving down the mediterranean coast with this music on, with the top down." Additionally, the range of moods and vibes - "I tried to make each song very different from the previous one in terms of tempo and arrangement and feeling" - speaks to the idea of a Panorama of music and sounds and emotions. The last track was originally called Panorama, but KPM already had that title in their catalogue so it was changed to "Jet Lag", which, as Frank notes, "is perhaps even more fitting, since the trip is over".
Music springs eternal. Recognising the enduring power of timeless albums to guide us through life, Forever Records is a reissue series dedicated to rediscovering lost musical treasures from across the spectrum of head-feeding, heart-rending electronic music.
Established by Rush Hour co-founder Christiaan Macdonald and Delsin founder Marsel van der Wielen, Forever Records places heartfelt faith in a carefully curated sequence of seminal, largely forgotten records from disparate eras, scenes and spaces within electronic music history. Tipped towards the mellow and introspective, these are albums that stop time when the needle hits the groove, stirring only when it's time to flip over before you sink back into the experience. That's what albums were always meant to be about, back then, right now, always and forever.
The Release:
Striking the sweet spot between sampledelic downtempo and earth-rooted deep house, Fila Brazillia's Old Codes New Chaos is a maverick patchwork of grooves and soundscapes. Crafted in North East England in the vibrant period before chill-out was co-opted by advertising, Steve Cobby and Dave McSherry's sharp-eared funk formula remains a cult classic suite of exquisite productions spanning deep house, broken beat and ambient shot through with wry humour.
Last physically released in limited quantities in 2002, Forever Records are revisiting this 1994 gem with an extensive reissue led by a triple vinyl pressing. As well as a new LP edition of the album, there will also be a uniquely numbered, limited edition housed in a gatefold sleeve that comes with a bonus 10" featuring two previously unreleased tracks.
'Chemistry' and 'Rankine', plus an exclusive print of Catherine Brennand's watercolour painting that graces the front of the album. All editions also features liner notes by veteran music journalist John McCready.
Press response to Old Codes New Chaos:
"The album that made the world finally sit up and take notice of the avant funk grooves coming from Hull's immaculately stoned tech funk magicians." Frank Tope, Mixmag, UK 1994.
"This album… stands out a mile from most of its peers as a work of untouchable genius." Bill Brewster, DJ Mag UK 1994.
"Fila works because they fit into that no man’s land, the space in your record collection where ambient seems too much like wallpaper and house seems just too braindead for your bedroom " Frank Tope, Mixmag, UK 1994.
"Having already created the perfect desert island disc, "Mermaids" and explored the darker side of sub bass on the 17-minute extravaganza "Fila Funk", Fila Brazillia have just unleashed their moving debut LP, "Old Codes New Chaos", and to be quite honest, you'd be fool to miss out this time around." Mandi James, Melody Maker, UK 1994.
“Where Cobby and Man rip up the rulebook on the four to the floor and probably make the greatest afterhours house album in the word”. Tony Marcus, Mixmag, 1996.
San Dee, TMD - Watif EP - Command Center Records - CCRE001
Command Center Records operates as a unified collective, independent label, and boutique online shop that actively energizes the local Miami community. Launched in 2019, the brand champions multiple musical styles. curating a wide array of genres while amplifying dance music to the forefront.
San Dee and TMD team up to launch this debut vinyl effort, delivering a heavy-hitting release of deep, minimal house and breaks. Across four tracks, "Watif" engineers a landscape of floor-shaking groovers, fusing sub-heavy kicks and rolling bass lines with layering drum machine textures and analog synths.
House titan Adam Collins contributes TWO masterwork Watif remixes that incinerate peak-hour sets. With the first Remix, a deeper rhythmic breakbeat and slapping hi-hats that slightly varies from the original. The second remix, being the Top Down Mix, packs a groovy Detroit electro-house feel, that you'll find yourself cruising at high speed with the top down.
Rounding out the EP is “Listening Minds" which transports the audience through a cosmic soundscape, while a recurring voice instructs the room to "Listen."
UK Hardcore Techno badman Dolphin back on PRSPCT XTRM with a killer 4 track audio violent onslaught.
Nature is dying, Trump is in office, The whole Brexit charade, Hong Kong is screwed and this is just a tip of that insanely high iceberg of bullsh** that keeps building up in this world.
Simple fact: C**ts Rule Everything Around us so the title of this EP is not just meant funny as an ode to one of the most legendary hip hop groups to ever live. We are dead serious here. Just look around you. C**nts everywhere for as far as the eye can see.
So blast these protest bangers hard and give those c**nts a super sonic hard as nails punch in the face.
The dream team of Sugar Minott and Victor Axelrod returns with a deep rub-a-dub reggae take on The Notation’s low rider classic, “I’m Still Here”. Shortly after falling in love with the song via a 45 mix from Gabe Roth, Axelrod received a serendipitous message from the late great Minott saying he was in town and ready to work.
Sugar's effortlessly soulful vocals coupled with Axelrod and Co's sweet and spacious groove, transform the Notation's track into a slow , sticky revelation of love that's actually stable. The perfect soundtrack for discerning soirees and those moments where you have one foot out the door but need a moment of reflection.
Pleasant Systems 014 brings together David Böning and Phillip Kluge for Moonbathed and Sunkissed, a four-track EP rooted in rough-edged ’90s deep house and early protohouse aesthetics. Split across two sides, the record moves through dusty drum machines, stripped-back grooves, raw basslines, and understated club energy. Drawing inspiration from classic US house music without slipping into nostalgia, both producers deliver tracks built for smoke-filled rooms, early morning floors and selectors who like things deep, direct and slightly worn around the edges.
Written in the wake of a relocation year that quietly rewired the Australian-Macedonian DJ/Producer’s instincts, the latest record on Aldonna’s own Re-leaf Imprint trades the melodic density of earlier work for something more intimate, immediate, and bodily. ‘Infatuate’ closes the gap between what she is making and what Aldonna is reaching for in her record bag. That shift manifests in a tighter focus on groove. Gritty, swung drum samples lifted and reshaped from vinyl, FX drenched stabs flickering through delays, and basslines that feel less composed than inhabited.
The A-side rides a continuous low-end groove. The environments that shaped these tracks are still embedded in them: the sunburnt euphoria of a Brussels day party bleeds into “Squeaky,” while “Keep Up” captures the nervous, sleepless churn of a Berlin weekend on the edge of breakthrough.
The B-side’s “My Dear” softens into something more viscous and intimate, its warmth underscored by Aldonna’s own spoken word vocal in the Macedonian language, an understated but pointed nod toward underrepresented Balkan textures in club music. The EP rounds off with a functional remix from Berlin’s ‘Revivis’, applying his signature rolling sound to ‘My Dear’.
As a whole, the record feels deliberately situational, equally at home under low red lights in a sweat-slicked club or stretched across a festival system in broad daylight, but always orbiting that same core impulse: to pull bodies closer, lock them into the groove, and let everything else dissolve.
Dave Mech presents Berlin Seite on 12" vinyl and digital. A powerful LP featuring 10 tracks loaded with robust and elegant Techno. The first four tracks deliver modern Techno sounds, with celestial pads that wrap around you from the very first beat. A record that will become a permanent piece in your DJ bag. The release is completed with six additional digital-only tracks, recorded live in different clubs across Berlin, capturing that raw and untouched magic.
All Nice Records returns with the 006 instalment, welcoming Raw Takes to the roster for a self-titled six-tracker that lives up to its name. No frills, no fuss, just pure, unfiltered club music pressed on wax Side A kicks off with House of Phreaks, a dense Chicago house sledgehammer built around a heavyweight bassline that sets the pace from the first bar, no introduction needed. Last Figure pulls the tension tighter before One For Gehm closes the first side as a heartfelt nod to Andreas Gehm - the legendary German acid pioneer whose influence continues to ripple through the underground. Flip it over and Piano Jam brings an unexpected melodic warmth to the centre of the record, while AECD wears its influences proudly, a 303-drenched acid workout rooted deep in the classic Chicago house tradition, the kind of track that feels like it could have come straight out of the Warehouse era. Crime Times seals the deal... gritty, atmospheric, and built for the late hours.
One of the UK’s best loved and most respected dance music producers, Michael Gray, unveils his exciting third artist album, ‘You & Me’, on his own ever vibrant Sultra Records. Featuring a superb array of both fresh and regular vocal and musical collaborators, Michael delivers another superb helping of lovingly crafted discofied, boogie and soulful dance treats, where meaningful songwriting, passionate vocal performances and impeccable musicianship combine to create one of Michael’s best bodies of studio work to date!
“I’m really excited about this album. I enjoyed making ‘Optimism’ 2 years ago, but I feel like my sound and creativity have developed further during the production of my third album ‘You & Me’. I think there will be a few tracks that people are not expecting from me… and that’s the joy of making an album! You can really get creative”. – Michael Gray
Across the album, Michael brings together an impressive array of world class talent. Rising 29 year old vocalist Bran Mazz features prominently, delivering fresh performances on the standout cover of Maxwell’s ‘Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)’, as well as on ‘I Like The Way’, ‘Medicine’ and ‘Breaking Away’. Chi town house legend Mike Dunn joins Michael on the title track ‘You & Me’, built around a clever sample of Freeez’s ‘Flying High’. Vocal powerhouse Tania Foster turns up the heat on the Latin disco flavoured ‘Shake’. New York singer Kelli Sae lends her unmistakable soul to ‘Give It To Me’ and ‘Detonate’, the latter also featuring singer/songwriter Errol Reid (China Black / Axwell). Jamiroquai’s Derrick McKenzie adds his signature live drums to ‘Detonate’ and ‘I Like The Way’. Sian Lee appears on the current single ‘Gravity’, which is sitting at the top of the Traxsource chart. ‘Universe’ sees Michael deliver an instrumental jackin’ house twist, set for a full single release on Toolroom in June. Adding further depth to the album, superstar diva Phebe Edwards brings her impeccable soulful tone to a cover of Cleo Sol’s ‘Life Will Be’, Brit soul favourite Dyanna Fearon shines on ‘I’m Falling For You’, and Audrey Martells lifts ‘Beautiful’ with her stunning, uplifting vocal.
New Flesh Records returns with its 34th release, bringing together two long-time affiliates: Boris Divider and label mastermind Umwelt. On the A-side, Boris Divider delivers "A New God", a hypnotic slice of stripped-back electro built around his signature robotic vocoder work and a tightly coiled arpeggiated loop that borders on obsession. Umwelt's remix sharpens the edges, injecting a cold, metallic sheen that amplifies its physicality, engineered for peak-time impact without sacrificing the original tension. Flip to the B-side and Umwelt steps forward with "Digital Ruins", a dystopian song that thrives on contrast: powerful, driving rhythms collide with soaring, almost melancholic synthwave textures, giving the track its emotional charge. Boris Divider's reinterpretation leans further into austerity, reinforcing the rhythmic framework while steering the piece into colder, more abstract territory that privileges atmosphere and textural nuance over immediacy, yet remaining firmly anchored in his established sonic identity.
There was a regrettable time in Turbo's history when our email filters would prevent anything called Groovedeep from reaching our senior A&R braintrust. We felt we needed to shield their sensibilities and sanity from demos by acts like The Rhythm Pilgrims and Loop Addict, but it ended up costing us potential stars like SonicVisions and Beatweaver. Someone had to stand up and say no more.
With this benighted era behind us, Turbo is proud of itself for presenting you with this pair of decidedly modern bangers from international supergroup Groovedeep, comprised of Toronto's Ciel and DC's James Bangura and Jackson Ryland.
"Funk Solo" packs 145 beats into each and every minute of a delirious techno mindbeast, with remixes from icons such as Shed, Batu, and Mark Broom taking the vibe in all the right various directions. Meanwhile, the bottom of the B-side is a "Big Bass Mix" for those of us who are compelled to slather ourselves in bass-boost ultrasound gel and nestle into the club sub-woofer where the low frequencies massage our kidneys and sacrum and the twinned demons of treble and vision cannot touch us I mean not even close brother.
WRWTFWW Records presents the first ever vinyl release for the Startled Insects’ 1984-1985 abstract/synth-pop/post-punk/electronic run compiled into one album : The Antenna Years. The Bristol music must-have comes as a limited edition LP with astonishing artwork, liner notes and a heavyweight sleeve.
The Antenna Years compiles the independent EPs/mini-LPs the Startled Insects released in 1984 (self-titled) and 1985 (Underworld/Black Spring), with two bonus unreleased tracks that were only ever played in their live shows (W.W.W and What A Waste, both amazing).
Astonishingly futuristic when they landed in 1984, the Startled Insects sounded like they came from another planet while staying rooted in Bristol’s underground. Abstract electronic, leftfield synth-pop, dub science, gamelan heat, post-punk edge, cinematic atmosphere : The Antenna Years delivers one beautifully odd voyage into the sonic unknown.
In the 90s, the band released two albums, including the classic Curse Of The Pheromones via Antilles New Directions (Island Records), then evolved into The Insects: film composers for BBC/National Geographic, Emmy winners, and key architects of the 90s Bristol orbit, working with Massive Attack, Goldfrapp, Tricky, and members of Portishead.
Four decades on, The Antenna Years still hits like a transmission from the future. Dive in with no fear.
BAILE & Nuage land on Shall Not Fade with their ‘Back 2 Earth’ EP
Four deeeep timeless tracks on this 12 inch. Sleek, progressive, acidy house & trancey ethereal breaks ‘Back 2 Earth’ is full of that headsy 90’s energy à la Underworld and Orbital…..we’ve been getting very lost in these ones!
Written remotely between Brooklyn, New York (BAILE) and Yerevan, Armenia (Nuage) both producers are more than a decade deep in their craft and it shows. They say “this all began with Nuage sending over a few short demos. BAILE took those pieces and constructed them into more fleshed out tracks, after which the two passed the songs back and forth slowly filling in the blanks.” …and that's the key here - no rush, no agenda just the realest takes expertly hewn.
Same Beat on the A1 is just that.. breakbeats, spoken word vocal chops and repetitive synth lines, but less is more. The percussion, bassline and programming do the work. Sometimes it's more about what you leave out than what you put in.
On ‘TSP’ you Nuage’s signature metallic synths. It’s a definite eyes closed/hands in the air weapon. Hypnotic flow building and ratcheting up the energy.
Flip over to title track’ Back 2 Earth’ and we get a trancey, garage and house blend. Sleek synths & arpeggios and minimal chops that seem to whisper ‘heaven…earth’.. BAILE utilized the Prophet Rev2 for pads and synths and a Moog Little Phatty and Minitaur for the bass but we want to know can a breakbeat soothe?
'Catch Yourself' closes out the EP.. More breaks and arpeggios but this time with an acid lead from the TB-03, grungy bass and warm gated synths underneath. Sample spotters you aren’t scoring any points here, the “I know that sample” vocal here come from Felicia Douglass (a frequent collaborator of BAILE’s who is in The Dirty Projectors and Ava Luna) and makes double the point that this EP is one of those ones that even on first listen you already know it. ‘Back 2 Earth’ has been on the SNF schedule for a minute so big up BAILE & Nuage for the patience but what that extra private time has meant, is that we can say with certainty that this EP keeps sounding better & better & better..
On his debut Feelin’, Ivory marries hi-tech sound design with the emotional pull of house for a collection of tracks shaped by a multitude of club music and R&B.
“Feelin’” is a dancefloor slammer, a healthy balance of tension and release that comes with an invite to conquer the floor. Followed by “I Need You Now”; a hulking warehouse cut built from barrelling, muscular kicks and a diced up diva house-esque vocal.
“Try” pulls the crowd back into room one for a huge, anthemic floor-filler underpinned by jagged synths. Ivory describes “Don’t Lose Control” as “one of the more emotional moments of the Record”; a track centered around dreamy pads, smooth house synth stabs and a disembodied post-human voice that sounds eerily poetic.
After their recent LP Mirages (Kraak Records, 2025) with French turntablist Guilhem’All, the group continues to explore collaborations with artists and instruments from diverse musical traditions. Building on decades of uncompromising acoustic exploration, Razen delves deeper into their practice with five improvisational pieces that unfold slowly in time and space. The duo’s radical core - Brecht Ameel and Kim Delcour - finds in Van der Harst a longtime kindred spirit, united by the impact of sound, intonation, and the sheer joy of playing.
To be released on April 24 via VIERNULVIER Records, the artwork for Stained Glass Starling was created by American visual artist Robert Beatty (Oneohtrix Point Never, Christina Vantzou, The Weeknd, Tame Impala). The physical release comes with a 16-page booklet including artwork and an interview.
A long-standing artistic kinship lies at the heart of this project, with first encounters dating back to the early 2000s in Belgian musical improv theatre. Van der Harst’s lifelong experience in improvised music and music theatre, spanning back to the 1980s, combined with a vast arsenal of rare and historical instruments, opens new tonal territories within the Razen universe.
These explorations are not incidental: his family roots in the former Dutch East Indies — through his great-grandfather — provide a quiet backdrop to his enduring affinity for Asian musical traditions. Instruments such as erhu, Javanese kacapi, and others introduce timbres
that bring the music its most pronounced Asian inflections to date.
Yet despite this shift in colour, the underlying ethos remains unmistakably Razen. Working from sound rather than form, the ensemble approaches music as painters approach a canvas: adding layers, contrasts and shades with care. There is no soloist’s ego here; all voices are equal, echoing principles found in gamelan traditions.
Over the decades, Razen and Dick Van der Harst have crossed paths repeatedly, notably through cult theatre productions by Belgian theatre maker Eric De Volder, including Zwarte vogels in de bomen (2002) and Huis der Verborgen Muziekjes I–II (2000–2006). Recording an albumtogether had long been a shared aspiration — a wish that crystallised after a 2024 concert at Concertzaal Miry in Ghent, part of the Ruiskamer series by VIERNULVIER Art Centre.
In this, the return of the one and only XI to the last standing first wave US Dubstep label LoDubs, which brought him out onto the scene over a decade and a half ago with the Jazz-step a’la Silkie preceding anthem “G-Funk 3000”, XI once again shows he has an indelible gift for making choons that are system rocking and cerebral all at once.
Heavy support from a slew of sound system stretchers. Currently being heavily featured by Distinct Motive on his tour spots, of which XI is joining the DM on selected dates.
The Reloved series – Four Flies Records’ ongoing project where today’s producers reimagine select gems from the golden age of Italian library music and soundtracks – welcomes a new chapter from the formidable pairing of Nicola Conte and Nico Lahs.
The tracks reworked in this vinyl EP all originate from the first half of the 1970s, a period when a fascination with African imagery and sounds was so pervasive among Italian composers that it became a prominent cultural and aesthetic trend. Applying their refined touch, Conte and Lahs have expanded the rhythmic and atmospheric potential of the original recordings without the need for invasive overwriting. Instead, they have emphasized the unique identity of each piece, adding a contemporary club energy that remains entirely respectful of the original spirit, structure, and essence.
The EP opens with Piero Umiliani’s “Nel Villaggio” (originally found on the 1975 library album Continente Nero), which Conte and Lahs have filtered through a hypnotic, sensual tribal-house lens. Side A continues with “Orgiastic Ritual”, a reimagining of Gianfranco Reverberi’s main theme for Black Magic Rites (Renato Polselli’s 1973 erotic-horror film), which elevates the original percussive groove, amplifying its ritualistic dimension and drawing the listener into a mesmeric sonic spiral.
On side B, “Oasi nella Giungla” – from Giuliano Sorgini’s Africa Oscura (recorded in 1974) – takes a more minimalist, electronic approach: the original material remains front and centre, enveloped in delays and subtle rhythmic touches. Closing the EP is Romolo Grano and Gianni Oddi’s “Kilimangiaro”, originally composed for the 1974 documentary Le Montagne della Luce; through the use of sampling and loops, Conte and Lahs transform it into an elegant afro-house cut, at once sleekly restrained and irresistibly magnetic.
This is undoubtedly the most club-oriented instalment of the Reloved series to date, propelling Italy’s library music heritage from the flickering screens and analogue airwaves of the past onto the dancefloors of the present.
Somniac One's fourth EP for PRSPCT XTRM is a love song to hardcore of yore, featuring two nostalgic original tracks and a hellfire remix of Party In My Head anthem 'Kill Everyone' by the one and only Deathmachine.
Somniac One's intense atmospheres and sledgehammer kicks get a euphoric lick on 'The Grand Awokening', a tribute to the millennium hardcore sound this industrial warrior was raised on. 'Hard Synths '92' meanwhile takes cues from even further back down the timeline, marrying early rave stabs and sentiment with Somniac One's thoroughly modern sound design and identifiable signature.
Technically skilled and hard as nails, Deathmachine then breaks the back of Somniac One's much loved 2018 banger 'Kill Everyone', delivering a crossbreed mutant remix that's gonna slay dance floors all over again.
There is a quiet, seasoned assurance to how Heimyl operates. Perhaps best known under his Lazer Man moniker the Lyon based producer a fixture in France’s undergroove community.
He burrows deep into a groove and lets the room come to him. On this record, that patience yields a formidable four tracker engineered specifically for proper sound systems and slow-burn dancefloors.
The A side sets the trap with "I Want Speak," a masterclass in tension pairing a skippy lock groove rhythm with a fragmented vocal samples.
"Power Cat" maintains the momentum, threading bell-like melodic fragments through a rolling, hypnotic bassline with a light, remarkably effective touch.
The flip is where the record earns its weight, anchored by "Sector 14." Here, pads rise imperceptibly over a relentless groove, mounting a subterranean pressure.
The closer "New Place" shifts gears gracefully, cooling the room down with a looser, sophisticated house sensibility, a natural exhale that hints at Heimyl's broader sonic palette.
Yaka slips into the APPX catalogue a hi-def 8 part narrative. Coated in silky sonic camouflage the Philadelphian sound designer, producer, and apparent amphibophile, conjures an aquatic instrument-rack straight out the estuary, and re-engineers it into a kind of amphibient-bass eco-system: part poolside bio-luminescence, part Severn-side subsidence. Welling with emotion ‘Dream Big’ is a joyride with your favourite frog-sage homies. It’s devotional, yes, but with a wink. Orchestrated by a bayou-mystic who’s just as likely to kiss the ring-modulator as they is to throw a shaka from his boogie board as they carves a line down stream.
The opening track “chrysalis of peace” builds like a choral summoning, beckoning you outward. “blubstep” shakes itself off and stretches into scattered breaks, sprinkles of underworld energy flickering beneath the surface. On “la pari,” the daemons find their stride in a huge leap into bass, punctuated by vocal satire, kitschy melodic fun, and an Amazonian sweat capable of humidifying any dancefloor. “miss that beach” slows the A-side into a thoughtful drift on a lilo, the distant sounds of cousins playing while wind lifts leaves overhead.
Flipping the disc, “buggged” arrives as a beat you can imagine bounding out of a Timbaland studio, tiptoeing in and out of 4/4 club jack. “back at the pad” breaks stride with a halftime depth that keeps you poised, like the surface tension of a water droplet in zero gravity. “weavin’ web” threads ascending melodic patterns over raised nodules of rhythm. Closing the album, “secret dream” dissolves into a private horizon — something half-remembered, half-invented — left for the listener to discover on their own.
About Yaka
A sound designer and musician based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their work blends emotive aquatic ambience, thick bass layering, and playful rhythmic structures, with an essence that sits somewhere between spiritual and satirical. Their earlier releases Somewhere In That Water introduced a practice rooted in the melancholic and bitter-sweet cuteness dipped in a deep affinity for wet environments.
Beyond their solo work, Yaka co-operates Inner Most, a label run between Philadelphia and Reykjavík alongside Echinacea. The imprint has become a home for boundary-blurring electronic music and features a number of Appendix.files favourites, including a release by our own secret getii, reinforcing a shared ethos of porous scenes and cross-continental collaboration.
Following the exploratory framework of Closer Now, Everlasting Flame sees Bartosz Kruczyński aka Earth Trax moving further into introspection, embracing a more experimental language that drifts between ambient abstraction and rhythm-driven forms.
The album unfolds through cold, shimmering atmospheres and submerged low-end structures, navigating a subtle tension between melancholy and propulsion. Its sonic palette remains fluid, shifting between hazy ambient passages, dub-inflected textures and more fractured, bass-driven moments, while maintaining a strong sense of cohesion throughout.
A defining element of the record lies in its contrasts: low, brooding pads and diffused beats are set against piercing high-end details, distant vocal fragments and flashes of raw, distorted intensity. This interplay creates a sound world that feels at once fragile and forceful, intimate yet expansive, with a persistent sense of longing running beneath the surface.
With Everlasting Flame, Earth Trax continues to move beyond strictly club-oriented structures, shaping a body of work that exists in a liminal space between functionality and free-form expression — immersive, textural and emotionally resonant. A record that lingers in the in-between, where rhythm dissolves into atmosphere and emotion takes the lead.
No introduction required for the The legendary No Call From New York EP by the uks cult electro act Transparent Sound, the finally reissued for everybody that missed out previously is finally here.
A long time Favourite of Helena Hauff, stingray and B traits the essential track of the year twice on radio one.
Transparent Sound repress this classics slap of forward thinking electro in its original format including remixes from Sync24, Mr Velcro Fastener and Larry McCormick. Grab it quick before its sells out and prices get crazy on discogs again.
A-side is Bill Withers' Harlem, taken from a rare recording and reworked into a slower, DJ-friendly version that really opens it up.
On the flip is FPI Project's Everybody Around The World, completely rebuilt from scratch, slowed down and driven by the piano. A real Balearic, feel-good summer record.
Discothèque Credits – Forgiveness Not Permission EP 4:
Four, soul-feeding edits drop just in time for sunshine. ‘Harlem’ serves up a light-touch edit approach, preserving the original street-corner poetry of ‘Harlem’ - with two versions supplied: Mix one for DJs with a clean intro and outro, plus an alternative second version with a tempo shift and fade. Backed with unmistakable, loved-up and iconic poolside pianos – ‘Everybody (All Over The World)’ now stripped into a global Balearic pulse: built for sunlit dancefloors & late-night gatherings.
Die Vintage Sounds Vinyl Collection präsentiert eine sorgfältig kuratierte Ausgabe ganz im Zeichen der House Music. Der Sampler vereint zeitlose, hochgradig tanzbare Tracks von prägenden Szenegrößen wie Masters At Work, Bob Sinclar, Kings Of Tomorrow, St Germain, DJ Gregory, Joe Smooth und vielen mehr. Funkige Basslines, soulige Vocals und klassische Grooves treffen auf französischen House-Esprit und internationale Club-Anthems. Ein unverzichtbarer Vinyl-Sampler für DJs, Sammler und alle, die House als Lebensgefühl verstehen.
West Coast tech house had long since taken shape by the time it made its way over to the UK at the turn of the new millennium, and that's in part because of the pioneering work of the Casa Del Soul crew. The "DJ-first, producer-second collective" was founded in Denver in 1999 by a bunch of artists including DJ Darrell Foxx, who put out several records that laid out the blueprint for this raw, gritty sound across several EPs. His debut, 'The Collective EP', was one of them - two live-session, warehouse-ready tracks of low-slung and stripped-back tech with swing in the drums and dust in the percussion. The original DAT tapes were lost in a blizzard, which meant original copies have become ever more scarce and pricey on the second-hand market... until now. This fantastic remaster brings them back to life with the same distinctive rawness that made them favourites with Doc Martin and Tyrant (Craig Richards and Lee Burridge) the first time around. Utterly essential.
Returning from an 18-month hiatus, Companion resurfaces with its long-awaited ninth offering – a six-track EP that beautifully distills the label’s devotion to patient tempos and deep immersive moods. The Garden is the result of a remote, cross-border dialogue between London and Belfast: a project born from a seasonal fatigue with the dancefloor and a collective turn towards our most inner states of being. The debut collaboration between Serenity Complex (Wigs) and Aika Mal, the EP is a meticulously detailed exercise in restraint, trading industrial harshness for a lush, subterranean hush.
The production breathes with a tactile, low-slung urgency: gritty, compressed drums and haphazardly recorded beatboxed percussion captured on a patio beneath the Devon sun provide a raw counterpoint to the EP’s cinematic sweep. Steered by narcotic basslines imbued with the brooding, early DNA of Massive Attack, these undulating pulses coil around the listener with a subtle, magnetic pull. They create a state of suspended momentum where tension never fully resolves and instead becomes the point of return. Aika Mal’s voice acts as a spectral anchor – mellifluous and transfixing as it moves in and out of each carefully curated element.
Drawing from the gossamer, reverb-drenched landscapes of Love Spiral Downwards and the gothic opulence of The Golden Palominos, the tracks lean into a slow, deliberate pace. Dub-influenced low end and trip-hop structures form the backbone, while fractured, gritty breakbeats bring a sharper edge. The release traces low-lit excursions into limerence, thriving in the heavy humidity of the afternoon just as easily as in the blue light of the pre-dawn or the apricity of first light.
The Garden celebrates togetherness by blurring two distinct artistic outlines into a single, prismatic whole. It is an invitation to submerge – a descent into the overgrowth.
In the creative Bologna of the 1980s and 1990s, Kinki was the first gay (LGBTQ+) Club in Italy: a visionary space where House music exploded
and the night became a symbol of freedom, identity, and cultural revolution. Through the DJs and charismatic figures who shaped it’s future,
the documentary tells how this small club beneath the Two Towers forever changed the way music and clubbing were experienced.
The documentary, produced by RCO Europe and directed by Lorenzo Miglioli, is available on Amazon Prime and Google Play platforms throughout Europe, the UK, the US, Australia, and South Africa.
The soundtrack, curated by Luca Trevisi (LTJ Xperience), features a selection of 1990s and more recent tracks, ranging from Italo House to
Nu Disco. Most of the tracks are re-edited by LTJ himself.
A double vinyl album packaged in a gatefold sleeve, also containing a 16-page color booklet featuring images of the Kinki crowd.
Melodic Techno 2026 ist der eindrucksvolle Nachfolger der erfolgreichen Melodic Techno 2025 und präsentiert eine exklusive Auswahl moderner, melodischer Clubsounds. Gemixt von Seriös & Legendär sowie Little Duracell, verbindet die Compilation atmosphärische Klangwelten, treibende Beats und emotionale Peak-Time-Momente zu einem stimmigen Hörerlebnis.
Die abwechslungsreiche Track-Zusammenstellung vereint starke Originale und hochkarätige Remixe von etablierten Szenegrößen und spannenden Artists der aktuellen MelodicTechno-Szene. Zu den bekanntesten Namen dieser Ausgabe zählen unter anderem Resistance D, Alexander Bollinger, Klartraum und No Hopes.
Mit ihrer Mischung aus bekannten Artists, modernen RemixVersionen und zeitgemäßen Me
UnOwn is back with a third outing of magical edits and this time the enigmatic Fava Luva is cooking up the heat. First up is an edit of 'Roze', a disco gem that gets pulled apart and rebuilt in slow, sensuous fashion. The drums are loose, the funk is real and the vocal is full of tease that will warm up any setting in any season. On the flip, 'Fishy' is just as much of an elastic and playful sound, this time with a sleazier vocal and some mad, cosmically inclined synth expressiveness and plenty of Parliament-style vocal oddness. A pure heater from this ever-more-vital label.
pdqb shows no signs of slowing down. Relentlessly productive and constantly locked into transmission mode, it delivers 13 tracks of its unmistakable Electro-Cognition sound. Sharp, futuristic, body-moving music wired straight into the nervous system.
From precision electro workouts to mind-bending synth transmissions, every track hits with purpose, style, and identity.
However, the remix lineup is equally heavyweight. Four elite reworks from four serious operators, each one twisting the source code into new dimensions.
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Half pinball table, half neural reactor, wired directly into a wall of aging synthesizers. The so-called Transient Witness (aka Preconscious Data Quantum Buffer) records not what people did - but what they almost did: Every flash of hesitation, every thought that vanished before becoming real, every dream erased at sunrise.
At its center pulses a synthetic brain, decoding impulses too brief for language. These signal transients are micro-events that appear and disappear in milliseconds.
When activated, the table will not play sound. It remembers it. Each collision of steel ball and sensor triggers forgotten futures, lost timelines, phantom rhythms from decisions never taken. Basslines from parallel selves. Melodies from unrealized lives. Percussion patterns from collapsing probabilities.
The 13 original tracks featured on this release are a transmission recovered from one of its sessions. Electro pulses, synaptic breaks, machine funk, and signals from thoughts that never survived long enough to exist.
Luke Wyatt created Sladazj as a place for beat-driven cinematic downshift. These were darker doorways than Torn Hawk could step through. Beyond the arches were Sladazj’s favorite landscapes. We’re talking hovercrafts buzzing over dark marshes as Zartan the bad guy from GI Joe changes faces and plays cards with the guy who swings the cinder block on the axe handle. Cinders and ashes, axes and unbelievers. “Second Device” is the second real long-form proving ground for these moves, the second ash pit. Sladazj is the prince of the pit.
Sleeparchive and Oliver Rosemann present a collaborative EP built as a shared system rather than a dialogue.
It is procedural: reduction, iteration, feedback.
Elements are introduced to be tested against the system. Changes occur slowly, often at the edge of perception, creating tension through persistence. This record documents convergence. A temporary alignment of processes, tools and timing.
The Sunken EP is cut for long-form playback, where variation becomes noticeable through duration to put you into a hypnotic state.
Gorizont Sobytiy (Event Horizon), the duo of veteran electronic musician Nocow and his wife, DJ Designer, mark the project's debut with an album worth of material of 'frogg-step' / Pankratov Step. It's safe to say this is an intriguing proposition for even those well-initiated into the world of the contemporary Russian underground. What is perhaps most immediately obvious across the 11 tracks is a clear appreciation for golden-era Rephlex records, as if the duo are reflecting on how the iconic label was perceived in the Eastern bloc at the time. There's a nostalgic touch tugging at the heart strings with the warm ambient tones of 'Bananoivy Twist' or even the ballroom-esque organ melodies of follow up 'Chacha', both swiftly followed by a switch back into frantic gabber style kicks that recur across the album.
To give a little more away in terms of a background story, Nocow and DJ Designer draw influence from a film called Winter Evening in Gagra, a somewhat distant feeling artefact of late-Soviet cinema about a tap dancing champion's late nights spent gallivanting across the glitz of Moscow's pop music scene in the 1980s. Maximalist in its sound design, Pankratov Step draws its name from actor-protagonist Pankratov, not quite an out-of-time soundtrack as such but at the least a wry nod to the former world in which the film takes place. The cascading, brittle synthesis of 'Cemetry's Boss' forms an icy cinematic fusion again with a gabber influence at play whilst a fierce acid line works alongside myriad glitch rhythms and repeating keys on 'Octopus Werk'. Influenced by the local humour and sentimentality surrounding the film, a melodrama with themes of lost art and a kind of old-world transcendence the young circus performer yearns for, the duo use it as a vessel to describe the projects sound - a coalescing of vintage Soviet soundtracks, early IDM, Jake Slazenger and Expert Knob Twiddlers album. 'Pankratov-Step' becoming their own fictional genre. The LP marks another avant-garde chapter in Nocow's long back catalogue, as well as a fully formed collaborative debut for the currently enigmatic DJ Designer. Pankratov Step is the second release on GOST ZVUK sub-label MEMONT, curated by Kuzma Palkin.
Good Morning Tapes are back with a new album of lushest New Age sound-bathing x emotionally gooey trip hop from Andro Gogibedashvili aka Saphileaum.
Saphileaum has spent the past decade in passage between notable houses of atmospheric sorcery - Mule Musiq, Not Not Fun, Slow Life, Constellation Tatsu - and of course Good Morning Tapes, who now host their 3rd meeting, »Heavenly Hills«. A definitive chapter in his ten year saga, it is flush with symphonic strings and sky born keys, breezily urged by percussion that straddles chill out and folk zones. That said there’s also a Balearic - or should that be Black Sea? - appeal to its title tune, that lingers in the glistening wake of »Your Grace«, to the shimmering breaks of a parting piece »Alarko (Cosmic Eagle)«, falling into the space between Boards of Canada’s cult-inspired hauntological nostalgia and Shackleton’s hallowed ethno-dub.
»The tracks in the album were written with the inspiration of the kingdom of Shambhala in the Himalayas. I’m deeply fascinated and touched by it. Even the album title, holds the idea of its Heavenly nature and the tracks are like individual, elemental parts of it. The album is not a journey into Shambhala, but rather a play and a dance with its energy, image and presence in my world. »Alarko (Cosmic Eagle)« is dedicated to my grandfather, Temur Tsiklauri, and I dedicate the whole album to my country Georgia, which I deeply love«.
Growing up just across the water from Italy, Clint Spiteri and Madeleine Baldacchino absorbed the shimmer of Italo disco long before Deadisko took shape. Their analogue pop celebrates the past while embracing the future. “1987” melts an addictive piano house groove with clean rhythms, a sleek and smooth sound with just a hint of romance. Cat-like, “La Costa” stretches before finding its funk-filled footing. Synth stabs are ruffled, teasing rhythm patterns opening avenues for melodies to bend, curve and race. The flip is introduced with the pop opulence of “This World.” Blue undercurrents are bolstered by Sean Kamati’s emboldening vocals, his smouldering voice accompanied by daring keyboard play. Brassy tones are veiled in smoke for “Ssunrise Drive.” Mechanical reverb is offered a human touch, organic warmth breaking through to an incandescent shine. Echoes of Italy that pulsate with the rhythm of Malta.
Berlin-based producer ZentaSkai returns with ‘Analog Assets Vol. 04’, a four-track vinyl-only EP focused on analog texture, dub-inflected atmospherics, and disciplined techno structure. Active since 1997 and operating Mask Records and its parent label, Zaijenroots, from his Berlin studio, he continues to refine a sound shaped by spatial control and steady, architectural pacing. Tracks unfold patiently, elements are introduced with intent, and nothing feels excessive.
Setting the tone with Cuddling Monsters’ partner, Laura Merino Allue, A1 features phased melodic textures and crisp percussion that gradually lock in the rhythm. A2 develops a filtered synth motif over a steady four-to-the-floor rhythm, revealing its full weight before pulling back. B1 is the most direct cut, driven by a firm, punchy beat and sharp rhythmic detailing built for peak-time focus, while B2 closes with rising string layers over a dub framework, balancing warmth and precision in a clean, measured finish.
With releases on Jerome Sydenham’s Ibadan Records and upcoming collaborations including Cuddling Monsters with Laura Merino Allue and a joint project with Thomas Grun for Rhythm Trax Austria, ZentaSkai’s work sits comfortably between minimal experimentation and functional dancefloor design.
Supported by artists such as Richie Hawtin, Joseph Capriati, Marcel Dettmann, Luke Slater, Laurent Garnier, and DVS1, he maintains a consistent presence within the underground without chasing trends.
Fiscal man of mystery, Clive From Accounts is back!
Fresh off the heels of his well received debut album on Razor N Tape, “The Very Best of Clive From Accounts” comes his new concoction, “Income Trax Vol. 1”.
The 3 track EP kicks off with “I’ve Been Waiting“, a 90s piano laden up-tempo house track with a twist of soulful sampled flute and vocals.
“Every Time” is a filtered deep disco house roller built around lush string samples, live bass and soulful vocal cuts. It’s sleek, assured and festival-ready.
“Superfine” clocks in and turns the energy up. A snappy pop-disco number powered by punchy strings, big vocal hooks and catchy synths. Operating somewhere between the dancefloor and the stationery cupboard.
DJ support from Dan Tyler (Idjut Boys), Eric Duncan, Justin Strauss, Severino (Horse Meat Disco), and PBR Streetgang.
High-energy disco, Balearic, and synth-funk weapons backed by an elite DJ vanguard. This release delivers dancefloor-tested versatility, moving seamlessly from sun-drenched daytime grooves to late-night afterparty anthems. Motor Mouth Drum Ensemble present their Highballs At The Beach Club EP on Creative Use. Kicking things off on the A side is “Singapore Ray” A cheeky mid-tempo Asian disco-pop stepper, a neck dancer’s dream! Over on the flip “Night-Mine” a Dramatic low & slow balearo-funk to launch your ships to. Rounding off the EP “Fool You For Real” which is a Icy digital synth funk built to halt your after-party waffle.
Daybreakers head to Chicago for this one, bringing back How Bad I Want Ya from Soul Element, aka Stacy Kidd, alongside Peven Everett. This record is a true representation of the city — Stacy’s deep approach to house music and Peven’s unmistakable voice up front. It carries that raw, direct energy that defines a lot of their best work.
How Bad I Want Ya has been around for a while now, one of those records that stayed in bags and never really disappeared. It’s a proper slice of deep house with a vocal that stays in your head.
The original keeps things direct and deep. No excess, just a track that does what it needs to do on the floor.
On the B side, Glenn Underground steps in with the Peak True Time Mix, stretching things out and adds some percussion and an infectious bassline. It’s a proper GU remix — longer and patient, while keeping that Chicago swing intact.
Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep were already untouchable by the time Hell On Earth arrived, but this was the record where Havoc and Prodigy stopped sounding hungry and started sounding completely numb to everything around them. The production is brutally spare. Tiny piano fragments repeat for minutes at a time while drums hit with the force of metal doors slamming shut somewhere down the corridor. 'G.O.D. Pt. III' still feels poisonous nearly 30 years later, Prodigy rapping with such flat menace it barely even registers as performance anymore. 'Drop A Gem On 'Em' turns a diss track into psychological warfare, and then 'Nighttime Vultures', alongside Raekwon, moves through the album's nocturnal haze with exhausted precision. Even now, the whole thing feels airless in a way few rap records manage.
Four tracks. One vibe. Gari Romalis brings the heat on PHONOGRAMME 88 — "Emperor of the Underground Regiment" hits hard from "Negrit Alert" to "Emperor's Paradise." Pure underground house, no compromise. Syncrophone Paris pressing. Don't sleep.
New Jon Savage Compilation release alert! Jon Savage's SF Sike 1966-72 (Double Vinyl) Limited Edition. Heavyweight Luxury Gauge Sleeve-Stock & Inners.
The real sound of San Francisco 1966-72." It was the new gold rush, but with drugs, music and freedom the goal. " (Jon Savage -The Guardian August 2012)
A limited edition double vinyl 18 track album celebrating the great pop music and idealism of that time & featuring Moby Grape, Skip Spence, Ron Nagle, Country Joe & The Fish & much more
Full contextual & track-by-track sleeve notes by Jon Savage. Ephemera & archive material from the period.
Originally released by Time Capsule in 2021 and long out of print, Stories From Another Time 1982-1988 returns in an upgraded edition following years of demand and rising collector prices on the secondhand market. Widely regarded as a modern cult classic, Mário Rui Silva’s visionary recordings blend acoustic folk, cinematic soul, spiritual jazz and saudade-filled Lusophone rhythm into a deeply timeless and universal work that transcends genre and geography.
This new edition features half-speed mastering cut at Metropolis alongside an expanded 4-page insert with a tribute essay and unseen photographs following Silva’s passing in 2024.
The roots of Angolan popular music explored in the meticulous guitar studies of Mário Rui Silva. For fans of Naná Vasconcelos, John Hassell’s Fourth World ambient, Eduardo Mateo’s psychedelic folk and Cameroonian electronic music visionary Francis Bebey.
Whether on mesmerising acoustic ballads or hypnotic groove-led tracks, the music of Angolan guitarist, researcher and intellectual Mário Rui Silva has a beguiling, melancholy quality, woven into the dynamics of his deft guitar playing.Rhythmically complex yet supremely effortless, the music collected here stems from three albums Mário released in Luanda in the 1980s that reflect his diverse range of influences, from traditional Angolan and West African rhythms to European jazz and classical instrumentation. It is united by a sense of low-key beauty, whether on the chugging opener ‘Kazum-zum-zum’, the jazz-funk keys of ‘Lembrança Dum Velho’, or the twinkling, late-night poly-rhythms of ‘Kizomba Kya Kisanji’.
Born in Luanda, Angola in 1953, Mário dedicated his life to Angolan popular music. His fifty-year career has seen him live between Angola and Europe, rub shoulders with Cameroonian musicians Francis Bebey and Ewanjé, record the seminal album Angola ’72 with fellow Angolan musician Bonga, and draw influence from Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell.
It was the teaching of Angolan legend and Ngola Ritmos co-founder Liceu Vieira Dias that Mário gained a technical, political and spiritual understanding of Angolan musical culture. In the hands of Liceu, the traditional Angolan semba and kazukuta rhythms of the 1940s and ‘50s helped create an emancipatory sense of national pride and collective agency that awakened its listeners to the racism and tyranny of colonial rule, underpinning the country’s push for independence in the process.
What might sound like the intonations of Brazilian influence are what Mário attributes to the “African rhythms taken by the slaves which gave rise to other musical cultures” around the globe. Instead, this music emerged from a collective instinct to assert a cosmopolitan Angolan identity free from the patronising falsehoods of Lusotropicalism.
“There was a need within me to contribute in doing new things,” Mário describes. “In the sense of solidifying the music of Angola that was the result of the meeting of two cultures, and wanting to value the Angolan part whenever possible.”A selection from Mário’s three 1980s albums, Sung’Ali (1982), Tunapenda Afrika (1985) and Koizas dum Outru Tempu (1988) have been compiled here as a 2xLP release by Time Capsule’s Sam Jacob and Kay Suzuki. Together, they provide a snapshot of one man’s journey to the core of his nation’s music, charged with the search for a culture uprooted by colonialism
LAAK returns with a limited new stamped vinyl release on Austere Recordings — deep textures, hypnotic rhythms, and raw underground energy pressed to wax for true collectors and selectors alike. Built for late-night systems and immersive listening, this release captures the unmistakable atmosphere and intensity that define both LAAK’s sound. Limited copies available — don’t sleep on this one.
Cristi Cons returns to Amphia with Out of Cycle Part 2, expanding the narrative beyond fixed frameworks.
Cristi Cons continues his exploration of fluid musical identity with Out of Cycle Part 2, released via Amphia, the label which he co-founded and runs alongside Vlad Caia.
Conceived as a continuation of Out of Cycle Part 1 released back in 2021, the new installment deepens the concept of operating outside predefined structures, both in form and in sonic direction. Rather than adhering to a single aesthetic, the album reflects a wide spectrum of influences, capturing an evolving artistic language shaped by intuition, experimentation, and long-term musical curiosity.
The title Out of Cycle acts as both a statement and a method: stepping outside familiar loops, resisting categorization, and allowing the music to exist beyond rigid expectations. This philosophy extends into the production itself, where subtle variations in structure, tone, and pacing reveal a process driven less by formula and more by exploration.
Across the album, rhythmic frameworks shift between hypnotic, club-oriented patterns and more introspective passages, while textures unfold with a focus on depth, movement, and spatial detail. Each track functions as part of a broader continuum, yet maintains its own identity, highlighting a deliberate departure from cyclical repetition in favor of a more open-ended approach.
Released on vinyl and digital formats, Out of Cycle Part 2 marks another chapter in Cristi Cons’ ongoing dialogue between club functionality and deeper listening contexts. While rooted in stereo composition, the project also opens the possibility for further reinterpretation, reflecting an interest in how the same material can evolve across different listening environments.
With this record, Cristi Cons continues to trace a distinct artistic trajectory, one that prioritizes depth, individuality, and an ongoing expansion of his musical language as it evolves beyond established forms.
Dedicated to my dear friend Laurentiu Gavrila (Funk-e).
Following the release of Chris Liebing's 'Evolver' album this spring, German duo FJAAK rework 'Higher Things' which appeared on the full-length, releasing via CLR on 29th May 2026. Long established as a formidable force within Techno, FJAAK are known for crafting high-impact, floor-focused tracks, often via their self-titled imprint, with the Berlin artists now joining a star-studded cast on Chris Liebing's latest full-length, including photographer and film director Anton Corbijn on photography, and collaborations with Charlotte de Witte, Luke Slater, The Advent, Speedy J, Terence Fixmer, Pascal Gabriel, and
Daniel Miller.
Their remix reshapes 'Higher Things' around a rattling dub techno framework, where molten chords soften the weight of mechanical kicks while resonant stabs and swelling textures steadily intensify. The result is a hypnotic yet forceful reimagining, balancing atmospheric depth with anthemic, warehouse-ready pressure.
The original version of Chris Liebing's 'Higher Things' appears on his debut solo LP, 'Evolver', released 27th March 2026 on CLR. Marking a distillation of over three decades at Techno's core, the album pairs introspective depth with immediate, floor-driven impact, bringing together contributions from the likes of Luke Slater, Charlotte de Witte, Speedy J and The Advent, while ultimately remaining rooted in Liebing's singular vision, channeling the raw, industrial energy of classic club spaces into a refined, forward-facing long player.
ALERT: BIG 90s ITALIAN RAVE COMP - a lot of very in demand tunes on here.
Navigators
Franco Falsini and the Interactive Test Universe
There are musicians who follow their time.
And then there are those who seem to move along a different trajectory—like navigators crossing sonic eras without ever truly belonging to any one of them. The story of Franco Falsini belongs to the latter. It is a story that begins long before raves, before techno, before the word “electronic” had even become a recognizable musical genre. A story that moves across continents, technologies, and sonic visions, eventually arriving at a small creative laboratory born in Italy in the early 1990s: Interactive Test. This compilation is a fragment of that universe. But as often happens with the hidden histories of music, understanding it requires going back. Far back.
The Beginning: Machines, Tape and Space
In the late 1960s Franco Falsini leaves Italy and moves to the United States. It is not merely a geographical journey—it is also a journey into a new idea of music. At the time, synthesizers are only just emerging from research laboratories. Multitrack tape recorders allow musicians to build entire sonic worlds on their own. Technology is still far from standardized: every studio is almost an experimental workshop. In Virginia, Falsini builds one of his own. Among cables, oscillators, electric guitars and reels of magnetic tape, a kind of music begins to take shape that resembles nothing else being made at the time. It is not simply rock, and it is not yet truly electronic. It moves somewhere in the space between the two. Out of these explorations emerges Sensations' Fix, the project through which Falsini releases a series of albums during the 1970s. Records that seem to come from a parallel dimension: cosmic landscapes, electronically treated guitars, synthesizers drifting like satellites. Many years later those albums would be rediscovered as visionary works. But at the time they were simply the result of relentless curiosity. A curiosity that would never fade.
The City That Never Sleeps
In the 1980s Falsini’s trajectory leads him to New York. The city is a sonic organism in constant transformation. In its clubs and recording studios something entirely new is beginning to take shape: music built from drum machines, sequencers, and samplers, created for the body before the living room. It is the dawn of modern dance culture. Falsini works as a sound engineer, producer and experimenter. From close range he observes electronic music transforming into a global language. Machines become more accessible, computers begin entering studios, and rhythm takes on an increasingly central role. Yet even in this phase Falsini does not simply follow what is happening. He absorbs. Observes. Reimagines. When he eventually returns to Italy, he brings back not only technical experience but also a clear vision: the conviction that electronic music is an open space, a territory still waiting to be explored.
Tuscany, Early 1990s
At the beginning of the 1990s something is happening in Italy as well. In clubs, abandoned industrial warehouses and clandestine parties, a new scene is beginning to form. It is rave culture: a spontaneous movement bringing together DJs, producers and listeners in a collective experience driven by rhythm, technology, and creative freedom. It is within this context that Franco Falsini, together with his brother Riccardo, creates Interactive Test.
The name almost sounds like a scientific experiment. In many ways, it is. Interactive Test does not emerge as a traditional record label. It begins as a laboratory—a place where ideas, sounds and musical identities can be tested and explored. Around the Falsini studio in Tuscany a small constellation of artists and DJs begins to gather, helping to shape the sound of Italy’s emerging electronic scene. Among them are Andrea Giuditta, Francesco Farfa, Gabry Fasano, Roby Mastelloni, Roby J and many others. Each brings a different musical sensibility. But they all share the same intuition: electronic music is not a genre. It is a language.
The Laboratory of Identities
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Interactive Test universe is its constant play with identity. Franco Falsini releases music under several different names: Open Space, Youth Wave, Agent Fylfoyt, Man Myth Magic. These are not simply pseudonyms.
They are different sonic perspectives, as if each project were a window opening onto a parallel musical universe. Open Space, for example, explores more atmospheric and visionary territories. Youth Wave moves between electronic groove and club-oriented rhythms. Other projects experiment with digital psychedelia or hypnotic techno textures. Interactive Test becomes something more than a label. it becomes an ecosystem.
Domestic Machines, Infinite Worlds
Looking back today at the technology used in those productions, one might almost smile. Many tracks were created on Amiga computers, MIDI sequencers and analog synthesizers wired together in home studios—tools that appear modest when compared to today’s digital possibilities.
Yet precisely these limitations became a creative force. Every sound had to be built, shaped and reinvented. Sequences developed slowly, almost like living organisms. The tracks did not always follow traditional dance music structures; often they felt like genuine sonic journeys. Music built from space.
A Hidden Constellation
Many of the records released by Interactive Test in the 1990s remained for years almost invisible objects, circulating quietly among DJs, collectors, and devoted listeners. Yet it is precisely this underground existence that helped preserve them. Listening again today, one perceives something rare: the feeling of music that does not fully belong to its own time. Music suspended between different eras. Perhaps because it comes from a vision that both precedes and transcends trends.
Continuing the Journey
Looking at Franco Falsini’s entire path—from the electronic psychedelia of Sensations’ Fix to the rave culture of the 1990s—a surprisingly coherent line emerges.
A line defined by exploration.
Each project, each pseudonym, each record appears as a new route within the same great sonic voyage.
Interactive Test was one of its stations.
A laboratory.
A community.
A creative platform.
This compilation gathers some of its traces.
Not as a simple archive of the past, but as a map of a musical territory that continues to expand even today.
Following in the steps of last year's mysterious "Beyond the Garage" 12 inch, L.I.E.S. throws another curveball with a 30 track continuous LP from veteran West Coast producers, Vinny+Charlie. Each side running 20 minutes, this can best be described as a smoked out, haze filled afterparty beat tape on wax. Obscure samples, dusty sp-12 crushed beats, head nodding loops, sweet low rider soul..chopped, sped up, slowed down and ready to wreck your system. Limited edition white label housed in a lp jacket with custom art by LA artist SOB STORY. 300 copies worldwide.
Telling a tale of house music’s early days or roots without mentioning Tony Humphries as a club DJ, remixer and radio disc jockey would make it an incomplete, forged and most of all a bit of a yawn.
Born in Brooklyn in 1957, Humphries’ musical journey is synonymous with New York City’s dance music history and the evolution from uptempo soul music to house: from being a dancer at David Mancuso’s infamous Loft parties to becoming a mobile DJ and getting the call from Shep Pettibone to become his right hand at
the then new Kiss FM radio station, followed by countless remix offers and a legendary residency at Newark’s Club Zanzibar. Next to that one, is was especially his work as a radio disc jockey for said station during most of the 1980s until 1994 that gave him majestic clout. Breaking new records week in, week out,
putting New Jersey acts like Adeva and Jomanda or countless up-and-coming producers from there on the musical map, while simultaneously playing the hottest imports from Europe, trax from Chicago, dance classics and all things straight from New York’s music factory that never seemed to stop.
Going to his vast and almost complete archive of radio shows from way back when he graced those airwaves, we at Running Back Records have pickedNew Release Information original recordings that symbolize his importance as an industry giant and ambassador of this style of music.
„But one thing I would like to point out is that, as a DJ, the music I play is not my music. I want to make it perfectly clear that it is music that is released, and it’s everyone’s music. I do not take any other credit than being the middle person exposing this music.“
(Tony Humphries in: What Kind of House Party Is This?, Jonathan Fleming, 1996)
LOS ANGELES—To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the celebrated Talking Heads and Jonathan Demme’s concert film Stop Making Sense, the set will be re-released as a 2LP and 2CD/Blu-ray set this summer.
Released last year, the sold-out Deluxe Edition of the soundtrack will return as a 2-LP black vinyl on Rhino and 2-LP crystal clear vinyl at retail. Both variants feature a 12-page booklet with liner notes from all four band members –Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison—and band photos. The 2CD/Blu-ray version includes the entire 28-page booklet from last year’s Deluxe Edition and a Dolby Atmos mix of the complete concert, mixed by Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren, who also mixed the original release. Both will be available on July 26. Pre-order now.
The band appeared together for a sold-out screening and Q&A last night at the Pantages Theater, the same theater at which Stop Making Sense was recorded. They were joined by Blondshell, who performed “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel.” Another special screening with the band will occur in Brooklyn at the King’s Theater on June 13, with the Q&A hosted by Questlove and The Linda Linda’s performing “Found a Job.” The two events cap off a banner year of celebrations for what many consider to be the best concert film of all time.
The inspiration for Stop Making Sense came when director Jonathan Demme saw Talking Heads perform during the band’s 1983 tour for Speaking in Tongues. Afterward, he approached them with the idea of making the show into a concert film. They agreed and worked together over the next few months to finalize the details. Ultimately, Demme filmed three shows at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December 1983 to create Stop Making Sense.
The concert film presents a retrospective of the band up to that point, with a performance that weaves together songs from all six of its studio albums. The show progresses methodically, opening with Byrne onstage performing “Psycho Killer” alone with a drum machine. After each song, he’s joined by a new band member until Weymouth, Frantz, and Harrison are all on stage with him. The group continues to grow throughout the concert as members of the stellar touring band are added: keyboardist Bernie Worrell, percussionist Steve Scales, guitarist Alex Weir, and backup singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt.
The band performs 18 songs in Stop Making Sense, including its recent single at the time, “Burning Down The House.” That summer, the song was in heavy rotation on radio and MTV, helping the song become the band’s first top 10 hit in America. It was, however, a different song from Speaking in Tongues that was destined to deliver one of the film’s signature moments. Talking Heads would perform “Girlfriend Is Better” wearing the now iconic, oversized suit inspired by costumes worn in traditional Japanese theater. For good measure, a picture of David Byrne in the suit also graces the album cover.
Stop Making Sense focuses mainly on music by Talking Heads but does include a few songs recorded outside the band: “Genius Of Love” by Tom Tom Club, “What A Day That Was” and “Big Business” from Byrne’s 1981 album, The Catherine Wheel. Limited edition vinyl versions of both of these albums, along with Harrison’s The Red And The Black, were released for this year’s Record Store Day.
When it arrived in September 1984, Stop Making Sense was an artistic and commercial triumph. The film had people dancing in theatre aisles, and the soundtrack sold over two million copies. Just last year, the Library of Congress added Stop Making Sense to the National Film Registry in recognition of its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.
Weymouth praises Demme as a collaborator: “…Jonathan was a very enthusiastic, highly adaptive, and imaginative guy who was just as good a listener as he was a talker and collaborator. From the get-go you just got the impression he was as flexible as he was disciplined. Being team players, that boded well for a great relationship and a great film!”
Harrison says the film still holds up today: “To me, Stop Making Sense has remained relevant because the staging and lighting techniques could have been created in a much earlier time period. For example, Vari-Lights, lights with motors to re-aim them, had just come into vogue. Had we used them, there would have been a timestamp on the film, and it eventually would have felt dated...The absence of interviews, combined with the elegant and timeless lighting, created a film that can be watched over and over.”
Byrne says it’s interesting that this album was – for many people – an introduction to Talking Heads. “We had done a live album before this, but coupled with the film, and with the improved mixes and sound quality, this record reached a whole new audience. As often happens, the songs got an added energy when we performed them live and were inspired by having an audience. In many ways, these versions are more exciting than the studio recordings, so maybe that’s why a lot of folks discovered us via this record.”
Frantz recalls the sheer joy surrounding the entire Stop Making Sense experience. “I’m talking about real, conscious, transcendent joy… I’m talking about what the Southern gospel people call ‘getting happy,’ which means ‘to be filled with the Spirit.’ That is what happened to us onstage every night, and from my seat behind the drums, I recognized that this was happening to the audience too. Joy was visible in front of me and all around me every night.”
Bristol-born, London-based DJ, producer, trailblazer and label head, Conducta announces his brand new EP, SOUNDBOY JOHNNY slated to drop on the 29th May via Up Ya Archives Records.
The new single sees Conducta link up with one of Jamaica’s most original and exciting artists, for a high-tempo cut that channels UK breakbeats into a bassy club roller. Built around an irresistible hook that sticks, ‘Low Can U Go’ sets the tone for the wider project, with BLVK H3RO’s vocal collaboration bringing a fresh edge to accompany the raw, driving intensity Conducta is known for.
The EP, SOUNDBOY JOHNNY sees Conducta lean further into the sounds shaping his recent DJ sets, channelling his long-standing love of jungle and breakbeat into a focused body of work. Across the project, he experiments with faster tempos and chopped breaks, stepping into new territory as a producer. As his first solo release of the year, it marks a confident return with a clear sense of direction, underlining his versatility across different sonic spaces.
Baby T is a space away from her work as B.Traits in which Brianna Price can lean more into the junglist, drum ‘n’ bass and hardcore sounds which she loves so dearly. With BSHEE02, the second drop on Price’s own Banshee label, Baby T delivers a darkside masterclass of an EP. This record is a quartet of system blowers which doesn’t let up for a single second from start to finish.
Opener ‘Times Up’ is urgent from the off - the initial strains of this joint find sirens wailing in the monitors over a twitchy kick/drum/hats combo. From here on it’s distilled raver perfection, the drums taking us on a wild Wipeout-style ride as the subbiest of bass skulks at the bottom of the mix. Imagine a more technoid take on the classic breakbeat freerides of Skanna and you’re not far off the ‘Times Up’ sound.
A remix of ‘Times Up’ from man like Aloka leans with devilish glee into the murky underworld that lurks beneath Baby T’s original. Aloka’s version is extremely eerie in a manner which makes you think of the darkest corners of a DMZ party. When things really kick into gear, driven by an irresistible kick dembow, the effect is hypnotic - think the dubwise junglism of the UVB-76 cohort.
BSHEE02’s B-side kicks off with ‘Coercive Control’. This is a cut which delivers on its title in spades, putting the listener in a trance with an interplay of low-slung bass, whirligig synth tones and more of those perfectly executed broken beats. The acid starts to kick in around the minute mark, and it turns out to herald a total earworm of a lead melody.
There’s plenty of dimly-lit malevolence to BHSEE02 closer ‘Dense Dickwood’s grinding atmospherics and gurgling bass throbs. However, Baby T opting for a half-time drum break here gives the cut a vibe not dissimilar to the weightiest jams of classic Massive Attack - that is, until an absolutely remorseless switch-up occurs halfway through, delivering volley after volley of intense drum hits.
A little over a year ago Tim Reaper made his first appearance in the town LoDubs is based in, Portland, Oregon, at the always forward thinking westside venue Barn Radio. The bill was rounded out by yours truly, Jon AD, who set the standard for the night, which was a boggy, thick warehouse vibe, even though the venue was more of a tightly packed repurposed storefront with an overactive fog machine.
This stop turned into a bit of a several day stopover for the TR, who saw the town, met up with other Portland people, and after that was left with a bit of a aural vision of the whole experience, the DIY ethos of the Portland, and the desire to document these impressions on the label of his bill mate for the aforementioned night, LoDubs.
Shortly thereafter "Triumphant March" arrived at the LoDubs mailbox, and reverb heavy, oozing slab of Jungle funkiness.
Upon realizing this would be good material for a dubby remix, the next step was reaching out for people to do so, and Beatrice M was at that time really getting noticed with their take on Dub. This year has seen them really move up the ranks, needless to say.
Big release outta Casablanca, Morocco from Cee ElAssaad.
We here at Local Talk have been big fans of Cee's deeply organic and uplifting House productions for a good while, so we're mighty happy to present this new release.
The A side starts up with a massive organ house workout that has been played on repeat at Mad Mats residency at the Soulmates club in Stockholm over the last 6 months or so. A peak time jam!
To add more fire we asked Emmaculate to throw down a remix for us, and it doesn't hold back. Deep, bumpy and utterly funky. Again...those house organs are fully at work!
On the B side Cee goes to church with deep but slight jackin' 4/4s over some heavy gospel preaching.
To enhance the gospel experience, our friend from Amsterdam, Marcel Vogel makes a long overdue guest visit on Local Talk and delivers a big gospel intro that moves into a jazzy and thumpin' house affair.
With great pleasure we welcome on board ADSR. This is not a standard EP but more a collection of 5 tracks made in the years between 1989 and 2001.
“Kicked” (1989) rides a driving dance groove with subtle Depeche Mode–influenced melodies, fueled by rolling arps and crisp string plucks. “Unit 3” (2001) hits with tough basslines and hard pads over a relentless beat, nodding to mid-80s EBM in the vein of Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy, and Front 242. “Unchained” (1990) drifts on a late-night 808 groove with glassy pads and house-leaning chord stabs, sliding into early techno territory.
The EP closes with two well known tracks but those versions of them have never seen the light before today. “Windswept (Desert Mix)” – 1994 is a pounding early-session track built on tripped-out SH-101 leads, evolving arpeggios, long sweeps, and a steady 909, made for getting completely lost in.“Suboceana (Early Version)” – 1991 serves seductive chord progressions and drawn-out, reflective melodies, a liquid journey for both listening and the dancefloor.
The "TRACK TRAX EP" is the new vinyl of the "Computer Controlled Minds"
The yellow vinyl clearly indicates the direction – ACID!
As the name suggests, it will be a fast-paced race.
On the A side, our track days start with a driving track, it quickly becomes clear that this will not be a leisurely Sunday ride. It's going to be a tough race. When approaching the apex, it is always important to remain seated and open the tap slowly.
The second track is a confession of love to Kerb, he wants to be loved and touched. But this love also harbors great dangers. If you drive too hard over the limit, the Kerb will pay back mercilessly.
With B1, the DOWNSIDER brings ecstatic acid acceleration to the slopes. If the braking point is exceeded, it can fall massively to the ground. The experienced technoracer has everything under control and brings the necessary momentum to the next straight.
As the race goes on, the strength dwindles and a clean line becomes more and more difficult, but at the same time it is the key to the thrill. The struggle with body and machine becomes clear, every action makes the body burn. Giving up is out of the question, the race is only over with the chequered flag. But now off to the bar!
Last but not least on the B-side, two short bonus sounds for all mix DJs
The Computer Controlled Minds show their clear roots, ACID and hard RACE.
TCCM can be booked as a live act via insta: __NEXT_DOOR__. You will never forget the race!
Fresh his Keysound D&B opus Blue, Sully returns to Astrophonica with four pristine slabs of breakbeat science. "Flock" places the full strength melodic elements over the faraway amen echoes in a way that's not dissimilar to early Good Looking. "Helios" is a much colder flashback to the darker corners of jungle's formative dance; all breathy minor key chords and vapour trails of paranoia countered neatly by a precision dub vocal sample. "Crystal Cuts" recalibrates the focus to the drums by way of broad jazz chord strokes while "Hours/Miles & Still" concludes affairs on an emotional electronica tip where the breakbeats thanks to a beautifully arresting intro. Powerful.
Obscure disco gem from 1985. Singer Penny Mtya, like many others, journeyed from small-town South Africa to the bright lights of Johannesburg in search of fame. There her path collided with Muntu Semenya, the son of long-exiled stars Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu, who had recently arrived from the US and was making his mark in SA as a producer and keyboardist. There demo secured a deal with the local office of WEA Records and they soon entered RPM Studios with co-producer Thokoza Memela to record three tracks.
‘Cassanova (Stop That Game)’ is a seven-minute Afrofunk workout reminiscent of Kiki Gyan or Sylvester, showcasing Penny’s sultry vocals and Semenya’s stabbing synths. On the flip side, ‘I Feel It’ is a chugging instrumental climaxing in a fuzzed-out solo from session guitarist Jethro Butow. Defying expectations again, the album closes with a Motown-worthy slow jam, ‘Memories’, a duet with Yandy Mgolombane featuring Mike Faure on sax.
Titled Penny’s Groove, the three-track EP received little promotion on its release and quickly disappeared into obscurity, with the label perhaps unsure of how to market the polished ‘international’ sound and diverse components. The tracks were never performed live and everyone involved in the studio project soon parted ways. Semenya and Mgolombane laid low while Penny returned disenchanted to her home in the Eastern Cape, where she remained active in music but never realised her dream of solo stardom.
As a group, Grand Puba, Sadat X, and Lord Jamar fused politically conscious lyrics with jazzy, sample- heavy production rooted in golden age boom bap. Widely praised by critics, \u2000One for All\u2000remains a cornerstone of early '90s East Coast rap. This box set includes the entire track list as 7" singles, including its most celebrated singles: "Brand Nubian," "Feel So Good," "Slow Down," "Wake Up" and "All For One.
Alina Valentina ignores rule books. When it comes to making music, she bends genres to her own sound and vision. Acid, electro, synth wave, vocoders. All are melted to produce a bracing style that is floor focussed and strikingly individual. It is this distinctive perspective that The Hague based artist brings to Schrödinger’s Box for NPC Dream, eight tracks that map a journey that disregards genre limitations. The intent and mood are immediately set with the fierce “Air Slasher” plunging through the fog as kicks roll and beads of acid bulge. Raw electro is further coarsened by scything keys and vicious vocoder words in the title piece before the technoid mutations and pain-streaked “Echo of Ecco.” The ground is never stable, the direction and ideas darting and shifting to new sonic territory. Punishing and pure, “Mine Cart Madness” is EBM-encrusted cruelty. Tempos shift on the flip, the slow and cinematic atmosphere of “Pixel Swamp” feeding into the sinister and snarling snares of “Wishing Engine.” Paranoia and tension collide in the stabbing chiptune chords and spiking percussion of “Come Get Some”, acid barbs ballooning into a blistering barrage in this warped wrecking ball. “Light Warrior” is cut from the same raucous cloth. Knobs splinter against machined lyrics, sirens blare as kicks thump in this basement lurking beast.
NPC Dream is a relentless record. From the needle drop, Alina Valentina enforces her sound as she teases and taunts styles. Fiery and brimming with energy, this 12” encapsulates the sound of an exciting talent who carves their music with a truly unique ear.
“Nimm die rosa Brille … sag was Du siehst … alles viel besser”
44 years after its original release, one of the most idiosyncratic DIY minimal electronics / synth / new wave records of the early ’80s returns: the legendary 7” by German group DEUTSCHE SCHÄFERHUNDE (engl. German shepherds)—now remastered and reissued for the first time as a one-sided 12” on Anna Logue Records. Recorded in the winter of 1981/82 between rehearsal space, provincial disco and bar nights, and a humble four-track setup, these tracks capture the raw spirit of a generation that simply started creating—no formal training, but plenty of attitude. Minimalist, uncompromising, and inspired by krautrock, punk, new wave, electronic music and dub, the songs move between raw electronics, percussive noise, new wave experimentation, and sharp social commentary. „Rosa Brille“ (rose coloured glasses) in particular feels as urgent today as it did back then—a track that has lost none of its relevance, „Gasmasken“ tells of gas masks dancing in the woods to the sound of sirens, and a timeless Holger Czukay/Jah Wobble inspired „Mein Herz“ (my heart).
Originally pressed in a small run of just 500 copies and later becoming a sought-after collector’s item now worth 200€, the record now returns in a carefully crafted edition featuring a laser-printed reverse side and additional materials such as original lyric sheets and articles, postcard and poster. DEUTSCHE SCHÄFERHUNDE thrived on paradox—a provocative name paired with a clear stance, and lyrics that still resonate today. Shaped by Cold War tension, political unease, and youthful rebellion, their sound refused to fit into any neat category. Only few other bands, such as Der Musikant, Im Namen des Volkes, Thorax Wach, Klinisch Sauber oder Stephan Eicher spielt Noise Boys come to mind.
This release is more than a reissue—it’s a document of its time that still hits with full force.
12″ features: limited to 400 copies, hand-numbered, one-sided 180g black vinyl, laser-etched B-side, outer sleeve printed on reverse side of the board, printed inner sleeve with original lyrics sheets and original articles, DIN A3 poster, double-sided postcard
A highly sought-after compilation drawn from the legendary Sade reinterpretations — presented in its original white label form. Nearly unobtainable today. Inside: a carefully curated spectrum of lush, emotive reinterpretations, drifting from atmospheric slow burners to elegant club-ready house cuts. Built for deep diggers, discerning collectors, underground DJs, and journalists tuned into the culture, this record captures a rare intersection of mood, craft, and dancefloor sensibility. Extremely limited pressing — once gone, gone for good.
Full Dose welcome DJ Firehouse to the fold with a four-track suite that drifts deep into fogged-out space. Rooted in the lineage of late-2000s innovators, this is a record that leans into atmosphere as much as it does low-end pressure.
“Hamilton Hill” sets the tone with metallic percussion and submerged chords, locking into a hypnotic groove that feels equal parts system music and head music. “Gardening” follows with a blurred palette, combining rippling textures, tape hiss and a hypnotic vocal loop to pull you further inward. On “Starpol 666”, Firehouse eases off the pressure with a more abstract, interlude-like piece, where drifting mid-range pads and liquid movement hint at a more experimental edge. Closing track “Cross Fader” stretches things out into a dubbed, slow-burning finale. Breathy ambient layers give way to dembow-leaning drums, with thunderous hits and long-tailed echoes building a quiet but undeniable tension.
Some records feel like they should have existed. This is one of them.Originally buried as an album cut in the catalog of C. C. Catch, ‘Stop – Draggin’ My Heart Around’ never received the maxi single treatment it always deserved. For decades, fans of Dieter Bohlen’s signature sound have been left wondering what could have been… no extended mix, no dub, no proper club version… Until now.
Julie Chrome steps in with a strikingly faithful reinterpretation, capturing the emotional tone and melodic essence of the original, while Ryan Benson carefully reconstructs the sonic blueprint, staying true to that unmistakable mid-80s German disco aesthetic of Luis Rodriguez. Think shimmering synths, tight Linn-style drums and that bittersweet, dramatic tension Bohlen/Rodriguez and Co. perfected. But this release goes further than nostalgia. On this maxi, the track finally unfolds the way it always should have. Fully extended, club-ready, and built for the dancefloor. The Long Version delivers that essential 80s arc: slow build, emotional lift, and extended instrumental passages made for mixing. The Dub Version strips it back into a hypnotic tool, pure drums, synth stabs and atmosphere, tailored for late-night transitions and deeper sets. The Radio Version and Alternative Radio Version complete the package, offering two concise takes that still retain all the charm, drama and melodic punch of the original composition. This is more than a tribute, it’s a carefully crafted time capsule. From the production to the artwork and label aesthetics, everything here is designed to transport you straight back to 1986. For fans of classic German disco, collectors of lost Italo-adjacent gems, and DJs who know the power of a well-placed nostalgic moment – this one hits deep. A record that finally corrects history.
SLF IMG is a dark synth pop project channeling the shadowy elegance of the 80s while injecting raw EBM drive and the hypnotic, sun-bleached nostalgia of classic italo disco. Their forthcoming EP “Carne” – Italian for meat – sinks its teeth into the genre with sleek, modern production, razor-sharp hooks, and basslines so catchy they feel almost carnal. Seductive yet menacing, “Carne” strips the sound back to its pulsing, flesh-and-wire core: dancefloor-ready grooves wrapped in velvet darkness.
Telling a tale of house music’s early days or roots without mentioning Tony Humphries as a club DJ, remixer and radio disc jockey would make it an incomplete, forged and most of all a bit of a yawn.
Born in Brooklyn in 1957, Humphries’ musical journey is synonymous with New York City’s dance music history and the evolution from uptempo soul music to house: from being a dancer at David Mancuso’s infamous Loft parties to becoming a mobile DJ and getting the call from Shep Pettibone to become his right hand at
the then new Kiss FM radio station, followed by countless remix offers and a legendary residency at Newark’s Club Zanzibar. Next to that one, is was especially his work as a radio disc jockey for said station during most of the 1980s until 1994 that gave him majestic clout. Breaking new records week in, week out,
putting New Jersey acts like Adeva and Jomanda or countless up-and-coming producers from there on the musical map, while simultaneously playing the hottest imports from Europe, trax from Chicago, dance classics and all things straight from New York’s music factory that never seemed to stop.
Going to his vast and almost complete archive of radio shows from way back when he graced those airwaves, we at Running Back Records have pickedNew Release Information original recordings that symbolize his importance as an industry giant and ambassador of this style of music.
„But one thing I would like to point out is that, as a DJ, the music I play is not my music. I want to make it perfectly clear that it is music that is released, and it’s everyone’s music. I do not take any other credit than being the middle person exposing this music.“
(Tony Humphries in: What Kind of House Party Is This?, Jonathan Fleming, 1996)
Following up on the hidden wonder of Ellis Swan's twilight folk-noir masterpiece 3 AM (Quindi Records, 2022), Altrimenti commissions three bold remixes by Madteo, Simone and Mass Prod, with a wayward slant to rival Swan's own outsider status.
Few songs from the late 90s managed to sound simultaneously utopian and paranoid quite like Jamiroquai's 'Virtual Insanity', a track that wrapped ecological anxiety and technological dread inside an absurdly slick jazz-funk strut. Thirty years on, it remains remarkably strange for a global pop hit. Jay Kay glides across bouncing basslines and gleaming Rhodes arrangements with irritating charisma, while the groove itself never stops twitching and mutating beneath him. 'Do You Know Where You're Coming From' goes further into sophisticated acid jazz territory through restless percussion and rich harmonic movement, then 'Bullet' adds a tougher funk bite. Some records become trapped by nostalgia, but this one still sounds futuristic.
Winding Road Records are proud to present the “Last Disco on Earth EP” from the ever-elusive group of “Mar De Novo” which is M & N, Paraiso and Yse Saint Laur’ant. First up on this EP is the title track ‘Last Disco on Earth’ is a monster slab of modern disco. Fat grooves, cheeky melodies and cool glitchy production. Uplifting, positive and energetic - guaranteed to put a smile on the dancefloor. Next up is ‘Over There’ is a twisted slice of bass-heavy undulating house, punctuated by crazy interludes and samples that fly in from nowhere. Starting things off on the B side is ‘Uncanny Valley’ is a sun-kissed downtempo groover, with dreamy strings and wonderful chilled musicality. Following on from that is ‘Reflection’ exudes space, peace, and calm. Guitars and piano intertwine alongside haunting vocals. Soundtrack bliss. Summer vibes. Finally rounding off the EP is ‘Find Love’ rounds off the package with a dreamy balearic sunset vibe.
An introspective journey led to the recovery of five tracks that form Unearthed Forms: The new 12” EP by Gent1e $oul & Finally Julius on Fast Castle. Focused on rhythm, texture, and low-end pressure, the record is built around contrasts between organic movement, sharp percussive design, and fluid, broken rhythmic sections.
The A-side opens with Pantanal, a slow-building, humid groove driven by deep sub pressure and layered percussion. Obsidian Arrows introduces a tighter, more direct energy, a modern fast-paced dub stepper with future-facing sound design. Spore Inscription shifts into more evolving patterns, where rhythmic elements gradually reorganise and reconfigure over time.
On the B-side, Where liquid forgets to flow breaks away from steady structure, moving into unstable, shifting rhythm work and loose timing. The closing track Bloom Archive brings things back into a warmer, more open space, with smoother textures and a slower, more continuous flow that feels reflective rather than resolved.
Across five tracks, the EP moves between dub-weighted bass systems, broken beat influence, and techno-focused arrangement — keeping a strong focus on physical low-end and detailed percussion throughout.
Dario Rossi approaches electronic music like few others. His work as a percussionist has brought his unique rhythmic abilities to audiences around the globe. Born in Italy, Rossi combined percussion with samplers and synthesizers. His energy and talent have allowed these machines to be incorporated into his distinctive palette with very special results. 07Sep83 is his Bordello debut, with the title piece opening the four tracker. Beats cascade as analogue warmth laps the shore. Slow with a magnetic groove, elements of italo, wave and synth-pop intertwine to create a clean, bright sound that is at once familiar and totally unique.
Vocals arrive with “We’ll Meet Again.” Tempos rise while keys are emboldened by rich guitar strings. Lyrics counter with a melancholic tone that shifts into hope and fortified belief as melodies rise ever higher. The flip is “Lost.” Sharp drum patterns support notes that hark back to the majesty of Bobby O, the live sax by Augusto Pallocca and disco glory combining in this journey through genres. “Beat the Devil” closes. Sizzling from the outset, snares roll and snap. Rossi’s percussive prowess is on full display as synthlines flow over rhythmic ripples to the subtle and soulful strings that bring down the curtain.
POEME ELECTRONIQUE was Dave Hewson (synthesisers, production), Sharon Abbott (lyrics, lead and backing vocals), Julie Ruler (backing vocals) and Les Hewson (bass), formed in 1980 by Dave Hewson in South London, UK, in 1980. Dave was studying music and as a rare kind of student species he had a deep fascination for New Wave and electronic music thus also playing and recording electronic music ever since like using the Boss DR-55, Cosmo Sound Super Drum, Elka Rhapsody 610, EMS Synthi AKS, Korg MS-20(X2)/Polysix/Polyphonic Ensemble 1000/VC-10 Vocoder, Linn Electronics LM-1, Octave Kitten, Roland RS-09/VP-330 Vocoder Plus, Simmons SDS-V Kit and Yamaha CS-80 on this retrospective POEME ELECTRONIQUE album with original material from 1981/82 only. Over the period of more than two years, Dave has remastered these tracks using the latest high-end tools making them sound better than ever before. The deluxe 2LP vinyl album comprises 16 tracks of which 14 have never been published before. “The Echoes Fade” and “Voice” are the original versions taken off their original 7” from 1982. The album “The Echoes Fade” cannot be described other than being a masterpiece and one of the best-ever early 80’s electropop records ever, and it surely has to be lined up with Rational Youth or Experimental Products’ cult albums (in terms of being minimal synth/wave scene reference albums), but to be frank, Anna thinks that POEME ELECTRONIQUE were even above their level.
Truly, they had deserved to go on the successful path like Depeche Mode, OMD or Soft Cell, but fate was against them as it seems. The main difference to other electropop groups of the time was definitely that Dave did not only master his synths technically-wise, no, he also knew how to actually play, and when you hear his amazing multi-track ‘manual sequencing’, programming skills, great harmonies and melodies throughout the tracks, along with the two girls’ performances – well they can really sing! – you will agree there is some something remarkably extraordinary in these tracks. You will find minimal electropop super hits like “Rendezvous”, “She’s an Image”, “Fragile”, or “Dilemma”; hauntingly beautiful melancholic tracks like “A Mourner’s Lament”, “This Night” or “It’s in the Atmosphere”; darkest minimal electronics on “Inside his Head”; and even more poppier tracks like “Follow”. This record will hopefully be loved by any electronic music lover and most probably marks the highlight in the growing Anna Logue Records catalogue – therefore Anna did not shy away from any costs and the album is truly an outstanding release in every single aspect including sound and artwork presentation. Apart from the bonus tracks you will find in the 2LP deluxe vinyl edition glossy inner sleeves with lyrics to all songs, as well as individual mini 7” sleeves for each song designed by our dear graphic designer Steve Lippert plus many additional group photos on the gatefold sleeves’ inner. After so many efforts and more than two years passing by, Anna is so over the moon to see this release being ready now and we have done all we could to make this an outstanding release, so now it’s up to you to give the band their final glory, but Anna is in no doubt that – at least after hearing the sound samples – you will.
Take Me, I’m Yours is the first collaboration album between Alan Abrahams and Jan Jelinek. Released through the latter’s faitiche, it builds upon multi-layered vocal sketches by the former. The Paris-based artist, primarily known for his work as Portable and Bodycode, supplied Jelinek with multi-layered song sketches that the German artist subjected to a rigorous process of manipulation, excavating the ambiguities of the original material and transforming its rhythms into subtle pulses. Take Me, I’m Yours is neither a typical Abrahams record nor a classic Jelinek album—it is something third, mediating between the physicality of the voice and the abstraction of electronic sound design.
The two had crossed paths before really getting to know each other after Abrahams invited Jelinek to play at one of his Süd Electronic parties. The idea of a collaboration emerged slowly. “It started as an experiment, and over the past few years grew from a few tracks into this album,” says Abrahams. He describes recording the basic material as a “tantalizing” process, not knowing how Jelinek would transform his material, some of which was based on wordless chanting, while other tracks were working with lyrical content. However, their mutual trust allowed Jelinek to remove the harmonies, radically reduce the rhythms, and concentrate on Abrahams’ voice.
Jelinek heard something “fragile” in this voice, “moments of doubt and dark premonitions.” He points to Forever as an example. “Alan’s original song reminded me of classic vocal house, but his voice seemed to almost break,” he says. “This contradiction made the piece even bigger, because we hear a singer in the moment of an awakening.” He further accentuated such tensions through arrhythmic synth modulations and time-stretching algorithms, while also adding concrete sounds from a variety of sources. With its dedication to both transforming and amplifying the emotional qualities hidden within Abrahams’ pieces, Take Me, I’m Yours functions as a dialogue between those two singular artists.
San Francisco artist Ross Hogg has been grafting away on his grooves for many years. He has plenty of styles in his arsenal and here digs into some sun-baked reggae and lovers' rock. Up first, he reworks 'Rose Inna Di Dark', the title cut from the debut album by British soul singer Cleo Sol. Her angelic vocal rides a clean reggae rhythm with sleek melodies reflecting rays outwards. On the flip is 'Come Around & Kick It', a deep cut groove with an r&b vocal and classic reggae guitar riffs. It's a steamy combination that's designated to get plenty of backyard parties and beefy sound systems ablaze as we head into the warmer months.
Nick Bike rides again with a new trip out on his Chosen Spokes label, and as always, these are on the money mixes for dub disco heads. 'Kiss Me Say It' is devilishly slow and purposeful with rotation dub and funky bass riffs rising and falling to irresistible effect. The strings bring sophistication and the chords a golden charm that swells the heart. The groove feels ever on the rise but never boils over. The flipside dub is even more focused, with the diva vocal doused in echo for a spaced out vibe. Pure perfection.
Sweden has long had a celebrated techno scene and you'd be hard pushed to find anyone who has contributed to it as significantly as Cari Lekebusch. He has a vast back catalogue dating back to the mid-90s under many different aliases, including this one, Phunkey Rhythm Doctor, which yielded his 'Underground Poetry' EP back in 1995. 'Jazz Maze' is an exceptional start - urgent and punchy with freeform melody that brings the fun. 'Mad Poet' is much darker and has a doom-laden vocal over stiff, crisp drums. 'Sugardaddy' is a dubby bumper with a wobbly bassline and wispy synths, cyborg electronics and a cavernous groove. Don't sleep on this one.
Jazz-fusion, disco-funk, Latin jazz and batucada rhythms get the Filipino treatment onAfter Midnight, the sublime second album from keyboardist Boy Katindig. Originally released in 1980, After Midnight draws heavy influence from soul and funk contemporaries in the US as well as Latin America, in particular the famed Brazilian percussionist Paulinho da Costa.
It’s a testament to his musical prowess that Katindig weaves effortlessly between styles and tempos. His reverence for Paulinho da Costa extends far, with covers of several songs from the latter’s 1979 Happy People album. This includes slow-burner ‘Déjà Vu’ written by Isaac Hayes originally for Dionne Warwick; on the Filipino instrumental version, local legends Jun Regalado and Roger Herrera (from Regalado’s ‘Pinoy Funk’ single) are reunited on drums and bass respectively.
But Katindig’s original compositions hold just as much weight and unique personality: title track ‘After Midnight’ opens with a sultry funk serenade reminiscent of The Isley Brothers, and quickly transforms into a catchy, blistering, saxophone chorus that brims with swagger. Hidden B-side gem ‘Got The Need’ is an uptempo tribute to batucada that would not be out of place in a jazzy house set, and boasts increasingly elaborate and psychedelic solos from Katindig on keys and Ben Concepcion on soprano sax.
Meanwhile, ‘Love Till the End of Time’ is a masterclass in instrumental disco funk, penned by the prolific Greg Phillanganes who at that same time was writing for many of the greats including Chaka Khan, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, The Jacksons and Cheryl Lynn.
This album is lovingly reissued by Sama Sama Records, a boutique label from DJ and collector Norsicaa, who ran the esteemed Soundway Records for 8 years and released the compilation Ayo Ke Disco in late 2024.
Detroit producer Sheefy McFly delivers his first release outside the US, featuring vocals from DJ Mo’Betta, Bevlove, Lola Damone, Tiptonaires and Etherpussy.
Aside from producing, Sheefy runs the Ghettotechtopia party series in Detroit, has previously worked with Amp Fiddler for a release on Moodymann's Mahogani Records and has remixed and released for AUX88.
As a visual artist, he creates colourful murals all over Detroit, inspired by the Motor City's musical history like the "Detroit Never Left" mural featured on the sleeve.
A founding member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah is Hip Hop’s masked poet — known for his cinematic storytelling, gritty slang, and razor-sharp delivery. With classic albums like Supreme Clientele and Fishscale, Ghostface carved his name into rap history as one of the most original and consistent voices in the game. The Wait is Over. Supreme Clientele 2 is FINALLY here. The highly anticipated album is a vivid- late-night noir where every bar brought Ghost’s inner thoughts to life. From Staten Island to sold out stages worldwide.
Release #50 celebrates the digging, care & musical curiosity that’s made the GSC series essential for DJs, collectors & break seekers alike.
For years GSC has built a catalog that earns immediate “cop-on-sight” status. Thoughtful edits. Deep respect for the OG recordings. Breaks that knock w/out feeling heavy-handed. The kind of taste that reminds you these are real heads behind the decks.
Side A pulls from Jerry Butler’s “I’m Your Mechanical Man,” released in ’74 on the Sweet Sixteen LP. The track contains a raw drum break hip-hop producers recognized instantly. Most famously it powers Method Man’s “Bring The Pain,” 1 of the defining solo joints from the Wu-Tang Clan era. The break later resurfaced in Missy Elliott & Method Man’s 2002 version & Snoop Dogg’s “I Miss That Bitch.”
On the flip, GSC draws the source into pure DJ tooling: a sample break edit, a full drum break edit & the “Mechanical Wu” mix — built for selectors who know the power of letting a break breathe.
Then they deliver a beautiful surprise. Instead of leaving empty wax, GSC slides in Les McCann’s “Vallarta,” from the 1977 album Music Lets Me Be. Jazz-funk heads know it instantly — the hypnotic groove behind Biggie’s “Ten Crack Commandments.”
This is why Galaxy Sound Co. matters. They’re not just pressing edits — they’re curating moments. Unearthing grooves DJs need back in rotation. Some originals now cost serious money on Discogs. Others simply faded from memory. GSC dusts them off & hands them back to the community.
Soul Quest Records returns with Maintain Altitude 2, a fearless, floor-focused statement that captures the pulse of London’s underground while stretching its sound across borders. This second instalment doesn’t just build on the energy of the first; it elevates it, locking into a groove that feels both timeless and future-facing. Deep house, broken beat, jazz-infused electronics it’s all here, and it hits hard.
The Trip To Vega is about deep outer space odyssey that occurs in the process of traveling from Earth through the Cosmos to another "favorable" star system 25.3 light-years away.
The time is year 2097, Sept 23rd.
To this day, Earthlings have managed to dodge some of nature's more dangerous extremities, massive volcanic eruptions, Earthquakes, solar burst that knocked out the Planet's entire electrical grid for 3 years, numerous plagues of disease, food and fresh water shortages, domestic and International Wars and many other life-changing operas, but for this event, what remains is a realization that has no remedy. The cause: Earth's physicality has changed. It is no longer favorable for living things.
It is the constant shifting of the planet's internal tectonic plates which has unfortunately produced an unexpected and impassable dilemma.
Because of the collisions, deep within the planet's core, the planet is now producing an extraordinary amount of sound that includes a specific harmonic frequency that erodes the natural senses of all life on Earth.
It is intensifying. It is intolerable and it is unlivable.
Yet, some humans prefer to stay, to "ride it out" like the Titanic captain going down with his ship. Some, in total disbelief as some have concluded it is the second coming of Jesus Christ. But for most, the decision is clear. Tolive another day, leaving is the only rational choice.
At an increasing rate, scientific research data shows that humans and most animals, excluding the Jellyfish will eventually lose the usage of hearing and are to greatly suffer from an array of other neurological and psychological effects. The sense of touch and taste, sleep depreciation, severe nerve damage, constant hallucinations. Everyone will lose many of their cognitive abilities within an estimated 12 months from now.
On this day and every 7 days afterwards until all registered passengers have departed, the first of a fleet of large number of massive size spacecraft carrying approximately 1 million humans per vessel will permanently leave Earth to begin the long and adventurous trek across outer space to a new home: Vega.
This is not a precautionary tale as there is nothing to learn. Instead, a decision has been made and a Trip To Vega is the consequence.
M-Plant's Perpetual Masters series continues throughout 2026 with Robert Hood's "Spectra" EP up next. Remastered once again by legendary German producer, Thomas Heckmann, the individual tracks have been dropping digitally through April and are now followed by a full vinyl release in June.
Robert Hood's "Spectra" EP, originally released in 2001, stands as a defining example of his stripped-back, conceptual approach to techno. It sees Robert Hood operating at his most stripped-down and hypnotic, built from tightly looped drum patterns and shadowy synth fragments that slowly evolve. Hood's precision is evident in every detail, as he balances repetition with crisp percussion and a tightly controlled groove.
More deep, immersive and hard-hitting minimal techno from the master.
Belgian saxophonist, composer, and producer Mattias De Craene (Nordmann, MDCIII) announces a new solo album, ‘A House Where I Dream,’ on VIERNULVIER Records. On his second album, he delivers a highly personal and healing journey, presented as an alternative soundtrack to the 1973 cult film ‘The Holy Mountain.’
The record will be released on October 11 on vinyl LP and through all digital platforms.
"The Holy Mountain" is a surreal Mexican film from 1973 directed, written, and produced by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who also stars in the film. The film holds a prominent place in avant-garde cinema and explores themes such as spirituality, mysticism, and the quest for enlightenment. It is in this vein that ‘A House Where I Dream’ is crafted.
“My mind and soul - and thus my music - come home to this motion picture” - Mattias De Craene
The album will be presented live with the film on October 16 at Videodroom during Film Fest Gent.
ABOUT THE ALBUM
With hypnotic tape loops, grainy textures, and mesmerizing saxophone, Mattias De Craene creates possible worlds that herald a spiritual transformation. From the Scottish Highlands and desolate mountains to the deepest recesses of the soul, this music has the power to create cinematic landscapes that transcend time and space. The sound of these 8 tracks is closely related to the minimalist compositions of Terry Riley, but the work of contemporary artists like KMRU or William Basinski is also drawn from the same material.
Above all, this album is a deeply personal journey and unintentionally serves as a metaphor for De Craene's ascent of his own mountain. For the Videodroom festival by Arts Center VIERNULVIER, the saxophonist began working on a new soundtrack for the film ‘The Holy Mountain’ in 2023, but his body and mind abruptly called him to a halt, forcing him to take a professional break. However, this project never left him, leading to an honest and raw quest to find himself as both a person and an artist, with Jodorowsky as a companion de route and music as an anchor. It initiated a long process of dismantling, searching, healing and back again. The album not only provides a sanctuary for dreaming to all who listen, but for its creator it also serves as both an outcry of despair and a source of comfort during challenging times.
All the tracks on 'A House Where I Dream' share an unfiltered grain of life, as one can almost feel the damp breath of the saxophone blowing.
The album opens with the three-part strong 'Transcention,' where the hypnotic interplay between soprano sax and lo-fi tape loops leads to higher realms of the mind and soul.
Alternating between deep frequencies and farout folk modalities, this mantra-like triptych acquires an alchemical character and ultimately transcends time and space.
In the ethereal 'Away,' one can peer into an abyss of resonance while a saturated tenor sax lends guidance in the spirit of Terry Riley's productions. 'You and Me' also bathes in a similar atmosphere, albeit in the vein of healing 90s ambient as granular sax tones converge with celestial chants. 'Gazing Upwards Towards The Sky,' offers different shades of blue as a slumbering tenor sax is juxtaposed to swift sax patterns. On 'A Stranger That Moved Me,' beauty lands in a soft and subtle manner, while the closing track 'Shepherd's Glow' drifts like a mountain wind flaring up at the darkest hour of the night.
The artwork is created by Gent-based artist Sam Timmerman, who portrays the world of 'A House Where I Dream' with playful repetition and mystique.
RAWAX welcomes Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts to the artist Family!
Very happy to announce a series of records, starting with "Coup de Théâtre" which is a very strong opening release for us.
Lovely EP full of ´Groove, Soul and Funk.
Don't miss!
Komatssu, Lefrenk, Vema Diodes y Celine Arnauld comparten este various artists de cuatro cortes para el tercer disco de Undancel.
La tercera referencia del sello discográfico de Undancel se caracteriza por una fase de transición entre varios sonidos. Representado un punto «ni aquí ni allí» donde la identidad o el estado anterior se disuelve antes de alcanzar uno nuevo, cuyo nombre LIMINAL.
Cuatro cortes en vinilo de 12″ de varios artistas más una canciones extra en formato digital con código de descargas en su interior.
A1_KOMATSSU_DESTRUCTOR DE MUNDOS: En activo desde 2005, Komatssu es el proyecto más personal de Héctor Sandoval (Tensal y 50% del reconocido proyecto Techno Exium). Un proyecto cimentado sobre la fusión natural entre la IDM más melódica, el Electro, el Breakcore y el avant-techno espectral que concibe el sonido como catalizador de emociones, dando lugar a un imaginario sonoro sumamente personal.
A2_LEFRENK_INDECENT: Lefrenk es un productor y DJ coruñés con más de 20 años de experiencia y más de 100 lanzamientos.
También es profesor en Fanzine School.
En el ámbito editorial, destaca como cofundador del sello Deep Different junto a Ikke Alra y fundador de Knerfel, su sello centrado en el techno.
Su trabajo se distingue por la fusión de texturas sonoras orgánicas e innovación digital, lo que refleja una constante evolución personal y creativa. Siempre innovando, Lefrenk ha expandido su influencia a través de colaboraciones dinámicas y actuaciones en directo junto a figuras de renombre de la industria.
B1_VEMA DIODES_MINDNIMALIST: Productor con raíces en el Baix Llobregat, cuya identidad se define por la experimentación técnica. Su trabajo es una exploración constante de la síntesis, donde las máquinas dictan el mensaje.
Desde sus primeras producciones en 2002, ha refinado un sonido que transita del electrobass crudo a estructuras más complejas y horizontales, fusionando la calidez analógica con la precisión digital.
Fundador del sello ÚTIL Records, Gente Seria Viste Chándal y Dialecto Periférico, plataforma desde la que reivindica el sonido de máquinas icónicas como la TR-808, tratadas con distorsiones y texturas de corte industrial.
Entiende el electro no como un género rígido, sino como un proceso de «electrificar» la señal. Su música es un equilibrio entre ritmos sintéticos y pinceladas de IDM, buscando siempre una narrativa sonora avanzada.
B2_CELINE ARNAULD_GLITCHED DANCE SYSTEM: Celine Arnauld es el nombre artístico de Pablo Miranda Caballero, artista y productor de música electrónica especializado en géneros como el IDM y el glitch con texturas ambientales. Recientemente, ha creado los alias DJ Don’t Sleep, donde da rienda suelta a la vertiente más rave del jungle y el breakbeat, y Paul Basscoigne, donde explora el electro, el acid, el IDM y el braindance.
Ha publicado su música en varios sellos, como EVEL, Clean Error, Dynamic Form, Mahorka, Hypnotica Colectiva, EC Underground, Dead Trax, Not 4 Human Consumption, New York Haunted, Point Source Electronics Arts, Moatun 7, Polygon Network, Colorsquad Records, Opal Tapes y Zabra Records.
Slip My Soul Where A Sweet Sunday brings together four versions by Fundación Tony Manero in charge of three projects from the Catalan jazz scene: The Gramophone All Stars Big Band, The Changes and ·I·. At the hands of these interpreters, the songs by Manero (all taken from “Sweet Movimiento”, their second studio LP) wander through different spectrums of jazz. From the Jamaican-tinged ska of the Gramophone to the dragging, hip-hop groove of ·I· through the swing -more classical or more avant-garde depending on the subject- of The Changes, these four pieces prove that jazz and disco music are family. Or what is the same: that jazz has always been dance music. Slip My Soul Where A Sweet Sunday celebrates the legacy on the one hand, the Fundación Tony Manero, which is retiring from the stage after more than 25 years paving the way for new generations and new projects. Among others, those who now take the baton in this EP.
QB-1 delivers four dark, driving DJ tools on Pulse Works. Raw house-techno crossover with heavy drums, hypnotic loops and late-night tension. Functional, stripped and built for the floor.
Cultivated Electronics Ltd For The Floor series began in 2022 and features split EPs available on vinyl (only) with Electro tracks aimed strictly at the dance floor, bringing together CE regulars and new artists. Volume 5 features Umwelt on the A- side and DJ MELL G x Unklevon on the flip, as well as a remix by label head, Sync 24 alongside Controlled Weirdness. New Flesh founder, Umwelt is known for his dark, industrial-leaning techno that blends dystopian atmospheres with driving rhythms. Here, the French producer delivers two hard-hitting cuts in Memoryscape & Morphing Sequence to open the EP. DJ MELL G from Juicy Gang Records brings a raw, high-energy fusion of electro, breakbeat and techno; fast paced and with bold sound design. She teams up with Unklevon who produces sleek, futuristic electro with crisp drum programming most notably for Boysnoize Records, on Get Down. While Sync 24 & Controlled Weirdness close out the EP with their tough and wonky rework.
Eliza Rose joins the ‘FABRICLIVE. presents’ series with a release that reflects the breadth of her creative journey in club music culture. A DJ, vocalist and songwriter from London’s vibrant underground, she has become one of the UK’s most compelling voices, equally at home in the DJ booth, on record, and crafting music that resonates across dancefloors and charts alike.
To accompany the release, fabric presents commissioned a bespoke, hand made tapestry depicting Eliza Rose and her friends at Carnival, a celebration of community, heritage and collective joy that runs through her story and the culture she represents. Rich in texture and detail, the piece transforms a living moment into something timeless and craft led. Eliza is pictured alongside the tapestry in an iconic hot pink tracksuit, set within a council estate garden that feels instantly recognisable as a portrait of London life. Surrounded by nostalgic children’s toys, from a rocking unicorn to a plastic slide, the scene captures the everyday intimacy and character of the city’s estates, spaces where music, family and friendship intertwine.
The contrast between the ornate woven artwork and the raw familiarity of the setting creates a striking visual metaphor, bridging past and present, celebration and reality. Together, the imagery reflects the spirit of the release itself: rooted in community, shaped by lived experience and grounded in the environments that continue to inform Eliza’s creative world.
Spaceships on the Blade is the 2022 solo album from San Francisco legend, entrepreneur and rapper, Larry June. The 20-track album features the singles, “Private Valet,” & “In My Pockets,” and sees production from a wide range of producers such as, The Alchemist, Jake One, DJ Khalil, Cardo, DJ.Fresh, Chuck Inglish, Turbo & more. Enlisting the help from fellow rap luminaries such as 2 Chainz, Babyface Ray, Curren$y and more, Spaceships on the Blade shows that Uncle Larry always has an eye on expanding and diversifying income steams and will continue to do numbers for a long time. Good Job, Larry. 2xLP, Black Vinyl, Widespine Jacket, Printed Sleeves.
Ground16 proves his genre-bending talent with his latest release on A.2AUM, the new sublabel from SEVEB. The “Breaking Through” EP is like a Swiss Army Knife: Highly versatile, broken beats on the A-side and 4×4 on the flipside.
A DJ must-have, suitable for every occasion, whether opening slots, early-morning closings or the afters. Ranging from electro to deep house and broken beats, plus an uplifting techno remix by Turkish delight Pink Concrete, the record carries an overall dreamy, texture-rich sound aesthetic.
Shot Caller present 1000 Lamentos, a promising debut without artifice.
Three different cultures and paths converge here for stripped-down songs, unvarnished, where every element feels immediately exposed, the simplicity as its best. There is neither easy nostalgia to lean on—only instinct, balance, and a sensitivity that cuts through the whole listen experience without raising its voice, echoing some of the label’s most defining releases and hinting at a strong path ahead.
The structures are simple, almost primitive. Bass guitar, and rhythm move with quiet urgency, leaving space for what truly lingers: a voice that doesn’t demand attention, yet stays with you. Fragile, intimate, and deeply enveloping—as if each line could break or reveal too much.
1000 Lamentos doesn’t aim for impact—it settles slowly, and refuses to leave. A debut that will leave its mark on the scene.
Cold Union emerge with “Lost In Black”, a coldwave signal suspended between haze and motion. An early glimpse of their upcoming album, where restraint becomes atmosphere and every element is reduced to its essential form. Icy guitars drift over deep, driving basslines, while distant, delayed vocals hover in slow, almost spectral, hypnotic atmosphere. There’s a clear understanding of the genre’s lineage here—echoes of classic post-punk codes reinterpreted with patience and intent. Minimal, precise, and emotionally distant, Lost In Black channels the core of post-punk into something colder, sharper, and built for the finest late hours goth parties.
Destination Unknown is an EP by Unpronounceable born from an archive of sounds collected between 2019 and 2024—sonic fragments that took shape without a predetermined direction guided only by an open idea in constant transformation. The original track conceived as a “destination unknown” composition developed its own independent identity. However precisely because of its fluid and cross-genre nature Unpronounceable chose not to place it within a traditional EP context instead opening it up to a multiplicity of perspectives by inviting five artists to reinterpret it freely without genre constraints.
The result is an EP that unfolds like an alternative map of the same sonic territory where each remix explores a distinct direction transforming Destination Unknown into a multifaceted and ever-evolving experience.
In Carl Finlow’s remix Destination Unknown takes on a strong cinematic and narrative dimension. Inspired by the title Finlow imagines a mysterious journey toward a futuristic dystopian city turning the track into a kind of electro soundtrack—dark yet ironic rich in character and capable of evoking vivid images and motion.
MANASYt pushes the track toward more physical and ritualistic territories focusing on the dark pads and the more oneiric vocal elements of the original. The result is a hypnotic pulsating tribal-industrial reinterpretation where rhythm and sonic material become central intensifying the track’s most visceral qualities.
With Gay Horror the focus shifts to an emotional and narrative dimension. The vocals are deliberately made elusive and undefined while the structure develops through a slow controlled crescendo that recalls the atmospheres of ’90s trip-hop. This version also reflects a long-standing human and artistic relationship conceived as a story that travels through time and reaches the present day.
Kevin Follet adopts a more conceptual approach overturning the perspective of the original track. Rather than working with its main elements he brings the underlying structures to the foreground transforming what usually remains hidden into the core of his reinterpretation. His remix is elegant and deep balancing sound exploration with a strong attention to songwriting.
Closing the EP is GP The Synth Roller with a radical and highly experimental reinterpretation. The track behaves like an unstable system: parameters shift without warning surfaces lose coherence sudden accelerations collide with moments of arrest. There is no resolution only a sonic condition in constant tension eventually condensing into a dark compact mass.
Taken as a whole Destination Unknown is far more than a simple remix collection: it is a collective exploration of the potential of a single composition. Unpronounceable’s original track and the reinterpretations by Carl Finlow MANASYt Gay Horror Kevin Follet and GP The Synth Roller move across electro techno industrial and experimental territories offering six different perspectives from the same starting point. An open journey with no fixed destination where every detour becomes an integral part of the path.
Be The Mountain (2026) is the latest release from Detroit-based musician STS. The record explores a serene and introspective world shaped by organically morphed textures and slowly evolving soundscapes.
While largely drumless, the album maintains a subtle rhythmic backbone - not through traditional percussion, but through modulated pads, shifting synths, and carefully sculpted ambience. The music moves and breathes without overt propulsion, finding tension and momentum through tone, density, and motion rather than beats.
Much of the record was written during a period of sustained physical and mental strain. A time when daily effort fought against perceived limits. Instead of responding with heavier or more aggressive material, the music became a quiet counterweight to the intensity. These tracks function as an escape from chaos. They are built from patience, repetition, and a gradual transformation.
The title reflects a central idea behind the record: confronting something that initially feels insurmountable, only to realize that the enduring force is the one within us all.
Be The Mountain is about endurance, not as struggle, but as presence.
Mit dem Comeback-Album "The Modern Age" (2019) fanden Sleeper zu ihrer Identität zurück, mit dem neuen Album "End Of The World" bezieht die Band Stellung. Die zutiefst persönlichen Songs bewegen sich von Witz, Nonchalance und der beobachtenden Erzählweise der 90er hin zu etwas Direktem, emotional Offenem und Unverstelltem. Die in Paris und Manchester entstandene, von Joe Cross (The Courteeners, Hurts, Louis Tomlinson, The Slow Readers Club) produzierte LP thematisiert Trauer, Reue, Einsamkeit und das Ringen ums Loslassen. Trotz aller Düsternis ist die Musik klanglich kühn und euphorisch; durch jeden Song ziehen sich Louise Weners charakteristisch-eingängigen Melodien und hymnischen Refrains.
Mit dem Comeback-Album "The Modern Age" (2019) fanden Sleeper zu ihrer Identität zurück, mit dem neuen Album "End Of The World" bezieht die Band Stellung. Die zutiefst persönlichen Songs bewegen sich von Witz, Nonchalance und der beobachtenden Erzählweise der 90er hin zu etwas Direktem, emotional Offenem und Unverstelltem. Die in Paris und Manchester entstandene, von Joe Cross (The Courteeners, Hurts, Louis Tomlinson, The Slow Readers Club) produzierte LP thematisiert Trauer, Reue, Einsamkeit und das Ringen ums Loslassen. Trotz aller Düsternis ist die Musik klanglich kühn und euphorisch; durch jeden Song ziehen sich Louise Weners charakteristisch-eingängigen Melodien und hymnischen Refrains.
Tom Sharkett has been one to watch in the last year via his remix work for DFA, Sub Pop and more plus his edits that are quietly out there doing damage with those that know. Here he arrives on Test Pressing Recordings with ’25’. Hot on the heels of his remix of LCD Soundsystem’s ‘Home’ – ‘Easily one of the biggest records of the Summer’ (Phonica Records) – here is his first solo EP for the label. ‘Painting On Glass’ arrives and sets the mood. Heavy synths and breaks. ’25’ features the vocals of mui zyu and pulls from the likes of New Order but takes them somewhere new. The third track, 'Sleepwalk', sees mui zyu return — a love song that sets a mood then drops into a vocoder loop midway before a fitting finale. ‘I’ll Call If I Want You’ closes the EP with a vocal from Tom himself. It’s a perfect closer. This isn’t a straight up dance record. It’s an artist showing they’ve got big ideas and a home for them.
Selekt Wax returns with its second vinyl offering, shifting the lens from introspection toward motion. Where its predecessor explored stillness and space, Varginha 96 leans into rhythm with a more fluid, tactile energy.
Loopedeville works within a minimal framework but pushes it toward something more animated. Groove takes the lead, while detail reveals itself gradually. The result is playful but controlled, built for movement while still carrying depth beneath the surface.
Inspired by the 1996 Varginha incident in Brazil, the record carries a subtle sense of the otherworldly. Not in a literal sense, but in texture. Unfamiliar tones, slightly off center moments, and elements that feel just outside of reach.
Etched on the sleeve, a poem sets the tone:
the analog moment is now
but, how? release
free form feelings finding
new places in yourself
a sort of synthesis
of interpretations
crash & collide
into the infinite groove of reality
but, is anything really real?
A1 – Varginha 96
A breakbeat driven opener centered on a looping vocal from the Varginha ‘96 incident. Off kilter synth textures circle the groove, giving it a subtle, otherworldly feel. Simple on the surface, with depth that reveals itself over time.
A2 – Varginha 96 (Ohm Hourani Remix)
Ohm takes it into a more stripped back, hypnotic space. Centered around the same vocal, the track locks into repetition and feel. Hazy, controlled, and built for late hours.
B1 – Thunders in Paradise
A driving groove built on dusty drums and a tightly controlled rhythm. It holds a steady pulse, with understated details and shifting textures giving it quiet depth.
B2 – Never Enough
A fluid, late night groove shaped by Loopedeville’s signature swing. Less driving than the previous cut, but still locked in, with warm tones and an easy bounce that carries through.
DJ Support: Layne Fox (40 thieves), Dr Rob/Banbantonton, Don Letts, Sean Johnston, Tim Sweeney, Richard Norris/The Grid., Andy Sims/Soft Rocks, Stephen KIW, Alex From Tokyo, Pete Herbert, Pete Gooding, Ewan Pearson, Richard Sen, Balearic Mike(Down To The Sea And Back)
Craig Bratley’s sophomore album, Return To Bass, has been a long-time gestating, with a whisky-like distill time in the musical barrels from whence this came. His debut was in 2014 and 12 years later here he is again, in the blink of a, er, Jurassic age. In that time, he’s gathered a good deal of experience, released several musically varied 12-inches, as well as having Andrew Weatherall remix a few of his efforts (not completely surprising, since The Guv’nor also played Craig’s music).
Bratley has spent the last few years honing his musical and technical skills which are evident on this album, as are his influences, which can be heard on his impressively consistent back catalogue, include Italo-disco, British electropop, acid house and a slowed down version of Chicago house that lends it a heroin crawl. Added to that, though, is the dub reggae sound championed by King Tubby, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and our own Dennis Bovell, which is much in evidence on this set.
It seems apposite, in the wake of the death of Sly Dunbar (and, less recently, his partner, Robbie Shakespeare) that Craig’s album is now appearing, since Bratley’s sound is imbued with a dub sensibility and the engine of the whole set is built around the thud that Sly & Robbie brought to their greatest productions; the song titles are clues: ‘Plasticine Dub’, ‘Return To Bass’ and ‘No In Between Dub’.
The LP Features standout vocals from Amy Douglas, Thomas Gandey, and Ola, plus funeral-march trumpet work by Tim Hutton.