Figure Jams is back with a another fresh and exciting pairing of artists. This time the record is a collection of pure analogue goodness, sparkling ripe with synthesizer magic. The A-side comes courtesy of duo-of-the-moment TWR72, who happen to distill perfection through simplicity in their stripped-back productions. While ‚Polished' is a pulsating bit of beatless yet captivating clean-cut loops, their other contribution shows their talent at crafting something lean, dry and punchy, which is still undeniably driving and hypnotic. Picking up on the synth-heavy theme of this release is St. Petersburg's finest Aleksey Niktin aka Nocow. Inspired by the endless baltic winters, the producer packs his tracks with emtions that feel cold but not icy, engulfing the listener in winching waves of melancholic Electronica.
Suche:stripped
Does the world needs more acid Yes it does! the R-A-G trio aka Dutch producers Ma Spaventi, G-String & Aroy Dee deliver three raw acid-jams with Aroy on the couch working the mic. The lyrics of Dreadfully Nervous are based on a Edgar Allan Poe story.
'Dreadfully Nervous (Aryd's Acid Mix)' is a gurgling brew of squelchy acid with dark vocals and pinging cowbells pulling you in all directions. Coarse claps and ever more wild synths encourage you to cut loose and make for another timeless cut. 'Dreadfully Stoned' is more stripped back, with a rubbery arpeggiated synth the main hook over subtle, supple drums. Those dark spoken word vocals are back again and the whole thing is freaky and unsettling as a result. Last of all is the bright and glistening 'No Soul' with metal hits and claps and prickly acid all bursting out of dusty Chicago drums. It's raw and sure to fire the synapses just like R-A-G productions always do.
Copenhagen's Echocord Colour returns this August with Stephen Brown's 'Power Factor' EP, featuring three originals from the UK Techno stalwart.
Scottish producer Stephen Brown is a name synonymous with Techno across the globe having been releasing material since the mid nineties on imprints such as Derrick May's Transmat, Subject Detroit, Skudge Records, Ben Sims' Theory and Holland's Djax Up Beats amongst many more.
Here we see Brown join the roster of Echocord's sub-label Colour, slotting him in alongside the likes of Mike Dehnert, Nick Ho¨ppner, Luke Hess and Deadbeat in the back- catalogue.
Up first on the release is 'Sandtext', a stripped-back dubbed out opening cut fuelled by a robust kick and minute percussive hits running alongside a sturdy sub bass drive and spiralling dub stabs before 'Wet' takes things even deeper via muted kicks, shuffling shakers and delayed synth chords. 'Back Stroke' then rounds out the release with an amalgamation of airy reverberated stab hits, rumbling low end pulsations and a thunderous kick drum to once again create an understated, hypnotic composition.
Next up on Etruria beat, is the Dutch duo Hush & Sleep who have been steadily making name for themselves in the past year. They deliver a stunning two tracks EP with Farrago and Marco Effe on remix duty. The EP starts off on a joyous note with the track Mirth. As this is an old English word for gladness, the main melody takes you on a carefree ride supported by a stomping kick and dreamy pads in the back. Farrago takes a more stripped down approach with his version. He builds on the dreamy pad, making it serve as a warm blanket over his signature tight percussion. Contradicting Mirth, the second original slowly starts to drag you into a feeling of hysteria, hence the name. Taking their signature kick as the foundation, Hush & Sleep use a haunting melody that lingers on in the back and sets an eerie mood. Marco Effe's remix is a deep stunning techno groover. Taking the main melody but twisting it into his own wonderful creation and sending you off on a journey into time and space.
Repress
Great VA, vinyl only! New vinyl only imprint from FUSE London resident Rich NxT. The first VA kicks off with an incredibly funky and hypnotic groove from Tolga Top. Croatian scene player and FUSE extended family Mariano Mateljan lays down a heavy stripped back roller. Emerging UK artists Josh Baker and Moonlit Vision, both introduce their styles on the flip side with proper dancefloor direction. Music to get your rave on.
The fifth release in Ygrok's limited catalog debuts the DKM project of Samantha Waldram, a native of Barcelona. The A1 is her rework of the sound poem titled - Little Ali Hommage To Forough Farrokhzad by Giorgio Sancristoforo, a contemporary Italian sound artist. The heavy rolling groove makes her track compatible with any dancefloor while still keeping the wild psychedelic flavor of the piece. Giorgio's original piece opens the B side with its disorienting collage of bells, modular bleeps and cresting, tumbling waves of Persian syllables. The EP closes with a stripped down beat and soundscape tool in the finest Ygrok tradition.
With his eclectic EP »Tape Paranoia« back in summer 2015, Ikpathua left notable marks in the Noorden catalogue. Two years later, the London based producer returns to the label with three splendid cuts shaped by varieties of Dub Techno,
Leftfeld and UK Bass.
Where To Now and Peder Mannerfelt signee Machine Woman
adds two distinctive remixes of »Oboo« to the package - a creaky dancefoor-version and a stripped-down Ambient one.
Fever AM comes from a Berlin connection between a pair of artists with roots on either side of the Mediterranean Sea and on both sides of the Atlantic. Label founders Mor Elian and Rhyw (one half of Cassegrain) share many musical reference points reaching back to early childhood right up to the present including the deeper, darker reaches of electronic music. The label is the pair s rawest and truest realisation of these influences.
The first EP will be from Elian, a sublime 4 tracker that has matured after a winter in the studio and is now ready for club play - from heating up peak time dance floors to trippier after hours moments. Sprinkling her trademark stripped back sound with electro and breakbeats the release sets out the label s stall to release vibrant, challenging dance floor music.
Much may have changed over a two-decade period, but Drumcode's commitment to releasing the scene's most cutting-edge and refined techno remains resolute. 2016 saw releases from heavy hitters such as Adam Beyer, Alan Fitzpatrick, Dense & Pika, Sam Paganini and Joseph Capriati, as well as a much coveted Moby remix package. The label pushes forwards again in 2017; bringing fail-safe, club-ready music to the techno community. 2016 was a standout year for Alan Fitzpatrick, with the Drumcode stalwart racing out of the gates in spectacular fashion with the release of his fabric 87 mix. A substantial amount of high profile shows followed, including appearing at the inaugural Junction 2 festival and closing the car park to a packed-to-the-rafterscrowd at Drumcode Halloween.
He returns to Drumcode with 'Brian's Proper Dun One', marking his first appearance on the label since late 2016 when he remixed Moby's seminal 'Porcelain'. The release opens with 'Brian's Proper Dun One', a track which caused a Twitter meltdown on Alan's profile when he first started playing it at the tail end of 2016. Loaded with sharp and pounding drums, this is an ethereal experience from start to finish and packs a real punch. It's a no holds barred, certified main room anthem. 'Wait A Second' feat. mc r1bbz has been a staple of Adam Beyer's sets of late and has been getting a lot of air time on Drumcode Radio.
This rave inspired track takes a raw, stripped back approach and delivers a real killer blow. Alan sampled the vocals of mc r1bbz from an LTJ Bukem tape pack from the early 90s and the record tips its cap to early jungle raves around the M25.
The release closes with 'Trance, Init'; A homage to Alan's days first and foremost as a raver before he became a DJ, with his non-purist attitude when it comes to electronic music shining through. The breakdown is sure to be a hands in the air moment at festivals all over the globe this summer.
When Steve Lawler first sent us 'Crazy Dream,' he told us that he had made the record 'specifically with Turbo in mind,' thus sending us on a quasi-lucid journey down a rabbit hole of self-discovery from which we have only recently emerged. Most labels would simply talk up a nuts-to-the-wall floor-filler with a killer 'White Horse' bassline from an acid house legend and be done with it, but the fact remains that if we forgo an opportunity to learn more about ourselves as dance music imprint, we are doing our fans a disservice whether they could possibly be expected to realize it or not. We hired a board-licensed Forensic Poet to parse the track's lyrical references to nothing being 'quite as it seems,' 'feeling naked and confused,' and rising above 'the push and shove.' What was he trying to tell us The poet assured us that all it meant was that Lawler admires Turbo and thought the track would be a good fit, and that we should put our clothes back on, wipe the confused looks from our faces, and stop pushing and shoving one another because everything was exactly as it seemed. We paid him his $25 and did as we were told. For the remixes, we took a track made especially for us and enlisted a diverse cast of Turbo All-Stars to spin it into a release for everyone, a proprietary practice we call 'Human Alchemy: The Future of Generosity™.' Finland's Jori Hulkkonen, Belgium's Charlotte de Witte, and Argentina's DJs Pareja trace a beautiful global triangle for lovers of acid bangers, stripped-down techno, and tripped-out weirdness, respectively. At Turbo, giving party people what they need is more than just a crazy dream. It's a crazy reality.
For it's seventh release, Banlieue Records showcases the work of Budapest-based producer AIWA through a mini album full of dreamy and ethereal sounds. With a subtle nod to the sound design of previous decades, AIWA is channeling inspiration from some of the more cosmic genres but never compromises on a forward thinking attitude that means this release can't be pinned down to a specific genre, rather, it is another example of the unique music Banlieue Records is currently nurturing. From beatless tracks that are anything but static to cuts with a more club-oriented groove, AIWA's sound is on the surface a stripped down, no frills a air. Without compromising on sounding lush, his productions invite the listener to dive deep into the worlds evoked in each track. These often convey the sense of upwards motion, while pulling the listener into a whirlpool of emotion.
Eric Fetcher has been given the honour of contributing to Invite's Choice and does so with a four-track banger for it's ninth output.
Kaissa s neurotic synth and wobbly bass combined with it s forceful hi-hat open this EP in a stripped-down fashion, which makes it perfect to build tension and make transitions in any dirfections while mixing. Mephisto continues on the path chosen with coherent and hypnotising synthesis, whilst keeping a funky kind of feel due to the very present kick and hi-hats, yet has a darker feel to it. Deep Blue on the B-side is a more four-to-the-flour track with a rousing synth and banging hi-hat, perfect for lifting up a crowd! Cray Blitz combines hypnotising bleep-like sounds and a mind-blowing string with droning low-end sounds. Hypnotising like the other tracks - but with more drive - this EP is closed down. Eric Fetcher showcases his take on techno which fits perfectly between both modern day and oldschool techno!
Music is Love boss returns to his home label after a few brief excursions on Hot Creations & Viva Music last year, and he returns in style. 3 summer time slammers and a stella remix from the Mak & Pasteman boys. Middle Ground is a dusty filtered house track, aligned with a soaring string section, which narrate the warm uplifting journey this track lays down. Mandingo was made as a tool for Oli s sets last summer and after some huge reactions and some serious demand, Mandingo was set for a vinyl release. Big stabs and plenty of funk this track is party ready. On the flip we find Mak & Pasteman return to Music is Love after an appearance on the 3rd LOVEBOX VA in 2016. Piano4 is flipped into what these boys do best, Simple stripped back grooves delivered with stupendous power. On B2 is the original take on Piano4 which sees Oli flexing his power house muscles on this big piano track. Piano4 is an unrelenting beast that twists and turns its way through various passages of maximum intent.
Fusing tantric sexual spirituality and speech with the energy of pounding beats and a functional driving acid baseline. According to Thee J Johanz it's inspired by an incidental visit at Love Temple (Arambol, India).
Fusing tantric sexual spirituality and speech with the energy of pounding beats and a functional driving acid baseline. According to Thee J Johanz it's inspired by an incidental visit at Love Temple (Arambol, India). Tantric Temple stirs and elevates the floor, making all 'feel as one' through a unifying vocal climax. The Tantric Bricastic version channels basic raw and dance energy, stripped down and nice in the mix. Last track Once Upon A Time, a co-production with Nathan Homan, explores the outer zone with some dubby acid disco tech with a tasty spaghetti western touch. Sleeve art by David Homan.
Current Value stands as one of the producers at the very forefront of experimentation - a creator truly reaching the top of his game and one who has walked an unmistakable path across the Drum and Bass landscape.
Consistently delivering a style so unique that it sets him far ahead of the pack, his unique aesthetic is evident in both his unmatched experimentations in synthesis and his trademark finely crafted percussion, combined to deliver a heavy but stripped down modern sound that carries serious weight.
May 5th brings CV's unique sound to Doc Scott's 31 Recordings with the Scalar EP.
Also look out for the CVAV project a 60 minute audio visual showcase of Current Value's work that sets a new bar in electronic music with a mind-shattering sensory experience that changes the context of one of the most unique artists of our time.
French producer and DJ John Jastszebski has been involved in the French and global underground
House and Techno scene for over a decade now, releasing on imprints such as D'julz' Bass
Culture, Phil Weeks' Robsoul, Syncrophone Recordings and of course Phonogramme where he returns to here.
The original mix of lead track 'Season' takes the lead via infectious stab sequences, snaking subs
and raw organic percussion before Kai Alce's 'Restructure' of 'Season' follows and tips the focus
over to airy chords, jazz-tinged lead melodies and a bumpy rhythmic swing. 'Illusion' follows and sees Jastszebski focus on a more stripped-back aesthetic with rolling drums,
dusty string samples and warm Rhodes driving the composition. 'Gracelend' then closes the package with smooth, unfolding pad melodies, crunch drum sounds and a murky, hypnotic feel.
After 3am Recordings' return to 12' in March 2016, which straight into the Juno Deep House Top 10, it's time for label boss Al Bradley to unleash his own 12". The original of Night Owl has been working like a charm - a deep & bass-heavy affair, coming on like Franck Roger or Djebali wearing their slightly more chunky-vibed studio hats (or something.....). Pressed For Time main dude Goshawk, tweaks his remix taking the cue from the original bass into key-led deepness, with added percussion elements & warm vibes ago-go. Fellow 3am geezer Michael Scott takes a real diversion & strips things right back in freaky trippy minimal style, reworking the vibe of the track completely. Closing the 12", fourfourfour heads into Berlin electronic territory, shifting the focus to the main percussive section & coming out with a massively powerful yet stripped back beast of a remix. Serious damage incoming....
- A1: Our Understanding
- A2: Ngc1277
- A3: Captured Rotation
- B1: Approaching Lights
- B2: Gravity Zone
- B3: Goldene Spirale
- C1: Beyond Language
- C2: Standard Model
- C3: Future Teller
- D1: Superstring Theory
- D2: Stadt Des Orion
- D3: The Mirror
- E1: Goldene Spirale (Substance Remix)
- E2: Ngc1277 (Architectural Remix)
- F1: Stadt Des Orion (Rivet Remix)
- F2: Superstring Theory (Zero Mass Remix) S
3x12"
I did not know what achievements, what mockery, even what tortures awaited me. I knew nothing, and I persisted in the faith that the time of cruel miracles was not past .
Stanislaw Lem (Solaris, 1961).
This paragraph from Solaris, the novel written in 1961 by Stanislav Lem, is the starting point for the concept this 30drop album has been built upon. Science fiction masters like Lem are one of the greatest influences for the artist, who devised this album after the mental challenges that humans should overcome in a future: encounter with beings from other civilizations: capable of interacting with us in a totally unthinkable way so far.
Away from what many a sci-fi blockbuster depicts, this work revolves around the idea that such meeting with alien species will be eminently a mental experience that will shock not only our cultural values but also our very own perceptions about what space/time/reality is a mindbending experience where everything we knew before dissolves around us and propels us to uncharted grounds. Terra incognita so far.
Bypassing the random track collection syndrome that plagues many of today s so-called techno albums this LP was conceived and devised from it s very beginning as a full, complete work in itself, best enjoyed in it s totality. A story-telling journey (very much in the tradition of seminal / genre-defining albums as UR s X-102) were tracks lead you to one another. Tracks can be enjoyed on their own, being all suited for dancefloor and dj-sets alike, but take a complete different meaning when put in the right context within the album.
Musically this long-player combines stripped-down rhythms, sweeping pads and hypnotical bleeping sequences woven together in an intrincate but subtle way, a fashion that harks back to the classic minimalist yet complex mid-90 s sound of Hood, Mills and T.Dixon sounds appealing both the mind and the feet.
Classic and futuristic at the same time, this is a compelling journey that opens with the eerie atmospheres of Our Understanding before really taking off with the cadential NGC1277. The hypnotic Captured Rotation sets the pace for the rest of album which oscillates between the exhilarating cosmic groove of Beyond Language and the contemplative stasis of The Mirror. Other highlights include the entrancing Goldene Spirale or the furiously busy Approaching Light.
The whole package is further rounded up by a set of remixes which showcase the different directions taken by techno producers this days: from Substance s solid Berlin-style to Architectural s spaced-out visions via Rivet s hard-hitting club bangers and Zero Mass abrassive experiments.
Text by: Dj Zero.
End of February will see Luciano continue his newly launched Basaec imprint with 'Saved & Slaved', a two-track release featuring collaboration with Argenis Brito. Swiss-Chilean producer and DJ Luciano has been at the forefront of underground electronic music for quite some time now, heading up the infamous Cadenza imprint and releasing material for some of the industry's leading labels such as Perlon, Desolat, Cocoon and Poker Flat amongst many others. Here we see Luciano back on his recently launched Basaec label, delivering some of his signature stripped-back, dynamic and emotive material 'Lost In Lymbo' takes the lead and sees Luciano offer up a typically intricate twelve-minute excursion with subtly modulating and evolving percussion, spiralling synth swells, sporadic vocal chants and a smoothly unfolding aesthetic resulting in an archetypal and intriguing production from this forever forward-thinking artist. The latter half sees Luciano paired with fellow Cadenza artist Argenis for 'Pato's Track', stripping back the vibe to a raw cowbell and rim shot percussive-led state whilst lumpy subs, vocal murmurs and subtly unfolding flute like melodies ebb and flow throughout the composition.
We're back from hibernation after releasing the third Roundup at the end of 2016 and we're starting off with a new signing. Milan based Parker Madicine joins Heist with some high tech funk with a serious nod to the 'D' and we've got Byron the Aquarius delivering a great jazzy remix. You'll be more likely to find Parker Madicine browsing through boxes of old jazz and soul records than you'll see him showcasing his social media skills. He's a real vinyl junky and moreover a hip hop fanatic and probably loves his synthesizers more than his mother. Apart from promoting funk and soul oriented parties in Milan, he founded CT-HI records, short for 'Contemporary Theories of Hip Hop Influences". A few years back he teamed up a.o. with his buddies Veez-O and Turbojazz to create some Dilla and early 90's inspired hip hop and these influences are clearly present in his EP for Heist. With Heartbreaker, he lays down a dreamy but heavy groove for the first minute or so, arpeggiating its way to the moment where the airy pads make room for a looser than loose groove where synth stabs and bass line dance around each other creating a killer vibe. Zawinul starts in the same manner, rough kick, loose and degraded hi-hats and dreamy Rhodes chords. The tracks build further with some lovely brassy hits and arps, whereas Placebo is the most stripped back but high tempo track, where an airy and delayed bassline does most of the work to set the mood. We're really happy to have Byron the Aquarius reworking one of PM's tracks.




















