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Granny13 opens with Nicola Ratti's 'Odd Doubt'. With the use of a modular system and tape loops, a broken rhythm is obtained by parallelism between single sound signals as LFO one or processed tapes.On the second side, Giovanni Lami's 'Johnny Leech' is made with a small bunch of equipment, just a chaotic hand-made synth (cacophonator) and a memoryman, working mainly on static electricity and leakage current in the synth used without any kind of power supply.

Reviews

The Wire
''Two Italian mucisians share a split single of glitchy fun and everyone goes some happy. Lami s piece uses a defective unplugged synthesizer to make huzzing chitters that have a kind of rhythm in spots. Ratti s contribution is a bit more structured it sounds like a record of accordion miniatures broken into pieces, then glued back together with little pieces of felt stuck onto it. Which would definitely be a pretty hep thing to hear.''

Textura
''Some releases qualify as art objects as much as musical collections, a case in point this recent seven-inch vinyl outing featuring material by Nicola Ratti on one side and Giovanni Lami on the other. That shouldn't be interpreted to mean that the musical content isn't worthy of one's time, as it assuredly is, but more to emphasize how striking the sleeve artwork by Opora is and how effectively it complements the musical content.Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi and issued in an edition of 150 copies, the release opens with Odd Doubt, a concise experimental setting by the Milan-born Ratti, who's issued material on labels such as Anticipate, Preservation, Die Schachtel, and Entr'acte and who's presently working with Ielasi in the project Bellows, with Attila Faravelli as Faravelliratti, and with Enrico Malatesta and Faravelli in ~Tilde. Though Ratti started out as a guitar player, his current focus is more on beat-analog experimentation and sound installation. In Odd Doubt, Ratti's modular system and tape loops generate broken rhythms that varyingly call to mind dub-techno, even if dub-techno of an extremely wonky variety. Off-beat chords, crackle, and snare strikes add to the dubwise flavour of the material, though ultimately it registers as more of an experimental exploration than straight-up dub exercise.The flip side features Johnny Leech by Lami, a one-time photographer now known as both a field recordist and a musician focusing on soundscaping and sound-ecology. In his contribution to the seven-inch, Lami's chaotic hand-made synth (cacophonator) and memoryman give birth to blustery smears of static electricity that ultimately mutate into an Oval-like array of ripples and scratches. Johnny Leech is so removed from anything conventionally musical, it makes Odd Doubt sound like a Top 40 pop song. Like Ratti's piece, Lami's is short, so short, in fact, it gives the impression of being an excerpt from a larger sound art work. Here's a release where the abstract nature of the musical content matches its visual presentation.December 2014''

Vital Weekly 951
''Granny Records is from Greece, but the two musicians here are from Italy, of which I don't I heard from Giovanni Lami before. His piece is called 'Johnny Leech' and he uses a hand-made synth known as the cacophonator and a memory man (a delay machine), 'working mainly on static electricity and leakage current in the synth used without any kind of power supply'. It makes up for a nice piece of chaotic lo-fi sound, which is put forward through methods of improvisation. Quite a nice piece and it fits the format very well. The crackling of vinyl surely adds an extra layer. Nicola Ratti uses a modular synth and tape loops, of what seems to be percussive material, but the rhythm is broken down and the whole thing has a nice gentle feel to it, even when it bumps, clicks and glides, but the synth makes it more subtle. Here too one could say this perfect for a 7": one doesn't have the idea that this is cut from a longer part as is not unusual with this kind music. Especially Ratti seems to have worked out his music as a composition, which is very nice. (FdW)''Vital Weekly 951''Granny Records is from Greece, but the two musicians here are from Italy, of which I don't I heard from Giovanni Lami before. His piece is called 'Johnny Leech' and he uses a hand-made synth known as the cacophonator and a memory man (a delay machine), 'working mainly on static electricity and leakage current in the synth used without any kind of power supply'. It makes up for a nice piece of chaotic lo-fi sound, which is put forward through methods of improvisation. Quite a nice piece and it fits the format very well. The crackling of vinyl surely adds an extra layer. Nicola Ratti uses a modular synth and tape loops, of what seems to be percussive material, but the rhythm is broken down and the whole thing has a nice gentle feel to it, even when it bumps, clicks and glides, but the synth makes it more subtle. Here too one could say this perfect for a 7": one doesn't have the idea that this is cut from a longer part as is not unusual with this kind music. Especially Ratti seems to have worked out his music as a composition, which is very nice. (FdW)''Vital Weekly 951''Granny Records is from Greece, but the two musicians here are from Italy, of which I don't I heard from Giovanni Lami before. His piece is called 'Johnny Leech' and he uses a hand-made synth known as the cacophonator and a memory man (a delay machine), 'working mainly on static electricity and leakage current in the synth used without any kind of power supply'. It makes up for a nice piece of chaotic lo-fi sound, which is put forward through methods of improvisation. Quite a nice piece and it fits the format very well. The crackling of vinyl surely adds an extra layer. Nicola Ratti uses a modular synth and tape loops, of what seems to be percussive material, but the rhythm is broken down and the whole thing has a nice gentle feel to it, even when it bumps, clicks and glides, but the synth makes it more subtle. Here too one could say this perfect for a 7": one doesn't have the idea that this is cut from a longer part as is not unusual with this kind music. Especially Ratti seems to have worked out his music as a composition, which is very nice. (FdW)''

* Making his debut on Subaltern with SUBALT014 is Estonian producer Bisweed, famous for his trippy and intricate sound design and original take on bass music. A psychotropic journey into the weald, this is a typically dark and surreal release from the well-established Subaltern imprint.

* Shelter
Sinister sounds welcome the listener to the journey as we enter the weald. Dark synths lead into weighty bass-lines, embedded in driving percussive elements and a spine-chilling atmosphere. Tasteful orchestral elements accompany before reaching a climax of tribal percussion and pure bass. Bisweed's musical sensibility and dance-floor know-how blend symbiotically to create this heavy yet soulful bass music masterpiece.

* Swamp
Going deeper, haunting textures guide the listener into a pulsating implosion of low frequencies, which is bound to shake up the dance as well as your expectations of a quiet night in. Rumbling and chopping wobbles complete a captivating piece of sound system music. Tread lightly so you don't sink in too deep - the swamp might just consume you.

* Dolmen feat. Mentha
Like stepping into a clearing, Dolmen lightens the mood - but only ever so slightly. Chanting voices hail the listener, as wide planes of sound unfold into a bass-heavy yet deep stepper. Subtly and slowly, Bisweed is masterfully transitioning into a soothing and melodic vibe, featuring label head honcho Mentha on Guitar.

Originally issued as a cassette on the ROIR label alongside the likes of Bad Brains, Suicide and The Contortions, this second album from 1983 is an uncompromising collection of heavy dub manners and experimental studio soundscaping. Dreader than dread roots rhythms sit alongside delay-baked post-punk instrumentals such as Drilling Equipment' and Synchroniser'.
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First ever international vinyl edition, re-cut as a double LP at 45rpm for improved frequency response, includes bonus track Blood Shed Dub' from the classic disco plate series, download card, and gatefold sleeve with sleevenotes by Michael Dub' Shore and Steve On The Wire' Bar

Following a run of local transmissions from A Sagittariun, Crump, Rob Smith and Atki2, Idle Hands turns its attention to Berlin and the straight-up, no-nonsense techno thrust of Johanna Knutsson and Hans Berg. Both respected artists and DJs in their own right, the pair have been turning out 12"s together for The Free Spirit Society, Klasse and Crime City Disco over the past few years, but most importantly they've been steering the excellent UFO Station Recordings as a vessel for their punchy, primal techno tracks.

The sound on this EP taps into the pure form of stern, dark dancefloor tackle favoured at Idle Hands - no extraneous filler, plenty of space in the mix, but equally built with warmth and personality rather than monochrome functionality. If you need further proof, just look to the fact the EP is named after a Swedish soap opera from the 90s.

The bleeps and bass tones that pulse through "Taggen" are so finely crafted they need not skip and dance around the arrangement. The melodic interplay on "Klimax" is subtle but ultimately uplifting and optimistic where so much techno concerns itself with oppressive gloom. "Bimbo" finds the pair embracing a more psychedelic approach, but even here the modulating effects processes are kept within certain boundaries so as to not dilute the impact on the floor. After all, this is music to dance to, to be felt over a large system (where possible).


Moving from leftfield bass excursions to minimalist 2-step, UK techno and now onto this much more continental sound, theMälarviken EP continues to widen the range of Idle Hands' musical tastes without losing sight of the complete picture.

Brewing another supremely heavy release on the horizon, Moonshine Recordings is stealing the spotlight once again. Proudly presenting Violinbwoy's first solo album, unadulterated sound system pressure at its finest. Slavic chants and drum rhythms meet the unrivaled power of Violinbwoy's eccentric take on modern bass music 'Fyetisov' kicks off the stellar 3x12" release with a high-powered Stepper emission. Setting the tone with a rumbling bassline and supremely energetic lead instrumentation, full force sound system music down to its core. Shining in a different light, 'Moonspell' reveals its melancholic nature gradually intensifying through otherworldly percussion and anthemic vocal sample placements. Stripped down to its bare bones,'Dubplate' unleashes its detuned, percussive shackles for a massive onslaught of four-to-the-floor, while keeping true to Jamaica's music roots. Warbling tape echo spheres and excellence in emotive expression Violinbwoy's collaboration with singer Marina P turns out to be an anthem by itself enthralling, whoever gets caught into the midst of this hymn of a track. Not backing down one step from the established level of quality, 'Sound System' featuring Junior Dread excels once more in a crystal-clear demonstration of modern roots music mandatory repeat listening. Rejoicing in simplicity, 'Rig Alert' holds true to what the name suggests - cinematic bass meditation, fluidly scaling with the size of its speaker counterpart. Moving on to Dan s vocal skills in 'Wanted': Rastafarian wisdom chanting along a skanking rhythm and orchestral atmosphere. Ethereal bells being submerged in moving air and scattered white noise, 'Run & Hide' demonstrates a more experimental side within the LP exhibiting Downtempo/Ambient inclinations in a magnificent combination with Dub characteristics, only increasing in energy to the call of the dub siren. Ready for more, the title track 'dod' captures us within the expressive, introductory playing of the violin, deserting it for echoes and sub oscillations alike. Calling upon the prowess of Rider Shafique, his harmonic toasting is being escorted by a forward-minded halftime groove in 'Find The Way'. Topping the LP off with Sis' excellence in telling a story through song on a hypnotic instrumental. The nature of last tunes is often powerful, serving to concede with an explosion, appropriate of the session as is the case with 'Surfacing' closing off the monumental EP with visceral lead movements, setting the tone alongside driving drums and one more murderous bassline, sure of receiving countless rewinds in the near future. Encompassing a plethora of current Roots- Dub- and Steppa- influenced styles, Moonshine's next LP installment is sure to be received for what it is: a definitive, quality expedition of what's firing up dance floors around the globe.

One bloody Subhead style techno side and one big Hardcore /tribe mid-tempo old school banger... well both sides are fat on the compo and fat on the sound... Dancefloor pagan system !

After a decade's absence, spent working in commercial sound design, New York based electronic musician and producer Joseph Fraioli returns to his Datach'i alias for a brand new album entitled 'System'. Featuring 16 tracks of beautiful yet unsettling electronic music recorded exclusively on a Eurorack Modular synth, 'System' will be released on August 19th via Venetian Snares' Timesig imprint. Speaking about the album Fraioli said, 'I've spent much of the past decade building up my own sound design company, Jafbox Sound, and in recent years have become fascinated by modular synths. I'd been making a series of performance videos, showing how they work and that inspired me to start making music as Datach'i again. I suddenly realized I had a growing collection of tracks that worked together and had something new to say. Aaron heard some of them and encouraged me to start thinking of them in terms of an album and here we are.' Venetian Snares says of the album 'Joseph's special take on live modular production has had me really excited this past year. There are so many great tracks, it was nearly impossible to compile this album. I'm tickled he agreed to release them with Timesig!' The first non-VSnares-related release on Timesig, 'System' will be available on double vinyl, CD and digital download. Those who pre-order the physical release via the Planet Mu website will also receive a bonus CD featuring 19 more tracks recorded around the same time as 'System'. In addition Timesig and Datach'i have partnered with TipTop Audio and everyone who pre-orders the album will also be entered into a draw to win a Z3000 Smart VCO oscillator and 'Happy Ending' kit, the perfect introduction to building your own modular system. Having released 6 albums between 1999 and 2006 on labels including Planet Mu and Sublight, Fraioli has spent the past ten years running award-winning sound design company, Jafbox Sound, where his productions for film, TV and adverts have been recognized by the likes of the Cannes Film Festival and the CLIO Awards. In 2014, Fraioli also joined forces with Interpol's Daniel Kessler, forming 'Big Noble.' Their freshman release entitled, 'First Light," combined Fraioli's approach to sound design with Kessler's guitar work to create cinematic, ambient soundscapes.

ick Lenoir and Larry Thompson aka Black Traxx dropped several volumes of their own brand of chopped up Disco sampling, deeper side of House. From 1991 through to 1994 the Black Traxx EP's were showing up in record stores, obviously giving respectful nods to other Chicago DJ's and producers the tracks included on the EP's contained a DIY spirit and rawness that were key ingredients. Lenoir, with the technical assistance of Gary 'Jackmaster' Wallace has revisited these classic releases for 2017 and the pair have turned in some special, exclusive extended versions of some of the highlights from the series.
This, the second sampler of Black Traxx cuts culled from the various volumes picks up nicely where part 1 left us off. If it's that raw, deep, basement Chicago House sound you're after then these guys have you covered. Kicking off with the 1993 remix of 'Dreamin' which is a sublime late night organ driven groover, this one ticks all the boxes if you dig that NY / NJ Garage sound, but with a Chi-town twist! 'Soul' is up next, lifted from 1993's 'The Soul Package' collection. A stripped back, vocal led jam steeped in atmosphere. This one is for the dancers for sure, no nonsense House music for heads and hips.
Flip it over and the B-side opens with 'Shake', a tough, gritty, percolating banger with a tribal-esque edge. This one's a weapon and almost fits into that Baltimore / Chicago 'ghetto House' mould. A proper club track, no prisoners taken. This one has been gently extended by Rick and Gary for maximum club pressure! EP finisher 'Party' is a much more subdued groove giving a respectful nod to the JB's with that infamous 'Paaaarty' chant. No frills in the best possible way this one's another solid club groove, pure food for hungry turntables and sound-systems. All of the tracks included on these samplers have been carefully selected, arranged, edited and extended for precisely these reasons!
This reissue has been realised with the full involvement of Rick Lenoir and Gary Wallace and is 100% legit! All exclusive extended edits have been made by Rick and Gary specifically for this release. Don't snooze, this one deserves a spot in any self respecting House heads record bag or DJ set, classic material made available again for 2017 - You can't stop it!

Orbis X is a sublabel of Orbis Records and will be mainly focusing on softer yet often usable as DJ material for the broader mass interested in Electronic music. This sublabel is an extension of Orbis Records softer, more melodical and experimental side.

Music will be ranging from house, dub, chicago over melodic acid and even breaks. Not any track makes it to this sublabel if it can't stand on its own and stand the test of time! We warmly welcome the Dutch duo Dennis Pors & Stephan de Bruijn to OrbisX. New fresh talent, ready to conquer the world. We feel obliged to support these
fine gentlemen to get their music spread across the globe. Dennis & Stephan know each other through their musical perspectives.
They share a similar taste for music, Detroit techno. Before they worked together, Dennis experimented with deep house through digital synths and learned the ins and outs of programming music in Logic.
Stephan was well known with the detroit techno scene. His passion goes out to well balanced electronic music with hypnotizing emotional feeling to it. Add a layer of atmospheric grooves on top of that and you have the perfect blend to potential timeless music.
Soon enough they made the switch to analog gear to be able to create a cleaner and better sound. After three years of hard work, they have reached the sound they were looking for. And this is it!
Their debut on vinyl. D&S servers a full EP called Thoughts EP. A great cocktail of dreamy and diverse electronic tunes. This EP fits well in the back of any DJ bag to warm up the place or fix the atmosphere on roof-top bar in NYC. Smooth cruising, roof down car music or background music on a spring night with a summery breeze This EP is amazing and works best on a big sounds systems and major festivals! Childs play , what s in a name. Nothing like that melody. Creating a generously opening atmosphere, but actually brilliantly mixed creating the perception of simplicity. Groovy, acid touches and funky. Can t keep still when being played. A-track for sure! Thoughts might have a dark feel to it but evolves in a very uplifting track in just a few moments, making
it very bright and fun to play. Shed light to the place, should have been a great title as well, but thoughts is the best name for this track. The story in this track is definitely there to be told and listened to. Edge Of Insanity kicks of the B-side. Goosebumps, as from the start. Building up slowly to a very melodic and yet simply track, it s the perfect translation for a sunrise at the beach. Potential
Ibiza hit if you ask us. Submission is a track straight out of a movie. Clever, nice build up, dreamy, spacey and above all so amazingly subtle. This is what falling in love should sound like. We re humble. We re amazed. We re honoured to host D&S. We hope this duo gets the attention

Eight releases in, Leonidas & Hobbes have honed a mutual love of soundtracks, disco, jazz, house, techno, acid, psychedelic, African and dub sounds.
Web Of Intrigue is one part tribute to lost 70s soundtracks, when music was created on the finest analogue hardware, featuring full bands, session players and lush orchestrations, one part tribute to 70s disco gods Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (Chic) and one part mid-tempo but nonetheless cosmic house. The three parts fuse to form an instrumental track sounding as fresh as a whole meadow of daisies in 2017 and one that's been going down extremely well with international DJs who have road-tested the material.
Heavy Weather flips the script for a deeper workout in a 3/4 time signature - more of a cosmic waltz. Taking its main cue from 70s jazz fusion heroes Weather Report and The Doors' Ray Manzarek, it incorporates rich African percussion, spaced-out flourishes exhibiting the duo's love for the dubs of Lee Perry, King Tubby et al, and a good old fashioned arpeggio of an acid line - definitely a more esoteric number, all told.
The 'Dawn' and 'Acid Rain' mixes push different buttons for the heads, as suits the mood. It all adds up to a very Balearic confection, fitting snugly in with the burgeoning revival for this somewhat ineffable sound - a trend that seems to be getting stronger/bigger every year, popping up every time the sun gets his hat on and we all remember how to party like the lucky residents of that infamous White Isle....
MORE INFO
London/Edinburgh analogue electronic duo Leonidas & Hobbes released debut EP "Machines, Tapes & Electronic Setups" via the Hobbes Music label back in May 2013, picking up plaudits and support from the likes of Resident Advisor, Mixmag, Erol Alkan, Ashley Beedle, Alan Braxe, Shadow Child, Jimpster, Nick Warren, M.A.N.D.Y., Leftside Wobble, Mr G, Auntie Flo, Sasha, John Digweed and many more... The duo were consequently commissioned to remix the Pet Shop Boys.
Second EP "Mo' Machines" came out on the label in April 2014 and received equally high praise, with i-D Magazine inviting the duo to record a DJ mix which has to date chalked up a whole lot of love on Soundcloud.
Leonidas has released two other collaborative EPs with London-based Japanese DJ/producer Kay Suzuki via his Round In Motion imprint, equally winning fans worldwide, with a track now forthcoming on new label YAM Records' You And Music Volume 1 EP plus much more in the pipeline for 2017. Leonidas also has his own lovetoparty label, releasing edits of much-loved disco tunes on limited edition 12" vinyl format and free download. Previously, Leonidas made a name for throwing word-of-mouth parties around east London on his audiophile 'lovetoparty' sound system (providing some of the inspiration for much-admired late-night watering hole Brilliant Corners).
Equally, Hobbes ran the widely acclaimed Trouble nights for ten years in Edinburgh/Scotland, working with the great and the good from across the soul/jazz/dance spectrum since '02, and championed up-and-coming live talent via his Limbo 'gig-in-a-club' nights at The Voodoo Rooms for nine years since '07. Hobbes has toured his DJing style to the various corners of the dancing planet, including gigs in the Far East, much of Europe and across the UK. The Hobbes Music label has otherwise featured artists as diverse as Auntie Flo, JD Twitch (Optimo), Neil Landstrumm, Craig Smith (6th Borough Project), Ali Renault, iO Sounds, Joe Howe, Debukas, Fudge Fingas, Marco Bernardi, Dimitri Veimar, Mick Wills and Nightwave, with further support from Ben UFO, Justin Robertson, Motor City Drum Ensemble, KiNK, The Revenge, T.E.E.D, Kiki, Groove Armada, Maceo Plex, OOFT!, Domenic Capello (Sub Club), XDB, Ben Mono, Masa Sutela, Bawrut/Scuola Furano, Numbers, John Heckle and many more...

Fresh off the back of a chart topping Unity Through Sound release Foundation Audio head honcho Chad Dubz comes correct with three sound system bangers ready for the dance!
Opener Kingdom Dub' is a relentless display of dubstep pressure with its gnarly, pulsating sub twisting and turning throughout the track to devastating effect. It has been a firm favorite in Chads sets over the past year and is certified to destroy the dance floor.
As the name suggests Space Cadet' is a wavier affair. - Its peculiar drum patterns and quirky effects combine to form a superbly strange track that retains the heavy sub sensibilities and darkness of its counterparts.
Closer Drainpipe' keeps the dubstep fundamentals in tact with heavy subs, deranged mids, sparse atmospheres and industrial sounding percussion to create a mechanical monster, rapidly building momentum until it turns into all manner of chaos on the second drop. With FAV005, Chad Dubz has created a fine display of sound system- shaking-pure-dubstep-musical-goodness with possibly his best release yet... Essential!

We are proud to present our second release by Beat Pharmacy AKA Brendon Moeller AKA Echologist, a singular voice in contemporary electronic, techno, and sound system musics in his various guises. Beat Pharmacy tunes begin life as live hardware jams where reverb, echo and delay rule the day, and rugged textures rub against digital processing.

In Density,' bass, kick and heavily reverbed piano skanks anchor an instantly enveloping soundworld of deepest dubwise ambience. From around hidden corners emerge the hiss of distant pistons and valves, sentient machinery working in complex relationships. Wobbles, wubs and sweeps communicate across cavernous spaces, as strange rhythmic elements sputter and spatter, tangling and massing in double-time to the point of rupture, only to resolve into crystalline moments of suspension into gorgeous, neck-snapping drops. Simply mesmerizing, and heavy in the dance. Everything to Gain' is spun from the same heavy metals, with a sparser feel, processed voice, and a buzzing, repeating alarm figure that sounds like a submarine warning that the dive is getting too deep, too dangerous...

Music that is moving, powerful, evocative and kinetic, slotting beautifully into 140 sets while defying easy categorization or description, always following vision over fashion. This is why we love Beat Pharmacy.

Mastered by Lewis at StarDelta

First Word Records are very proud to present a heavyweight EP in collaboration with seminal groove collective, CoOp: 'Selectors Assemble'.

It's been almost two decades since a bunch of music makers, bored of the genre constraints of their time, began toying with time signature and syncopation to birth what is now known as broken beat. Summer 2017, the 'Selectors Assemble' EP is in our laps and we have a fitting reminder and long-overdue renaissance of one of London's most valuable musical movements.

IG Culture and Alex Phountzi were integral to this movement, the focal point being the CoOp club night, which ran predominantly on the famed floors of Plastic People, up until 2007. CoOp remerged late in 2015 as a Boiler Room session, in which the originators linked effortlessly with new school players such as K15 and Alex Nut. The following day, a session was inspired between an assortment of artists, and the seeds were planted for the 'Selectors Assemble'.

Here we have the first offering. The steady-paced roller of 'Gangz' (IG & Seiji), the dutty wine-ready getdown of Henry Wu's 'Substance', the heads-down low-end theory of '2nd Intention', the dominant soundclash call-out of the 'Spartan Riddim', riding out with the garage-flecked jam 'Can't Hold It', also featuring Sonar's Ghost (Domu). Five tracks deeply rooted in groove and as beautifully diverse as Bruk ever was.

Pressed up lovingly onto 140g vinyl, this release is accompanied with a fully-printed insert, featuring an extensive piece on the history of Bruk, written by Andwot (Touching Bass), classic photography by Sarah Ginn, and full-colour artwork by Mitchy Bwoy, a legendary artist to the original scene in his own right. This is an essential artefact for followers of the sound, new and old.

First Word prides itself on its ethos of musical diversity, and we're ecstatic to welcome aboard the CoOp foundation to the stable. A crew of British dance music pioneers, sound-system legends, and now-school heavyweights, this is but a taste of what's to come. Lead by the don IG Culture, the family spirit has quickly formed, the selectors have assembled.

The stage has been set for bruk's second wind. Be ready.

A A1 | Henry Wu - Substance (IG Culture & Alex Phountzi Remix)

Profusion (noun): an abundance of something rich.

The sonic partnership of K15 and Emeson originated in the days of MySpace. A future of combining their skills was inevitable, and now in 2017, it's time to unleash their debut studio album into the ether.

The solo-projects of Tottenham-raised Kieron Ifill (aka K15) date back a decade, but were truly kick-started on labels such as Kyle Hall's Wild Oats and WotNot Music, with a number of genre-crossing releases dropping ever since, including the WU15 project (along with Yussef Kamaal's Henry Wu, on Eglo Records). Additionally to his production work, he has established himself internationally as a DJ, from the Jazz Cafe to the CoOp parties.

Partner in Profusion, Emeson, has many skills to his bow - singing, songwriting, producing, promoting, DJing (under the alias Ed Nice) and acting. As a musician, his varied skill-set has seen him work with Chico Hamilton, Carla Duke, Karmasound, Uzo Madu and Chris Jerome. A frontman for soul-jazz groups LifeSize, The One and Saturn's Children, he has featured on releases for BBE and Tokyo Dawn, and appeared live on stage at the likes of Ronnie Scott's.

The debut single was supported by tastemaker blogs Wonderland, XLR8R and Stamp The Wax, has been bumped by selectors such as Lefto and Jazzie B, and played on NTS, Worldwide FM, Mi-Soul, LeMellotron, Balamii Radio, Itch FM, Invader FM, Soho Radio and various stations across Europe and the US.

This album is full to the brim with summery sun-soaked synths, drifting across the warmest of basslines and heavyweight beats. Emeson's rich vocals gracefully ride atop of K15's delectably bruk twist on neo-soul sonics and electronics, this is some seriously classy contemporary London soul music, that manages to incorporate flashes of various dance music techniques, sound-system etiquette and jazz-tinged rhythms. As future-thinking as it is subtly retrospective, it doesn't lend itself to one genre, it intentionally embodies the best of many. An array of everything that is great about British black music in 2017. The message the album conveys itself couldn't have come at a more poignant time. Where do we begin

Profusion - an abundance of something rich indeed.

After what can only be described as a storming start to their label, Luke Hazell, Ben Murphy and Elliott Owen continue the exciting evolution of their brand Music Related with their first vinyl release and it's nothing short of sublime.
This spring, Music Related makes its bold entrance into the ever growing vinyl market with a heavy dose of minimal and house cuts in the form of a 4 track Various Artists, EP. MRRV001 drafts in the talents of Salva Stigler & Dubquest, Pat Ondebaak, Duky and Manuel De Lorenzi, and it's easy to see why as these 4 artist each bring a unique flavour to this well rounded minimal infused record.
The listener is welcomed on the A side by Salva Stigler & Dubquest - 'Dead Men Tell No Tales', which teases dark techno elements with a rolling progressive baseline. Definitely a track for the later hours, this dance floor weapon is sure to send heads tripping with the dark eerie vocals taunting the equally as impressive clicky percussion.
A2 takes a more laid back approach from A1 as Pat Ondebaak's track Matter offers up a low slung dubbed out groove with a sprinkling of crisp skippy high hats and a highly seductive mix of low and high percussion elements setting deep in the mix.
As we flip the record, Deep Tech records head honcho Duky brings an absolute club banger in the form of 'It Takes One'. Built around an old school drum break this hypnotic hard hitting track seduces you with its repetitive vocal stabs only to find yourself slapped hard in the face with the powerful 4 or 5 note synth line. Built for the big systems this high impact track is a certified party starter!
Closing of proceedings we have Manuel De Lorenzi's slightly more house oriented 'Whole Night'. This deep groove conveys a sweet mix of bouncy baseline, heavily swung hats and rides with a spaced out mix of filtered chord stabs and pads. Manuel's warm up vibe really rounds off what is a brilliant entry into the vinyl market for Music Related.

Never before reissued, this legendary 1968 EMI recording is a revered Indian jazz rarity, a collectors' holy grail. Raga Jazz Style is an original Indian excursion into Indo-jazz fusion. A one-away recording from the almost unknown Bombay jazz scene, it is among the few jazz LPs to hail from the subcontinent.Closely contemporary with the UK-based explorations of Amancio D'Silva, John Mayer and Joe Harriott, Raga Jazz Style takes the melodic, scale-based raga system of Indian classical music and marries it with a swinging jazz rhythm section assembled by Bollywood's most highly acclaimed musical directors, the soundtrack composing duo Shankar Singh and Jaikishan Panchal.Singh and Panchal were a dominant force in Hindi film music from the late 1940s onwards. Shankar had been trained in classical tabla, while Jaikishan was an expert harmonium player. They worked together on well over a hundred films, and their innovative compositions and orchestral scoring revolutionised the music of the nascent Bollywood industry. Central to their sound was regular collaborator Sebastian D'Souza. From 1952 onwards, D'Souza would work on every Shankar Jaikishan soundtrack, eventually becoming Bollywood's most coveted musical arranger.
Originally from Goa, D'Souza had cut his teeth in the dance-band era, arranging and playing with his uncle's jazz bands in Lahore and Quetta. After Partition, he had moved to Bombay to follow the reliable work provided by the film industry, where Goan musicians had become the mainstay of Bollywood's film studio orchestras. Goans were also the core of Bombay's thriving dance-hall and hotel-based jazz scene, with artists including saxophonist Braz Gonsalves, guitarist Amancio D'Silva and trumpeter Chic Chocolate all working in the city during the post-war years.
The team assembled for Raga Jazz Style were drawn from this inventive and forward-thinking milieu. Pianist Lucilla Pacheco, saxophonist Manohari Singh and guitarist Anibal Castro were all fixtures on the Bombay jazz circuit, while drummer Leslie Godinho is reputed to have taught Joe Morello the 5/4 'Take Five' beat when they jammed together during Dave Brubeck's State Department tour of India. To this jazz backbone was added the sitar of Ustad Rais Khan, scion of long line of classical instrumentalists, and nephew of the renowned sitarist Ustad Vilayat Khan. Bombay's jazz modernists had been experimenting with the fusion of ragas and jazz since the 1950s, long before American or British jazz musicians had tuned in to Indian classical music. But very little of this exciting scene was ever captured on record. Raga Jazz Style offers a rare chance to hear the innovative sounds of the Indian jazz scene, as peerless composers Shankar Jaikishan and arranging supremo D'Souza join with veteran Bombay jazzers to explore classical themes in a jazz setting — eleven ragas to a swinging beat!This is a highly impressive inaugural salvo by Outernational Sounds, using original masters and beautifully rendered facsimile artwork, with 180g vinyl pressed at Pallas, in Germany.

FAV004 is finally upon us and it comes courtesy of L.A based Cheyne Taylor Bush A.K.A Tetrad who has been on fire recently, fresh off the back of an inspired and well received ZamZam release last year. Here he is joined by brother Dillon Bush A.K.A Ahkur on opener "Ashes Fall", a seriously dark piece of music and possibly Tetrads heaviest production to date. An eerie intro with a haunting vocal sample drop into an assault of pure dubstep pressure which is sure to ignite dance floors the world over.
Flip side "Crumble" is a more stripped back affair with a nod to the classic sounds of dub with its delayed snares, skanks and FX. What really sets this tune apart though is the overwhelming power of the sub, with a weight-line so devastating it could crumble cities let alone the dance!Here brothers Tetrad and Ahkur have succeeded in providing an outstanding plate, absolutely brimming with sound system material in its purest form. Essential.

Touching down for the inaugural release on the newly formed label, North of 7 Sounds, is the mighty Rumbleton - a true heavyweight with over 2 decades immersed in sound system culture, running the Stand Firm Hi-Fi label and releasing music on Scientific Wax, Rupture LDN, Outsider, and Samurai Music to name but a few. A true master of his sound, we are extremely proud to have Rumbleton set the bar for future North of 7 excursions. A New Day' takes you on a journey filled with haunting pads, razor-sharp drum kit clashes, and infinite amounts of low-end. Bottomless swathes of atmospherics respire in and out of the mix, culminating in a breathtaking breakdown - crafted with utmost devotion to the Godfather of Soul himself. A truly honourable homage to jungle's roots in sample culture and breakbeat science.Conscience' on the flipside is weightiness refracted in minimalism. Rumbleton fully submerges your mental space in a cavernous, dubwise fog, while militant, scorched-earth drums power the tune forward. A warm, subterranean bassline churns endlessly beneath, all the elements occasionally exhaling and collapsing under their own weight, only to regenerate once again...

SYSTEM boss Mike Gervais releases the Drift EP for round five of the US based label.

Drift - Loopy synth sets the pace while airy tones and verbed out hats move in and out of the mix.

Breaking Point - Heaving muscular hits chugging along to slinky synth stabs

Resonate - Just what you think a b-side track is. Pulled back, deep resonating basslines with sprinkled hats in the reverb.

Future Tool - Loopy, delayed vocal tool with subtle changes and rhythmic swirls. Highly useful as a straight layer or as a pulse in your delay / reverb pedal.

And and Voices Tool - mangled mess of audio clips and loops

Infernal Sounds is discharging its fifth hefty, system-affine release, adding another highly regarded talent to their roster. Having featured revered producers like Von D, Sepia, Causa, Shu & Perverse, the label has clearly positioned itself in the front row seat of the modern dubstep movement. Representing a combination of upholding the values of system music with a 21st-century take on sound - the next release, catalogued as 'IFS005' is stylistically congruent and adds to the discography in total.

It is now time for highly talented Sub Basics (Tom Woods) to augment the imprint's discography with his ridiculously massive incarnation of bass music. His debut vinyl release on the Canadian imprint 'Visceral Vibrations' in 2015 has garnered ample amounts of positive reception by esteemed figures in the scene like Versa, Syte and J:Kenzo. After an equally praised 10' dubplate release ( Give Dem') in 2016, we now find ourselves in the silence before the thunderstorm, that is this very record. His upcoming release includes three tracks, two of which will feature on vinyl (A. Horus/ B. Cartel), while the third 'Northern Lights' will be a Bandcamp-exclusive.

Diving into the sound at hand, his arrangements are closely aligned and firmly true to the origins of Dubstep - conjugated with extreme clarity, as well as preposterous amounts of weight and gravitas. The impeccable execution of his minimalistic sound design will leave this release rumbling on soundsystems around the globe - and will most stay a fan's favourite draw from the record bag for a good while.


Perfectly displaying a refined sense of dynamics with 'Horus', Sub Basics effortlessly squeezes every available ounce of air out of the system, while preserving an immense sense of space. The highly infatuating groove of 'Cartel' is mingled with a sweltering foundation - tied together through his meticulous attention to detail. As etheral pads complement the gnarly drum reverberations and bird's cries recoil - the listener is left in a surreal world of the 'Northern Lights' - apprehended by the sonorous magnitude of the bassline. Completed by creamy atmospheres with tape-echo-esque characteristics, this whole release is sure to tick all your boxes from top to bottom - IFS005 has already received support from J:Kenzo & Foamplate among others, therefore the pre-order is strongly advised.

LumièresLaNuit is glad to welcome back French Berlin-based music producer and live performer Roisner. One year after his Piano
Roll EP (LLN003) that was released on the occasion of LumièresLaNuit's I anniversary, Roisner delivers this time a more dance floor-
driven EP while keeping some basic components that make his Piano Roll release so poignant and touching.
On the A side, Interstellar is a collaboration between Roisner and the French artist Sibéri. Interstellar is a journey that starts as
an invitation into a meditation state of mind, then slowly the rhythm takeover the pad, the kick and an other layer of percussions
bring you "back to earth".
Then, the B-side opens with Comet that proposes here a more dance floor mood with strong linear rhythms and dreamy melodies.
The gripping sub-bass line is the result of experimenting a patch of the modular system. Finally, the EP concludes with Shooting
Star, a rather mind-blowing and rocking song with a soft melody. Shooting Star remembers us directly of Roisner's Piano Rool, a
poignant and gut-wrenching track.

Brown Marbled Vinyl

The drum & bass heavyweight Current Value finishes up 2016 with his first solo release with the Critical crew since his enormous 'Biocellulose' LP earlier in the year. This time notching up some extreme sounds for Systems, Volume 6 is another iron-clad addition to the series.

Black Truffle is thrilled to announce Reverse Tree, the new LP from the acclaimed duo of Eyvind Kang and Jessika Kenney, two musicians who have established themselves as powerful voices working at a unique intersection of contemporary composition, improvisation, and Asian traditional music forms. Either individually or as a pair, they have worked in contexts ranging from performances of traditional Persian and Javanese music to collaborations with Sunn O))), but their work together as a duo (documented on The face of the earth and Aestuarium, both released on Ideological Organ/Editions Mego) most clearly represents the central concerns of their diverse practices: a music of the inner life of sound, demanding ritualistic focus and promising heightened sensations.
On Reverse Tree, the duo expand their work together into the realm of the chamber ensemble, presenting two side-long works that feature Kenney's voice and Kang's viola alongside a multitude of other instrumentalists. Kang's Thoughts on Being Exiled to the Frontier, for Lord Wei, inspired by a text by the Tang dynasty poet Hsueh T'ao, features an all-star international ensemble: Kang, Kenney, maverick Israeli conductor Ilan Volkov on violin, Icelandic cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir, and guitarists Oren Ambarchi and Stephen O'Malley. The piece is primarily composed of irregular patterns of pizzicato notes and guitar harmonics, gently falling in and out of sync and providing a subtly unstable support for Kenney's voice, which sings long, wavering tones, at times reminiscent of Michiko Hirayama's classic performances of Scelsi. Drawing on 20th century instrumental techniques, alternate tuning systems, non-western music and the experience of nature (the irregular rhythms of the piece calling to mind nothing so much as drops of rain), the piece opens a space both serene and subtly uneasy.
Kenney's 'Elm features Kenney and vocalist Nova Ruth (of Filastine & Twin Sista) alongside an ensemble of strings and Seattle's Gamelan Pacifica, performing on Javanese instruments tuned to the slendro scale. An uncanny timbre created by bowing the keys of the Gamelan's instruments, supported by bowed harmonics from the strings, is heard consistently throughout the piece. After a long introductory section in which this harmonic cloud slowly descends from shimmering high notes to rumbling bass, the vocalists enter, singing a slow and stately setting of a 19th century Surakarta poem (attributed to Mangkunegara the IV). The melody is sung as a rich and wavering heterophony, with the ensemble sometimes rising up to support individual notes. The poem deals with the idea of a form of knowledge achieved through deeds, as a practice and state of the heart. This is music in slow motion, in which, in Kenney's words,

REPRESSED !!

Originally self-released as a 7'' in 1982, Plath release is definitely one of the obscure gems of the Italian underground. TIP!
Plath were a duo from Prato, formed in 1982 by Silvia Innocenti (voice, bass guitar) and Fabrizio Lucarini (synth, drum machine). Plath were influenced by Throbbing Gristle and early Cabaret Voltaire works, moving in between two essential thematic actions: first, the constant search of a sound which aims to reflect the current reality as they were interpretating it and, second, the constant exposure of their anarchist ideological thinking against the established political and social system.

Mastering by Ruud 66.

Original 7'' graphics reworked for this issue.

While the A-Side includes the original single in full, with the classic 'I Am Strange Now', recently unearthed by Alessio Natalizia/Not Waving in his monumental 'Mutazione' compilation released by Strut Records in 2013, the B-side instead contains a killer percussive edit of Alessandro Adriani made for the most crazy mental dancefloors..

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

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

The Europe-centered techno scene might be thinking: Where is techno in a city as vast, dynamic and electric as New York It's alive and well, and keeps growing through aptly-named NEW YORK TRAX. Founded in 2016 and based in Brooklyn, NEW YORK TRAX is an outlet for New York music, by New York artists, in New York city.
New York Trax 02 was written by Boris Brenecki (Ontal, Impulse Controls), who has recently relocated to New York, starting a new chapter in his life and artistic career. This record is the very first material he produced in New York, heavily inspired by the city and its people. 'The Oven', with its continuous filthy groove intensified by metallic percussions, is a serious candidate for an instant classic and a deadly weapon when used on a dancefloor. The grittiness of "The Oven" was depicted through images of the less beaten paths of New York in a well-received official video published recently by the label. Dark yet insanely dynamic "Transit System", based on field recordings of the New York City subway, opens with a bang the B side of the record, followed by "Strictly Hardcore", a sonic manifesto of brutality. Get it while it's hot!

Brotherhood Sound System Records is back with its third 12" offering and the first in a series of compilations entitled 'Percussive Parameters', delivering percussion heavy sonics focused directly at the dance floor.The lead track of the EP, Callahan's 'Kudzu', opens with a chopped, atmospheric vocal layered intelligently over rolling percussion and a hypnotic flute. A pounding 808 kick drum is teased underneath until the track switches into a relentless, chugging club tool.
This one's destined to tear up dance floors for a long time...
Next up are label bosses Silas & Snare with 'Eastern Shores'. An unassuming and innocuous introduction with lush pads and clean percussion that ricochets neatly off vocal cuts dramatically shifts pace and turns into a weighted, rolling cut of UK Techno. On the flip, A:Tonal leads the charge through an acid tinged stomper entitled 'Perfect Imbalance'.With driven percussion and firing synths in equal measure, this is unquestionably a peak time weapon in any DJs arsenal. Finally, Bristol locals SYZ & LKY deliver 'Turbulence', a groove and sub laden roller that's meditative and hypnotic whilst maintaining an assertively club ready focus.We're very excited about the start of this new project and chapter for the label, and would like to thank you for all your on-going support. Enjoy the music!

THE ASSISTENZ is the culmination of a four year creative hot streak as vivid as any part of CRISTAN VOGEL's long career. The trio of dance oor-oriented records formed by 2012's The Inertials, 2014's Polyphonic Beings and now THE ASSISTENZ are sensual pleasures rst and foremost: a lifetime of study of frequencies and rhythms on the frontline of the world's clubs has been put into the creation of sounds that interface with the nervous system and emotional re- sponses with extraordinary immediacy. But there's much more too: together with the more ab- stracted album Eselsbru¨cke, these form an enticing sonic narrative, encoded themes running through them, each part revealing more about the whole. THE ASSISTENZ, then, is many things: a personal document, a tribute to Copenhagen where it was recorded and after whose famous cemetery it is named - but also the nal piece in this bigger puzzle, which unlocks untold secrets from the previous three records.

There's a deeper history, of course. CRISTIAN's productions going back to the start of the 1990s have woven their way into the fabric of underground culture. His own recent remasters of his early albums, and the Sub Rosa Classics 1993-1998 collections have shown just how potent his early work remains. But his new work exists in a very different world to those past works, and is far removed from the recent electronic generations who he has in uenced too. In fact, as you listen to THE ASSISTENZ, you realise that there's no point making comparisons with other elec- tronic producers at all. While you will certainly hear some of the most fundamental and enduring vectors of underground music - dub, electro, acid, funk - owing through the tracks, even those things are rebuilt from the molecular level, created completely afresh with new, precise, but some- what skewed vision.

CRISTIAN's understanding of music now is spectral. That is to say, with every step through his exploration of sound over the years, he has made more and more detailed analyses of the specif- ic frequencies that make up speci c sounds and produce speci c effects on the human mind and body. And as a result, his own sound synthesis - increasingly done via the Kyma programming platform - is more and more able to reach beyond the 'synthetic' and impact in uncanny and wonderful ways. The most obvious sense of this is the way his sounds touch on the human voice: not just in the chattering, shimmering, singing tones of THE ASSISTENZ's ghostly centrepiece 'Barefoot Agnete', in the alien radio signals of 'The Merman's Dream' or even in the subliminal 'aaah's hiding in the background of the noisy 'Vessels', but in the way any sound, anywhere in any track can sound peculiarly vocal, heard from the right angle.

And it's not just the boundary between human and non-human, or that between acoustic and synthetic, that get blurred to the point of non-existence. CRISTAN's creative methodology now is all about leaving you so uncertain about where anything came from, or what scale the sounds are operating on, that you have no choice but to let go of preconceptions and standardised criti- cal faculties and go with it. Sometimes that can take you to places where darkness and physical- ity close in on you as on 'Vessels' or 'Telemorphosis', or into haunted spaces on the edge of the void like those of 'Snowcrunch' and 'Barefoot Agnete', but even in those, there is euphoria. And in the voluptuousness of 'Hold' or the body-rocking funk of 'Cubic Haze', all the abstraction is grounded in the sheer pleasure of your own bodily responses to the sound.

So many of the science ction dreams of the 1990s are now (virtual) reality. We live in a time when social networks consciously manipulate our emotions, where data is money, where ma- chines learn, where images can't be trusted, and where the synthetic can feel more real than real. Over some 25 years, CRISTIAN's experiments have traced much of this weirdness and evolved with it, and his understanding of synthesis and algorithmic processes to create structure makes him one of the most important composers working today. But THE ASSISTENZ doesn't just ex- periment with the interfaces between mind, body and machine: it expresses those relationships in ways that are beautiful, troubling, moving and scary, and which even make you want to dance. Together with the preceding three albums it enacts a glorious, endlessly-explorable mapping of just what electronic music can do.

System boss Mike Gervais is back at it, and he's bringing a crew of talented conspirators to surround you on four sides with an original cut and three distinctly different interpretations.

Surrounded drops in with a thumping kick following a relentlessly rolling synth through taut drum programming, sizzling ride cymbals, and crisp claps to build tension on the dance floor.

Annie Hall takes the suspense of the original deep underground, for a subterranean journey through throbbing bass, corroded synths and filthy atmospherics, straight to the nucleus of the netherworld.

Jesse Jakob pumps up the kick for a jacking reinterpretation laden with warehouse synths and a barrage of claps for big rooms.

Project 313 slips into a shadowy maze of smoke and mirrors to bend their remix into a lithe and rubbery low­down groove, perfect for heating things up early or when it's time to stay long and get weird.

Consider this a warning - tearing out of 2015 on the gale of our compilation with the legendary duo of Jeroen Search and Dimi Angeli´s carrying us on their winds into 2016, Chronicle steps into the eye of the hurricane for its second release this year, by the mighty Mike Storm. A xture in the Dutch techno scene since the late '90s, it was when Michael de Winde moved to hardware live sets that he found his true inspiration, continuing to this day
to use only analogue equipment in his restless search for techno perfection. Consistently released since 2012, initially on Subsist, a label notable for
early work of SHXCXCHCXSH and Stanislav Tolkachev, he then moved on
to respected underground sources such as Ars Mechanica, Orbis Records, and Belief System, where he released his 2014 album 'Pulsars'. Supported by Mills, A&S, Arnaud Le Texier, Tadeo, Antigone, and others, we are proud to give Mike Storm the twelfth entry in the series with 'Where the WolvesCome From'.

It begins 'At Certain Points', channeling the jazzy mid-2000s Mills of his most abstract era with subtle string swells, cosmic bleep patterns and equally subtle Detroit-style percussion lls. 'The Day We See' moves into morning, with its complex, melodic bass gures and shimmering strings taking
the nocturnal intro into morning following a tense lead line that enters.
Again referencing Detroit but falling closer to the dystopian feelings of contemporary Terrence Dixon, 'New Light' is an exercise in tension between taught drum lines, dissonant keyboards, and a metallic sequence pattern. Stripping down for the hunt, the title track stalks more aggressively, razor- sharp hats and growling bass accelerating as the predator closes in on its prey, an eerie forest wind bringing terror in its path until the final struggle.

James Duncan - producer of a flawless string of sublime House EP's for labels such asReal Soon and his own Le Systeme imprint, horns man for Metro Area, Morgan Geistand Lem Springsteen (Mood II Swing) and currently on trumpet duties for Sal Principato (Liquid Liquid) - invites us to join him on a whistle stop tour through some of the subway stations in his neighbourhood for the first in a series of Brooklyn Beats'.

Sheffield DJ/Producer Louis 'Taiko' Robson has consistently agitated the boundaries of dubstep music, manipulating eclectic influences in to his productions with bold, original arrangements, intricate percussion, experimental instrumentation and unforgettable subs, and he's not held back with ALBION002.

Title track Splinted dons the A Side of the release and sets the standard high with its heavy sub, percussive melody, and string lead. Robson has taken inspiration from contemporary orchestral composers such as Terry Riley and Steve Reich initiating the creation of the drums and percussion, which add a rich analogue sound to the track, and with that an almighty atmosphere. Folk-like scratchy strings take the lead which is a theme set for the EP and highlights Taiko's tenacity for sound design and disregard for convention. Each eclectic element of the track compliments the next resulting in a guttural, energetic dance floor cut, with dark undertones making the listener feel agitated or anxious. A pulse raiser strictly for sound system use.

Over on the flip side, starting with the outer, Taiko offers a much warmer vibe throughout Fractal, flexing another experimental set of instrumentation, this time round building rhythm with an accordion sample. An enormous rolling sub bass instantly becomes dominant after the short intro and meticulous percussion exaggerates the astounding impact from the drums. In the break expect a much murkier tone with a grimey string sample leading to the second drop. Robson achieves a certain level of feel-good whilst maintaining a dark and aggressive tone in his unmistakably raw track.

Nickel takes the inner side on the flip, following form to the prior with its accordion sample adding a distorted guitar drone for the melodic intro. The acoustic instrumentation couples up with irregular drum work solidifying the EP's 'live' aesthetic, whilst maintaining a dance floor orientation. Tonnes of energy meets masses of bass, Nickel is a recommended set opener and a great close to the EP.

Miami ex-patriate Alexander Suàrez debuts on Unknown Precept with A Los Mártires. Conceived as an ode to those who spilt their blood in vane for political ideologies that failed them and countries that were never their homes, the five tracks that make up the release show the Brooklyn-based producer sinking into odd techno hybrids manipulation; shooting down unrestrained grooves and rusty samples while excavating lush sound exploration tinged by local folklore and grievous metallic tones. In his own words, Suárez discloses that the embodiment of this strange intermingling sound like an organic and humming invitation to an uninhibited meditation on our inevitable assimilation into modern industrial society; an overarching rhythmic theme built on the idea that the resistance to and the seduction of these systems might trap us in a push and pull limbo from which the only escape is rage or submission.

One half of Scottish duo Clouds, Perth Drug Legend tear off a solo EP of rugged, apocalyptic bloke-techno. Stunners, all of them. Freak genius at work.
What more can be said about Clouds, young prodigies who have put out as much innovative techno in the past few years than anyone. The story takes a twist with a wealth of material being released by PDL, hot off a remix of Tiga's Bugatti and releases on Resin and Westend Communications. The sound is reminiscent of Ghost Systems Rave, but there's the feeling that things have gotten even more refined, something that smacks of a real subcultural movement.

Opener Balquhidder Ruins is a stomping gate-crasher, the tempo pulled back just enough to feel the grit of industrial funk, everything restrained to it's bare essentials. Monzievaird swings heavily around a few twinkling bleeps, sparse, chunky kicks that thunder through the greased hats. Pushing things even more into the dark corners with overdriven, haunting resonance is Clackmannanshire Crusaderz, which sounds like the soundtrack to being blacked out on the ground in a Berghain tunnel. Thisistullohnottibetpal adds a mystical, multi culti dimension with some mountain flute inexplicably soaring through the air before a bell breakdown zens things into a forceful yet tranquil climax.

If that madness weren't enough, there's a digital bonus track which is an absolute bomb if you're into lower tempos and hip hop inflected bangers.

Stunners, all of them. Freak genius at work.

Toby Tobias has been responsible for some fine quality music over the past 10 years with labels such as Rekids, Nang, Let's Play House and Quintessentials all dropping his unique brand of raw, analogue house and techno. A DJ's DJ who always seems to pull out a lesser known gem and make it sound like a classic, Toby knows his music as well as his studio, inside out. We've been proud to deliver three EP's from him on Delusions but we all felt the time was right for a full length, especially considering that 7 years have passed since his debut LP Space Shuffle on Rekids. Toby fully embraced the scope and breadth that an LP affords a producer, holing up in his Hackney studio and losing himself in his machines. Rising Son is the result of those sessions and it's brilliant!

From the opening machine funk of The Wonder featuring vocals from Atwell we can hear that Toby is quite sure about the direction he's taken for the LP. 808 beats bring vintage electro vibes whilst Atwell's vocal hints at the golden era of Chicago house, adding a soulful touch to the rigid groove. Love Affair continues the theme of off-world utopia where the droids have a heart and soul and sing torch songs of love lost, the Moroder-esque influences bringing a retro sheen to the LP. As we continue through tracks such as Sloflava and Sending Signals we find blissful, downtempo jams which perfectly soundtrack this imagined night time world which Toby seems so happy to immerse himself and his listeners in.

I Robot follows, providing the one cover version on the LP from the Alan Parsons Project as well as being an LP defining focal point. A track which shows that when the machines are working for you, it could just be a perfect world. But Broken Computer soon shows us what can happen when things go wrong. Incidentally, this is from a genuine computer crash which Toby managed to capture using his phone. A beautiful glitch in the system which spewed out such a mournful noise and a very happy accident that would be completely impossible to create if you set out to try.

As we continue we're treated to the likes of Friday Analogue Jam, Whisper It and Weird Danger, all echoing bleeps, squelching bass notes, heavenly pads and precision beats. In some ways we get a feeling of a land that time forgot, in others something of sublime beauty and futurism. That Toby can paint pictures with his music in this way speaks volumes, knowing instinctively when to draw out a mood or feeling or flip things on their head to command your attention and beg another listen. And another.....

Composer, musician and producer Nils Frahm steers the new edition of Late Night Tales, set for release on 11th September. A hypnotic voyage through modern and classical composition, experimental electronics, jazz, dub techno, soundtracks and soul; Frahm's Late Night Tales haunts and beguiles. It's not mixing, so much as gently layering, like a particularly fluffy goose-down duvet folding in on itself, the folds part of the attraction, the layers part of the overall picture being painted. Many of the tracks have been edited, effected and re-made. The subtly overdubbed parts on Rhythm & Sound's 'Mango Drive' adding to the haunting hypnosis, while choral interruptions aid Miles Davis' 'Générique' on its journey towards the light. Meanwhile, on Boards Of Canada's 'In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country', the tempo is somewhat sluggish, the organs slurred, as Frahm slows it down to a funereal 33rpm that nevertheless fits perfectly. The purring of his girlfriend's cat Cleo transitions playfully between Nina Simone's definitive version of 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes' and unearthing the gentle electronics of Dub Tractor. Eddy Arnold's 'You're The Only Star', a country tune that sounds like its transmitting from a mid-west diner wireless circa 1947, is straight from the soundtrack to an imaginary David Lynch movie, comforting and dismaying all at once. This crackly reality abounds, as on Finnish band Gentleman Losers' 'Honey Bunch', that adds an unsettling texture, with a sound that is modern but as nostalgic. Frahm's own tracks bookend the mix, opening with an inspired "rework" of the infamous silent John Cage piece '4:33' ("I sat at the piano in silence and worked from


there. I listened and took in the atmosphere and this is what came out of it") and ending with a solo piano version of 'Them', taken from his recently released score of the film 'Victoria'. The traditional Late Night Tales spoken word epilogue is voiced by actor Cillian Murphy (Inception, Batman, 28 Days Later), reading a short story by Edna Walsh (Hunger, Disco Pigs).

Leisure System presents rising talent Will Ward's Interval One EP, the second in our 2015 GRIDLOCK series of dance floor 12"s and the British producer and DJ's most exuberant record to date. In addition to two prior solo releases, Will Ward is a member of the esteemed electronic trio Circle Traps along with Jack Wyllie and Duncan Bellamy of Portico. He has previously collaborated with the likes of My Panda Shall Fly and gained support from tastemakers such as Rob Da Bank and Gilles Peterson for dazzling productions that blur the lines between pumping house and windswept techno. The Interval One EP is a strong representation of that sleek sound, with tracks that are bursting with emotion and memorable detail. "Digital Design" is an aural kaleidoscope, with a shimmering melody line refracted in squiggly arcs next to murmured female vocals and resonant chords. It's a fittingly varied introduction, drifting between hot and cold poles. "Portion" features Circle Traps member Jack Wyllie, and subtle additions accrue to create waves of unease, while the melody line bounces energetically through a maze of ossified handclaps and buoyant chord stabs. Closing things out, the EP's title track builds from a woozy introduction to an ebullient peak, as if rolling out of bed and stepping immediately onto a throbbing dance floor. It's a cleansing and exhilarating feeling, the type of rare emotional response that Will Ward has proven himself thoroughly capable of creating with Interval One.

* Hospital Records present their latest compilation 'Fast Soul Music' - a welcomed lesson in the art of soul-inspired drum & bass of the high-speed variety. After nineteen years spent building upon it's lounge-core esthetic their extensive library of smooth-rolling sounds is at the ready, now it's time to get retrospective.

* From the work of thirty artists, a carefully selected forty-six tracks highlight the quintessential sounds of soul music in the Hospital Records back catalogue. Not only effortlessly blending classics from Hospital mainstays London Elektricity, High Contrast, Danny Byrd, Nu:Tone, S.P.Y and Logistics but also showcasing the fresh wave of talent that's reached our ears in recent years. The work of Fred V & Grafix, Hugh Hardie, Keeno, Etherwood, Anile, Tokyo Prose and Technimatic showcasing just how prominent soul music is in drum & bass today.

* Accompanying this two-CD collectors item is a perfectly polished mix by longstanding practitioner and newest member of the Hospital A+R team, Nu:Tone. With over two hours of soul-inspired sounds that effortlessly create the ideal soundtrack for any daydream-filled afternoon.

* With a nod back to London Elektricity's '03 classic 'Fast Soul Music' and a look forward to the fresh influx of talent passing through, Hospital Record's latest compilation provides any drum & bass fan with a chance to rediscover those once forgotten gems and dust off the cobwebs from their favourite nostalgia-fuelling drum & bass anthems.

* Digital Marketing: Youtube upload schedule for music and video content on Hospital Records YouTube channel - (260k subscribers), cross promotion exclusive mix upload with UKF Youtube channel.

* Press / Promotion: Comprehensive campaign in-house serving all UK music and dance titles as well as national, regional and student press - Mixmag, DJ, Trap, Notion, Music Week, Future Music, Time Out, Metro, London Evening Standard, The Guardian, The Independent, Dazed + Confused, Vice, The Wire, The Fly, Vice Magazine, Clash. Kmag (interview), D&BA (interview). UKF Website and Youtube Channel. Reddit AMA, FACT Mag TV interview.

* Radio / Internet: Comprehensive in house campain from Hospital Records. BBC Radio1 & 1Xtra support from Mistajam, Friction, B Traits, Annie Mac, Andi Durrant (Kiss), Eddy Temple-Morris (X-FM), DJ Hype (Kiss), D&BA TV Takeover, Rinse FM Hospital Records Show, Hospital Podcast Hospital Records Podcast USA series, Kmag Podcast, Ministry of Sound Podcast. D&BA Podcast, Hospital records Website, Hospital Facebook (262K Likes), Twitter (64K Followers), Soundcloud (48k followers), YouTube (238k subscribers), Hospital Records Mailing List (53k Subscribers)






aG CD 1-7 | Logistics feat. Nightshade and Sarah Callander 'Crystal Skies'
















DISC 2

The eighth chapter of the Subaltern Records saga comes from Italian collective D-Operation Drop, celebrating their return to the label with a dark menacing EP that has shaken dancefloors all over the world.
Don't Breathe:
The title track opens the EP with an apocalyptic vocal which is quickly complemented by roaring synth-monsters and a stone-cold sub bass. This is the obscure side of D-Operation Drop manifesting, taking you to the edge of the dance with relentless fury.
Flumen:
This unreal collaboration with Subaltern's very own Piezo is a continuously evolving journey. Starting off with gentle harmonies, it quickly erupts into a carefully curated symphony of driving bass and cutting edge mids. Carried by truly haunting atmospheres, Flumen builds up and falls down over and over, until finishing in a mad broken-beat turmoil.

*Don't Breathe (Wayfarer Remix):
British young talent Wayfarer shows his takes on the title track adding his trademark melodies and devastating growls. With his razor-sharp sound design and production the man delivers a tight dancefloor stomper which will pose a challenge for most sound systems, driving them to full power.