'IMB12001' shipping to You in a designed Uni Cover with a Sticker of the Label "The Inbeciles" on it!
This is the music for our times; our darkening times. The Imbeciles are making the soundtrack for the world we really live in, which is set to become increasingly angry, unhappy, unfair, and messed up. “The world is slowly imploding.” That’s the warning from The Imbeciles, and the message behind its first album. The idea of what to do emerged like a surprise attack.
“I don’t even know where it came from… it ambushed us,” says Butch Dante, of the band’s forthcoming self-titled debut album. “To us it looks like mankind will endgame itself in this millennium, and probably within the next 100 or 200 years. The Imbeciles as harbingers of that fall. We’re pointing out that the world is imploding, for many reasons — environmental, political, technological, and ultimately because human beings themselves forgot how to be humane, how to be kind.”
“Saying we are political would infer that we have some faith in the political system. We don’t. Or that we have answers, a solution to prevent this coming slow apocalypse. But we don’t. We are sitting at the side of an innocent-looking pool saying: hey, you’re drowning but you don’t even know it. And we’re giving you some music to listen to as you go down.”
Inspired by the likes of Wire, Devo, Gang Of Four, but utterly unique, a new form of avant-garde art punk, against greed and mendacity. The band’s forthcoming album was recorded deep down at Sonic Ranch on the Texas/Mexico border. All analogue, in seven days. Produced by Calvin Voltz.
Latest single “D.I.E.” is “a lament for the end of the world. With references to global endgames. They’re grim. All self-inflicted. The chorus is epic when played live. It’s incredibly passionate. People really get into it.” And now it’s been remixed.
Red Rack'em's take on is wonderfully curveball as one might expect; homing in on one unique part of the vocal and making it the fullcrum, from which his psychedelic, deep-house, hardcore jazzathon is then able to blossom and unravel before your very eyes. Atmospheric, experimental and hooky too - clever business from the Bergerac boss.
Next up we have the amazing Oliver Ho and his Broken English Club. Here we witness a more flagrant and faithful use of stems, and through layering both the band's parts, and instruments of his own design - he transforms 'D.I.E.' into a towering slab of dark and raw, industrial EBM.
Suche:techn
Presenting another fully legit, remastered and repackaged reissue from the WD vaults! Brand new style for 2020.
Londons "Warriors Dance" Label was a unique operation + pioneering London label during the late 80's acid house phenomena. Home to an assortment of DJs, MCs and soundmen, they went on to make their own original and indelible mark on the rave scene from the infamous 'Addis Ababa' studio on Harrow Road on the North-West side of the city.
A former reggae and soul studio that was instrumental to the output of influential artists like Soul II Soul and more, a steady diet of reggae, bass, hip-hop, house and techno kept their edgy, and diehard UK sound and style right at the cutting edge of the dance music underground across the globe with the top DJs and producers of the day celebrating the label. The studio, helmed by label owner Tony ‘Addis’, acted as an incubator for artists whose names would go down in the history books.
No Smoke was one of the main and best known outfits on this cult label. Their mammoth worldwide, cult club smash 'Koro Koro' is still in DJ bags across the galaxy today! 'Righteous Rule' is another tuffy from this crew, some heavyweight bassline madness for the dance.
All the elements of the WD sound are here, a perfect mix-up of Reggae vibes, jacking house and tribal badness rolled into one. A proper record, to be played on a proper system! This one's become a rare catch out in the wild, and is fetching some P's on the web among the collectors. Here's a nice 2020 repress for you, done the right way!
No Smoke 'Righteous Rule' is the pure unadulterated WD vibe, featuring original label artwork tweaked by Atelier Superplus and lovingly remastered by Curvepusher, UK. Special thanks to Nicky Trax & Tony Addis. Proudly distributed by Above Board distribution. 2020.
Berlin / NY collective Climate of Fear releases its debut EP, “Laika’s Revenge” by тпсб – two tracks of sorrowful and menacing technoid expansions. Side A’s “Escape Pod” shimmers like a mirage on a desert landscape, nearly evaporating in the heat; on Side B the title track is five minutes of roiling thunderstorm ferocity. Following his breakout 2018 lp “Sekundenschlaf” on Blackest Ever Black, “Laika’s Revenge” expands on the artist’s fevered vision of the dance.
- A1: Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group - Ewure Ile Komoyi Ode
- A2: Adebukonla Ajao & Her Group - Aboyin Ile
- A3: Rapheal Ajide & His Apala Group - Adura Fun Osiwowo
- A4: Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group - Orin To Mo Gbon Wa
- A5: Ra Tikalosoro & His Group - Agilinti Lomu
- B1: Adebukonla Ajao & Her Group - Abd Alawiye
- B2: Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group - Asa Ko Gbodo Wole Gbeiyele
- B3: Adeleke Aremu & His Group - Egbe Arowolo
- B4: Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group - Rufai Baolgun
- B5: Ra Tikalosoro & His Group - Kiniun Kuro Leran Amu Sere
- C1: Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group - S Aka
- C2: Adebukonla Ajao & Her Group - Lekele Bale
- C3: Kasumu Adio & His Apala Group - Odale Ore
- C4: Ayisatu Alabi & Her Group - Oko Lolomo
- D1: Jimoh Agbejo Bo Ogun & His Group - Oriki Ibeji
- D2: Ayisatu Alabi & Her Group - Omo Olobi
- D3: Rapheal Ajide & His Apala Group - Orin Aje
- D4: Adebukonla Ajao & Her Group - Sunday Babayemi
Soul Jazz Records new ‘Apala: Apala Groups in Nigeria 1964-69’ is the first ever collection of Apala music ever to be released outside of Nigeria. The album focusses on a wide selection of recordings made in Nigeria in the 1960's, a time when Apala music was at the height of its popularity. Apala is a deeply rhythmical, hypnotic and powerful
musical style that combines the striking nasal-style vocals and traditions of Islamic music, the Agidigbo (thumb piano), and the equally powerful drumming and percussion rhythms and
techniques of the Yoruba of Nigeria.
The most significant figure in Apala music is undoubtedly Haruna Ishola who features throughout this album. Ishola holds an almost mythological status in his role as populariser of Apala music in
Nigeria. Ishola’s singing was believed to be so powerful that, without proper restraint, it could kill the recipient of his music.
Apala is a popular music that also functioned as a form of cultural resistance – Apala music involved no western instrumentation and is sung in the Yoruba language, its aesthetic an implicit cultural
rejection of the British Empire’s colonial rule over Nigeria which lasted from 1901 until independence in 1960. Apala music was popular and widely accepted in Nigeria due to its philosophical and profound
lyrical content alongside the complex rhythmic patterns of this heavily percussive style, which highlighted many of the percussion instruments of south-west Nigeria.
He's one of a number of popular urban styles of music that came out of Nigeria in the 20th century and sits alongside the more well-known (in the West) styles of Fuji, Highlife, Juju and Afrobeat. Of these modern forms Apala remains perhaps the most ‘roots’ style (sometimes described as ‘neo-traditional’) due to the authenticity of its sound. It has similar Islamic roots to other neo-traditional styles of Nigeria – including Waka and Sakara – examples of which are also
included on this collection contextualising the music of Apala.
These recordings were originally made and released locally by Decca and EMI Records as well as a variety of independent labels in Nigeria and have never been released outside of the country before. Soul Jazz Records are releasing this album as a deluxe double gatefold vinyl (download code), CD, slipcase and booklet, both containing full text and photography.
For the new Arma release Ena explores different, distinct facets of his sound across three productions. “Pale” distills his vision of techno as a minimalist, repetitive construct. Working around non-standard time signatures, he creates a densely woven lattice of percussive pulses, which cut a polyrhythmic path through nightmarish sheets of noise. “Secondary Color” uses a broader palette that opens the Ena sound up to the light,,, “Wired” heads further away from the grid in pursuit of sound design exploration, as a rack of pipes and chambers strike, boom and chime against artful distortion and cavernous reverb. While Ena has historically been hesitant about remixes of his material, he warmed to the idea of long-time Arma friend JASSS reworking “Wired”. Taking the track into her own fiercely individual sound world, she uses the harmonic tonality of the original as a jump-off point for an epic, emotionally forthright chiller loaded with coldwave bombast, trap hats and Silvia’ own voice. Coming from entirely different angles of approach, Ena and JASSS are bound together by their fearless individuality. You can sense the slithers of pre-existing music somewhere in their constructions, but such familiarities are no more than faint echoes of places they passed through on their way to somewhere new.
Pleaxure's debut EP, "No Such", leads us down the rabbit hole of a guided LSD therapy session
formatted to a half hour of psychedelia-infused techno. Keeping one foot in Baltimore and the other in Brooklyn, "No Such" drops as the first release on NiCE1, a label collaboration between Pleaxure and Broke City's Jordan Ehr. With remix blessings from New York underground artists Anthony Naples, MoMa Ready and Bergsonist, the EP rounds off as a special exploration of crafty fodder for dancefloors and heady listening alike. The proceeds of all Pleaxure records will be donated to help the city of Baltimore (currently at Rebuilding Together - Baltimore, https://rebuildingtogether.org)
Chengdu-based Chinese female techno producer/DJ L.Y.Li (aka Diva Li) is releasing her first 12” EP “Escape” on Ran Music’s sub-label Ran Groove. This EP includes 4 melodic techno tracks she has recently created. These dance tracks are full of feminine energy and minimalistic melodic sequencers, not only delivering the massive sound scape of classic techno music, but also satisfying dance floor’s endless pursue of a good groove. The emotional synth melodies and vocal samples are evidence of the special approach to dance music she has as a female producer. Being an experienced DJ, L.Y.Li also proves her skills in the studio with this EP.
L.Y.Li (aka Diva Li) is an electronic music producer and DJ currently living in Chengdu, China. An excellent vocalist, she is also an active figure in China’s techno music scene and has been considered as one of the most popular and respected female DJs in China’s top techno clubs such as Lantern (Beijing) and TAG (Chengdu). Having playing in clubs for many years, L.Y.Li has her special point of view towards electronic music and dance music, with her music always being full of rich and exquisite emotions, intense and minimalistic melodies as well as her own soulful vocal lines. These characteristics have guaranteed her uniqueness within the country’s techno music scene.
Industrial Techno Killer !! Vefer !!!
The official soundtrack from the Netflix movie 'Kidnapping Stella' gets remix treatments by dub techno mastermind Vril and Berlin local Anja Zaube on the A-side, as well as DUATRECORDS labelheads Amin Fallaha and R100 on the flipside.
The difference is there, in front of you : fantastic record.
Doom or Hardtechno users will love this melt of downtempo dark old school minimal Hardcore, doom-*like and the pinch of technoïde acidification... A imple story telling with a fabulous sound (Mastered by Martyn Haar in Berlin, Cut at The Exchange in London, this Toolbox Handled press is a PERFECT... Faor his first EP, CUIFTEN is very well served, and we all are ! NEEDED !!
Repress
Kali Malone presents a quietly subversive new album featuring almost two hours of concentrated, creeping organ pieces governed by a strict acoustic and compositional code. It’s a major new work with ultimately profound emotional resonance.
‘The Sacrificial Code’ takes a more detailed approach to ideas first sketched out on last year’s ‘Organ Dirges’, which featured canon exercises spontaneously captured without much prior technical planning. By contrast, the recording of ‘The Sacrificial Code’ involved the more careful micing up of several organs in such a way as to eliminate acoustic impurities as far as possible - essentially removing the large hall reverb so inextricably linked to the instrument. The pieces were then performed free of gestural adornments and without expressive impulse - an approach that
flows against the grain of the prevailing musical hegemony, where sound is so often manipulated,
and composition often steeped in self indulgence. The question posed; can this strict methodology still speak to the listener in meaningful terms?
The answer is both obvious and entirely surprising; with its slow, purified and seemingly austere qualities ‘The Sacrificial Code’ guides us through an almost trance-inducing process where we
become vulnerable receptors for every slight movement, where every miniature shift in sound becomes magnified through stillness.
As such, it’s a uniquely satisfying exercise in transcendence through self restraint - a stunning realisation of ideas borne out of academic and conceptual rigour which gradually reveals startling
personal dimensions. It has a perception-altering quality that encourages self exploration free of signposts and without a preordained endpoint - the antithesis to the language of colourless musical platitudes weíve become so accustomed to.
ZONAL, the brainchild of Justin Broadrick (Godflesh/Jesu/JK Flesh) and Kevin Martin (The Bug/King Midas Sound) present their monumental Relapse Records debut, Wrecked. ZONAL continues where their previous collaboration Techno Animal left off, and combines a brutal ongoing obsession with beats, bass, dub, drone, noise and riff.
Under their new guise, the enigmatic duo push the parameters and atmospheres that have earned them critical acclaim further and deeper; ZONAL's sound has become ever more corrupted, corroded, slower and lower; with the theme of exploring inner/outer space acts as the gelling agent for this shockingly monolithic sound.
Anyone who witnessed their sonic destruction and lyrical detonation c/o MOOR MOTHER at both ROADBURN and UNSOUND festivals will not be disappointed by the slo-mo meltdown.
Introducing ACID JAZZ’s first release of 2020 coming out on our newest subsidiary label Fingier Records, dedicated exclusively to the Soul, R&B, Boogaloo and Raw Funk productions from the Argentinean producer Kevin Fingier. After many years DJing and promoting Soul & Mod culture in Argentina, the co-founder of the Buenos Aires Soul Club decided to give a twist to his versatile production career and start to produce Soul and R&B recordings.
To achieve this, he gathered together a house band called The Kevin Fingier Collective and experimented with recording techniques used fifty years ago to get an analogue sound that’ll take you to straight to the 60s. For the first limited edition single Kevin brought back the legendary Northern Soul singer Gerri Granger, to sing on the A-side track Don't Wanna Cry No More - a Soul/Funk tune with a huge R&B influence. On the flip side there’s a killer Mod Jazz instrumental called Sunglasses After Dark Part 1.
Synkro handpicks three great producers to remix tracks from his ‘Images’ album. Claro Intelecto has been releasing consistently on point deep techno and electro since 2003. His remix is perfectly equipped for dancefloors in 2020. Sad City represents R&S offshoot Meda Fury with a trademark hypnotic beatdown workout and Apollo label mate and collaborator Sieren ramps up the emotions for his remix of the title track.
Etruria Beat boss Luca Agnelli returns to the label as he unveils four fresh originals in the form of ‘Dangerous’. A leading name within Italy’s techno landscape and beyond, DJ, producer and label owner Luca Agnelli’s musical journey continues to surge with releases and remixes via the likes of Drumcode, Soma and his own Etruria Beat imprint.
Having played a series of stand-out shows to close the year including Universe82 festival (Valencia), Duel (Naples), Die Rakete (Nuremberg) and Steam (Athens), not to mention a breathtaking performance from the top of Torre Del Cassero in his home region of Tuscany, early 2020 sees a welcome return to home turf as the Etruria Beat boss steps out to reveal his latest EP ‘Dangerous’, comprised of four commanding productions.
Title track ‘Dangerous’ unveils a high-octane ride through escalating synths, resounding kicks and menacing low- end tones, whilst ‘High Gravity’ utilises further infectious lead line work and slick, metallic drum licks. Next, ‘End Of Time’ sees the introduction of soaring melodies alongside off-kilter sonics and tripped-out vocal snippets, before closing proceedings with ‘Acidulous’, a driving acid-led effort that snakes through both tough and more melodic territories in impressive fashion.
Escapism's 7th vinyl EP marks the return of Polish-Swedish producer Glos to the label. "Psalms" showcases his talent for producing quality peaktime-techno as well as his gift for storytelling, delivering three tracks that share the same foundation but vary in approach and intention.
Edinburgh born Chris Braun, otherwise known as Duellist, is set to drop a hard-hitting new release on the immersive Wunderblock’s sub label Folgsamkeitfaktor, in partnership with Berlin-based Ready Made Distribution. Duellist has already surpassed a dedicated following with his forward-thinking industrial sound.
Known for breaking boundaries within the techno sphere, the primarily industrial and EBM influenced Folgsamkeitfaktor choose wisely with Duellist as the deliverer on their third release, a swarming industrial 7" EP titled Hereditary.
The Original Mix ‘Hereditary’ is energetic from the start, real industrial techno to sink your teeth into, the producer clearly pulling some unique textures from his love of grunge and metal. Truly powerful, the track takes you into another dimension from it's smoky beginning until locking you into a frenzy of kick drums and pounding bass.
The track is given an atmospheric remix by fellow friend and producer Swarm Intelligence, lowering the BPM and increasing the distortion on this dark and tense banger of a remix.
Not to be missed among the industrial underworld, the handle-with-care EP will be delivered on 27th of January; via Folgsamkeitfaktor.
Stellar full-length album selection of archival material from Tim Jackiw ranging from timeless late night techno and deep space soundtracks through to electronic jazz and ambient atmospheres. All music sequenced and recorded in Tim's Adelaide-based bedroom studio between 1995 to 1997 using an Amiga 500 interfaced to various analog synthesizers, drum machines and samplers. Limited colour vinyl double pack - big tip!
Twelve years have passed since eedl released their masterpiece “Everse” spa.RK, 2007 and in that time the duo -formed by Miguel Ángel Martínez and Joan Duat- have shied away from the spotlight and stage. Despite this apparent lethargy, their previous two works - "Parallemped EP" spa.RK, 2003 and the aforementioned "Everse"- provided them with cult national scene status, while raising more than a few eyebrows among European “headz”. Both works continue to sound overwhelmingly modern and
undated, an obvious signal that eedl is a special breed of cutting edge electronic music.
Although creatively silent for a number of years they have remained musically active. As well as his career as a product designer, Miguel Ángel has applied his musical experience to the technology sector, and since 2016 has fully immersed himself in “modular”–Winter Modular, Plankton Electronics and Patching Panda–; Meanwhile, Joan, office programmer and classically trained pianist, has found his equilibrium with work and building a family life.
"Unstored" is their long awaited return to the fray and their second studio album. It is comprised of eight songs, some of which have been have been slow cooked since 2002, with others gestating more recently. Maybe such a long hiatus seems excessive, but the meticulousness nature and obsessive love for detail found in "Unstored" more than justifies the wait, which at times felt like a long goodbye.
This collection of songs navigates between perfectionist electronica, new generation electro, noisy harmonies, glitch and deconstructed rhythms; a sonic memoire with strong roots in British experimental electronic music -reminiscent of Autechre or Plaid-, another reason in understanding the longing produced by their extended absence.
It is therefore with great honour that in early January 2020, Lapsus will release the new album from the elusive eedl project in a luxury edition format.
The drum and bass chart-topping artist, CURRENT VALUE, whose tunes are often a staple of Aphex Twin’s performances, returns to METHLAB RECORDINGS with his SENEX LP, which features twenty one of his most technical and innovative sonic works on the
ike-minded label.
A twin release with it's more upfront & riotous cousin PUER delivered via Souped Up Recordings, SENEX displays its half of the CURRENT VALUE sound with an expansive array of sonic sequences marked by their forward thinking sonic character and the singular timbres for which CURRENT VALUE is known.
Early in the album’s span come the glittering arpeggios of MEGACITY, which filter downwards above the bassline pursuit that plays out beneath their fluttering rays. Further in, DISMANTLE deconstructs a set of classic rhythms before reshaping them within the milieu of it's hazy pads under the pressure of it's mechanical low frequency generator.
An elysian piano melody wafts through the opening percussion of FRIENDLY TAKEOVER and therein masks the brutalist companion frequencies that await within the track’s second section.
ACCESS POINT surges within a stream of bitcrushed binary at the albums third quarter, and opens the way for the enigmatically warped sonics that course through the albums final sections and flow within the depths of it’s voidborne closing track, CRYSTAL BALL.
With SENEX, CURRENT VALUE delivers one half of his joint 11th and 12th albums as he explores his most experimental sonic leanings to both a further breadth and depth than ever before upon the METHLAB RECORDINGS label.
BOA is a new collaboration from Best Available Technology and Orvis Arum, this 12” is their debut release
The duo explore dub and classic UK bass vibes in heavy, desiccated forms, produced entirely across an array of analog gear
RIYL Vex’d, Andy Stott, Kahn, Cannibal Ox, K-Lone, DJ Normal, V.I.V.E.K., Old Apparatus
12” is backed with a humid, animated remix from Mosca that features various strands of BOA’s DNA from these two originals, as well as their forthcoming debut album Outer Gateways
Exhausted Modern joins the Artificial Horizon family and delivers a caustic mix of brutish and combustible electronix in keeping with the style that has seen his productions supported by the new wave of artists from Europe and beyond that seek to bring the future sounds of Acid, EBM and Techno to the present. From the contorted modulations of Dysphoric Experience to the emotional and melancholic closer ’Seagulls in a Harbour’, Exhausted Modern’s Datura EP twists and turns at every step, each track capable of sending any listener into certain frenzy.
Only 300 pressed, all are hand-numbered.
Art by Kyle Webster
Mastered by James Savage
Medicine used to be, we expected, good for us. Albeit with added sugar. Now medicine is a huge problem in itself, with vast companies caught mis-selling dangerous drugs. It’s one of the biggest scandals ever. How on earth did we get here? Who did this?
The Imbeciles are on the case.
“It’s about the dark side of prescription ‘medicines’. Oxy, Xanax, Ambien, all that. Big pharma is pushing these addictive ‘medicines’ that we don’t actually need, to desensitise / numb / kill. All for profit,” says Butch Dante.
A new classic from The Imbeciles. They know. And they made a video. Watch it here.
Now they’ve been remixed. By these people:
C.A.R.:
Impossible to categorise, and all the better for it - London based, Franco-Canadian, C.A.R., flirts with elements of new wave, cold wave, synth-pop, post punk and off-kilter disco; and without doubt wields some of the most satisfyingly other-worldly melodies and synth lines around.
Ryan James Ford:
One of the most exciting underground techno producers on the block - Ryan doesn’t constrain himself to any one rhythm, aesthetic and motif, but can always be found to be hitting the listener with thick atmosphere, dark melodies and an upfront, experimental attitude.
Legowelt:
A true pioneer of left field house and disco, this Dutch master draws from disco, italo, dub, dancehall, techno and many more sonic pools to create his wonderfully engaging, but always envelope pushing sound.
'Destiny71z' returns with his second EP for Eglo Records, a further dark and jazzy exploration through an array of analog hardware, focusing on the Buchla music easel and a stacked modular set up. Raw and unpredictable the EP fizzes and pops across 4 tracks, drawing on the influences of House, Techno, 2-Step and Electro, synthesizing it into something much harder to pigeonhole.
The project is the alter-ego of multi instrumentalist, painter and producer Mathew Kirkis, who recently supported Floating Points on his solo UK/EU live tour. These four dance floor meditations express
a talent well beyond the conventions of traditional club music, it's as much music for the mind as it is for the body.
From the stuttering acid fried 2-Step Techno of 'Technique ZSL' and the shimmering space like odyssey of 'Suckmyskin' to the swirling House steppers 'Dimdraft' and 'OmegaTX', the EP surprises at every turn. Essential listening for fans of Legowelt, Floating Points, Pepe Bradock et al.
When was the last time EDMX served you what you expected? Maybe you drop the needle down in anticipation of some slick boogie-inflected synth pop and get walloped in the face with hellfire techno. Perhaps you were itching for body-popping electro and got cerebrally hijacked by pagan coldwave.
On this latest magnum opus, his first on Queen Nanny. Ed Upton is in the mood to get down low in every sense of the word. On the frequency range, this is a record dripping with lard-fed bass at every turn. The arrangements too are devilishly low in channel count – raw riddims with just a few key ingredients to do the necessary damage. Then there are the tempos, which predominantly set cruise control at 90 BPM and glide.
It’s not hard to tell where EDMX’s inspiration has sparked from on this album – in the spirit of celebrating the compatability of oddball sonics from all corners of the globe, he’s patched his sound into a specific vibe and struck gold with some of the most distinctive riddims you’re likely to hear all year.
Arandel's new opus, 'InBach', released 24th January 2020 by French label InFiné, pays a poetic, infinitely respectful and innovative homage to Bach's sacred workings.
Arandel was granted limitless access to the galerie of (sometime rare and ancient) instruments, as a well as a countless recordings of the prestigious Musée de la Musique in Paris with a view to sounddesign his brand new creation. He performed a few months after at Philharmonie Paris a hybrid live performance/DJ set 'Switched on Bach', named in acknowledgement to the legendary 1968 by American composer Wendy Carlos (Tron, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining).
From candles to LEDs, from DJ sets to museums, from historical instruments to machines, from Bach's themes that have entered the collective unconscious and inspired contemporary flesh and blood musicians… 'InBach' was a foregone conclusion.
In the immensity of Bach's oeuvre, in the company of his fellow wanderers, within the constraints of his-torical instruments, emboldened by the delightful, sometimes technically dangerous friction between acoustics and electronics: Without a net, Arandel walks a tightrope without a faux pas.
Vital Sales Points:
- Strong French environment including institutional support from Philharmonie / Musée de la Musique in Paris with a big shows' scheduled.
- A hybrid album with a mix of rare instrument sounds, synthesizers and innovative creative bias.
Sam Goku's music showcases bonds of ambient, acic, house, techno and melodies. It's perfect for both club environments and home listening. The modern production style in combination with old-school elements/non-repetitive vocal sample work give Goku's music a unique, trippy twist that is topped off with Chinese percussive instrumentation.
It’s that time of the year again: we’re finishing our 6th year of Heist Recordings with our annual potpourri of remixes with this
year’s artists on ‘The Round up part VI’. This year, we’ve got a few really cool newcomers on the label like Demuir, Perdu and
Makèz, as well as label mainstays Fouk and yours truly delivering a great collection of remixes.
The EP starts off with label heads Detroit Swindle giving their high-energy take on Fouk’s ‘Need my Space’. They’ve chosen for
a stabby club version of the more introverted original, with different layers of synths building up alongside a pumping drum track
and a punchy Moog bassline. Check the break for a nice dreamy broken beat section before the track comes back into full
dancefloor madness.
Makèz have only just released their well-received debut EP and now they’re flanking Detroit Swindle on the A-side with their
remix of Perdu’s hit ‘Sacramento’. They replace the broken beat vibe of the original and instead go for a 4x4 track with a driving
bassline, warm pads and subtle placement of Perdu’s original elements.
On the B-side, we have Fouk reinterpreting Demuir’s take on Detroit Techno with their remix of ‘3nity returneth’. Their version is
a tom-heavy high-energy club track with a strong nod to the past, whilst still keeping that strong Fouk signature intact. They
mangle the vocal sample in a drunk and twisted break before setting the track back on fire with an extra acid line for good
measure.
The B2 goes to Perdu’s dreamy slow burning remix of Detroit Swindle’s classic house bomb ‘Music for clubs’. His version takes
the tempo down and dials the dreamy level up a notch. A mellow but punchy acid line and worldly synth hits give this remix it’s
cool twist and it’s a great showcase of Perdu’s view on the broad world of house music.
This year’s Round up finishes with Demuir’s trippy ‘playboy edit’ of ‘Random Visits’ by Makèz. He takes the vocal sample and
layers it behind a haunting string, dreamy keys and a steady groove. It’s got a funky vibe where Demuir’s knack for a good
groove fits perfectly with the fresh original.
The Round up is a special moment for us each year and we’re excited to share these reinterpretations of another year’s worth of
house from the world of Heist Recordings with you.
Yours Sincerely, Lars & Maarten.
After well received releases on Shadeleaf, Dead Horse and Hot Peas And Butter last year, Preston's finest soul brother Simba comes through Quintessentials with the 'Box Room Perspective' EP.
Leading the way is „Can You Free Me?“ featuring the beautiful vocals of Maddie Ellerby taking a distinct soulful flex a la Kerri Chandler.
The dub takes things a lil deeper for the heads stripping back to the essentials much like a Matthew Herbert dub. On the flip we have „True“, what has been described as „90's Planet E meets Broken Beat“, an excursion between the lines of house, disco and techno.
It’s hot up north!
Second instalment on new label All Nations Records from Simon Nyabinghi. This one is introducing to you the powerful vibes of French producer Khayo Ben Yahmeen. Deeply inspired by Rastafari teachings, Kahyo works out a meditative vibration that is amplified and concretized by the mixing technics of Simon Nyabinghi.
D. Carbone is back on its homonymous imprint with a Theme Ep 'Back To The Empire Of Hardcore'. After the 2016 Ravers EP, here the artist make a second call to push a movement is coming back on all its power but in a modern key. The EP figure 2 remixes One from the Queen of Techno 'VTSS' and one other from the Hardcore master '14Anger'.
On The A1 the entitled track is a new hardcore wave gem, a robotic voice singing in a subdol way back to empire of Hardcore, lead and sirens create the atmospheres over a marching beat. This track aims to be a classic for the New Hardcore wave.
A2 presents VTSS remix. The queen of Techno after it's debut on REPITCH Recordings with the killer Identity Process EP and the amazing Atlantyda on Monnom Black is ready to show a Techno/EBM remix with its remark bassline, a strong kick and massive voice textures, make it an instant classic!
B1 is the time of French Raver '14Anger' its remix is a mesmerizing of Power and its Hardcore roots are shaped at its best. Percussive synth sequence chosen as the main groove, Melodic bassline is the main focus here till the amazing lead comes in to destroy every dance floor!
To Close, The Vinyl is 'Raver Killer' a powerful doom Techno track. This track is not for the fainted hearts, inspired to the 90's doom rave with modern touch Powerful kick, distorted model D's bassline, hi-pitched voices, and resonant percussions make it a big room track that can't miss in your bag and perfect choice to close this vinyl.
As Digital Bonus ' The Rhythm of Acidcore' is an Hypnotic Acid Banger. Model D bass and 303 acid sequence are the main focus here, accompanied by a smashing beat is the perfect track to stand along this collector EP.
Joe Lucas creates music under a few monikers most often as Causa and notably has appeared on Tusk Wax, Boogie Box and Birdie.
The Causa sound elegantly touches on deep house grooves and melodic techno but with contemporary style and is an obvious choice for the Verdant family. The Locks EP is released as Sixtyone leaning towards Detroit flavours with intricate percussion layered with warm soulful keys.
Previous releases have attracted high profile remixes from Kuniyuki, Luv Jam and Young Marco and that trend continues. On the flip of The Locks Stojche provides a burly, peak time reshape of Zelo upping the Detroit vibes. Hiver's reshape of the delicate Tregnanton original adds a firm kick, swinging bassline and heady 303 sparkle with dazzling effectiveness.
Italian production duo natural/electronic.system. is back on their homebase Tikita Recordings. With four immersive deep techno cuts they continue the journey they've started when debuting on the label back in 2016. Now they could be seen as one of the key figures on the Moroccan based imprint with 'Mediterranea' being their third full EP on the label.
'Scirocco' starts in a deep mood, on low pace and mesmerizing percussion improvisations. 'Grecale' is the most swinging cut of all four with its tribal drum flow rambling on a playful up-tempo groove. Flipping to the b-side 'Libeccio' comes in at a lower bpm but still an unavoidable catchy and danceable motive where 'Maestrale' ends this playful EP with a lush and dreamy electro jam in deep blue space atmospheres.
Repress
Mr. G embarked on his first US tour in 2019. The result has been a ton of new inspiration, after which he wrote ''The Alien With Extraordinary Abilities''. PG062 is a collection of six versatile tracks ranging from thumping G sound House / Techno to hazy works of ambient textures.
Alex Bradley's new reissue division at Utopia Records recovers the early works of Gianni Gebbia, a saxophonist and composer from Palermo, Sicily whose highly sought-after debut LP from 1987 is remastered with added unreleased material and updated art work by Gebbia himself.
A minimal and contemporary jazz album of the highest order, its beautiful sound, sentimental electronics and use of synthesisers - that were a precursor to the house and dance music scene of the early 90's - has made the album endure the years that have passed.
It will be sure to be a valuable addition to your home listening collection with stand out tracks like Cud evoking visions of a Sicilian beach stroll and the intense and brooding 'Vedersi Passare le Cose Attorno' with its Juno chords transports you to a Detroit night club in 1992 counterbalanced by Gebbia's soft saxophonic embrace...
The self taught Gebbia's works touches on the avant-garde whilst maintaining a musicality and fluidity with his technique of circular breathing adding an extra element to his playing, the ability to create Reichian like minimalism with a single breath whilst maintaining melodic structure.
The multi solo album artist is noted recently for working on the music score of Heiner Goebbels' music performance piece 'Everything that happened and would happen' at the Manchester international festival and for his curating of the "Anassimandro Festival of Music and Philosophy" in his home city of Palermo of which Bradley hosted last years after party.
As electronic musician Lorenz Brunner sketched his vision for the first Recondite full-length on Ghostly in five years he took a step back to assess who and where he was as an artist. 2013’s Hinterland accelerated a progression — he’s since been touring around the world and releasing music with labels such as Hotflush and his own Plangent Records — yet, for him, the album cast a shadow of pressure that widened over time. As with most art forms, perhaps especially music, there is an expectation to change, to creatively pivot elsewhere with each project. After careful consideration, Brunner rejects this notion with his new work, opting alternately to use the icy Hinterland as an aesthetic and tonal template for a like-minded map of evocative compositions aptly titled after the German word “stillstand,” now presented as Dwell.
“I am coherent with what I do, even if I’m not reinventing myself,” Brunner says contentedly. In regards to the album title, he adds, “It’s like when you’re on a hike and you stop and look at the scenery; you may know which path you want to go next but right now you are dwelling.” The title also doubles as a reference to everyday domestic life, a restorative haven for Brunner between tours. Like Hinterland, he incorporates a subtle range of field recordings to intensify the textural atmosphere. While he worked at home on “Mirror Games,” Brunner noticed the buzz coming from across the room, where his wife was using an electric toothbrush, naturally harmonized with the track. He decided to push that frequency further and record the device directly, syncing vibrations for added urgency across the propulsive piece as well as parts of the ambient “Interlude 2.”
Windswept, moody, and melodic, moments on Dwell linger with emotional resonance. The title track sends an eerie synth loop through a field of techno kicks. The beats recede for a breather four minutes in as if to survey the surroundings. If Brunner pivots anywhere — possibly just a new perspective afforded by being confidently stationary in his craft — it’s by leaning more into hip-hop structures. He’s an avid rap fan and his love for those production techniques is notably present on “Nobilia,” a queasy shuffler (titled in reference to the Super Nintendo game Secret of Evermore), “Interlude 1,” which skitters in lockstep with contemplative synth chords, and “Surface,” an isolatory, ruminative sequence. The closer “Moon Pearl” soothes and shimmers like its namesake, a cherished gem in The Legend of Zelda series that allows carriers of the gem to retain their shape and essence in the Dark World.
In an era where constant reinvention and highly self-reflexive brand awareness reigns supreme in the music industry, Brunner as Recondite does something many artists try to avoid, he dwells in his own established identity, one that has garnered him a devoted fanbase. His murky electronic productions, built around mirage-like pads and clipped drum programming, have proven to be highly functional and spectrally enveloping; Dwell is not a return to form, it is a further study of the shapes, it is the modes, and the structures Brunner has trademarked.
As electronic musician Lorenz Brunner sketched his vision for the first Recondite full-length on Ghostly in five years he took a step back to assess who and where he was as an artist. 2013’s Hinterland accelerated a progression — he’s since been touring around the world and releasing music with labels such as Hotflush and his own Plangent Records — yet, for him, the album cast a shadow of pressure that widened over time. As with most art forms, perhaps especially music, there is an expectation to change, to creatively pivot elsewhere with each project. After careful consideration, Brunner rejects this notion with his new work, opting alternately to use the icy Hinterland as an aesthetic and tonal template for a like-minded map of evocative compositions aptly titled after the German word “stillstand,” now presented as Dwell.
“I am coherent with what I do, even if I’m not reinventing myself,” Brunner says contentedly. In regards to the album title, he adds, “It’s like when you’re on a hike and you stop and look at the scenery; you may know which path you want to go next but right now you are dwelling.” The title also doubles as a reference to everyday domestic life, a restorative haven for Brunner between tours. Like Hinterland, he incorporates a subtle range of field recordings to intensify the textural atmosphere. While he worked at home on “Mirror Games,” Brunner noticed the buzz coming from across the room, where his wife was using an electric toothbrush, naturally harmonized with the track. He decided to push that frequency further and record the device directly, syncing vibrations for added urgency across the propulsive piece as well as parts of the ambient “Interlude 2.”
Windswept, moody, and melodic, moments on Dwell linger with emotional resonance. The title track sends an eerie synth loop through a field of techno kicks. The beats recede for a breather four minutes in as if to survey the surroundings. If Brunner pivots anywhere — possibly just a new perspective afforded by being confidently stationary in his craft — it’s by leaning more into hip-hop structures. He’s an avid rap fan and his love for those production techniques is notably present on “Nobilia,” a queasy shuffler (titled in reference to the Super Nintendo game Secret of Evermore), “Interlude 1,” which skitters in lockstep with contemplative synth chords, and “Surface,” an isolatory, ruminative sequence. The closer “Moon Pearl” soothes and shimmers like its namesake, a cherished gem in The Legend of Zelda series that allows carriers of the gem to retain their shape and essence in the Dark World.
In an era where constant reinvention and highly self-reflexive brand awareness reigns supreme in the music industry, Brunner as Recondite does something many artists try to avoid, he dwells in his own established identity, one that has garnered him a devoted fanbase. His murky electronic productions, built around mirage-like pads and clipped drum programming, have proven to be highly functional and spectrally enveloping; Dwell is not a return to form, it is a further study of the shapes, it is the modes, and the structures Brunner has trademarked.
Visible Spectrum is the newly launched creative playground of Yuri Boselie, also known as Cinnaman. Since donning the Cinnaman alias nearly two decades ago, he’s become a well known figure of the Amsterdam nightlife scene with long running residencies at the city's most lauded clubbing institutions like Club 11, Trouw and most recently De School. Next to his DJ sets, he's made early moves in label curation with A&R work for Rush Hour and Kindred Spirits offshoot Nod Navigators, and with his own Beat Dimensions compilations in the late 00s. With Visible Spectrum — defined as the electromagnetic frequencies visible by the human eye — a new chapter is born. It is an outlet for electronic music in the widest sense. Each sleeve will have its own unique screen printed artwork by Marilyn Sonneveld.
The first EP comes from Mor Elian, the Berlin based artist and owner of the Fever AM label. Here she offers the loose and hypnotic rhythms of 'Clairvoyant Frog' which is deep and atmospheric, like some sort of primordial techno soup. 'Shoshana's Roses' then picks up the pace with layers of rumbling drums, wooden hits and snaking synths taking you into a steamy, humid jungle before closer 'Planet Kismet' is a much quicker and more urgent bit of enchanting break-beat techno with pummeling minimal drums and warped synths and perc getting you under their sci-fi spell. A fascinating first outing that sets a high standard from the off.
Satin is the first solo EP from Lack, the alias of Manchester based artist Charlie Foy - having previously featured on various twelves for the Cong Burn collective. Recorded between 2016 and 2019, these tracks were started during long train journeys, before being finished in the studio. More introspective than previous material, these tracks offer a unique insight into the window of serenity that comes from movement and being in-between places.
These exceptionally balanced and well-crafted compositions use production techniques that explore the relationship between the natural and synthetic, using transients from field recordings to trigger machines, as well as granular synthesis and resampling techniques that further blur this distinction. Equally suited to listening at home or in a club context, these tracks reward deep listening and continually reveal details with each listen.
Chicago-based contemporary electronic musician Steve Hauschildt has composed panoramas of synthesized sound for over a decade. First within his former band, Emeralds, an American touchstone of 2000s home-recorded psychedelic noise music, and later across a steady and critically-acclaimed stream of solo releases spanning ambient techno, arpeggiated electronica and post-kosmische styles utilizing synthesizers, computers, and digital processing. In 2018, he extended a collection of rich, visceral tracks titled Dissolvi, his first release on Ghostly International and his most collaborative work to date. Just a year later, Hauschildt returns with Nonlin, an album that's freer, leaner, and looser, both structurally and conceptually; less linear compared to its predecessor, but still captivating. Developed and recorded in several studios during and around the edges of tour - Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Tbilisi, and Brussels - this material emulates an alienating encounter with a smattering of places, a replicant of culture shock, a solitary and stark experience with uncanny environments, melody and dissonance as oblique locales. Nonlin finds Hauschildt evolving his palette of tools, integrating modular and granular synthesis. The improvisatory and generative nature of modular systems, when paired with his signature grid-oriented and hand-played techniques, guides these compositions slightly out of line to hypnotic effect. Opener "Cloudloss" permeates the mix with an unsettling smog, which reappears and all but engulfs "A Planet Left Behind." On cuts like "Attractor B" and "Subtractive Skies," pockets of air rest between sequenced pulses, whose crumpling and flattening folds build into a restrained rapture of crisp frequencies and milky reverb-swallowed coruscations. The album's title track and centerpiece logs on to a foreign network, a fractured percussion signal that modulates and stutters into static amidst curious melodic sparkling in the hazy bandwidth. "Reverse Culture Music" casts an elegant and brooding stream of strings, pizzicato and churning bow from Chicago cellist Lia Kohl, against chiming minimalist synth frameworks. A surprising pattern emerges in the taciturn systems at work. Hauschildt continues to expand his already horizon-wide repertoire, here exploring the effects of corrupting coordinates; a flight subject to the collapsable abilities of time in remote spaces, a smearing of the axis to elegiac ends.
Since relocating from Amsterdam to Bergen on the Netherlands’ north west coast, Tom Trago has gone back to basics. Every day he jams out tracks in his home studio using a small selection of electronic instruments, drum computers and effects units, a process that allows him to quickly capture ideas, emotions and the intense moments he experiences while making music.
It’s these diverse and sometimes surprising musical moments that will be showcased on Trago’s new DIY record label, Jong Nederland. The imprint is named after the building where he now lives and works, an historic and storied place that has been home to artists of all descriptions since the 1960s. Each vinyl release will feature tracks made by Trago using his improvised, straight-to-tape technique, packaged in handcrafted sleeves illustrated by internationally renowned Dutch artist – and fellow Bergen resident – Pieter Bijwaard.
The Jong Nederland story begins with two tracks of undulating, slowly shifting dancefloor voodoo rich in crunchy drum machine hits, lilting electronic melodies and instinctive dancefloor warmth. On the A-side you’ll find “Whisper”, a hypnotic but fluid affair where hushed melodies tumble down over off-kilter polyrhythmic machine drums, spaced out effects and bubbly, ever-changing analogue electronics.
B-side “Belltower” sees Trago up the tempo a little and bounce us towards the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Utilizing a rubbery rhythm track full of sturdy but supple kick-drums and hissing cymbals, Trago layers up fizzing synthesizer lines, poignant minor key chords, wiggling acid-style motifs and starburst electronics to fire the synapses and stir the senses. Like its’ A-side companion, “Belltower” gently twists and turns throughout, reflecting the real time, hands-on changes made by its creator during the spontaneous sessions that led to its creation.
As electronic musician Lorenz Brunner sketched his vision for the first Recondite full-length on Ghostly in five years he took a step back to assess who and where he was as an artist. 2013's Hinterland accelerated a progression he's since been touring around the world and releasing music with labels such as Hotflush and his own Plangent Records. His new album uses the icy Hinterland as an aesthetic and tonal template for a like-minded map of evocative compositions aptly titled after the German word "stillstand," now presented as Dwell. Windswept, moody, and melodic, moments on Dwell linger with emotional resonance. The title track sends an eerie synth loop through a field of techno kicks. The beats recede for a breather four minutes in as if to survey the surroundings. If Brunner pivots anywhere - possibly just a new perspective afforded by being confidently stationary in his craft - it's by leaning more into hip-hop structures. He's an avid rap fan and his love for those production techniques is notably present on "Nobilia," a queasy shuffler (titled in reference to the Super Nintendo game Secret of Evermore), "Interlude 1," which skitters in lockstep with contemplative synth chords, and "Surface," an isolatory, ruminative sequence. The closer "Moon Pearl" soothes and shimmers like its namesake, a cherished gem in The Legend of Zelda series that allows carriers of the gem to retain their shape and essence in the Dark World. Recondite does something many artists try to avoid, he dwells in his own established identity, one that has garnered him a devoted fanbase. His murky electronic productions, built around mirage-like pads and clipped drum programming, have proven to be highly functional and spectrally enveloping; Dwell is not a return to form, it is a further study of the shapes, it is the modes, and the structures Brunner has trademarked.
Banging Industrial techno with some crazy new ideas like this long noizy acid break in the Slope Unit track or the noise industrial ambient long intro on the Duellist tune... FAT! Once again offering a wicked sleeve... limited edition! BIG Stuff!
Indeed, while he's best known as a DJ/producer in his own right, Duvante's own A&R skills are impressive, with Residual counting on everyone from Fym to Boo Williams to Garrett David over the years. As with their last V/A (the brilliant Refraction Vol. III), the label owner has done another expert job at rounding up some great troops here, with four emerging producers delivering the goods courtesy of Refraction Vol. IV.
We get underway courtesy of Rukka's 'Stellar Radiation'. Full of zippy, nimble synths and clever cowbell sounds, 'Stellar Radiation' is a brilliantly constructed slice of intergalactic funk that brings the rabbit role in some style. Teakup's 'Believe' is a more stuffy, techno-focused cut, the likes of which has been produced in a unique, urban-influenced vein. Miscellanea I on the Is / Was label, it's another reminder of the Ohio native's undoubted talents.
'Sepehr's 'Exit Your Body' plays out like a vintage cut from The Martian. Loaded with funk and soul motifs and characterised by its 808 sounds, this is techno of a real swagger and panache. Deep but brilliantly catchy, it's indicative of the label at its very best. It's then left to Italian producer Pressure Point to see us out, a task he fulfils in some fashion thanks to 'So Far So Good'. Another track with its roots in classic sounds, it too maintains a sort of contemporary edge. Really fascinating and sumptuous stuff that strays down different paths throughout the course of its almost 6 minutes, it closes the release in truly emphatic fashion.
Space-influenced tracks that bring the listener to the heart of the funk cosmos, Residual's latest serves up a brilliant and dexterous voyage to soundspheres that are well worth getting lost in.
This split cassette by Unconscious (Italy) & HKKPTR (Germany) includes 8 tracks of uncompromising & state of the art body-techno floor killers. Both acts are emerging at the forefront of a new breed of underground stalwart producers. Edition of 100 C-47 tapes with download code attached to the J-card. Released by X-IMG.
Close to 30 years ago in Copenhagen lived a trio of musicians who sought some sort of progression to the stereotypes of the city's concurrent techno and house music scene. At the time Copenhagen was a vibrant city primed for a transformation in culture, music and lifestyle. Giovanni Campagna, Giuseppe De Bellis and Rodrigo Passannanti found themselves riding the crest of this wave of change and in 1991 Electrodelia was born.
Steel City Dance Discs Volume 13 emits four club-ready contaminants courtesy of Jasper James. On the A-side, Jasper breaks protocol with an unregulated meld of house and techno; deep freqs, virulent chords and a toxic vocal cut are detected. And on the flip side, object blue and Mall Grab give ‘Still Trippin’ an appropriate treatment of high-energy euro-rave. Dispose of this release properly – volume up.
Der Berliner DJ/Produzent Alex.Do läutet für Seilscheibenpfeiler das neue Jahr mit dem 4-Tracker "Amplified Music" ein. Als Gründungsmitglied der Dystopian-Crew war er maßgeblich an der Erschaffung eines neuen Berliner Techno & House-Sounds beteiligt. Seine neue EP spannt sich von warmen, moody Electro-Tracks bis zu atemberaubendem IDM und weist Alex.Do als stilistisch sehr aufgeschlossenen und fähigen Musiker aus.
- A1: Michna - Triple Chrome Dipped
- A2: Dabrye - Temper
- A3: Dark Party - Active
- A4: Tycho - Cascade (Live Version)
- A5: Jdsy - All Shapes
- B1: Deastro - Light Powered
- B2: Matthew Dear - R+S
- B3: Flyamsam - The Offbeat
- B4: Cepia - Ithaca
- B5: Aeroc - Idiom
- C1: The Reflecting Skin - Traffickers
- C2: Ben Benjamin - Squirmy Sign Language
- C3: Kill Memory Crash - Hit + Run
- C4: Osborne - Wait A Minute
- D1: Milosh - Then It Happened
- D2: 10 32 - Blue Little
- D3: Mux Mool - Night Court
- D4: Solvent - Hung Up
Legend has it that Brian Eno’s concept of ambient music came to him while laid up in a hospital bed after an automobile ac-cident in the 70's. A friend brought him some records, playing them too low to be properly heard, and Eno couldn’t get out of bed to adjust the volume. While the record spun softly, Eno’s idea for music you could ignore as easily as you could give it your full attention, like a sort of sonic wallpaper, was born. It’s in that spirit of quiet isolation that Ghostly International, in associ-ation with Adult Swim, shares Ghostly Swim 2, our way of giving listeners a space to get away from the manic holiday bustle.
For those keeping track at home, Ghostly is wrapping up its 15th anniversary as an Ann Arbor/Brooklyn-based indie. 2014 has seen the company soundtracking video games (Playstation’s Hohokum), collaborating with awesome companies like Warby Parker and VOID watches, and clearing 300 releases of for-ward-thinking music with records from Tycho, Com Truise, and HTRK. What better way to end this banner year than to revisit one of our favorite partnerships from the past decade and a half?
Released in 2008, Ghostly Swim was praised for its adventurous survey of exploratory dance and pop music. Our curatorial focus has shifted this time around, moving further inward (spiritually) and outward (as far as our roster goes) to reflect the electron-ic underground in all of its hazy and vibrant experimentalism. Ghostly Swim 2 is a document of textured ambient zone-outs and woozy, granular house and techno that will help you find some downtime away from The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. So sit back, lower the volume, and enjoy our selections.
Austrian hardware-only liveact Anml Mthr presents his 4th release on Florian Meindl's FLASH Recordings imprint and counts to the core artists of the label.
Heavily influenced by the Vienna and Berlin Techno scene of the 90s he was a regular visitor to Tresor Club as well as a shining raver at Gazometer Vienna.
His productions under different monikers in the genre underground dubstep and hardcore can be traced back until the late 90s, but with Anml Mthr he found a home to combine his rough subbass with driving and chellanging acid lines and synth sequences.
His unique hardware setup consists of a huge modular synthesizer as well as classic boxes like the 303 of course, but also modern boutique synthesizers and effect boxes which he performs all in one take to record his tracks.
After a digital single on Optimo Music Digital Danceforce, Optimo Music welcomes Bergsonist to the main label with a full album. Ridiculously talented and prolific, Bergsonist is one of thee most interesting, thoughtful and important artists of our times.
Bergsonist aka Selwa Abd is a New York–based artist and musician originally from Morocco. She is the founder of Bizaarbazaar, a music platform and publication that publishes podcasts and interviews by DJs and producers from around the world.
Under the guise Bergsonist (derived from Deleuze’s Bergsonism),
she uses a variety of media to investigate social resonance through divergent conceptual aesthetics (minimalism, techno, and music concrete, to name a few). Through her work, she explores notions of identity, memory, and social politics.
In 2017, she started Pick Up The Flow, a resource to promote congregation and exchange between peers. Currently, co-run with Stephen Decker. In 2019, she co-founded 3afak with DJ Sanna, a collective that aims to empower Arab women’s creative vision in
New York.
Words about the album:
Middle Ouest is an ode to my history, present and future self. Like a sonic autobiography, It’s the first body of work that realistically depicts my identity. It’s a statement towards all the people who tried to put me into a box. I’m not a box but a genre-less ocean. I don’t make genres, I just make music I feel making in the moment.
It’s all about capturing the moment in a given time. If the aesthetic happens to be house or techno then it is. But I’m not a techno artist... I’m just a free sonic ‘voyageur’. I make music as i feel the world; it can be dark, jovial, weird… I mirror the feelings into sonic compositions. However, the only variables that never change in this equation are the message and intention.
After taking time out to search for the right blend of carefully curated tracks, Bristol-based dancefloor futurists Innate return with a third multi-artist EP - shot through with melody, warmth and soul.
A quartet of timeless-sounding tracks full of stargazing sounds, undulating acid lines, far-sighted electronics and crackling beats, the A side kicks off with Perseus Traxx's "Drifting In Space": a loose-limbed exercise in analogue house deepness that wraps slowly shifting pads, meandering melodies and pulsating TB-303 motifs around broken house drums.
Welcoming Australian scene stalwart Ewan Jansen to the fray with "Sinders", he effortlessly blurs the boundaries between far-sighted, Motor City style techno and the kind of head-in-the-clouds analogue sounds that have always been his forte.
On the flip, Reedale Rise adds his touch with "Coral". In keeping with the brilliance of his 2018 debut album "Luminous Air", he drops a colourful, picturesque voyage into deep electro territory rich in ear-catching melodies, engaging chord sequences and crunchy machine percussion. To round, label co-founder Owain K returns with "Teifi", another ultra-deep treat: an enveloping, dancefloor excursion rich in fluttering lead lines, slowly expanding chords, vintage bass and punchy drums. A fitting conclusion to Innate's latest immaculate, eyes-closed voyage."
Unknown Berlin area label/producer RECYCLED makes an outstanding debut release. Classic soundings, perfect structure and a styling that clearly makes reference on oldschool Techno. The record means busyness from the beginning with the floor heater Industries, followed by the steady firm beats Block. In B Side, Energy is probably the strongest track on the release and Skynet brings some chords and colors, adding class and deepness to this awesome 12".
This time last year, The Forgotten Man launched the Noctu Recordings imprint via a superb single-sided salvo. It portrayed a producer in tune not only with dancefloors, but also the fundamentally far-sighted, intergalactic vision of Motor City techno. The good news is that this belated follow-up is arguably even better. Epic A-side "Pulsar" is a superb example of his craft; a deep and melodious voyage through shimmering pads, B12 style sci-fi melodies and crunchy machine beats. His ability to wrest every last ounce of soul from his machines is confirmed by delicious B-sides "Sky Birds of Ki" and "Beyond Sector 9", both of which fix dreamy chords and melodies to punchy electro grooves.
2024 Repress
Red Vinyl
Born and raised in the Techno capital of Berlin, Opal merges experimental and forward stepping electronic music with an unique touch. His latest "Dominator" EP coming via Voxnox is no exception.
Following his industrial steps from his last productions, the opener and title track "The Dominator" brings raw, yet pushing heat for your infamous dancing pleasure by combining a shouting vocal rip with an ever growing groove - eventually turning things to a dominating level. Netherlands native Remco Beekwilder delivers the A-side remix by not only keeping this vibe, but with even extending it with his own synthesiser symbiosis in order to move things to a deeper level.
"New World Order" represents the EP's flip side, focusing on the good old rave experiences we all remember very well. An ever marching kick teams up with mysterious patterns and evolving drums to blurry your mind the right way. Inhalt Der Nacht remixing this track can only mean an ecstasy of emotions and power, perfectly rounding off this release.
Vinyl Only
Obrani Records goes back to business with the new release "Test" EP from label's founder Kristina and TC80's remix. Starting with references to the vintage sound, - through some psychedelic patterns and haunted beats to a delicate surreal tech landscape. It may bring you to a parallel reality of hidden cyber worlds, so don't miss the opportunity to join this fascinating trip of twisting groovy house, minimal, techno, and electro into exciting new forms.
Direct from the Midwest CLEAR is proud to present four tenacious hardware workouts from Juzer.
In theory the 12” starts slowly, with the 100 bpm rattle of Old Reliable, although it’s fitful energy is anything but, while the following track September coils itself into a tightly wound circuit freak-out. Busy Bees and We Work Hard We Play Hard are the buildup and climax of the record’s machinedriven anxiety, fit for a chase scene in a post apocalyptic megacity thriller.
Juzer is the joint project of two artists central to the underground musicscene in Chicago, Beau Wanzer and Dan Jugle. The work of both straddles the fault-lines between, noise, techno, industrial, EBM, and the more frenzied shades of house. In addition to a prolific number of solo releases, Wanzer is a member of Mutant Beat Dance with Traxx and Steve Summers, Civil Duty with Shawn O’Sullivan, and many more. Like Wanzer, Jugle was a habitual collaborator and his untimely passing last year shocked Chicago’s electronic music community. Jugle was a natural collaborator, the sort of person for whom creating music was a daily act, and even better with friends. In addition to Juzer he was also a member of Dar Embarks, Chandeliers, and Ghost Arcade. Previous Juzer material was issued on The Corner and Dog In The Night.
- non-gatefold sleeve without 7"
Rush Hour announces their second artist compilation Patchwork, curated by one of the label’s most loved family members, Sassy J. The Swiss DJ is the very embodiment of passion and long-standing dedication to the craft of the DJing, but also to the community surrounding the music that she lives and breathes. For the past fourteen years Sassy J has run the Patchwork night in her native Bern and in London, with guests ranging from Theo Parrish and Little Dragon to Floating Points and MF Doom invited to share their respective musical visions. Her collaborative approach stands out in a DJ world that is too often weighted in favour of promoting the individual. This compilation grows out that unique sensitivity, foregrounding a theory of curation that centres on long-term bonds, articulated through Sassy J’s personal relationships with the contributing artists.
Patchwork speaks to the grass roots values that Sassy J espouses, showcasing music by many of the artists that have joined her throughout the years in clubs, on the radio, and at home. It is an expression of Sassy J’s individual musical path that casts its gaze firmly in the future: Patchwork is made up almost entirely of new and unreleased songs that are exclusive to this collection. Patchwork captures a sound that has continued to evolve in its restless search for new musical directions. Across thirteen tracks we find forward thinking electronic music rubbing elbows with cosmic jazz and deep percussion workouts from Brazil and beyond.
There are irresistible calls to the dancefloor: 2000 Black’s UK boogie and the syncopated rhythms of WaH-chU-kU nod to the West London sound, whilst the early rave of Nu Era and Aardvarck’s sub-rattling techno channel the grittier edges of the club experience. We find machine music imbued with humanity in Larry Heard’s deep house classic “Survivor” and in Ron Trent’s WARM project, whose gentle breeze points to a different side of the legendary producer. Patchwork also opens a more immersive listening space in which the radical indie soul of Georgia Anne Muldrow, the ambient spiritual jazz of bandleader Carlos Niño & Friends, and the lament for the Amazon rainforest by Azymuth’s drummer Ivan Conti can channel the overall spirit of group interplay and solidarity. Patchwork also includes Sassy J’s collaboration with veteran producer Alex Attias, marking her own place in a universe that is held together by her singular thread.
"This is the compilation of the year!" - DJ Spinna
Holy Fuck have today announced details of new album 'Deleter', which will be released on January 17th and is further previewed with the video for acclaimed latest single 'Luxe' (ft. Alexis Taylor). Having just concluded a US tour alongside Hot Chip, the seminal Canadian band will play a selection of European headline dates later this month (with a London show at Moth Club on October 23rd selling out immediately).
Arriving at a moment where attention spans are shot and anxieties are going into overdrive, 'Deleter', Holy Fuck’s fifth studio LP, is a defiantly full-bodied affair. Polyrhythmic and pleasure- focused, 'Deleter' sees Brian Borcherdt, Graham Walsh, Matt Schulz, and Matt “Punchy” McQuaid utilises their signature sound - seamlessly fusing the gauzy drive of krautrock and deep house’s dreamy ineffability, expertly blending purring motorik percussion with the sort of fuggy synthetic fizz and tang they are renowned for.
From the thrusting minimalism of opener ‘Luxe’ through to the triumphant chug of closing track ‘Ruby’, via club-ready rollocker ‘Free Gloss’ and the cosmic clatter of ‘San Sebastian’, Deleter is a record that joins the Holy Fuck dots within their widescreen, technicolour, crescendo- heavy sound.
The 888 Miles E.P. includes two original tracks, 888 Miles and 777 Miles, which both develop a psychological tension that leads to moments of euphoric liberation where the synths soar and allow the mind the wander, accompanied by a rhythmic groove. There is a slightly different sensitivity between the two tracks that you'll can easlyer constat. Then, don't forget, even if the approach sounds different, the soul remains the same. The other original track, 000 Miles, places you on a spacecraft, with ambient musicality sounding like it could have been generated by hydraulic pipes or air conditioning. This E.P. release also includes '888 Miles XXX Reshape', a deep techno remix by none other than the awesome Francois X. He's probably the best person to describe it: "I've known David & Kevin (Klash Point duo) for a while now and when they suggested that I produce a remix for them, it was natural to say yes. It's funny how this piece of music saw the light, as it has a completely altered tone from the original. It's definitely one of my funkier tracks, with trippy and bluesy vibes - like a trip deep into the wild."
Rockets Audio starts the saga with 4 finest minimal house trackers by Matheiu, Denis Kaznacheev and the master trio Wareika. A rocket (from Italian rocchetto "bobbin" is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle that obtains thrust from a rocket engine. Rocket engine exhaust is formed entirely from propellant carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction and push rockets forward simply by expelling their exhaust in the opposite direction at high speed, and can therefore work in the vacuum of space.
In fact, rockets work more efficiently in space than in an atmosphere. Multistage rockets are capable of attaining escape velocity from Earth and therefore can achieve unlimited maximum altitude. Compared with airbreathing engines, rockets are lightweight and powerful and capable of generating large accelerations. To control their flight,
rockets rely on momentum, airfoils, auxiliary reaction engines, gimballed thrust, momentum wheels, deflection of the exhaust stream, propellant flow, spin, and/or gravity.
Rockets for military and recreational uses date back to at least 13th century China. Significant scientific, interplanetary and industrial use did not occur until the 20th century, when rocketry was the enabling technology for the Space Age, including setting foot on the Earth's moon. Rockets are now used for fireworks, weaponry, ejection seats, launch vehicles for artificial satellites, human spaceflight, and space exploration.
SOUND rockets are the most common type of high power rocket, typically creating a high speed pitch by the wave of rythm with an oxilator. The stored delay can be a simple pressurized detune or a single filter delay that disassociates in the presence of a curve (EQ + FILTER ), two hats that spontaneously react on contact (RANDOMIZER), two snares that must be ignited to react, a solid combination of effects with oxidizer (solid GROOVE), or solid fuel with liquid oxidizer (hybrid FILTER BAND DELAY). Chemical rockets store a large amount of energy in an easily released form, and can be very dangerous. However, careful design, testing, construction and use minimizes risks.
Jay Clarke's masterful BLACKAXON imprint returns with a shapeshifting EP from Davide Piras.
What began as a sonic sketchbook for Clarke to express his expansive view of electronic music, is evolving. The label is opening up to artists who hold a shared passion for creating dynamic and interesting techno compositions, with a few surprises here and there. Following last October's superb contribution from rising talent Yant, experimental techno artist David Piras drops a quadruplet of cuts to join the BLACKAXON fold.
His BLACKAXON debut, "Beyond Our Reach", is a true all-rounder. It leads with the dusty slow bass monster "Radiation Belt", before the gritty electro noodlings of "Multipolar" enter the fore. The analogue-infused rave cut "System Cartesian" takes the EP into otherworldly realms, before atmosphere-heavy "Pangaea Heritage" closes out the work, evoking a hazy afterhours vibe.
"Davide's productions hold an air of Convextion about them, he's one of my favourite artists. I locked into that right away and knew I wanted to release his music. When I listen to Davide's tracks I feel as though I'm in the middle of a sci-fi movie, they're funky and futuristic tales from the deep. Amazing!" - Jay Clarke
New Zealand juggernaut Fat Freddy’s Drop return with a new studio album, ‘Special Edition Part 1’, due for digital release on 15th November, with 2LP Vinyl and CD following up on 10th January. The 45rpm vinyl edition is produced with
a different track order across four sides and promises to deliver super fat loud audio.
Part 1 of a double album, ‘Special Edition Part 1’, comprises of six tracks of which ‘Raleigh Twenty’, ‘Trickle Down’ and
‘Six-Eight Instrumental’ were written and recorded undercover at the band’s Wellington studio, BAYS, while the other
tracks; ‘Special Edition, ‘Kamo Kamo’, and ‘OneFourteen’, have all been developed and evolved from the band’s celebrated live jam sessions, whilst on the road in front of audiences worldwide.
Supremely crafted at Freddy’s own BAYS studio in hometown Wellington, the deep musical and rich vocal layers reflect
Freddy’s inspiration from the black music lexicon and is a response to the crowd energy at their world dominating live
shows.
‘Special Edition Part 1’ is the first release of a long envisaged double album project with separate chapters. The next
journey, Part 2 will be released in 2020 after stringent road-testing with audiences over 35 shows across New Zealand, UK and Europe celebrating the release of the Part 1. These upcoming live performances will allow the band to fully explore new song-writing technology and give rise to a slamming Part 2. The new album follows on from 2015’s ‘BAYS’ LP, which saw support from Financial Times, Resident Advisor, Dummy, the DJ Mag and Clash-acclaimed ‘Blackbird,’ second album ‘Dr Boondigga and the Big BW’ - which gained rave reviews by The Guardian and BBC Music - and the band’s record breaking debut album ‘Based on a True Story’, which went nine times platinum and remained in New Zealand’s top 40 charts for over two years after its release in
2005.
The album cover artwork is by Wellington artist Otis Chamberlain, a continuing evolution from his creation for the its first single ‘Trickle Down’, a work that's morphed from digital cover art to the band’s massive summer tour backdrop and the recently released late-night buttery steppers ‘Kamo Kamo’. Fat Freddy’s Drop have been performing and recording together for more than 15 years, establishing themselves as one of New Zealand's most internationally successful acts. Considered one of the best live experiences in the world, they will embark on their biggest European and UK tour since they sold out a double hitter at London’s 02 Academy Brixton in 2018. Including an already sold out show in Dublin, the band will headline Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on 29th April 2020, Liverpool’s Invisible Wind Factory on 30th April, returning back to London’s Alexandra Palace on 1st May – the palace was the scene of two triumphant sold out headline concerts in 2014 and 2017 - before heading north to Glasgow’s Barrowland on 3rd May.
A multifaceted and detached balancing act between
electronica and breakbeats, with a touch of minimalist
elements and spherical sounds, describes the first release on
NL by the currently living in Leipzig, Natalie Luengo. In her
early youth infected with house and techno, she simply never
gets tired of this long-standing double relationship. A touch of
breaky grooves and acid with a breeze of electro and provided
with melodic elements define their mixes and productions.
The "second limited vinyl edition on Scena_731 label, is a sharp weapon like the Blade Knifee, recorded by the talented "Yari Greco"
with a sound that screams like the 90's and with heavy industrial themes. On B side, amazing are the featuring with the incredible dutch
duo, "Noneoftheabove" with riding rides of drummer and to the end, the techno lord by "Mr. Endlec" it's pure industrial adrenaline.
Announcing Mad Zach's debut release on MethLab Recordings with his No Past Lives EP, which is available on 12" vinyl and digital formats. The four tracks within unfurl an exquisite and alluring journey into the recesses of the human spirit, circling between nostalgic yearning and a steadfast, driven intensity. No Past Lives will be available on Tuesday, October 1.
An intoxicating myriad of complex soundscapes, Mad Zach stuns yet again with impeccable sound design through four thoughtful tracks. A compelling story through the inner workings of the mind, Mad Zach does not hold back in his enigmatic MethLab debut. Featuring production techniques signature of the prolific producer, Mad Zach’s many influences shine through in No Past Lives; a mix of dub, hip-hop, techno, jungle, and various other styles, No Past Lives is the amalgamation of artistic passion and drive.
Public Release once again plunges into the deep well of dance music talent it's hometown of San Francisco has long fostered for Moon Replacement, the debut single by Anderson Chase, two originals wrapped around a couple remixes of its titular track.
Clocking in at over eight minutes, “Moon Replacement” is a tense, drawn-out affair. It coaxes you onto the dancefloor with hardedged drums that slap with a metallic clang, a steely bass throb that defines its backbone, and spindly synth noodles that creep around the crust on top. Chase’s previous life as a punk and metal drummer seeps through; this is a tenacious house boogie that trundles along at that Goldilocks BPM of 118, fast enough to snap you to attention, slow enough that you don’t lose stamina as you give into the groove.
Japanese house producer Gonno, known for his ability to graft scalpel-sharp minimal techno loops onto out-there, mindexpanding arrangements, puts his own spin on the song for the A2 slot.
He darkens the mood while zapping it with a static charge to quicken its pace. On the reverse is Mark E’s take, which goes in the opposite direction, applying some heat so the square structure’s joins start to melt, wiggle, wobble. The bottom is still stocky, a molten mass of heavy-duty bass energy, but the melody that dances around the top is airier and lighter, glints of sunshine through storm clouds.
And then “Between Us” arrives to stick the landing, get us back to where we started. Like “Moon Replacement,” it’s a blocky foot-stomper that directs you forward with its tireless rhythm section, though this time with an even longer shadow cast behind it.
'Agartha Stories' is a record we were looking forward to release for quite some time. Hailing from the Venice area in Italy, Bruscagin & Visnadi are representing a specific sound from that region, a certain type of melodic techno but with its very own sound design we have rarely heard before. Hear the interesting story behind it. As half forgotten legends from ancient civilisations like Celts, Aztecs, Vikings and Incas say, there is a mythical place located in the centre of our planet. This enchanted place is called Agartha and only accessible through hidden gateways under different places on our Earth's surface, like the Pyramid of Giza, Mato Grosso or Mount Epomeo. Agartha is populated by an ancient civilization that survived Atlantis. What diversifies these inhabitants from our society is the respect and the love they feel for the nature and the fundamental elements that are substantial for the progress of human beings. Following their 'Indian Stories' release on Lost & Found, Bruscagin & Visnadi dedicate their second episode of the saga to the mysterious civilization of Agartha
´
Working Men's Club announce a small run of remix 12”s, comprising of the brand new Anthony Naples remix and instrumental which will be released on November 15th' and placed in a limited Heavenly house bag. This comes after a previous reworking of the track by Factory Floor’s Gabe Gurnsey.
Heavenly’s Jeff Barrett says:
“We fancied one more remix, one with both feet on the dance floor - and it had to be Anthony Naples, the New York house/techno DJ and producer, whose recent album 'Fog FM' is considered sth. of a classic round our house.”
Anthony’s debut album Body Pill was released on Four Tet’s label in 2015 and his remix CV includes. 4 Tet & more recently Cinematic Orchestra. He's a cool dude, with a killer remix ...
- A1: Toto Chiavetta - Thank You In All Languages
- A2: Echonomist - Overseas
- A3: Unnayanaa Feat Visalakshi - Eru Maliye (Toto Chiavetta "Vinyl Edition"Remix)
- B1: Eri - Lapsed Technology
- B2: Unnayanaa & Irfan_Rainy Feat Ibtisam - Taht Min Aini (Toto Chiavetta Remix)
- C1: Siza - Primitivismo
- C2: U A - Ederlezi (Toto Chiavetta Feat. Sead Ajaz Ensemble Edition)
- D1: John Falke - Villam
- D2: Pergola Feat Lygdamo - Rocking' In The Free World
- D3: Olaf Stuut Feat Marlon Penn - Run (Toto Chiavetta Private Edit)
Walking through a forest of hyper-technologic buildings inhabited by a dehumanised civilisation, he opened the gate of a damp and dark place from which he could hear thudding sounds. Behind the heavy door, he entered a room, slighty illuminated by neon lights shining through clouds of smoke. The place was filled with bodies moving to what sounded like the future. Here, making her way through the electrified tribe, like a flower cracking through a block of raw concrete, she came to him "you're too late but it's ok"Paradygme is a brand new label by VERTV dedicated to dreamy and abstract electronic club music.E00 is the new moniker of VERTV’s cofounder Eva 00 (releases on Neon Violence, The Other Planet, Special Species, Dream Raw…)
Since nearly a decade now, Italian born artist Antonio Marini is going through a sonic adventure known as Healing Force Project. Discreetly building up his musical blueprint, he slowly reached a cult status
as a visionary who is blending electronic music with free-jazz in an atypical, anarchic, spontaneous and original way. On „Sideral Escape“ the artist shows himself in his different facets ranging from ambient to jazz to techno.
Influential UK artist Man Power makes his Skint Records debut this December with a thrilling new offering featuring Berlin’s Private Agenda.
Man Power is a true electronic virtuoso who has proven he can do searing acid, raw techno and expressive disco with equal elan.
As well as running his own Me Me Me labels, he has appeared on top outlets like ESP Institute and Correspondent and now impresses once again with the help of Berlin’s Private Agenda.
The electric original version of ‘Do It Thin’ is an intense and steamy affair with Eurobeat synths and Italo piano chords that are sure to make a huge impression on the crowd. Vocals that Bronski Beat would be proud of soar to the heavens and get hands in the air whilst the hard hitting drums drive things forward.
Dramatic chords build the suspense, leading you towards an epic, guitar laden breakdown with well sequenced synths adding weight and colour. Edgy and expressive, it is a real stomper with a fusion of myriad different styles.
An instrumental version is also supplied that removes the vocal and allows the studio skills and musicianship to really shine, this was a showstopper in Man Power’s recent Boiler Room set and it not to be missed.
Man Power marks his Skint debut here with the same sense of timelessness and quality that has defined his career to date.
As one journey nears its end, another one is just starting. After the final release of her Propaganda label Nastia is back with a new imprint - NECHTO. After putting out a modest, but powerful catalogue of vinyl collector's exclusives, Nastia decided to focus more on dancefloor techno music.
The first installment in NECHTO catalogue is a perfect example of the concept - four track juicy techno EP from an undisclosed artist. From dreamy pads of N_1 that start the trip, through hypnotized and trance-like states of N_2 and N_3 to tense groove of N_4 the author takes no prisoners and delivers crisp, rich sounding collection of tracks that will light up every party.
A solid piece of work from the artist who's name will purposely remain a mystery. This is about music. So go order a copy now and dance to the sounds of NECHTO!
DJ Mad A (Adam Embleton) & Dr. Stevie The Ambient Guru (Stevie Hewitt) originally met when Adam picked up the Saturday shift at 'Record Mart', a record store run by Stevie back in the late 80's. They quickly bonded over shared tastes and enthusiasm for the growing dance club culture in England.
'Balearic Beat' had arrived from Ibiza, house music was taking over, and clubs were pushing boundaries, encouraging DJs to experiment with the dancefloor. Stevie was a regular selector at classic venues like 'Club Havana' and 'Flixx', where he blended house, electro & techno for the loaded English youth. Adam had signed to Island records, at 17, the first signee for newly appointed A&R rep Darcus Beese. Their collaborations in the Island studio is where the early 'Mad A' production techniques were cultivated.
With Adam behind the programming and Stevie on guitar, the two assembled a few songs to add to their explorative DJ sets. They printed a white label tiny pressing of 'The Mad Vibe', four tracks, "sending out waves that shock", their sound was a frantic blend of electro and house. The E.P. sold out fast locally, with their tune, 'Levitating Pharaohs' catching the attention of Drum 'n' Bass duo 'Spring Heel Jack' and labels like Mo'wax. As the 90's rolled on, the two continued to DJ as residents at clubs like Corner House, Brody's, Arena & Dickens.
Smiling C 2019 repress of this cult 12". Remastered and housed in a die-cut 12" jacket with pharaoh's head sticker.
"Play The Trax. Feel The Vibes. Mad as....."
Four freshly dare-to-be different cuts of bass-driven Techno, electro/IDM grooves, atmospheric dub chords, weird percussions and odd-uneven rhythms.
There’s a subtle sense of tension and restlessness in the guts of this music but also a lot of space, both colliding in the powerful dubby synth-solo closing track.
“Cryptic, twilight emissions from Villalobos and Loderbauer; their synthetic compound of electronics and ouroboros jazz has walked from ECM and Perlon over to Mana.
Developing a sound that tends to drift along as otherworldly atmospheres and strange fusion, Vilod evade easy categorisation, even compared to Villalobos’ already experimental and genre-twisting solo minimal offerings. He and Loderbauer pull away the backbone inherent to the structure of that dance music, and The Clouds Know refines a deft and subtle musical noir built on ambient cues, sparks and claps of electricity, brushed drums, black voids and subterranean bass swoops. There's a twinkle in the eye and moments of deadpan levity, but the overall mood here is sober and introspective. Emotions run deep.
Through studio mastery and an enigmatic language the album forms a fascinating sonic and sensory work with few compromises. With erratic rhythms notably submerged—techno remains as an irregular pulse in the belly of the beast—fields of crisp, uncanny detail expand greatly. Humid environments appear, dense with the chatter of synthesised insects and the gentle rain of drums and whispering cymbals, enchanting the listener in focus or sublimating into layers of ambience depending on your disposition - and the quality of your stereo field.”
"Warok music" is proud to announce the release of a new record featuring collaborations with various artists, from mental driving techno to big room techno. In this new serie of various, we reveal the true story behind the label which is inspired by the fascinating Indonesian culture. The mask is representative image of this culture. The real name of warok is coming from a traditional Indonesian ceremony "Reog Ponorogo", in which they tell the story of a mythical battle between the King of Ponorogo, and the magical lion-like creature called Singa Barong.
Trevor Wyatt aka Spiltmilk is madly passionate about refining his sound techniques. He is totally in to spacey mutated funk right now, so keep an eye for his latest Album: ‘Funk Side of A Moon’ which will release in early 2020 on MSLX recordings.
Jozy is one of Canada’s hypest new vocalists and she carries a strong message. Her new R'n'B Hip-Hop album ‘Next Phase’ will release in early 2020.
After a short hiatus, the dynamic duo of VSK & Conrad Von Orton return with their collaborative project, Symmetrical Behaviour.
After a steady stream of releases via Soma over the last couple of years. The pair took time out to focus on solo projects but return with a vengeance with the "Superconducting Harmonic Oscillator" EP which furthers their experiments in sound design and high-powered Techno.
Title track "Superconducting Harmonic Oscillator" kicks off the EP at a furious pace as highly charged atmospheres create and emphatically large sound for the pairing's suitably tough beats to hammer through. "Quantum Interference Device" goes down a more direct path as expertly crafted rhythms overlap against a backdrop of highly evolved drones and synths.
"Amplitude Spectral Density" keeps the tempo moving but leans on a more industrial tip with crashing beats submerged against articulately mangled synths that drive home the true force of the track. "Resonant Antennae" closes out the new EP from Symmetrical Behaviour and really has them show off their production prowess.
Jarring and off kilter rhythmic structure combine to deliver a truly head pounding track complete with the pairs stylistic atmosphere manipulation.
All Tracks Mastered by Conor Dalton @ Glowcast Mastering.
Christopher Joseph is back on his Flexxseal label with four enthralling tracks entitled "Eye in the Sky".
He's an emerging talent from from Massachusetts who now resides in Berlin. His productions encapsulate, his vast musical background which includes studying Jazz percussion and living in the vibrant musical hubs of New Orleans and Berlin.
"Eye in the Sky" sees Christopher return to his invigorating Flexxseal imprint following releases from himself and Philadelphia's DJ Richard which together garnered heavy support from the likes of Ben UFO, Call Super, A Made Up Sound, I-F and many more.
"Eye in the Sky" kicks off proceedings with ethereal leads floating underneath electro-fuelled percussion and swirling synths together sending the emotions skyward while vigorously, resonant drums fused with rave- induced modulations and twisted melodies lay the focus in "Lick The Honey".
On the flip, "Nothing69" delivers growling resonations, breaks-tinged drums and otherworldly arpeggios that keep you enticed throughout until "Leaving Ringworld" rounds things off with a vintage, warehouse techno track featuring an effervescent, rolling groove sequence, spiralling oscillations and industrial feels throughout.
Aviador Dro are without a doubt the most avant-garde and influential techno-pop band from Spain. They started in 1979 and this year are celebrating their 40th anniversary playing shows, re-releasing some old works, publishing a book and also a new album.
“Acción Contra El Pasado” was recorded in Madrid in December of 1980 and is one of the oldest live performances of which there is a recording evidence. This concert is legendary not only for its age, but also for including some unreleased songs, a couple of early covers by Kraftwerk and Sex Pistols and vintage versions of classics tracks.
“Aviador Dro y su Maquinaria Humana” (exactly as it was announced on the original flyer) was formed at that time by Biovac N, Fox Cicloide, Placa Tumbler, Derflex Tipo IARR, CTA 102, X, Metalina 2 and Cyberjet. A priceless piece of history restored and remastered from the original cassette recorded directly from the mixing desk.
Limited edition of 400 copies with a A2 size colour poster.
Drawings created by the Polish artist Michał Arkusiński.
DOWNWELL is the solo project of Giorgi Kolbaia and comes out from one of the planet’s hottest scene nowadays speaking about dark techno and ebm (Tbilisi/Georgia). It could be perfectly described as a paving roller for the dance floor or as a hell thunder storm.
Resounding dark beats and distorted voices to burn everything around. All tracks have been specially remastered for LONG CUT Vinyl by Eric Van Wonterghem at Prodam Berlin.
Following on from his beautiful release on Claremont 56 in 2018 - Alterleo aka Denis Leonovich, takes a different approach for this new e.p on the Kinfolk imprint and produces a storming world infused 4-tracker.
'Cabriodelic' is a mid-tempo march that utilises sublime keys, sci-fi ethics and military style drums to incredible effect. 'On The Way' keeps the drums heavy but ventures into a deeper sub tropical technoid-esque landscape.
'Tour De L'Afrique' is exactly that, a jaunty vibe that buzzes and rolls through an unknown afro-centric land.'In Sands' finishes off the package nicely with an acidic heavy Moroccan spiced percussive roller.
Essential music for the truly tropical dance floors of the world.
Amadeo Savio is next up on Vigenere, the label that has thus far presented a whole host of unknown names in the field of minimal techno all bound together by a shared classiness in their production style. Savio's approach is deep and dubby on opening cut "Isolat", one primed for the after hours. "Trance Later" has a slightly more forthright approach, but there's still plenty of mellow delights to be found in the synth department to keep you chilling. "Encor" heads into more typically minimal pastures, while "Kassion" explores broken beat patterns and fragmented samples with scintillating results.
‘Wild Slide’ is the debut album from techno supergroup, Better Lost Than Stupid, aka 3 of the world’s finest producers and DJs - Martin Buttrich, Davide Squillace, and Matthias Tanzmann.
Released on 13 September by Skint/BMG, the 11 track album follows a slew of singles - ‘Back From The Desert’, ‘The Sky Is Too Low’, and ‘Inside’ – which have won praise from the likes of Mixmag, Dancing Astronaut, RA, Radio 1 (Pete Tong and Danny Howard), Marco Carola, Dubfire, Nicole Moudaber, Kolsch, Joris Voorn, Claptone, Eats Everything, Adam Beyer, and many more.
Electronic music underpins ‘Wild Slide’, but Better Lost’ look beyond it with a varied collection of song ‘Wild Slide’ is the debut album from techno supergroup, Better Lost Than Stupid, aka 3 of the world’s finest producers and DJs - Martin Buttrich, Davide Squillace, and Matthias Tanzmann.
Released on 13 September by Skint/BMG, the 11 track album follows a slew of singles - ‘Back From The Desert’, ‘The Sky Is Too Low’, and ‘Inside’ – which have won praise from the likes of Mixmag, Dancing Astronaut, RA, Radio 1 (Pete Tong and Danny Howard), Marco Carola, Dubfire, Nicole Moudaber, Kolsch, Joris Voorn, Claptone, Eats Everything, Adam Beyer, and many more.
Electronic music underpins ‘Wild Slide’, but Better Lost’ look beyond it with a varied collection of songs that combine synth-pop (‘Inside’, ‘Wild Slide’), electronica (‘Boys & Girls’, ‘Harder Than Gold’), indie rock (‘Back From The Desert’), and downtempo (‘Without The Feeling’, ‘Bender’), with the kind of euphoric techno moments they’re individually known for (‘Inside’, ‘Right Now’).
‘Wild Slide’ shows that the comparisons made between Better Lost’ and stadium techno acts like The Chemical Brothers, and Underworld, stand up. The production quality is every bit as good as you’d expect from Buttrich and co, and the songs have been crafted and written by three people who’ve spent their lives making music and then playing it to hundreds of thousands of people.
London based producer Christian Piers has a decade of production experience and a discography that spans house, techno and drum and bass. He is a long-term friend of 17 Steps, and became the second artist to release on the label after label heads Dusky back in 2015. Acclaimed releases on Curle and with Leon Vynehall as Laszlo Dancehall have sustained Christians' reputation as a truly versatile producer.
With ‘Virus’, his debut LP under this alias, Christian puts himself forward an exceptional and compelling voice in UK techno, drawing on his experience in drum and bass and breaks, a sample heavy hip-hop inspired approach to production and a dubbed out, industrial techno aesthetic.
Opener ‘Extrinsic’ lays the foundations, combining cavernous drones and rattling breaks over submerged kicks, conjuring up images of chasmal warehouses, dusty basements and rattling window frames. Elsewhere delay soaked stabs bounce off combative breaks. A dialogue between Christians’ influences ensues that’s as captivating as it is individual.
Christian creates passages of intense energy without breaking a sweat. Cold atmospheres are navigated with an unhurried authority and confidence that prevents them from becoming desolate. Behind the gritty haze and forceful bassweight Christian hides the playful, agile rhythms that have become his signature – percussive sounds stumble and roll in the background, whip like snares slice through the fog.
‘Virus’ is an exhilarating ride; right up to the final bars of the teasing, anti-climactic dancefloor weapon ‘Resource Depletion’. The infinite rising tones of the closer are a bold and forward looking statement of intent from an artist whose evolution continues to unfold.
DeForrest Brown Jr. is an outspoken theorist, journalist, curator, visual artist and musician. Raised in the deep South, DeForrest moved to New York a few years ago and has been shaking things up IRL and online ever since.
- He asks difficult questions that make us relook at how we think
about race, class, post-racial ideas, historical events and the social
structures in America.
- His work defies narrow bags and he’s truly a unique cultural polygot
comfortable booking an artist like Felicia Atkinson at Issue Project
Room or shaking up people on the street with his “Make Techno
Black Again” hat line.
- His project Speaker Music was inspired by Rhythmanalysis, a book
of essays by urbanist philosopher Henri Lefebvre as well as
considerations of momentum and the “chronopolitical” from British
cultural theorist Kodwo Eshun. Mobilizing freely improvised
electronic percussion and stereophonic audio recordings, Speaker
Music yearns to caress, engineer and sculpt sentiment into a multi-
textural rhythmic body, quivering moments into a collapsed
“nonpulsed time.”
- His debut for Planet Mu centers around weary sonic portraiture of
sonorous and cybernetic energy music – a music encoded with an
encrypted heat but made “with empathy and without excess.” His
“touching of frequencies” unveils a romantic abstraction of sonic
narratives that recalls previous innovations by musicians such as
Les McCann, Urban Tribe and James Stinson.
DeForrest Brown Jr. will be present at Unsound Festival in October at which he’ll be launching a new publication w/ Primary Information.
He will also present a special event at respected New York art gallery Artist Space on Friday December 13th at which he’ll be launching a book related to the album.
Additional dates will happen between October and next Spring - A Video will also be launched when the album is announced in early October (...).
- A1: Laurent Garnier - Water Planet
- A2: Mono Junk - Beyond The Darkness
- B1: Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia - The Valley
- B2: Melody Boy 2000 - Plenty Of Love
- C1: Drax Ltd Ii - Amphetamine
- C2: Dan Curtin - 3Rd From The Sun
- C3: Front 242 - U-Men
- D1: The Prince Of Dance Music - E3 E6 Roll On
- D2: Pan Sonic - Lahetys/Transmission
- D3: Burial - Archangel
Beyond Space And Time is the new record label from Japanese music festival, Rainbow Disco Club (RDC). RDC has been welcoming music loving people to Japan for over a decade. Throughout the festival's history, RDC have been fortunate to constantly encounter performers and DJs who've collaborated with them in establishing a beautiful dance floor year in, year out. These relationships have lead RDC to start their own label, and now gives them the opportunity to reveal one of the best-kept secrets: What is in a DJ's record bag?
This time around, festival regular DJ Nobu kindly opens up his collection and shares the music he loves with us all. On visual duty we welcome Senekt - his representational yet contemporary drawing illustrates the emotion we feel from DJ Nobu.
We have much more music to come in future from artists that we trust and respect.
▼ DJ Nobu describes 10 tracks this way ▼
A1. Laurent Garnier - Water Planet
Highly respected French DJ/Producer Laurent Garnier has been releasing tracks for decades capturing the very essence of Detroit Techno and Breakbeat. He always manages to create something truly emotional. This is not his biggest hit, but it's my favorite.
A2. Mono Junk - Beyond The Darkness
This track represents the very early days of Techno with it's ravey atmosphere. It has a primitive feel, and the obscure mixdown sounds almost unbalanced. That said, this one really stands out when DJing. Very cool.
B1. Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia - The Valley
It was always my intention to include this track in a compilation if were I ever to do one. It has a fat underlying groove, with some indigenous spices thrown in. The whole thing is put together beautifully. No complaints!
B2. Melody Boy 2000 - Plenty Of Love
I wanted to include a track that had Jacking feel to it - that is my definition of dance music. This track mixes well in both Techno and House DJ sets.
C1. Drax Ltd. II - Amphetamine
This is my all time favorite track by Thomas P Heckman. It asks questions and strikes down all the boring 'wanna be cool' techno tracks. It is obviously a well known tune already, but I include it here because I'm often asked for it's track ID from new kids in the game. This is a classic that should be passed down.
C2. Dan Curtin - 3rd From The Sun
Curtin's refined synth grooves and bass lines make this a true timeless classic. It do not get tired of listening to his rhythms and melodies - he always gets it just right.
C3. Front 242 - U-Men.
The originator of Electric Body Music. Their husky vocals, hard rhythms and strong synth basslines made the group very popular at the time, and they are still to this present day. To me, this track represents what the Belgian New Beat scene is all about.
D1. The Prince Of Dance Music - E3 E6 Roll On
This is the track I played the most up until around 2006. It is a genuine house track that cuts through trends in music. A hidden floor killer.
D2. Pan Sonic - Lähetys / Transmission
Electronic music has existed for decades, and if you are to choose some of the best from all scattered & hidden places, Pan Sonic's 'Lähetys / Transmission' must be considered. The track emerges beautifully - breaking structures and transcending the past. Every layer of the piece is produced with such delicacy and care, that as a whole it magically drags you into the world of the unknown.
D3. Burial - Archangel
This track merges melancholic emotions with technological prowess at the highest level, and deeply impacted the dance music scene on it's release. I recently played this track at the end of my set at the forward thinking Terraforma Festival in Milan. It faded out to huge applause from the open minded crowd. A moment to be remembered.
The On Board Music imprint returns with its third release this October, a five- track various artist package featuring material from Lanoche, Yugen, Serena Butler, Estrato Aurora and Vera Logdanidi.
Laura BCR’s On Board Music delivers its third release here, following two mini LP projects from Healing Force Project and Mesak. The ‘Point A’ project marks the beginning of a series of VA’s coming on the imprint focusing on both established and up and coming talents from different origins, stylistically ranging from ambient to techno and all meeting together on the dance floor. French painter Natacha Mankowski provided the artwork once again, and mastering was taken care of by Carsten Dämbkes.
Taking the lead is Lanoche’s ‘Love Fall’, an ethereal opener fuelled by hypnotic pads, wandering bass tones and heavily reverberated, shuffled percussion before Yugen’s ‘Phantom’ lays focus on pulsating arpeggios, choppy bass stabs and swirling atmospherics. Serena Butler’s ‘Fertile Fancy’ follows next, a cinematic four minute ambient cut employing subtly nuanced pads and bright voice like tones throughout.
Estrato Aurora’s ‘Icnita’ opens the flips side with murky, oscillating bass tones, gritty, off-kilter drums and an ever-present underlying tension before Vera Logdanini’s ‘VPlanet’ rounds out the package perfectly, delivering a reduced Techno cut fuelled by cavernous atmospherics, arpeggio bleeps and swirling low-end pulses.
Through the combined brilliant minds of Fabrice Lig, Kiko Navarro, Karim Sahraoui and Jean Vanesse, the new musical force known as Quadra 163 has arrived. Working together in Jean Vanesse's Belgium studio, their debut EP, "Spin Coaster EP" was born.
Through intense live collaboration over 3 full days, the results are these incredible original tracks and a remix from the American house legend, Osunlade (Yoruba Records). Belgium's Elypsia Records have an absolutely essential release here for those looking for proper club weapons - each track dreamt up by a crew of producers with decades of critical acclaim and club credibility.
Osunlade kicks off the release on A1 with his rework of 'Spin Coaster.' The remix is a late night machine jam saturated with sharp synth textures and a shuffling rhythm which will lock the dancefloor tightly in place. A perfect blend between House and Techno, it's a shining example of Osunlade's keen ability to capture imagination with function, tension with release.
'Ghetto Beat' steps up as the A2, with a drum heavy cut full of off-kilter hits and tones which twist and turn in frequency and timbre. It's the type of track that will get the crowds cheering and jackin' and dancing without a break. A proper tool to slam into the set whenever energy levels need to lift higher and things need to get slightly twisted.
Title track 'Spin Coaster' sets up the B-side with a master session of prime time techno making magic. A playfully thick bassline resonates in and out of the analog rhythms while a synth tone builds tension over the track's entire duration. A few breaks for the clubbers to catch their breath are placed in the perfect spots - but only for a brief moment before things kick back in.
Rounding out the release is 'Ghetto Train,' an absolutely mental banger designed to melt the minds of those fortunate enough to be on the dancefloor when it's dropped. Relentless rhythms, huge hand claps and a sharp staccato shuffle drive the tune whilst synth stabs grow filthier with each passing phrase. Clearly the results of an insane studio session from the crew.
Sound has the ability to heal. This is the primary tenet that has been driving Karma Moffett for over 35 years. Pure tones, resonant harmonics, the sounds of the earth. At the dawn of the 80’s, as the burgeoning movement of privately-issued New Age was taking hold, Karma Moffett was a pioneer. Eschewing the use of synthesizers and other increasingly-available electronic technology, Karma crafted his meditative, introspective music using ancient instruments. Primarily utilizing Tibetan Bells, and Singing Bowls, Karma Moffett crafted sounds that led the listener on an inward journey.
1982’s Sitting Still Within/Sitting Still Without s Karma Moffett’s earliest triumph. Combining the aforementioned Tibetan Bowls & Bells along with naturalistic field recordings, Karma’s first album is a testament to the power of minimalism and repetition. An ambient voyage that truly draws the listener inwardst, and outwards, Sitting Still Within/ Sitting Still Without is music for healing.
MindTrip's label head, Pfirter, returns to his imprint with an assertive four tracker on wax and one exclusive digital download.
As he continues his hunt to the dance floor while remaining loyal to his signature sound of asymmetric rhythms, accurate arrangements and fierce synth lines, Pfirter is clearly focused on the heaviest side of his own palette. Dosis Multiple is his effort for sharing a balanced release of firm Techno cuts while playing with intensities, moods, hipnosis, tension and release.
Figure‘s newest addition to its catalog is Nocow‘s Ualldie EP, a vivid adventure following his trilogy Vozduh/Voda/Zemlya on the main label.
Nocow’s synths stand out once again, churning out melancholic grooves over five pieces, which showcase his abilty to mesh the psychedelic and the heavy, resulting in tracks both bittersweet and punishing.
It‘s a distinct Russianness, a yearning frozen within, which Nocow‘s cloud techno transports effectively using stereo panning, finely layered percussion and wide strings to paint his imaginative landscape.
Following a string of releases via his own bbbbbb recors, along with bodies of work on трип Recordings, February 2019 saw Bjarki debut on !K7 Records with the ‘Happy Earthday’ album.
With the album considered to be the Icelandic producers first full debut LP, ‘Happy Earthday’ offered a conceptual collection of music which Bjarki thought he would never release. Influenced by his home country of Iceland as well as the planet’s environmental issues, the album received support across the board from the likes of The Quietus, DJ Mag, Pitchfork, XLR8R, FACT and CLASH Music, along with being crowned Mixmag’s ‘Album of The Month’.
As part of the limited edition 200 copy box set version of ‘Happy Earthday’, a secret album of original music was available to hear unbeknown to listeners. Now receiving a full release this December on double vinyl and digital platforms, Bjarki will release his second full album of the year via !K7 Records. ‘Psychotic_Window’ is a further extension of the experimental artists creative vision whilst continuing to address environmental themes and nature.
Combining influences from techno, breakbeat, IDM, electronica and more across all of his studio output, ‘Psychotic_Window’ is Bjarki’s final signoff for 2019. The new 14-track album follows in line with one of his most significant years to date, highlighted by performances at major events including Dekmantel and DGTL Festival, along with pioneering eclectic new sounds via his bbbbbb recors label.
“After ‘Happy Earthday’, people have been asking me about the secret tracks and it made me feel that they deserve a proper release. Each track means a lot to me as I made them during a depressing phase in my life; I was pretty broke, working many shit jobs and also just being super lazy, uninterested in leaving my apartment.
Before I started touring, I had these periods where I could write so much music without thinking, pouring my heart out to comfort my thoughts and feelings without trying. I doubt that this kind of window will come back to me anytime soon, my way of music making has changed a lot after going on tour. At that time, I was listening to a lot of Coil, Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti. I think every struggling artist goes through these phases of being sleep deprived, staying up and making music all night. This was my psychotic window.” -
Bjarki
WRWTFWW Records is beyond thrilled to announce the first ever vinyl maxi-single release for "Raum", Grauzone's best-kept secret and underground mega-gem from 1980. The four-track affair includes the full title track sourced from the original reels, as well as a club-ready rework by Naum Gabo (Jonnie Wilkes of Optimo and James Savage) with help from Dennis Young of Liquid Liquid, and an extended edit by legendary Frankfurt DJ Ata (Robert-Johnson club, Playhouse/Klang/Ongaku labels). The 12 inch vinyl is cut at 45rpm and comes with a never-seen cover art by band member Stephan Eicher and a handmade Xerox hype sticker.
Initally released almost 40 years ago on the beloved compilation Swiss Wave - The Album (Off Course Records) alongside the band's massive hit "Eisbär", "Raum" is the biggest Grauzone track people have yet to discover. An über-infectious New York style bassline played by Christian "GT" Trüssel and frantic drumming by Marco Repetto blend with Martin Eicher's hauntingly hopeless lyrics and Claudine Chirac's saxophone escapades to personify post-punk heaven and all its wonderful anomalies. It's disco with an edge, pop filled with fear, it's The Cure infused with proto-techno and Swiss art chic. Or maybe, it's simply one hell of a song that will make you dance and shout. It's good!
RAVE026 is a double hammer of blitzkrieg gabber and seething acid trance/schranz from Service
Animal (Vereker) and Crime Unit, featuring material previously issued on impossible-to-find
tapes by the cult, DIY label; Live Adult Entertainment
The punkish reputation of Live Adult Entertainment precedes them as one of the underground’s
keenest yet elusive operations to emerge in recent years. Based in Thessaloniki, a port city in
northern Greece, they’ve released some 28 tapes, CDR’s and lathe cut vinyl of musick ranging from
psy-trance to industrial noise and concrète since 2017, and always in editions ranging from zero
to 20 tops, leading to feverish and frustrated reactions from those listeners who’ve chanced upon
their YouTube videos before they get taken down. Finally, this 12” features the first readily available
and properly mastered LAE material on a physical format.
On the A-side, Endangered Species label boss Oliver Vereker adopts his gabber alias Service
Animal for his first outing proper since appearing as Renoir on his label’s 2017 CD, ‘Death Always
Follows’. Revolving material originally available on tape in edition of 20 copies, it boots off with
the 12-hp hoof and dive-bombing drones of ‘Core Of Reality’ next to the evil Arcardipane styles of
‘F.T.W’, which are both produced with the same, powerful conviction in charred black metal, noise
and hardcore techno that made his 2015 releases as Restraint and Grace so vital, only with added
acceleration and syncopation.
The B-side follows with a pair of seething workouts from the ‘Cyber Afterbirth Vol.1’ mix by
LAE co-owner, Crime Unit. Hearkening back to a sound that was ubiquitous between Hackney
Warehouses and small-town UK/European techno clubs in the late ’90s/early ‘00s, they are
ravenous examples of the LAE aesthetic, applying scuzzy DIY principles to gnashing German
schranz and adrenalising acid trance with ruthlessly direct results that pack one of the meanest
breakdowns you’ll hear this year. Trust they will mercilessly sort the dancers from the posers.
The allmighty PRSPCT arsenal gets expanded big time with the coming of PRSPCT XTRM. The name says it all extreme... Over the top underground vibes!!!
The first release sees The DJ Producer going head to head with Bong Ra in a collaboration that's just too much. It starts off with "The Abominable" a track that's insane in every way. Heavy hardcore kicks combined with destructive Jungle breaks is something only this duo can combine! Sitting firm on the edge of Hardcore, Breakcore and DnB like only these 2 can. "Bloodclot Techno" is something totally different. This one focuses more on the jungle/break core side of things but combined with almost Terminator-esque vibes. Definitely an epic production if there ever was one!
"3x12" - Vinly Only.
The second instalment of minimood's multidisciplinary fusion series features Die Wilde Jagd with an extensive rework of the neo-romantic ’Morgenrot’ as well as a vast array of diverse remixes by Ancient Methods, CV313, Luigi Tozzi, Roman Flügel, Rude 66, Steve Bug, The KVB, Vactrol Park, and Variant. This gatefold 3x12" vinyl only release is visually enhanced with intricate hand-drawn artwork including inlay by Dusseldorf based artist Susanne Giring. Written and recorded by Sebastian Lee Philipp with his Uhrwald Orange studio collaborator Ralf Beck, ’Morgenrot’ originally appeared on Die Wilde Jagd's debut album in 2015.
For this release, Philipp and Beck re-visited the song: the ensuing ‘Fangschuss Version' enjoys an augmented arrangement, additional instrumentation and a haunting guest vocal by New- Zealand based singer Nina Siegler. In Philipp’s words, the 'Fangschuss Version' constitutes “a venture to capture the spirit that has been guiding this fusion release - a desire to explore the concepts of friendship, time, distance and memory. An attempt to unveil fragments of the unseen and to reveal the surge of a distant remembrance in an embracive listening experience." 'Morgenrot' subsequently gets a highly varied remix treatment by a range of carefully selected artists.
While Vactrol Park navigate the original audio material into beautiful ambient territory, Ancient Methods showcase an epic masterpiece of enchanting medieval-vibed techno. The KVB turn the track into a dreamy cold-wave trip and Rude 66 dives into a dark, primetime, anthemic dimension. For Roman Flügel, it’s a slow, organic, starry-eyed approach and Luigi Tozzi transforms 'Morgenrot' into hypnotic & loopy, minimal, deep techno. The rework by Steve Bug plays with the original's melody and a danceable kosmische-infused house cut emerges.
The final two remixes are both crafted by legendary Echospace Detroit mastermind Stephen Hitchell: absorbing deep trips into mesmerizing dubtechno by CV313 and into foggy lo-fi ambient by Variant.
Counterweight started at the end of 2015 as a party-series in Munich (Rote Sonne). It was about pushing the style of techno we stand for and which we couldn’t find easily in our city. During this journey we’ve learnt a lot about what somehow sadly has to be called a business and we met many artists and people involved in the Techno Scene. We even made friends throughout the years and that’s one of the nicest things after all.
The first V.A. release on Counterweight is an installment with some excellent artists we met during this time, we love their music as much as we love them as a person. Four years ago we couldn’t even imagine we would release a record with some of our favourites artists … Now, check this out. Heavy Kick-Drums, destructive basslines, distorted hi-hats, mesmerising melodies and…lots of passion.
Derek Neal is a Turin based producer born in Vermont (USA). He started his DJ'in career as an undergraduate student at his college radio station and since then he's been cultivating his interest in house and techno music. Fostered by his brother's own producer career, who goes by the name of Motions and is 1/3 of the Montreal collective 00:AM, Derek pushed further his own interest in production to the point of proposing a set of tracks to Funnuvojere Records. Probably struck by the simplicity and effectiveness of Derek's sound, the Berlin label agreed on releasing Reason Machine, Derek's debut EP.? A comforting sound distinguishes this record, it is gentle and deep at the same time. If A1 - Sky City feels like diving in calm water, A2 - Jet Fuel could soundtrack a romantic date. On the flip B1 - October has a cinematic personality, envisioning a urban landscape, while B2 - Stereosense expresses a special dynamicity of sound.? Don't get tricked by my rather emotional introduction though, Neal knows about beats and you'll hear. From breakbeat to funk, Chicago house to dub this EP is all-round a delightful expression of contemporary club music.
Another banger from cultuurschok., 4 cuts straight out of The Lost Vessel After Midnight” in The Hague! This time he miraculously appears on the Dutch “Onrijn Records”, the third release on their label. Soundwise this EP is comparable with cultuurschok his previous EP “op Sterven na Dood”. Tracks on Planet Hoax are more diverse, still catchy, uplifting and wrapped in a good amount of energy.
This record was made to dance, wether you are into raw Disco, lo-fi Techno, Electro.. This EP rocks!
Domenico continues on it's way telling us about his Napoli Techno, this time with a new release called CUBE, which was an historic venue in Naples where you had the chance to hear djs like Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola and Gaetano Parisio.
Artworks are always curated by Mariangela Levita known for projects like "Self Definition" at Metro line 6 of Naples. Here "One Who Became Lost" meanings of life, death, sacred and profane.
We're proud to present these four tracks of pure electronica on a Ferox debut EP from Macedonian maestro Mihail P. Despite his young age, it's easy to hear the influence of 90's UK techno in this release with a slight hint of Terrace and Dan Curtin.
With five quality releases under his belt, Mihail is already fast becoming a favourite on the underground electronic scene and obviously injects his own techno soul into his productions. Available on 180g vinyl only.
Following the release of his debut album, ‘sketches of transition’, UK house devotee Seb Wildblood has curated a brand new collection of remixes, inviting a cast of artists to reimagine tracks from the LP - featuring contributions from Suzanne Kraft, object blue, Ciel and Jenifa Mayanja. Running Back and ESP Institute affiliate Suzanne Kraft opens into the collection, offering a typically atmospheric, Italo-inspired take on sombre pop cut ‘amelia’.
Breakthrough experimental club producer and DJ, object blue, warps the easy-going pace set out in ‘sketches’, drawing focus to its woozy mood with muffled vocals and disjointed percussive hits. Swirling synths and a rich ambient tapestry make for an intoxicating rework.
On the B-side, Bumako Recordings boss Jenifa Mayanja puts a percussive deep house spin on the technicolor minimalism of ‘small talk’. A live bass groove pops beneath the track’s swaying synth beds and melodic chimes, making for the most “classic” dancefloor take of the bunch.
Discwoman affiliate and DJ/producer extraordinaire, Ciel, bathes ‘bahn’ in fluttering psychedelic percussion. Invoking the likes of Orbital, Boards of Canada and The Black Dog, with an emotional candour shining through the foggy atmosphere.
Kobza Vajk is a Hungarian self-taught psychedelic folk musician who has been playing the oud and other obscure stringed instruments, like kithara or the lute for more than 15 years.
His main influences are folk and ancient music of all kinds, what brings these together is his contemporary approach of composing and the oriental technique he plays his instruments with.
This release focuses on his original work from the late 2000's with a few reinterpretations coming from established e-music producers.
The title track is a live recording from 2008, perfectly setting the mood for the whole EP: psychedelic shaman music with powerful oud chords and a hypnotic Middle Eastern atmosphere.
In his remix Dutch producer, Perdu keeps one of the main patterns of the original but by adding some extra percussion he turns it into an entranced tribal banger.
Next up is Multi Culti boss, Dreems, who revisited one of the most famous Hungarian folk songs creating a uniquely interesting piece with dubish subs and the twisted main melody.
The final track is a more carefully tempered yet driving remix by Hungarian producer and Budabeats staple, Bete (aka Suhov).
Following January’s acclaimed vinyl debut from Exterior and summer’s much-loved Kota Motomura EP, Edinburgh’s Hobbes Music label ends 2019 with its first album release, also a debut, from GAMING, a fresh new braindance electronica project straight outta Glasgow.
GAMING is a new solo outing that brings together a lifelong love of music and technology and creating left field, rhythmic electronica. It’s the sound of IDM, nineties techno and mensch maschine computer music that is as spontaneous as it is programmed. It's a bit of a grower and may take time to get under your skin....
“Scenes From A Deserted City is a collection of tracks that started as a set of riffs, loops, rhythms and grooves and unfurled around a sense of growing unease about the future of the urban environment around me.
It’s an album that started out as sound…and ended up as a way of telling stories about the age of anxiety we live in, how our world is changing, and how we find a way through that.
This is DIY electronica from Glasgow – it was made on a growing collection of digital and analogue synths and FX units, including a bunch of modular racks, each with its own idiosyncrasies and character that belies the assumption of the binary.
The studio where it was recorded – an abandoned, and often very cold, school building reclaimed by the community some twenty years ago – offered up stories of resilience, even when all seems lost. (I’m not sure what the mice contributed but they definitely climbed in and out of some synths).
This album is ultimately about my changing relationship with Glasgow, a city I’ve lived in for more than 25 years. It’s about how I feel now about the increasing sense of urban decay and how the city can be a very isolating place. It’s about how I reflect on my younger creative self trying to find a direction but mainly feeling a sense of dislocation and not fitting in. And it’s about the questions I have about how that relationship is changing, how it will be forced to move forward.
The result is a soundtrack for walking home on your own, in that headphone bubble when it’s just you focusing on that music that makes sense to you alone. It’s for early in the morning, after the night before, or going to work with the memories of that slipping and sliding inside your head. It’s about how it feels to be both elated and lonely, to be lost in the familiar, despairingly hopeful.”
Renowned techno artist Jon Hester returns to Rekids Special Projects with a thundering fourtrack release, aptly entitled ‘Momentum’. Since his previous Rekids appearance, the Berlin-based Minneapolitan has continued delivering a steady stream of club ready cuts on labels like Transmat, LET and Deeply Rooted. Following a busy summer playing at the likes of Rex Club, Tresor and Hï Ibiza, Hester now returns to Radio Slave’s Rekids Special Projects techno imprint in fine form. ‘Accelerator’ opens with solid, overdriven kicks, deep chords, electrifying synth patterns and saturated claps followed by ‘Beatwave’ which features rhythm-led vocal sampling, upbeat Arp stabs and sparking cymbals. On the flip, ‘Zoned’ thunders with low-end frequencies, emphasised by a flying groove with snappy hats, subtle claves and white noise hits when to finalise ‘Part 4’ bounces with distant congas and tribal percussion, tight hi-hats, floating pads and a punchy kick.
Spanish techno stalwarts JC Cabrera and Kastil come together once again for their No Spiritual Surrender project, this time debuting on L.I.E.S.
Go to the a-side for direct, rhythmic, textured and dense techno gear. The b-side offers a different affair ramping up the bpm, exploring broken beats and spacious atmospheres for the more adventouerous dj. Limited to 300 worldwide.
After stand out releases this year on Version and Wisdom Teeth Piezo returns to Ansia with a new 2 track EP Art Attack Gone Wrong / perccssszzzz. As has been evident with past records Piezo has always had a strong ear for using interesting sounds which have been expertly sculpted to create a unique sound universe.While releasing on other labels has allowed him to work closely with his peers the freedom of having his own label allows for him to explore his influences from the Italian rave scenes in a more direct manner. For ANSIA004 these influences are streamlined into a techno orientated sound palette with traditional four-on-the-floor beat patterns but with an approach more related to the sounds of Diagonal than Berghain.With 'Art Attack Gone Wrong' the milanese producer merges dancefloor efficiency with a playful approach to distortion, melody and sound design, while on the flip you will find 'perccssszzz', a no-frills heavy-swinged drum workout which, as the names suggests, refuses to include pretty much anything else than percussive elements. This time Ansia goes dark for the vinyl edition with white-ink stamped Tweetie on black label - and last but not least, 180gr vinyl cut deep and loud!
Phillipi is set to release his debut solo EP ‘Amadurecimento’ on November 29th via DEEWEE, the multi-faceted label and creative space operated by brothers David and Stephen Dewaele (2manydjs, Soulwax).
São Paulo duo Phillipi & Rodrigo dropped their beautifully uplifting debut album ‘Paciencia’, which earned the backing of an eclectic array of supporters including 6 Music, Mixmag, DJ Mag, PAPER, Tiga and Joe Goddard + more.
While ‘Paciencia’ pulsated with a euphoric beach party vibe, Phillipi’s solo project explores much darker territory. By uncompromisingly maximising the bass alongside a relentless beat, lead track ‘São Paulo’ is immediately oppressive and ominous. That intensity only amplifies as it’s blown open with tribal percussion, almost whispered vocals and glitchy synth stabs. ‘Vibe De Verao’ then takes a more progressive approach, with minimalist techno constantly evolving in surprising and inventive ways.
The EP’s second half extends Phillipi’s impossible-to-pigeonhole approach. In complete contrast to the preceding tracks, ‘9000’ is cinematic in scope and lighter in tone, feeling like the score to a lost ‘70s sci-fi cult classic that’s been reworked for 2019. And ‘Gelo Seco’ caps an unorthodox sonic adventure by setting a spliced, stuttered vocal simple around a dancefloor-friendly soundscape - making the title, the Portuguese phrase for dry ice, entirely appropriate.
As with all DEEWEE releases, ‘Amadurecimento’ was recorded, produced and mixed at the label’s inspiring headquarters Ghent, Belgium.
Voodoo Down Records presents the debut 12" of Melbourne-based techno producer JXTPS, who delivers here three powerful cuts of rolling big-room techno. The EP kicks off with a bang with some breakbeat fills that clear the way for heady hypnotic tension on "Become Nothing". The B-side opens with punchy acid stabs and distorted guitar chords on "Untitled 02", and closes beautifully with a creeping early-morning groover on "Mr. Pink".
A key player in the New York scene and boss of her own Dusk & Haze label, it was Francis Harris' Kingdoms that initially released Sophie Saze's standout two-part album, and that is where this forward looking package of highly original remixes lands. First up is German artist Roman Flügel, who’s responsible for a myriad of musical aliases and just as many different sounds. Here he is in experimental electronic mode and reworks 'Cure' into an elongated groove with twisted synth lines layering up over the shimmer, shadowy beats. It's a ghoulish track with a creepy atmosphere.
Swede Anthony Linell makes tripped out, heady techno on Northern Electronics, always with a stylish aesthetic. That continues here as he reimagines 'Aliens' as an absorbing cosmic soundtrack. Supple, rubbery drums bubble down low while broad pads and astral motifs colour the airways above and sink you into a state of trance. New York beat maker and Blueberry Records boss FaltyDL then steps up with a remix of 'Self'. It is a typically off-kilter groove that seems to float on post-jungle drums while distant synth details make for a dreamy atmosphere. Closing out this killer package is Saze's original track 'Dreams', an intense techno cut where coarse textures peel off the industrial clatter of the drums.
Reissue of the fantastic debut LP from France's pioneer avant-electronic unit ART & TECHNIQUE. Originally released in 1981 by Hi-Tech records. Haunting obscure minimal electronic sounds, ambient and atmospheric ventures, abstract minimal wave with some ethnic elements. And excellent use of rhythm boxes, sound generators and strange vocals, reminds of 23 Skidoo's “7 songs”, early Muslimgauze, O Yuki Conjugate´s sound and the atmospheres of Jon Gibson or Jon Hasell.
Re-mastered by former member Bernard Filipetti. Limited edition of 300 copies.
Following September 2017's release of "Imperfect Charm" a 5-track EP of post-club, haunted techno and heady sound designed industrial.
Evitceles has developed his sound far further, with releases on Seagrave, Yerevan and his own Amek imprint. "The Substance Of My Fantasies" is his first album and boils down the previous work into a narrative and truly dramatic session over its 9 tracks.
Opening gambit "Take Me to Common Ground" unlocks the gates with bruising rave stabs left to exist in a vacuum of sub-bass boom and augmented voice. "Nightcrawler / Third Night" is a diffuse future-garage roller, priming razor-edged basslines against a hollow melancholia, a theme present throughout this album. "Spit Hearts" cranks the busted drum patters out through a super hi-fi field of gothic synthesiser.
Closing piece "Behaviour Exercise" places off-thumbed emo-guitar lines and barely uttered exclamations into a gorgeous outro recalling sad boy rap styles from the darkest corners.
Beastly sounds for a zombie nation as classic 80s gaming soundtrack Shadow of the Beast gets debut vinyl edition with a recording taken from the original platform game, and new artwork from acclaimed illustrator Keith Rankin.
Composed by David Whittaker for the 1989 Amiga platformer of the same name, Shadow of the Beast sees its first ever vinyl release courtesy of the UK's Lag Records, presented in also its first mastered edition as directly taken from the original game system.
A prolific VGM composer, Whittaker holds more gaming soundtracks to his name than any other, with titles such as Lazy Jones to his name, as (in)famously sampled for the 1999 club hit Zombie Nation.
Shadow of the Beast remains a prime example of his pioneering hands-on approach, programming music directly with instrumental samples of his own on a Korg M1 synthesizer. The tunes make for a singular combination of Spaghetti Western-style tension mixed with world beats. Tracks like The Plains play with harder rhythms like warped speed techno, while a hard-to-miss melancholy pervades the Underground suite.
The fiendishly difficult Shadow of the Beast itself was an interesting example of game design for its time, recorded at a frame rate to match arcade machines as opposed to monitors, and loaded with a 128 colour palette. Two sequels later followed in the 1990s, along with a 2016 remake for the Playstation console.
The soundtrack comes ready for a 2019 audience with mastering courtesy of Jerome Schmitt at the AirLab, and brand new artwork from acclaimed illustrator and musician Keith Rankin in collaboration with artist Ellen Thomas. Shadow of the Beast will also come on transparent purple vinyl, in standard LP format.
My Music is a stellar spiritual soul / jazz-funk gem, recorded by keyboardist-singer Samuel Jonathan Johnson in 1978. The epitome of a cult classic, it didn't do much upon its release but steadily found an audience over the decades that followed. It eventually worked its way into the culture, and latterly the wantlists, of wave after wave of soul aficionados.
This is music that shares the jazzy R&B DNA of contemporaries like Roy Ayers and is an intoxicating blend of mellow moments and more groove-heavy tracks. Spacey keys and lush production give it a luxurious, enveloping warmth.
My Music opens with the gorgeous title track: an indulgent slow jam opus. Introducing us to Johnson’s compelling musical vision, it features a rich mélange of production techniques. Dripping in strings, horns, backing singers, popping funk bass lines and swooshing synth waves, it’s an unusually structured cosmic two stepper that has an irrepressible groove. Accordingly, it’s been a favourite with the diggers and it was sampled by The Alchemist for Jadakiss’s “We Gonna Make It” (and it was also used on Ras Kass’s “Home Sweet Home”… but that’s a story for another time).
The up-tempo “Sweet Love” bubbles over with joy, its uplifting lyrics backed by infectious bass and jazzy Fender Rhodes lines. It follows a cover of “What the World Need’s Now Is Love”, taken at a funereal pace that transforms it into a heartfelt plea for love and understanding. Essential in these dark days.
After a full-minute-long opening of lush cinematic strings and horns, “Because I Love You” makes space for Samuel’s voice, accompanied by some keys and just a sprinkle of guitar. It builds back up and then mellows its way out to a jazz lounge finish (in all the right ways). The feel-good ebullience of the Stevie Wonder-esque “It Ain’t Easy” closes out the LP’s first side.
The second side bursts open with the heavy bounce and disco-funk basslines of “You”, a slightly off-beat string-laden dancer with insistent horns and a piano-assisted groove. Next up is “Just Us”, a legendary steppers track that could be heard oozing out of deep soul radios and funk sound systems back in the late 80s.
“Yesterdays and Tomorrow” is a moving original ballad that is followed by an exquisite high-stepping paean to mom in the form of “Thank You Mother Dear”. The thumping easy-glide of “Reason For The Reason” brings the album to a close.
Respectfully mastered by Simon Francis and cut by the master Pete Norman, this reissue of Samuel Jonathan Johnson’s sole LP sounds as sumptuous as that scarlet gown on the front cover. The sleeve artwork was lovingly restored by the Be With team. My Music is a luxurious and rare collection of songs that now has an opportunity to reach beyond its cult audience.
Shasta Cults is the musical project of Canadian electronics technician Richard Smith. For almost two decades, Smith was the official Buchla & Associates go-to repair person for studios, collectors, and musicians around the world, having worked with artists like Aphex Twin, Suzanne Ciani, Mort Subotnick and institutions like NYU, The Library of Congress and Mills College in Oakland, Ca.
Recording demonstrations of the rare equipment that found its way on to his workbench is how Smith describes the origins of Shasta Cults. Although sounds have been trickling out for decades via Soundcloud and other outlets, it wasn’t until 2017 that Smith recorded his first album using one of these rare instruments – the Buchla 700. Configurations, released this past September by Important Records, features eight tracks of heavily-modulated, wave-shaped explorations drenched in effects, and was the catalyst for his latest releases.
Recorded over the span of 3 months in the fall of 2018, this album was programmed solely on the only fully-functional Buchla Touché. Developed in the early 1980s with hardware by Don Buchla and software programmed by musician David Rosenboom, the Touché features waveforms generated internally by twenty-four digital oscillators using frequency modulation and sophisticated digital and analog signal processing for timbre and output assignment, all of this controlled via a six-octave black and white keyboard, unusual for a Buchla instrument.
This LP is a continuation on themes first heard on Configurations, with more consideration given to the generation and capturing of the pieces. This album is less dark than previous releases, showcasing the incredible fidelity of the hardware used and Smiths evolution as an audio engineer. Put on some headphones, find a comfortable chair, and let this LP transport you to the mystifying southern cascades of Siskiyou County.
Emotional Rescue is delighted to present a collection of works by the founding father of the modern drum movement, Glen Velez. Collated from his first 3 solo albums from 1985 to 1989, Sweet Season is a snapshot in to the pioneering composing and performance of this four-time Grammy winner. Born in 1949, of Mexican American ancestry, Velez grew up in Texas before moving to New York in 1967. Playing jazz on the drums he soon gravitated to hand drums from around the world (frame drums in particular), seeking out teachers from many different musical traditions.
Among the many instruments Velez favours are the Irish bodhran, the Brazilian pandeiro, the Arabic riq, the North African bendir and the Azerbaijani ghaval. Although these instruments are similar in construction they have their own playing techniques that open new possibilities.
Sweet Season highlights this vocabulary, mixing and adapting techniques from various cultures to develop new ones. The music, often composed as cross-cultural ensembles, has a particular fondness for polyrhythms - superimposing different meters simultaneously - while incorporating Stepping Split-tone and Central Asian Overtone singing to complete the global horizons.
This new genre of contemporary drumming has been hugely influential and seen Velez work with the likes of John Cage and Steve Reich, as well as teaching his virtuosic combinations of hand movements and finger techniques to many emerging players.
The music of Chel White is celebrated in Automaton, a collection of mostly unreleased recordings from 1985 to 1991, by this innovative animator, film maker and visual artist.
Having studied music theory in grade school, White taught himself drumming and played in a new wave band until, in 1981, together with Dan Gediman, they formed the minimal wave duo Process Blue (Alternative Funk, 1985 / Dark Entries, 2018). Here their experimentation went way beyond playing drums.
His interest in industrial music, fostered in the late '70s and early '80s while working in factories as a way to put himself through college, informed his use of electronic instruments, tape manipulation, noise and unconventional percussion.
By 1985, as a now solo artist buoyed by newly affordable audio sampling technology, White tapped into his earlier teenage fascination with the art and films of both the Surrealist and Dada movements - in particular their disparate and fragmented imagery and sound - as a means to create striking new sonic palettes.
Science & Industry - a track largely influenced by Balinese monkey chanting and the consumer excess of American in the 1980's - is a clear example of "music collage". Photocopy Cha Cha, made for the short animation film Choreography for Copy Machine (Berlin International Film Festival, 1992 / Sundance Film Festival, 2001) moved his music into the realm of early multi-media.
Experimenting further, tracks like Liquid Shadows and Pensive provide minimalist moments, before the drone-like Dream #630 and Forest Song point to a future that included music video works (David Lynch/Thom Yorke).
Ellen Allien Keeps It Raw with the Third Release from Her UFO Label Ellen Allien returns with the third release from her label UFO. Focused on a raw aesthetic, UFO serves as a space for artists to explore the dark, rugged side of the music. On this third installment from the label we get three deliciously dark productions... First out of the block is 'La Musica Es Dios' (Music Is God), which comes in two mixes. The first works from the deep tremor of its juddering bassline, subtle beats tease this cut along with a contagious rhythm. As a master of vocal hooks, Ellen skillfully introduces a distorted clip that repeats over and over as the drama unfolds. Wistful pads and a sombre riff keep it melancholy. On the second mix the mood is a little more upbeat with brighter frequencies and skipping beats. Though, once the main body of the track comes in, a menacing swathe of analogue growls and snarls at you with aplomb. A breakdown tinged with 8-bit leads us into a rousing section of the track before another slight break ushers in more menace in the low end. Finally, 'Junge' penetrates our minds with its punchy drums and snares. The pace is quicker and more energi- sed with a pervading sense of dread emanating from the background. This cut is downright nasty, with a snee- ring riff and shadowy atmospherics. Rough, rugged and raw analogue technoid funk from an unknown future.
red & black marbled vinyl
Navigating between time and space, label head Foreign Material continues his historical journey with The Quest , a piece inspired by medieval legends.
Of Faith and Glory leads the way, an epic track which carries the knights' fervor and devotion through strong rhythmics and mystical eerie pads. American maestro Eric Cloutier provides a deep reverberating rework which brings us far underwater.
Of Flesh and Duty dives deeper into medieval madness with fierce rolling toms and hypnotic acid line. The track takes us along knights venturing deep into mysterious woods, accompanied by devastating celestial choirs into a glorious and deadly final. Deep techno craftsman A Sacred Geometry shares his vision with a strong remix that goes into battle frenzy with a powerful and mesmerizing reinterpretation.
At last, Of Fire and Fate (Digital Only Track) releases the rising tension and gives a relief after the storm with broken beats and shamanic vibes. This heroic conclusion underlines the impossibility of a far yet necessary goal leading only to death.
A bloody never-ending Quest...
Fresh from the release of their third album ‘Autonomy’ earlier this summer, comes Autonomy Variations: four brand new perspectives from four exciting, innovative kindred spirits of the avant-pop duo.
South London’s Medlar breaks the seal. Following a series of incredible live collaborations with Dele Sosimi (Fela Kuti), he’s has turned ‘Autonomy’ into a minimal, percolating house track. Swapping the acid spikes for analog bleeps, Medlar’s signature can be felt every step through this vivid energetic stomper.
Fabric resident Anna Wall follows with another beautiful subversion as ‘New Politik’ is given a smouldering take. Moody, intimate, downtempo; there’s some serious late night HTRK-esque vibes to Anna’s twist.
Further into the remix trip we glide to find Dischi Autunno, Ombra International affiliate Curses pulling ‘Electric Light’ into the fringes. Taking the upbeat, crystalline pop of Penelope and Stephen’s original and flipping it into a stark postpunk Bauhaus-inspired take, Curses’ live bass and driving new wave beat shine a whole new light on the original and write it a whole new chapter.
Finally, brand new act, Isolating have the honour of closing the EP with industrial modular apocalyptic take on ‘Infinity’. A vast playground of contrasts, at points it’s dirty and pounding. At others it’s quiet and menacing. File under ‘Dystopian Techno.’
Four extensions on one of the most interesting electronic albums released this year, if you haven’t treated yourself to ‘Autonomy’ yet, you’d be wise to. DJ Mag stated it’s The Golden Filter’s best work yet while Clash called a it a bruising return. These remixes follow with complete forward-thinking consistency. Enjoy…
Markus Suckut is a well known producer in the techno world, whose releases have found a home on such respected labels as Rekids, Odd Even, Hypercolour or Edit Select to name just a few. Suckut is also the founder of the SCKT imprint. The Düsseldorf producer has been a part of the 'made of CONCRETE' family for some time now and the pair up between the two on 'Voices In My Head' feels like an ideal match.
The title track 'Voices In My Head' may give off a tranquil feel but pay close attention and you’ll hear the psychosis bubbling below the surface. The synth scribbles that underpin the track would get the best of a sane mind in the right setting. '8' follows. It’s a smart, profound cut designed to raise the pressure on the dancefloor. On the flip, 'Drift' comes to life with fantastic mind-bending sweeps. Label bosses Rebar close the EP off on a quasi devotional touch with their rework of 'Voices In My Head'. The pair stays in the deep end with sublime synths and a stripped back rhythmic architecture. It’s a perfect counterpoint to Suckut’s original.
Microdosing is a series of compilation 12”s selected by Julienne Dessagne aka Fantastic Twins, and designed in collaboration with French visual artist Geff Pellet. Microdosing is a collective experiment aimed at helping you fighting back your modern obsession with happiness. You may deserve a nice day but the day does not need a nice you, nothing should be forced, everything is permitted. Microdosing will provide you with sonic healing weapons on regular basis and at irregular dosage. Those doses will favour psychedelic social techniques against self help tyranny, creation over soma, provoking over numbing, our outer-selves over our inner-selves. Microdosing refuses the fatality of the pleasure principle. Life is a struggle, time to embrace it. —— “The cure 4 pain is in the pain” The Microdosing community is an endless Tibetan geometric tattoo on a thousand backs, a black well opening on infinite space. Let us embrace the void in our lives as it is fruitful. Cooper Saver hails from L.A, a city of fallen angels. “Phase 0” is a demonic weapon of choice, its beauty rising from urban ashes. Borusiade’s “Worlds” is an industrial mantra, tribal rhythms driving you through the seven circles of agony, the voyage being the destination itself. Zillas On Acid’s “S-Test” slowly pours acid into your retina, its groove showing you that the blind are the true see-ers. Scott Fraser’s “Deliria” concludes this chapter with the serenity only known to true martyrs. This is not a soothing piece, just the realisation that peace comes from eternal damnation. Microdosing is happy to lead you through the dances that know no threshold. To the chant of “the only cure for pain is in the pain”, you will travel further through an empty eternity. (Ivan Smagghe)
The new album 'Aesthesis' from Shapednoise aka Sicilian artist Nino Pedone is out in November 2019 on Numbers.
Over the nine tracks and thirty seven minutes, there’s a controlled collision of noise and metal with rave and hardcore. Pedone’s penchant for the peak energies of gritty techno and modern rap/trap bleed through, with earth-shattering blocks of bass and beats conveyed within his practice of sonic sculpture. ‘Aesthesis’ melts these sounds down, evolving them into something new of his own - a complex, hybrid being designed to be played loud. The first listen, CRx Aureal, is one of the most arresting cuts from the record: a nightmarish thrill embracing a sense of constant movement, with intense shards of sound ricocheting and morphing, forged together through a series of metallic refrains. This flirtation with the extremes of sound has engulfed Shapednoise’s entire creative output and lifestyle - from his albums and EPs over the last decade, to his two labels Cosmo Rhythmatic and REPITCH, having recently dropped critically acclaimed releases by King Midas Sound, Shackleton & VTSS. Pedone describes ‘Aesthesis’ as “informed by a set of key elements that intwine all the tracks together, like steps in a long research process. It is intended as a sensory experience where the senses act as an interface, sound as space.” His experimentation with unorthodox rhythmic structures and radical cinematic design reveals actions grounded in direct experience, but “inspired by a kind of speculative realism”. In seeking to master the wild heights of noise and the weight of subsonic frequencies, Shapednoise aims to “generate a sense of unreal-yet-tangible space and time, where the physicality of the music builds up a place that exists between people and objects, rather than the other way around.”
A series of artistic collaborations are heard throughout the album - from the caustic R&B of album opener 'Intriguing (In The End)' which features vocals from multimedia artist E. Jane's alter ego MHYSA (of NON & Halcyon Veil), to Justin K Broadrick (founding member of Godflesh and ZONAL) on 'Blaze', and album closer 'Moby Dick'; a collaboration with Scottish legend Drew McDowall (ex-Coil and Psychic TV member), and Rabit (founder of Halcyon Veil).
SIS003 welcomes Boston's deadliest modern wave duo Dead Husband to the SISTERS family across the murky waters of the Northern Atlantic for a host of dance-floor focused workouts.
A mixture of syncopated drum work and reverb drenched arpeggiators define Dead Husbands debut on the label across a capricious collection of tracks/music.
Doug Lee gives Facial Recognition the usual An-i treatment drawing out a monologue of emotion through the sub bass and sweet undulating use of distortion which constantly helps the track and the low end move forward, whilst electro aficionado Privacy offers up his take on the track with a rolling 4x4 composition true to his unique modus operandi, slowed down powerful.
And a remix debut for Papers, 5 years after down tooling from their white label series, they round off the record bridging the Atlantic gap with their distinctly steezey techno sound.
The second release on Eclair Fifi’s River Rapid Imprint comes from none other than Santiago Salazar.
Following on from the Afrodeutsche RR001 EP - This new release brings 2 brand new tracks from Salazar - Piano Adjacent and Cosmic Powwow both secret weapons from Eclair Fifi DJ sets.
Santiago Salazar relocated to Detroit in the early 2000s to work with the legendary Underground Resistance Collective. Becoming part of Los Hermanos he continued the traditions of Latin Techno established by DJ Rolando in 1997 as well as releasing under his own name and as S², Seldom Seen and as part of Galaxy 2 Galaxy as well as an incredible amount of other music and projects for labels such as Planet E, Rush Hour, Seventh Sign and many more. RR002 Follows his other releases in 2019 including “The Night Owl” Album on Love What You Feel.
River Rapid is the new label from acclaimed DJ Eclair Fifi. Known for her tastemaking dj sets steeped in upcoming exclusives and unknown rarities as well as her essential monthly radio show on NTS.
Berlin based artist WHT MOTH made three strong and irresistible tracks for Eclectic driven by an aggressive techno groove. We discovered this artist 2 years ago when he made an EP via the digital line of Eclectic. Now is the time to release his project on vinyl alongside the epic remix of the big artist Pfirter.
Rebekah’s Elements label welcomes Storb who delivers two vigorous cuts, while the label boss herself and Scalameriya provide remixes.
Something of a mystery, Storb may be elusive but his driving music speaks volumes. The industrial techno producer has released on labels like Diffuse Reality and Emetic, but now he is invited to join Birmingham’s pivotal techno tastemaker Rebekah’s imprint accompanied by a remix from the esteemed artist herself, not to mention Serbian techno purveyor and live performer Scalameriya who’s recently released on THEM and Genesa Records.
Taking a haunted and brutal route from the off, ‘The Donut Theory’ is built on contorted synths and sewed pads that together generate a twisting and turning aural experience, followed by ‘Gasp’ which thunders forward using hyperdrive drums, frazzled effects, overdriven machine sounds and caustic textures.
On the flip, Scalameriya remixes ‘The Donut Theory’ incorporating hammering broken beats, urgent alarm samples, industrial components and fizzing stabs. Tying it all together, Elements boss Rebekah reinterprets ‘Gasp’ by stripping things back to focus on colossal kicks and firing sirens that permeate a relentless groove to generate a pure warehouse inclined energy.
Rounding-off a landmark year for Clark which saw an accelerated drive for variety and freshness - including skewed renditions of Bach performed at the Royal Albert Hall and a hugely acclaimed score for TV series ‘Kiri’ - the leftfield legend takes it back to the source with two bangers for the massive.
The riff-powered heavy electrics of ‘Branding Problem’ romp from Detroit to Belgium via Chicago and the M25. It’s platinum-grade dancefloor techno, but it’s more too. The production flair and inventive sound sculpting ensure a level of quality and originality not found in your average grist-for-the-mill DJ fodder.
‘Legacy Pet’ is hardcore and tech step dipped in loopy juice; it’s the sound of a raver wandering out from a cavernous warehouse, across fields and into an enchanted dingily dell dance, throwing gun fingers with the goblins and faeries.
“I’ve been quite amused at how easy it is to stream background music these days. How accessible it all is and how entitled we all feel to it, like it’s some sort of air freshener you spray in your Uber.
For some reason I’m imagining a future where Elon Musk does a streaming deal, so he can prance around controlling nano implant VR chips for 1 million amortal coastal elites, while the rest of us don’t have electricity and only manage one rave a year - to a sound system powered by rationed candles. This is music for that fantasy scenario, ha.
Anyway, I don’t want these 2 tracks to be part of background air freshener world. They are limited edition club gear. I wanna play them out so badly in my live show.
Influences: Hardcore UK rave, Detroit techno, Jungle, Oizo, Ed Rush and Optical, No U-Turn. The origins, the source and it’s constant subsequent mutations. BEHOLD THE CONTINUUM, HARDCORE WILL NEVER DIE.” Clark
Keep It Moving is a 6 track groove-oriented release that ventures between techno, beatdown, and downtempo styles. The release starts out with a pair of harder-edged techno cuts. The pensive, smoky "Martial State" leads the way, followed by "Struck Down Strike Up."
Next, the Chicago-based artist dives into slower tempos with the pleasingly dissonant "Cyborg Proposition" and the acidic, atmospheric, "They Don't Know". The record picks up in terms of mood and tempo for the house-leaning, "Rising Poem", before closing out with the catchy, head-nodding title track.
Samples are peppered throughout the release that help guide this record's narrative. Artwork by Chicago-based artists Ruby T. and Betty Heredia help capture the mood of the A-side and B-side respectively
Hot off the heels of Aluxes, his 2018 Lumière Noire debut EP, young Mexican DJ/producer Iñigo
Vontier is inviting Chloé's label on a trip to the far corners of the body & mind with an album of
demented grooves, psychedelic take-offs and imaginary comic strips of mystical rituals. A
bewitching debut full-length. Mexicans may never possess the sonic science of the Germans,
the hedonistic madness of the English or the gift for synthesis of the French, but, as proven by
Iñigo Vontier's first full-length for Lumière Noire, their universe is much more exciting than
anyone would have ever thought.
The DJ/producer fully asserts his origins by brandishing the album’s title "El Hijo del Maiz" ("the
son of the corn") almost as an emblem: "in Mexico, corn is eaten daily. It has long been defined
as 'the gold of America', and I consider all Mexicans as children of corn". A spiritual and
embodied vision Iñigo's first Lumière Noire release, the four-track Aluxes, set the tone of the
young talent's distinctive interpretation of dark disco, which creeps up on the dancefloor from its
iconoclastic side. The two tracks and two remixes (one by Flügel, the other by Inigo himself)
featured on the 12" for lead single "Xu Xu" (featuring Red Axes-affiliate Xen's irrelevant vocals)
was a full-bodied confirmation that Vontier sees the dancefloor as an arena for the occult –
whether from the peoples of the equatorial jungle, the Middle East or, even from indocile
machines. But, while the spiritual element seems part and parcel of the Jalisco native’s output, it
is in no way the only ingredient of this first long-player: "this album best reflects my own vision
and spirituality, and the way I feel it" he says.
Whether contemplative or frenetic, the collection of tracks that make up “El Hijo Del Maiz” takes
the kitchen sink and throws it out the window: languid rhythms, haunted vocals, and mysterious
percussion fuel a discombobulated house set that scrambles the listener's five senses, leaving
one disoriented and exposed to the vagaries of vertigo. Following the demented, dystopian “Xu
Xu” EP, which explored an imaginary jungle that harbored Mayan and Egyptian pyramids,
Middle Eastern accents are once more present in the off-kilter “Bo Ni Ke” and its Japaneseinfluenced vocal trickery, which Moroccan flutes à la Jajouka transform into a feverish trance.
With the following three tracks, Iñigo Vontier raises himself to the same level of excellence as
the Pachanga duo (of which pride of the Mexican scene Rebolledo, is also known as a prolific
artisan of deconstruction): “Awaken”'s slumbering voice, heard as through the veil of hypnosis,
slowly introduces a techno beat which, as in follow-up “Time”, literally brings the listener to a
levitative state. In a housier vein, yet continuing in the same psychedelic, 90s-infused spirit,
“Don’t Go Back” disrupts the genre’s usual signatures with an out-of-tune keyboard that is
becoming the artist's trademark, destabilizing the listener into a drunken vertigo, with a good
helping of sexiness: "I think the sexy dimension definitely brings a kind of magic to music," says
Vontier. “I'm sure I felt this magic during my DJ sets, and I like to think that sorcerers use this
element in their practices. I might consider myself a bit of a sorcerer when I take over the DJ
booth, by the way." A mood and sound that can once again be found – in a quieter, more
bucolic version – on “Chiquitita” (feat. the flute stylings of pioneer DJ Rocca, now a partner of
cosmic disco legend Daniele Baldelli). The more cinematic, fast-paced and dreamy beat of the
no less captivating “Little Monster” might evoke the mischievous spirit of the Mayas' minor
mythological creatures, while ode to the magical herb Marijuana (feat Thomass Jackson)
proudly tramples into the debate that such a provocative title inevitably provokes: "psychedelic
drugs are powerful tools to reach a higher level of consciousness about what surrounds us, but
we must learn how to complete this psychic journey by ourselves, notably through meditation
and love.
In the end, El Hijo del Maiz is an album-length confirmation of Iñigo Vontier's uniqueness, and
his adherence to Lumière Noire's policy of letting artists fully express their vision – while letting
their passions guide their idiosyncrasies and explorations of innovative electronic signatures
3 massive techno tracks from Leipzigs Oliver Rosemann plus a Pfirter remix. Limited to 250 copies. Vinyl only.
The ninth record on NEW YORK TRAX was written and produced by Deflector, the Brooklyn experimental hardware virtuoso who previously appeared on imprints such as Clan Destine Records or E-Saggila's Summer Isle. "The Living Flesh" is an angry hardcore piece which needs no further elaboration. In Zero RA, Deflector showcases their brilliant frequency manipulation skills in the context of a sarcastic techno track. The B side opens with "skrrt," a dark yet danceable piece filled with intriguing sounds and rattling bass. md34 rounds up the EP with its stripped down heavy industrial sound.























































































































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