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There are many ways to move forward as an artist. You can reinvent yourself, keep track of fashions, or try bold new things. Tom Trago has spent the best part of 10 years pushing his sound in impressive new directions. Yet on his new album, the well-regarded Amsterdam-based producer has done things slightly differently. This time round, his influences come from much closer to home, and he has admitted to being inspired by the dancefloor-focused style with which he made his name.

Welcome to The Light Fantastic. We're sure you'll enjoy the trip.

Trago is an old hand at this kind of thing. Back in 2009, his debut album, Voyage Direct, impressed with its warm, disco-centric blends of full-throttle deep house and boogie-influenced synthesizer funk. He cast his net wider on 2011's Iris, choosing to work with a wide variety of international collaborators on an album that laid bare his myriad of musical influences.

On the Light Fantastic, he's decided to 'step back to move forwards' with a warm, involving set that puts the simple pleasures of the best dancefloor moments at its heart.

'I tried to go a bit back towards the style I was doing on Voyage Direct, so dancefloor beats with deeper impact,' Trago admits. 'I was trying to male tracks that work on the dancefloor, but also move your heart.'

In some ways, The Light Fantastic is Trago in 'back to basics' mode. Partly inspired by his ever-increasing travels around the world to DJ, it melds together a range of influences - deep house, vintage synthesizers, classic boogie, disco, Chicago jack, acid house, and even a dash of full-throttle rave revivalism on the raw funk of 'The Elite' - on a set that sounds like it was painted in vivid colours by an artist at the top of his game.

'I'm like a professor in a lab, trying to make little ideas work,' Trago enthuses, warming to the theme. 'The tracks are all there in my head, like a puzzle, and I have to make all the pieces fit together.'

The 'back to basics' theme extended to his choice of collaborators. Whereas Iris was notable for featuring an impressive cast list of international singers, musicians and producers, The Light Fantastic is more of a homegrown affair. While plenty of people lent a hand during the recording process, they were trusted locals from the Dutch electronic music scene, rather than outsiders.

'This time, I thought 'whoever walks in the studio can get involved',' he says. 'If they walked in, they could sing, play some synths or do some mixing. A lot of people came to hang out and ended up lending a hand. It's a much more fun way of working than sending your track to somebody across the other side of the World.'

There are many collaborations on The Light Fantastic, but listen out for contributions from Steffi, Ben Westbeech, 'studio neighbour' San Proper, Makam, vocalist Holly Wood and, most surprisingly, a local club owner who just happened to swing by the studio. 'Using my friends was a big part of the process,' Trago admits. 'One of the points of the album was using people who were close to home, part of the family almost.'

It's an approach that definitely paid dividends. Certainly, this celebration of Amsterdam's blossoming electronic music scene adds a little extra frisson of excitement to The Light Fantastic's impressive vibrancy.

By the time the rush-inducing positivity of 'The Wrong Right' gives way to the mutant alien funk of album closer 'Desire', you'll be ready to listen to it all over again. That's the thing with The Light Fantastic - it's a trip you'll want to take again and again.

Long serving Cadenza recording artist, Mirko Loko, has always worn his Detroit musical influences on his sleeve, counting pioneer Carl Craig as his mentor, and having worked with the likes of Derrick May and Stacey Pullen in the studio.

And on Daybreak, Mirko fully indulges in the one genre that seems never to get tarnished, the mechanical and industrial beats working off the deep and soulful strings and melancholic pads, a true hallmark of the classic sounds of the Motor City. Originally released on Outpost Recordings, the label run by Scottish techno don, Funk D'Void, the masterful Original Mix from Takuya Yamashita gets three new versions from Mirko. Takuya, a techno artist from Kobe, Japan has already sparkled on labels like Biotech and Espai, and in his Original version we have a driving and energetic piece of classic techno. Mirko remains ever faithful to the melody and sounds of the original, providing a full beats re-rub on the 'Mn version', and an alternate 'Taiy version' that's more urgent, with its broken beat. The digital only 'Kanj no' version dispenses of a backbeat entirely, creating a remix that forever teases with it's percussive elements, building up great anticipation throughout. As Cadenza continues to celebrate its 10th year as a label, it takes delight in backing great music from its artists and associates, and this release is another curveball in the label's eclectic catalogue.

The main man returns with three typically raw and jacking cuts referencing some of the older FXHE material, and replete with the usual mad artwork skillz! A return to form for AOS, and certainly not one you want to be missing.

- Turn Me On' by Jay W. McGee is the third release in a series of sought after boogie, disco and modern soul re-issues on Légère Recordings. The original 12inch vinyl single appeared on the tiny Canadian Indie label Love Productions in 1980 and is immensely hard to find these days.

- Turn Me On' is an unusual production for its time, grooving along unbelievably deep in a spartanic arrangement, and fuelled by vocals which are not too far away from Sylvester's iconic style of mixing soul, disco, funk and jazz.


Jay W. McGee has a strong opinion about disco music: - When disco came out, it had its own way of reaching people's hearts too. Being in a club, you know, it's escapism, like with soul music. Soul is addressing everyday life problems, disco is about how to forget and enjoy yourself. They each have their own unique place. I saw people railing on doing disco because they didn't understand the seriousness of it,' Jay W. McGee explains about - Turn Me On' when he officially commissioned this re-release: - The discrimination of disco was in reality a discrimination against black music.'

- Your Love', the flipside of this 12inch single, is an exciting ballad on the B-side and a surprise in itself. Both tracks feature a great combination of talents. Wayne Jackson, the trumpet player on - Turn Me On', played on Rick James' album 'Bustin' Out On L Seven', in the late Seventies. Glenn Johanson was the engineer on - Your Love'. He became Eddy Grant's house engineer at his studio in Barbados right after he mixed this tune. But there is also a little drama in the story. When Jay W. McGee returned to the studio where he recorded, "Turn Me On" he found out that the original version of - Turn Me On' was erased by another technician: - Everybody said it could have been a hit, and maybe the guy did it on purpose.' Nevertheless he recorded the song again with a now different arrangement and instrumentation. Maybe that is the reason why the production is so unique and also so different to - Your Love'.

Jay W. McGee could have been a solo artist on Philadelphia International Records, back in 1969, when he met Leon Huff of Gamble & Huff, in Philly for an audition, just before they recorded - Me And Mrs. Jones', - Bad Luck' and - Backstabbers' with Billy Paul, Harold Melvin and The O'Jays. They offered him a contract, but he refused, because he came with his whole group from Flint, Michigan and they wanted to be signed collectively.

Jay W. McGee kept just one of the original 12inches in his home: - Both songs were a profession of love to my wife. We are now married for 34 years.' Now if this ain't love, we don't know....'

Includes limited edition hand painted sleeves.





Following on from their inaugural release DSNT Records are back with a second helping of unvarnished, pummeling tracks in-keeping with the label's clear focus of releasing only the highest quality techno.

Dead Sound (aka Paul Carroll) has made a name for himself after breakthrough releases with Videohead on Ali Wells' heavy duty Perc Trax imprint ('Murder EP', 'The Chosen'), as well as on Australia's Elektrax Recordings, ('DSGL EP'), and sub-label Gynoid Audio ('Your Move', 'Behind Time'), Acroplane Recordings and Counter Pulse ('It's Over').

Bolstering and reinforcing the power of the originals, this release comes fully equipped with some of the finest names in deep, dark and visceral techno on remix duties: Stroboscopic Artefacts' Xhin, Pole Group's Exium and an abstract cut from Monster X.

Support from:
Truss/MPIA3, AnD, Bas Mooy, Perc, Dj Skirt, Sawf, Inigo Kennedy, Raiz, Lakker, Roman Lindau, Donor, Sunil Sharpe.

Sister Label to Vanguard Sound Anunnaki Cartel plays host to the fourth installment of the Vanguard Sound Series featuring 4 tracks from crew members Dakini9 (Lola), Chris Mitchell, DJ. Spider, and founder Amir Alexander. During the time since Vanguard Sound Vol. 3 launched the Vanguard Sound label, the series has reached a kind of cult classic status among the most dedicated U.S. underground vinyl collectors. As more and more people discover Alexander and his Crew of ultra talented DJ/Producers, their releases on discogs disappear and then reappear for three to five times their original price. Buy on sight status is quickly being achieved by all six members of this shadowy Crew.

The four tracks contained in this release all touch base with the vibes already established by the Crew, while continuing to expand the sonic palette as well.
Amir Alexander's Cypher is classic dirty analog at it's finest. With a slightly overdriven synth baseline leading the way, followed by restless percussion. Midway through, deep and mysterious pads create a dreamy texture as a spoken word passage muses about loyalty to those you came up with.

Chris Mitchell's 213NL raises the temperature with Chris's signature "Phrenetic" drum programming under an SH101type acid baseline oscillating wildly as melodic strings soar.
DJ Spider keeps things gutter with some Vanguard/ Plan B style street knowledge in the form of New World Resistance. An industrial/ futurist tech beat frenzy full of vocals dropping science about the New Word Order's plans for global domination.
Dakini9 closes the release by taking us to the depths and beyond with her deeply emotive work in the form of Rollercoaster to Nowhere. Sci fi atmospherics weave in and out of lushly serene pads while her always deadly serious percussion marks the time effortlessly. Time travel is evoked as the dulcet tones erode all sense of the here and now. Fall into infinity! For the collector's, this one is not to be missed as it is a rare Vanguard Volume on it's sister label Anunnaki Cartel with both logos on one record. Don't sleep..

The Descent of Man EP is the third and last part of a trilogy on vinyl dedicated to Charles Darwin studies. This final chapter is focused on the darkest side of electronic music and his impact on human psychology. As Charles Darwin studied the evolution of physical and mental traits, we want to show how obscure, trembling and aggressive sounds generate an increasing sense of agitation and loss while mild and gloomy atmospheres can relieve the body and brain, achieving a peaceful state of mind.
Don't be afraid to move into a shady space. This is not the end even if it could be.

Tigersushi surprise us and drop a new 12" from label boss, Joakim... 2 Gloriously Produced Tracks, As Usual...!
Almost 2 years have passed since Joakim released Nothing Gold. Not that he's been lazy. Those 2 years have probably been the busiest for the tall Musician/producer/DJ/label manager who produced numerous bands in his Fountain Studio in Paris (Zombie Zombie, Montevideo, Alba Lua, Acid Washed and more...). Joakim also did a few remixes (Aeroplane, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lescop, Arsenal, Renaissance Man...) ans recorded a collaboration EP with Kindness that was the debut release on his new label Crowdspacer. Not to mention the constant touring, running Tigersushi records and a move from Paris to New York city!

Since Joakim has 4 hands, he also managed to start recording some material for a new album between 2 recording sessions and just before he had to move his studio out, he finished those 2 tracks : the slow, claustrophobic but hopeful « Heartbeats » and « Another Light » which brings that subtle typical melancholy to the clubs.

Now Joakim is setting up a mini home studio in his flat in NYC, somehow going back to his roots when he started making music at his parents house with a cheap keyboard more than 10 years ago. Usually in the music business, artists release a first single once the album is finished and start a promo campaign from there. But Joakim doesn't really understand the music business (don't tell anyone!), so he decided to release those 2 tracks without having any more finished material for his upcoming album nor an idea of what it will be like. In those times when everything is instant, he'd rather release new material leading to an album while the tracks are finished. Just like a work in progress you will witness an album taking shape before your ears.
This is a way to bypass the traditional rhythm of an album launch when everything needs to be done and ready months before the actual release, which usually results in the author being already bored and working on something else when the music comes out.

Superb raggatek tunes here... with a massive kick, very interesting... Meeting with some gypsy techno... And also some acid hardfloor tribekiller, full of vitality and life and changes... And some realy good ideas. Loads of rupture and different structures mixed together into each tunes. A very interesting realese, coming from the Psychoquake tribe ! FAT !

New release from the mysterious Ex-Pylon on Studio Barnhus. Shakes is a twisted, noisy 12 minute techno epic with razor sharp drums, acidic basslines and a daredevil breakdown, while Helmet comes correct with swirling pads from outer space and a deadly groove from deep within the core.
Some selected feedback:
Agoria - i looooooooooooooove helmet so much!
Catz N' Dogz - LOVE IT MORE THAN POLAND
Dave Aju - cool and trippy tracks... 'helmet' is a cosmic space jam!
Deetron - This is so so good, exactly what I needed! Lovely use of the samples in Shakes and Helmet reminds me of Co-Fusion, great EP!
Ewan Pearson - Shakes is great!
Ivan Smagghe - huge
Jacques Renault - Helmet is cool, I'm going to test it out for sure.
Jimpster - Another slice of gorgeous deepness! Both tracks are double heavy and going to be getting plenty plays. Nicely done!
John Talabot - loving shakes!!! SB love
Josh Wink - out there release. fresh and i like.
Robag Wruhme - Download for Robag /Robag's mom
Sandrien - Shakes is a cool trip!
Superpitcher - super!!
Tim Sweeney - Yes to techno!

Kartel is delighted to announce the 18th March release on Soundway Records of Magical Thinking by Antibalas multi-instrumentalist, Chico Mann. Tipping a genre-bending wink at 80's funk, boogie and electro stylings, with just a hint of Afrobeat spicing the mix, Chico effortlessly merges a downtempo groove with timeless pop sensibility to create a contemporary dancefloor classic. UK/European dates for March/April will be announced shortly.

Six years have passed since the last album by Andi Otto alias Springintgut, ("Park and Ride", City Centre Offices, 2007). In this period, Otto has done nothing less than inventing a new instru- ment: His "Fello" is a cello with movement sensors attached to the bow and a corresponding software. The development has been kicked off at STEIM in Amsterdam already in 2007. Since then, Otto has achieved vital refinements of the system, cooperated with artists of various fields as diverse as choreographers in Macedonia, theatre in Nigeria and Techno DJs in the Berghain Kantine in Berlin or the Fusion Festival. He even played solo with his instrument on different continents. For this third album, "Where We Need No Map" Otto takes the "Fello" to his studio in Hamburg for the first time. He records his instrument which has until today only been presented live on stage. In these Fello Sessions, the bow gestures immediate- ly modulate and process the amplified cello sound. In the subsequent editings he selects and cuts these sessions and merges them with other styles, such as Skweee, House and Jazz. Springintgut's trademark sound, this unique playfulness, is pre- sent throughout, while the live-processed cello adds an unrivaled deepness. The artist's expeditions even add more colour. Two tracks have been recorded in India. The lead voi- ce in "Bangalore Kids" is a field recording of a schoolboy in Cubbon Park, Bangalore. Andi Otto spends three months in Japan as artist- in-residence in the Villa Kamogawa in Kyoto. Du- ring this concentrated period he produces the more contemplative tracks of the album, like "Ka- mogawa Cycling" and "Western Kyoto". In Sri Lan- ka, finally, he meets Sasha Perera, the voice of Berlin's Dub Techno band Jahcoozi. They record two songs together. Especially in "Bullet" one can sense the lazy, muggy, peaceful heat of the after- noons in which this beautiful track has been com- posed. These stories may help to locate the music's orig- ins but still the sound of "Where We Need No Map" points us to unknown territories. The journey itself is the reward, let's listen!

Sechs Jahre sind seit dem letzten Album "Park and Ride" (City Centre Offices, 2007) von Andi Otto alias Springintgut bereits vergangen. Diese Zeit hat der Pingipung-Mitinhaber genutzt, nicht weni- ger als ein eigenes Instrument zu erfinden: das "Fello", ein Cello mit Bewegungssensoren auf dem Bogen und einer dazu gehörigen Soft- ware. Die Grundlagen dafür entstehen bereits 2007 am STEIM in Amsterdam. In der Folgezeit gelingt es Otto, das Instrument immer weiter zu verfeinern, mit unterschiedlichen Künstlern zu kooperieren und international aufzutreten. Für "Where We Need No Map" trägt Otto das Fello erstmals ins Hamburger Studio und nimmt unzählige Sessions auf, in denen die Gesten des Bogens direkt den verstärkten Sound des Cellos verändern und neu formen. Diese Fello-Sitzungen werden anschließend editiert und mit anderen Ein- flüssen vermengt, die von Skweee über House bis hin zum Jazz reichen. Der Markenzeichen-Sound von Springintgut, diese ureigene Verspieltheit, ist weiterhin vorhanden, gewinnt durch das live-pro- zessierte Cello aber eine bisher unerreichte Tiefe. Weitere Farbe erhält das Album durch Ottos zahl- reiche Tourneen in ferne Länder. Zwei Stücke ent- stehen in Indien. Die Stimme von "Bangalore Kids" ist eine Feldaufnahme eines Schuljungen im Cubbon Park in Bangalore. In Japan verbringt Andi Otto drei Monate als "Artist in Residence" in der Villa Kamogawa in Kyoto. Während dieser kon- zentrierten Zeit entstehen die ruhigeren Tracks des Albums wie "Kamogawa Cycling" und "Western Kyoto". In Sri Lanka lernt er dann Sasha Perera kennen, die Stimme von Jahcoozi. Sie nehmen zwei Songs zusammen auf. Vor allem in "Bullet" kann man der faulen Nachmittagshitze nachspü- ren, in der die Stücke entstanden sind. So lassen sich die vielfältigen Entstehungspunk- te von "Where We Need No Map" zwar karto- graphieren, aber der Sound des Albums schickt einen trotzdem in unbekanntes Terrain. "Der Weg ist das Ziel, frag nicht viel, hör mal..."

The bomb that should have dropped way back when. After a career spanning almost two decades DJ Overdose debuts on Creme with his first full length album, upon which we remark with carefully considered understatement: 'A veritable tour de resistance in film noir electronics, Bizarro World is a dank and dark alley made flesh. Overdose's heavy soulful beats and soundscapes snatch your dreams right from under you like a shadowy kleptomaniac, masterfully pairing melancholy and ennui with fear and voyeuristic tiger-lurking-in-the-bushes paranoia. So lock up your future plans or you might very well find yourself without any'. For those who don't know, DJ Overdose is one of the OG's of the La Haya underground, one half of Novamen and the other half of The Hasbeens with classic and sought after releases on Bunker, Viewlexx, Murder Capital, Clone and Strange Life to name a few. In his spare time he doubles as a hand model for Bruce Willis.

Leo Anibaldi's label !
This new Italian artist (already released on Nacthstrom Schallplatten, Drehmoment, etc.) shows two interesting tracks with a modern concept of techno.
The first track is a sort of hypnotic techno with a lot of groove inside, never boring.
The second track is a beautiful trip with experimental and industrial sounds, he doesn't want forget his roots.

New Artist on Fachwerk Records with some deep advanced techno cuts. Limited to 300 copies! Comes including a solid Mike Dehnert Remix who takes a more dubby Berlin techno approach in a way only he can do! Dont sleep.

Debut longplay release from heralded Irish producer Mano Le Tough
who is one of this year's international DJ shooting stars according
to Resident Advisor's top 100 list.

Olmec Save Us is the new single by R&B powerhouse Donnie. Donnie's powerful words will take you on a journey that spans from the origins of mankind to modern times. Olmec Save Us was featured on Defected Presents Osunlade In the House in 2012. Now released as a single on vinyl- with mixes from Kai Alce, Osunlade and instrumentals of both versions!

Alex Niggemann's 2012-defining long player 'Paranoid Funk' dropped in June to a rapturous response from DJs, dancers and home listeners alike. Here, Poker Flat Recordings revisits some of the exceptional highlights of that record, and deliver a remix package sure to be as equally sought-after by those in the know. 'Paranoid Funk' saw the Berlin resident explore a variety of grooves and textures, an experiment that won him many new admirers and a great deal of critical acclaim. Here, some of the hottest remix talent in the scene get their hands on the originals and twist them into new shapes. Following on from releases on Cocoon, Kling Klong, Circle and two strong EPs on Poker Flat ("Dinosaurs' and 'This") renowned producers Alex Flatner and LOPAZZ take on 'Don't Wait' and drop a growling, main room monster that will standout in any set. Francys, the young Italian making quiet a name for himself on the underground house and techno circuit, lends his skills to 'Back 2 Basics feat. Benji' - channeling the spirit of the early 90s into seven ecstatic minutes. Next up is Salvatore Freda - the highly respected Swiss DJ and producer who injects Niggemann's 'I Don't Care' with a narcotic groove that sits somewhere between Detroit and Berlin - the dubbed out vocals adding an element of otherworldliness that work in perfect compliment to the track's twisted (paranoid) funk. Berlin's own Andre Lodemann picks out 'Lovers' for his excursion, a deep bomb that grows and grows around an exceptional vocal from John Rydell - this is one for the very late nights or early mornings. What is clear from this release is that Alex Niggemann's star continues to rise - the classical pianist turned producer and DJ extraordinaire is moving on to the next phase of his career - and with the slew of outstanding releases to his name already, who is to say where that could lead. Tracklist:

It's been a terrific year for KOMPAKT boss MICHAEL MAYER, who released his sophomore album 'MANTASY' (KOMCD100/KOM250) - the eagerly awaited follow-up to his seminal album debut 'TOUCH' (KOMCD36/KOM107). 2013 is shaping up to be equally busy, with an ongoing worldwide DJ tour, the label's 20th birthday and now the first EP of 'MANTASY' remixes. 'MANTASY REMIXE 1' is the first entry in a series of three, featuring a stellar cast sure to push any dance floor over the edge.


Up and coming producer and core family member of the Cómeme family - PHILIPP GORBACHEV is no stranger to Kompakt, and he delivers a slashing rework of adrenaline-fuelled synth fest 'VOIGT KAMPFF TEST'. This Berlin based Russian has had a tremendous career launch thanks to his excellent solo debut 'IN THE DELTA' (CÓMEME 012) and as a partner in crime releasing singles as a member of ISAAC JOHAN and THE DISTRICT UNION. Pulling out all the stops for this remix, 2013 promises to push him as a major club force to be reckoned with.

Another star in the making, Cologne's BARNT had an equally strong run in the last months with in-demand releases on Magazine, Cómeme and Mule Musiq: his track GEFFEN (from - The Power Of Now', CÓMEME 013) is easily one of the most recognized club singles of this year. He also tackles 'VOIGT KAMPFF TEST', dialing things back a bit, but only to reinforce the air of sheer magnitude that oozes from every single note. Delving deeper into his trademark Kraut Techno approach, Barnt replaces the original's thrills with creeping tension and reaches a new understanding of what the prime time should sound like.

THE MOLE is well-known for his heavily sampled, organic loopiness having a special place reserved in nearly every DJ's record crate, but this beat-driven. remix of Mayer's beatless masterpiece 'BAUMHAUS' sees the producer refining his approach, as he takes the original's evocative expertise to new heights of grooviness. It's not just a case of 'let's put a beat in there and we're done', but a fundamental rework eliciting hidden properties and finding a new perspective on an already perfect slice of music. A personal favorite of many Kompakt aficionados, 'Baumhaus' finally gets the club treatment it so clearly deserves.

Hello listeners, blunt heads, fly ladies and prisoners..... This is the future of the music industry. Not the music, just the idea of the artists writing their own PR faffle. Next year I'll probably have to carry my own bags on tour too.......tragic. I have had a few years of working on other projects and shuffling about in loose trousers, but now I feel the time has come to release some more music for feet and floors. What I should say is that every time I tried to write techno/house/moonbeat in the last couple of years, everything came out as shitty tech-house.....The brain was just in an alternate mode, a mode for classical music and melody, but now it seems to have come back to techno so I here present some of its recent outpourings. It belched out Polka the first night I got back to Scotland, having left London. BabaYaga is named after a sinister-as-hell witch from a Russian story book we had as kids (check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Yaga) clearly designed to traumatise young minds. My traumatised mind made this tune, so it has come full circle. Mu is slower, for lazy, emotional dancers. I hope you will enjoy them and the excellent Sons of Tiki mix of Polka that accompanies them..... Send all hate mail to Vakant, I don't read it. Alex

Tablon is a new France based independent record label. Supporting artists with a characteristic style, tablon releases music by passion, developing its own vision of today's and tomorrow's dance music.
After a first EP by Arnaud linked in a certain way to Greece, tablon 002 will come from Istanbul. Far from us the idea to make a worldwide music label or refer to any old war between two countries. It just happened like that. Sarp makes amazing music and we are proud to present his new EP. It is called "I care because you don't", the artwork is made by Nefelie and the mastering by Mathieu Berthet in Paris. As we care a lot about the vinyl thing, our releases appear first on 12" and then in digital.
"Hi, I am Sarp Yilmaz. No, not your household name, not the next megaDj, not the chart topper, just a guy with some machines and a passion in his heart, who is supported by some other guy who runs this young, fresh label, who is mad enough to release music that is not bassline obsessed, not fitting any of the genre slots of your favorite online store, that is as much hip hop and jazz as it's house. No, this will not destroy your dancefloor, nor will it make you dance like there's tomorrow, it's moody, sometimes even depressive, but I made it with a smile on my face. It's trippy, it's glitchy and it's slow. Music, I make to cure the sicknesses of my heart. Hope it puts a smile on your face too. I care because you don't".
Sarp Yilmaz - I care because you don't EP

Boris Werner is known for producing quality music and filling venues with crowds who can't get enough of his energetic and inspiring sound. These are a couple of the reasons why Boris Werner stands with us here today and proudly presents the Slow Dancin' EP, and we think you are really gonna love it. Strings and a relaxed rhythm user in the title track, complete with ambient vocal samples. Then, all at once the bass hits and the kick fills the void; instant groove. A jumpy synth dances over the track and invites friends to the show. Before you know it you've got a full track on your hands. Don't be fooled by the title, as it is indeed misleading. There will be no slow dancing to this gem. 'Missing Out (Dedicated to Ed & Emma) is a bit deeper, but with a warm feel (e-piano on reverb). Then, like 'Slow Dancin'', it catches you off guard with the beat. This is a feel good track, perfect for evenings, deep nights, and early mornings. Not to mention some of the years last open-air festivals. 'Did It In Miami' opens with caution, an indecisive kick with other percussive elements slowly build into an invigorating tech house beat. Grimy vocal samples creep in and the bass line slips under the beat, holding up the track well on a packed dancefloor.

influenced by mid 90's Detroit techno. As with the first release the numbers are limited so don't miss 4 more raw analogue sounding tracks from Black Boxx

01. GO DEH
02. WISE MAN FROM THE EAST
03. IT MUST COME
04. GUNS DON'T ARGUE
05. STEVE AUSTIN
06. NO PLACE LIKE HOME
07. BLESSED ARE THE MEEK
08. ETERNAL LIFE
09. GATHER MY PEOPLE
10. IF JAH IS FOR US
11. TABLE GONNA TURN
12. ROCK IT IN THE GHETTO
13. LIFE IS GREAT
14 TOGETHERNESS

Next up in the Delsin house series is a man who's been perfecting it for years - Düsseldorf's Andy Vaz. The boss of Yore and Background Records, Vaz has released two full lengths and many EPs to date, always exploring a heartfelt brand of electronica that draws on house, techno, Detroit and Chicago in equal measure.

Here he serves up two versions of the same track - 'Don't Lose Your Mind'. Both feature the sweet vocal stylings of Niko Marks and the first, the Soul Version, is all ditty, bouncy chords, floating, summery saxophone lines and warm, effusive synths.

The second House Dub mix is a little sharper - the claps cut through the soupy sonics like a knife and as a result the groove has a more urgent bite. Still stuffed with plenty of human loveliness, though, both tracks are surely set for many spins this summer given their classy feel good vibes.

Repress

The forthcoming release on Spanish house imprint SAFT is a deep and grooving true house vinyl which will definitely provide you with some inner glow. The man behind this piece of fine wax is called Washerman. This 3-Track release is designed for clubs and outdoor jams where people don't necessarily need a scorching energy span to enjoy the music. With beautiful rhode sounds and touching vocal cuts this record should be in anyone's record collection. Raw but beautiful

Chug: The dancefloor smasher, battered by N-Type on every set. The new metal build up drops into an aggy stepper, building
aggression as it develops. Cheshire Cat: Wonka donna beats, this cheeky little track has all the swagger and prowess of the Cheshire
Cat himself. Bouncy and bubbling, this track showcases the lighter side of Crushington's personality.

Special tracks have a special story behind them. And this one certainly does. After Mario & Vidis recorded a couple of tracks with Ernesto for their debut album Changed they invited him to perform in their home country. During his short stay in Lithuania Ernesto performed two times and both times closed his set with a track called Care. It was kind of a mash-up - Swedish singer & songwriter was using lyrics of his old song to sing over Metro Area's classic Caught Up to a big effect - leaving the packed dance floors to a sing along to lyrical hook of 'sisters and brothers, smokers and lovers, care for me' every time. Big fan of Metro Area's sound Vidis offered him to do a reversion of this mash-up using Caught Up as a reference and inspiration. The vocals were re-recorded, new arrangement was done, and the song was tested in the clubs as well as live on stage. So here it is - another big tune from the three to sing and dance along

5 KING'S "Love & Then Sum" : 5 KING'S is five motherfuckers and this one from Chicago shows once again his very natural heritage/memory of Ron Hardy. Taking you into a more than 11 minutes deep house classic blend, classy, spiritual and dj friendly. Once again, core and essence of house music in its purest form ; continuity of & by the pioneers.
Tracklisting:

Leonard Cohen is indubitably one of the most legendary and successful singer-songwriters from the '60s. However, his label at first refused to release 'Various Positions', his seventh studio album, saying "Look, Leonard; we know you're great, but we don't know if you're any good". The success of the album proved them wrong, giving us one of his most beloved and arguably his most covered song 'Hallelujah', along other gems such as 'Heart With No Companion' and the Gainsbourg-esque 'Dance Me To The End Of Love'. This is a nice addition to the rest of Cohen's releases on Music On Vinyl.

Oh Holy Molar is the second album from UK trio Felix. The group produces a bewitching, minimal chamber pop that works as the perfect framework for singer/songwriter Lucinda Chua's oblique and emotionally immediate stories of superstition and searching for protection against bad omens.
*As a follow up to their debut You Are The One I Pick, the band return with a collection of songs with a sound stripped back to its very core. Something is said to have "teeth" when it has the ability to make an impact. This record certainly has "teeth", and sharp ones at that.
*" The album was recorded in a vast, spooky 1940s cinema in Nottingham, England, now converted into a studio. After recording was completed the band discovered that underneath the live room lay an abandoned Dental Laboratory. "Oh Holy Molar" indeed.
*" Since the release of the rst Felix album, pianist/vocalist Lucinda Chua, also an accomplished photographer, has been working on a number of projects, most recently with Wallpaper* in Detroit. Guitarist Chris Summerlin has been recording and touring with his new band Kogumaza. The group is completed with the recent addition of drummer Neil Turpin who, when not performing with Felix, can also be found touring the world with French composer Yann Tiersen.
press quotes for You Are the One I Pick
'It's a gateway into another headspace, one aglow with uncertain magic. As statements of romantic intent go, 'Death To Everyone But Us' must represent either the most  straightforward, honest distillation of the love song, or the creepiest.' BBC
'In Felix's world, everyday mundanities give rise to furtive explorations of human interaction and ineptitude in a manner as oppressive as it is oddly and honestly addictive.' Drowned in Sound
'The duo keep things refreshingly simple, with single strands of piano, guitar, and cello in quiet symmetry, leaving the listener ample room to savor Felix's knotty, enigmatic songcraft.' Pitchfork
'There is mystery and elegance in the marrow of this music, and I imagine this record will prove to stand the test of time, reserved to be pulled out for the perfect accompaniment to just the right brooding but whimsical mood.' Delusions of Adequacy
track list:
1.The Bells 2. Sunday Night 3. Oh Thee 73 4. Don't Look Back (It's Too Sad) 5. Hate Song 6.Oh Holy Molar 7. Blessing Part I 8. Blessing Part II 9. Rites 10. Who Will Pity the Poor Fool 11. Pretty Girls 12. Practising Magic 13. Little Biscuit

After more or less owning 2011 with a surprise album, a collaboration with urban crooner Colonel Abrams, an ahead-of-the-game reissue of Marc Kinchen and the all-conquering "Here's Your Trance Now Dance", FXHE don Omar S kicks off a new year with Wayne County Hills Cops Pt 2 (where, we ask, was Part 1?), a hook-up with the mysterious OB IGNITT. The eponymous A-Side is characterised by the kind of glistening synths last seen on "Here's Your Trance...", with a rugged analogue bass line giving the track with the requisite bump. A tired cliche it may be, but this could easily soundtrack an 80s cop movie: clearly Omar has this in mind given the 12"'s title and the fact the record's centre label features a doctored image of Eddie Murphy from Beverly Hills Cop! On the flip, Omar S provides his own remix, drowning the synths in dubby textures and showering them with shuffling hats for a more heads-down take. Another killer 12" - business as usual at FXHE, then.

SK 011, 444, Centralbron, Midsummer Night, Babar, Russian Folksong, Carbon Oxide, I Love Water, all those brilliant Tiga productions... We really don't know what else to say - just try to imagine the history and future of this dance music thing we're all involved in without Jesper Dahlbäck... Nah, rather not, right Being part of Jesper's discography is the greatest thing that has happened to Studio Barnhus up until now and these two tracks, Fransson and DX2 RMX, are up there with all those previously mentioned masterpieces.

freshly repressed!
With "Donnerkuppel" and its dramatically beautiful ethereal hookline Robag resets the focus firmly on the floor.