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Following an accomplished EP on Perc Trax & a feature on Parallels and Influence Part II, Manni Dee returns to Leyla contributing his third EP to the labels impressive discography.

Your Public Image commences with Insurrection Erection, featuring vocals by Joke Lanz of Sudden Infant (Harbinger Sound, Raubbau). The vocal contributions harness a feeling of widespread disharmony, punctuating the bullish drums and assertive atmosphere with eruptions of frustration and expressions of malcontent. While the field recorded vocals made by Lanz feature as an empowered voice and a call for upheaval, the screams and shrieks from Lanz operate as the marginalised voice of the oppressed, sharply slicing through musical elements only to disappear and become submerged.

The A2 skips along with broken beats in very British fashion, reminiscent of Manni's earlier work on Black Sun Records, with added ingenuity and percussive flare.

The application of vocals, which has become a key characteristic of Dee's recent work, is creatively exhibited on the B1 Combination Acts; a track that displays a deft percussive density unique to Dee's style, adding a frenetic touch to a steadfast substructure. The tempo ramps up on the EP closer, satirically & appropriately titled The Jingoism Stench. The distorted & frantic yet nimble foundation propels the track forward, with reverberated contact mic and vocal recordings bouncing off the stolid walls of rhythmic pressure.

An acute understanding and implementation of rhythm and sound design results in provocative dancefloor material that blurs the lines between industrial traditions and (post) punk artistry. Dee continues to flourish as one of the most innovative and exciting voices in techno today.

Mysterious new outfit Glasstalk Records start as they mean to go on with their debut release, showcasing some heavy-hitting techno from Kettering via Leeds upstart, Wilhelm. At the ripe age of 21 and with only one release to his name prior to 38thParallel, this producer has already attracted a lot of support from a stellar cast of tastemakers including Bruce, Midland, Batu, Avalon Emerson, Tasker and A Made Up Sound as well as landing recent radio plays from the likes of Skream, B. Traits, Moxie, George Fitzgerald, Batu and Via Maris.

Wilhelm kicks off the EP with the haunting 'Our World.' This dancefloor heater is jam packed with frenetic percussion, overtly time-stretched whispers and ambient samples of mechanical scrapings. Next up is the title track of 38thParallel EP, a distinctly more off-kilter affair than its predecessor due to its quick-fire drum patterns. Rounding off the release is 'Assignment,' which was quite literally made as an assignment for the producer's university course! This slowed techno roller would be perfect as a set opener.

Second release for Counrad on his vinyl only own imprint "Counrad Series"
The Italian producer hits back with great killer grooves, sampled and twisted vocal hits, an absolute heater to start things of.

Sexy, moving,

Counrad's four-tracker explores parallel worlds through expert synthesiser sequences and cavernous vocals features, one to get any floor going.

Three sexy, moving tracks for different moods.
The breakdowns are sure to be a hands in the air moment at festivals and parties all over the globe this year.

Again anyone who knows the series will be all over this...

This release is a must have for your collection.

Summer has not officially kicked in yet but Antinote's new addition to its roster will sure soundtrack perfectly its upcoming warm nights: encapsulating the teenage dream of an endless summer, 18 RAYS is the moniker behind which some of the label's most steady fixtures gave a try at recording music together, somewhere straight in the heart of Paris' 18th arrondissement.
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Nico Motte, Zaltan & Raphaël Top-Secret have been friends way before each of them occasionally played his part in the Parisian label and it is mainly out of this friendship that they conceived 18 RAYS, a vessel to finally give life to the band they dreamed of in their teenage years. It is safe to say that 18 RAYS has been in their mind for quite a while, but it was only last winter, after a couple of bottles of natural wine on a hazy evening, that they decided that it was time to give it a real go and to pick up the instrument each learned years ago: the guitar, the bass and
the drums.

Produced by Nico Motte - the man behind all the artworks of the label - the trio spent 5 weeks between Synth City (Motte's studio) and Red Bull Studio in Paris working on these 4 songs, each sitting somewhere between some sort of timeless and somehow aquatic dream pop and blurred visions of an eerie grunge sound, that probably
never was.

That being said, the genesis of 18 RAYS might explain why their debut EP turns out to be such an intimate affair: while it took its members down memory lane, the listener will embark on an ethereal trip, taking him to a parallel universe in which the sounds of Cocteau Twins,

Conceptual Records presents you its third vinyl only release Univers Parallele written by a music producer from Canada, Montreal Claire. Inspired by her tour in Europe in 2016, Claire finally embodies her absolutely cosmically sounding ideas in three original composition: Pyjama Jazz, Sometimes I Turn Into stars (on side A) and Parallel Dimensios ( on side B) , in which she uses futuristic sounds, analog drum sections, deep bass, jazz sections from the 30 s and her own vocal. The last track of this release is a tribal dance mix from a talented modern musician of romanian origin living in Ibiza Plusculaar (on B2). Mixdown and mastering by Pheek. Covert art from Djack Arta a moldovian artist. Plunge into the fascinating musical journey to a parallel universe with Conceptual.

* Includes a DIN A2long poster inside the 12" sleeve with edition number and music download code

* Rogue Style 1 EP is an international homage to b-boy culture, where the worlds of breakbeat music and breakdance collide. Sinistarr (USA), Kiat (Singapore), Kabuki (Germany) and HomeSick (Canada) are connected in many ways, now they lay bare their hip-hop roots and give something back with a fresh take through the eyes of drum & bass and juke/footwork. Here is what they have to say:

Sinistarr: "As a teenager I grew up as a b-boy, dancing anywhere I could: schools, parks, festivals, you name it, my crew was there with cardboard and a speaker. I eventually got deeper into DJing and making music and learned to bring a sound that's not just for the crowds and the purists, but also for all the dancers!"

Kiat: "Hip Hop has taught me to keep evolving, to explore new forms in all my art. Progression is the key to evolution. -- I met Sinistarr online thru myspace and we had a musical connection which led to our first collaboration 'Black Diamonds' which is still one of my personal favourite tunes I've been fortunate to be part of it's creation. With Kabuki, i've always been a fan of his work since his 'Makai' alias on No U-Turn, despite meeting him only recently thru the label.I've always known him to be constantly progressing his ideas in his music which I respect alot."

Kabuki: "B-boy culture has always been a strong influence on how I pursued my art, mainly because of its DIY ethos and attitude of perfecting your craft. Incidentally these were also the aspects that drew me to Jungle when I first discovered it in the nineties. -- I'm happy to rub shoulders with Kiat, Sinistarr and HomeSick on this release, as I'm a fan of their music foremost, but also because we became friends through the music."

HomeSick: "I was only a child in the 90s and as a result I feel like my understanding of b-boy culture was experienced second hand thanks to 90s/early 2000s hip hop music. I appreciate the parallels I can see with footwork culture, particularly the similarities to the community mentality of break dancing. -- I know Sinistarr through booking him for our local party night in Alberta, Canada called Percolate. Our city must have left an impression on him because a year later he made the move here from Detroit. Had the pleasure of hosting him as a room mate for a little over half a year, the home was a very potent creative space during this time. Kabuki hit me up a few years ago and we very quickly got to sharing tracks and collaborating together. Mans a master of production and a super important part of the global scene."

The idea for a reminiscence of b-boy culture stem from label owner Booga:

"Why am I interested in this so much I grew up in East Germany and as the movie "Beat Street" premiered in 1985 over here I was age 13 and blown away by the energy, the music, the wit, the style - everything in this movie was better than everyday life in Leipzig. So I started saving for a cassette recorder and taped music shows from West German radio and prepared tapes for school disco gigs to the hope somebody would do the "robot" to Arthur Baker "Breaker's Revenge". Unfortunately that never worked out hahaha. But I was hooked since then and as the wall came down in 1989 I travelled to West Berlin just to buy the Beats, Breaks and Scratches 1-4 vinyl box by Simon Harris. The fascination for breakbeats never stopped and before I discovered Jungle around '94 I was down with the British cut up house thing from the likes of Marrs, Krush and Coldcut as another form of breakbeat music. The "do it yourself" spirit from hip hop culture inspired me to start a local website called breaks.org in 2000 to locally promote the drum and bass scene with emerging producers, djs and mcs for a wider audience and I threw in some interviews with Storm, Kabuki, Rob Playford, Klute and John B. That turnt into a multi author blog called itsyours.info in 2004 which still exists - that is where I had the pleasure to introduce Kiat and Ash in 2007. All these years I was listening and playing drum and bass tunes when the occasional "bboy tune" came up, some were obvious like Alex Reece "B-Boy Flavour", Lemon D "B Boyz", Commix "Change" and some were not so much self-explanatory like Digital & Spirits "Phantom Force" and the remixes by T-Power & Codeine or Fracture's Astrophonica Edit - but I felt the hidden force of breakdancing nevertheless. With the Rogue Style series I have the first class opportunity to ask established and new Defrostatica artists to present a current interpretation of b-boy culture. This is a dream coming true."

3xLP+CD Artbook
(en) - Nearly two decades after the last official GAS album release, Wolfgang Voigt returns to his iconic Ambient project with a brandnew full-length.
- NARKOPOP continues the classic GAS aesthetic of symphonic scope and subtle variation, taking the listener on an otherworldly journey to the depths of rapture and reverie.
- Available as luxurious hardcover CD incl. 24 pages booklet.

In the body of work of Cologne artist Wolfgang Voigt - who, like few others, has informed, shaped and influenced the world of electronic music with countless different projects since the early 1990s -, GAS stands out in particular as a saturnine sound cosmos based on heavily condensed classic sequences. Even after nearly 20 years, the sound of GAS doesn't seem to have lost any of its luster, as shown by the commanding success of Kompakt's fall 2016 re-release of the essential back catalogue as a 10xLP/4xCD box set.

The overwhelming feedback from a loyal international fan community and worldwide media outlets attests once again to the sheer timelessness of GAS. Which is why it will feel like hardly a day has passed since the release of the last official album 'Pop' nearly two decades ago, when Wolfgang Voigt resumes this specific creative path with the upcoming new full-length NARKOPOP.

Even in the here and now, the unmistakable vibe of GAS immediately hits home, taking the listener on an otherworldly journey with the very first sounds, drawing him or her into an impervious sonic thicket, down to the depths of rapture and reverie. From wafts of dense symphonic mist emerges a floating and whirling feeling of weightlessness, before the listener steps into an eerily beautiful forest of fantasy, pulled in by the allure of a narcotic bass drum.

While earlier GAS tracks were often based on the hypnotic effects of looping techniques, the 10 new pieces on NARKOPOP unfold their magic in a more entwined manner, sometimes with the sonic might of an entire philharmonic orchestra, sometimes as subtle and fragile as the most delicate branch of a tree with many. A main characteristic of Voigt's oeuvre, the coalescence of seemingly contradictory stylistic aspects such as harmonious and atonal, concrete and abstract, light and heavy, near and far is also a decisive feature of NARKOPOP.

In accordance with the transgressive spirit of his collective work, Voigt carries the aesthetic conceptions of his music over to the realm of the visual. Based on his abstract forest pictures, the GAS artwork addresses Voigt's artistic affinity to romanticism and the forest as a place of yearning. For the first time, a closer look at the cover of NARKOPOP reveals signs of architectural fragments which hint at another, maybe parallel world behind Voigt's forest. Truth is the prettiest illusion.
(de) - Fast zwei Jahrzehnte nach dem letzten offiziellen GAS-Albumrelease kehrt Wolfgang Voigt mit einem brandneuen Langspieler zu seinem legendären Ambientprojekt zurück.
- NARKOPOP setzt die klassische GAS-Ästhetik zwischen symphonischer Grösse und subtiler Variation fort, eine Reise zu den Untiefen von Rausch und Entrücktheit.
- Erhältlich als luxuriöse Hardcover CD- Erhältlich als luxuriöse Hardcover CD inkl. 24-seitigem Booklet.


Aus dem Gesamtwerk des Kölner Künstlers Wolfgang Voigt, der mit seinen unzähligen unterschiedlichen musikalischen Projekten seit den frühen 1990er Jahren wie kaum ein Zweiter die elektronische Musikwelt geprägt, gestaltet und beinflusst hat, ragt sein Projekt GAS, ein auf stark verdichteten Klassiksequenzen basierendes, düsteres Klangkunstwerk, in ganz besonderem Maße heraus. Dass der Sound von GAS auch nach fast 20 Jahren scheinbar nichts von seinem Zauber und seiner Kraft verloren hat, zeigte eindrucksvoll der große Erfolg des im Herbst 2016 als 10xVinyl/4xCD Box auf Kompakt wieder veröffentlichten Backkatalogs.
Die überwältigende Resonanz, sowohl seitens der treuen internationalen Fangemeinde als auch der weltweiten Presse, bezeugte einmal mehr die schiere Zeitlosigkeit von GAS. Daher fühlt es sich auch an, als sei kaum ein Tag vergangen, wenn Wolfgang Voigt nun mit NARKOPOP genau da den künstlerischen Faden wieder aufnimmt, wo das letzte offizielle Album »Pop« ihn vor fast zwei Jahrzehnten hat fallen lassen.


Auch hier und heute verfängt der unverwechselbare Geist von GAS unmittelbar und nimmt den Hörer bereits mit den ersten Tönen mit in eine andere Welt, zieht ihn hinein in ein undurchdringliches Dickicht aus Klang, hinunter in die Untiefen von Rausch und Entrücktheit.
Aus dichten sinfonischen Nebelschwaden entsteht ein Schweben und Taumeln, ein Gefühl der Schwerelosigkeit, bevor der Zuhörer von der Anziehungskraft einer narkotischen Bassdrum wieder hinunter in den schaurig-schönen Fantasie-Wald gelockt wird.

Während frühere GAS Tracks oft auf der hypnotischen Wirkung des Loops basierten, entfalten die 10 neuen Stücke auf NARKOPOP ihre Magie auf verschlungeneren Pfaden, mal mit der klanglichen Wucht eines ganzen Philharmonieorchesters, dann wieder so zart und zerbrechlich wie der feinste Ast eines weit verzweigten Baumes. Das für Voigts Arbeiten so typische Ineinanderfließen scheinbar widersprüchlicher stilistischer Aspekte wie harmonisch und atonal, konkret und abstrakt, leicht und schwer, nah und fern ist auch auf NARKOPOP essenziell.

Im Sinne seines grenzüberschreitenden Schaffens, überträgt Voigt die ästhetischen Konzeptionen seiner Musik auch auf die Ebene des Visuellen. Das auf seinen abstrakten Waldbildern basierende GAS Artwork thematisiert Voigts künstlerischen Nähe zur Romantik und dem Wald als Sehnsuchtsort. Wer einen genaueren Blick auf das Cover von NARKOPOP wirft, der wird erstmalig Andeutungen architektonischer Fragmente entdecken, die eine andere, vielleicht parallele Welt hinter dem voigt'schen Wald erahnen lassen. Wahrheit ist der schönste Schein.

Amsterdam based Leyla records presents part two of it's various artists compilation, this time bringing together a host of international artists, as well as a contribution from label boss Chafik Chennouf.

The four tracker commences with Insufferable People from label regular Manni Dee. Following his spectacular EP on Perc Trax, Dee delivers a dancefloor roller containing punctilious sound design integral to his work, with vocals from the artist superimposed over crunchy drums, riding the waves of submerged synths.

Track two from France's Von Grall offers a similar treat for DJs, this time with more introspective elements working in harmony with with propulsive polyrhythms. As the track creeps forward the revelation of drones and synth lines further involves the listener and contributes to a musical landscape populated by rhythmically independent segments, coalescing to form a cogent whole.

Head honcho Chafik Chennouf injects light in to the darkness on the B1 with Kosmai, redolent of EBM style funk rhythms. The stolid arpeggios function as the foundation for percussive interplay which propel the track in to new territory as it progresses. The 90s rave influence becomes apparent as the automations mould and shape the multidimensional lead.

The closer, Useless Landscape, from Japan's Katsunori Sawa immediately immerses the listener as the concrete groove is quickly overtaken by field recordings and a unique tonality emerging through layered drones and warped artefacts. Reminiscent of his work with Yuji Kondo as Steven Porter, the track unveils an intimacy through detail, while maintaing distance through evolving layers of sound creating mystery and magic.

Die Bauarbeiterweste übergestreift, Schwarzlicht an und die Anlage auf Maximum - HGich.T (gesprochen: HaGe-Ich-Te), die Speerspitze der elektronischen Hauruckkonzepte, zieht uns mal wieder das Fell über dieOhren. Nach "Mein Hobby: Arschloch" (2010), "Lecko Grande" (2012) und "Megabobo" (2014) ist "Therapie wirkt" das vierte Album des Hamburger erformance-Kollektivs. Das Opus Magnum für ein authentisches Miteinander im Hier und Jetzt lässt Reminiszenzen an Pink Floyd ("Another Brick In The Wall") oder auch Yes ("Owner Of A Lonely Heart") durchscheinen, inhaltlich geht's gewohnt doppeldeutig zu. Ist das postmodern gewendete Ironie oder spätpubertäres Draufhauen Kunst oder Mummenschanz Absicht oder Dilettantismus Die Absolventen der HFBK (Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg) halten sich diesbezüglich bedeckt. "Vielleicht eine Art Gesellschaftskritik für Clubgänger und Electrofreunde ohne Tränen der Verzweiflung wie bei Blumfeld oder Bonny Tyler", befand ein Redakteur des NDR. Und Tapete-Chef Gunther Buskies ist sich sicher: "Die nehmen das, was sie machen, total ernst." Parallel zur CD und LP Perscheint "Therapie wirkt" in einer limitierten Vinylauflage von 500 Stück mit Instrumentals aus dem HGich.TKatalog

Leyla's 'Parallels & Influences EP' brings together Mondkopf, Positive Centre, Codex Empire & Yuji Kondo for an assaulting 4 tracks of power infused and industrial strength techno.
Mondkopf starts things roling with militaristic snare rolls and off-kilter analog synthesis into a climatic fervor of dystopian scene-scaping. This then is followed upu energetically by the pounding pressure and liquid 303 squelches of Positive Centre's 'Rub'. Crushed out cymbals battle against booming sub bass as a foghorn call rides high above the tempestuous patterns.
Codex Empire's 'Hessdalen' is as slick and detailed as it is ruff and raw. Huge sweeping backgrounds with intense high end percussion lick over a stomping, staggered kick pattern. Yuji Kondo (one half of the excellent Steven Porter project with Katsunori Sawa) brings things to a close with 'Whip Blow'. Bringing his signature refusal for traditional percussion sources - this peaking track pits high level technicality against deeply hypnotic and brooding rhythm.

Jam Money is the shared musical vision of Kevin Cormack and Mathew Fowler. Mathew (Bons) and Kevin (Half Cousin, Harry Deerness) first began collaborating as part of the Blank Tape Spillage Fete, an ongoing collective project of art and music which focuses on the creation and perpetuation of small DIY exhibitions, related events and limited releases that celebrates the hobbyist nature of home recording.

Jam Money revolves around a passion for the simple and sometimes restrictive nature of four-track cassette recording. Using old half-broken guitars, clarinets, charity shop keyboards, toys, family heirlooms, zithers, home-made percussion, and household objects a shared dialogue appears, involving both mark making and musical mishaps, allowing the makers to be carried along as the music finds its own way.

Genre definitions melt away in Jam Money's music as ambient dissolves into lo-fi rock, noise into fragile naive classroom melodies. Creativity beyond easy categorisation.The first recordings titled 'Blowing Stones' were self-released in 2014. The cover and insert artwork for this record featured abstract paintings by the artist Aimée Henderson whose work and process is a great influence on their music. Having played gigs alongside kindred spirits National Bedtime and Plinth, the tail end of 2015 saw the the band travel to Germany to play with the Notwist and Le Millipede for a series of 'Alien Disko' nights organised by Alien Transistor, a label with a shared kinship of both the weird and wonderful.

'A Gathering Kind' is the second album by Jam Money: a journey of sound and colour, subliminal images and narrative. The roots of this collection found Fowler and Cormack using an earthier, more instinctive language, making it a rougher-edged sibling to their other recordings, with parallels to the home-spun worlds of Flaming Tunes, Pumice, Maher Shalal Hash Baz and World Standard. Aimée's artwork features again, both paintings and music forming a collective language of dream-like adventure.

"Poignant and exploratory. Melting together acoustic and electronic elements, the narrative throughout is one of a ghostly world heading for winter. A firm fan favourite Stephen Pastel (The Pastels & Monorail Music) on Blowing Stones.

"Created in question and answer form, their songs exist like little sculptures - wayward and peaceful, sometimes whirring into automatic life under the pair's combined attention."

After a few digital releases, Lunar Convoy delivers a masterfully executed debut EP to inaugurate newcomer belgian imprint NORITE's vinyl series. Counting Northern Electronics, Hypnus Records, Semantica and Prologue among his main influences, Lunar Convoy's first effort is utterly coherent while not failing to evoke a plurality of emotions. Imbued with sacred atmospheres, infiltrated with mysticism, ritualistic melodies and aesthetically charged rhythms, Outer Rim Territories is a testimony of his love for deeper realms. On the A side, Seswenna's trancey lead synth and pumping bass opens the EP with an excursion towards distant planets. Ryloth ventures into darker fields, scattered with whirring and saturated analog complains and haunted by ancient voices. On the flip side, Eriadu sets a more mystical pace with syncopated kicks and floating eerie pad, to embark on a parallel dimension. Allen's take on Ryloth is symptomatic of the US-based producer, speeding things up and offering a stripped down version filled with devastating hi-hats and firing toms to end this solid 4-tracker with the hypnotic-yet-effective sound that got him signed on Attic Music, M_Rec Ltd, PoleGroup or more recently Granulart Recordings. With such a captivating release, Lunar Convoy has set a high bar for the upcoming releases and left us under his sway.

Reaching the milestone of its 100th single/EP release, Circus Company welcomes back Aquarius Heaven with a new EP of poignant, uplifting house music loaded with a meaningful message for these transient times. It's nearly three years since Brian Brewster delivered the Parallela Mundi 12', and in that time he has been on a relentless mission to spread his unique blend of house music, Caribbean roots and psychedelic magic across the globe in a whirlwind of live performances and collaborations. In a manifestation of his well-travelled soul, these new pieces call upon traditional influences in amongst the modern motifs that Aquarius Heaven has been built on, while lyrically dealing with the pressing issue of refugees escaping conflict, poverty and famine. The proud drum throwdown and carnival bleeps of 'Bato Chargé' conceal the seriousness of its theme. In Brewster's native tongue Creole, bato chargé translates as overloaded boat. With the Caribbean as equally rooted in the history of displaced humanity at the hands of sinister powers, the groove of 'Bato Chargé' takes on a defiant, hopeful tone directly inspired by the traditional percussive music style Gow Ka. '50 Drops' by way of contrast takes on a noirish tone with its gritty, street-weary tale and nocturnal melodics played out through enchanting arpeggios and warbling leads. Cooling off the tempo and heading into a digi-dub skank that plays off Brewster's roots in reggae and dancehall, 'Marie Galante' takes those same warm synths and runs them through a low-but-heavy stepping landscape; the perfect backdrop to the vocalist's dexterous ramblings on the mic. It's not often you hear Creole New Release Information delivered in contemporary electronic music, with a rare exception being the legendary work of Tikiman et al with Rhythm & Sound in the 90s.

The project named after his own label brand presents four cuts ranging from cosmic quantum nervous compulsion to introspection. Harmonious combination of complex percussive rhythms gives way to the already identifiable sonic universe of 30drop that turns into an effective formula at any club aimed at the forefront of the electronic dance music. Sacred geometry and style, concept and form, all to the service of the fundamental search. The roots are deep and horizon is vast. >Superconductivity EP< extends the scope of 30drop positioning on the edge of the sideral dance floor.

Over the past few decades, there has been a seismic shift in Brazil's musical landscape. A plethora of varying musical undergrounds has developed across the nation. While Rio and São Paulo have been overwhelmed with networks of talented musicians for a long time, creative life is now bursting all over the country. Amplificador exists to document and propagate the wonderfully diverse music currently blossoming from Brazil's vivacious and geographically varied musical undergrounds. Presenting an up-to date insight into Brazilian music, this compilation draws together some of the components of 'Novíssima Música Brasileira' (brand new Brazilian music), ranging from afro-grooves to rock, to modern samba and MPB. The music reaches back across Brazil's incredibly rich musical and cultural traditions, while also taking in influence from other movements around the globe.



Having begun life in 2012 as a Brazilian music blog run by Marcelo Monteiro, Eduardo Rodrigues, Mateus Campos, and Ricardo Calazans, the aim of Amplificador is to document and propel to wider audiences, Brazilian music of the '00s and '10s generation. This is a task made more significant by obvious changes in the way music is consumed. 'People are no longer obliged to listen to what the radio and TV are presenting. There is a whole new generation that wants to listen to new bands and new sounds and we try to connect those bands with other bands, producers, fans and even the mainstream.' These changes in technology and the way music is discovered and shared have developed parallel to the proliferation of these emerging scenes. The ostensible decentralization of the music industry means the promoting and filtering work of journalists and blogs, like Amplificador, have become increasingly important, as people try to keep up with the tsunami of new music and media flooding the country on a daily basis.



Marcelo uses the example of the Mangue Beat movement to explain a trend in contemporary Brazilian music that looks both inwards, to Brazil's own musical traditions and outwards, to movements around the world to create a novel, localised identity: 'The 90's Pernambuco art-social movement was inspired by Coco, Maracatu and Forró all mixed with modern riffs and grooves. The mythical

revolutionary Chico Science, his Nação Zumbi, Mundo Livre, Siba, and many others do this blend perfectly. There are also the references to the older generations and masters - Gil, Caetano, Luiz Gonzaga, João Gilberto, Tim Maia, Jorge Benjor - as a constant inspiration for all bands.' This is very much the case for the Brazilian artists of today.



Music is unquestionably informed by place. Brazil has always been famed for its regional differences in this sense. Indeed there are still pronounced variations between the scenes of Rio, Sao Paulo, Natal, Goiânia, Belo Horizonte and Belém for example, there are also great divergences within cities and while technology has brought changes to the way musical influences are shared, there are cultural differences, rooted in folkloric traditions, that aren't going away. Expressing his appreciation for this fact, while highlighting the potential of Brazil's spread of musical flavours, Marcelo explains that 'what we have now is new ingredients to make an even better mixture.'

This compilation heavily features music from a scene in Brazil's current musical make-up, which draws inspiration from African music, particularly Afro-beat music. Abayomy Afrobeat Orchestra from Rio formed because of their shared love of the music of Fela Kuti, uniting initially in 2009 for a jam session in his honour. But what sets Abayomy apart from other groups of a similar nature, is the fact that their sound also brings with it the songs and rhythms of candomblé. In this sense, Abayomy was the first band of its kind. The thirteen members of the orchestra have a palpable current of Rio's musical heritage - its rhythms and culture - running through them. So while their sound is distinctly African, it is also inherently Brazilian. Similarly, Zebrabeat Afro-Amazônia Orquestra draw upon traditional guitarradas and carimbos from the state of Pará and fuse these with the poly-rhythms of Afrobeat to create another regional hybrid, which stays true to both its Amazonian and African roots, yet which results in a very fresh, Brazilian sound. From Belo Horizonte (capital of Minas Gerais), Iconilli are another key band on Brazil's Afro-groove scene. With influences as varied as funk, jazz and psychedelic rock, congado, mining harmonies, maracatu, coco, ijexá, carimbó, Iconilli somehow manage to balance all of these sounds in such a way that makes it impossible to pin them down. From the Northeastern city of Joao Pessao, Parayba, Burro Morto's pshychadelic afro sound leans more towards rock and funk influences, with hint of regional Brazilian rhythms such as frevo and forro. They add another flavour to the Brazilian afro-groove scene: just one of the many exciting facets of Novíssima Música Brasileira.



While African-inspired music features heavily on the compilation, it is just one of the many styles within. Ive Seixas has a fresh approach to MPB, based on traditional rhythms and instrumentation, punctuated by a pop sensibility, coupled with a powerful female vocal. As an artist she is a product of a 'Do It Yourself' outlook to creativity, taken from her love of rock growing up. In 2013 she embarked on a project of street performance: wandering, like a lonely troubadour with just her guitar. Ive and her project began to gain notoriety and shortly after, her first EP was recorded, featuring some important names of South Rio's underground scene. 'Cervejas Populares' taken from the EP, is a beautiful, sombre piece of modern Brazilian pop, with a traditional samba rhythm. Another artist of the new MPB scene is Fabricio, from the city of Vitoria, who's 'Feito Tamborim' melds rock and funk and is also clearly reminiscent of the old Brazilian masters. It's an appreciation for the national musical heritage, alongside a keen ear for melody and an acceptance of foreign influences that results in these promising new sounds of Brazilian MPB.

Sao Paulo's super group of the underground 'Passo Torto' have been at the helm of an emerging scene in the city: an innovative approach to samba which draws in and experiments with afro grooves, jazz melodies and rock structures. Their sound is naturally very Brazilian, but the nylon twang of Faira Lima Pra Ca, interspersed with ominous strings and light rolling percussion, seems reminiscent of Captain Beefheart or Tom Waits, as the band lament their frustrations with their native city through their music.



The Future of Novíssima Música Brasileira looks very bright. The main challenge (and purpose of this album) is to get the music beyond Brazil's underground and into view of international audiences. In the last 10 years this goal has become somewhat more attainable, as the Brazilian government has begun to see the internationalisation of the nation's culture as a strategic objective, with public projects gaining increased investment and backing. The continuing project of Amplificador is to reinforce this international bridge by writing, filtering and promoting the scene as a whole. There is a wealth of great music currently blooming in Brazil and using new media tools, Marcelo and the team, alongside many others, will passionately continue to get the voices of Brazil's underground heard.

Steve Lorenz the label boss of Tarvisium Electronique is back with an amazing analogic and visionary EP!! Tresor 5 am is a violent techno train for the for dark and industrial dancefloors; Krenzlin an Diego Hostettler give with their remix a really old school and Detroit imprint to the vinyl. The side B, Amnesia 5 am, is characterized by psychedelic and dub sounds; Syntax error with his remix brings the listener in a parallel and obscure dimension. For finish Tz__45g--hkt6 is an experimental electronica track for contemporary art exibition and indipendent cinema.

Around7 follows up his two laidback funk/jazz albums for Robsoul Jazz with his first ever venture into House music. His Double Crossing EP released through the main Robsoul Recordings imprint on 4th April 2014.The Parisian, who previously delivered the Back To Basics and Soul On Wire LPs to critical acclaim, continues his production style of sampling complemented by live, organic sounds. Producer influences such as J Dilla and DJ Premier continue to be in evidence, alongside the jazz of Miles Davis, Bill Evans and the legendary Blue Note Records, all given a 4/4 twist.The result is four stripped back tracks with a low slung, smoky atmosphere, packed pull of acoustic sounds and live instrumentation. Those who remember Joss Moog's early outings on Robsoul will also find parallels hereAround7's music career began as a bassist and trumpet player in a jazz/funk band. After learning to play keyboard and discovering the Akai MPC sampler and software such as Cubase, he merged all of his skills together to create his own tracks based around live instrumentation and samples.

Passarella Death Squad are back with an new EP and once again open up a world of brooding, twisted emotion brought to life by their unique sound.

Giant EP commences its twisted journey with French vocalist Emilie Albisser's style beautifully on 'Blue Lips' running in parallel across thundering basslines, and clipped layered synth sounds.

Title track 'Giant' leads with a Vangelis style combination of fear inducing sounds that entwine in perfect time with Emilie's ethereal voice, from a future where hope is dwindling.
'The Stars and Stripes' is an enigmatic homage to the home of electronic beats - Detroit. Where Drexciya channels 'Drone' in a fiercely uplifting mantra to the power of America.

Giant EP ends with 'Untitled' which aptly wraps off this musical journey using metallic sounds melded together taking you back to that Beijing smog with huge LED screens and too many people.

After two in as many years, low-key German producer Yør returns to similarly low key Dutch imprint Purple Maze for his third full outing on the label in the form of the 'Sublimation EP'. Across the four tracks Yør continues to explore the same frayed and decayed, abstract electronics as he has in the past, with distant kins like Kassem Mosse and Morphosis still resonating.
The opener and title track is an intense and moody, nerve jangling affair where huge searching synths pan in the background of grinding drums and dense percussive clatter before 'Gravity', with its heavyweight and churning drums, trudges on through sonic scuzz and lo-fi blizzards as a backlit melody keeps things from growing all too dark and abstract.

The many different contrasting surfaces and counterpointed moods make Yør's sounds as arresting as they are. The dystopian, tortured industrial funk of 'Parallels' with its slapping claps and decaying percussive lines are proof of that, where through chaos comes beautiful order.
Closer 'Trust' holds its head a little higher, more spiralling synths and bleepy fax machines tones add a sense that the apocalypse is coming and machines will take over, but there's enough organic beauty in the deeply hidden melodies to keep the track from being all too hostile.

As with their first various artist compilation EP, Let's Play House has chosen to grab tracks from a handful of artists both new and old to the label and party. Portuguese duo Johnwaynes released the I Can See EP on the imprint in July of 2012 and Belgium's Mugwump has been part of the company's NYC party stable since 2010. The newcomers here—montel and Last Waltz—are obvious shoe-ins for inclusion in the roster.

As with the last V/A, this one tells a cohesive aural story. montel kicks the thing off with a no-nonsense jackin' house boogie, underscored by a slightly-out-of-tune and elastic bass that infects your whole body. Johnwaynes darkens the mood a bit without loosing montel's sense of urgency. The track throbs forward with the assistance of another thick bass, scattered synth ditties, herky-jerky hats, and breathy overlaid effects, giving it a cavernous vibe.

Brussels-based troublemakers Mugwump start the flip with a tune that seamlessly fits into their cannon—it sounds so familiar that it's hard to believe it's only just come out. As always, the duo's foundation is a choppy, hook-laden bass that's wrapped in playful synth lines, water-submerged effects, and big drums suitable for the largest of rock stadiums. Then Last Waltz wraps the whole affair up with their own melodious house boogie. As with the A2, theirs is more somber and spooky, yet just as catchy and addictive as the brighter montel and Mugwump songs. Imagine this EP as a miniature rendering of one of LPH's warehouse parties: it's big, bold, and lots of fun, while still having an obvious sense of a buildup, peak, and comedown.

Having met at an after-hours party at the tender age of 15, Addy Weitzman and Clarion North's Footprintz project is an attempt to channel the far-flung kaleidoscopic dancefloors and cosmic parallels they've journeyed for the last decade, into tranquilised, 80's tinged-pop in the only way they know how.

Having already played the world over, Footprintz are a unique proposition; eager to take you to that deep and dark place in the early morning hours. Ready and willing to change the musical landscape with their debut album due in early 2013 on Visionquest, Footprintz show little signs of slowing.

Adam, on his continuing mission to cross the parallels of Techno, EBM, Electro & Industrial, has gone on to create his most conceptual & best produced album to date. Recorded for Rustblade Recordings from Italy. The album is entitled "State Of Limbo" To fulfill the wants and desires of Adam's vinyl based fans. He has chosen four tracks off the CD to create this his latest 12"