quête:the pressure

Through her work across five Vastum albums, Leila Abdul-Rauf has been a sonorous contributor to 20 Buck Spin’s discography for more than 15 years now. Concurrent to that she’s also amassed an impressive body of solo work whereby she could showcase the full range of her multi-instrumental artistic and vocal talents. We now bring that part of Leila’s output to 20 Buck Spin showcasing her darkest and most confrontational material to date with new album ‘Andros Insidium’. On ‘Andros Insidium’ Leila draws us into a ceremonial descent, through the architecture of shadow itself. Unfolding like a ritual text etched in obsidian, each movement traces the violent and sacred geometry of transformation. The presence and wisdom of the feminine divine looms throughout, as an ancient and uncompromising force, in conflict with everything buried, exiled and made monstrous by the machinery of societal pressures and unrealistic expectations. The album delves deep into the dark vastness of the psyche of woman: wild, ugly, vulnerable and powerful. Sonically ‘Andros Insidium’ is a mutation of the cinematic dark-ambient, industrial and ritual folk expressed in prior releases, now sharpened into something far darker, more narrative and intimate. Leila’s vocal work becomes a new focus with a wider variety of styles and characters, exorcising the demons of patriarchal fragmentation and revenge fantasy as lived myth. In its most potent moments, ‘Andros Insidium’ suggests that wholeness is not purity or light, but the terrifying act of reclaiming everything that was discarded, and learning to speak with its voice. * New solo album of Leila-Abdul Rauf of VASTUM (also has played in Amber Asylum, Hammers of Misfortune, and others) * Dark and heavy mix of Dark Ambient, Industrial, Ritual / Neo Folk, Electronic

* FFO: Dead Can Dance, Diamanda Galas, Arcana, Amber Asylum, Jarboe/Swans, Chelsea Wolfe, Cold Meat Industry

Dry Socket is a politically charged hardcore band from Portland, Oregon, known for blistering performances and emotionally uncompromising songwriting. Rooted in the raw aggression of classic hardcore, their sound channels the urgency of early Ceremony, G.L.O.S.S., and Negative Approach while carving out a distinctly modern, inclusive space within the genre, one where anger, grief, and survival are not just themes, but lived realities.

Their music confronts systems of violence, coercion, and control with unflinching honesty, creating room to be unapologetically furious, vulnerable, and alive at the same time. Every riff lands like a strike; every lyric feels torn from experience rather than abstraction.

Since forming, Dry Socket has toured extensively across the U.S., Europe, and Mexico, sharing stages with Gorilla Biscuits, The Hope Conspiracy, Torso, and more.

Their latest record, Self Defense Techniques, centers on survival under constant pressure. Inspired by the practice of dehorning rhinos to protect them from poachers, removing a vital part of the animal in order to keep it alive, the album examines the compromises people are forced to make to endure a hostile world. Horns are tools for protection, communication, care, and identity. To survive, so many of us are taught to remove our own.

Across the record, Dry Socket interrogates life inside systems that demand silence, obedience, and self-erasure. Songs wrestle with exhaustion, spiritual betrayal, and economic violence, oscillating between fury and grief. Self Defense Techniques isn’t about triumph, it’s about endurance, documenting the cost of staying alive while refusing the lie that softness is weakness or that silence is peace

Mental baile future-funk.
Impossibly, round two ratchets through higher gears than round one. The cutting and scratching skills are brutally imperious, by turn eviscerating in split seconds a trembling flock of far-flung musical prey. Out of the wreckage looms the apotheosis of apocalyptic Techno Scratch terror; the ebulliently vengeful prophesy of forebears like Grand Wizzard Theodore and the Knights of the Turntable.
Blisteringly hot.

'A sequel. An escalation. Pressure spikes from bar one: future facing, low-latency. A firmware update for the body.
'Cuts bite into cuts. Fragments swarm, collide, die out. Drums stumble untile they speak; samples crop up without names and leave without warning. Momentum is the one and only rule. Unpredictable, gridless, post-genre.
'From Tik-Tok feed to vinyl: born digital, cut for the floor. The glitch grows a body, develops a nervous system.
'Match it or get out of the way. Damned be the ones that are stuck on tradition.'

O.B.F x Dubkasm.

Bristol, 10 AM. At the end of a garden, sub bass spilling out of a shed, the Dubquake crew had just stepped into the Dubkasm studio.

Rico jumped on the desk with Digistep, building riddims on the fly while Stryda and the crew bussed out some ninja moves. From that session, two raw dubz were born: Momentum and Shaku Dub.

Built for the dance, played on dubplate for a minute, it felt just right to press them onto heavyweight vinyl for the Teachings in Dub x Dubquake weekender that took place in Bristol and London last weekend.

Strictly dubplate pressure!

Future-proof Satoshi Tomiie weapon for the floor – PHONOGRAMME brings smoked-out dub science, razor-cut drums and low-end pressure built for deep heads and long, locked-in sessions.

Regal delivers his first full EP on Backspin, marking a defining moment for the label he founded. More than just another release, the Forgotten Heroes EP captures the essence of Regal's vision: groovy, forward-moving techno that balances raw club energy with atmosphere, emotion and narrative.

The title track 'Forgotten Heroes' sets the EP in motion with a sense of controlled urgency. A rolling, slightly breaktinged groove pushes forward relentlessly, while an eerie, almost nostalgic synth melody hovers in the background, giving the track an emotional pull. 'Concentrate' shifts the focus inward_ bleeping motifs, tight claps and restless hihats circle around spoken fragments that feel like thoughts caught between the peak of the night and the quiet hours before sunrise.

On the B-side, 'Forte' accelerates into pure momentum: sharp, bleep-led sequences and forward pressure combine into a rush that feels like racing through the city at night. 'Soft Killer' deepens the mood with a darker, dominant edge, its stripped back power and razor-sharp sounds cutting clean through the mix. Closing track 'Wild Magic' offers a final release of tension, slowing the pace into a lighter, more house-leaning groove. Warm pads and a catchy, uplifting melody bring a sense of air and openness, letting the EP drift out on a hopeful, almost euphoric note.

Regal's comeback EP 'Forgotten Heroes' stands as a personal statement and a cornerstone release for Backspin. It's techno built on groove, contrast and character, made to leave a lasting impression on the dancefloor.

aut drum science and steely atmospheres are the order of the day as Terrain deliver a moody, stripped-back four-track EP for Livity Sound. The partnership of Forest Drive West and Voytek has so far yielded sharply-focused releases for Delsin's Mantis series and Vargmal, finding the synergy between lean, intricate drum & bass and heads-down, experimental techno.

On 'Barossa Dub', the pair pitch down to a half-time, dancehall-angled groove to propel a heavily-dubbed soundscape and system-ready bass. 'Nica' maintains the low-slung swagger while steadily ratcheting up the dread. On the flip, 'Scatter' winds the pressure back up with a punchy broken techno workout that teeters on the edge of breakbeat. 'Hive' opts for a brooding, purring techno meditation that thrives on slow release and intricately crafted sound design, capping off a diverse trip through austere club modernism.

BODYSYSTEM is the solo project of Finlay McCarthy (synth player for Glasgow art-pop innovators Walt Disco). "Flowerbed" is his debut EP on KIN-TU Records, blending melodic electronics, skittering breakbeats, rave textures, and emotionally charged songwriting.

The EP includes collaborations with Tiger Cohen-Towell (Divorce) and Pearling, bringing two distinct vocal turns to the record. "I’m Still Available" lands as a yearning pop-dance cut with restless breakbeats and rave pressure, while "When I See You" (feat. Pearling) leans into a luminous, emotionally warm club feel. The EP closes out the KIN-TU003 campaign and marks a strong debut statement from a Glasgow artist already known for his work in Walt Disco.

In a most original impetus this album traverses forty years of Italian new wave and singer-songwriter tradition. As in the desert where Infesta’s urge is to walk, we are ambushed by the most intense thermal and sonic difference.

It is from here that this important journey we mustn’t miss begins. It leads us eight thousand meters deep in the blue abyss. Not quite enough to come out the other side and, as a kite, bestow all the heights that I will reach. These depths are nevertheless necessary to adjust our eyes to the darkness that lives within us, as a machine to burst our hearts to which we can’t and won't be accomplices.

Machine against machine. The increasing pressure of the lashes of an incessant current, at times sweet and at times sour, on which all the courage is sung and yet is everywhere dispersed like thoughts on water and melodies to be lost at sea. Darkness persists: you said the world can be lived where all was taken. And it’s a crazy and estranging babbling that, stripped by a current, answers: never never never never, in no direction.

My companions, come back, the breaking point has been found, we sing together. Leaf after leaf the time has come: it is possible to destroy the Machine in a mad blinding light.

Ultra Knites Records welcomes Mike Sharon for UKR058, a refined and deeply effective 4-track statement shaped for the late-night hours. Subtle in detail, hypnotic in flow, and built with the kind of understated pressure that stays with you long after the record stops spinning. Pressed on 180g black vinyl, Genetica EP fits perfectly into that classy underground space: functional for the floor, but rich enough for close listening. A versatile release for selectors who value precision, atmosphere, and timeless dancefloor design.

Repress of the oldschool Pressurehead Speedcore inferno !!

Let's see now – you just love that hugely fertile foundation period of Jamaican pop music from the birth of ska, through the spectacularly brief two year heyday of rocksteady up to and including the arrival of the first incarnation of reggae a.k.a. early or 'boss' reggae. But you're also aware that the pioneers of these sounds (including The Pioneers!) won't be creating music in these styles or touring forever – so what do you do?

Well, if you're Neil Anderson, owner of Original Gravity Records, the creation bit isn't a problem. You put forth period-authentic style material from a 'roster' of acts – such as Junior Dell & The D-Lites - that in reality consist mostly of yourself (you are a multi-instrumentalist and lyricist after all!) and whichever extra musicians and session singer you rope in for a given track. In the case of Junior Dell & The D-Lites that singer was Adrian Dell – soon to be dubbed (no pun intended) 'Junior' - first appearing on 2021's uptempo ska tribute to Salvadoran retro-dancing internet sensation Aranivah, entitled Miss Aranivah. And you keep putting out stuff so profusely and effectively that there are clamours for you to tour 'the band' which - er - doesn't really exist. What a botheration! Still, maybe your session singer could become – well - a permanent singer? Maybe you can rustle up assorted bredren to become the rest of the band and...you know what? That might just work!

And so, in the blink of an eye, Junior Dell & The D-Lites becomes a bona fide actual live band fronted by a young Jamaican singer playing fresh 60s/70s-style Jamaican music with an energy last seen and heard in, well, the 1960s and 70s. And it tours so effectively that there are clamours for 'the band' – or more accurately, now – the band - to release an album. Wait...what now? And, by the way, you've got a European tour coming up in April wouldn't it be great if the album was ready to tour by then? Pressure drop? Pressure rise more like!

Then again, Junior Dell & The D-Lites have done so many sure-shot singles to date that assembling them along with a new cut, an extended version of one of the singles and re-recordings of two of the label's previous singles that were originally by 'label mates' The Regulators should be a cinch. So expect all the hits: bluebeat banger 20 Flight Ska, the euphoric ska bounce of the aforementioned Miss Aranivah and the title track, a de rigueur smattering of covers (opener Jump Around, midway markers Praise You and Just Can't Get Enough, and one of the re-recordings, closer Don't Look Back In Anger), early reggae groovers Cool Right Down, Last Night Reggay, Can't Stop The Reggae (in a new extended form) and crowd-pleasing new one Mi Try along with the other Junior Dell re-recording - the gorgeous Why Why Why which nods to the period of reggae between the sound of '69 and the arrival of roots.

Don't you brag and don't you boast but that's a Whole Lotta Skankin' going on! Do the ska, do the rocksteady, do the reggay, why– it's another scorcher!

When we were thinking about making an EP for Rupture, the first few tracks happened to already be finished, and fit together really nicely - but getting that final track done ended up being a bit more of a challenge!

The vision was to convey our individual styles in collaboration as best as we could - with dance ready tracks that also carry emotion. Rum Runna, as the A1 of the EP, all started from a break we found that had one of the loudest subs cutting through. Instead of looking for something else, we decided to lean into this and maximise the energy, before finally breaking through with the 808s. Drifting Through The Mist is more of a rolling vibe, focussed on vocals and funk to lift spirits in the dance, all the while teasing an amen drop that leans into a ragga fusion.

Northwest Passage is one of the earliest tunes we got finished - being made quite soon into our first meeting I believe. The result is a darker tip that focusses on dissonance and sub pressure that really thrives in the bassbins. Our final tune on the EP, Original Secret, is the most emotionally charged on the EP, again utilising our love for unique percussion and bongo hits along with rolling breaks, carefully chopped snares, atmospheric pads and emotional vox samples.

We are more than proud to release this body of work on one of our all time favourite labels, and have had the utmost pleasure to work with the team every step of the way.

Following his debut appearance on HABITAT in 2024 with his standout ‘My Eyes Are Failing’ remix, Echonomist returns to serve up his ‘Dominator’ EP - a five-track release that captures the Greek artist’s unmistakable tension, groove, and analogue character, paired with high-caliber remixes from Fango and Toto Chiavetta. With previous releases on Innervisions, Exit Strategy, TAU, and Kompakt, Echonomist has steadily built a reputation for fusing raw emotion with forward-leaning sound design. His prolific output and effortless ability to experiment with various styles have long made him a respected figure within the global electronic landscape. Now, with his ‘Dominator’ EP, he brings that creative force back to Mind Against’s imprint in commanding form.

Opening with the title track, ‘Dominator’ immediately sets the tone: bustling energy, driving drums, and siren-like synths cut through a deep, Detroit-leaning atmosphere. ‘Modulator’ follows with a pulsing, oscillating bassline and rattling percussive breaks that coil around warped vocals. On ‘Use Your Illusions’, the pace becomes chuggier as he combines raw industrial drums with a thudding kick, dubby chords, and fizzing synths. The package is then elevated by two heavyweight reinterpretations, with Fango’s remix of ‘Dominator’ pushing the cut into a more intense, pressure-driven space, upping the ante with amplified rhythmic density. To close, Toto Chiavetta delivers an electro-laden rework, sculpting the track into a dense, atmospheric journey that prioritizes ever-evolving groove and textural depth.

Echonomist 'Dominator’ EP drops via HABITAT on 10th April 2025.

Ashley Tindall, AKA Skeptical, returns in peak form with Blimp EP — the fourth release on his Rubi Records imprint — delivering four meticulously crafted cuts of uncompromising drum & bass.

Opening with the title track, Blimp sets the tone with a deep, steppy wobbler that nods subtly to the title track from his second Rubi Records release, Capsize EP. All the signature Skeptical hallmarks are here: hypnotic, pared-back metronomic drums and shimmy-inducing, undulating subs that demand movement. Yet this time there's a noticeable shift — warm, underlying melodic pads bring an unexpected emotional depth. It's not dreamy, but it is more introspective than we're used to, showing another layer to his sonic palette.

So Good flips the script entirely. A dark, cinematic growler, it leans into ghosted vocal fragments and a futuristic film-noir aesthetic. Tense, claustrophobic rhythms and sinister textures create an unsettling atmosphere — tailor-made for those lights-out, pressure-heavy dancefloor moments.

Third comes the undeniable monster of the EP, Technology. Trademark "stink-face" Skeppiness is in full effect from the first bar. Disjointed sci-fi stabs and eerie pads collide with clinical, almost militaristic drum programming, all anchored by a devastatingly weighty bassline. Movement isn't optional — this is pure Skeptical, uncompromising and lethal.

Closing the EP is Bad Generation, a sound system–influenced weapon that finds Skeptical operating at his dubwise best. Fusing minimal D&B with heavyweight, roots-inspired rhythms is no easy task, but here it's executed with effortless authority. It's equally suited to shelling down a rave or getting lost in a deep, eyes-closed session.

Four tracks. Four distinct moods. 100% Skeptical.
Blimp EP confirms once again that his sound continues to evolve — sharper, deeper, and more refined with every release.

Support: Ben UFO, Joy Orbison, Gilles Peterson, dBridge, Break, DLR, Doc Scott, Mefjus, Kasra, Kings of the Rollers, Alix Perez, Jubei, Dub Phizix, Flight, Tasha, Loxy, Lens.

Andy Riley and Laurence Ritchie are Drop Music accomplices; the label is a natural outgrowth of yesterday's Smokescreen Soundsystem, one of the oldest and best-respected UK crews to endorse (sound-) systems thinking. In case you don't know, remember this: they were early 90s stanchions of pressure-dropping UK house heft. This rare new reissue hears their hugely in-demand classic 'Party Criminals' return to fully swung, gatecrashing mode. And boy, weren't they just. Their fourth ever Drop drop, it first surfaced in 1999 and turned instant heads for its crystalline blue inners and jacking, organic sound, not to mention a cameo from fellow duo Freaked on the A2's 'Rhythm By Nature'. But our favourite has to be 'Make Me Feel' with its soft-attack hi-hats, not tapping, more fizzing like metal leaf against the ears.

BOSLTD013 brings Luminér in a tight, floor-minded 12" that leans into the warm end of micro house and minimal without losing its bite. Analogue Forma is all about motion and detail: elastic grooves, crisp drum work, and that slightly dusty, hardware-fed sheen that sits perfectly between deep and functional.
Across four cuts, the record shifts from rolling, hypnotic pressure to sharper, twisted angles, keeping the swing present and the space alive. The B-side closes with “Forma (Gogan Remix)”, flipping the original into a more driving, late-night tool while staying true to the release’s analogue character. Vinyl only, built for DJs, and made to live in the mix.

Born in Victoria, B.C., and shaped by formative years in Vancouver, artist and producer Sophia Stel found a rapt cult fanbase with her 2024 debut EP Object Permanence, a fiercely vulnerable collection of genre-agnostic earworms fueled by her full-bodied, affecting alto. By following her intuition and going against the grain of online fads, Stel is setting trends, not chasing them - always creating from a place of true originality. Her self-directed, sometimes spurâÇ`ofâÇ`theâÇ`moment digicam visuals for tracks like "I"ll Take It" and "You Could Hate Me" have the fuzzy realism of vintage photos or cherished memories: effortlessly cool without ever trying to be. In addition to earning co-signs from Troye Sivan and A.G. Cook and being selected for this year"s DAZED 100, she recently made her runway debut at Ann Demeulemeester"s PFW SS26 show and embarked on her first headline tour, which included a performance at Pitchfork Festival in Paris, following the release of her sophomore EP How to Win At Solitaire. Continuing to push the boundaries of today"s music landscape while honing a truly singular, post-genre sound that"s all her own, Stel is currently working on her debut album.

Steve O’Sullivan returns under his Bluetrain alias, channeling the essence of dub into groovy,
endlessly cycling patterns shaped by submerged chords and tectonic low-end pressure. The influence of Mike Ink’s monolithic Studio One era is unmistakable, where reduction becomes
propulsion and each delay-trail etches its own pulse into the haze. Limited colourec vinyl.

Steve O’Sullivan returns under his Bluetrain alias, channeling the essence of dub into groovy,
endlessly cycling patterns shaped by submerged chords and tectonic low-end pressure. The influence of Mike Ink’s monolithic Studio One era is unmistakable, where reduction becomes
propulsion and each delay-trail etches its own pulse into the haze. Limited colourec vinyl.

Steve O’Sullivan returns under his Bluetrain alias, channeling the essence of dub into groovy,
endlessly cycling patterns shaped by submerged chords and tectonic low-end pressure. The influence of Mike Ink’s monolithic Studio One era is unmistakable, where reduction becomes
propulsion and each delay-trail etches its own pulse into the haze. Limited colourec vinyl.

Fides Records continues its 10-year anniversary journey with X5. This instalment widens the emotional spectrum while staying locked to the club: dub-soaked pressure, sunrise euphoria, cinematic tension, and leftfield elegance: six tracks that underline the label’s taste for both functionality and narrative depth.

Side A opens with Jon Hester’s “Oblique”, a timeless cut where dubby undertones meet crisp percussion, crowned by a high-pitched saturated motif that results warm, powerful, and sharply functional. “Caballo Azul (Z.I.P.P.O Rework)” follows, reshaping Franzizca’s original through Z.I.P.P.O’s lens into a dub-infused, precise reinterpretation, layered with meticulous sound design and understated force. Closing the side, Pink Concrete’s “Now We Are” keeps the emotional momentum alive with euphoric tones and introspective energy that feel built for sunrise closings.

Flipping to Side B, Tal Fussman’s “Ghost” adds cinematic weight, driven by an organ-inspired chord progression and dynamic percussion showing his bold, colorful, and razor-precise creative process. Aasthma is the project of Swedish heavyweights Peder Mannerfelt and Pär Grindvik and land on FIDES with “The Love Bees”, a genre-defying anthem where disco and house flair shine through a peak-time techno skeleton. The record closes with Hiver’s “Restless”, an IDM-infused finale rich in harmonic complexity and breaky elegance, perfectly capturing the Milan-based duo’s distinctive, emotionally charged signature

SMIILE RECORDS launches its new vinyl-focused sub-imprint SMIILEWAX with a three-track EP from Jen Cardini, released March 27th, 2026. Marking Cardini’s first solo project since the 90s, ‘petit monstre’ delivers percussive, club-ready cuts built for modern dance floors. The EP moves from stripped, rhythm-led groove to raw acid pressure and a drum-focused homage to the New York underground. A bold, floor-tested statement from one of dance music’s most quietly influential selectors and curators.

Portuguese techno force Lewis Fautzi debuts under his own name on Mutual Rytm with ‘Beneath The Surface’. Hailing from Barcelos, Portuguese maestro Lewis Fautzi has carved out a formidable reputation through a run of uncompromising releases and a sound rooted in tension, precision and raw power - exemplified by his recent outing on the agenda-setting Hayes Collective. He has previously established his fierce, potent sound on Soma, PoleGroup, Mord, and a number of other influential labels, while also heading up Faut Section. Having previously appeared on Mutual Rytm’s Federation Of Rytm III compilation under his Non Cyclic alias, he now steps out on SHDW’s label with a six-tracker busting full of impactful techno cuts. The heavily-requested ‘Beneath The Surface’ opens the EP with menacing low-end and tightly coiled pressure that's released through simmering valves and hissing synths. ‘The Hollow Cycle’ brings a loopy, tunnelling groove with a snaking lead and snaking metallic percussion, while ‘Inner Mechanism’ keeps things dark, deep and driving with a backlit glow that pulls you in. ‘Nonlinear Form’ is streamlined deep techno that fizzes with texture, spraying chords and a rumbling sub-bass, while closer ‘Anamorph’ rides meticulously designed broken beats with an ever-present sense of bass-driven foreboding. For digital purchasers, sparse and eerie bonus ‘Surface’ slams down with industrial weight and real warehouse grit, shaping up another weighty offering for the label.

2026 Repress

The debut release from a brand new imprint on the market - Patent by Gockel - a heavyweight 5-track vinyl journey into the world of the echo chamber, where baselines roll deep, claps crack like thunder, and each artist brings a unique flavor of dubwise pressure. From smoky steppers to spaced-out experiments, this compilation distills the essence of dub infused Techno into pure wax.

Riva Starr returns to Rekids with the ‘Shine A Light’ EP

The Snatch! Records boss follows up 2022’s appearance on the label with Mark Broom as Star B.

Italian producer and DJ Riva Starr returns to Rekids with the ‘Shine A Light’ EP, arriving 27th March 2026. It marks his solo debut for Radio Slave’s flagship label, succeeding his ‘Love Will Remain’ EP together with Mark Broom as Star B in 2022. Active for more than two decades, Starr has been a consistent force within House music, known for building infectious loops, weighty basslines, and hook-led vocals into timeless club records. His catalogue spans his own Snatch! Records alongside labels such as Hot Creations, Cajual, Crosstown Rebels, and Factory 93, with releases regularly topping digital charts.

Riva Starr’s ‘Shine A Light’ EP starts with 'Can't Stop The Feeling’, setting the tone with a bold, elastic House groove, driven by funky bass, smart filter work, and diva-style vocal stabs designed to lift the room. ‘Shine A Light (On Me)’ follows with even greater impact, pairing wall-rattling drums with belting vocals that bring gospel intensity to a hands-in-the-air anthem. ‘Tryin’’ digs deeper, keeping the pressure on with a sleazier bassline underpinning male vocal cries and smooth choral touches built for peak-time reactions. Closing things out, ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling (Beat-A-Pella)’ strips the groove back, rounding off a high-impact, emotionally charged EP of modern house craftsmanship.

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

The UK’s Black Metal forerunners, WINTERFYLLETH make a stand with The Unyielding Season, coming March 27, 2026 via Napalm Records. Their ninth album is a social commentary wrapped in meticulously crafted poetry and prose. Where the preceding album, The Imperious Horizon (2024), described an ominous, malevolent force, lurking in the distance, The Unyielding Season now explores said threat becoming a reality. The raging wildfire to its predecessor’s calculating, icy cold, WINTERFYLLETH’s first offering for their new record label is a reflection and a rebellion against the turmoils tearing individuals apart. It is a cry against the unsustainable weight of fear and pressure being pushed into the world, by the agents of a unresting, and unyielding force for evil.

TMAC returns with a raw Chicago house banger inspired by tape-deck tracks From the early days of house. One-sided cut with two mixes on colored wax, this joint delivers funky synths, hard-hitting drums, and peak dance floor pressure.

For our first EP and 12", we're joined by Italian sound artist and long-time Goodness friend Yraki for 5 tracks of sonic hypnosis on a bass-heavy theme: ‘Tendril’ is meditative future-techno meticulously constructed through an experimental, high-poly lens.

Detailed, tactile sound design with deep, hypnotic momentum, it shapeshifts between stripped-back bass pressure and elastic, experimental flow in one costant, evolving, unravelling thread.

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The shadowed interstice between root and circuit, Tendrils creep through soil and signal alike, tracing patterns unseen, carrying memory and mutation. Time folds in layers of sediment and data; decay becomes growth, fracture becomes connection.

Tendrils are the pulse of the unseen, a meditation on growth, entropy, and the uncanny geometry of becoming.

Daniel Steinberg debuts on Rekids the Berlin-based Arms & Legs boss drops the ‘Free Living’ EP

Berlin-based producer and DJ Daniel Steinberg lands on Rekids for the fi rst time with the ‘Free Living’ EP, 13th March 2026. Active for over two decades and emerging at the height of the stripped-back, funkier end of minimal house, Steinberg has built a reputation for pairing infectious hooks with tightly programmed grooves, and has ploughed his path via his label, Arms & Legs Records, as well as labels like NuGroove, Front Room, and Southern Fried.

The title track of Daniel Steinberg’s ‘Free Living’ EP sets the tone with slow-slung, dusty House pressure, where restraint and subtlety shape a deep, immersive groove. Blues-tinged vocal fragments sit low in the mix alongside understated trumpet motifs and tender chords, forming a warm-up cut that gradually raises the energy. ‘Concrete Master’ shifts gear entirely, delivering raw, in-your-face house driven by sleazy rap snippets and snarling hits, built for peak-time impact. ‘Seven Sense’ follows with turbo-charged momentum, pairing vamping piano lines with gospel-leaning vocal stabs for hands-in-the-air release, before ‘Perfect Catch’ closes the EP with loopy chords, chopped grooves, and a playful, party-starting sensibility, delivered with characteristic precision. Founded in 2006, Radio Slave’s Rekids expanded with the techno-focused Rekids Special Projects in 2017 and its latest sublabel, REK’D, in 2024. With Matt Edwards as sole A&R, Rekids continues to champion emerging and established artists alike, remaining a trusted home for house and related sounds, with recent releases from DJ Minx, Echonomist, Tal Fussman, and more.

A label long synonymous with raw, off-centre electronics and uncompromising club tools, Bjarki’s bbbbbb recors welcomes a producer whose approach feels cut from the same cloth, London’s Henry Greenleaf. In an era where functionality often outweighs feeling, ‘Brawn’ is a record that doesn’t court approval; it insists on impact. Built for high-pressure systems and low ceilings, it channels force not as spectacle, but as design.

Greenleaf’s catalogue to date, spanning labels such as Par Avion, YUKU, and ARTS, sketches a restless trajectory between precision and collapse. His productions operate where rhythm becomes architecture: kicks land like poured concrete, subs buckle and flex beneath shifting percussive grids, and textures are stretched until they fray at the edges. Sound is treated as a physical material, layered and stress-tested, reshaped until the familiar mutates into something tactile and strange.

Across the EP, that philosophy takes full form. A1 ‘Brawn’ sets the tone with dense, piston-like drums and tightly coiled low-end pressure, balancing brute force with meticulous spatial control. ‘Jump Up To Be’ follows with a more fractured swing, percussive shards ricocheting across a framework that feels perpetually on the verge of rupture. On the flip, ‘Gawk’ strips things back to skeletal components, carving negative space between distorted pulses and menacing, warped rhythmic figures, before ‘UNTUNTUNT’ closes the record in driving fashion, delivering a raw, functional workout that reduces the groove to its bluntest, most hypnotic form.

True to the label’s ethos, ‘Brawn’ doesn’t chase trends or smooth its edges. It folds air and pressure into motion, pares club music down to its working parts, and leaves room for spontaneous chaos to erupt within the grid; moments where structure splinters, energy misbehaves, and control gives way just enough to keep things volatile. Engineered yet unpredictable, utilitarian yet unruly, the EP embodies the tension, unpredictability, and uniqueness that have long defined bbbbbb recors.

Developer returns to his personal vinyl imprint Developer Archive with the label’s 17th release, continuing a focused exploration of raw, hypnotic techno built for physical spaces. Known globally as the driving force behind Modularz, Developer uses the Archive series as a more direct and uncompromising outlet—stripped back, functional, and deeply immersive.

This latest release locks into groove-based cuts powered by tension and restraint, where repetition becomes ritual and subtle shifts create sustained drama. The rhythms are dense and forward-moving, designed to work equally well in the pressure of a warehouse or the precision of a darkened club.

With Developer Archive 17, Developer reinforces his commitment to vinyl as a medium and to techno as a tool for controlled intensity—music that doesn’t chase trends, but instead sharpens its purpose with each release.

Alice Kemp is a British artist working with noise, performance, fetish objects, installation and many other forms of media. Throughout her work, she articulates a broken and illogical syntax of the subconscious through trance states, dreams, and disturbances. She has performed extensively, occasionally as an associate to the Schimpfluch-Gruppe of Swiss extreme aktionists.

It is a rarified violence that the Kemp invokes on her 9 Dreams In Erotic Mourning. Something disfigured. Something fucked. Something left behind. The subject matter of her investigations are deliberately inscrutable as she grotesquely amplifies a moment of terror, or fear, of sadness through pockets of piano melodies broken by psychoacoustic noise, razor-cut silence, ghastly vocalizations, crushed acts of physical aggression, and buckets of high-pressure suspense. Cryptic and oblique by design Kemp's work reads perhaps as a seance gone awry, certainly as private ritual made public, and as a transfiguration of literary body horror turned into a sonic nightmare that runs parallel to the works of Rudolf Eb.Er, Puce Mary, Sewer Election, and Luc Ferrari.

9 Dreams In Erotic Mourning was originally published as part of the instantly out of print boxset, On Corrosion - a 10 cassette anthology from 2019 that was housed in a handcrafted wooden box and featuring full albums from Kleistwahr, Neutral, Pinkcourtesyphone, Alice Kemp, She Spread Sorrow, G*Park, Relay For Death, Francisco Meirino, Fossil Aerosol Mining Project, and Himukalt. The collection also stood as the 50th release for The Helen Scarsdale Agency.

Driveline Records launches its catalog with a focused four-track vinyl EP built for the dancefloor, presenting four distinct yet cohesive techno cuts driven by groove, atmosphere and functionality.

The A-side opens with Invexis - "Roots", a hypnotic builder that slowly unfolds into a funky-driven rhythm. Tight hi-hats and rolling basslines carry the track forward, culminating in a subtle yet engaging melodic progression that lifts the energy without losing tension.

Next, Pylot - "Observation" delivers a highly functional club tool based on steady loops and an aquatic sound design. Aggressive low-end and raw basslines support an atmospheric and hypnotic flow, making it a solid choice for mid-set pressure and long blends.

On the B-side, Berlin-based duo Disguised contribute "Gitty (Dub Mix)", a dub-influenced and dreamy track designed to keep the dancefloor moving while creating a floating, immersive mood. Deep grooves and spacey textures balance rhythm and emotion.

Closing the EP, Shadow Hrym - "Delia" explores more melancholic territory, combining tribal and funky rhythms with emotive soundscapes, offering a powerful and memorable ending to the record.

A strong debut statement that defines Driveline Records' sonic vision: DJ-oriented techno with depth, groove and atmosphere, pressed on vinyl for dedicated selectors.

Another Squid inks its way into existence. The new project from northern operator
Accented Measures, whose synth tower stacks taller than the horizon it’s aimed at. A self
made groove patroller, Aqua Surf releases four well swung jewels of power, an ode to
motion, pressure, and late night systems thinking.

Each track is cut from the same cloth but bent at a slightly different curve, offering a
focused glimpse into the Aqua Surf orbit. You’ll find heavy nods to the Quasimidi
classics, early Korg rompers, quirky Roland workstations and lost dub style vocal
fragments strung throughout the EPs play through. Ultimately, the record is a multi
planetary trip built on MPC sequences, where swing does the steering and texture does
the talking.

Functional but curious, these are tracks designed to travel through rooms, through
bodies, through time slots where the lights stay low and the floor stays sweaty.

Massive vocal driven Garage House pressure here, from way way back in 1992! Yes, 'Follow Me' is one of THOSE records, one that transcended genre boundaries on it's release and continues to do so today. A true classic piece of NYC goodness from back in the day. The super production team of DJ Pierre and george Morel could only deliver the heat and that's exactly what they did - created a timeless House record with the bassline that just doesn't let up! This is the sort of track that got hammered on the US House scene, found a home in the UK Garage world and got spin at almost any and all clubs where the DJ's had half a clue and an iota of taste! Containing the original 3 mixes released in '92 now's your chance to bag a bonafide, hands down classic record! 'Follow Me' has been skilfully remastered from all original master sources and fully licensed and reissued officially for 2017.

Step into the spirit of the early rave years with “Parade006”, a high-energy EP rooted in the uncompromising sound of classic breakbeat. Drawing inspiration from the 90s, this release channels the raw pulse of a time when warehouse walls shook, kicks hit hard, breaks were chopped to the bone, and basslines pushed systems to their limits.

Right from the first track, the EP pulls you into a fierce rush of rough-edged samples, piercing rave stabs, and nonstop drive. Each cut blends heavy nostalgia with modern punch, fusing old-school hardcore attitude with contemporary production power.

Brace yourself for pure dancefloor pressure. Arms up. No restraint. The rave is back.



>>> comes in different marbled colored 12 “ Vinyl and ONLY on Vinyl <<<

Born from the dialogue between two distinct yet complementary visions of techno — Orbe’s futuristic and immersive atmospheres, and Psyk’s hypnotic depth, stripped-back minimalism — the record unfolds as a carefully sculpted sonic journey. Tension, space, and texture take center stage, shaping an evolving narrative that progresses seamlessly from track to track.

More than a collection of individual cuts, the album embodies a cohesive and mature concept: a shared identity refined through countless hours of studio experimentation, critical listening, and synthesis. Here, the core essence of the project crystallizes — a point of convergence between atmosphere and impact, abstraction and functionality, introspection and raw dancefloor energy.

This release not only marks the culmination of an intensive creative cycle, but also signals the beginning of a new phase in their ongoing exploration of techno’s expressive potential.

Two forward-thinking cuts, pressed loud and unapologetic, straight from the Bristol-based producer who knows exactly how to move a system.

“Paisley Breaks” is a break-driven speaker melter — restless drums, nuff low-end pressure, and just enough chaos to keep the dance on edge. Flip it over and “Sunday Monday”switches the mood: laid-back, hazy, and reflective, capturing that slow-burn feeling after a weekend that went a little too far (in the best way).

From the shadowy edges of Limbo into the basscomesaveme universe, this release balances raw energy with late-night introspection — made for sound systems, afterhours, and everything in between.

MF Robots return with a euphoric blend of Afro-soul-funk, delivering a release brimming with optimism, tight vocals, and the inescapable grooves that have become their signature. This album is a celebration of life, love, and musical joy, radiating positivity from start to finish.


Co-founder Jan Kincaid describes the track Glide as “a celebration of the unfolding of a love story.” From its romantic, reflective instrumental introduction to the soulfully upbeat opening bars, the listener is immediately swept into a journey.

True to MF Robots’ style, the track is joyful and celebratory, yet it pushes further—exploring the path love takes over time, and how, when it works, we can glide through life’s challenges with the right person by our side.


The album’s vibe is exuberant and full of energy, paying homage to soulful greats while adding a modern twist. There’s a subtle nod to legends like Earth, Wind & Fire, but what truly shines through is the sense of fun—the feeling that MF Robots are having an absolute ball singing, playing, and creating music that moves both body and soul.

MF Robots return with a euphoric blend of Afro-soul-funk, delivering a release brimming with optimism, tight vocals, and the inescapable grooves that have become their signature. This album is a celebration of life, love, and musical joy, radiating positivity from start to finish.


Co-founder Jan Kincaid describes the track Glide as “a celebration of the unfolding of a love story.” From its romantic, reflective instrumental introduction to the soulfully upbeat opening bars, the listener is immediately swept into a journey.

True to MF Robots’ style, the track is joyful and celebratory, yet it pushes further—exploring the path love takes over time, and how, when it works, we can glide through life’s challenges with the right person by our side.


The album’s vibe is exuberant and full of energy, paying homage to soulful greats while adding a modern twist. There’s a subtle nod to legends like Earth, Wind & Fire, but what truly shines through is the sense of fun—the feeling that MF Robots are having an absolute ball singing, playing, and creating music that moves both body and soul.

Romphea lands on Scottish imprint Hilltown Disco with his debut EP, Blind Protocols. A producer who’s been making serious waves worldwide, Romphea’s forward-thinking take on electro has already found a home on respected labels such as Pinkman, Tiger Weeds, FERMA, and recently on Hilltown Disco’s charity compilation.

Romphea distills his sound on ‘Blind Protocols’ into a fierce club-ready statement. The A-side delivers three break-neck electro cuts, loaded with acidic pressure and gripping, sweat-driven drum workouts. Flip it over and the EP slips into darker territory, leaning into EBM influences with two killer remixes from Hayter and Timothy J. Fairplay.

Limited to 300 copies on vinyl.

Ąnis is a Lithuanian producer and DJ working in the space between broken rhythms and atmospheric weight. His tracks blur the line between club tools and introspective pieces - raw, textured, and unpolished in the best way.

Ąnis’ debut album “I Swear I’m Not Delusional” builds from late-night sketches into fully formed pressure systems. Ambient passages fall into break-driven grooves, each track shifting like a mood swing. It's rooted in tension, repetition, and space - think the grit and movement of early Skee Mask filtered through a more personal, less polished lens. Tracks like “Mountain People” carry warmth without needing to explain themselves, while others feel like they were made at 3am with no lights on. It’s not chasing a scene - just locked into its own pulse. This isn’t background music. It asks you to sit with it - or move to it. Either way, it sticks.

Credits
Original tracks written, produced, arranged and recorded by Jonas Zubavičius in Vilnius. Mastering by Pranas Gudaitis aka audiomastering.lt. Artwork and design by Povilas Baranauskis.

Swiss DJ and producer Audrey Danza returns with Next Stop, her first self-released vinyl EP on her own imprint, Proxima. The four-track release sharpens her sound into a direct, club-focused statement rooted in acid techno.

Each track is carefully engineered for the dancefloor. Driving acidic basslines and distinctive percussion interlock with warped, spacey textures to form forward-moving, high-pressure grooves. Processed vocal fragments punctuate the tracks, heightening tension and momentum. The EP moves through trippy, mental territory, balancing functional DJ tools with off-kilter details and strange sonic flourishes.

Built for movement and momentum, Next Stop works equally well in late-night warehouse settings and peak-time club moments.

Two of the UK’s finest party-starters Dub Pistols and the Freestylers team up on ‘Enter The Sound’ to bring you an album of high-grade & high-pressure, bass-heavy cuts. Enter the party, Enter The Sound!

The album is a sonic journey through their diverse influences, blending genres like Reggae, Ska, Breakbeat, Jungle, Hip Hop & Trip Hop. It’s a celebration of their shared musical roots and evolution.
 
The album features an all-star lineup of guest artists, including Johnny Osbourne, Tippa Irie, General Levy, Too Many T’s, Horseman, Belle Humble, Scarlett Quinn, Tenor Fly, MC Spyda, Persona, Harry Shotta  and of course, Seanie T.

Berlin-based producer Red Rooms launches his new imprint ROT with a debut EP called Endurance that captures the full spectrum of his techno vision. From hypnotic minimalism to peak-time drive and closing-time euphoria, ROT001 delivers versatile tools for every moment of the night.
The record opens with Znakva, a mesmerizing ambient piece that sets the tone with atmospheric depth and introspection. Septima, Not Gonna Last Forever, and Disturbance bring the raw energy: pounding low-end pressure, whipping hi-hats, trippy synth lines, and gritty textures designed to ignite the floor. Closing the EP, Endurance lifts the mood with an emotive, uplifting finale -balancing intensity with a sense of release.
A statement debut, ROT001 introduces ROT as a label committed to deep, hypnotic, and dancefloor-focused techno.

Just when you thought Kevin Richard Martin's music couldn’t go any slower, lower or deeper, Sub Zero emerges. A slow-motion excavation of drug-tech, dub, dreamy noise and frozen ambience, the album gradually mutates into hypnotic pulsations and melodic melancholia. It is arguably Martin’s most striking release to date under his given name.


Originally released digitally on Bandcamp only in the depths of winter 2022, amid the final year of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine, this desolate epic went on to become KRM's best-selling digital album on the platform. With persistent demand for a vinyl pressing and a full DSP release from fans, Martin thought the time was right for Sub Zero to finally surface in its full glory: remastered and paired with fresh new artwork.


Unnervingly, the album is as beautiful as it is solemn, as glacial as it is relentless, and as subtle as it is terrifying. A trip into a sonic abyss, with a tour of a philosophical void, it’s to my ears, KRM’s most seductive work yet, and also his most emotionally resonant. Martin expertly balances tear-jerking motifs with heavier than hell rhythmic weight. With its melodic fog, eternal drones and eerie atmospherics, the peripheral throb of distant kick drums, the heartbeat punctuation of cavernous subs and the snowstorm blizzard of fuzz absolutely envelopes the mind, whilst crushing the soul.


In terms of lineage, Sub Zero might recall a more paranoid Porter Ricks, a dystopian GAS, or a brutally dubbed-out Pan Sonic. Most fitting, however, is its kinship with the deepest dub terrain Martin previously explored on In Blue, The Bug’s acclaimed 2020 collaboration with Dis Fig for Hyperdub, where he obsessively probed subaqueous pulses and low-end modulations.


Sub Zero is possibly the most minimal, desolate, and deviant dub record yet released on Martin’s PRESSURE label. It marks the point at which dub disappears into its own effects trails. Dub music capturing frozen moments in time. Dub as an addictive painkiller, that sounds both sacred and ocean deep.

Having transitioned between London, Lisbon and back again as a DJ and producer, as well as across the world as the drummer in beloved pop group, Metronomy, Anna Prior remains an essential and independent force in alternative and electronic music culture. The current epicentre of this creativity is undoubtedly Prior’s own label, Beat Palace. Established in 2021, it has showcased the talent and diversity of FLINTA producers carving an esoteric space within alt-pop and electronic music.

Returning to the imprint for the first time since its inception, Anna Prior utilises this vital platform to refine her own craft across the five-track ‘Firefly’ EP, exploring new moods and styles, balancing playfulness with vulnerability, shadow and light. Prior describes ‘Firefly’ as, “a collection of moments - some fleeting and some stubbornly lingering.... Each track came together almost by accident, but now feels to me like they've always belonged together.”

Lead single ‘True For You’ pulsates with soft euphoria, as Prior weaves softly cascading synths with her own earnest declarations, composing a sensual, sophisticated drama about “letting other people's differing truths sit alongside your own” that nonetheless carries a distinct club energy. In contrast, title track ‘Firefly’, written alongside co-producer Matt Karmil, unfolds as a spoken-word piece, investigating memory, “the tricky mirror that reveals more than it conceals”. Throughout, Prior’s inquisitive, native Yorkshire accent anchors a wide-eyed soundscape that gradually, impressively escalates into the cinematic.

Centerpiece track ‘Silence’ turns this approach inside out, escalating the tempo and revealing a DnB-influenced shade of Prior’s work that is certain to surprise and impress, scattering elegant syllables amongst serious soundsystem pressure as Prior navigates the feeling of being ghosted; by friends, lovers and even her own work. ‘No More Drama’ returns to pop, presenting a bold cover of Mary J. Blige’s classic that inverts the original’s unmatched intensity for a more serene, but no less affecting rendition.

Finally, ‘Beside You’ delivers one last, sublime blend of Prior’s songwriting and sequencing instincts, a simple pop incantation that coaxes dancers into a soft trance while concluding with a reminder from Prior that “amid life’s unanswered calls and fleeting highs, there is always space to feel safe and unjudged.” Concluding this sublime EP, Prior finds new ground to settle into her talents.

This is that absolute stank-face filth: hard, espionage drama-soul and tough, jazzy street-funk. Hogan, The Hawk & Dirty John Crown sounds like the soundtrack of a blaxploitation movie from the early 70s and, packed with funky fusion and smoother orchestral numbers, it is basically that.

Featuring a veritable who's who of killer library break snakes - Alan Parker, Alan Hawkshaw (under sneaky alias William Parrish), Simon Haseley, Reg Tilsley and Gordon Grant - it's not hard to see how this commands over £350 on secondary markets.

This beautifully presented reissue, part of Be With's fresh campaign with the legendary library label Music De Wolfe, is well overdue.

Recorded for De Wolfe in 1972, Hogan, The Hawk, Dirty John Crown is a fantastic start-to-finish listen. The flute-funk of Hawkshaw and Parker's opener "The Hawk" comprises driving, fuzzy, wah-wah-drizzled bell-laced breaks with synths and basslines to murder for. Up next, Haseley's "The Happening" is a carefree, rhythmic builder with strings and horns. Let's face it, it doesn't prepare us for the monster that follows...

Hawkshaw and Parker's amazing "Main Chance" is likely the reason you're here; it's a moody, beaty proto-hip-hop banger; all rolling drums and flute-laced, organ-drenched, synth-funk breaks. Just sensational - you'll want to play it again and again and again.

The cool AF "Hogan Baby" has a soft, rounded, bluesy feel - it's a lighter number and Haseley's work here sounds more than a little indebted to Burt Bacharach. It's melancholic, reflective and contains ace breaks with beautiful flutes and wistful horns. It's just gorgeous. Grant's pounding "Dirty John Crown" brilliantly conjures swirling string-swept serenity atop driving, incisive drama-funk breaks. Sublime. Hawkshaw and Parker come roaring back with the murky, creeping crime-funk of "Swarf" with killer basslines underpinning slow-mo high-class flute-funk.

Reg Tilsley enters the fray with the bright, snappy, carefree "Turnover". It's lightweight but still retains some nice orchestral movements. The brief “Tarantula” gets us back on track - from the pen and chops of Hawkshaw and Parker, are we surprised? - with the driving crime funk breaks, super clean yet brooding. Synths, sax and 'nuff guitars. YES.

Side 2 opens with the car chase swag of Haseley's dramatic, driving "Precinct". Jazzy, instrumental flute funk over great percussive breaks. We love this. Haseley's rolling "Sidewinder Version 1" is robust and exuberant with bouncy horns before a cracking Parker-Hawkshaw one-two featuring the tense "Pressure" and the deeply soulful "Call Me", a relaxed, medium-tempo organ feature. With building piano and strings Gordon Grant's excellently titled "Scorch" is as aggressive and dramatic as you'd hope. Hawkshaw and Parker's furtive flute-funk of "Digger" precede the light, melodic and romantic themes of Tilsley's "Marianne" whilst "Sidewinder Version 2", a faster iteration of Track B2 sees Haseley close out this remarkable set in bouncy, bright fashion.

The audio for Hogan, The Hawk, Dirty John Crown has been meticulously remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

Impatience is thrilled to present Leaving Memory, the latest album-length work by Piper Spray and Lena Tsibizova. Leaving Memory is a searing distillation of the duo’s ouevre - it’s eleven prismatic electronic seances combining for a mind warping wormhole with it’s own internal (il)llogic, where pop, ambient, and industrial music convene beneath a rugged HD of digital processing and brain fog. Equally rosy with nostalgia as it is ominously forward looking, Leaving Memory defies easy categorization and makes for an astounding, confounding listen.

By turns violently abrasive and disarmingly touching, Piper and Lena deploy sounds that fracture and disintegrate, burn up and explode, synthetic supernovas that give the record an unmistakable, inimitable texture. Song structures often abide by their own blueprint - heading in one direction before making an abrupt dive elsewhere. Bursts of vibrant colour lurk below layers of grayscale noise. Unidentifiable voices deliver secret messages from the murk. When rhythm’s emerge they ground the tracks to some unknown terrain and invigorate.

Lame Line veers towards the sweeter end of their spectrum, a hazy plaintive repetition increasingly lashed with friction, before Exit erupts with clanging rhythm and shards of distortion. Diagnosis is an almost sweet alt-pop song, Lena’s vocals yearning beneath a dubby shuffle, while Keeper Of The Void’s possessed incantations open up to a ripping, fried climax. Beryl Grey releases the pressure gauge, a gently lilting drift arpeggiating as the sun sets, and Lost Cars sweats through claustrophobic drones and bird song before the clouds part on a serene scene. Leaving Memory closes with Shin, offering a genuinely sweet resolution and a gentle landing back down to earth of either footsteps or fireworks, swelling synthesized horns and woodwinds, a kiss on the cheek for making it out the other side.

On Leaving Memory, Piper Spray & Lena Tsibizova share their uniquely discordant take on freaky music for unsettled minds, an intensely energized set that offers a deeply evocative, unimaginable otherworld for adventurous ears.

Piper Spray and Lena Tsibizova have been producing music together since 2020. Leaving Memory is the first to be presented in the LP format. Piper has previously released music via Orange Milk, Hausu Mountain and Gost Zvuk, as well as his own Singapore Sling Tapes label. Lena works predominantly as a photographer, and together Piper and Lena have released music via radio.syg.ma and Kartaskvazhin. Both make music as part of Air Krew, who have released music on the Echotourist and Motion Ward labels. They’re both currently based nowhere.

Leaving Memory was written, produced and mixed by Piper Spray and Lena Tsibizova, and mastered by Sergey Podluzhniy. Cover photo by Lena Tsibizova, design and layout by Justin Sloane.

Close Proximity lands on Second Sight with a four-track statement that spans the full spectrum of the label’s world. From upfront, peak-time club pressure to 90s-tinged house swing and Balearic-leaning warmth, the EP moves between late-night drive and sunlit release without losing momentum. Tight drums, bold hooks, and a vivid sense of space make it equally built for big systems and repeat listens — a focused package of energy, groove, and atmosphere.

Candiria’s classic album 300 Percent Density reissued on vinyl in February Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Candiria is one of the precursors of the mathcore genre. Formed in 1992 by vocalist Carley Coma, guitarists Chris Puma and Eric Matthews, and drummer/bassist/keyboardist/trumpeter Kenneth Schalk, the band was part of the second wave of New York hardcore, but subsequently expanded its performance to also play jazz, hip hop and progressive rock. 300 Percent Density is Candiria’s fourth studio album, originally released by Century Media in 2001. Critically praised for its experimental mix of metal, jazz, hip-hop, and hardcore, the album’s intricate arrangements and adventurous sound have made it a classic, stated by fans and critics as the band’s best work to date. The 25-year-old album is available on wax again in February 2026 via Svart Records. “Candiria have always been—and remain—a favorite among the group’s peers, because musicians already possess the vocabulary to understand the intricacy of the band’s arrangements and the tireless care and craft that went into perfecting them. Like the Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge, Candiria pressed hard to break through the monoculture of metal’s awkward transitional years and pave the way for similarly experimental bands.” -Decibel Magazine

Candiria’s classic album 300 Percent Density reissued on vinyl in February Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Candiria is one of the precursors of the mathcore genre. Formed in 1992 by vocalist Carley Coma, guitarists Chris Puma and Eric Matthews, and drummer/bassist/keyboardist/trumpeter Kenneth Schalk, the band was part of the second wave of New York hardcore, but subsequently expanded its performance to also play jazz, hip hop and progressive rock. 300 Percent Density is Candiria’s fourth studio album, originally released by Century Media in 2001. Critically praised for its experimental mix of metal, jazz, hip-hop, and hardcore, the album’s intricate arrangements and adventurous sound have made it a classic, stated by fans and critics as the band’s best work to date. The 25-year-old album is available on wax again in February 2026 via Svart Records. “Candiria have always been—and remain—a favorite among the group’s peers, because musicians already possess the vocabulary to understand the intricacy of the band’s arrangements and the tireless care and craft that went into perfecting them. Like the Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge, Candiria pressed hard to break through the monoculture of metal’s awkward transitional years and pave the way for similarly experimental bands.” -Decibel Magazine

Carnivalfinds the Fort Worth trauma ray captures some of their strongest, most intense, and exploratory work within the boundaries of a whirlwind year. The breakout success of Chameleon, their 2024 debut on Dais Records, further established the band amidst the current wave of shoegaze revivalists, yet increasingly agile, able to weave between scenes, touring throughout 2025 with the likes of Deafheaven, Loathe, and TouchéAmoré. A confluence of blitzing riffs and stark beauty, theirsound continues to evolve, nodding to loud-quiet-loud greats across metal, grunge, and shoegaze from Slowdive to Smashing Pumpkins. Carnival delves into moodier, more cerebral material, like holding theirpast excursions against a funhouse mirror. There's a distinct sense ofunease in these songs, built as a band in a fleeting window of time, proving they work best under pressure and when pulling from thedarkest corners of their subconscious. The wordless "Carousel" ushers in the EP's unsettling atmosphere withblasts of static and downcast strums giving way to "Hannibal", ananthemic track packed with power riffs and raw emotion. The band has hit this kind of sheer power before, from 2018's "Solstice" to Chameleon's title track, while "Hannibal" contorts with a tinge ofunprecedented evil, slithery, "Stone Temple-y, Alice in Chains-y," Avilaquips. Lyrically, he taps into teenage angst, the feeling of beingdissected and rejected.

Carnivalfinds the Fort Worth trauma ray captures some of their strongest, most intense, and exploratory work within the boundaries of a whirlwind year. The breakout success of Chameleon, their 2024 debut on Dais Records, further established the band amidst the current wave of shoegaze revivalists, yet increasingly agile, able to weave between scenes, touring throughout 2025 with the likes of Deafheaven, Loathe, and TouchéAmoré. A confluence of blitzing riffs and stark beauty, theirsound continues to evolve, nodding to loud-quiet-loud greats across metal, grunge, and shoegaze from Slowdive to Smashing Pumpkins. Carnival delves into moodier, more cerebral material, like holding theirpast excursions against a funhouse mirror. There's a distinct sense ofunease in these songs, built as a band in a fleeting window of time, proving they work best under pressure and when pulling from thedarkest corners of their subconscious. The wordless "Carousel" ushers in the EP's unsettling atmosphere withblasts of static and downcast strums giving way to "Hannibal", ananthemic track packed with power riffs and raw emotion. The band has hit this kind of sheer power before, from 2018's "Solstice" to Chameleon's title track, while "Hannibal" contorts with a tinge ofunprecedented evil, slithery, "Stone Temple-y, Alice in Chains-y," Avilaquips. Lyrically, he taps into teenage angst, the feeling of beingdissected and rejected.

Rough Signal Records steps into 2026 with a fresh release, featuring Bristol’s young lion KaiDub, following their link-up on last year’s “Osaka to Bristol” release.

Built together in Kai Dub’s Bristol studio, this record is a straight-up expression of their shared love forUK Dub. Militant UK stepper drums and powered by Dub Kazman’s signature synth lines, forming a heavy, sound system–minded steppers tune.

Every track comes, Dub Mixed by Dub Kazman, including the ruf and tuf cut he dropped as the final tune at NO LOGO FESTIVAL last year. No frills, just heavyweight, pressure, and sound system vibes

Athens-based percussionist and sound artist Yorgos Stavridis makes a stark, physical debut for Heat Crimes with »Solo Percussion«, a set of one-take improvisations that approach percussion as a field of friction between body, objects, space, and sound. Working with membranes, metals, found objects, and feedback systems, Stavridis foregrounds timbre, texture, and spatial presence, collapsing distinctions between instrument, environment, and recording apparatus.

Microphones and speakers are treated as unstable instruments in their own right, introducing opaqueness, resistance, and feedback into the performative chain. Scrapes, low-end pressure, brittle metallic chatter, and sudden bursts of resonance emerge through close bodily engagement with surfaces and materials, each piece documenting a specific configuration of objects, gestures, and acoustic conditions. Performed and recorded live, »Solo Percussion« captures sound in its most contingent state; situational, physical, and irreducibly present. Eschewing narrative, pulse, or formal development, the record sits squarely in Heat Crimes’ lineage of process-led, uncompromising sonic research, where listening becomes an active, tactile act and sound itself is the primary event.

There is a breaking point where the mind yields and the body takes command. This is precisely the territory of Frenetic Habits EP.

Asymetric80 lands at INDUSTRIAS MEKANIKAS with an unapologetic statement: a direct immersion into the aesthetics of collapse and extreme habits. The work places you in the center of a post-apocalyptic scenario, where survival no longer relies on calm, but on your ability to endure mechanical tension.

The sound is built upon solidity and saturation. You won’t find fragility here, but rather an architecture of EBM, New Beat, and Industrial Techno designed to dominate any sound system that dares to play it.

Side A establishes the hierarchy with Frenetic Habits. Far from linear, the track unfolds a broken, demolishing rhythm, generating a devastating sonic pressure that completely envelops you. It is a piece of constant drive, an armored machine advancing over the very ground you stand on. It is followed by Exile and Unmasked, which shifts the strategy towards depth: a hypnotic immersion where industrial textures densify, creating a dark atmosphere that traps you with no escape.

On Side B, Bleak materializes the heaviness of the environment. A slow-burning, corrosive track with deep bass, which you can feel advancing with the force of concrete. To close, Dementia releases the accumulated tension with overflowing kinetic energy; a final outburst of controlled aggression that closes the cycle with maximum intensity.

Frenetic Habits EP is a record of ironclad textures and terminal atmosphere. A work that documents not defeat, but the brute force needed to remain standing when everything around has come crashing down.

Stoop Kid is the jangly indie rock project of Diest-born Jens Rubens. After Camp Careful (2021) and Mount Cope (2023), Stoop Kid returns with his third full-length album Office Overdue, a ten-song collection that captures the quiet fatigue, flickering humor, and
fragile hope of keeping it together in a world that won't slow down.

'Office Overdue' is a collection of songs Jens made at home in his modest home studio. For this album, he wanted to let go of pressure and expectations more than ever, and only work on music when he genuinely felt like it.No fancy studio, no producer, just walking upstairs and messing around. The result doesn't always sound perfectly polished: the drums are sometimes clumsily programmed and more than a few wrong notes made it onto the record. The guitars were allowed to hit a bit harder this time, with the '90s slacker vibes coming through more prominently. The result is a record that feels raw and honest, and above all, was made purely out of enthusiasm.

Office Overdue explores the attempt to keep functioning in everyday life while the world around us feels on the verge of collapse. The songs move between mental exhaustion and self-reflection, carried by a dry, sometimes bitter humour that helps lighten the weight. The album focuses on repetition and routine, and on the tension between wanting to care for others and being trapped inside one's own head. Themes of anxiety, guilt and dissociation recur throughout, but are always accompanied by small moments of connection, gentle resistance and acceptance. Office Overdue embraces the mess, the doubt and the false notes, without drawing grand conclusions. Not everything is resolved, but the persistence remains.

For the first time, all the 1978 recording sessions of Lino Capra Vaccina's legendary Antico Adagio - including Frammenti da Antico Adagio and Echi Armonici da Antico Adagio - collected in one definitive deluxe edition. Minimalism, and so much more. Sheets of resonance, stunning harmonic interplay, intricate rhythms rising as one. Sidelong works of pulsing, hypnotic, ritualistic drone built from vibraphones, marimbas, gongs, bells, and cymbals, threaded by the sustained vocal tones of Juri Camisasca and Dana Matus. A trance-inducing, meditative, cosmic world of sonic interplay - the world beyond, joined with that which lays within.

Before an aberrant idea of progress ludicrously sped up our daily lives, even in hectic Milan it was possible to "play slowly" - with no pressure, simply following the path your art was showing you. This music moves between modal fascinations, ritual evocations, and states of hypnotic trance, evoking the acoustic environment of Tibetan and Zen Buddhist ceremonies and the temporal structures of Noh theatre, from which Vaccina took the name of his original label, Nō. Now, fittingly, this complete collection appears on Ubi Kū, the label of the Italian Buddhist Union.

Lino Vaccina (1953) first gained note as a member of Aktuala, creating a hybrid of rock, avant-garde, and ancient musics while incorporating sonic traditions from across the globe. After leaving in 1974, he studied at Milano's Civica Scuola di Musica, collaborating with Franco Battiato and Juri Camisasca, and forming Telaio Magnetico in 1975. In 1978 he self-released Antico Adagio in a tiny edition and wouldn't be heard from again until 1992. From 1979 to 1985 he was percussionist with the Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala under maestros such as Abbado and Ozawa. His career has been marked by an incredibly high bar of quality and a tragically slim recorded output - a rigorous and sensual language fusing Oriental, Mediterranean, and African influences with ritual elements and a cosmic sense of time.

As Massimo Torrigiani writes: "Lino Vaccina's music captivates through its internal coherence and its ability to generate states of suspension and deep listening - through undulations, small melodic fragments, dialogues between acoustic instruments and resonances that seem to evoke a phantom orchestra. An example of personal exploration, discipline and openness that speaks across time to anyone willing to be drawn into its sound."

Frammenti da Antico Adagio and Echi Armonici da Antico Adagio contain material from the original sessions, restored and issued by Die Schachtel in 2014 and 2017. The new masters, prepared by Giuseppe Ielasi, are based on those restorations and the original material. The package includes previously unpublished photographs from the May 1978 sessions and liner notes by Mauro Radice in Italian, English, and French. Cover art by Dana Matus. Printed by Legno, Milano & Mother Tongue, Verona.

Personnel: Lino Capra Vaccina (vibraphone, marimba, tablas, wooden drums, darbuka, cymbals, gong, metal sheets, bells, bass drum, tom, snare drum, piano, voice), Dana Matus (voice, percussion, cetra), Juri Camisasca (voice), Mario Garuti (violin), Roberto Mazza (oboe). Original production by Massimo Villa & Lino Vaccina with Piero Cannizzaro. Recorded May 1978 at Circle Studios, Milano.

The heights of the Italian avant-garde, at their very best.

Finnish dub-techno craftsman TM Shuffle, head of Vuo Records, resurfaces with a deep and distilled EP that goes straight for the late-night heart of the dancefloor. Rooted in Tampere’s raw, analog dub sound, his productions have long balanced weight and warmth, smoked-out chords, rolling low-end and subtle shuffle that keeps the groove in constant motion.
The lead track “Kellari” dives into basement mode: pressure-cooker drums, slow-burning stabs and a humid, lived-in atmosphere that feels equally at home on a huge system or in headphones at 4 a.m. On the second original cut, TM Shuffle links up once again with long-time collaborator Monoder, the alias of Jussi-Pekka Parikka, known for his dubbed-out explorations on labels like Statik Entertainment and Pakkas-Levyt since the early 2000s. Their joint track stretches time, letting echo, tape hiss and distant melodic fragments float around a rock-solid groove, channelling years of shared studio language into one focused, hypnotic flow.
On the flip, Anton Kubikov (SCSI-9) steps in with a lush reinterpretation of Kellari. A true Russian techno veteran with a catalog that spans Kompakt, Force Tracks, Mayak and beyond, Kubikov melts the original into a widescreen, dream-state trip, soft-focus pads, gentle yet insistent percussion and that unmistakable rolling pulse that made his work so enduring. The remix doesn’t just extend the track; it opens a new dimension, turning the basement pressure into a slow-rising, celestial drift.
Pressed on limited coloured vinyl, this EP is built for selectors who like their dub techno deep, human and timeless, a record that will quietly live in bags for years and keep resurfacing whenever the room calls for true late-night elevation.

Rosa is a new project from two long established Berlin-based artists, Roman Lindau and Sascha Rydell, and ColorCode is the new label they have minted together. Building on the success of their first three EPs is this fourth collaborative offering that is essential once more. As close friends with more than 20 years of experience DJing and producing, this pair know a lot about crafting weighty grooves that make floors move. They have done so many times over on labels like Berlin's well regarded
Fachwerk and this new project is rooted in the belief that you should "not take yourself too seriously, and have fun doing what you love." First up is 'Just Wanna' with its galloping, rubbery kick drums and incendiary hi hats. Whirring vocal loops and heavy hits builds the pressure and lock you in this most chunky and funky of techno grooves. The excellent 'Flash' then traps you deep in the dance floor amidst the smoke and the lasers, with well sequenced chords panning about the mix and brooding bass sucking you in from below. It's is suspensory techno with a real emotional quality.

Força Maior combines the vital saxophone explorations of Pedro Alves Sousa with the infinitely subtle electronic processing of Pedro Tavares. Sousa (aka Má Estrela) is known for manipulating his woodwind through guitar pedalboards & amplifiers, creating far-from-ordinary sonics rooted in unceasing curiosity. For his part, Tavares (aka funcionário) conjoins video & sound work to create space for the pensive wanderings where memory and imagination interlace.

The album Morte Lilás was recorded over a week in June 2023 in Pedro Alves Sousa's family farm, located in the village of Ferreirim, near Lamego, in Portugal. The partly abandoned farm served as the residency, studio, and inspiration for the album: it is a 400-year-old granite farm that belonged to a member of the "40 conspirators"—a group that led the revolution for Portugal's independence from Spain in the 17th century.

Morte Lilás is a remarkable album of committed meditation. Each day on the farm was a recording day for the two Pedros: Sousa on sax & electronics, Tavares on sampler & processing. Apart from slight sonic incursions from the surrounds—the birds on 'Quinta à tarde'—and the sporadic use of sine tones, the source sounds all start from the saxophone. It is then processed both by Sousa & Tavares. The album unfolds as a saxophonic tapestry that breathes with quiet intensity. Each piece invites close listening, revealing fine gestures and tonal shifts that shape a contemplative, ambient space. Força Maior move with calm precision.

The album opens with the unhurried overture 'Quinta à Tarde' a Portuguese pun on Eno's Thursday Afternoon that announces the textures at play. Sousa's breathy entrance is paired with a soft, delicately shifting, backdrop. As the track progresses, time seems to stretch. The arrangement resists urgency, favouring subtle evolution over dramatic turns. Pensive layers shift & drift, creating a sense of suspended motion that brings the listener into the environs of Morte Lilás. 'Quinta à Tarde' is a long-form fade, shifting emphasis from Sousa to Tavares.

'Cubos' continues the gauzy feel, but with a more up-tempo tilt. Rhythmic clicks & pings setup a swung time for the sax to interpose melodic lines that are fed back & bent with cascading delays. Força Maior in distilled form.

Força Maior is in top form on the title track 'Morte Lilás', a sprawling centrepiece that showcases their command of atmosphere & emotional pacing. By turning up the reverberation & leaning into a continuous format, they dissolve the gap between hypnotic trance & articulate reverie. Then, a moment of stillness. The track pauses, not abruptly but like a tide pulling back, revealing the contours beneath. What follows is a return to the album's more relaxed architecture: understated rhythms, softened textures, and a sense of spaciousness that opens space for reflection. It is a transition that feels organic, as if the song itself needed to exhale before settling back into its contemplative groove.

'Menta' is another short-form miniature of the band's signature contours: beautiful loops of air pressure gradients that carry an emotive weight & light.

The album closes with 'Cascata do Inferno'. The title suggests violence, but the music whispers instead—an atmospheric cascade of breath & tone that emerges in slow, deliberate waves. Short melodic cycles are matched by shimmering electronic chords. It's a piece that rewards patience, draws the listener in to drift downstream, eyes closed, into the serene turbulence of its current.

Killer set of six from Picture aka Central aka Natal Zaks.

Speedy, flighty stuff. Filter dials turning, little licks, sometimes small vocal hits. Zephyr and pressure. Some midwestern techno vivre carrying the whole thing along. If you've caught any of the Picture records from the last few years you might know the momentum at play already, a mix of breezy euphoria and deeper, dubbier minimalist force.

Combining a live and impactful improvised energy with Nat's signature twinkling production that has always been in a class of its own. Club tools as well as multifarious instruments of levitation. You could have the 38 most productive minutes of your life with it spinning as your soundtrack next to you.

Mastered & cut by Mike Grinser at Manmade.

Art by Mammo.Works.

As the fifth chapter in the band's discography, " The Neonai" arrived at a critical juncture in Lake of Tears' career, marking both an end and a reluctant new beginning. Released in 2002, three years after the melancholic masterpiece Forever Autumn, the album came to life under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Despite the commercial and critical success of its predecessor (the band's best- selling album to date) Lake of Tears found themselves adrift, unsupported by their label at a time when the world expected them to rise higher than ever. Instead of world tours and deserved recognition, the band withdrew, disillusioned, and made the difficult decision to put all activities on hold. But one last obligation remained: to deliver a final album to Black Mark Productions. What could have been a soulless, contract- bound release turned out to be anything but. "The Neonai" pulses with haunting melodies, infectious refrains, and a deeper embrace of keyboards and electronic textures, without ever losing the emotional gravity and sorrowful beauty that define Lake of Tears.

If this album was truly written "in haste," then let us hope Daniel Brennare continues to compose under pressure, for rarely has urgency sounded so inspired. As with the previous vinyl releases, we do not single out any specific tracks. Each song, like every Lake of Tears album, carries its own unique charm, its own shade of shadow and light. "The Neonai" is not simply a continuation, it is a transformation, an echo from a band caught between endings and new beginnings. Another gem in the band's catalogue, a masterpiece where the doom/ gothic equation tilts gracefully in favor of the latter. A deeply cherished album, long adored by Lake of Tears' devoted followers, who have waited patiently for 23 years to finally see it released on vinyl. After all, every ending is but the beginning of something new. And as we've said before: The end for Lake of Tears has not yet come, and we truly hope it won't come for a long, long time.

As the fifth chapter in the band's discography, " The Neonai" arrived at a critical juncture in Lake of Tears' career, marking both an end and a reluctant new beginning. Released in 2002, three years after the melancholic masterpiece Forever Autumn, the album came to life under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Despite the commercial and critical success of its predecessor (the band's best- selling album to date) Lake of Tears found themselves adrift, unsupported by their label at a time when the world expected them to rise higher than ever. Instead of world tours and deserved recognition, the band withdrew, disillusioned, and made the difficult decision to put all activities on hold. But one last obligation remained: to deliver a final album to Black Mark Productions. What could have been a soulless, contract- bound release turned out to be anything but. "The Neonai" pulses with haunting melodies, infectious refrains, and a deeper embrace of keyboards and electronic textures, without ever losing the emotional gravity and sorrowful beauty that define Lake of Tears.

If this album was truly written "in haste," then let us hope Daniel Brennare continues to compose under pressure, for rarely has urgency sounded so inspired. As with the previous vinyl releases, we do not single out any specific tracks. Each song, like every Lake of Tears album, carries its own unique charm, its own shade of shadow and light. "The Neonai" is not simply a continuation, it is a transformation, an echo from a band caught between endings and new beginnings. Another gem in the band's catalogue, a masterpiece where the doom/ gothic equation tilts gracefully in favor of the latter. A deeply cherished album, long adored by Lake of Tears' devoted followers, who have waited patiently for 23 years to finally see it released on vinyl. After all, every ending is but the beginning of something new. And as we've said before: The end for Lake of Tears has not yet come, and we truly hope it won't come for a long, long time.

As the fifth chapter in the band's discography, " The Neonai" arrived at a critical juncture in Lake of Tears' career, marking both an end and a reluctant new beginning. Released in 2002, three years after the melancholic masterpiece Forever Autumn, the album came to life under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Despite the commercial and critical success of its predecessor (the band's best- selling album to date) Lake of Tears found themselves adrift, unsupported by their label at a time when the world expected them to rise higher than ever. Instead of world tours and deserved recognition, the band withdrew, disillusioned, and made the difficult decision to put all activities on hold. But one last obligation remained: to deliver a final album to Black Mark Productions. What could have been a soulless, contract- bound release turned out to be anything but. "The Neonai" pulses with haunting melodies, infectious refrains, and a deeper embrace of keyboards and electronic textures, without ever losing the emotional gravity and sorrowful beauty that define Lake of Tears.

If this album was truly written "in haste," then let us hope Daniel Brennare continues to compose under pressure, for rarely has urgency sounded so inspired. As with the previous vinyl releases, we do not single out any specific tracks. Each song, like every Lake of Tears album, carries its own unique charm, its own shade of shadow and light. "The Neonai" is not simply a continuation, it is a transformation, an echo from a band caught between endings and new beginnings. Another gem in the band's catalogue, a masterpiece where the doom/ gothic equation tilts gracefully in favor of the latter. A deeply cherished album, long adored by Lake of Tears' devoted followers, who have waited patiently for 23 years to finally see it released on vinyl. After all, every ending is but the beginning of something new. And as we've said before: The end for Lake of Tears has not yet come, and we truly hope it won't come for a long, long time.

As the fifth chapter in the band's discography, " The Neonai" arrived at a critical juncture in Lake of Tears' career, marking both an end and a reluctant new beginning. Released in 2002, three years after the melancholic masterpiece Forever Autumn, the album came to life under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Despite the commercial and critical success of its predecessor (the band's best- selling album to date) Lake of Tears found themselves adrift, unsupported by their label at a time when the world expected them to rise higher than ever. Instead of world tours and deserved recognition, the band withdrew, disillusioned, and made the difficult decision to put all activities on hold. But one last obligation remained: to deliver a final album to Black Mark Productions. What could have been a soulless, contract- bound release turned out to be anything but. "The Neonai" pulses with haunting melodies, infectious refrains, and a deeper embrace of keyboards and electronic textures, without ever losing the emotional gravity and sorrowful beauty that define Lake of Tears.

If this album was truly written "in haste," then let us hope Daniel Brennare continues to compose under pressure, for rarely has urgency sounded so inspired. As with the previous vinyl releases, we do not single out any specific tracks. Each song, like every Lake of Tears album, carries its own unique charm, its own shade of shadow and light. "The Neonai" is not simply a continuation, it is a transformation, an echo from a band caught between endings and new beginnings. Another gem in the band's catalogue, a masterpiece where the doom/ gothic equation tilts gracefully in favor of the latter. A deeply cherished album, long adored by Lake of Tears' devoted followers, who have waited patiently for 23 years to finally see it released on vinyl. After all, every ending is but the beginning of something new. And as we've said before: The end for Lake of Tears has not yet come, and we truly hope it won't come for a long, long time.

Originally released in 2005, this standout EP returns as part of the much-anticipated reissue campaign from cult New York imprint Drugsex — a label that quickly became a treasured name among heads who lived and breathed the underground. Born from the creative partnership between UK producers Rob Pearson and Simon Copleston, Drugsex carved out its own raw, hypnotic corner of the international tech house movement.

For the second instalment in the reissue series, label head Rob Pearson teams up with Daniel Poli under their Distant Strangers moniker — a project that, even back then, was whispered about among selectors for its deep, rolling grooves and stripped-back intensity. Both artists had already made their mark with releases on some of the most respected labels of the era — from Rekids and Swag Records to Evasive Records, Rescue Recordings, and beyond.

The pair’s first collaboration, the Lost Souls EP, became a highly limited, in-demand underground gem, pressed in small quantities and played by those in the know. This follow-up, crafted at Online Studios in Croydon, took their sound to the next level — two original tracks built for dancefloors that like things hypnotic, physical and uncompromising.

On the A-side, Virtual Morality is a slick and driving slice of tech house pressure. Crisp percussion, rolling low-end and a subtle but addictive hook make it a peak-time weapon that never goes out of style. Flip it over for Take Us In Deeper — a track that lives up to its name with a shadowy groove, atmospheric layers and a perfectly balanced push and pull that draws dancers further into the late-night haze.

Adding even more weight to the release, Adam Collins — known for his work with Omni AM and Euphoria Records — steps in with a remix of Virtual Morality on B2. His version injects an unmistakable acid edge, elevating the original into a tripped-out, floor-focused burner that fits as comfortably in a basement sweatbox as it does on a sunrise terrace.

Nearly two decades later, these tracks still carry the same raw power and effortless groove that made them cult favourites in the first place. This reissue isn’t just a nod to the past — it’s a reminder of why this sound endures.

Roto makes his PILLZ debut with Lose Yourself, a high-voltage statement from one of Spain’s fastest-rising names. Across four razor-sharp cuts, the EP reflects a shared vision between artist and label: music with deliberate intent—sometimes hypnotic, sometimes fast and direct, and at moments pared down to pure introspection. Lose Yourself carries that spirit throughout, built to lock the floor under peak-time pressure while opening space for release in the glow of sunrise. Already echoing through the underground, it’s primed to soundtrack the circuit.

With this release, Roto steps forward as one of the new voices shaping tomorrow’s dance floor, balancing mystery, pace, and stripped-back tension.

Damian Lazarus reveals the eighth chapter of Crosstown Rebels acclaimed annual ‘SPIRITS’ VA compilation series.

The latest instalment sees the label founder once again curating a carefully balanced lineup of emerging voices and established names, with the eight-track collection set for release on 30th January 2026.

Since its inception in 2017, Damian Lazarus’ SPIRITS series has become a trusted barometer for the year ahead, spotlighting forward-thinking artists and cutting-edge club music from across the global electronic landscape. With ‘SPIRITS VIII’, Crosstown Rebels continues this tradition, delivering a refi ned yet adventurous selection that moves seamlessly between hypnotic house, melodic depth, and late-night energy - building on the momentum of previous volumes and capturing the label’s unmistakable essence.

Opening the release, Raz Alon sets the tone with ‘Hey It’s Me’, a warm and immersive opener that draws listeners in with emotive touches and fluid groove work. Lost Desert follows with ‘Ultima’, leaning into trippy, melodic-tinged sensibilities as tumbling rhythms meet expansive atmospheres and subtly evolving motifs. On the flip, TIMANTI ventures into a captivating voyage with ‘Warrior Spirit’, pairing swirling synths with hazy melodies, before STEB delivers ‘House Of STEB’, a groove-led cut packed with personality, swing, and club-ready flair.
The journey continues with Yuvèe’s ‘Set The Fire’, featuring FADO, a hypnotic and vocal-led track that balances emotional weight with understated rhythmic pressure. Ekoboy then ups the intensity on ‘Lose Control’, combining crisp percussion with infectious momentum designed for peak-time moments. On the final stretch, MADI brings a reflective buy playful touch with ‘Around Me’, weaving lush textures and subtle dynamics into a deeply absorbing listen, before JUAAN closes the compilation with ‘Bass Cliente’, a punchy and bass-forward finale that rounds things out with raw club energy.

With its continued ability to champion new talent while welcoming respected artists into its orbit, Crosstown Rebels remains a vital force within electronic music. SPIRITS VIII stands as another clear statement of the label’s vision, reaffirming its role in shaping the sound of contemporary house and techno.

Checking back into Token with his unmistakable sound, Nørbak's 'Chuva' delivers four relentless slices of modern techno. Stretching textures and grilling circuits, the EP presents itself as a statement expressing a high pressure dancefloor experience.

Signing off for this latest contribution to Token records, Nørbak's flare in the studio reasserts his position as one of techno's most anticipated creators of recent years.

Celebrating a decade since its release, Wiped Out! returns in a special 10th Anniversary Edition. This expanded reissue features eleven bonus tracks alongside fan favorites like ''R.I.P. 2 My Youth,'' ''Daddy Issues,'' and ''The Beach.'' Pressed on 180g double vinyl and packaged with brand-new artwork.

CAY unveils his personal side on Another Life, a debut album rich in melancholic euphoria

The expressive, multi-faceted 10 tracker comes on Mind Against's HABITAT label in January 2026

Cologne-born producer CAY explores beyond the dancefloor with Another Life, a debut album that trades peak-time pressure for an ambitious and artful exploration of self. Far from being rooted in one genre, the record weaves his own honest vocals with a wide range of powerful rhythms that pull from progressive, broken beat, techno and trance.

For CAY, making music has always offered refuge and a place to calm his mind, process life’s chaos and channel personal experiences into sound. His journey started in the clubs of Cologne, in illegal forest raves and with trips to Berlin to soak up big room techno. His search for more purpose, away from mental demons and the darker side of the party lifestyle, led him to production. DJing followed after a push from his brother turned Manager, and while those experiences around Europe shaped his understanding of dance floor dynamics, he was never in a rush to release his early experiments.

Instead, CAY took private time to evolve into an accomplished artist with his own musical voice. Label heads Mind Against were so impressed when they heard what he sent to their demo inbox, they both reached out to collaborate, and he has since released on their label HABITAT.

With Another Life, he is making music that is multilayered and rich in narrative, rather than defined purely by big moments. It is drawn from years of writing, with more than 60 tracks whittled down to one concise, impactful statement. "There wasn't one big concept,” says CAY “but there was direction. It's a big risk for me, but I wanted to introduce people who like club music to something deeper. I want the music to say something real.”

Because of that, Another Life introduces CAY the vocalist. For the first time, he sings on several tracks. The subjects are real, whether that's an important friend, a moment with his girlfriend or, on 'Runaway', the thought of giving up and escaping everything. The lyrics are honest but often slightly oblique, so they invite your own readings rather than spelling everything out.

Sonically, the album moves between optimistic grandeur and introspective reality. It's cinematic but personal and bridges the gap between dancefloor drive and vulnerable storytelling. There is a grand scale to many of the tracks, with arching synths reaching and heavyhearted drums anchoring a groove: you'll dance, you'll cry, maybe both at the same time.

Another Life is the sound of a producer granting himself permission to sing, turn inwards and risk audience expectations. It’s intimate without being insular, club-capable without being confined, and a compelling first chapter for an artist who has spent years building toward this moment of truth.

TO COMMEMORATE THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS PASSING

DEFECTED HONOURS FRANKIE KNUCKLES WITH SPECIAL EDITION ‘HOUSE MASTERS’ VINYL

Defected celebrates the life and legacy of house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles with a limited-edition vinyl offering of his notable ‘House Masters’ release.

Marking ten years since his passing, join Defected in honouring the enduring legacy of house music pioneer. All proceeds of ‘House Masters: Frankie Knuckles’ will be donated to Frankie Knuckles Foundation as it was when the compilation was originally released back in April 2015.

“Frankie Knuckles, whom many consider to be one of the architects of house music is still highly influential to a new generation. Since his untimely passing ten years ago it has been incredible to see the continued outpouring of love and respect that he has received. His legacy is why the Frankie Knuckles Foundation exists. Through our work we honour him by supporting initiatives that he was passionate about: music education, AIDS and diabetes research, prevention and LGBTQIA+ youth homelessness. This commemorative vinyl release of ‘House Masters’ in association with Defected will allow us to do just that!”

Frederick Dunson, Founder, President & Executive Director, Frankie Knuckles Foundation

The forthcoming vinyl releases will feature a selection of his finest productions and remixes including the seminal ‘Your Love’, ‘The Whistle Song’ and remixes for Chaka Khan and Sounds Of Blackness.

Find out more about Frankie Knuckles Foundation and its commitment to educating and supporting initiatives across LGBTQIA+ communities and AIDs prevention

Cristi Cons makes his Crosstown Rebels debut with his latest EP, ‘Give Me Love’.

The three-track exploration of rhythm, tension, and hypnotic club craft lands on 16th January 2026.
Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels imprint opens its 2026 release schedule with a special label debut from Romanian favourite Cristi Cons, as he delivers a magnetic three-tracker in the form of his ‘Give Me Love’ EP. Known for his precise, minimal-infl ected approach and unwavering command of groove, Cristi’s arrival onto the label brings a release that distils his signature tension-and-release architecture into some of its most direct club form yet.

The title track, ‘Give Me Love’, unfolds with subtle vocal refrains, shadowy atmospheres, and a rolling, elastic groove built for late-night momentum. On the B-side, ‘Can You Hear Me’ channels a sleeker, more hypnotic pulse, with dubby textures, restrained bass pressure, hooky vocals, and a snaking groove to keep dancers moving. Closing the EP, ‘You Ain’t Got Nothin’ brings vibrant synths, tight drum programming, and more captivating vocal use into a head-down trip that leans into Cons’s innate ability to craft late-night and early-hours journeys.

A longstanding architect of Romania’s influential underground, Cristi Cons has carved a reputation through his solo work, his collaborative SIT project with Vlad Caia, and their shared imprint, Amphia, which now stands as a true force within the minimal landscape. Alongside regular appearances across Europe’s key institutions and collaborations with revered names, including Raresh as part of their Verico project along with Caia, Cristi continues to evolve with each release - and ‘Give Me Love’ delivers yet another side to his diverse sound as he steps into the Crosstown Rebels fold to open the year.