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Major Keys is a brand-new audiophile label focusing on fully licensed reissues of jazz classics, pressed on 12' for a fuller, louder version compared to the original album cut. What better way to kick of the series than housing Herbie Hancock's imitable 'Chameleon' and 'Watermelon Man', loud and proud on either side of a 12' - remastered and cut by the engineer of the original Head Hunters LP from 1973.
They don't get much more iconic than 'Chameleon'. Nestled on the incredible 1973 'Head Hunters' album it's a 16-minute exploration of legendary jazz funk - having all the sensibilities and solos of a jazz record, yet grounding its rhythms in funk, soul and R&B. Even, as its title suggests, morphing from a low slung slow jam into a full-on, fast paced spiritual gem. Lock in for one of the most iconic basslines around courtesy of Paul Jackson, alongside some of the sweetest synth and Rhodes playing you're likely to hear from Herbie, all tied together with Harvey Mason's mythical drumming. Sampled the world over by the biggest and the best this is a truly timeless and hugely influential piece of music.

On the B side, the equally intriguing 'Watermelon Man'. This version, again taken from the Head Hunters LP, differs from the Blue Note bop '62 original, with Hancock developing it into a jazz fusion expedition. Bill Summers top and tails the track with a style of beer bottle blowing imitating a type of whistle playing found in Central African Pygmy music, giving a unique flavour to Hancock's jazz funk stylings that focus on the rhythmic interplay between each instrument. From Dilla to Digable Planets, Madonna to Massive Attack it's a classic that's sampled time and time again for good reason.

"In 2016, 21 years after Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. were founded in Osaka, Japan, there was a major shift in the line-up and "Next Generation" was added to the bands name. We now view the first 20 years of the bands career as chapter one in our story, and we are now turning the page to start chapter two. In 2018, it's time to re-record our classics with this new line-up, we just opened the door to the next stage!' (Kawabata Makoto 2018)
 
Twenty four years into their existence, Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. have circled the globe at least a few dozen times, released over 100 albums in their various guises and played thousands of shows.
 
In recent years, they've experienced seismic line up changes which has given them yet another new lease of life ... or a rebirth if you will. Original members Kawabata Makoto (guitar, speed guru) and Higashi Hiroshi (synthesizer, noodle god) are now joined by Jyonson Tsu (vocal, midnight whistler), Satoshima Nani (drums, another dimension) and Wolf (bass, space & time) and as anyone that has seen the new line up live will testify, things have gone even more cosmic ...
 
'Reverse Of Rebirth In Universe' sees the band return to their old label Riot Season for the first time since 2012's 'IAO Chant From The Melting Paraiso Underground Freak Out' (CD still available). Both label and band have gone on some wonderful journeys during that time apart but both felt the stars were finally correctly realigned to renew their partnership in all things weird.
 
Long time AMT fans will immediately recognise some of the song titles listed on the album sleeve here. But the songs themselves have been reworked and transformed far away from their original versions. New boy Jyonson Tsu's quiet, almost whispered vocals bring a whole new aura to proceedings, despite the familiar riffs hidden in the depths below them. It's so laid back in places it's practically horizontal, with only occasional trademark piercing guitar squeals threatening to destroy the peace and calm. The whole of side two is taken up with the twenty minute epic 'Black Summer Song' .. and if this is an indicator to where the AMT mothership is heading going forwards we're all in for another fucked up and magical ride.
 
If you stepped off the AMT ride over the years, possibly overwhelmed by the amount of releases they were once firing out ... it could be time to step back on it and check out where they're currently at. In a world that's more messed up than ever, we could all use a little break away from the norm, and nobody takes you as far away from the norm as possible as Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.
 

A lost ambient cosmic gem from Liquid Liquid founding member Dennis Young is getting a long-overdue vinyl reissue! Young, the percussionist and marimba player in the seminal New York art-wave group, recorded a series of cassette-only releases in the '80s after Liquid Liquid disbanded. A couple of these were picked up at the time for Korean release, which is where Daehan Electronics, a South Korea-based label dedicated to tracing the history of electronic music in the land of the morning calm, comes in.

Quest was one of these albums, part of a biorithmically-aligned New Age serie, each album meant to be heard on specific days of the week. DE has worked with Young to remaster the the album for this new release, bringing out the full warmth of the analog synthesizers used to create it. It is the first in a series of projected collaborations with Young, which will delve deeply into both the scarce cassette issues and other, unreleased material newly discovered on tapes. Liner notes outline the history of the record and include Young's own look back at the making of Quest.

Late November will see Tact Recordings vinyl only sub-label Tactics return with 'Vol.4', a various artists package featuring Jor-El aka Joel Alter, Imugem Orihasam and Benjamin Brunn.

Tactics was launched in late 2017 by co-founders of the imprint Yard One with their 'Vol.2' EP, following on from the 'Vol.1' various artists EP released on the main imprint Tact Recordings back in 2012. Since its inception last year and it's two releases so far from founders Yard One and Fletcher, the label has garnered the attention of DJ's like Varhat, Roger Gerressen, Raresh, Malin Genie and Andrey Pushkarev to name a few. Here though we see the imprint welcome some of it's favourite artists from over the year onto the roster, namely Echocord artist Jor-El aka Joel Alter, Ilian Tape's Imumgem Orihasam and Smallville regular Benjamin Brunn. Leading on the package is Sweden's Jor-El with 'Remember Tomorrow', a gritty dance floor workout fuelled by dusty drums, fluttering stab sequences and sweeping synth strings before Japanese producer Imugem Orihasam edges into dub territory with a cinematic two minute soundscape opening the composition before weighty drums, swirling pads and dubbed out metallic chimes dynamically unfold throughout.

Hamburg's Benjamin Brunn then closes the package with 'ResoPlanet', as always delivering smooth, understated electronic music via wandering ethereal pads, resonant bleeps and bumpy, off-kilter 808 drums.

Africa Seven's next installment returns to Cameroon with a special edition version of Momo Joseph's in-demand LP, "War For Ground", with three extra tracks. Momo may be better known for his work as an actor, having featured in such titles as "La Haine" (1995) and "The African" (1983), but his small foray into music is definitely memorable as he lays it out in true Afro-Boogie style. Apart from two singles, "War For Ground" represents Momo's only other body of work, and only studio album which was self-released in 1983. With this "Edition Speciale" reissue we provide you all the originals from "War For Ground" remastered alongside his party-time classic "Cameroon Airline", "Love Africa Soul" and his lesser known tack "Oh Momo".

The A-side starts with "Africain", which also featured on our compilation "Africa Airways Four". Glistening synth lines work it out over the top of romantic guitars, while the continual and hypnotic vocal chant of "Africa" tells you exactly where this music is coming from and what it means. The tempo creeps up a bit with "N'Gon Le Bek" which again takes advantage of driving guitar lines, this time facing off with the horn section. The last cut on the A-Side is "Out Side No Fine", which flows great after the previous two, keeping up the same aesthetic with a bit more of a tropical feel to it.

The B-side kicks off with the title track "War For Ground". In this one Momo starts off rather melancholic before things end more triumphantly with the backing vocals and horn section again providing much of the driving force. The final two tracks on this record make up the "Edition Speciale" element of this reissue. "Love Africa Soul", taken from Momo's 1980 single of the same name, at first seems to be one of the more straight forward disco led tracks on this release until an ecstatic synth line breaks things up in a forward thinking break down before a trademark Momo groove kicks back in. The other track featured on that single was"Cameroun Airlines", a bonafied afro-disco classic. Next we delved into the vault and unearthed a recording session for "Oh Momo", this never released version of the track reflects a slightly different side of the signer, with a more afrobeat feel.

This "Edition Speciale" version of "War For Ground" offers a thorough observation of Momo Joseph's work as a musician and looks to help shine a light on Momo's career and musical genius.

Cómeme delivers to you one of the freshest rhythms of 2018, recorded in Johannesburg, the new residency for the renegades of the beat. This is 'Rain' - starring Matias Aguayo and the actress, dj and singer Ayanda Seoka aka Mujaji The Rain. She's resident at the legendary Bar Kitchener's all femme 'Pussy Party', a space for feminist / queer action and dancefloor joy, right in the centre of Joburg.

Cómeme has been since some time in a serious and passionate relationship with that city. Radio Cómeme transmitted shows from there with electronica legend Felix Laband, Mpumelelo Mkatha from BLK JKS, the queer performance duo Faka, Gqom pioneers RudeBoyz and also Kwaito's legacy keeper Spleef McZaul. Matias Aguayo ventured into a beautiful collaboration with DJ Spoko, released two years ago on this label.

'Rain' is a deeply rhythmical track, inspired by the grooves that converged when Cómeme swing crossed the paths with the syncopations people in Joburg were dancing to. It has become quite clear in the recent years that elegantly shuffled triplets are marking a way to the future in dance music, especially in the southern hemisphere, no matter if you're in Durban, Rio or Santiago.

On top of this modern groove we can hear Mujaji the Rain enjoying how she gets wet under a dark and tropical sky. Laughter, joy and ecstasy is what she emanates while hypnotically involving you into this atmosphere of dense drumming and trance. (side note: Cómeme has been consequently evading the description hypnotical in press releases but this time it was unavoidable).

For further jacking fun we generously included a 'Club Mix', including more drum frenzy towards the second half of the track, and a 'Just Drums Mix' for the skilful DJ.

Side B features the jam 'Serious', which comes along with another killer beat, reminiscent of Michael Jackson or Cheri. A late-night track in which Mujaji The Rain turns into a sensual but slightly annoying creature that doesn't want to leave the dancefloor. and for sure doesn't want to go home.

We added an instrumental version to this complexly arranged tracks, which feature pianos, strings, and heavy synth bass stabs.
All tracks on this 12' are written in a 6/8 signature, which some normative DJs might shy away from, but be safe: both tracks are in 120 bpm and carry the seal of official Cómeme dancefloor approval by the label's highly respected DJs.

Strut present the frst ever international reissue of in-demand '80s zouk LP 'Las Palé'
by Feeling Kréyol, out of Guadeloupe.
Producer Darius Denon explains: 'This was 1988 and bands like Zouk Machine and Kassav
were huge. I had met producer Frankie Brumier when I was performing at festivals and
parties and he wanted to record a girl group so we began scouting venues, mainly around
the Grande-Terre district in the island's capital, Pointe-à-Pitre. I ran auditions and picked out
the best three voices - Fabienne, Leïla and Yolande. One was singing in a choir and none of
them had met each other previously.'
Recording at a studio in Le Gosier, Denon trained them to sing the songs and spent around
6 weeks recording the album: 'I gave them a couple of compositions that I had planned for
my own solo album. I remember that we all got on really well; the sessions were fun.'
The title track 'Las Palé' was the lead track pushed as a single and achieved modest
success domestically. The band did a few promotional performances in the island's
discotheques but, in the end, the album stalled. 'Studios were expensive and there was
no cheap technology as we have now. So, the producer ended up cutting corners with the
production - the mix was not completely fnished and the voices were not synchronised
right to some of the tracks.'
For Denon, he continued his career to the present day, successfully moving to Paris and
breaking through with the hit 'Je t'emmene' in 1998. Meanwhile, although 'Las Palé' turned
out to be Feeling Kréyol's only recording, the interest in the album has grown in recent years
with the title track's lo-f charm fnding its way into sets by Invisible City and onto Red Light
Radio and more. This frst full reissue is remastered by The Carvery and features full original
artwork along with a new interview with Darius Denon.
KEY POINTS:
- First ever reissue of sought after original zouk LP from 1988
- Sleeve notes by modern day zouk star and album producer Darius Denon
- Remastered by The Carvery
- Tracks already cult classics through plays by Invisible City, Motor City Drum
Ensemble and more
FOR FANS OF:
Sofrito, Digital Zandoli, Kassav, William Onyeabor, Soundway, Invisible City, Motor
City Drum Ensemble, Disques Debs, zouk, Haitian compas, Gilles Peterson, Darius
Denon, Les Vikings

Russian producer Nocow returns to Rekids with an enthralling full-length album entitled 'Atoner' this November.

Real name Aleksei Nikitin, Nocow is known for his versatility, producing a large body of genre spanning work on labels like Clone Royal Oak, Figure, Fauxpas Musik, Gost Zvuk and Styrax. The St. Petersburg-based producer debuted on Rekids last year with his 'Samaya Dolgaya Noch' EP, a mellow release complete with vocal driven cuts as well as 2-step rhythms, and now returns with a myriad of productions in a fourteen track album entitled 'Atoner'.

'Atoner' opens with an eponymous track that gently unravels with soaring synths and subtle percussion before Nocow's voice emerges alongside twinkling atmospherics in 'Complie'. Throughout the long player are also intricately produced short tracks sitting between the two and three-minute mark such as looping vocal number 'Dancerecter', the melodic and rattling 'Leto' and ominous 'Delore'.

Ostanovitsa' is a murky offering featuring a meandering organ riff, leading into the pitter-patter drums and serene chords of 'Starveme (feat. Tayut Ogni)'. 'Come Along' is a crystalline and otherworldly experience from start to finish, whilst 'Melting Lights' is comprised of echoing, subterranean sounds, making way for reverberating snares and metallic stabs in 'Standalone'.

Husky murmurs and soothing notes then make up 'Neva', moving into the syncopated beat and idyllic chord sequences in 'Can't Get Enough' ahead of 'Stonecold' and its icy aesthetic. Finally, the album reaches a mesmerising conclusion with the spellbinding 'Footer'.

Many know Luther Davis from his more familiar and previously reissued disco floater 'You Can Be A Star', not so many people outside the collector's world know the disco-funk 45 'Keep on Dancin' as its about 4x as rare and slightly more out there musically (which is a good thing). The horn and guitar led disco funk hook float's almost precisely between Modern Soul and Deepfunk (The scene that played it first) and for a change i love the guitar solo, used almost like a synth effect. On the flip is an admittedly formulaic deep soul joint that just works due to the dope backing vocals and crispy drumming.

Following a succession of twelves on labels run by Delta Funktionen & La-4a, plus outings on Hypercolour in recent years also, Berlin-based MorElian returns to her Fever AM imprint, (ran with her partner Rhyw) for its third release with the 'Move Like Atoms' EP.

'Doss Groove' rides peaky percussive breaks over a wash of melancholic pads, while ear-ripping flecks of modular percussion shift around on 'Move Like Atoms'.

Flip for B1 'Russian Wave Group'; a heavily armoured, low-end yet atmospheric pacy stepper, as B2 'Agora' closes out the EP with tightly compressed synths and rugged melodic textures, concluding another stellar release for one of the year's most exciting breakthrough artists.

UK Techno heavyweight Mark Broom and Berlin's Discrete Circuit have teamed up before - but this is their first fully-fledged collaboration aimed squarely at conveying just how well this combination works. A heavy hitting merger from both sides of the channel, boldly stating that form follows function. This collaboration is to the point.

MBDC The A side opens with a superbly engineered kick and counterpoint texture that allows for an otherworldly synth to slowly worm it's way out of the abyss. Frequencies open and shut to allow for the exact exchange of energy welcome in the mix. With no trickery, and at just the right moment, a pulsating binary hook reveals itself in the track and guarantees the desired effect. The A2 tilts the hat toward a stripped back motor city influence. Groovy, tooly, slightly dissonant. Blips, claps, punctuation where it works. Just the right shade of reverb and modulation, push and pull in the arrangement, reveal the versatility of the track and round out the opening side with punch. The flip side, and third track from the collab is also direct, firing up with the ubiquitous clap on the one. Looping acid and a purist minor stab alongside sizzling hats and rides force the energy ever upward. The break is needed as the expertly air drenched acid line opens up the whole space before driving back down into the intensity for the remainder of the cut. The final track of the EP features a remix of the B1 by Astray's other in-house producer, H4L. Back with a frenetic, broken, idm influenced belter of a remix with scattered and distorted 808's - all reigned in cohesively with some stellar beat science and gnarly touches. These 4 numbers are built for impact.

LP,180, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART

Released in the same year as Synthesis over on KPM, 1974's Synthesizer and Percussion is its essential companion piece. 'This record features the many distinctive sounds of the ARP Synthesizer plus percussion in various moods and tempos' is the even more underwhelming than usual library record sales pitch for
Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett's second collection of what is basically minimal G-funk, with overtones of primitive acid house. This is ridiculously good.
This is one of Hawkshaw and Bennett's wilder joints and aeons ahead of its time.
Bennett's tough drums provide the underpinnings for the prominent bass, keys and bubbling synths high up in the mix, alongside Hawkshaw's deranged clavinet-funk-rock. There are heavenly break loops galore.
Opener "Mon Amour" is ultra-smooth funk, all inter-weaving melodic lines whilst the seminal "Oddball" is an incredible hard electro strut with a knocking break.
"Mile High Swinger" is a tranquil Spaghetti Western whistling theme over double tempo rhythmic movement and the pulsating "Auto Pilot" has a percussive groove elevated by electric piano and synthesizer. Check "Driving Force', 'Home Run' and "Pacesetter" for electroid prog-funk dripped in acid squelch.
All fve fnal tracks are beatless synth workouts, because they can.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Synthesizer and Percussion comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.

The 13th Voodoo Down release is the sophomore EP by label co-founder Sean Phillips aka 12 x 12. The follow-up to 2014's Kobayashi Maru, this four-track EP is the culmination of honed process and techniques over the past several years to produce a more organic groove-based style of techno. Mostly the work of a sampler and some analog synths, the tracks range from warm broken-beat atmospheres to digital sequences.

Recorded already in 1983/84, these soulful songs still show a relation to 1970s soul pop with lush
arrangements that work with real instruments and have a vibrant atmosphere. An all in all memorable songwriting
and the incredible vocals of Mavis Staples from The Staple Singers make the album stand the test of time, even 35
years after the initial recording sessions and 25 years past its first CD/MC release. Licensed by legendary BRIAN
HOLLAND and for the first time on vinyl now by EVERLAND!

Mavis Staples has come to fame and fortune as member of the family vocal group THE STAPLES
SINGERS from the late 50s onward to the mid 80s and she has released a fair amount of solo albums as well,
many of them in recent years. - Love gone bad' is a solo effort from 1993, originally titled - Mavis Staples' and only
released on CD and cassette back in the days. So EVERLAND have now done the right thing and put out the first
ever vinyl of this gem. And a real gem can be found here. Soul music in a down tempo with a slick production and
lush arrangements that still have this vivid expression making it real music by real musicians. The songs contained
on this album all date back to the early 80s, from a session not released until 1993. The melodies and the way the
compositions flow go back to a mid to late 70s soul pop style that incorporates elements of funk and dance music
but in a moderate pace. You can easily float upon the dancefloor and drift away in silky dreams. Some tunes have
a synthesized beat with a typical 80s sound, but these are compositions that stand the test of time and 25 years
after their initial release and 35 years after these recording sessions they shine on as diamonds of black soul pop
and R'n'B music (not to be confused with Rhythm & Blues). Mavis sings like a grand lady of soul with a timeless
quality that makes her stand out from the crowd of similar crooners. Even in the most gentle moments here the
tunes have an irresistible groove that moves the listener. But you can also sit and listen and explore piece by piece
digging deeper into the arrangements to unearth great bass and guitar lines. You will sing these vocal melodies
over and over again in the days to come until you throw this onto your turntable once again. I wonder why this did
not see a regular release back in the 80s as it would have led Mavis Staples to the top positions of the charts, Pop,
Black Music and Billboard. She was meant to make an impact and although she was already in her mid 40s when
she recorded this collection of soul nuggets, she brought a lightfooted youthful spirit in, which gives so much life to
her songs. A must have for all aficionados of female fronted soul pop.

Few producers can capture atmospheres and moods like Heinrich Dressel. The Minimal Rome boss left jaws on the floor with his first appearance on Bordello A Parigi, The House of the Rising Synth demonstrating the breadth of this Italian musician's sound. Now Dressel returns, this time with a full eight tracks for Lost in the Woodland. In this analogue forest anything is possible. From the whimsical resonance of the title piece, a sonic pathway through a verdant soundscape is laid. Gentle melodies caress and embrace before the road bends into shadows filled with dramatic twists and unseen dangers. Romantic moments are juxtaposed by triumphal chords and daring drums signalling immediate panic or outright victory. This is a woodland of divergent emotions, one where sounds give way to feelings and where Heinrich Dressel is the piper leading his followers through what can only be described as an unforgettable journey.

Following their previous Mantra EP, Polybius Trax present here another three track EP from Mantra showcasing a variety of acid styles. Opening track, Blackout, is a solid, no-nonsense acid techno workout, perfect for a strobe filled warehouse, and features builds and drops layered with ethereal tones. Emanation is a maelstrom of moving synth sounds, bouncing delay lines and vocal-like klaxons that combine to disorientate the listener. Final track, Mirage is a classic bad attitude acid track with an unnerving acid line that weaves in and out of aggressive percussive lines.

The new album from Danish electronic trio System is a special kind of collaborative effort with piano magician Nils Frahm. His purpose-built improvisations on synth, organ and piano served as source material for the members of System (Thomas Knak, Anders Remmer & Jesper Skaaning), who merged his warm acoustic tones with their minimalist digitalism and set out to translate their distinctive clicks 'n' cuts electronics into vivid soundscapes. Over two years in the making, the resulting nine tracks are as sonically intriguing as they are touching. Ranging from the mellow bliss of the title track to echoes of 90's and 2000's electronica and ambient sequences frequented by mesmerizing movements and sounds. The blending of piano and digital tones and noises into emotive pieces might instantly recall the work of Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto, though System and Frahm come to quite different results.

Thomas Knak met Nils Frahm at one of his concerts in Copenhagen. They stayed in touch, exchanging thoughts and ideas. Two years later, Anders Remmer was also introduced to Nils. From then serious ideas for a collaboration formed. As Nils was a fan of System's self-titled debut album (released in 2002 via Pole's Scape label) their talks centred around Dub and minimalism, elements that constitute most of System's music as well as their side and solo projects. This in mind, System began producing sketches and brought them to Nils´ Durton Studio in Berlin in December 2015, where they recorded ten hours of him playing keys and effects to their drafts. Back in Copenhagen, they decided to change direction. - As Nils had told us about his fascination with our debut album, we tried to rediscover this minimal clicks 'n' cuts era. But hearing Nils playing to our rhythmic beds, we felt the need to scrap those beats and instead head in a more cinematic direction.'

So they started building new pieces from the Durton recordings, maintaining some of the minimal and static quality while new layers of synth sounds and noises created a richer and more organic quality compared to older System albums. The solo projects of Thomas (Opiate), Anders (Dub Tractor) and Jesper (Acustic) always relied on steady beats or rhythmic material, so the productions of 'Plus' with their focus on acoustic and melodic elements, ambient layers and cinematic moods, sees them pushing forward into new areas.

This way, the trio avoided copying what they had already done years ago, when they built a reputation as Denmark's prime originators within electronic music in the 90's and 2000's. 'Plus' is a triumphant example of collaborative experimentation and may be the dawn of a new era for System: - For us it was really satisfying to focus more on actual sound rather than rhythmic aspects. There is a lot of potential in this field, so it would only be natural for us to pursue this, maybe as a series of collaborations with other people who's music we admire.'

Emotional Rescue returns to the music of Takenoko, the Bordeaux based synth-pop project from 1982-1988, to follow their LP collection L'Amour Est Mon Arme (ERC062), with an EP of remixes from Dresden's cult-like producer, Sneaker DJ.
The meeting of Takenoko and Sneaker offers a perfect marriage of left field cold wave tones, inventive drum programming and pop lyrics, with a master-mixer, programmer and DJ of today.
Following releases on cult labels like Uncanny Valley, Rat Life and Frigio as Sneaker and numerous labels such as Macadam Mambo, Bordello A Parigi and Bahnsteig 23 under several pseudonyms, Sneaker first contacted the label after his trance-inducing, drum heavy remix of C Cat Trance , with the suggestion to research an idea to create a reissue / remix project out of a band he had discovered, Takenoko.This was soon expanded to become a stand-alone album and remixes EP after the discovery in the vaults of a cache of unreleased songs. The breadth of styles found on L'Amour Est Mon Arme is matched with these "Mixes", as Sneaker takes 3 of their singles and indelibly puts his marker on them.
Starting with his retake of their second single, Lee Harvey Oswald, he reworks their pop ode to the Kennedy tragedy and strips it groove back for a near 9 minute vocal-meets-discodub that lets the lyrical structure remain, before stretching it out and letting the instrumental interplay between keys, guitar and rhythm machines glide before bringing it all back for finale.
Next, their 1988 single Trans Amor Express is given what is becoming a trademark Sneaker treatment. In a similar vain to his remix of C Cat Trance, here he rips the original apart to extend a single vocal refrain with the raw percussion elements for mind-inducing results.
Finally, his mix of the anthemic John Wayne is almost gentle in comparison, adding 909 overdubs but letting much of the original stay, showing again a modern mastery of mixing desk technique and craft.

A trio of guitar, bass and drums, Elektro Guzzi overcome the boundary between analogue versus digital, performing techno live with the drive of a machine and the sonic detail of an instrument - without any computers or loopers. For their upcoming album Polybrass, Elektro Guzzi have drastically expanded their sonic repertoire: both in the studio and on stage, they are joined by an ensemble of three trombonists, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities. With Hilary Jeffrey, Daniel Riegler and Martin Ptak, the band are joined by three brass heavyweights, each of them well renowned for both their solo ventures as well as projects such as The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Sand and Zeitkratzer. By treating the three trombones not simply as a set of extra instruments but rather as one coherent body of sound on its own, Elektro Guzzi dissociate the brass instruments from their conventional use and repurpose them into something completely different: a modular synthesizer, with each trombone representing one oscillator. In doing so, Elektro Guzzi add new layers of depth to their music, emphasizing a more cinematic side of their music: like the soundtrack for a movie, Polybrass is bigger, darker, more dramatic, more intimate. Warm and fuzzy textures float weightlessly above fragile soundscapes and complex sonic fragments. At the same time, the band's signature sound runs distinctly through the entire album: solid percussive grooves, stripped down to the absolute minimum it takes to make your body move. Hypnotic repetition, building tension and suspense up to a point where the energy of the music gets so intense you feel like you can physically touch it with your hands, interlaced with organic patterns of sound, constantly changing and evolving, pulsating and oscillating. Vinyl: heavy sleeves + heavy printed inner sleeves, 180g vinyl with download code.

'Snakedressed' is the fourth studio album by most active Dirk Ivens's incarnation. It was released in 1997 by Daft Records and had once again the collaboration of Ivan Iusco of Minus Habens Records and Nightmare Lodge fame. A well produced and arranged work with the usual noise infused, yet dance oriented tracks full of harsh bass lines overlayed with intricately woven and noisy synth patches. An album that catapulted Dive as a cult act and one of the strongest influences for lot of artists. For the first time available on vinyl record with all original tracks plus some extras from 1996 including songs from the split EP's with Kirlian Camera and Controlled Bleeding and a couple of tracks from the compilation '2/3' (Hands Productions).

In The Senses' is a soundtrack concept album from Fernando Pulichino based around the premise of music for film. Melody, ambience and mood are central to these pieces influenced by the likes of Angelo Badalamenti, John Carpenter and Johnny Jewel. The result is timeless electronic music infused with bittersweet synth chords & melodies, beat less atmospherics, bubbling electronics and synthesizer minimalism.

Planet Battagon are innovators in Droid Jazz. Electronics, jazz and outer-national sounds ain't no new thing. But following in the extra terrestrial sounds and cosmic mythology of Sun Ra, Planet Battagon are not reaching for the cosmos but simply made of it. Droid consciousness is the starting point but what's consciousness got to do with it. The droid's need culture, music and art and of the highest and most experimental of that lies Droid Jazz.

Originating on Lord Battagon's home planet the group are documenting the folklore and jazz stylings of the Trans-neptunia neighbourhood out on the edgelands of the solar system. This debut release follows on from a Lord Battagon outing on the Atlantic Jaxx label. 'Who's out on Quaoar' is taken from the Ltd Ed 12' 'Battagon Symphony', part one of 'The Rough Guide to Trans-Neptunia'. The release also features 'Salacians of Neptunia', a homage to the early droid cultural pioneers and the chant like 'Moon of Dysnomia' that is played ceremonially to temper the erratic saline tides of the aforementioned moon especially during its retrograde period. Droids and saline do not mix well and OntheCorner are releasing these 'Rough Guides to Trans-Neptunia' after intercepting distressed transmissions prior to a
devastating saline tide.

The Noise Droids of Planet Battagon are:
Jack Baker - Acoustic Drums
Martin Slattery - Bass Clarinet,Alto Sax & FX
Oli Savill - Percussion
Mickey Ball - Trumpet
Nathan Curran (Tugg) - Synth Bass, Syn Drums, FX & Conductor

Since 2015 Tiger Stripes has been an invaluable contributor to Drumcode's 'little brother' Truesoul.
As recent as March he released 'Sound of the Bettest' in collaboration with Riva Starr, their fresh ragga influenced take on techno entrenched as a 2018 highlight for the label.
Drawing from a wide palette of sounds to craft his groovy, personality-laden take on techno, the Swede has produced arguably his finest work yet with the 'Insanity' EP.
'Baby' is a melting pot of three decades worth of influences, from James Brown, to Northern Soul and indie pop of Ariel Pink.
The result is a stunning kaleidoscopic techno treat, that brims with rave, garage and funky house spirit. 'Insane' is a dynamic feast for the eardrums as trippy arpeggios, a persistent vocal and lush synth leads cascade throughout the seven-minute track.
'Too Deep (to Bear) follows, an exhilarating slice of late-night techno before the EP concludes with 'Dying Planet', mixing up a potent environmental message with tough dancefloor functionalism.

Play It Say It welcome New York artist David Berrie for a first EP on the label and one that offers three dynamite pieces of punchy, high impact and inventive house music.

Raised amongst the diverse culture of NYC's nightlife, Berrie started sneaking into clubs as a youngster and since then has risen through the ranks to have now played iconic rooms like Output NY and DC-10 Ibiza. Fusing his musical history with other genres to create his own, unique style of house and techno, David has taken his passion to the studio and served up essential tunes on Hot Creation and Cuttin' Headz.

Opening the account is 'Revolution', seven superbly programmed minutes of slick and involving house beats and knotted bass. It's a restless, body shaking track to make the floor move with futuristic synths fleshing it out and bringing a vital sense of machine soul.

The equally compelling 'JB Loop' is another dynamic bit of electronic house music. Rubbery drums bobble and bounce about with wild computer sounds and infectious bass all ramping up the energy levels and making for a standout track.
Last but not least, 'Rear End' is a supple, intricately designed track with slippery synths, spinning hi hats and bass surges all wrapping around each other to make for real minimal funk. It's a track that oozes Detroit vibes and cannot fail to sweep up the floor.

These are three characterful and masterfully produced cuts of high-class dancing music.

The latest release on Arma comes from Dutch legend and devoutly deviant underground operator Ruud Lekx, aka Rude 66. With a legacy that reaches back to the early 90s and the rough and ready Dutch electro sound of Bunker Records and The Hague, he's maintained a distinctly non-conformist approach that touches on acid, Italo, techno and more besides, all finished with the punky attitude that sets him and peers like Unit Moebius and I-F apart.

The tracks gathered together on The Witch Trials EP come from throughout Lekx's career. As the artist himself says, 'tracks from wildly different eras and sessions suddenly can combine to form one coherent EP. It's almost like the A-side tracks were waiting for 20 years to be combined with the B-side tracks.'

The overriding theme that binds together these timeless machine excursions is that of medieval witch trials - a global phenomenon that peaked in the 15-1600's. Considering the suspicion, propaganda and mass moral panic involved in this strange curio of distant history, Lekx points to the parallels with the current age, 'of political polarization and fake news accusations flying all over.' The EP title is also a tribute to two records close to his heart: The Fall's Live At The Witch Trials, and the one-off Witch Trials project by members of the Dead Kennedys, Adrian Borland and Christian Lunch.

'Werewolves & Poisoners' and 'The Crusade Against Idolatry' are both archive tracks from the 1994-5 period when Lekx made his first albums for Bunker Records. The first track's charging arps, rugged kicks, nagging acid lines and discordant paranoia all speak to that trailblazing period, while 'The Crusade...' revels in canny programming of interwoven synth lines feeding into an unhinged, psychedelic rampage that reflects the righteous fervour and spiritual confusion of the EP concept.

'The Absence Of Diabolism' opens up the B-side with a different tone, having been produced in 2016 and demonstrating the deeper acid undulations Lekx has become known for in more recent years. Still delivered via the same trusted tools he was using in the 90s, the sound feels like an extension of the Rude 66 vision rather than a separate entity. 'Envious Are All The People, Witches Watch At Every Gate,' a cut from the late 90s, closes the EP out in a spacious, snarling exploration of broken acid electro laden with cinematic sweeps of synthesizer and a constant sense of unresolved tension.



Across these four tracks, Lekx displays the scope of his craft as Rude 66 while also proving that timeless music can make sense in any context, and that the threads of inspiration in an artist's journey can be followed, explored and even resolved 20 years later, when you least expect it

After A Six Year Hiatus Producer Captn K Is Back Recording Under His Dj Alias Blind Tiger. The First In A Collection Of Lo-fi, Dreampop And Dance Recordings, The Dying Stockman Single Is The Inaugural Release On The New West Australian Label Corella Records.

Backed With Vintage Drum Machines And Keys, This Balmy Interpretation Of A Classic Australian Bush Ballad Sees Blind Tiger Retelling The Story Of The Dying Stockman Lamenting His Last Moments On Earth. The Track Will Appeal To Those With Beck, Robyn Hitchcock And Jj Cale In Their Record Collections.

Continuing The Theme, The Flipside Ride To The Beyond Is A Cinematic, Instrumental Interpretation Of The Stockman's Last Ride, Moody Keys And Bass Set The Backdrop With Reverb Drenched Synths Strings Soaring Through, Bringing To Mind Classic Synth-led Australian Film Soundtracks Of The '80s.

Composer, Synthesist And Producer Matt Robertson Is Set To Release His New Album 'entology' Via Tape Club Records On 16th November 2018. It Follows His Warmly Received 2016 Album 'in Echelon', Described By Mojo As "nils Frahm's Modern Classical Meets Jon Hopkins' Grainy Techno", "an Album Of Symphonic Electronica And Leftfield Techno Thats Cinematic In Scale" In Mixmag And "magnificent Wild Sound" By The Line Of Best Fit.

As Musical Director For Björk, Cinematic Orchestra And Anohni As Well As Working With Lamb, Emiliana Torrini And Bat For Lashes, Matt Has A Wealth Of Experience Collaborating With Some Of The Most Exciting Artists In The World. Working With A Collection Of Vintage, Modern And Diy Synths, And Combining Electronic Music Production With Classical Composition And Cinematic Soundscapes - Artists, Producers And Film Composers Alike Seek His Enveloping And Distinct Sound.

"i Love The Idea That Not So Very Long Ago, The Idea That A Species Could Become Extinct At All Was Laughed At. In The 17th Century, Fossils Were Believed To Be From Mythical Creatures Like Dragons. In 1796, George Cuvier Presented The Idea That A Species Could Have Existed And Now No Longer Existed, And He Was Laughed At By Scientists. Darwin Then Suggested That Evolution Did Not Need Catastrophic Events To Explain Extinction - More That It Was Due To Perpetual Competition In An Overcrowded World.

I'm Adopting The Word "entology" To Be An Awareness Of Our Current Period Of Geological Time Being An Extinction Period, Where An Extinction Period Is Defined As A Time When A Significant Proportion Of Species Die In A Geologically Insignificant Amount Of Time. I Was Trying To Imagine The Obvious Desolate Spaces Of A Post Apocalyptic World, But Also The Slightly More Opaque Vision Of The Fact That So Many Things Are Becoming Extinct Around Us Without Us Noticing, Or Even Being Aware Of Their Existence In The First Place.

The Idea Is Of Desolation But, Because Of The Awareness, Also Of Hope."

- Matt Robertson

The second vinyl release from Nollern Records draws together three cuts of minimalistic groove-driven techno.
Francesco Passantino has delivered two hypnotic dance floor excursions built on throbbing basslines and eerie vocal samples. Tuberoom' is a melodic ride with haunting synths and groovy percussion, whilst Tabu' goes a shade deeper, as mesmerising as it is stripped back.

On the flipside the label founders craft a mind-bending modular kissed restyle of the original, with inspiration taken straight from the Far East. Rich in emotive energy, Nollern envelope the track with a prime vocal sample and subtly enchanting chords.

As one of NYC's most innovative individuals, Incienso are happy to announce Kiki Kudo's debut full length EP 'Splashing'. Operating seamlessly between the mediums of music, food and general vibes, her new release follows up the 'Mineral Sequences' mixtape on Good Morning Tapes, plus a track on Physical Therapy's allergy season compilation 'Physically Sick Vol 2'.

After starting music production just last year with one sole piece of hardware (but DJing in NYC years before), these are some of the wildest songs in time. A self-described mix of 'Nanotech Pop, Synth Jams, Kitchen Wave, and Listening Techno' - somewhere between the experimentalism and anything-goes ethos of the downtown scene, the out-there exploration of City Pop, and a world all of her own.

Skin Town's unexpected return with their new album 'Country' finds the duo upping the already high bar set on their striking dark pop gem debut 'The Room' with a dauntless artistic statement that trades clever posturing for vulnerability. Yielding their prowess with more restraint, Skin Town's 'Country' hits harder and cuts deeper - doubling down on their narcotic cocktail of strong R&B hooks, spacious bewitching productions, and marked sense of melody that puts vocalist Grace Hall and multi-instrumentalist Nick Turco in a class of their own.

Many saw that potential on their debut with support from Dazed, Interview, The FADER, KCRW, as well as artists like Tinashe shouting out Skin Town. Lamenting on the duo's unmistakable chemistry, Pitchfork says, "Turco's synthscapes are huge and scene-stealing, while Hall's husky voice strikes a glorious medium between Abel Tesfaye and Sade." Their latest is even more potent, a particular strain of sad dance music that feels timeless and raw.

'Country' refines Skin Town's minimal framework of tethering hip-hop/R&B rhythms to Hall's smoky, precise phrasing exploring richer atmospheres and darker concerns. Written and recorded over 3 years, the album touches upon depression, loss, hedonism, poverty, rebellion, sex work, empowerment, and love's contradictions. The album's completion was sidetracked many times with Hall suffering a string of life-threatening mysterious immune system ailments, as a result there is a lot of pain and joy in this record, made with literal blood and tears.

The opener "Bad" signals at this departure from their upbeat predecessor stripping away the beats, relying on the interplay between Turco's ringing chords, the enveloping synthwork and Hall's melancholic, rhythmic intonations. "Mute" brings back the drums, couched in a slinking hip-hop beat and a creeping synth lead. Throughout the record, Turco's productions glean from an eclectic, disparate mix: melodic Amiga tracker music, Metro Boomin', New Age, The-Dream while Hall seems ever more comfortable exploring syncopation and half-rap/half-sung excursions. This is inventive, uncanny pop music where Enya, Offset, Zola Jesus, and Future inhabit the same space.

Skin Town's unerwartete Rückkehr mit ihrem neuen Album "Country' hebt die sowieso schon recht hohe Messlatte ihres markanten Dark-Pop-Juwelen-Debüts "The Room' noch ein wenig höher. Skin Town's - Country" schlägt härter zu und schneidet tiefer - und verdoppelt ihren narkotischen Cocktail aus starken R&B-Hooks, einer großzügigen, betörenden Produktion und einem ausgeprägten Sinn für Melodie. Das ist erfinderische, unheimliche Popmusik, bei der Enya, Offset, Zola Jesus und Future im selben Raum leben.

Viele sahen dieses Potenzial bei ihrem Debüt und so gab es reichlich support von Dazed, Interview, The FADER, KCRW sowie Künstlern wie Tinashe. Pitchfork hob die unverwechselbare Chemie des Duos vor und sagte: "Turcos Synth-Landschaften sind riesig und szenenraubend, während Halls heisere Stimme eine Klasse für sich ist, angesiedelt zwischen Abel Tesfaye und Sade.'

Country' verfeinert den minimalen Rahmen von Skin Town, Hip-Hop/R&B-Rhythmen mit Hall's rauchigen, präzisen Vocals, die weitere Atmosphären und dunklere Anliegen erforschen. Das Album behandelt verschiedenste Felder von Depressionen, Verlust, Hedonismus, Armut, Rebellion, Sexarbeit, Empowerment bis zu den Widersprüchen der Liebe. Die Fertigstellung des Albums wurde mehrmals aufgeschoben, wobei Hall eine Reihe von lebensbedrohlichen, mysteriösen Immunsystem-Krankheiten erlitt, was dazu führte, dass viel Schmerz und Freude auf dieser Platte zu finden sind, die sprichwörtlich mit Blut und Tränen gemacht wurde.

Materia Obscura, launches with witchcraft themed three-part techno series entitled "Trilogia Del Aquelarre", inaugurating with Abstract Division, Cadans, NX1 and Lucindo. Based on Francisco de Goya's black paintings "El Aquelarre", which is exhibited at the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

"Parte 1" is a high-octane and thunderous techno package that includes contributions from Dynamic Reflection duo Abstract Division, Neighbourhood and Clone's Cadans, Nexe Records bosses NX1 and 3TH Records co- founder Lucindo. Kicking things off, Dutch duo Abstract Division's "Blue Void" delivers winding transcendental polyphonics balanced over synthetic techno drums. Cadanss "Don't Tell Me" employs tough heads down percussion and pulsating, metallic drone-like sonics. Then Spanish pair NX1's "MO1" offers heavy duty, machine-like crunches layered over resilient twisted modulations before Berlin's Lucindo concludes matters, supplying thunderous kick drums in "Atto 170" as unearthly type bleeps join vigorous swells.

North East duo Forriner are back with their third and final instalment in the samurai trilogy on their eponymous 'Forriner Music' imprint. Following a couple of impressive showings with previous EP's 'Condor' and 'In the B' they return for their hattrick with '17:17 Neon'. A four tracker of experimental club music for powerful dance floor experiences that offers two originals as well as a banger from Bird Of Paradise and a mouthful of mathematics from Legget and Suade for the remixes.

First up, 'The Jungle Is Deep' which immediately sets off at a rate of knots! Its sharp pace is tempered by the sound of the drums: dull kick, wooly clap, rattling hi-hats while its bassline bleeds in slowly as a dark repeating tone and subtle chord swell and a haunting, cautious vocal reminds you that 'The jungle is dark and deep'. The second half of the track balances its steamrolling kick with an intricate, hypnotic lead as a growling synth line shuffles and recombines over its rumpled techno groove. It's feeling is transportive, the kind of music that makes you close your eyes on the dance floor.

Fellow Northeast alumni take up the remix for 'The Jungle Is Deep'. Steve 'Four Hands' Legget and Suade Adapted hammer a hefty slice of future dub techno from the skeletal remains of the original! Its chunking, discordant drums and manic echo chamber combine with a lilting bassline making sure you know that this is tough music but that it also has a tender heart. Clipped vocals squelch and flutter throughout but these are more textural than melodic, adding extra depth to the track. This trip is all about striking, psychoactive grooves, pushing the swing settings to extremes. Equal parts sinister as it is are playful. Fitting the typical tradition of winsome, weird dance music.

Over on the flip is the title track '17:17 Neon' featuring vocalist Louis Adams and violinist Late Girl (Laura Stutter Garcia) Breathy melancholic vocals and pitched down, endorphin flooded electronica. This is techno in a state of dewey eyed delirium. The neon of the title is very much instructive here, with the vocal being the scattered, shining light that the track playfully hangs itself from.

Jo Howard aka Bird of Paradise takes the reins for the final remix delivering a charging peak-time club tool with relentless batteries of percussion setting the stage for a trippy soundscape. Other than their Northern roots, what these producers have in common is a distinctive approach to rhythm. The restlessness of the sharp stabs of static perfectly guiding the darkly pulsing mood.

Alex Zuiev hails from the coastal Ukraine city of Mariupol. His crisp drums and layered synths complement beautiful and obscure samples on his first EP for Whiskey Disco.

From the party vibes of 'Trenitalia' to the psychedelic flourishes of 'Flying Objects' and the booty-shaking groove of 'Soul Fire', while this is first EP, we really hope it's not the last!

With a string of resonating releases and progressively improvised live-shows, ANNANAN have been expanding and refining their stylistic range across gritty Acid psychedelia, explosive, dark-waving Electro and a raw blend of Techno and House that is as fierce as it is fragile. The duo's first album on their own imprint MACHINE JAZZ does take all of this into account - and yet it's crucially different to everything else they've put out so far. - You' is a captivating electronic pop adventure, an experimental amalgam aligning Anne Ghost's polymorphic lead vocals with Tom Aaron's vast and versatile analogue productions in unexpected ways. Dominated by reduced rhythms and a carefully crafted melodic shape, the result of this dialogic fusion are irresistible, forceful songs that draw from diverse contemporary and traditional sources: you'll even hear Trap fragments, an R&B trained voice, reminiscences of the Knife as well as cinematic synth excursions. While exhibiting a broad set of moods, claims and longings, the LP attains emotive poignancy from beginning to end through its bold openness. Annanan's first album is stripped down, immediate and full of surprises - but don't you worry, there's no lack in bang either!










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Milton Bradley debuts on AVION's Crossing with three ferocious techno cuts under his Doomsday Device moniker this November.

Since its launch in 2013, Crossing has mainly acted as a platform for its founder, Index Marcel Fengler and Stress Research producer AVION, however the imprint has also hosted techno artists like Thomas Hessler, Pfirter, Doka, The Automatic Message and Stefan Rein. The label now presents a full release from Milton Bradley, appearing under his Doomsday Device guise. Founder of Do Not Resist The Beat!, the German producer has also appeared on labels like Prologue, MDR, Ann Aimee, and many more.
First up, The X-Planet' uses relentless drums, arcane vocal murmurs and bursts of white noise to

set the tone for a truly militant release. Device 4' is then a twisted journey from start to finish, with its pitter- patter sequences and oscillating sci-fi inspired atmospherics, making way for The Yesterday Machine' with its menacing aesthetic complete with ebbing synths, crashing hats and off-beat snares.

In The Senses' is a soundtrack concept album from Fernando Pulichino based around the premise of music for film. Melody, ambience and mood are central to these pieces influenced by the likes of Angelo Badalamenti, John Carpenter and Johnny Jewel. The result is timeless electronic music infused with bittersweet synth chords & melodies, beat less atmospherics, bubbling electronics and synthesizer minimalism.

*Black vinyl press* Reissue of his debut album from 1980. Beautiful experimental sound design which results in proto-techno soundscapes. A gem in the genre!
Minimal Wave is honored to present a reissue of Sympathy Nervous' pioneering debut album originally released in 1980 on Vanity Records out of Japan. Sympathy Nervous was Yosihumi Niinuma's lifelong project which he started in his Tokyo living room in 1979. Through Sympathy Nervous, Niinuma was able to channel his energy into what he loved - building his own synthesizers and speakers from scratch. Niinuma was inspired by German Krautrock and through his music created intense proto-techno soundscapes. Now finally available for the first time ever, remastered from the original tapes used for the 1980 release, is the timeless masterpiece in its entirety.

For Fans Of Hot Chip, J-pop, Dada. Perlita Is Responsible For 'sex Instruments', The First Ever Song Made Entirely Out Of Sounds Produced By Sex Toys, Including Guitars Played With Vibrators, Bass Notes From Anal Beads And Strokers For Rhythm. The Track Was Made Especially For A Pornhub Toys Ad Campaign.

Caballo Rojo ("red Horse") Is The Second Album By Perlita, A Band From Cádiz, Spain, Once Described By A British Critic As "a Hot Chip Fronted By Freddy Mercury". For The Follow-up To Their 2016 Debut Cangrejo Yeti ("yeti Crab"), The Threesome Have Come Up With A Titanic Piece That, Mood-wise, Jumps Around And Gallops Between Pop, Flashes Of Andalusian Folkloric Music, Drum Machines, Japanese Voices, Synths And Verses By Spanish Poet And Nobel Prize Laureate Juan Ramón Jiménez, Among Many Other Things.

Perlita Are Based Part-time Between Puerto De Santa María, Cádiz, And The Madrid Borough Of Lavapiés. That In Itself Could Constitute A Music Genre, But It's Not On Wikipedia Yet. Their Music Speaks Many Languages, Some Of Them Invented. There's Something In It That Echoes The South - The South Of The Andalusian Psychedelic Rock Bands Of Yore, But Also Of The Typical Cádiz Brand Of Humour, Of The Famous Carnival, And Of The Northwest-african Radio Waves Reaching The Beaches Of The City From Across The Gulf Of Cádiz.

Having Cut Their Teeth In Many Spanish Indie Bands, With Perlita, The Three Band Members Decided To Explore Other Worlds - Worlds Where Synths And Drum Machines Rule, Yet With Plenty Room For Wild Percussion And Marvellously Poppy Melodies. The New Direction Became Clear On Their First Effort Cangrejo Yeti, And Is Continued On Caballo Rojo: Electronic Pop Made With An Open Mind, With A Special Fondness Of The Poetry In Details, And With A Production That Is Morphing Throughout The Record - From A Sophisticated Accompaniment Gently Rocking Some Precious Verses To A Raw And Forceful Sound Slinging Almost Dada-like Shouts, Like A Poet At A Rave Hollering About The Dunes.

Invigorating, skewered electronica and bristling, off-kilter techno drive the first release in 15 years by Dublin electronic duo Ambulance (Sunken Foal & Dave Nuremburg), delivering the first EP on the Open Ear label, the latest adventure in sound from the eponymously-titled Irish music festival.

Previously of Planet Mu and Front End Synthetics, the Ambulance project had been put on hold in any capacity this decade until 2017 when they were invited to close out the 2nd edition of the Open Ear festival, Ireland's leading experimental & alternative electronic music festival. Inspired by this performance, the pair returned to the studio and the first fruits of this labour make up the Combover EP. This also marks the first release by Open Ear on it's label which, like the festival, will serve as a platform for experimental dance floor & avant-garde music from the Irish underground.

Kickstarting with the sprawling, ever-evolving, glitched funk of "Caitríona Chéile", the tense, paranoid techno of "Douche Noir" then takes over with the following "Luxury Crackers" keeping the unsettling atmosphere pitched up before it opens up to reveal aslightlygentler side. The EP closes with the *Greasy* title track, a collage of shimmering synthesisers, jittery, free-wheeling drums and oddball sampling, all reaching for air at the same time.

FANTASTIC TWINS, the solo artist formerly known as The Twins, has always carried an air of transmutability - not only in a name creating its own hall of mirrors, but also in a constantly fluctuating sound, from the first spoken word interludes recorded as The Truly Fantastic Dessagne Twins From Saint-Etienne (for the Pachanga Boys' infamous 'We Are Really Sorry' album) to myth-building solo releases on Hippie Dance and Optimo Music, as well as style-bending remixes for La Mverte Vs Capablanca, Moscoman and - most recently - fellow Hippie Dancer Rebolledo.

Following the echo-drenched 'Holiday' on 'A Very Nice Combinado Volume Dos', the project from Julienne Dessagne has embarked on yet another transforming journey, leading to the latest outing with the well-suited title THE NEW YOU. Its four tracks prove Dessagne's ongoing commitment to an open sound aesthetic that works the techno blueprint from the inside out, mutating from foreboding, post-industrial landscape to dazed interzone opera in a heartbeat.

Uncanny rave polaroids from last night's ill-memorized peak floor flash up on opener SHAKE IT's mental screen, while follow-up HEY tries to herd its nervously rushing percussion to no - albeit banging - avail. The title track slowly implodes in reverse, pitting Dessagne's obsessing, molting vocals against a stubbornly no-wave-ish synth bassline and octave-hopping freeform keyboards blown to gaseous smithereens. Post-punk closer TIME SCIENCE kicks into motion with a confused diary entry turned subconscious commentary - while the psych guitar gently weeps all over the neatly arranged furniture. Welcome back, newcomers!