It's time to celebrate five years of Paryìa! From the heart of the label, this compilation brings together our two favourite genres, bridging house and techno. Showcasing different cultures and backgrounds, this compilation represents the many different shades the electronic music scene has to offer. Finding that sweet spot through diverse moods and tempos, each track reflects the individual vision of the artist while taking its place within a collective journey that embodies everything the label stands for.
Featuring contributions from Cinthie, Fireground, Toobris, DJ Babatr, DJ Maria, Isabel Soto, Nesa Azadikhah, and Zombies in Miami.
For the second chapter of JESUS LOVES SKYLAX, we return to the source: raw emotion, machine soul, and the sacred pulse of the underground. A continuation of the Todd Edwards spirit — not imitation, but devotion. On the A-side, Byron The Aquarius opens with “House Music Was Good While It Lasted (Goodtimes)” — a bittersweet sermon in sound. Dusty, looping, hypnotic — somewhere between lost tapes and eternal truth, echoing the soul of Detroit at its most intimate. UK craftsman Tom Carruthers follows with “Crank Up” — raw, skeletal, almost industrial in its tension. A direct lineage from early machine music, channeling the stark energy of Cabaret Voltaire through a house framework. No compromise. Just rhythm and intent.
Flip the record.
Blue Mondays deliver “Warm Up For Ron Hardy (Disco Mix)” — a fever dream built for the booth. Loose, emotional, and dangerously effective. A tribute not in name, but in spirit — the kind of record that lives between two worlds, where disco dissolves into house under strobe lights and sweat. Closing the EP, CNVX – “L’Amour (Floorfillers Remix)” hits with pure peak-time electricity. Acid lines twisting through the mix, driven and ecstatic — a modern weapon forged in the language of the underground. A direct nod to the timeless pressure of Floorfillers energy, built for dancers who still believe.
Sleeparchive and Oliver Rosemann present a collaborative EP built as a shared system rather than a dialogue.
It is procedural: reduction, iteration, feedback.
Elements are introduced to be tested against the system. Changes occur slowly, often at the edge of perception, creating tension through persistence. This record documents convergence. A temporary alignment of processes, tools and timing.
The Sunken EP is cut for long-form playback, where variation becomes noticeable through duration to put you into a hypnotic state.
Uncompromising Italian DJ/producer The Southern makes his vinyl debut on Mutual Rytm's sub-label, Spectra, with remixes from Alarico, Temudo and Sciahri. An EP marking an impressive label debut, Carmine Portarulo, aka The Southern, lands on Mutual Rytm’s sub- label Spectra with a powerful showcase of his much-loved sound. With the lead track featuring as one of label head SHDW's most requested IDs of the year so far, and packaged alongside outstanding remixes by close label associates Alarico, Temudo and Sciahri, the EP comes having established himself with a sound rooted in old school value and pure techno, favouring energy and authenticity over hype. The track’s backstory comes from the moment Carmine and his partner found out they were expecting a child and went for their first ultrasound appointment. Overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment and the beauty of what nature is capable of, he returned home and poured those feelings into the music. The result, ‘Ultrasound’, is an anthemic, punchy techno cut with euphoric energy rising up through the synths and its catchy lead melody. Joyful melodies sparkle amid vocal groans, adding a raw emotional pull as the warm, driving drums march on. Berlin-based artist Alarico is the first to remix on his return to the label, and his ‘Sad Mix’ has a more melancholic mood, with dark chords and tightly programmed drums that bring lo-key funk. Hayes Collective founder Temudo also returns and flips the vibe on his ‘Neuro Interpretation’ with a more psyched-out, twisted tune featuring trippy synths and booming drums for peak-time impact. Italo-Iranian Sublunar Records head Sciahri then drops his trance- inducing, hypotonic ‘Tunnel Vision Mix’, followed by two digital bonuses: ‘The Stripped Mix’, a bouncy workout with futuristic melodies, and Temudo’s ‘Neuro Interpretation 2’, which is raw, textured, and dark.
Growing up just across the water from Italy, Clint Spiteri and Madeleine Baldacchino absorbed the shimmer of Italo disco long before Deadisko took shape. Their analogue pop celebrates the past while embracing the future. “1987” melts an addictive piano house groove with clean rhythms, a sleek and smooth sound with just a hint of romance. Cat-like, “La Costa” stretches before finding its funk-filled footing. Synth stabs are ruffled, teasing rhythm patterns opening avenues for melodies to bend, curve and race. The flip is introduced with the pop opulence of “This World.” Blue undercurrents are bolstered by Sean Kamati’s emboldening vocals, his smouldering voice accompanied by daring keyboard play. Brassy tones are veiled in smoke for “Ssunrise Drive.” Mechanical reverb is offered a human touch, organic warmth breaking through to an incandescent shine. Echoes of Italy that pulsate with the rhythm of Malta.
Berlin-based producer ZentaSkai returns with ‘Analog Assets Vol. 04’, a four-track vinyl-only EP focused on analog texture, dub-inflected atmospherics, and disciplined techno structure. Active since 1997 and operating Mask Records and its parent label, Zaijenroots, from his Berlin studio, he continues to refine a sound shaped by spatial control and steady, architectural pacing. Tracks unfold patiently, elements are introduced with intent, and nothing feels excessive.
Setting the tone with Cuddling Monsters’ partner, Laura Merino Allue, A1 features phased melodic textures and crisp percussion that gradually lock in the rhythm. A2 develops a filtered synth motif over a steady four-to-the-floor rhythm, revealing its full weight before pulling back. B1 is the most direct cut, driven by a firm, punchy beat and sharp rhythmic detailing built for peak-time focus, while B2 closes with rising string layers over a dub framework, balancing warmth and precision in a clean, measured finish.
With releases on Jerome Sydenham’s Ibadan Records and upcoming collaborations including Cuddling Monsters with Laura Merino Allue and a joint project with Thomas Grun for Rhythm Trax Austria, ZentaSkai’s work sits comfortably between minimal experimentation and functional dancefloor design.
Supported by artists such as Richie Hawtin, Joseph Capriati, Marcel Dettmann, Luke Slater, Laurent Garnier, and DVS1, he maintains a consistent presence within the underground without chasing trends.
DJ Sneak lands on Refuge Recordings with a 4 tracker for the ages. A signature feel to these joints that sends you straight to the dancefloor with a smile and undeniable groove. Sneak cuts feel timeless. Just the right amount of edge, grit and attitude. The Bounce EP is no different. He doesn’t miss.
Signal Threat is the debut vinyl release of DRUUM aka James Orvis, an exhilarating and boisterous chest pumping collection of electro anthems. Raw and packed with energy, DRUUM’s productions are explosive and have serious bite. His sound is distorted and bold unfiltered, drawing inspiration from the infamous electro punk scene where he has carved out a name for himself. His impeccable use of rap vocals is unique and authentic its rhythmic and aggressive.
DRUUM’s bridging of various styles and use of heavy breakbeats are stunningly edgy. Each sound is carefully modulated and designed purposefully; it’s like a cage fight met a high stakes heist, buzzing with ruggedness. As some who have been following DRUUM are aware, he suffered two strokes in 2025. As DRUUM makes a strong recovery, Dionysian Mysteries felt obligated to get a posse of remixers to help raise money and awareness for this bad ass release. An absolute stellar group of producers are behind this release in support of DRUUM. Featuring remixes from the likes of Umwelt and Ben Pest.
To celebrate the Ellis Dee Month we have repressed Ellis Dee Project Part Two for the first time since 2019. This time on yellow vinyl. The original 1992 self-released version by Roy was a one sided affair, so back in 2019 he revisited the classic and remixed it, which is what is on the flipside. We also had the A-Side remastered by Dapz and recut by Beau for 2026 - so thats sounding even better than before!
Eli Zem - Kiss My Music EP 12"
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Born from the idea of capturing a musical fragment from Eli Zem’s latest live set and transforming it into a four-track journey, Kiss My Music creates a fluid sonic passage designed to make people dance while immersing them in a unique experience.
Blending hypnotic grooves, raw energy, and refined textures, the EP reflects the distinctive spirit of the Disordine School movement and its vision of underground electronic music.
Pioneering NYC house label Nu Groove Records is proud to unveil a four-track EP of originals from fellow NYC house legend Jovonn.
After nearly three decades without a release, the cult house label relaunched in 2021 spearheaded by none other than Jovonn with ‘Random / Get Over It’. Following his ‘Funn Houze EP’ released earlier in 2023, the Brooklyn native is back with his ‘Blaque Katt EP’, a masterful display of innate musicality combined with an affinity for roaring '90s-inspired club music.
For the lead, ‘The Piano Fix’, Jovonn creates a dichotomy between the delicate nature instrument and the heavy, sweaty feel of the dancefloor. This is followed by a harder pianistic technique in both ‘The Piano Fix Returns’ and ‘Let Me Tell You Somethin’, showcasing the producer’s flair for harmony and melody.
Closing the immersive collection is ‘Drop That Traxx’, a playful track featuring addictive, syncopated hooks over a pounding four-on-the-floor beat. Throughout the EP, Jovonn displays his talent for gritty, hard music made with tender care.
FANK & No Valentina join forces to create ‘Wavecycle’, a unique EP that blends their strong identities into one singular sound. Despite being on opposite sides of the world, their styles and the way they think about music lined up in a way neither of us expected. They ended up writing a bunch of tracks together, and these four felt like they told the right story.
Belgian label De:tuned once again dives into the innovative world of Luke Vibert, reviving his legendary Plug moniker with 'Variety Magic', the first new Plug album in nearly 15 years.
For this release, Vibert unearthed and hand-picked a collection of previously unreleased jungle and drum & bass gems, sourced straight from his original mid-90s DAT archive. The result is an 11-track ride through the raw energy and playful experimentation that made his early Plug work so distinctive, all infused with Vibert's unmistakable funk and mischievous flair.
Variety Magic is vibrant, bold, and delightfully off-kilter. A colourful homage to an iconic era, crafted for both deep listeners and the dancefloor. Stay tuned!
Visualised by the Variety Magi. Stencil Art by Pablo Fiasco and rewired by Openmind. Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis. A separate digital release will also be available at the usual digital shops.
Belgian label De:tuned once again dives into the innovative world of Luke Vibert, reviving his legendary Plug moniker with 'Variety Magic', the first new Plug album in nearly 15 years.
For this release, Vibert unearthed and hand-picked a collection of previously unreleased jungle and drum & bass gems, sourced straight from his original mid-90s DAT archive. The result is an 11-track ride through the raw energy and playful experimentation that made his early Plug work so distinctive, all infused with Vibert's unmistakable funk and mischievous flair.
Variety Magic is vibrant, bold, and delightfully off-kilter. A colourful homage to an iconic era, crafted for both deep listeners and the dancefloor. Stay tuned!
Visualised by the Variety Magi. Stencil Art by Pablo Fiasco and rewired by Openmind. Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis. A separate digital release will also be available at the usual digital shops.
Luke Wyatt created Sladazj as a place for beat-driven cinematic downshift. These were darker doorways than Torn Hawk could step through. Beyond the arches were Sladazj’s favorite landscapes. We’re talking hovercrafts buzzing over dark marshes as Zartan the bad guy from GI Joe changes faces and plays cards with the guy who swings the cinder block on the axe handle. Cinders and ashes, axes and unbelievers. “Second Device” is the second real long-form proving ground for these moves, the second ash pit. Sladazj is the prince of the pit.
Phonogramme is pleased to re-issue one of the finest and most saught after material of Ukrainian genius Vakula, originally released in 2010 on Firecracker Records. All the DJs must check the cruising Detroit beatdown of 'Black & White', the properly laidback vibes and the rich atmospheres of 'You Can Do' and the smoky jazz tangibility of 'Different Tone'. Fans of Fudge Fingas, Linkwood, KDJ, Theo P ... this is for you.
Īlker Soylu returns with third instalment of his Mastering Black alias, marking a decade of Zwart Goud with a special edition LP titled X - an introspective yet adventurous document that blurs the lines between genres, time, and place.
X is a carefully crafted passage through contrast and cohesion. From dusk-lit highways to underwater reveries, this third chapter from Mastering Black unfolds as both continuation and evolution - a cinematic odyssey of sound sculpted inward and outward for introverts and extroverts, for you and me - for us.
Amsterdam-based collective Mèraque presents Paradiso, a hypnotic blend of Balkan and Middle Eastern folk with psychedelic club music. Traditional instruments such as oud, clarinet, guitar, and darbuka are interwoven with experimental downtempo electronics and subtle drum & bass influences.
Rooted in Balkan and Roma traditions, the band translates centuries-old melodies into a contemporary electronic landscape. In their interpretation of the traditional song Ederlezi, the emotional core remains intact, while modern production and deep grooves bring it to the dancefloor. Tracks like Space Ohm, inspired by Turkish Çifte Telli rhythms, move between ritualistic folk energy and hypnotic club structures.
The album features remixes by Anatolian Sessions, unders, and Dan Bay, further translating the material into an international club context.
Techno House Connoisseurs are back with their 8th release by Bay Area producer Tranquil Elephantizer. This 3 track ep covers all the bases with equal parts tribal and acid culminating into that West coast sound you have come to love and miss. The A side starts off with the Silverwind Mix....deepish house music with flutes and mood for days teasing and drifting with tight percussion keeping the track grounded yet still dreamy. Long winded but in the best way. The 2nd track on side A is the Brother Lee Love mix which has a similar vibe but transitions into layers of crisp and subtle 303 acid lines all throughout. Wonderful end of night or middle of set escapism for side A. Side B has a lone track titled 5 Strobes mix that will get yours and the dance floor's attention. Panning and hypnotic with skipping percussion and spoken word....truly psychedelic west coast vibed out acid house.
TAR-LP6
- Casual Treatment -
5 Hours Later LP
TH Tar Hallow
Designed and timed to loop and overlap. All the hours did not follow a straight path. All the events fold in on themselves. And 5 hours later they still form an unbroken line, but every edge is touching the others.
Hotshot producer D*v*d J*cks*n heroically revives the legendary Puss label, home to some of the most enticing, scandalous and straight out illegal dance music released across the
last 13 years, all supposedly masterminded by K*rn*l K*v*cs of St*d** B*rnh*s fame. Three reasons for this sudden revival: One trancetastic take on a deep cut from the queen of
Swedish pop, an instantly engaging UKG flip of an eternal dance hymn and, lastly, a rugged faux-Baltimorean nugget for all the Kittenz out there.
After 25 years out of print, El Baile Alemán — the cult album by Señor Coconut (one of Atom™’s many aliases) — returns on vinyl via Transamericas. What began as a half-joke (“The only way I’d cover Kraftwerk is as chachachá or death metal…”) became a fever-born epiphany: Kraftwerk’s electronic minimalism recast through a tropical imagination — where chachachá, mambo, and cumbia intertwine with glitch, breakbeats, and distressed samples.
Long before reggaeton and trap filled stadiums and playlists, Señor Coconut was already mapping the fault lines between Latin rhythm and electronic form.
Originally released in Japan in 2000, El Baile Alemán caught the ear of Kraftwerk’s Florian Schneider, who unexpectedly championed the project. This reissue has been cut from Atom™’s 2022 remasters, preserving the album’s detail for a new generation of listeners. In the second half of 2026,
Transamericas will also reissue El Gran Baile (1997), his first outing — a rawer but equally idiosyncratic fusion of what Atom™ was going to frame as electrolatino.
Following his appearance on the label's 'Enact' compilation, Oliver Rosemann returns this time with a complete statement.
Expanding the singular style that he introduced into a cohesive six track EP, 'Elsewhere' is stripped to its core, raw, intense and absolutely uncompromising.
With “The Insanity Of Infinity” Hernán Cattáneo and Marc Romboy join forces for a deeply atmospheric and emotionally charged release on Systematic Recordings. The track brings together two artists with long-standing
international reputations and clearly defined musical identities: Cattáneo’s unmistakable sense for hypnotic, progressive storytelling and Romboy’s warm, driving and Detroit-influenced Systematic sound.
The original version unfolds with depth, tension and elegance, balancing melodic emotion with club-focused precision. Rather than relying on obvious peak-time formulas, “The Insanity Of Infinity” builds its own universe:
immersive, sophisticated and timeless, shaped by two artists who understand how to create music that works both on the dance floor and beyond it.
The release is completed by two strong remix interpretations. Frank Sonic & Drumcomplex add a powerful, forward-moving techno version with clear Systematic DNA, designed for darker club moments and peak-time
impact. Brian Cid brings his own hypnotic and progressive touch, expanding the emotional dimension of the original with a deep, atmospheric and cinematic interpretation.
Released as a strictly limited red colored 12” vinyl edition, “The Insanity Of Infinity” is a special collector’s piece and a strong DJ tool at the same time.
16th installment. We keep diggin deeper. Featuring Tenor Love on Vocals and SND & RTN on remix duties. Mastered on a reel to reel tape machine, cut on 180g marbled turqoise vinyl.
Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep were already untouchable by the time Hell On Earth arrived, but this was the record where Havoc and Prodigy stopped sounding hungry and started sounding completely numb to everything around them. The production is brutally spare. Tiny piano fragments repeat for minutes at a time while drums hit with the force of metal doors slamming shut somewhere down the corridor. 'G.O.D. Pt. III' still feels poisonous nearly 30 years later, Prodigy rapping with such flat menace it barely even registers as performance anymore. 'Drop A Gem On 'Em' turns a diss track into psychological warfare, and then 'Nighttime Vultures', alongside Raekwon, moves through the album's nocturnal haze with exhausted precision. Even now, the whole thing feels airless in a way few rap records manage.
Narthex means railed-off western portico or ante-nave in earty Christian churches for women, penitents and catechumens.
Narthex is also a trio featuring (at the beginning) Daniel Denis (Universe Zero, Art Zoyd), Alain Neffe (Pseudocode, Human Flesh, Bene Gesserit) and Nicolas de Villemarqué (Nuwage Music). They had a very different musical background, mostly electric-electronic rock, and decided to work in the field of acoustic music recorded live (two microphones + portable DAT) in churches of their area. After several recording sessions, Nicolas de Villemarqué decides to leave the group. ln order to complete the trio, Daniel Denis and Alain Neffe ask the participation of some of their friends. Anna Homler, Michel Berckmans and Daniel Malempré have accepted the challenge and succeed to fit into their musical universe.
The instruments Church organ, harmonium, sitar, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, zither, valiha, senzas, tarang, voice, percussions, metal clarinet, classical guitar, mew's harp, ongolok, violin, dulcimer, mouth organ, etc.
The music Often dark, sometimes repetitive or experimental, sometimes rhythmical and exotic, always based on emotion inducted by the sound. One could define it as dark age music (as opposite to new age music), a sort of minimal come back to the roots and purity of acoustic sound without the cultural background linked to the 'academic' use of some instruments (for example African senzas are transformed and tuned to sound like Indonesian instruments, sitar or harmonium are used as rhythmical instruments, vahilla is played with a bow).
The places Churches located in an area of 20 kms in the region where Daniel Denis and Alain Neffe live for years and where they feel at home (and feel the vibrations. Every church, place emotionally loaded, has its own specific resonance and sound structure. Every church gave to the musicians a particular inspiration and fill the sound of the instruments with a natural reverberation/echo. The place but also the moment is important. They had the privilege to be allowed to record in the Ecaussines church at night lightened only by candles. lt was one of their most productive recording sessions.
The 41st release on TECHNO Records marks a defining milestone: the first full- scale solo record by the label’s founder, Nastia, in her music career. It opens up a new depth of detail within the character and identity of both the artist and the catalogue.
Rather than making a loud statement, Nastia focuses on a restrained and functional approach to techno, shaped through subtle shifts in tension, texture, and rhythm. The tracks move with intention, avoiding obvious peaks in favour of gradual development and controlled energy—a familiar methodology and a direct analogy to the evolution of the label itself. Crafted with dancefloor energy in mind but not bound by it, the release offers a fresh perspective on the author’s persona, stripping away excess and overexplanation. It leaves ample room for the listener’s imagination and a versatile, expert application within a DJ set.
The trajectory of ascents and shifting attention in an artist’s career is the only honest path, providing material for reflection and the anchoring of values. This depth of experience cannot be replicated by overnight success or short-lived peaks—only decades of exploration, trial, and error can forge a work built to endure. Studio work becomes a new instrument for Nastia to build value capital, while her debut solo EP stands as an artefact marking a historic point for the author and the label.
TECH041
A1 “Indoctrinated” — a masterclass in rhythmic interplay used as a narrative device. It functions as a sonic manifesto: universally accessible yet distinctly individual. A process-driven track, its strength lies in its ability to repeatedly shift the listener’s focus. It serves as an ideal transitional tool, offering a calculated awakening from a hypnotic state.
A2 “Ignorance Is Keelleeng” — a structured dancefloor powerhouse built on a precise understanding of peak-time energy. Functioning as a set-defining anchor, it allows the DJ to pivot the mix in any direction without losing momentum. A true catalyst track that opens up new sonic horizons.
B1 “True Majority” — the most forward-thinking cut on the record, providing a definitive blueprint for the hypnotic techno sound of summer 2026. It presents a multi-layered, all-encompassing sonic tapestry that interacts with the listener while maintaining a strictly restrained narrative. A motif-driven track that subtly exposes an underlying tension.
B2 “Additive Integration” — best conceptualised within an extended set where the goal is to gradually establish the atmosphere and dictate the rules of the journey. A track built on anticipation, it conserves energy and conceals its inner mechanics until the final acts. It compels the listener to decode its sonic language for full comprehension.
Hit the North is a DJs’ movement
Not a label. Not a revival. A discipline.
Over the years, the collective travelled across multiple states in the US and parts of the UK, digging deep into private collections, basements, garages, storage rooms and forgotten boxes.
They weren’t looking for classics.
They weren’t looking for hits.
They were looking for attempts.
Artists chasing something bigger than themselves.
Trying to sound like Motown.
Trying to sound like Detroit.
Trying to sound like the records that saved them.
Many of them dreamed — at best — of becoming a one hit wonder.
Most never got that far.
Some never crossed a state line.
Some never crossed the street at the end of their block.
Some never played outside their hometown.
Some never played at all.
What they left behind were fragments.
Raw versions.
Unfinished recordings.
Alternate takes.
Rejected mixes.
Test pressings.
Acetates passed quietly from hand to hand.
Sometimes with real credits.
Sometimes with fake ones.
Sometimes with handwritten labels leading nowhere.
Titles that didn’t match the music.
Stories that changed every time you asked.
Often, the trail simply disappeared.
What remained was intention.
Energy.
Urgency.
Hope pressed into sound.
So the collective worked on it.
They edited certain parts.
Extended others.
Cut what didn’t serve the floor.
Not to modernise.
Not to rewrite history.
But to unlock the power that was already there.
The result sounds like Northern Soul pushed to its breaking point.
Fast. Physical. Emotional.
Built for movement.
Some circulated privately.
Others were never pressed at all.
Recorded in personal studios, borrowed studios, friends’ rooms, temporary spaces.
Always outside the system.
This is not nostalgia.
This is unfinished business.
he all-time house music legend Roger Sanchez drops his brand new studio album ‘Spectrum’ - his first in twenty years. Previewed by three high-energy bangers - ‘Grinnin’ (with Fedde LeGrand), ‘Come My Way’ and ‘Temptation’ (with Low Steppa, featuring Ragdoll) - the record features the new focus track ‘How Do We Say Goodbye’, a collab with Karen Harding.
The globally celebrated and Grammy-winning DJ, producer and label head has been working on the album for years, much of it during his time in Shoreditch which has informed its euphoric UK summer sonic influences. But its diverse tracks reflect a spectrum of sounds, from pulsating club tracks to dancefloor fillers, through to more emotional moments and atmospheric elements. Lyrically it’s also the result of translating his personal experiences into song.
Roger says, “I’ve been working on this for the past six years, so it’s definitely a labour of love. During that time I got the chance to travel around the world and work with some amazing vocalists and songwriters to help me bring this project to life. I’ve got flavours from the UK, Spain, the US - all of this is part of the spectrum for. This project is about music and frequencies and light: so everything from the light to the soulful to the club-ready infrared, the emotionally-weighted ultraviolet. That’s what ‘Spectrum’ is all about for me.”
The new focus track ‘How Do We Say Goodbye’ was created with the topline extraordinaire and always in-demand collaborator Karen Harding, whose all-star credits include work with MNEK, Armand Van Helden, Rudimental, Wilkinson and many more. It’s a massive highlight of the album, with Karen’s soaring vocal class bringing both an irresistible hook and a touching sense of nostalgia, while Roger’s dynamic production ascends from a trance-like ambience into an electrifying drop.
Beyond the singles, ‘Spectrum’ also features a diverse array of other talents spanning multiple genres and nationalities. These include Melanic C, Kele Le Roc, Chico Castillo, Kelli-Leigh, Carnao Beats, Donae’O and more. It’s a guestlist which lives up to the anticipation for the record.
‘SPECTRUM’ is available as a special 3LP limited-edition pressed on red transparent vinyl.
After finding their feet with a couple of remixes for Before I Die, Talking Drums ditch their sea legs and swap the pirate booty of their cult edit series for a five-track EP of original productions, each swimming in LinnDrums, digital chimes and synth-vox sunshine. Summer sounds abound as the crew refract house, disco, ambient and dub through shimmering sea glass, bringing the beach to the bar, club, garden or grotto.
Inspired equally by tropical Sceneries (but Not Songs), Ecco the Dolphin and Echoes of Wally, as well as a few tall tales about trendy whales, this 16-bit caper makes a splash from wave top to bikini bottom. Written and produced as a cohesive EP over three sun-baked weeks in 2025, and stitched together with field recordings and found sounds from Sicily, rural France, Japan and Singapore, Pier Pressure sees each track flow into the next: distinct seas that make up one larger ocean.
Opener ‘Fashionable Whale’ surfaces with mystic motifs and dreamy pads arcing above the spray before a purring low end and drum-box shuffle plunge us into Balearic house depths. A rippling breakdown, bookended by insistent arps, provides respite from the rhythm before the low-tempo pulse returns to take us home. Sticking with Zone 2 cardio, ‘Salmon Hats’ serves wonky disco at Valium pace, its beatific vox and glittering sequences underpinned by a hip-swivelling bassline and topped with a future-primitive melody. After drifting into dream house for a sunset lull, it’s back to the beat and the enduring question of how best to dance on a lilo.
‘Mangrove’ offers an intertidal intermission as tuned percussion finds a place among the cicadas and lapping waves, gently unfolding into an RPGambient ode to humid languor. Refreshed, albeit ailed by a sunstroke haze, we’re back on the dance floor with the optimistic motifs and jolly polyrhythms of ‘Flutti Di Mare’, an uptempo, Afro-adjacent house workout designed to inspire mile-wide smiles. Then the EP sails off into the sunset with the fathoms-deep delight of ‘Squid Dub’, a Cousteau-coded cod-reggae stepper with digi-dub bass, pound-shop marimba and all manner of THCtinged FX. Don’t be deceived by the loose and limber opening: a solid sequencer emerging at the midpoint sees the Squid squeeze every bit of bump out of the finale.
Forget ATOL protection - Talking Drums deliver your summer holiday directly to your stereo.
In the evolving landscape of modern Southern hip-hop, the pairing of Starlito and Bandplay stands out as a unique bridge between street-level authenticity and refined, calculated musicality. Their collaborative project, Not The Country You Know, functions less like a standard release and more as a manifesto—a masterclass in the chemistry between a seasoned, introspective lyricist and a producer who possesses an intuitive grasp of the region's pulse. It is an exploration of legacy and adaptation, capturing the tension between where they came from and where the culture is currently headed.
Bandplay, long recognized for sculpting the sonic identity of Memphis icons, brings his signature, trunk-rattling 808s to the project, yet he manages to pivot here. The production feels remarkably expansive, masterfully blending the raw, stripped-back aesthetics of classic Tennessee rap with forward-thinking textures that refuse to be confined to a single sub-genre. Complementing this, Starlito operates with his trademark mix of cynical observation and genuine vulnerability. He navigates these beats with the weary grace of an artist who has weathered the music industry's relentless cycles, treating every bar like a necessary piece of a larger, ongoing story.
The album’s title serves as a direct commentary on these shifting tides. Across the tracklist, the duo investigates the growing disparity between the romanticized South and the cold realities of the streets, alongside the inevitable evolution of the music business itself. There is no frantic chasing of streaming-era trends or algorithmic bait here; instead, the project remains a stubborn, confident assertion of artistic identity. By weaving together Starlito’s "voice-of-reason" flow and Bandplay’s evolving, genre-bending sound, Not The Country You Know challenges the listener to abandon their preconceived notions of the region, offering instead a complex, urgent vision of a South that is as haunting as it is vibrant.
After a brief hiatus, Cosmocities returns in 2026 with Tech Rico EP, the final release from longtime collaborator, visionary artist, and producer Erik Rico. Completed shortly before his passing last year, the EP stands as both a creative evolution and a tribute to an artist whose influence crossed genres and generations.
Erik Rico first connected with Cosmocities founder Matt Soulie through Inkswel during the release of Cosmic Love Affair EP in 2022, leading to further collaborations including The Rare Groove Project. Following that release, Soulie encouraged Rico to explore a more techno driven sound, which became the foundation for Tech Rico EP.
The EP sees Rico stepping into new sonic territory while maintaining the rich musicality that defined his career. “Tokyo By Train” marks his first full dive into techno with driving rhythms and atmospheric textures, while “Afro Beatdown (Let’s Go)” blends Afro rhythms and broken beats inspired by the spirit of Fela Kuti. “Summer In Chi Town” pays tribute to Chicago house with warm synths and skippy drums, later reworked by Inkswel with additional vocals from Erin Buku and Marley Love into a soulful bruk infused remix. Closing track “Madrid or Manhattan” delivers a hypnotic house groove layered with trippy vocoder vocals.
A singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist, producer, and DJ, Erik Rico spent more than two decades shaping a sound that bridged soul, house, hip hop, and Afrobeats. His career included collaborations with Tupac Shakur, Q Tip, Ladybug Mecca, and Jurassic 5, as well as scoring work for HBO, MTV, and PBS.
More than just a release, Tech Rico EP celebrates Erik Rico’s artistic spirit, fearless evolution, and the deep musical connections he built throughout his life. Cosmocities is honoured to share this final chapter with the world.
Two stone cold classics right here from the Roy Ayers masterminded RAMP, taken from the holy grail album Come Into Knowledge. Sampled the world over, influentially positive and as prized as they get, South Street’s new sub-label South Street Soul couldn’t have picked a more perfect double header to reissue as their inaugural release.
Although the RAMP acronym Roy Ayers Music Productions bared Ayers’ name, he did not perform with the Ohio band instead writing, arranging and producing the tracks alongside Edwin Birdsong and also William Allen. Drafting in some of the best session musicians in the game, from vocalists Sibel Thrasher and Sharon Matthews, The Spinners drummer John Manuel, guitarist Landy Shores and Cincinnati bass maestro Nate White, the result was pure ethereal excellence.
Rare groove at its finest ‘Daylight’ is one of the standout cuts from RAMP’s only album - soulful, sumptuous and laced with a celestial touch that takes this track to another realm of conscious. A track that was famously sampled by A Tribe Called Quest for their hit ‘Bonita Applebum’ and J Dilla’s remix of Common – Come Close.
On the B side, a Roy Ayer’s masterpiece 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' given the RAMP revamp, an end of the night masterpiece, a hazed-out dreamer - just downright blissful grooves from start to finish. Ready-made to ride out into the sunset with.
