Buscar:tone 7

Informed by all the sub strains of UK Bass music and the Hardcore Continuum, Analias’s hazy sound straddles both poles between melancholy and euphoria, with an underlying greying hue in the center where all the disparate colors of the underground meld into one. Preferring to let the music speak on his behalf, (You will not find him on social media) Analias’s already substantial discography is an accomplished body of work that deserves all of the attention and praise soon to come his way. LGHPS is incredibly happy to help amplify this phenomenal artist to the world.

Drenched in mournful atmosphere and longing tones, all four cuts hold an emotive, introspective motif with subtle drum work that holds back the bubbling aggression of the punching 808 B lines brooding underneath. “Falling Falling Falling” loops sensual yet familiar vocal chops into a hypnotizing hook while the drums and bass step with enough weight and grit to make this the perfect set opener. “Cardio” up’s the tension to the boiling point with undulating strings churning the waters before unleashing a monster B line tidal wave. The sun ray’s break through the clouds on “Pass Me By” as the pummeling bass is tempered by lively Rhodes keys. The mood ascends further on the playful stomp of “Again n Again” using morphing 303 melodies and upbeat handclaps with Mood II Swing club sensibilities.

As rRoxymore, Hermione Frank has been exploring the outer edges of the dance floor and producing music that goes beyond traditional genre boundaries for more than a decade. In that time she has covered plenty of ground from caustic and abrasive techno to long-form and immersive grooves, always with a focus on contrasting tempo, texture and tone. On previous albums she intertwined the electronic and the acoustic with elements of psychedelia and jazz. With Juggling Dualities, Frank takes a sideways look at New Age and Wellness culture.

Writing the album came about after many months of being unable to create during a complicated personal time which left her lacking inspiration, feeling creatively stuck yet emotionally uprooted. What helped was distance - taking time and space to disconnect from the struggle. That brought a different rhythm to life and a fresh perspective that allowed exploration without any expectations. A six-week surge of intense creativity followed in which the majority of the album was written. As she explains, "The record represents a journey of reconnection that conveys an underlying message of hope and healing at its core. I think it is my most honest
work to date."

Initially conceived as a New Age project but with a signature personal twist and some subtle humour, there is a familiarity to Juggling Dualities. It is warm and comforting with a sound palette that is refined but familiar - there are soothing signifiers and organic designs that nod to the motifs of New Age but passed through a more contemporary lens.

Juggling Dualities is an invitation to reconnect with yourself. It's music that encourages you to take a pause, be in the moment and reflect on the fact that no matter what challenges come your way, they shall eventually pass.

Teasing dread atmospheres and zooming in on microscopic details that bring every beat in every bar to life, Seb Uncles returns to Samurai Music with another deep dive into his exquisitely crafted, cinematic progression of the drum & bass tradition.

Even a cursory glance at the Eusebeia back catalogue tells you Uncles is an artist committed to the storytelling promise of breakbeat culture. His work has been heavily tipped towards albums since he first broke through around 2015, and across more than 10 long-players he's cultivated a strong line in moody, evocative jungle and drum & bass more concerned with world-building and subtle detail rather than aggression and intensity.

Following up on his 2023 LP for Samurai, X, on Undertones Uncles applies his signature meditative tones to a broad expanse. There's a consistent sound palette that leans on the warm snarl of monosynth low end and aqueous pads, delicately edited breaks and crisply sculpted synth percussion, but Uncles moves with dexterity around different tempos and structures within this considered sound world. The overarching notion is one of things lurking beneath the surface - a comfortably open theme to be approached and understood from any number of angles. It certainly chimes with the upfront detail and brooding tension that gives the Eusebeia sound such depth.

There are moments of direct drum pressure, such as fierce opener 'Undertones' with its diced-up breaks and icy chords, the boisterous jungle dread of 'Uncover' and chasmic roller 'Root Out', but on the likes of 'Beneath The Surface' and 'Out In The Open' it's the mellow elements that take precedence over the deft drum science. The motion is persistent and nuanced, but it's achieved without deferring to default dancefloor tropes.

'Emergence' marks a pointed shift towards a delicate strain of techno that maintains the album's sound at a mid-paced pulse, focusing on synth shapes and textures to achieve propulsion with only the lightest of drum parts. Alongside the energetic intrigue of Uncles' sonic choices, the melodic make-up of the track is a compelling showcase for his emotionally ambiguous approach, both rousing and chilling in the same curious chord shapes.

From the half-time prowl of 'Lifting The Veil' to the creeping textures and haunted phrasing of 'Brought To Light', Undertones is another stunning exercise in widescreen jungle. It flows naturally from the rich body of work Uncles has cultivated over the past 10 years while carving out its own unique pocket - a reminder if you needed one of the profound sound bedded into the Eusebeia project.

For the seventh installment of his Hardspace series, Len Faki selects three standout tracks from his personal vault - polishing them up with signature flair for maximum impact.

The A-side features a powerhouse mix of Jimmy Edgar´s Strike. Len Faki brings extra drive and spatial depth to the mix: sizzling hi-hats pan sharply across a tight stereo field, vocal chops flicker in and out, and the groove is stripped, slick, and forceful. A subtle reverb treatment adds atmosphere without compromising punch.

On the B-side, Faki dives into Robert Armani's 1994 album Right to Silence, revisiting two Chicago-style jacking tracks that are nodding to the Dance Mania era.
Up rides on a fierce hi-hat shuffle and a pounding stomp, centered around a bold vocal loop that captures the rough, battle-cry attitude of classic Chicago jack tracks. Faki's edit sharpens the angles and tightens the structure, giving the track even more bite.
Road Tour originally leaned on a harsh, detuned lead synth. Len´s Hardspace version removes the abrasive top line and lets the looping arp take center stage, which subtly shifts in tone and pans across the stereo field. The groove doesn't push forward so much as it sways side to side, creating a warped sense of motion. A pitched-up vocal sample-half command, half tease-injects just the right dose of jack attitude.
HS007 channels the raw, functional energy of vintage Chicago trax through Faki's modern lens - respectful to its roots, but fully tuned for today's sound systems.

Frappé's classic jazzy and funky house EP is FINALLY available on vinyl. 5 tracks from Art Of Tones, Georges, Robby&Stupid Flash, Basile de Suresnes and Ten Fingerz tilting towards the historical influences at the very roots of House music: jazz, piano and funk.

Chicago's DION BRACKEN is back with a new 5 track EP of rare disco, boogie and funky soul sure to set any dancefloor on fire! Fans of AL-TONE, MR. K, MARK GRUSANE and the like should dig these edits. Out on the appropriately named CROWDPLEASERS label. Yellow colored vinyl in paper sleeves.

The Mekanik label, led by the tireless Manu Kenton, returns strongly with a new, strikingly effective EP: "Metronome." Available as a colored vinyl limited edition and in digital format, this project brings together four finely crafted techno productions for clubs and thrill-seekers.



Between explosive buildups, hypnotic grooves, and acidic textures, the "Metronome EP" delivers a concentrated dose of raw energy and sonic mastery. True to his identity, Manu Kenton once again demonstrates his ability to combine power, tension, and efficiency, always with a signature recognizable among thousands.



A key figure of the legendary Lagoa club in Menin, Manu Kenton continues his path here, chaining projects with a consistently strong artistic coherence.

On the visual side, this collector's vinyl stands out with its revamped "Yolk effect" in luminous green tones, adding an original and modern touch to this new chapter of the Mekanik label.



Français



Le label Mekanik, piloté par l’infatigable Manu Kenton, revient en force avec un nouvel EP redoutablement efficace : "Metronome". Disponible en vinyle coloré en édition limitée et en version digitale, ce projet rassemble quatre productions techno ciselées pour les clubs et les amateurs de sensations fortes.



Entre montées explosives, grooves hypnotiques et textures acides, "Metronome EP" offre un concentré d’énergie brute et de maîtrise sonore. Fidèle à son identité, Manu Kenton y affirme une fois de plus sa capacité à allier puissance, tension et efficacité, toujours avec une signature reconnaissable entre mille.

Nach ersten EPs & Mixtapes sowie der Produktion von Dijons Debütalbum "Absolutely" erscheint Mike Gordons Erstwerk "Two Star & The Dream Police" als bahnbrechende Fusion aus Pop, Rock und Soul. Der 26-jährige Musiker aus New Jersey definiert bekannte Genres anhand unkonventioneller Töne, Tempi und Texturen neu. Seine verzerrten Gitarrenriffs und gefühlvollen Vocals erinnern an Prince, durchdringen düster-experimentelle Mixe und schaffen eine fesselnde Klanglandschaft, die traditionelle Grenzen überwindet. Trotz experimenteller Tendenzen beweist Mk.gee, dass er Melodien beherrscht und aus scheinbar chaotischen Kompositionen komplexe und einnehmende Popsongs kreieren kann. Seine Debüt-LP ist sowohl innovativ als auch zugänglich und bietet eine frische Sicht auf zeitgenössische Musik, behält aber gleichzeitig eine zeitlose Qualität.

These new collaborations follow the mesmerising 'Dissolve In the Rain' in 2022 where Calibre leaned into the blues of Chelou.

Belfast-born Dominick Martin has spent the last 30 years creating. With over 100 Singles and 25 albums, encompassing a myriad of tempos and genres. Painter, Multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer, producer and DJ.

Chelou is the moniker of London-based artist Adam Gray, a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer known for his psychedelic blend of folk, blues, and indie electronics. Raised in Camden and influenced by a musically rich environment, Chelou developed a reverb-soaked, dreamlike sound that combines minimal vocals, distorted guitar, ambient textures, and offbeat lyricism. His name, "Chelou," is French slang for "bizarre" or "strange," reflecting his enigmatic and unconventional identity.

He emerged in 2014 with the DIY EP The Quiet, gaining early support from BBC Radio 6 Music DJs like Lauren Laverne and Tom Ravenscroft. Tracks like "Halfway to Nowhere," "Out of Sight," and "Garden" drew attention for their raw, intimate tone and distinctive visual accompaniments. His debut album Out of Sight (2018) expanded his sound and artistic reach, featuring a popular animated video created by Robin Eisenberg.

Gradually, the latest album by Julien Mier, is a sonic journey that delves into the transitions of life, identity, and the blurred boundaries between art and personal growth. With a trilingual brain, Mier reflects on how language shifts have shaped his sense of self throughout his life and the music that he writes. Gradually is his exploration of shapelessness—an urge to break free from rigid musical genres and get closer to his most fundamental expression. The album is composed of nine tracks, each representing a distinct cultural and linguistic influence, all tied together by the theme of gradual evolution.

The first section, Ciel, Soleil, and Espace (French for Sky, Sun, and Space), draws on Mier’s French heritage, evoking the feeling of childhood memories bathed in a warm, nostalgic glow. This fluid, atmospheric section mirrors the soft, ever-changing air, symbolising a time of pure, untainted intention. It feels like a hazy, sepia-toned dream, as fleeting and elusive as the scent of an old friend. The gentle flow of the music mirrors the flow of wind, effortlessly shifting from one element to the next, a reflection of the innocence and clarity of youth.

The second section, Steen, Zee, and Zand (Dutch for Stone, Sea, and Sand), channels the influence of Mier’s childhood in a small Dutch dune village. These tracks are grounded in the hard-edged textures of electronic dance music, a genre that introduced him to a world of rhythm and movement. With a sonic palette of blues, greys, and more defined shapes, this section captures the solid, enduring forces of nature—earth, water, and stone. It’s a sonic landscape rooted in stability, a foundation from which everything can grow. The tracks build from the fluidity of the first section into more structured, rhythmic territories, mirroring the natural transition from childhood innocence to the discovery of deeper, more grounded musical influences.

The final section, Scrap (a collaborative track with the Japanese producer Daisuke Tanabe), Soil, and Spark, dives into the exploration of the world beyond familiar borders. Mier’s relocation from the Netherlands to Australia in 2016 is reflected in these pieces, which grapple with the contrast and complexity of different cultures and environments. These tracks are tinged with rust-red hues and a sense of eroded beauty, evoking a more fragmented, distorted view of the world. The music here is marked by tension, conflict, and the erosion of once-solid forms—symbolic of the digital and ecological storms that shape our modern existence. The closing piece, Spark, signals a new beginning, a hopeful initiation into the cycle of renewal.

The album artwork for Gradually is a conclusive visual representation of this journey, captured in the final frame of an analog film roll that began in the Netherlands and concluded with an image of the streets of Sydney, Australia—a perfect metaphor for the album’s narrative of gradual transition and discovery.

Here we have a new four track EP from ddwy following two acclaimed EPs on Public Possession. ddwy (pronounced d-why) is the Welsh word for “two” — a nod to Naomi and Ronan, the duo behind the project. It’s a four track EP ranging from dancefloor moments such as ‘Beaming Backwards’ and the dubwise ‘Peak Smile’ to the more ethereal ‘Stars Stars’ and the ambient tone of ‘Heuldro’r Haf’. A beautifully rounded EP showing a quiet potential for a broader audience. The echo continues.

Originally released in 2012, the debut release from Fatdog quickly became a cult classic amongst fans of low-slung deep house. Outside of the studio his Werk parties were hosting the likes Marcellus Pittman, Theo Parrish, Move D, MCDE, Levon Vincent, Moodymann & Patrice Scott in the North East of England. This EP was a testament to the wild basement energy that culminated from those nights, marrying UK and Detroit influences with consummate ease.‘Remember Me’ sets the tone with Chris Raine’s soulful croon laid over warm organ chords and a restrained electro synth hook, creating a swinging, late-night vibe. ‘U&Me’ drifts into dubbed-out, codeine-laced slo-house territory, deep and narcotic.On the B-side, ‘Cookie’ channels Theo Parrish with its syrupy, hypnotic strut, while ‘Contact’ closes out with an electroid edge—perfect for the 3AM dancefloor stalkers.Some 13 years later, WOLF have reached back into the archives and with permission from the man himself, have reissued this timeless EP for a new generation of record buyers.

Compiled by Philip King
“And then came the rise of synth pop : blokes with dodgy haircuts hunched over keyboard-operated
machines stuffed with wires and do-it-yourself tone oscillators making sounds like a brood of geese
passing gas in a wind tunnel. Whoopee! This is the way the ‘70s ended : not with a blood-curdling bang
bang but with a cheap, synthesized, emasculating whimper.”
NICK KENT, NME.

All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978-1985 is a new compilation that charts the
underbelly of the epoch-defining sound of the synthesiser in 80s popular music. Compiled by Philip
King (previously seen compiling All The Young Droogs, Glitterbest and Boobs - The Junkshop
Glam Discotheque), the music here connects the dots between DIY synth enthusiasts grappling with
new, cheap synthesisers at the tail-end of punk and wannabe, jobbing songwriters enthral to the new
music pioneered by Gary Numan, Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller’s Mute Records. Featuring rare
tracks of auto-didactic progressive pop music, proto-techno punk, shoot-for-the-stars-land-in-the-gutter
chart flops and heralded, underground synth classics, School Daze paints a picture of beautiful failure.
Complete with extensive sleeve notes written by King and never before seen imagery, all 24 tracks
were remastered by RPM in-house engineer Simon Murphy, many from vinyl copies due to lost master
tapes. The story told on All The Young Droids is one of the dawning opportunity presented by both the
emergence to the market of cheaper analog synthesisers and the distribution networks plus indie labels
that exploded with the advent of punk music in 1976. While the music that sprouted out all over the
globe in the wake of these factors was decried as fake, plastic, a refutation of punk’s guitar-led
revolution, it’s telling that much of the music on All The Young Droids.. was created in bedrooms,
ramshackle studios and home-made set ups with often borrowed equipment. In the era of record labels
jumping to capitalise on the success of The Sex Pistols, The Clash (both on major labels, of course)
these artists struggled to stand out from a new gold-rush with next to no budget or PR team. With radio
and labels desperate for the new Yazoo, what resulted was a testament to necessity being the mother
of invention.

At the time, the synthesiser was the music of the future, a shiny new machine that could paint like an
orchestra with a single finger and a 4-track. In the hands of Manchester avant-pranksters Gerry & The
Holograms it’s a pulsing, sardonic weapon.. the only instrument on the Messthetics classic lampooning
of New Wave fashion. In Hamburg, a 16 year old Andreas Dorau used it to write and record (with his
female classmates on vocals) a global smash in Fred Vom Jupiter (later licensed to Mute Records).
The hard-to-find English version (Fred From Jupiter, natch) is included here. Many artists with alreadystoried careers caught the bug and recorded synthesiser-fuelled peons to space, computers, the future
and, of course, love-interests. Harry Kakoulli, late of Squeeze, recorded a solo album in 1979 that
included the incredible power-synth-pop smash-that-never-smashed I’m On A Rocket. Similarly, Ian
North of Neo and American Power Pop stalwarts Milk ’n’ Cookies bought a Korg MS20 and used a
tape machine to record We’re Not Lonely, an absolute lost-classic of minimal synth pop. We’re Not
Lonely also features on the Junkshop Synth Pop sampler 7” twinned with John Howard unreleased
track You Will See, released April 12th 2025.

There are plenty of compilation debuts in evidence. Sole Sister were a mysterious trio who were
featured on the Scaling Triangles compilation of female-fronted, queer-adjacent post-punk /
underground music that also featured The Petticoats. Selwin Image were from San Francisco and
featured members of the recently defunct power pop/punk group The Pushups. Their stupidly catchy
The Unknown fizzes with New Wave energy - think XTC to Sparks but remains unreleased until now.
Dream Unit’s A Drop In The Ocean is an early synth wave cut, positively teaming with Joy Division
instrumentation, previously only released on a long-forgotten and super rare, self-released EP.
Incandescent Luminaire’s Famous Names belies an archetypal struggle of a small-town trying to
make it in a cruel industry but is a thrilling New Romantic-Synth Wave cross over with a OMD
gloominess that’s a joy to hear. Feminist Minimal Wave track I Am A Time Bomb by performance artist
Peta Lilly and Michael Chance is a revelation destined for new found cult status. It was released on 7”
and lost until now.

The flipside to the subterranean, never-made-it synth pop mentioned above are the ambitious, even
fruity attempts at success that have a perennial elegance to their confidence. New Jersey-ite Billy
London (real name Ed Barth) tried to cash in on the synth boom with Woman, released by a major
label, a lurching new wave track built on the Louie Louie rhythm and a wonderfully camp Lou Reedstyle sleazy vocal before exploding in the synthesised chorus. The song bombed but with a chorus like
this, you have to wonder why? Ex-Glitter Band member John Springate’s My Life is truly epic, with
doomed chord progressions and massive sounding drums turning into at least 3 different songs in the
course of the track. Before you wonder what’s going on the song resolves with a glorious return to the
main refrain.

The dry-ice-dressed dance floor is well catered for too. Design’s Premonition and Vision’s Lucifer’s
Friend are stone-cold minimal synth bangers, well loved but given a new lease of life here. The
Warlord’s The Ultimate Warlord was released in 1978, a homespun proto Hi NRG banger that was
later re-recorded by The Immortals in Canada who had a club hit with it. One-man- band Disco
Volante’s No Motion was re-issued by Synth wave label Medical in 2012 but makes its first vinyl
compilation appearance here. Close your eyes and you can imagine what Lawrence of Felt would have
sounded like with some cheap Korgs a little earlier in his career. Gibraltar-based trio The Microbes
imagined a computer programming people to dance - how prescient - and ended up with a propulsive,
robo-funk track with splendid rubbery bass playing over a tectonic drum machine. Previously picked up
by Belgian label Stroom TV, Dee Jay Bert & Eagle’s heavily Euro-accented I Am Your Master
demands the listener to “come to paradise!” In a frankly terrifying manner.
All The Young Droids is the first compilation to peel away from the narrative that dour, Minimal Synth
and Cold Wave were the only musical children of the first rush of synth pop. Philip King and School
Daze Records describe a much more complicated world: along with the austere, Brutalist children of
Daniel Miller (who produced Alan Burnham’s Bowie-Low-influenced Science Fiction here) was a
plethora of desperate cash-ins, accidental mainstream hits, ambitious pop dramas and major label
punts that went nowhere. Crucially, the compilation blurs the line between junk and treasure. What if the
two things are interchangeable. What if it’s all science fiction?

Markantonio returns to vinyl with Radici, a bold statement that dives deep into his origins, both in name and sonic identity. This four-track EP marks a pivotal moment in his artistic journey, bridging the raw energy of early techno with his signature funky groove-driven approach.

A vital force in shaping the Neapolitan techno identity since 2001, AnalyticTrail now takes a new step in its evolution with the release of Radici. Markantonio, the label's founder and one of Italy's most influential techno figures, makes a striking return to the forefront. This release doesn't just mark his comeback to vinyl, it reflects a renewed connection to his roots and a forward-thinking vision that continues to drive the underground movement.

Opening with Welcome to Disco, the A-side sets the tone with an infectious rhythm, pulsating basslines, and shimmering synths that light up the floor with hypnotic flair. Rising Dutch talent Isaiah delivers a bold reinterpretation with his Rework, injecting a darker, more driving edge layered with brooding atmospheres and relentless percussion. On the B-side, the title track Radici dives deeper into tribal-infused territory, blending hypnotic loops with raw percussive energy, while Groover rounds out the EP with a stripped-back, minimalist roller designed for late-night momentum.

A must-have for techno lovers, Radici captures the essence of where it all began and where it's headed next.

Limited Vinyl Box Set including 6x olive 12” vinyl & download code

Cocoon Recordings presents: Cocoon Compilation V

Back for the summer season, Cocoon Recordings proudly unveils the next chapter in its iconic compilation series. With its 22nd edition, Cocoon Compilation V once again bridges past and future, showcasing the essence of electronic music’s constant evolution. True to the spirit of the label, this handpicked collection delivers a diverse, emotional, and forward-thinking selection that drifts through shimmering currents, pulsating machinery, and moments of pure release.

Delenz & Zeitstill set the tone with “Place To Be”, a smooth and warm opener that invites the listener into a meditative microcosm. What starts as dreamy minimalism steadily unfolds into deep, shimmering depth. A sublime invitation to get lost in sound. Superpitcher takes us further into the mist with “Dream B”, an ethereal and cinematic dreamscape that floats between melancholy and magic. Its stretched textures and hypnotic pacing form a gentle passage into inner space.

The energy intensifies with Patrice Bäumel’s “Nat”, a sophisticated tension-builder with a subtle pulse and haunting atmospheres. Sound waves that breathe, evolve, and subtly command movement. Sawlin switches gears with “Der Jasager”, a deep technoid beast that hits with low-end pressure, modulated percussions, and gritty textures and spooky features. Raw, physical, and unrelenting.

A bright contrast comes from DC Salas and his track “Escapism.” Psychedelic, synth-heavy, and effortlessly groovy, it channels the playful side of electronic storytelling. It channels a trancy 90s flair with its vibrant energy, brilliant use of choir bits, and irresistible vibe that transports you back to a golden era. With Tal Fussman’s “Eyes”, we’re taken into euphoric territory. This stomper is a conversation between piano and strings, rising above crisp grooves, weaving emotion and momentum with finesse.

On the second half of the journey, legendary Ken Ishii teams up with Yuada to deliver “Split Second,” a bold, wild and crazy techno excursion full of mechanical grace and Japanese precision. An ode to organized chaos. Marcel Fengler’s “Aura” follows, powerful and deep, pushing air like an engine through tunnels of tension and light. The blend of rhythm and sentiments is a masterclass in functional elegance and states of mind.

Impérieux brings us “Kala,” a track both twisted and beautiful. Its detuned hypnotic melodies and skewed harmonics are unsettling in the best way while the unconventional rhythms cloak the entire track in a mysterious aura. It creaks and twists toward transcendence, underscored by primordial flute sounds. A fractured lullaby for the club. Joe Metzenmacher injects wildness and attitude into the mix with “Da Freak.” Fuzzy, distorted synths collide with a funky bassline, sharp guitar stabs, and mad bleep effects, bringing the raw groove and dancefloor chaos of a bygone funk era into a futuristic setting.

Joseph Capriati debuts on Cocoon with “Cosmopop” and surprises with an unexpected stylistic shift. Capriati explores a more melodic, emotionally driven sound. Subtle harmonies meet a warm, rolling groove. It’s a bold and personal statement, showing a new side of an artist who continues to evolve beyond expectations. To close, Matthias Schildger offers “Distorter,” a raw and emotional cut that leaves room to breathe while keeping the mind spinning. It begins with beautiful pads, before distorted kicks drop in, yet the track retains a certain tenderness, like the feeling of sitting at a tranquil, untouched nature spot, surrounded by the beauty of the world. A grand finale to a compilation that refuses to settle.

From sunrise moments to peak-time madness, Cocoon Compilation V captures the full spectrum of what dance music can be. Transcendent, visceral and endlessly evolving. This isn’t just a collection of tracks. It’s a curated experience for the body, the mind and the soul.

Franky Wah makes Crosstown Rebels debut with ‘Disconnect’ EP, featuring Kuuda. Out on 20th June 2025, the four-tracker sees the acclaimed UK producer make his first appearance on the revered imprint.

A producer known for balancing dancefloor energy with introspective songwriting, Franky Wah’s rise has been fuelled by a string of chart-topping singles, non-stop global club and festival appearances, and the launch of his own imprint and event brand, SHÈN. With musical influences stretching from trance and breakbeat to afro-house and techno, he now brings that rich sound palette to the Crosstown fold for the first time with a release that’s equal parts euphoric and deep as it is driving. Delivering a powerful and emotionally charged four-track release, 'Disconnect' showcases the Yorkshire-born artist’s blend of underground grit and melodic sophistication, featuring two standout collaborations with rising vocal trio Kuuda.

Opening the EP, the title track pairs swirling textures, brooding basslines and crisp percussion with commanding vocals, setting the tone for the journey ahead. The synergy continues on ‘Off The Wall’, a hazy, late-night jam elevated by Kuuda’s signature warped vox interjections. On the flip, ‘Desert Dance’ continues further into hypnotic territory with wicked bass licks and layered synth work, before closing track ‘Freak In The Sheets’ delivers another impactful, heads-down groove laced with attitude. Featured on two of the EP’s four cuts, Brighton-based trio Kuuda continue to emerge as a rapidly ascending vocal project within electronic music. Known for their genre-fluid songwriting and dynamic live presence, their collaborations with Hot Since 82, Yousef and Artche have earned them widespread support from the likes of Pete Tong, Danny Howard and RÜFÜS DU SOL. Blending emotional depth with club-ready impact, ‘Disconnect’ marks an inspired meeting point between Franky Wah’s expansive production style and the Crosstown Rebels spirit—one that looks set to soundtrack dancefloors throughout the summer and beyond.

It’s been a journey, but thanks to the guys at Universal Music we are very grateful and privileged to bring you this fine piece of modern soul music on vinyl.

Both tracks, on the 7-inch, are taken from the MP3 only 2020 album “Vintage R&B”.
It’s an Anglo-Swedish affair, delivered to you by Swedish songwriters, composers and musicians, Henrik Wikstrom and Anders Lewen, together with UK producer Andrew Stannard.

Side A “Time to Make A Change”, features in Episode One of the 2023 BBC documentary “Fight the Power – How Hip Hop Changed the World”. A track to surely get the dancefloor moving.
After some deliberation of which track to include as a Side B, it was decided as a “Thank you” gesture to invite Universal Music to pick the song of their choice from the MP3 album. “Good, Good Feeling” was the proposal, a song title that is reflected in the composition.

The top side, with its driving beat and the strong vocal ability of Liverpudlian Tommy Blaize, is reminiscent of a Motown track at the peak of its popularity. After listening to the lyrics, it is understandable why this track was used in a “Civil rights” segment within a documentary. A timeless message that can be applied to many social and personal life situations. Listen to the tight musical arrangement. These guys know what they are doing. A track that will surely even get my ageing hips loosened up for the dancefloor. Don’t be tricked by the “paused” ending, a wonderful touch!

The title of the flip side, “Good, good feeling” is exactly that……… A “good feeling” song. Here, the tempo is lowered slightly and the sixties vibe here also leads to a more mainstream direction compared to the A side. Those floaty soulful tones from the UK’s Louise Marshall are very pleasant to the ears, lifting your spirits on any day of the week. Like the A side, get your earlobes in to that musical arrangement. There was no holding back with the broadness of musical instruments in the studio and I especially like the sound of the flute happily skipping throughout. Overall, an enjoyable easy listen.

MME circles back to the mothership with their highly anticipated second release, this time guided by Philadelphia-based astral pilot, Sweater. This four-track EP delivers a perfect blend of deep, driving rhythms and futuristic soundscapes, designed to assist your escape from the gravity of a distant future. The opener, 'Mighty Morphin' sets the tone nicely with a housey track, lighting up the night with rays of starlight followed by 'Body Scan' with an otherworldly bassline and atmospheric elements that ebb, flow, and weave through late-night magic. Flip over to the B-side where 'Escape The Future' plunges into the dub-laden depths of hyperspace, wreaking havoc on any dance floor in its path. Closing the journey is 'Hydro Pump,' a pure electro tour de force with playful yet dynamic synth work and intricate percussion, culminating in a well-balanced release, primed for the most arduous celestial voyages.

Black Truffle is thrilled to announce Spilla, the second album from Nantes-based Ensemble Nist-Nah, 48 minutes of music for Gamelan, drum kits, wood and metal percussion instruments, and plucked strings that will surely count as one of the most electrifying records you hear this year. Founded by the Australian drummer/percussionist Will Guthrie in 2019, continuing the explorations begun in solo form on Nist-Nah (Black Truffle, 2020), the ensemble (eight or nine core members with occasional guests) has been consistently active in the half-decade since: composing, rehearsing, recording and touring Europe (with a mass of equipment in tow) to great acclaim. Spilla tracks the continuing evolution of the project since the recording of their first album, Elders (Black Truffle, 2022). The two sides of this record document two different iterations of the group, and the members' compositional input has increased: each side contains one piece by a member other than Guthrie. It has become clearer than ever that Ensemble Nist-Nah is not an attempt at a European Gamelan ensemble but rather a hybrid percussion ensemble that uses instruments from a Javanese Gamelan alongside other percussion to perform original music informed by a variety of South East Asian music but also by everything from free jazz to contemporary hip-hop: while Nist-Nah and Elders both featured traditional Javanese pieces, on Spilla the only tune not generated by a member of the group is by Guthrie’s long-time musical hero and occasional collaborator Roscoe Mitchell.

The two short pieces that open the record could almost be the two sides of a wild 7” selected to show off what the Ensemble can do. On opener ‘Gerak Maju’, intricately skittering open-snare patterns bounce over clanging metal, chiming bell-like tones and deep gong hits, adapting the rhythm-register connections heard in traditional Gamelan musics—where the lowest pitched sounds are heard least frequently—to a cut-up breakbeat straight off Feed Me Weird Things. ‘Strollabout’ then moves into an entirely different realm of meditative repeating patterns, performed entirely on Chinese, Javanese and Vietnamese gongs. The remaining seven pieces, ranging from three to twelve minutes, offer up a wealth of different percussive, compositional and arrangement possibilities. On ‘Ghostly Klang’, two drumkits mirror each other’s moves, bouncing hats and snares across the stereo field in a way that recalls On the Corner and the jittering hi hat patterns of trap, while slow moving melodies on the tuned instruments add a sense of majesty contrasted by scurrying details in resonant wood. The epic closing track presents a take on Roscoe Mitchell’s ‘Uncle’, performed by the Art Ensemble of Chicago on their classic Urban Bushmen live album. Where the Art Ensemble used Mitchell’s dirge-like melody as a jumping off point for virtuosic improvisational flights, Ensemble Nist-Nah rethink the piece as a near-static dialogue between the monumental, slow-moving sequence of unison tuned percussion notes and a textural cloud that grows in richness and intensity from whispering cymbal rolls into a mass of gong overtones and bowed metal.

Beautifully recorded and mixed, Spilla arrives in a sleeve decorated with core member Charles Dubois’ drawings of cymbals and gongs. Against the backdrop of a wider musical landscape dominated by over-produced electronic slop and bland harmonic wallpaper, Ensemble Nist-Nah stands out as a reminder, vital and unpretentious, of the joys and possibilities of human beings playing instruments together.

There’s a particular magic that happens when seasoned producers with global roots come together under a shared ethos - not for hype, but for connection. That’s precisely what MISINGO represents. A cross-continental studio experiment born out of Covid-era isolation, the group spans hemispheres and histories: Yorkshire's Doorly, L.A. legend Gary Richards (aka Destructo), and Australian duo Colour Castle. Their debut offering, Give You Love, lands via UK House Music institution Hard Times Records, and it’s as emotionally resonant as it is built for the floor.

Anchored by a slow-burning acid line and moody, immersive synthwork, 'Give You Love' carries the DNA of classic house without feeling like pastiche. DJ Rae’s smokey vocal, recorded in Doorly’s Ibiza studio, sets the tone - raw, intimate, immediate. Gene Farris enters with a gravelly, magnetic counterpoint, flipping the call-and-response into something spiritual. It’s a record that feels both new and deeply lived-in, a jam session from afar that somehow lands with unity and purpose.

For the remix suite, Hard Times dig into family ties and deliver a heavyweight lineup that spans generations of dance music lineage.

First up, DJ Pierre, the Phuture pioneer himself, brings a Wild Pitch revision that is pure summer sleaze and shimmer. Glistening keys, kinetic snares, and a syrup-thick bassline collide in a mix that’s tailor-made for golden-hour sets and open-air systems.

DJ Romain brings that New York swing. All velvet chords, stabbing pianos, and organ swells that spiral skyward. It’s gospel-house energy that doesn’t need to shout to be heard, a reminder that soul still moves the dancefloor.

Closing out the package is Charles Lavine of Soul Clap fame, whose Boston-bred funk sensibility steers things into new territory. He strips back the mix, lets Rae’s vocal ride the groove, and injects a subtle bounce that turns heads and hips in equal measure.

With 'Give You Love', MISINGO and Hard Times haven’t just released a single, they’ve bottled a moment: one born of distance, stitched together with soul, and destined for collective release on dancefloors worldwide.