Distangled brings us this re-issue of the highly sought-after House & Techno EP called Roadrunner by Dutch producer David Spanish. Originally released in very limited quantities back in 1996, this record now changes hands for quite some $$$. The tracks off of the Distangled release are re-mastered from the original master tapes and the EP includes 3 previously unreleased tracks. A very versatile 6 tracker!
Werfol debuts on BAKK with a stunning and diverse four tracker. Originally from Kaliningrad, Danil Inyushkin cooks up his meticulous electro with a dash of trap inspired sounds and a sprinkle of Avantgarde techno. His mad mix of styles is sonically unique, hard to pin down, and will challenge any dance floor.
Konduku returns to Nous'klaer with a two tracker on the fourth instalment of his K-series. Starting out with Gelgit; a typical Konduku poly groover with mesmerising bells and subtle drops. On the flip we hear Konduku channeling his four to the floor affection into one of his sweatiest cuts yet. Crafted for big soundsystems.
House and techno purveyor Ejeca delivers with a high-octane release, ‘Keep Climbing EP’ on Needwant Records, which celebrates 100 releases. The four-tracker is available on a limited run of vinyl.
From its inception, Needwant has focussed on pioneering the sounds of tomorrow, developing exciting artists in the world of crossover dance and electronic music including lau.ra, Kiwi, and Ejeca, who first released on the label in 2013.
The title track kicks off the EP with serious force; heavy kicks and a glitchy melody loops hypnotically before making way for the track’s commanding vocal which is equally entrancing. Like its title, ‘Keep Climbing’ builds and builds, generating full-throttle energy that is finally erupted after a euphoric piano breakdown. ‘Vader’ reduces the pace and deepens the mood with a deep humming bassline, twinkling chords, and eerie strings. A breakdown follows with Ejaca’s signature ravey piano-lines in combination with hooky top-line vocals that seamlessly takes the track into peak-time party territory. The track is dynamic, enthralling, and highlights the depth to Ejeca’s production.
‘Won’t Beat Me’ is colourfully uplifting from the offset with bright piano and arpeggiating pads shimmering in tandem. The vocal is contagiously catchy, topping the instrumentation with positive energy which is present throughout the track’s duration. ‘Won’t Beat Me’ is a peak-time club big-hitter. Rounding off the EP is ‘Zyfer’ which boasts uncompromisingly chunky kicks and raw industrial echoes, before cleverly switching to a contrasting sonic soundscape in true Ejeca style. 8-bit arpeggiating chords bubble before warping into a driving club melody which dances on top of the heavy-hitting kicks and groovy percussion.
The EP perfectly captures the ethos of Needwant; forward-thinking music with innovative ideas from an artist who contributed to the label in its early stages. 100 releases on and Needwant continues to push the sounds of tomorrow in slick style.
Benoit B aka Terra Utopia breaks out into another auspicious alias for Step Ball Chain, Blu:sh - metamorphosed; coming in hot and heavy, sexy and sophisticated. Bass down, *ss up! The ambitious 6 tracker “Lovebite” fuses forms of dance; reworking elements from niche corners of the Step stratosphere that can result in freaky combustion. Breathing life and lust into every phrase, we are fortunate to be offered an intimate glimpse into a complex world of sound, filled with bold and brash inspired statements, rhythmically rolling the dice with snap lock precision. The cherry on top is served via a vocal collusion from fellow associate noff, the web expanding as the label delves deeper into futuristic tech territory, the prolific producer pushing their own boundaries and desires for new meticulous audio spectrum and ethereal realms.
The trio of flirtatious tracks laid bare on the A side read as a love letter to 4/4 naughty nocturnal testimonies. Opening auspiciously; Tighten Up dips into nasty grit, a sub centered excursion into the technological domain, sleazy and stripped back with modest tenacity. Candy Land sugarcoats the status quo of pumped up prog, playfully in the driver's seat and revving 100 miles per hour toward Hush highway; narrated by Greek cyber enigma noff.. An atmospheric deep trance kissed club chant. Opposites attract and find points of connection on the flip of Lovebite, the B side boasting a mutually slick sharpness permeating the record; blending sparse bass focused broken beat expeditions with liquid dnb; genially abstract mood boards of sampling mayhem; cut and spliced in addictive fashion. Flushes of gorgeous esoteric harmonic soundscapes fill out the rhythmical chaos, grounding and expanding the mind through a lush & plush tint woven in Recess and Heaven Spot alike.
A perfect prophecy destined for Step Ball Chain, Blu:sh’s first, yet expertly curated EP sets the bar high as hell. Divine dance music that can’t help but push boundaries; confronting and challenging our archival references and perceptions of genres and classifications, arguably the best kind of auditory statement.
Red Vinyl pressing
Goldie – “These guys are at the top of their game”
Break – “One of the best labels in dnb, very happy to be involved”
Our next venture into the world of Utopia comes with new momentum gained from Elliot Garvey aka Quartz, who has delivered the incredible “Thorns” EP.
Rolling with the punches from his immense Resident Advisor podcast and the successful releases on Metalheadz, Samurai and Rupture, we’re proud to put his next body of work out into the world. This brilliant four-tracker has it all: deep soundscapes, crunchy breakbeats, hypnotic grooves, haunting samples and an intense dose of powerful sub bass weight. Support from: Break, DLR, Djinn, Doc Scott, Double O, Flight, Goldie, Hydro, Loxy, Mantra, Noisia and many more.
Mako: "Quartz is one of those rare producers who can make any genre of music incredibly well. He chose drum and bass and I am thankful he did. I don't hear much I like these days but every tune he sends me I rate in one way or another. These 4 tunes are special though and I’m very lucky to call him a peer, a brother and a Utopia artist."
• Press / Promotion: In house campaign from Utopia. Editorial sought in all UK music and dance titles (Mixmag (single of the month), DJ Mag review, Faye Magazine, Bassrush, Your EDM Resident Advisor) as well as national, online and regional daily and weekly press titles for review. Third party uploads on Youtube channels of over 100k subscribers (Drum & Bass Arena, District Bass, Most Addictive)
• Radio / Internet: Utopia Podcast - Award-winning podcast with over 10,000 subscribers, 15k+ individual downloads, YouTube - Utopia YouTube channel, Social Networking - Facebook: Mako/Utopia Music = 12k+, Soundcloud 9k+. Rene LaVice radio premiere on BBC Radio 1; Bassdrive – world’s largest internet drum & bass radio station.
Part 2[10,71 €]
A year from his latest release on Figure, Arthur Robert clocks back in with two full EPs.
The first one is a jam-packed 5-tracker, sporting full-on peak time thrill rides such as electrifying elated opener Mastermind or its more brawny brother, the bellowing beast that is stab-driven roller Relentless. But x31 features also Robert’s more introspective side, be it the glowing experimental excursion of What We Do With Our Time or the dreamy half-time stepper Cosmic Traveler. Fans of his more hypnotic techno productions will find joy in the modular magic of Rising, hinting at what’s to come on x32…
Prolific and singular Japanese producer Hoshina Anniversary presents Hyakunin Isshu, a two tracker of extended jaunts deeper into the mystery than he’s yet dared to venture. With a growing reputation for sizzling productions combining propulsive house rhythms with gyrating arpeggios and textured sound design punctured by jazz-inflected keys, Hyakunin Isshu further expands the limits.
On Hyakunin Isshu, Hoshina Anniversary paces it out over the course of two complimentary side-long runs. The A side Karakurenaini rides on a steady 4/4 as cycling percussion loops, squelchy acid basslines and angular piano chords float in and out of the mix. Deployed and rinsed to peak effect, it's relentless repetition evolves just enough to get completely lost in.
On side B Kirigirisu slows the pace down to a crawl, a lurching rhythm and haunting riff ascending almost to the point of vertigo toppling and giving way to a sci-fi drum break, a stirring prolonged break and triumphant culmination, it’s slow-mo future strut equally indebted to melodies of the past.
Hyakunin Isshu is named for Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, an anthology of delicate, reflective Japanese poetry comprised of works from the 12th and 13th centuries. Both tracks share their titles with different entries in the series.
Hoshina Anniversary is the alias of Yoshinobu Hoshina, a reverent reinterpreter of jazz, dance music and traditional Japanese instrumentation. The last couple of years have seen the producer from the Tokyo suburbs release a torrent of inimitable missives on esteemed maisons disques like ESP Institute, Osare Editions, Alien Jams and Youth. Also forthcoming in the summer of 2022 is an LP on Impatience.
Blair French returns to Rocksteady Disco with an EP of pan-African dance floor heat. Picking up from where he left off with his The Art Of Us LP and his recent Razor-N-Tape EP, this 3-tracker sounds like being happily lost in a hot jungle. Tons of drums, chants, flutes, and basslines for the finest parties. Limited vinyl pressing, don’t sleep.
Music written and produced by Blair French
Pressed at Archer in Detroit
Mastered by Pontchartrain
Orange Vinyl
With his second contribution to the Lost Palms catalogue, Swansea-based producer Tom Vernon takes us by the hand and leads us with him on a contemplative journey through Japan's rural landscapes and their urban surroundings.
Following the success of his debut EP released on Shall Not Fade's sub-label Lost Palms, Tom Vernon returns with a blissed-out 5-tracker. Taking its name from the ancient temple district at the foot of the Japanese mountain, Minobu EP sees the emerging producer fuse field recordings with the stylistic tropes of house and broken beat, creating intricately woven tapestries imbued with memory and place.
The wistfully amorphous opening track "Onjuku" captures the stasis of a declining-population seaside town, taking its cue from the futile whine of the tsunami warning system that echoes daily through its empty streets. On "Minobu In The Train", the EP discovers its pulse, translated into the shuffle of maracas, reverberating cymbals and a hypnotic piano melody that New Zealand brothers Chaos in the CBD would be proud of. With instrumental-sounding percussion, a modest, throbbing bassline and the ambient backdrop of Tokyo station, "Unexpected Departure" takes jazz-infused broken beat as its reference point, and sees the EP at its most transportive. Bringing things to a close are the complex drum workouts and acid-tinged melody of "Route E52" and the more upbeat deep house track "Could This Be" with low pass filtered funk-infused melody that oozes sex appeal.
Minobu EP drops 22nd April via Shall Not Fade.
Yosh returns with his fourth Time Is Now release. Following the success of UKG-focused 5-tracker, "The Warning" released at the end of last year, Modulate EP sees the London producer put his inimitable spin on breaks, translating into 4 tracks firmly rooted in the genre's antecedents yet offering something distinctly new.
"New Dawn" is a prime example of Yosh's priceless ability to create something which is at once hard-hitting and soulful with clattering breaks and luscious vocals which float blissfully above them. Next up, "Modulate" adds a thumping 4/4 beat into the equation, creating an assertive march with plenty of swing before "Snap Back" brings the ruffage with a sharp two-step rhythm and fierce bass womps. Finally, it's up to "Track 1" to close proceedings. A real heater, a syncopated triplet rhythm lends it its driving propulsion - almost resembling the club sounds native to northeastern regions of the US such as Jersey and Baltimore. Thudding assertively beneath the stylistic tropes of UKG, this makes for a truly unique sound and solidifies Yosh's status as a highly innovative and forward-facing producer.
Limited to 50 copies… Veleno Viola welcomes Parasite, a promising Maltese newcomer, with a 4-tracker EP of edgy, hypnotic and frantic blend of Proto-EBM and oldschool Industrial.
Welcoming Arfa to the Time Is Now family with his debut EP: a tight 5-tracker which sees the emerging producer come into his powers with a fiercely forward-facing take on dark garage, featuring a raucous remix from London's Bakey.
Real Badman EP starts as it means to go on. 'Run It Back' is driven by a fractured syncopated rhythm and a heavy warped bassline which lends it its tune, fusing together the stylistic elements of dark garage and speed garage to offer a fresh take on both genres. Clattering rimshots and a womping bassline compliment 'For The Mandem's luscious pads before being carried onto 'Ain't Ready' which adds a tight two-step rhythm and the chopped-up vocals of an old skool garage MC. Finally, 'Real Badman' sees the EP at its most playful. Staccato piano chords infuse it with an uplifting melody before Time Is Now family member Bakey steps in to deliver his take: a half-time rendition which strips back the higher ends to make way for a focus on the subs. A real stomper.
Mint Condition - A record label focused on excavating the outer fringes of classic House and Techno. Unreleased mixes, classics, overlooked gems and never heard before material, mined from the last 30+ years of contemporary dance music are the order of the day. From Chicago, Detroit and New York to London and beyond. Mint Condition have got their digging hats on to bring you exclusive heat and those rarer than rare jams that have been in your wants list for years.
Dig in....
Eze-Ozo's 'How To Stay Alive' is a bonafide bass 'n' bleeps classic that has topped wants lists for decades. Originally released in 1991, this groundbreaking
2 tracker took the Warehouse Scene by storm and ensured it would never be the same again. 'How to Stay Alive' opens with lush pads and sparse percussion, the heavyweight sub-bass drops , then in come breakbeats that really deliver the funk. There's bubbling synth riffs and stabs aplenty, whilst sublime strings add
to the track's emotive quality. Over on the flip 'Kick The Break In' features more bass-bin rattling sub-bass, but rolls with an infectious acid line. The percussion passages are deftly programmed, as beak beats intertwine with more electro-tinged 4 to the floor rhythms, there's those ever essential bleeps and strings, both sinister and elevating give the track a more melancholic feel.
This very sought after slab of wax is an essential rarity that has achieved a cult status amongst the most discerning DJs and record collectors alike. It has been legitimately re-released with the full involvement of Ezo-Ozo, lovingly remastered by London's Curve Pusher from the original DATs especially for Mint Condition. 100% legit, licensed and released. Dug, remastered, repackaged and brought to you by the caring folks at your favourite reissue label - Mint Condition!
Back by popular demand is DJ Crisps with his third solo contribution to the Time Is Now catalogue: the fierce 4-tracker which explores the many flavours of garage and justifies the Rotterdam producer's ever-growing ubiquity in today's UKG circuit.
Kicking off proceedings is "Keep It Up" - a high-octane speed garage banger, prepped with intervals of slamming reverse sweeps which carry their own rhythm. After "Alright's" unique blend of old skool grime samples and diva-esque vocals which play in dialogue beneath a sharp two-step beat, "Today" strips things back a little with a modest bassline melody and ragga vocals. Finally, with pitched-up, syrup smooth vocal licks "Bounce" captures UKG at its most soulful.
Planet Mu presents ‘ADDLE’ – Bogdan Raczynski’s first album of new music in 15 years. Marking a change from the high-octane jungle tekno braindance for which he is most commonly known, here we find the Polish American musician in a more melodic and zen-like place of peace, which is ergonomic and decluttered, whilst also bittersweet and tinged with melancholy. ‘ADDLE’ is closest in spirit to 2001’s tender ‘myloveilove’, or the light-hearted ditties of this year’s ‘BANANS’ EP, but is also a markedly new milestone. A robust and bottom-heavy rhythm section juxtaposes with sad electronic tear jerkers, at points laced with the soft cooing wail of his vocals, which are loaded with a haunting, heavy and almost wounded emotion. Bogdan comments “Calm is great. You need to take a breather in the eye of the storm now and then. But the real growth happens in turbulence, when your feelings oscillate in and out of sync. It’s not dry land you’re after. You’re trying to build a new island while on a piddly raft. Beleaguered and weary you lay the foundation with your bare hands while the rain lashes your back; a new place for you and yours to moor yourself to until the next storm hits. ‘ADDLE’ is about that storm, its adjacent periphery, and what you look like, in and out, when you set foot. As space and time push against you, that process of adapting becomes an anchor. Among that state of being addled, out of flow, seemingly untethered, there is beauty.”
Although less unhinged and riotous than some of his previous work, ‘ADDLE’ is no less impactful. Lean, punchy and purposeful, this seemingly simple combination of beats and melody belies a razor sharp skill, which bursts with verve and virtuosity. Across its eight unique and moving tracks the listener experiences tenderness, feelings somewhere between unease and comfort, and a sense of reflection, with Bogdan seemingly gazing at twinkling stars, but with his view distorted by welling-up. Sonically, spaces range from razor-sharp choppage, juddering heavyweight head-nodders, bit-crushed siren squall and something akin to Philip Glass’ ‘Candyman’ score played through a high-tech-fairy-tale music box. There’s also a warming, life-affirming moment as close to deep house as Bogdan will ever comfortably get, neck-snapping metallic percussion, Casiotone on steroids and reverberant warehouse throb. Booming drum machines are a prominent factor too – reminiscent of early hip hop instrumentals – but spirited off somewhere, lost in purgatory. Bogdan Raczynski (born 1977) is a Polish-American electronic musician. Raczynski’s work draws inspiration from the chaotic breakbeats of jungle and hardcore rave as well as traditional Polish music and other sources. He has collaborated with Bjork, remixed Autechre, CLPNG and Jonsi from Sigur Ross, and toured with Aphex Twin, who commented how “his records are so underrated.” Bogdan was also a roster mainstay of Richard James’s seminal Rephlex label, with additional releases on Warp, Ghostly, Disciples and Unknown to the Unknown. A keen proponent of tech, he created a sample pack using pollution and recently collaborated with Polyend on a custom made banana-themed tracker.
A mixture of a few well-chosen percussion elements, a
steady groove and cleverly constructed harmonies creates
Eddi Shkiper's clean, hypnotic yet positive signature sound
ubiquitous in the vast array of tracks he has released,
especially over the course of the last year. With "Le Reveur
EP", the ambitious Siberian-based artist takes us into a world
of bright and spiritual dreams. Roger Gerressen (Yoyaku,
Sushitec Records, Irenic) enhances the EP with his dub
rework of “Le Reveur”. The four-tracker is the second release
of the new Salin Records sub-label Salin Deep. Each record
sleeve is hand-printed by Daria Salin (limited edition of 300).
Athlete Whippet return to Toy Tonics with an EP showcasing emotionally layered dance tracks and their refusal to stick to genre conventions. The duo are synonymous with sublime cuts that are just as suited to late nights and early mornings on the dancefloor, as they are to home-listening, this perfectly exhibited on the "Noguiera" EP.
The four-tracker is named after a remote place in the mountains around Rio de Janeiro where it was made on a creatively fruitful getaway in 2021. It's sentimental, joyful, bouncy, and futuristic, and showcases the duo’s musicality combining bass guitar and piano, with hardware synths, loops and fragmented vocal samples.
Robin explains - "Spending time in Brazil in recent years was a blessing. The nature, culture and musical heritage over there is beautiful. Mostly in solitude, as I ended up spending most of my time in a remote place in the mountains around Rio, music became the only real emotional outlet for a while. So in a way this is a record of dance music created as far away as we’ve ever been from the dance floor!"
Both from a live performance background, Robin and Avi met studying at Goldsmiths London and found their way to the dance floor via playing in bands, Robin a guitarist, Avi classically trained in trumpet and later on picking up the keys. Absorbing the community of South London, they eventually set up artist collective and record label Squareglass - a proudly established home for new artists coming out of the area. They’ve remixed for the likes of Rhythm Section, collaborated with Olugbenga, and their releases have come with reworks from Ross from Friends, Cameo Blush, Baltra and Seb Wildblood. In 2021, their hybrid sound found a new home with tastemaker German label Toy Tonics who released their "Vesta" EP in May, followed by a run of European tour dates including Funkhaus Berlin, Phonox London and Amsterdam Dance Event.
On ‘Luminal rec.’ s next 12-incher Black Lotus starts the acid engines with the title track “Thrust”
- a raw old-schooled rave interpretation cut from a freestyle 303 jam.
“High-Octane” dives towards even faster worlds while developing a relentless grinding touch that reminds of good old days.
“Mechanic Galaxy” on Side B is their soft counterpart;
With its dreamy chords and dancing shakers it balances this four-tracker out - a constellation we are used to from previous EPs.
Also “Interplanetary” comes along with a puristic touch, while focusing on less elements
- never compromising on the speeds.
New stuff from recent times.
Play it loud!
