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UK producer Lex Wolf joins the RNT roster with a searingly hot EP of summer bangers! Known for his recent superlative output on the Make-A-Dance crew’s MAD Edits series, Lex brings his signature sample-heavy touch to this quartet of club and festival-ready tunes. Sounding a bit like Bob Sinclar over tough electro production, ‘Get Into The Sound’ starts the record off with a party then moves to the genre bending ‘Russle Love,’ with its melancholic vocals floating over a pulsating rubbery bassline. On the flip, ‘Warmer’ takes us into darker latenite territory with heavy low-end, stabby 80s synths and abstract vocal samples, and the record finishes off with the whimsical and effusive Sendsome, a plucky-guitar and horn driven earworm of an Afro edit. Classic RNT white label design with a special hot pink sleeve…because this baby is HOT!

The Błoto quartet had made a comeback six months ago with their first singles in over two years dropping “Szlam” and “Ścieki”. These tracks were pressed on a 7-inch vinyl by Astigmatic Records, but this only whetted the appetites of the band’s mud-loving fans, as the singles sold out instantly. And so, the band's musical onslaught continues. Ahead of their upcoming LP “Grzybnia” set to release in autumn 2024, Błoto is putting out another bacteria-laden 7-inch to conclude this brief series of singles. This time, the release features a remix by none other than the modern funk maestro DāM-FunK, hailing from sunny Pasadena, California.

Wading through the sludge of sewage, one can encounter colonies of bacteria. They are well-known for their dark side – causing serious diseases. Nevertheless, they are with us all the time. They exist in humans and all other living organisms – fungi, plants, and animals. They can be found in soil and water. They are even present in radioactive areas, proving that they are truly hard to eliminate. Such is the music of Błoto. Like a post-apocalyptic bacterium, it’s capable of surviving in the harshest conditions.

Sinister, biting, and primitive – just like colonies of microorganisms. This is Błoto's latest single. Drawing heavily from classic acid house, it can truly infect the mind, inviting you to join a rave in Błoto on the eastern flank of Europe. Quartet’s “Bakteria” is a direct continuation of their first 7-inch release. However, this time, during their collective improvisation at Studio Pasterka, the band has entirely forsaken acoustic instruments in favor of a full array of synthesizers accompanied by drums.

Certainly, the dichotomous nature of these organisms presents a paradox. While capable of causing harm, without bacteria, life as we know it would cease to exist, and human civilization would not have reached its current state. Bacteria fulfill numerous essential roles. They serve as decomposers, crucial in maintaining biogeochemical cycles, and contribute to processes such as fermentation and decay. As symbiotic organisms living within other organisms, they are vital for functions like digestion. Their versatility extends to diverse applications, from biological wastewater treatment to the production of various food products.

Such are the properties of the beneficial probiotic titled “Bakteria Re-Freak” by DāM-FunK (renowned for his classic albums released on Stones Throw, like “Toeachizown” and “7 Days of Funk” with Snoop Dogg). It offers a 180-degree transformation of the dark atmosphere of the original version. The track evolves towards G-Funk, brimming with sunny synths and a drum machine. It portrays a vision of a biopharmaceutical bacterium lazily roaming the streets of warm yet perilous Los Angeles.

The 7-inch will be released on July 19, 2024, by Astigmatic Records. The vinyl single is limited to 700 copies.

A full tank of gas, the gentle glow from the radio dial, & stretches of open highway await, Forever Gamblin’ On You meanders through miles of soulful AOR, funky folk, & dusty soft rock obscurities. A follow up to Sky Dust Drifter, this compilation was gleaned from American private press oddities & rarities of the 70s & 80s, all of which are seeing their first official reissues on this album. A celebration of love, rebirth, and exploration radiating like the warmth of a loved one from the passenger seat.

Featuring “Feeling The Fire”, a jazzy, AOR grooving declaration of love and desire taken from the sole release from The Mad Brother. The compilations’ title track “Forever Gamblin On You” by Petroc And Pals, features an echo-laden folk rock recollection of hard feelings delivered with swelling guitar in a mournful soft psychedelia. Angie Pepper’s “Miss You Too Much” dwells on a past love, rolling along with an effortlessly cool rhythm section, while Roy McComas croons of his manifested “angel of love” on the swirling psych folk rocker “Girl Of My Dreams”.

Forever Gamblin’ On You unfolds as a hopeful yet equally melancholic collection of nomadic anthems, primed for a memorable journey along the back roads of familiar American landscapes.

“Wild Boy …” is a reissue of the well-known 2016 release curated by Brian Chidester, renowned researcher and biographer of Eden Ahbez. Especially for this album, Brian wrote an interesting text about Abi’s life, which definitely became the decoration of the release.
With the new 2020 re-release, we went a little further and kept what is commonly referred to as studio cuts. It’s a few more minutes in the studio with ahbez himself, full of emotion and life. In addition, to the delight of fans, the edition includes an additional composition Nature Boy (Mantovani Orchestra).
Especially, it is worth noting the outstanding mastering prepared from practically decomposed tapes by the Grammy-nominated Jessica Thompson, which guarantees the deepest and warmth possible sound. Jessica a huge ahbez fan and we’re highly appreciated for what she has done to save his music for the future.
Eden Ahbez is definitely at the origin of psychedelic music and this release can be taken as further proof. Over the past twenty years, the iconic figure of the world’s first hippie Eden ahbez has become famous primarily for his 1948 song “Nature Boy”, praising universal love, and his amazingly solo album from the 1960s called “Eden’s Island” – one from the first concept albums in the history of music and probably the first psychedelic music album. “Wild Boy: The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez” deepens understanding of the origins of the psychedelic movement in the 1950s.
The disc contains a musical selection of works by Eden ahbez himself, written by him in the period after Nature Boy. The inclusion of songs such as “Palm Springs” – Ray Anthony Orchestra and “Hey Jacques” by Erta Kitt gives the listener the chance to discover for the first time the little-known recordings of world-famous artists composed by Eden ahbez. Through “Wild Boy” and “Surfer John” you can hear the author’s handling of absurd rock and exotic experimentation, as well as sweet psychedelic pop like Monterey (with Paul Horn on flute). Overall, Wild Boy: The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez offers an overview of the lost works of 1949-1971 with seven unpublished recordings and eight rare singles.
If in 2020 you are missing the hallucinogenic content in Eden Ahbez, it amazingly makes up for that deficiency with simple chords, expansive arrangements, and lyrics about travel, relaxation, free love, and spirituality. Thus creating the standard of psychedelic music. Eden Ahbez’s songs weren’t only fantasy and his personal philosophy was the real thing that he lived.

reviews:

“This carefully and extensively researched compilation culls covers by top notch mainstream artists juxtaposed with unreleased Eden recordings. What might sound like a mixed bag is actually more like a chronological, musical non-fiction novel about Eden Ahbez. While Eden was writing hundreds of songs and performing live and making recordings in various styles, his songs were also being picked up by popular artists like Nat King Cole and Eartha Kitt who recorded with a more polished mainstream style. There are also some early rock n roll style recordings here. Eden’s professionally recordings often end up as Novelty Pop records such as “Child of Nature” and “The Clam Man” but if you read between the lines and listen to the lyrics it is pretty eye-opening that he is singing about Eastern-religion-style and pre-hippie philosophies about being at one with the planet Earth.
All of this is explained in the lengthy liner notes inside the lp along with a few choice photos that establish Eden as a founding father of Southern California mystic/psychedelic music.” – Tiki_News
“Eden Ahbez’s life philosophy was summed up in the lyrics of his most famous song, “Nature Boy,” a 1948 hit for Nat King Cole: the song describes a “strange enchanted boy” who wanders the world in search of truth. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn,” he concludes, “is to love and be loved in return.” Ahbez was a pre-cursor of California’s beatniks and hippies, and an exalted icon of ex-otica via his rare 1960 album Eden’s Island. Beyond “Nature Boy” and Eden’s Island, though, there were nu-merous lesser-known Ahbez record-ings. Ahbez biographer Brian Chidester has been doing an exemplary job of archiving and documenting that catalog of work. The Exotic World of Eden Ahbez (reviewed in UT#38) appeared a few years ago, gathering together 14 Ahbez-related rarities” – Ugly Things

Matching breezy, Bossa nova-tinged sophistication with softly spiralling psychedelia, Testbild! arrive in the Quindi lounge as though they've always been there. On their 12th album, Bed Stilt, the Swedish collective cast their attention back to the earlier days of their 25-year trip through sweetly mysterious pop-not-pop rendered in warm tones and shot through with surrealism. It's tricky to get a precise fix on the story and structure of Testbild! The project was spearheaded by Petter Herbertsson in his hometown of Malmö in the late 90s, although the story on their website credits the inspiration and source material to a chance meeting and unpublished manuscript from a retiring scientist. The collective's evolution since then is a tangled web of facts and fiction spun by a revolving cast of collaborators including Siri af Burén, Katja Ekman, Rikard Heberling, Douglas Holmquist, Mattias Nihlén and Petter Samuelsson. Along the way, their music has touched on chamber pop, post-punk and modern jazz with the elaborate harmonies and catchy songwriting charm of the Canterbury scene. The tracks which make up Bed Stilt were in fact track recorded in Malmö back in the mid- 00s, lying in wait for the right opportunity to be brought to light with some delicate overdubs and finishing flourishes in the here and now. The core musicians working on the record were Herbertsson and Douglas Holmquist on a similarly expansive list of vocals, guitars, bass, synths and keys, Siri af Burén on lead vocals and Mattias Nihlén on synths and additional mixing. Meanwhile Tomas Bodén - better known as Civilistjavel - lent some additional synth work as well as mastering the record. Musically, Testbild! stay true to their idiosyncratic approach on Bed Stilt with six immaculately rendered sojourns through lilting harmonies and brushed rhythms, feeling nostalgic but beguiling in equal measure. Theirs is a luxurious sound, not least on the opening strains of 'The First New Years Eve,' which purrs to life draped in silky Rhodes and chiming vibes. Behind this comfortable veneer the enigmatic lyrical themes unfurl through Herbertsson, Holmquist and af Burén's vocal harmonies like fractalized puzzles waiting to be solved. The finger-picking delicacy and languid harmonica of 'Streams' strike a pastoral mood neatly countered by the elegant slide into dislocated ambience for the track's final stretch. By contrast, 'And Her Eyes Are Red' surges with a big beat urgency which plays beautifully with the mellow jazziness of the chord sequences, boldly toying with song structure to dart down curious tangents without losing the immediate impulse of a great pop record. Somewhere in this tension between clarity and chaos we can understand the addictive charm of Testbild! - a band steeped in the considerable craft of making accomplished and unconventional music so very easy to sink into. If that doesn't make for a perfect addition to the Quindi catalogue, we don't know what does.

Our 6th vinyl only installment features four very familiar faces from the ever growing House Cookin' family.

On the A-side we have 2 young producers with an oldschool mindset when it comes to producing House tracks. Analog warmth and deep grooves that ride along some swinging percussion.
DJ Merci kicking it off with a bouncing bassline and nice deep chords. Followed by Bruno Bar, he continues the vibe with a pleasant vocal twist of the words "House Music".

On the B-Side we are joined by two fellow Belgian producers. Pat Lezizmo, providing his well known smooth vibe.
And Reagan Mian, finishing the VA with a punch!

Classic R’n’b and Afro Beat a fusion and perfect match. Modern and warm, pounding beats and pulsing baselines are the ingredients of this German-Nigerian extra ordinary colabo. This is the door opener for our Sedsoulciety Recordings gold line, which displays the modern and zeitgeist driven section of our catalogue. Expect nothing less than powerful, driving beats and smooth vocals. The gold line embodies Rap, HipHop, R’n’b, Neo-Soul, Neo-Boogie and Neo-Funk, not necessarily in one track but as a pool of artists and productions.“Tell Me What You Want” and we deliver it. This time in two outfits, the Afro Vibe Mix on the A-side and the Groove Mix on the flip… This new release on Sedsoulciety Recordings is an unreleased exclusive vinyl 45!

Celebrating thirty years of collaboration, Loren Connors and Alan Licht performed for two nights at OTO on May 5 and 6th, 2023. The shows celebrated a new release titled “At The Top of the Stairs”; a document of the pair's reunion in 2018 after a period of 8 years not playing together. It’s a dark, swirling two-sided spectral noir session, put out by the duo’s home label, Family Vineyard, and we expected a similar kind of atonal abyss to appear at the OTO residency. On the second night however, with the stage lit in blue, Connors took up a seat on the piano stool whilst Licht picked up the guitar. What followed was the duo’s first ever set with Connors on piano - one of only a few times Connors has played piano live at all - here captured and issued as The Blue Hour. Its spacious warmth came as a total surprise live, but makes complete sense for a duo whose dedicated expressionism takes inspiration from a vast spectrum of emotion. Both opening with single notes to start, it doesn't take long before a surface rises and begins to shimmer between the pair. A run up the keys, the drop of a feedback layer on a sustained and bent note. When the two begin to exchange notes in tandem, brief touches of melody and chord hover and the hush of the room is palpapale. After a while, Connors picks up the guitar, stands it in his lap and sweeps a wash of colour across Licht’s melody. Sharp, glassy edges begin to form, open strings and barred frets darkening the space. When his two pedals begin to merge, Licht finds a dramatic organ-like feedback and it’s hard not to imagine Rothko’s Chapel, its varying shades of blue black ascending and descending in the room. When Connors goes back to the piano for the second side, the pair quickly lock into a refrain and light pours in. It’s a kind of sound that Licht says reminds him of what he and Connors would do when the duo first started playing together 30 years ago. It’s certainly more melodic than some of their more recent shows, and the atonal shards of At The Top of the Stairs seem to totally dissolve. What is always remarkable about Licht is that his enormous frame of reference doesn't seem to weigh him down, and instead here he is able to delicately place fractures of a Jackson C Frank song (“Just Like Anything”,) amongst the vast sea of Connors’ blues. Perhaps it's the pleasure of playing two nights in a row together, or the nature of Connor’s piano playing combined with Licht’s careful listening, but the improvisation on The Blue Hour feels remarkably calm and unafraid. There’s nothing to prove and no agenda except the joy of sounding colour together. Totally beautiful.

Dear Friends,
Can you relax while maintaining a stable structure? The principle of “fang song” in Chinese martial art Taijiquan embodies this balance, where heaviness sinks downward and lightness rises through a vertical axis from heavy rooted feet to head.

As a dedicated Taijiquan practitioner, Littlelake applies this concept in his new EP, featuring four tracks rooted by a distinctive bass heaviness while giving a playful lightness to the overlying sound elements.

The opening track "Tonight's the night" immediately makes clear what is meant: a light-footed 2-step beat dances over weighty bass variations and playful vocal cuts set the tone.

“Passing by” is no more and no less than a true monster speed garage warper blending all the best elements of its genre.
Coming with funky tribal breaks, skillful sample manipulations, and a warm, soulful string foundation, “Watch Your Mouth” defies genre classification—it's in a class of its own.

With "Lost", Littlelake once again proves his ability to create extraordinary dancefloor moments. A jackin' 909 and shimmering dub sounds contrast with a dark Reese bassline, creating a captivatingly ambivalent mood. Don't miss this one.

P.S.: physical release comes with handcrafted, screen printed artwork by fabulous graphic artist Zatina Kessl.

The Verb EP connects with our core a3iliations of House Music, combining classical
elements like vocal samples and hooks, along with warm basslines, into a sparkling
atmosphere and fresh interpretation.
“Get Me” is without a doubt the track that received the most spins at Dixon's and Âme’s
latest shows. Nevertheless, “Stronger” and “Blue Zone” are energiser and great
examples of how these classical elements can be worked in a way that expresses a new
and exciting touch to the scene.

The Chronics is co-manager of the respected Bipolar Disorder and Primal Instinct labels along with Chlar and Alarico, and is known for his mastery of straight-up and compelling grooves and evocative anthems. He has been releasing for over a decade now and shows his versatility again here. This new release makes a debut vinyl offering from the Anglo-Australian Transition label, following millions of digital plays since its inception last summer and support from DJs like FJAAK, Anetha, Daria Kolosova, VTSS and Boys Noize.

Opener 'By My Soul' is a techno pumper with inescapable euphoria built into the diva vocals and the smart synth loops that rise up and up through the mix. It's lean and linear but packed with feelings that burst out of the speakers and hook in your heart. Dublin's Tommy Holohan is blazing an exciting path as a fine new talent who is part of Samba Boys with Kettama and has released on SCDD, Monnom Black and more. His remix is even more maximal, with happy piano stabs dropped in and a funky bassline that brings an all-new vibe.

The Chronics then serve up 'Body Harmony', a slamming but playful cut with a colourful lead synth motif and unrelenting drums. It's warm and energising while also hitting hard, especially during the epic jungle breakdown. Acclaimed techno producer and live artist Obscure Shape recently split from his long-time partner SHDW but is already making waves as a solo talent with a huge batch of unreleased music, including this remix. It's a turbocharged and nimble loop techno offering enriched with Detroit-style machine soul and precision percussion that keeps you hooked.

On this new EP by Lithuanian producer Pletnev on space•lab, we’ve got four tracks bristling with hypnotic rhythms and driving basslines. Each track is infused with warm and bouncy groove, punchy drum programming with a sprinkling of Pletnev's signature EFX and unique one shots.

On space•lab 013, Pletnev continues to push the boundaries, solidifying his reputation as one of the most exciting new producers on the scene.

Following on from his previous debut album Tape 1/Tape 2 on Soundway, Felbm delivers Tape 3/Tape 4 : an intimate, emotional, lilting and melodic solo project. These 14 lo-fi, instrumental, jazz-infused sketches were written on guitar, with cascading keyboards, vibraphone and drum machine. Possessing a restorative and soothing quality, it goes some way to balancing out a chaotic year for the world
at large.

With echoes of the dreamier end of 1980s English indie-pop, minimal ambient music and Brazilian bossa-nova, Topper’s musical storybook includes touches of The Durutti Column, hints of Antônio Carlos Jobim and Baden Powell, whilst all set firmly in the summer fields of Germany and the Netherlands. The recording method used for the creation and recording of Tape 3 and Tape 4 follows the same as his previous release: all sketches were initially recorded onto cassette on a 4-track tape machine. Most notably a vibraphone finds its way onto
almost every track fitting Topper’s sound-palette perfectly: warm yet distinctive, a percussive as well as sustaining sound that evokes some melancholy and a certain timeless nostalgia. Features that most certainly also apply to the other ‘new’ instrument on the tapes: mellotron flutes.

Tape 3/Tape 4 navigates the space between quiet, open, meditative tunes and more solid instrumental works, reflecting his constant search for an optimal balance between stillness and movement.

In May, fans were treated to the first new music from Trentemøller since 2022. A new single, "A Different Light," showcased a stunning blend of prismatic space rock and folk. For anyone wondering if it foreshadowed the release of a full-length, Dreamweaver will drop in September, on Friday the 13th.
Featuring 10 tracks that traverse Trentemøller's many musical strengths, Dreamweaver also represents an obvious artistic leap, treading new ground while retaining the overall plot. Tracks featuring vocals come courtesy of of Iceland's Disa, who has been in Trentemøller's fold since the Memoria tour.
Dreamweaver's nylon string-led opening track, and first single from the album, "A Different Light," contains many of Trentemøller's trademarks: exploring dichotomies, musical shadowplay, Nordic frigidity, and warm waves. It opens the door for the steady, hypnotic "Nightfall," with its tetherless vocal, wistful guitars, and early morning desert chill. The third track in the opening trifecta, "Dreamweavers" finds its footing with a percussive soft trot, which starts after what feels like a shortwave radio scan in search of the right chords, eventually dialing in a weightless voice. Ostensibly keeping a ruminative pace with the previous two tracks, the song and, by extension, album soon opens up as the rest of the elements drop into place with a grand, luxurious burst.
Dreamweaver is about to enter its next phase. With the hatch blown off of the portal, the noisy "I Give My Tears," driven by its glissed and fuzzy bass line, pours into the void. It's followed by its sibling, the most chaotic track on Dreamweaver, "Behind My Eyes." Arriving as a piece of noise rock pandemonium, "Behind My Eyes," can't be contained in its plush vault. A whip-crack snare and convulsing guitars smash against each other in the song's verse chamber. The tension builds, as the particles collide, pushing past the point of critical mass, kicking off the chain reaction which is the chorus. At times it harkens back to the proto-gaze tracks that gave birth to dream pop, at others it newly defines what that is. There's no time to contemplate it, though, as the song disintegrates in a microphonic feedback instant.
A respite follows with the somnambulistic pair of "Hollow" and "Empty Beaches." Then, a moment of intensity returns as the soaring textures and tribal drum bursts of "In A Storm" take control, before being taken out with the ambient slo-core of "Winter's Ghost" and "Closure." This diptych wraps up an album which certainly feels on-script for Trentemøller, but is also much more psychedelic than previous offerings.
Dreamweaver will be released on Trentemøller's own In My Room label. It is an exceedingly immersive experience, bound to release any dormant hallucinations you may be harboring.

Ediciones Villasonora’s sophomore release is “Laguna” by Phran. The Venezuelan lands on the southeastern Spanish label with a mini-album crafted in a marked personal approach, evident through six tracks combining dubbed atmospheres, broken percussive patterns, and warm analog textures—a sonic expedition bridging his intimate roots with an advanced sense of dance.

It is on dark and sweaty dance floors that we get inspired, connect and leave our differences away to live in the present. With this compilation of music pressed in two parts and written by a set of artists from very diverse horizons, it is Polychrome’s perspective on the rave that we want to share. One where sound and light are the only points of reference, opening the space for liberating experiences.

The dance floor is also a space of self-reflection. The A-side is catered by two artists from one of our favorite collectives, De Lichting. With “A Reflection”, RDS opens up and shares a beautifully crafted house gem, providing for a soft and introspective yet groovy “eyes closed” dance. Nathan Kofi takes on the A2 with his unique deep house sound, layering sweet and cinematic synth sounds over an Afro-induced drum sequencing, creating a warm sonic envelope. On the B-side, James Free mixes acid synthesis, roaring bass line, and breaks to create a progressive and subtly melodic dance floor track, one that leaves you positively triggered. With the final track of the record, Rotterdam’s Mata Disk offers a glowing light over polyrhythms and very electronic noises, offering this body of work a deserved radiating curtain close.

Hello 24! Nice to have you here. 23 is so yesterday, so over the top, really. Well, we’ve been dancing the following dances recently. What about you?

What lasts a long time usually turns out well. Having admired TEE MANGO from afar for many years, our A&R Michael Mayer took heart and invited him to this year’s TOTAL. “So In Love” is in the best tradition of the KOMPAKT minimal funk of the early years. We are delighted to have this lovely Englishman on board!

REINHARD VOIGT has always placed great emphasis on loving animals. On the track with the unsurprising title “Der, der mit dem Gummiball sang (Orange)”, he lets whole hordes of different four-legged friends and poultry on the microphone. Hopefully the stench will dissipate from the studio.

When Rhenish cheerfulness meets holiday anticipation, the result is something like this Hawaiian shirt turned music called “Chee-Caruso” by JÜRGEN PAAPE. No animals were tortured for this piece either, even if it sounds like it.

We stay in the realm of fauna and turn our attention to London’s award-winning pedigree dog REX THE DOG. “Laika” is a heart-warming ode to the mongrel dog of the same name, who was the first living creature to make it from the streets of Moscow into space. She would have loved that bleep.

A little-known fact about MICHAEL MAYER is that he is one of the fastest crossword puzzle foxes on the left bank of the Rhine, always in relentless rivalry with Wolfgang Voigt, who thinks he is even faster. The big battle is yet to come. Uninvited guest with five letters? “Urian”.

As an integral part of the family, JONATHAN KASPAR is of course not to be missed. “Are You” celebrates the kind of early morning rapture that is commonplace at his new DJ venue, the brand new Cologne superclub FI. Everything is so colourful here.

SASCHA FUNKE takes a bow to one of the greats of German showbiz with the trippy electro smasher “The Heck”. Born – like DJ Koze and Barnt – in Flensburg, died in Berlin in 2018 and wore glasses. More will not be revealed.

More emotion, more love, more sing-along factor? Si, claro! ARGIA’s “Love Keeps You Running” masterfully combines groove and pop – a blend that sounds very familiar to us. She may be at home in Madrid, but there’s Cologne DNA in her somewhere. We’re sure of it.

Let’s meet the legends, the veterans! JÖRG BURGER is still in a psychedelic mood in 2024. That suits him, that’s where he needs to be, that’s where we want him to be. A parallel universe is conceivable in which such music is affectionately called Goa.

Before going to bed, the WASSERMANN reads us a fairy tale from the Arabian Nights. At the same time, we focus on a point between everything, but really everything, and absolute, stark naked nothingness. 3, 2, 1… Let go.

Hallo 24! Schön, dass du da bist. 23 ist ja sowas von gestern, geht gar nicht, echt. Also, bei uns tanzt man neuerdings die folgenden Tänze. Und bei Euch?

Was lange währt, wird meist gut. Schon seit vielen Jahren aus der Ferne TEE MANGO bewundernd, hat sich unser A&R Michael Mayer ein Herz gefasst und ihn zur diesjährigen TOTAL eingeladen. “So In Love” steht in bester Tradition des kompaktschen Minimal Funk der frühen Jahre. Wir freuen uns, den quirligen Engländer an Bord zu haben!

Tierliebe wird im Hause REINHARD VOIGT schon immer groß geschrieben. Auf dem Stück mit dem nicht weiter verwunderlichen Titel “Der, der mit dem Gummiball sang (Orange)” lässt er gleich ganze Horden verschiedenster Vierbeiner und Federvieh ans Mikro. Hoffentlich zieht der Gestank wieder aus dem Studio ab.

Wenn rheinischer Frohsinn auf Urlaubsvorfreude trifft, dann kommt so etwas wie dieses Musik gewordene Hawaiihemd namens “Chee-Caruso” von JÜRGEN PAAPE heraus. Auch für diesen Beitrag wurden garantiert keine Tiere gequält, auch wenn es allenthalben so klingt.

Wir bleiben im Reich der Fauna und wenden uns London’s preisgekröntem Rassehund REX THE DOG zu. “Laika” ist eine herzerwärmende Ode an die gleichnamige Mischlingshündin, die es von den Strassen Moskaus als erstes Lebewesen ins All geschafft hat. Den Bleep hätte sie bestimmt gemocht.

Eine wenig bekannte Tatsache über MICHAEL MAYER ist, dass er zu den schnellsten Kreuzworträtsel-Füchsen links des Rheins zählt, stets in unbarmherziger Rivalität zu Wolfgang Voigt, der sich für noch schneller hält. Der große Battle steht noch aus. Ungebetener Gast mit fünf Buchstaben? “Urian”.

Als fester Bestandteil der Familie darf natürlich auch JONATHAN KASPAR nicht fehlen. “Are You” zelebriert frühmorgendliche Entrückungszustände, wie sie in seiner neuen DJ-Wirkungsstätte, dem nigelnagelneuen Kölner Superclub FI Gang und Gäbe sind. Alles so schön bunt hier.

SASCHA FUNKE verneigt sich mit dem trippy Electrosmasher “The Heck” vor einem der ganz Großen des deutschen Showbiz. Geboren – wie DJ Koze und Barnt – in Flensburg, gestorben 2018 in Berlin, Brillenträger. Mehr wird nicht verraten.

Mehr Gefühl, mehr Liebe, mehr Mitsing-Faktor? Si, claro! ARGIA’s “Love Keeps You Running” vereint meisterlich Groove und Pop – eine Melange, die uns durchaus bekannt vorkommt. Sie mag zwar in Madrid zuhause sein, aber irgendwo steckt in ihr eine Kölsche. Da sind wir uns sicher.

Auf zu den Legenden, den Urgesteinen! JÖRG BURGER zeigt sich auch in 2024 in einem psychedelischen Mood. Das steht ihm, da muss er hin, da wollen wir ihn haben. Es ist ein Paralleluniversum denkbar, in dem solche Musik liebevoll Goa genannt wird.

Der WASSERMANN liest uns vor dem Schlafengehen noch ein Märchen aus Tausendundeine Nacht vor. Wir fokussieren uns gleichzeitig auf einen Punkt zwischen allem, aber auch wirklich allem und dem absoluten, splitterfasernackten Nichts. 3, 2, 1… Loslassen

‘Vulnerable’: a champion of Broken Beat and Garage, offering a distinct and uplifting arp that sits on the warmest of bass lines and the coolest of beats. One for the radio, dancefloor, car or just about anywhere else.

‘Tuesday’: Hammered keys, rusty nails, 808 beats and crafted tech noise help hold together this strange piece of clunk funk which knocks and thuds its way through the unsettling but subtle groove all the way to the end.

Sasha returns with atmospheric gem 'How to Wear Raybans Well' Featuring remxes from heavyweights Roman Flügel and Nathan Fake.

Electronic luminary Sasha has had a busy 2024 that has so far yielded standout collaborations with the likes of Super Flu & Sentre and a solo single 'Florian Drift' that proves he remains at the cutting edge. His Last Night on Earth label continues to serve up a rich mix of melodic house and techno from the most exciting names in the scene and this latest solo single finds the boss head into new realms once more.

The superb 'How to Wear Raybans Well' is awash with fizzing dub chords and electric lines that flash about the mix. The deep rooted drums have a subtle bounce as they serve to sweep the floor off its feet and lock them into a state of melodic techno bliss.

First to remix is Nathan Fake, a UK talent who has always had his own unique sound. It's based on his mastery of synths and melody and has arrived on labels like Ninja Tune and Border Community as well as his own Cambria Instruments. His remix ups the ante and strips things away to bring more defined drums and crisp hits. The synths bring a range of emotions as they unfold with a mind of their own throughout this most captivating track.

Roman Flügel has been an ever present in the electronic world almost since the start. The German's output has covered endless ground from micro house to acid to techno on the most tasteful labels from his own Playhouse to Mule, Dial and Live At Robert Johnson. His remix is timeless surging techno that comes with waves of warming synths and unrelenting drum pressure designed for peak time dance floor wig-outs.

We take the same and start again
A winter week at One Buck studio, 4 musicians. Ocman Dread and Ras Salam once again call on Jolly Joseph and Dr Charty to accompany them on guitar, bass, keyboards… The recordings of this session do not suggest the negative temperatures and the frost outside, the riddims are sunny and sound warm. Pinnacle Sound’s 5th album is in the wake of the previous ones, roots that make you smile.

Breath is life
The rest takes place at the Bat Records studio. The Dub Shepherds refine these takes where breath and grain mingle, in search of the authenticity that has made Pinnacle Sound special since its beginnings. With the help of vintage machines and magnetic tapes, the album takes shape and begins to take shape.

Many guests
Another Pinnacle Sound trademark, numerous guests behind the microphone are present on this disc as on the previous ones. We find the essentials: Marcus I and Jolly Joseph, to which are added new voices, like Payoh SoulRebel who opens the album with the unequivocal “Downpressure”: we are here to have a good time! Big news on this album, the presence of female voices! The trio The Steadies delivers the brilliant “Thank You”, and Nina Murple signs the ballad “By The Train”.

You will have understood, Pinnacle Sound unveils a rich and generous new album, 10 tracks from the most kitsch to the most profound, which will leave no one indifferent.

Seattle's own Manatee Commune (aka Grant Eadie) makes his long-awaited return to
Bastard Jazz with his fourth album, 'Simultaneity'. Lush and vibrant production is
familiar to his previous works, though Eadie has significantly matured in the activation of
space and character. A step away from standard songwriting, and a total disassociation
from lyrics at all, has made this record closer to the ambient genre than anything
Manatee Commune has released, all the while keeping one solid foot in the realm of
dance music.

'Simultaneity', as a whole, is an exploration of the collision between texture and time.
Captured recordings reminiscent of wind in wheatgrass, soft rain showers in the open
plains, and cascading beach sand wash over the mix, splashing into warm drones and
ascending melodies that cleanly syncopate against a steady rhythm. Though decidedly
electronic at times, a raw human element is ever-present in the form of a vocal motif:
just tiny moments of a loving voice lost in a sea of reverberation.

The album is a noticeably positive evolution from previous works. All nine tracks depict
a calmness and subtlety in musicianship, relying primarily on tenuous snippets of live
instrumentation and synthesis that hypnotically coil and coalesce with one another.
'Love Tone', the opening track, features Eadie's partner, a small voice memo clipped
and expanded into an ethereal vocal melody. A crisp felt piano delivers a complex
arpeggiation in 'Mosaic', a warm sonic bath scape reminiscent of Olafur Arnalds or
Kiasmos. Simple, undemanding bass lines drive tracks 'Path' and 'Faulted', though their
simplicity is contrasted with a variety of patterns that combine to create unique auditory
shapes, both building and landing in satisfying climactic movement. The album
culminates in the final track, 'Touch Theme', where a block of sound in the form of a
broad, open synthetic chord warms the ears, eventually twisting and shifting to rhythmic
chunks that shove against a familiar house rhythm.

2024 Repress! Comes in Meander label cover.

'Lyra π' from DeWalta is a long-player with 5 synthesizer and score-like modern ambient works that mark the first release of the new 'Horizon π Series' by Meander, which is a departure from the label’s well-known dancefloor releases.

This more than 45-minute long record is also the second part of the complementary Lyra album project. The full album contains a double LP (Lyra) on Meander as well as this Lyra Pi LP.

Lyra is a star constellation in the northern hemisphere which is highest in the midnight sky in the early summer months. It contains one of the brightest stars in the sky - Vega. Many of the songs on this album were produced during these warm and gentle months during an inspirational creative time in Portugal.

In Greek mythology, Lyra represents the lyre of Orpheus, Apollo’s son. Made by Hermes from a tortoise shell, it was given to Apollo who then passed it along to Orpheus. It is said to be the first musical instrument ever made.

The initial release from Washington DC based Enman Recordings is a hypnotic deep groover centered around an evolving synth lead that builds to create beautiful tension. The remix is helmed by none other than Parisian House legend, Franck Roger. His remix has his signature bounce, guaranteed to lift any dance floor! The Bside No Accident is a tough dance floor banger with carefully selected jazz horns and spoken words from one of the icons of jazz.
The EP closes out with Fall In, a stripped down house groover with heavily saturated drums. It adds beautiful piano samples and vocals to lift the track. Great for getting those dance floors warmed up.

Cinthie returns to her 803 Crystal Grooves label with You Know How EP German mainstay offers up three varied and vital house weapons to relaunch her label after 2.5 year hiatus Cinthie is one the most revered voices in underground house music and has been for more than a decade. Her take on the genre always puts the groove first.

It is informed by the classics but with a contemporary edge and comes on 803 Crystal Grooves as well as cultured outlets like Aus Music and Heist. As a DJ she mixes up records from her vast collection with equal style and skill, and is also now live artist who serves up impromptu jams on her collection of hardware.

Hot on the heels of several remixes already this year, the Elevate. Berlin record store boss is back with a new release just three days before her birthday. As a gift to herself she is relaunching her label after a 2.5 year hiatus due to pressing plant delays during the pandemic.

Opener 'You Know How' is a joyous piano house anthem that will get hands in the air. Classic, smartly deployed vocal samples inject an old-school edge while the textured bass brings serious low-end weight to this utterly timeless gem. The superb 'Mellifluous' rides on smooth drum bumps as waves of synth wash over the dance floor.

They bring feel-good warmth in a subtle, dynamic fashion that locks dancers in for a blissed-out ride. Last of all, 'Can You' swings irresistibly with punchy kicks and dry, raw claps. It's a physical house sound with chopped-up vocal fragments and rolling bass that makes a huge impact.

Cinthie's You Know How EP comes on 803 Crystal Grooves on DATE.

2024 Repress

Lars Huismann is back on Mutual Rytm with the much-anticipated third volume of his 'Sounds From The Past' trilogy.

A core part of SHDW & Obscure Shape's ever more crucial Mutual Rytm imprint thanks to his timeless techno offerings as part of his ongoing 'Sounds From The Past' series, Berlin-based DJ/producer Lars Huismann's stock continues to rise release by release as a talent merging influences from the past with forward-thinking nuances of the future. Drawing on the early 2000 techno sound, he embellishes it with his own perspective, as evidenced by his earlier releases on the label. This latest six-track offering is another accomplished outing from this unique talent as he concludes the three-part series on the label in style.

The title track 'Sound From The Past III' opens up with a finely filtered chord groove that provides a smooth and hypnotising foundation. A subtle bassline, buoyant kick drums, and embedded vocal patterns harmonise with the synths, unveiling a smooth linear groove that soon sweeps you up.

'Fusion' brings more intensity with its barreling drum kicks, a dirty driving bassline, and melodies flashing by like headlights on an intergalactic motorway, with the overhanging pent-up energy inescapable. Next, 'Shimmer' rides on vast, heavy layered drums that are warm, and comforting as the track travels through a journey of diverse dub techno elements.

Like in 'Loucura', taken from 'Sounds From The Past II', Lars again showcases his strong influences from Brazilian and Latin music. On 'Estar Farto', the drums and bass are tightly interwoven, racing beneath bright and funky synth lines that bring ever-evolving shades of colour. A jazz drummer himself, the music transports into the groove via intelligent brass chord progressions and fine-tuned vocal and percussion elements.

It's straight dance floor business on the closing vinyl production 'Bittersweet', with its muted synth smears darting over more macho drum programming, while digital bonus 'Dusty Lick' is an unrelenting, jazzy, percussion-driven banger that hits hard and heavy in all the right places.

Amsterdam's Locked-In imprint continues its hot streak with LKDNV07, a four-track EP by Offenbach's Tom Ries titled "Comeback Kid." This release showcases Ries' talent for crafting immersive, emotionally charged house narratives.

The title track sets a warm, rolling groove with organic percussion and lush synths, creating a hypnotic late-night vibe. "Deepfried Diversion" blends soulful keys with driving rhythms for a true dancefloor odyssey.

On the B-side, "One Eighty" combines classic house sensibilities with modern flair, featuring an undulating bassline and ethereal melodies. The EP concludes with "Rieses Pieces," a transcendent exploration of pure groove with interlocking rhythms and euphoric breakdowns.

The four horsemen are the rhythm section of The 18th Parallel riding down the plains to the sound of an heavyweight stepper inspired by the late 70s playing of the Revolutionaries at Channel One. Slow, refined and powerful, the interaction of the drums, bass and organ leaves room to an otherworldly horns chant calling everyone to dance and sing along. Probably one of Fruits Records heaviest release ever!

The first 7“ of this series features Spanish based UK singer Benjammin known for his superb work with Roberto Sánchez. He chants down all ‘Warmongers’. His singing style reminiscent of BurningSpear’s greatest days sends shivers down your spine! Dub by Roberto Sánchez on the flip.

Morevi Records from Tbilisi present their first EP - MRV001, after several releases on various formats (lathe-cut, digital) Morevi is back with 4 Tracks of Tbilisi's finest Skyra!

Expect some atmospheric, warm, dubby deepness!

Felipe Gordon is back with another warm cut of feel good house music via Bristol label Shall Not Fade!

DJ Support: Danny Howard, Annie Mac, Mistajam, Pete Tong, Charlie Hedges, Kraak & Smaak, Maxinne, Todd Terry, Alex Preston, Full Intention, GW Harrison, DJ Rae, Rudimental, Alaia & Gallo, Illyus & Barrientos, Johan S, David Penn, Sam Divine, Riva Starr, Claptone, Nice7, Dario D’Attis, Mousse T, S-Man, Huxley, KC Lights, Friend Within, Dombresky, Gorgon City, Chris Lake, Format:B, Pirupa, TCTS, Alan Fitzpatrick, Low Steppa, Mat.Joe, Raumakustik, Eskuche


Kicking things off on our next 4-track vinyl sampler series is Toolroom's very own Martin Ikin who returns to the label with ‘Make U Sweat’! He was the Best-selling Tech House artist on Beatport in 2020 and 2021 and has over 1m monthly listeners across streaming platforms. Recent studio collabs have included Noizu and Joshwa and tours have seen him travel far and wide to the US, Brazil, Bali, Ibiza, Italy, Croatia and of course, his hometown of London. This new record is the follow up to 'Oscill8' that dropped in March 2023 and sits in a similar lane, in that it's pure, unadulterated club weaponry! Next up is Italian house legend Flashmob with the frenetic, high-energy club vibe of new cut ‘My Body’. Flashmob's sound, production and go-for-broke DJ sets have changed with the game, embracing the vitality of new house music rather than hankering after sentimental sunsets. His ethic and aesthetic move relentlessly forward, using the old and new to craft unique sonic alchemy from big festivals like Tomorrowland to the intimacy of small clubs on the international circuit. ‘My Body’ is typical of Flashmob's current sound, combining solid drums and some insane synths and fx, alongside an earworm vocal sample that results in yet another memorable club cut from an established master. Canadian Tech House maestro Nathan Barato debuts on Toolroom kicking off the B-side to the vinyl alongside studio partner, Matheo Velez with 'Weapon'. A record that has already caught the attention of the underground elite with Michael Bibi premiering the track at his first appearance back at DC-10 in Ibiza last Summer. Both artists are enjoying great success across key labels such as Viva, Circus, Snatch and RAWthentic. This is an addictive, bumpy club track

that packs a huge punch on the dance floor and actually features Nathan's very own 'Move me… Rock me' vocals! Rounding things off is UK DJ/producer duo, Jenn Getz & Alfie who are residents at Dubai's #1 nightlife destination, Soho Garden, where they warm up for legends such as Sonny Fodera, MK, Claptone, Solardo & Fisher on a weekly basis. In their relatively short 3 year career they have already released on Solotoko, Abode and Toolroom Trax and now debut on Toolroom with 'Vibration'. Both girls are incredibly passionate about house music and are also big advocates for a life centered around well-being and meditation, and the idea of this record was to combine their 2 passions in life, so they proceeded to co-write these original lyrics to accompany the track, which in itself is very inspiring! This is a super cool club record that will excite fans and DJ's alike, welcome to the Toolroom Family, Jenn Getz & Alfie!

Countless radio plays on Radio 1 from Danny Howard, Sarah Storie, Pete Tong Other notable radio plays – Kiss FM, Toolroom Radio, Sirius XM, Data Transmission Radio, Radio 1 Dance Anthems, Radio 1 Party Anthems, Rinse FM, Select Radio, Tomorrowland Radio

Ten years after his first full-length effort ‘Man Is Deaf’ landed him firmly in the runnings for DJ Mag’s album of the year, prodigal son Michael Anthony Wright AKA Brassica returns to Civil Music with a deeply accomplished, painstakingly whittled LP of hydraulic electro slickness, rich synthscapes, and hooky, peak-time tearjerkers for the most discerning front-left lifers. ‘Tribeless Gathering’ is a barnstorming testament to Brassica’s stylistic and timbral deftness, touching down in the elusive epicentre of the club/home listening venn diagram with ease.

From the elastic, neon acid pointillism of opener ‘Hop Kweng’ to the mardy, miasmic plod of closing chugger ‘Changa Hill’, Brassica seamlessly segues between avenues of influence, his notoriously omnivorous musical knowledge roadmapping each turn. Raised on a diet of everything from early rave standards to metal, and schooled in avant garde sonics as a student of sound design at LCC, Brassica does a peerless job of sublimating his countless influences into a record of refined, heterogeneous, and most crucially, catchy, club moods.

Less spartan than his more recent oeuvre on Feel My Bicep, and less baroque than his technicolour experiments in postmodern synth pop with vocalist Stuart Warwick, Tribeless Gathering represents Brassica’s triumphant return to the main room, replete with rushy hooks primed for the planet’s finest soundsystems, and passages of heads-down tension bound to draw listeners right to the edge of their seats. Overall it is a concise and refined testament to Wright’s command of spectral sonics and effortless ability to pressurise a dancefloor. It is no surprise that he has also worked as a prolific mastering engineer, tuning music from a plethora of dance disciplines for maximum club impact. This work extends to his own projects (including this one), cementing them as rare expressions of complete artistry from studio to turntable.

As we delve deeper into the record, we are ushered through a series of accomplished and varied club moods, each channelling a unique cocktail of influences, but retaining a warm, ebullient analogue sensibility unique to Brassica’s work. This playful scope of influence calls to mind James T Cotton or Machinedrum’s experiments in dance music form, but Wright manages it all under one roof, wrangling everything from sashaying wub-laden two step to snarling Dillinja-esque FM damage into something inherently his.

Choice cut ‘Change Yourself’ layers an almost Cerrone-like piano refrain over radiant surges of saturated bass, dubby, strobing chords and a jagged, driving break, building to a jaw-clenching apex of dancefloor elation, while the rude, playful half-step of ‘Elevation’ breaks down the vintage speed garage formula into linear fragments, utilising a tight palette of resonant bass slugs, infectious synth leads and Papua New Guinea-style vocal strobes. The aptly named ‘Hold Tight’ fuses heart-in-mouth UK ‘ardkore pads with glissando acid disturbance and surgical snare fills in a formula which recalls the ethereal grit of Nubian Mindz’ 00s experiments in big-smoke break science, while the questing melodic arcs and arpeggiated squarewaves of ‘Pinball Marinara’ could easily have soundtracked an 80s sci-fi epic, beset with sparkling, bare-bones drum programming and hazy beds of sub sediment.

With ‘Tribeless Gathering’, Brassica both irreverently fuses and pays homage to the many unique and weird permutations of UK dance music. The short lived gathering of junglists, ravers and house hotsteppas of a similar name may have long since dissipated, along with the tribes themselves, but across these 11 tracks, he lays a blueprint for a new sound of togetherness.

"Two-pronged, remix attacks don't come much more exciting and potent than this... as here - thanks to our good friends at Nervous NYC - we're beyond hyped to bring you the legendary Masters At Work and Dave Lee on one single, fully weaponised package.

Putting their own, inimitable spins on Louie Vega's ˙Music Is My Life˙ - which features the unique talents of Unlimited Touch - we're treated to a pair of wonderfully complimentary, but no less idiosyncratic re-rubs from these two stalwarts of the scene.

With a production hand and artistic touch like no other - Masters At Work lead the way here, with their main remix. Characterised by that trademark looseness and deliciously warm, organic approach - their rework is awash with woozy psychedelia and layered so expertly, that getting lost in the music is both gloriously simple and an absolute pleasure. But no true Vega & Dope remix suite, would be complete without a bonafide Dub version. And for ˙Music Is My Life˙ - this sees the dynamite duo take proceedings down a distinctly more mesmeric and mood-laden path… one where the vocal is instead used as a powerful rhythmic weapon, and the star of the show, is a surreptitiously morphing and shape-shifting, delicately acid-laced synth lead.

Next up - having recently switched his attentions to productions under his own namesake - is Z Records' head honcho, Dave Lee. Snapping into life with its crisp and punchy drum work - what Lee's remix does share with that of the Masters is in the over-arching, tripped-out haze which douses proceedings. However - where his remix opts to stick its head well and truly above the parapit, is in it stylistic flavouring. As when it comes to slicing that genre cake, so to split the worlds of Disco and House perfectly down the middle - there's simply no one who does it finer.”

Fulltone is warmly welcomed back to Lee Burridge’s esteemed imprint to unveil his newest body of work, the four track Alba EP
In crafting the Alba EP, Fulltone embraces the endless expanse of creativity. Reflecting on the elusive nature of inspiration, he compares it to the act of fishing, where patience and persistence are essential to reel in moments of brilliance. "Sometimes you catch a fish immediately, sometimes it takes hours or days, but you won’t catch any fish unless you go to the sea with a fishing line. In my case, the sea is my studio and the fishing line is my instruments."

Thompson Sound and Dubquake Records team up to offer O.B.F-style versions of iconic roots & rub-a-dub tracks from Linval Thompson's label. Gems from the 70s and 80s that’ve been reworked by Rico O.B.F using original recordings. Each release comes with a reinterpretation of the original vocal, dubs, and a mix with our dearly missed Nazamba pon the version!

After 'Curfew' and 'Sweet Sensimilia', here’s 'Evening Love', the third banger in this series: a freshversion of Sammy Dread's 'Morning Love'! A passion-infused song known for its appearance on the legendary dub-album 'Scientist Meets The Space Invaders'.

On 'She Nah Lie', Nazamba's poetry is filled with warmth & romance, backed in finesse by the Roots Radics. To finish things off nicely, Katja Bot gives the artwork her magic touch.

In 2021, we welcomed Endrik Schroeder to the Bordello family with his Second Breath 12”. The memorable hooks and attention to detail that characterised his first appearance run deep in his latest. The Hope sees the French producer accompanied by a true legend of electronics, Caroline Hervé aka Kittin. Hervé’s penchant for combining brighter tones with darker shades is evident from the needle. Industrial hiss pierces swirling vocals. Clean claps, warm bass and crystalline chords give way to woe-streaked lyrics, lyrics that ascend into an arc of pulsating synthwave pain. Schroeder takes the reins on the flip. A beam of light is cast over throbbing arpeggios and a slicing snare, notes drifting ever higher as “The Dogs” takes hold. Strings swim as a spread of sounds grow, a palpable energy building under Schroeder’s watchful ear and hand in this seven minute plus odyssey into his