bicep continue to welcome new artists into the fold as they expand their feel my bicep imprint with a 12inch from fresh signees tim sweeney and lauer operating under t&p. number 10 in their release catalogue comes as a single titled hail falls which includes remixes from dark sky and fellow irishman hammer. &#8232,,&#8232,,having introduced their collaboration through a self released record on sweeneys own beats in space back in 2016 - t&p continue to develop this fruitful relationship and roll out more disco-tinged acid in a manner that suits them perfectly to a release on feel my bicep. &#8232,,monkeytown and black acre affiliates dark sky then expand on their illustrious catalogue not only with their forthcoming lp for monkeytown but with a remix here that sees the original’s rich melodies spread over intricate, skipping rhythms. then hammer weighs in with his own bold, punchy take. galvanised drums and a sharpened melodies lift the original into more tense territory as another strong addition to the imprint is capped off

slysó ep5 cyclops í poka is a 5-track, vinyl only ep. whilst the recent something weirdcore challenged our understanding of genre, the latest release takes things further, playing with our perception of acousticspace.
immersive textures are introduced without warning, just as quickly as they are withdrawn, never to be heard again. from the nostalgic harmonies of cyxlobblobs5 to the unnerving glitches of the title track, high velocity drums of aqua elba and mangled juke patterns of catpitchd5 , the ep darts its way through a range of new territories without hesitation.
never one to conform, cucumb45 rejects familiar structures, rapidly jumping between ideas whilst manipulating the physical properties of his sound.

apollo proudly presents the debut from haramia tapes, a new mysterious side project from renowned hungarian electronic music producer laurine frost. more usually known for his refined techno sensibilities, frost has packed pfunk with deftly programmed rhythmic structures and infused it with low slung bass and jazzy textures that make for a sumptuous, enveloping listening experience, ideal for fans of nonkeen, jazzanova or leftfield. pfunk contains seven unique beat sessions - smooth funk, crossed with unique broken rhythms, live drums, bass and found sounds - shot through with cinematic melancholy. from the elegiac piano of opener i am you to the twisted drunken breaks of pfunk to the cooled out percussion and spaced atmospheres of hail, or the moody spy-movie atmospherics of farewell four - this is an album that traverses a variety of moods and textures, effortlessly fusing traditional instrumentation with modern electronics and a perfect addition to apollos beguiling canon of mellowed out grooves.

while david moufang, also known as move d, certainly needs no introduction, the label polyfon remained a tip for insiders. it might seem like a long shot, but that’s probably what led to the fact that the paths of david moufang and wolfram both – one of the polyfon founders – crossed a few years back. the erfurt located imprint was mostly recognized for its underdog releases from berlin-based tomtomgroove (the funkman), steffen baldo aka ugly drums from cologne (basement amusement park, the next room) and even workshops mastermind lowtec who released his critically acclaimed angstrom ep with the thuringian label.

* mikal takes his first bow for dust audio in the form of the spirited ep . the break and bass craftsman reigns down an assault of almighty weight for the imprint which holds no barred. * off the back of his critically acclaimed wilderness album on metalheadz, mikal continues to seek out the dance floor through his precision target and locks on for a serious assault of the senses. * the ep’s title track “spirited” see’s the sinister intro build up and transform into a bass laden drop. the stepping drums and jungle infused shuffles entwine with the ghost vocal, whilst the modulated bass will move even the harshest drum n bass skeptics. unrelenting throughout. * the flip sees mikal spread his considerable studio talent over two further tunes of constant surprise. low note wastes no time in getting to the drop before you’ve had chance to take a breath. a thunderous one note bass underpins the mid ranged reece and stabs whilst the chunky drums compliment the tidy percussion nicely. a haunting vocal then sets off another 16 bars of unclouded rawness. * linear finishes the ep with aplomb. synth chords open up into what you might expect to be a lovely liquid-esque style roller… think again! mikal takes that premise and turns it upside down and inside out before bringing the dirty funk. keeping in line with the 2 tunes before, this isn’t for the faint hearted. definitely one for the drum & bass purest, who may well be dancing, but will also be taking down mental notes!

pinky pinky ist ein proto-prog inspiriertes rock-trio aus los angeles, bestehend aus den teenagern isabelle fields (17, guitar), eva chambers (17, bass) und anastasia sanchez (19, vocals/drums). die band präsentiert -good clean fun- und verneigen sich vor den größen von gestern mit vollem einsatz für die zukunft. die als 7inch picture disc streng limitierte ep wurde vo hanni el khatib und jonny bell (crystal antlers) co-produziert und erscheint bei innovative leisure aus los angeles, heimat von nick waterhouse, badbadnotgood, allah las, usw.

abstaxion and kasper bjørke return for their second collaboration on dc salas and abstraxions biologic records imprint. matin + nuit is a 3-track ep out in april. biologic records aim to explore the relationship between organic and analogue, natural and urban. this idea of polarity is addressed here through the themes of morning and night. matin is a ten-minute journey through a glistening landscape. celestial arpeggios and subtle dissonances are grounded by a hypnotic bassline and restrained percussion. ivre (drunk) takes an emotive turn. disorienting acid bass winds its way through mournful harmonies and overcast melodies, held together by a spirited rhythmic pattern. ‘nuit’, naturally, progresses into darker territory. there are familiar elements of disco, but they’ve been mangled to create something far more twisted. drums take the lead, punctuated by assertive bass stabs and ominous chords that howl through cavernous acoustics. matin + nuit explores seemingly familiar themes without the use of cliché, employing a diverse range of sound manipulation techniques to paint vivid imagery.

aus music follow up a string of releases from shenoda, recloose and marquis hawkes with a disco-tinged 12inch courtesy of a fresh signee and millionhands head honcho tee mango. having so far almost exclusively released on millionhands alone, tee mango makes a rare appearance outside of his home turf and in doing so follows on from his acclaimed ‘imperfections vol.1’ lp which garnered widespread following from the likes of axel boman, palms trax, gilles peterson and bonobo. his ep#1 for aus carries forth the sense of raw, sample heavy soul that was the real spark of imperfections vol.1, while maintaining a feel for the needs of the dancefloor. loose, natural drums, deftly chopped samples and hazy synth lines keepit moody. this collection of 4 tracks could be the perfect soundtrack for those early days of sunshine. as mango himself says. off all the places left to dance, this is where ill stay.

the remixed tracks from ascetic’s second album ‘everything is becoming’ are a collision between industrial techno, ebm influenced bass lines, doom and dark ambient. four berlin based artists: ancient methods, phase fatale, unhuman & luna violenta offer their take on the two opening tracks ‘utterings’ and ‘exegesis’ from the album. roared vocals, guitar both jagged, creepy and ambient, live drums and samples are all melted down and reformed into at times recognizable and at times wholly alien compositions, ancient methods, phase fatale and unhuman offer different approaches to techno punishment while luna’s interpretation is a cacophonous build that explodes into sonic abstraction. this ep is a perfect example of what berlin does so well, where genres that share aesthetic values feedback, overlap and inspire.

now in its second decade, with a steady stream of the most forward thinking and cutting edge techno productions, drumcode has one of the biggest selections of releases from industry heavy hitters, whilst not forgetting its future by bringing the newest talented producers into the limelight, where layton giordani is now a name firmly within that line up. the young new york based producer first had recognition back in 2014, and his debut release came via drumcode with his track rivington on the a-sides vol5 compilation in 2016. full force into 2017, drumcode has announced the release of layton s debut album with where it begins consisting of 12 original tracks, the album packs a punch when it comes to no-nonsense techno. successfully weaving relentless drums and catchy vocal hooks into a selection of thick, brooding, atmospheric tracks.

now in its second decade, with a steady stream of the most forward thinking and cutting edge techno productions, drumcode has one of the biggest selections of releases from industry heavy hitters, whilst not forgetting its future by bringing the newest talented producers into the limelight, where layton giordani is now a name firmly within that line up. the young new york based producer first had recognition back in 2014, and his debut release came via drumcode with his track rivington on the a-sides vol5 compilation in 2016. full force into 2017, drumcode has announced the release of layton s debut album with where it begins consisting of 12 original tracks, the album packs a punch when it comes to no-nonsense techno. successfully weaving relentless drums and catchy vocal hooks into a selection of thick, brooding, atmospheric tracks.

since 2015, james welshs contribution to phantasy as kamera has delivered a series of releases shrouded in mystery, injected with the personal energy of both a hardcore and club heritage. two eps, arc and ventoux, set a distinct tone, with the latter complimented by head-turning remixes from artists such as george fitzgerald, throwing snow, truncate and yaleesa hall. now, the key phantasy artist emerges from the shadows under his own name, in order to continue his uncompromising musical journey. returning with a new, two-track ep, standing/slip captures the finely tuned tension and euphoric release of welshs sound in arguably its strongest form to date, showcasing not only the dancefloor mettle firmly established under his prior alias, but a new sense of wistfulness that coaxes his typically outstanding machine work into altogether more reflective territory. standing throws listeners headlong into welshs formerly anonymous industrial complex, generating a churning, relentless rhythm offset with a dry female vocal that recalls the sardonic stance of vintage electroclash. following this, slip is an initially unexpectedly spectral diversion, transmitting a curious synth line into space, and receiving a choral, sombre frequency in return. without losing its emotive qualities, the track succumbs to a hailstorm of welsh’s sharp, potent drums, before collapsing in understated catharsis.

feat a remix from fxhe/mahogani music artist kai alce.
french producer and dj john jastszebski has been involved in the french and global underground house and techno scene for over a decade now, releasing on imprints such as d’julz’ bass culture, phil weeks’ robsoul, syncrophone recordings and of course phonogramme where he returns to here. the original mix of lead track ‘season’ takes the lead via infectious stab sequences, snaking subs and raw organic percussion before kai alce’s ‘restructure’ of ‘season’ follows and tips the focus over to airy chords, jazz-tinged lead melodies and a bumpy rhythmic swing. illusion’ follows and sees jastszebski focus on a more stripped-back aesthetic with rolling drums, dusty string samples and warm rhodes driving the composition. ‘gracelend’ then closes the package with smooth, unfolding pad melodies, crunch drum sounds and a murky, hypnotic feel.

we at finale sessions are excited to have mor elians added to the finale sessions family . mor is one of the younger generation artists that we have been keeping our eye on for sometime now. hailing from tel aviv and now living in los angeles and berlin and now travelling the world bringing her style of forward thinking house and techno so lets get with the music and we start with the track the orionids one of my favorites of the ep with its bouncing drums and the industrial flexing pads and the filtering synth s that give it the deepness for days. then we move to the second track light pollution another proper deep rendering if i may add and those high hats that just move the track into the proper scenic vibe, very minimal but to the point with the pads just poking its head out to go forth with the flow of the vocal. last but not least we have echopark-this track closes out the ep with its very bouncy acid sounds and it s minimalistic drum patterns makes for a very melodic sound. we at finale sessions want to thank you from the bottoms of our hearts and we love you very much

vinyl only! 3 dusty and unique house-banger by siggatunez...dancefloor and basement approved! siggatunez kicks off his „siggnature series“ with 3 impulsive club-based housetracks which are diverse but in the end all of a piece. over the last few years siggi developed a distinctive sound that you can hear with all its facets on the „neighbourhood ep“. the tracks combine the use of accurately chopped samples, edgy drums, additional synthesizer-work and a solid fundmament in the lower frequencies. enjoy!

for its 6th release on ed banger records busy p asked his longtime friend from los angeles mayer hawthorne to write a love song. while the world is going crazy, the only answer is love. the song was recorded between threesome studio in paris and mayer’s own in l.a. to complete this ep, we’ve asked uk’s finest producers. the mysterious kda who’s topping uk’s charts, delivers an infectious remix with mental drums and funky twist. hot chip’s main man joe goddard has been one of my favorite producer ever. it was about time to have him on board! reckonwrong dropped the hottest ep of 2015 on young turks sublabel whities. his remix is pure magic. exotic beats with techno flavours. last but not least, we went experimental on this one! this is the first flow machines remix. the goal of flow machines is to research and develop artificial intelligence systems able to generate music autonomously or in collaboration with human artists.

definitive tech house talent nick curly is back with the first of many exciting new releases for 2017. entitled amnezia, it comes on 8bit, his most long running label, and packs a real punch. by now, curly has a refined signature sound that keeps people dancing all over the world. his productions continue to come on esteemed labels like truesoul, drumcode and hot since 82’s knee deep in sound, and he remains an in-demand remixer as well as busy dj who plays everywhere from ministry of sound to timewarp mannheim to warung beach club. also keeping busy with his own events series trust, this german tastemaker has never been busier. the standout title track is a robust affair with tightly coiled drums, slick and funk inducing hits and lots of building tension and masterful release. it is the sort of locked-on groove that keeps floors pumping for days. the excellent ‘second lick’ is less physical and direct and instead goers deeper. it is riddled with emotive synth lines and has train track drums and perc that you simply cannot ignore. with rich and rubbery sub bass propping up the whole thing, this one is sure to make a mark. this is another landmark release from nick curly that is sure to be the sound of the spring and summer to come.

spencer parker concludes his different shapes and sizes series with a pair of robust house numbers this april. parker conceived the series as a method of showcasing his love for different shades of house and techno and the final edition sees the work them records founder demonstrate his versatility once again. part three initiates with a thumping dancefloor workout titled riff shapes that incorporates an uplifting chord sequence and crunchy percussion. on the flip, size:yes sees a throbbing lowend join skipping drums as rave inspired stabs add to the track s commanding energy.

unique soul jazz records’ record store day seven-inch box set comprising five separate singles featuring ten killer rare collectors tracks from studio one records, featuring ska, roots, rocksteady, dub.
seminal, rare and classic tunes! these singles have only ever ever been available exclusively direct from soul jazz records’ soho shop in london and are available worldwide only for this collectors box set rsd special release.
this unique box-set edition is only available as a one-off pressing especially for record store day 2017.

after some releases on several interesting label in the techno scene, reform make return to etruria with their strong new ep called “checkmate-, which includes two remixes from the soma talent charles fenckler and the belgian amelie lens . first original is a melodic track characterized by hypnotic synths which interchange everytime in the arrangement and also dirty and powered drums. amelie version’s express exactly her style, giving to the tracks something magic with the vocals added, making a very true and enigmatic game of chess. second original instead is dominated by a strong pad, which fill up the mix, blowing up in the break and giving an epic feeling to the ensemble. charles’s remix is techno with no excuses: raw powerful and groovy, is the perfect end for this pack, giving a much more underground touch to the release.

new years deal - delsins next trick is a debut double 12 from sentomea, an amsterdam native, real name sander schuurman, you might not have heard of but a real synth freak. exclusively producing his music in hardware-based live takes, and that gives rise to perfectly imperfect stuff that feels visceral and alive. often making music with a visual connection, this ep is full of versatile 909 beats and fizzing electronic textures. relative solace is up first and is a frosty house trip with bell textures and melancholic strings sounding all celestial and heavenly. wander is all about a sludgy 909 groove being lit up with bright strings and icy hi hat ringlets as dissonant pads stretch and skew all about the arrangement then fortitude boogie has classic detroit pads, a lovely broken rhythm and a funkateer bassline that makes the whole cut dance and emotional dance. fluid is more stripped back and clean, with rubbery 909 drums plodding below w atery, gurgling synth sounds up top and this most expressive and textural ep closes with the experimental fm synthesis that is matter with its raw, off beat grooves and glassy surfaces, and finally reminiscent, a horizontal, star gazing cut that encourages you to lay back and day dream in the grass.

acclaimed russian producer, dj and live musician kito jempere is back with a stunning second album, this time on italian label hell yeah. entitled sea monster and due for release in early 2017, the nine track album is a fantastic fusion of live instrumentation and electronic production. kito jempere is a musical polymath. the russian artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader has been involved in many projects over the last ten years plus. these range from rock to acid jazz to electronic bands and often call upon a rotating cast of other members who are all equally talented. from playing in small bars to headlining big shows for thousands of people in saint petersburg, he has put out a number of albums and singles on labels like freerange, room with a view and hell yeah and djs around europe. jempere plays live as the kito jempere band, and here he calls upon his bandmates for their many skills to lend the album a richly musical feel.

„ourselves is entering the third round. but what can one expect from a house label? with the v/a homelike, you committ yourself to the mission of house music in all its various manifestations and take it to the floor. kicking off the ride is sello s “loop my ass“. soulful vocals driven by massive kicks, string sounds and heavy bass. simply timeless. what else could you want? jan ketel & siggatunez pick up the pace with “today is the past of tomorrow“. analog basslines and deep chords shake hands with shuffling hihats. no big hoo-ha. the focus is simply on groove and atmosphere. the boys from rose records, m.ono & luvless, are making their debut on ourselves with house music par excellence. funky and floating, the “walnut express“ keeps pushing through your speakers announcing party. lootbeg s “remembrin“ perfectly rounds up the release and lets you fly away. hovering pads seemlessly interwoven with arp sounds and classical drums telling you that house is your home, simply homelike!“

repress , from moods & grooves to sistrum, brian harden has served up more than enough soulful, synth-led house and techno in his time. it s just the kind of style that suits the mood on d3, and so the label has picked up his essential -chicago to detroit- jam and called upon a fine selection of remixers to rework the track. first up is byron the aquarius, who drops some expressive broken beat drums into the mix to spar with the illustrious melodic tones to great effect. meanwhile the label boss brian gets busy with a classic, straight-up adaptation on his -chicago sur seine mix- before patrice scott opts for an energised variation with poignant new rhodes-esque keys floating on top.

rekids introduces a new vinyl only series titled rekids special projects. a more techno orientated division of the label that will feature appearances from the likes of john hester, markus suckut, and dj deep amongst others. first up is ohio-based producer fbk, real name kevin m. kennedy, who has a career spanning three decades and after a seminal release on frictional recordings back in the 90 s recent releases have seen him appear on labels such as marcel dettmann records, barba records and diametric. intricate drums and jagged synths initiate you are not fixed whilst a looped sample recurs throughout the mix. ‘dynamonium’ then enters deeper territories as echoing stabs join a low slung meandering groove before set it free ups the energy with rumbling kicks, distorted vocal murmurs and tantalizing melodies. the final escape then closes the release with a syncopated drum arrangement, mesmerising chords and ethereal atmospherics

panorama bar regular bwana unites his dual loves of vintage 90s electro and classic progressive trance on this three track ep for duskys 17 steps label. achieving widespread critical acclaim with last years techno homage to the akira soundtrack - capsules pride - on luckyme, bwana has since released eps on his club ready home aus and fort romeaus cin cin, as well as appearing on 17 steps with a cult remix of duskys ingrid is a hybri - itself something of a panorama bar favourite. on this ep, the illustrious producer presents three contrasting but cohesive tracks in the dark acidic three way is the hard way, hypnotic dark trance builder hell is other robots and classic electro homage on patrol for their control. completing the package, the inimitable avalon emerson bends three way is the hard way’ into a glitchy, percussive groover that builds crunchy layers of dark drums around the original’s twisted sonics.

in order to get lines of perspective moving, aufgang transcend their instrumentarium. from this organic corpus, they manage to extract a hand-stitched, deeply human kind of music. this exhilarating craft builds bridges between disciplines, skilfully pulling together acoustics and electronics while making bold connections between different eras. ancestral pianos are groovier than any sequencer, the synths they use are antediluvian and the drums are constantly oscillating between metal and skin. they may well be the first truly accomplished and unabashed explorers of the channel connecting various approaches which, so far, had at best only been piled up. aufgang transcend the confines of time to bring the past back into the future.
180 gram double vinyl cut at 45 rpm - download code, a3 poster and embroidered shield (patch) included.

another certified 90s hip hop anthem on 45 for the first time courtesy of 5 borough breaks. original flavour s -can i get open- was an underground smash at the time and is also notable for one of the very first times global rap star jay-z appeared on wax - classic material no doubt. as always, the b-side reveals one of the sample sources for the track, this time young holt limited s -wah wah man- providing the neck snapping drums.

after his acclaimed heatwave and shadows mixtapes, leonce releases insurgency on fade to mind, the first official ep from the young atlanta-based producer. insurgency was born from demos and sketches first recorded in 2014-2015, inspired by leonce’s favorite elements of house music and his desire to recraft these influences into his own club microverse. in leonce’s words: “if house is a feeling, then insurgency is me subverting that feeling across different tempo ranges and going into weirder and darker territory, like the classic raw house tracks that inspired me.”

amsterdams cult producer and dj steven van hulle aka awanto 3 likes his samples vibrant, his drums wobbly and his synths sweaty as a detroit summer breeze. the mpc wizard returns to dekmantel delivering his second, full-length album. gargamel is arguably his most compelling piece of work. spread over the course of nine tracks, van hulle shows hes capable of serving up many different styles and genres in his ever-expanding arsenal.

the latest release from serbia’s soul print recordings brings together the two l’s, leonid and laak. up first is leonid on the a side with two tracks urania 1 and 2, possibly named after the muse of astronomy, which makes sense, as both tracks have a cosmic feel about them. urania 1 starts off with a nice string sound that permeates the space before the drums start to really take effect half way through. urania 2 has a more house feel about it, with the acid bass line sitting nicely along the deep pads. over to the b side and laak takes control. delving into late night territory with haunting layered leads & pads these tracks are typical quality by laak. featuring label artwork once again by fellow serb, bratislav milenkovic and pressed on a beautiful sky blue, yesterday for tomorrow is a thing of aural and visual beauty.

lost soul enterprises presents technology = garbage, an album by jl. recorded to tascam in 2015 on a variety of cheap and obsolete machines. for fans of swamp acid, cavernous drums, grainy synth washes, and reverb.

holic trax off shoot monoklo hits a third firing release now with a new ep from verrina & ventura. verrina & ventura are an italian pair who make fresh house and techno sounds and run the all inn, only 300 and howl labels. they are busy people who put out a lot of music and here serve up some brilliantly unhinged sounds for this darker, more club focussed series. up first, metaluna is a freaky track with shimmering voices and prickly, ticking percussion all underpinned by warm belches of sub-bass. it s a late night cut with plenty of unhinged atmosphere in its glitchy grooves. ork is less kinetic and more settled in a bulky, heavyweight groove. scraping perc and icy hi hats bristle and brim as muted synth stabs bring some colour and soul to the party. the deep and delicious dhrawn has big techno hi hats and more glitching, patchy machine sounds all run through with warming chords. trilling vocals go off in the distance and the whole thing manages to be emotive and human as well as devastatingly direct and dancefloor orientated. last of all, nihil is another visceral track with industrial synths, scurrying bass and sliding drums that makes you want to jerk your body. this is a brilliantly off balance ep full of arresting and inventive grooves aimed squarely at the floor

his latest release opens with title track ‘the ground’, an epic house cut with spaced out synths and electronics colouring the smooth rolling drums. filled with main room drama, it is a standout cut for sure. remixer darren price is best known as being the tour dj turned key member of legendary dance duo underworld. he uses all his knowledge of time on the road and in the studio with that outfit to serve up an old school mix that retains the original’s sense of melodic colour and proggy intentions whilst layering in some loose limbed and driving house drums that really take it up a level.

from sweden via barcelona the machine man known as rimbaudian serves up dreams of summer for meda fury’s latest release. italian piano house stabs, midi-flute, tweaking bass and jacking drums herald outdoor parties and long nights ahead. vinyl only release for djs.

with a wall-to-wall 21st century freshness, light years past any concept of vogue, or any linear genre lines, norwegian quartet rohey deliver music that bristles with energy and honesty, that grooves with the best funk, that has deep soul roots while keeping an eye on the broad expanse of a golden future. lead vocalist rohey taalah brings all the emotional complexity you would expect of a classic jazz or soul singer (and can withstand comparison with any with ease). ivan blomqvist s keys play a dual role of laying down old school sonics, while bringing a retrofuturistic hyper-urban tone (akin to british idm), while kristian b. jacobsen (bass) and henrik lødøen (drums) create a jazz-soul-funk hybrid rhythm section that ducks and weaves with supreme artfulness.
rohey have toured extensively throughout scandinavia, taking in just about every major jazz festival along the way. with the release of “a million things” on jazzland recordings in early 2017, their path can be expected to take them ever further: music this good can t be kept secret for long. “a million things” performs a balancing act that most pop artists have forgotten in these days of studio micro-editing: how to write and play a song with full and sincere conviction, while enjoying an artful expressiveness without making things unnecessarily difficult for the audience. this has been borne out by their nomination for best single at the scandinavian soul awards in 2015.

new york’s sheik n beik continue to assert themselves as a trusted outlet of chilly, understated techno following up releases from xamiga, keita sano and hermans with a va from family members ivvy, mr dello, og ag and ray rose. first up is mr dello with ‘pilgrims’ - a bold march that propels few finely crafted elements with deft usage of warped analogue fx. intensity snowballs throughout as metallic synths thicken before og ag aka andrew grant follows up with ‘410 prospect’ - an intergalactic transmission rich with bending synth lines. one half of dirk largo, ray rose then casts his eyes down in following up with tight, shuffling drums and buoyant synth tones all suffused with a healthy dose of dub before ivvy - a fresh alias from madison levine. originating from seattle’s burgeoning hardware scene, he offers up ‘shape speed’ - a languid, capacious groove that drives thick drums through dense and dubby textures that round off a solid addition to a catalogue continuing to go from strength to strength.

loft records returns after a fruitful year to kick-start 2017 with three infectious cuts from rising irish talent hammer. the belfast-born producer is well known for his lauded releases on feel my bicep (in collaboration with the label founders) as well as optimo music but production isn t his only facet. hammer has shared dj booths with the likes of hunee, sasha, midland, craig richards and nd_baumecker, whether at his residency at sub club or at his many gigs throughout europe. with loft recordings reflecting on a prosperous 2016, including a class two track release from isaac tichauer, followed by a chart topping remix package featuring hackman, dorsia, lancelot and bicep, hammer s innovative contribution to the imprint looks to follow suit. soaring pads and intricate drums form the overall aesthetic of canna but as the track progresses serene melodies and subtle snare rolls come together to form a harmonious eruption of synths. manaka then shifts to syncopated percussion and spectral nuances before man ray delivers distorted atmospherics and twisted chord sequences to conclude the package.

javonntte may hail from detroit but his sound more naturally aligns with the likes of kai alce and that soulful, bumping atlanta vibe. this 12- for troubled kids makes for a perfect case in point, not least on killer opening track -walking in the rain- with its irrepressibly funky groove and on-point vocal turn. -yes house- takes things in a more stripped direction without compromising on warmth, while -united we dance- heads towards an even more club-ready approach full of booming bass and sharp swinging drums. that s just the a-side, and with even more soul-powered goodness spilling out of the flip, there can surely be few house heads out there that wouldn t find a loving home for this record.

the crotches who the hell are they? first of all the crotches are brothers. biological, real brothers, brothers in arms. a – voc & tambourine amitkes – guitar shashe – drums this is their second album, and the first one to be released on garzen records.

more demented, brain-damaging turkish electro-saz & synth drums galore by the mighty derdiyoklar duo, originally released in 1984! anadolu pop doesn t get weirder than this! these two turkish guys armed with electro-saz, guitar, drums and synthetizers were hitting the turkish market in germany where they lived, playing their sets of traditional flavoured electro-folk in weddings and circumcision feasts for turkish emigrants in germany. that crazy is the story, that crazy is their sound!!!

four perfectly executed house jams from germany’s aroma pitch. featuring roaming synth work, fluid percussion, subtle drums and deep bass. this ep is full of optimistic and engaging gestures for the modern dance floor.

ltd to 200 copies
hailing from east london but otherwise shrouded in mystery, loop lf makes a strong first appearance with this opening gambit for well street records. there s a diverse array of sounds presented across this 12-, with the intricate minimalisms of -moon gz- matching glitchy percussion with ethereal pad tones to great effect before -ocean drums- opens the sound out into a broader, fuller broken beat context. -stepping back- is an audacious production that makes full use of the space between the drum hits before -you wouldn t understand- heads into an overtly reduced, dubstep-minded headspace perfect for all lovers of the original fwd vibe in a modern setting.

lessismore record label, founded in 2003 by the dutch dj and producer alexis tyrel together with mbc, has been home for mostly his own releases under all his monikers and various artist compilations. “return to planet alpha” continues in this tradition, being a second long-player of alexis tyrel after his debut “newtradition” from 2011.
“return to planet alpha” is a collection of elegant techno tracks which instead of following the now so popular dark and destructive path focuses on daily moods and airy atmosphere, which is closer to open air and lounge than to sweaty pits of contemporary rave. but that doesn’t mean that the twelve tracks are just indistinctive background music. for one thing, tyrel is a master of slick and tight beat foundations of kick drums and bass, often smoothed out with cool synth pads, onto which he layers all kinds of rhythmical chains, subtle melodic ideas and sounds ranging from vintage synths and industrial bits to organic textures and even field recordings.

dj unrefined may be born to be a singer but ended up with a collection of fresh dance-floor tracks telling a story where raw drums marry sharp organs whilst flirting with obsessive voice samples! featuring a guest appearance by gari romalis providing a solid remix with buttery chords and delicious detroit vibes! keep it raw!

‘mind fiction’, kaczor s first release, comes with organic artwork such as a growing plant cover and simple yet sleek thai design inspired by a recent tour to southeast asia. the ep serves as a perfect example for kaczor s own artistic vision: moody textures and mellower grooves meeting his trademark raw and gritty, forceful attack-laden release of rolling drums, bass and percussion, pointing to kaczor s own roots in the more stormy outbacks of broken beats or uk bass. first track ‘balance’ starts off with a softer, textured soundscape, nicely balancing melancholy synth waves and drum rattles into an atmospheric opener with a slowly oncoming and unfurling, melodic twist. the title track ‘mind fiction’ more closely follows kaczors very own signature formula of a simple and driving bassline followed by an evocative build-up rushing into an emotional, cathartic breakdown. ‘asta’ might be kazcor s most daring and trippy production to date: an intense mixture between hypnotic, hard hitting thumps and thunderous rolling drums taking the listener into the electrifying whirl of a night-time storm, where the tense and dense, humid atmosphere culminates in a monsoon-like rainfall of spiralling reverb – marking a fitting crescendo for this impressive debut on kaczor s now very own sonic ground.

bondage-music head honchos pornbugs prep the labels next release for early april comprising three original tracks and a remix from mihai popoviciu. since 2006, german duo pornbugs have been pushing their minimal yet ambitious dance floor orientated house music through clubs across the globe, with their label bondage-music acting as a catalyst for forward thinking music. bondage-music also works as an outlet for other talented producers including romania’s mihai popoviciu and inmotion music signee markus homm to further develop their sound. fresh from a string of early 2017 digital releases from frink and sous sol, april sees bondage-music’s first vinyl offering of the year, kick started with the subtle and melodic cut “when you are gone“, which takes a deep groove and laces it with a plethora of soft synths and atmospherics. mihai popoviciu then reworks “when you are gone“ into a different entity, rewiring a headier groove into the track with raw-defined hats, building further tension with tight synth stabs and ethereal pads. vinyl only track “innocent“ then takes tribal tinged percussion to new depths, fuelling it with booming kicks and flourishing chords, further intensified by swirling vocals. a pure dub aesthetic then shines through “maritza“, as saturated drums and a rumbling low end provide the skeleton for swelling synths to meander alongside spiritual vocals, closing out the package.

r&s welcomes back space dimension controllers jack hamill for a ep of his trademark future-funk, his first for the label since 2013. the exostack ep marks a welcome return from hamill to the kind of astro-boogie that made him a unifying favourite in any discerning dj’s record box. the title track is a masterclass of wide-eyed astral disco - cycling euphoric arpeggios underpinned by dubbed out bass riffs and swooning pads. unfurling over a sizeable 8 minutes, hamill justifies every second with a beguiling arrangement that takes the listener on a groove excursion of epic proportions. on the flip, red hot swede kornél kovács delivers a tuff rerub that jacks up the drums, and cools out the chords, twisting the original into a classic house roller. sdc original biopan finds hamill in more contemplative mood - pulsing drums, a subdued bass figure and woozy synth melodies combine to haunting effect.

touching down for the inaugural release on the newly formed label, north of 7 sounds, is the mighty rumbleton - a true heavyweight with over 2 decades immersed in sound system culture, running the stand firm hi-fi label and releasing music on scientific wax, rupture ldn, outsider, and samurai music to name but a few. a true master of his sound, we are extremely proud to have rumbleton set the bar for future north of 7 excursions. “a new day” takes you on a journey filled with haunting pads, razor-sharp drum kit clashes, and infinite amounts of low-end. bottomless swathes of atmospherics respire in and out of the mix, culminating in a breathtaking breakdown - crafted with utmost devotion to the godfather of soul himself. a truly honourable homage to jungle’s roots in sample culture and breakbeat science. “conscience” on the flipside is weightiness refracted in minimalism. rumbleton fully submerges your mental space in a cavernous, dubwise fog, while militant, scorched-earth drums power the tune forward. a warm, subterranean bassline churns endlessly beneath, all the elements occasionally exhaling and collapsing under their own weight, only to regenerate once again…