after a brief time away from releasing music in 2017 to refresh his ears, essential house artist argy is back with a bang in 2018, as this debut ep on play it say it proves. greek dj and producer argy has been a prolific talent over the last decade plus, releasing a variety of sounds under a number of different aliases. his given name has always been reserved for house and techno, which is classically informed but always infused with the sound of the future. it’s come on key labels like bedrock, bpitch, ibadan, and most recently the martinez brothers’ cuttin’ headz imprint, and has spawned four fantastic full lengths. those releases, along with his storytelling dj sets, have made the these days label boss a much loved and ever-present part of the global underground scene. the excellent title track the way of kings opens up the ep with seven standout minutes of surging house. slick, powerful kicks drive it along as expertly crafted synths bring real drama and tension up top. it’s a tasteful bit of hi-tech soul for the peak of the night and is as essential as the title suggests. switching up the mood is the vibrant los animales, which has a busier, afro tinged groove and tribal percussive energy. lithe synths dart about to add dynamism and movement as vocal chants get you on your toes and the whole thing is sure to make a huge impact in the club. last of all, move like a panther featuring the new yorker in berlin, elbee bad, shows another side to argy. it’s a perfectly raw house cut with plenty of jacking chicago spirit. the drums hit hard, the synths are trippy and the snares force you to move. add in a dark bassline and spoken word mantras and you have a real piece of explosive club dynamite. these are three typically inventive and well-executed tracks from argy that are stuffed with original ideas.

our 4th release is here. tommy vicari jnr -deville harveste- ep. 2 original tracks by the talented tommy vicari jnr. we ve been waiting for the right moment to release this special ep. now is the time to reveal -deville harveste- and -hyst erias-, two house tracks with the unmistakable underground style of tommy vicari jnr. to make this vinyl even more special, we have a bombastic remix of :terence: terry for -deville harveste-. vinyl only

two berlin underdogs and a detroit ravemaster. a driving force in the very early frankfurt electronics since the late 80s, to hardcore acid in brooklyn in the early 90s, producing legends as carlos peron among many others along his way, adsx aka andre fischer might sound new to many but has been an active part of the underground electronic movement for the last 30 years. benji df aka hanoben is no newbie to the scene either and might have soundtracked your night if you were to be found at clubs like tresor or snax in the late 90s. together they recorded an ode to aural sex, its acid counterpart, and a genius sketch of a club banger. when label honcho capablanca heard the latter had little doubts about commissioning an extended mix to motor city s special forces gen. sharif laffrey aka thee activator, who needs little introduction to the discerning raver ears as the man behind instant acid classics turn it up and always, among others. after countless studio days and nights and endless versions (we stopped counting at 56th) sharif delivers what is possibly his best work to date, an unstoppable 12 minute dancefloor annihilator. to wrap such special release we asked legend alan oldham aka ur s minister of information aka dj t-1000, (also responsible for label designs for transmat, djax, submerge, pure sonik and a long etcetera) to create one of his classic artworks. capablanca deconstructs his center pieces for the fully printed sleeve, and everybody s.c.r.e.a.m.

the mighty man power returns to correspondant. one of the earliest labels to champion his explorative technoid landscapes, and deliver his debut album, the mexico based composer makes a welcome return with three truly singular trips… ‘the zen of xen comes in two segued parts, comprising almost 13 minutes of full intergalactic immersion. laced with the alluring deep-dream vocals of tel avivs xen, anchored with tripped-out humanized harmonics and weaved with soaring pads, its a genuinely emotional narrative thats been cooking away on man powers creative wishlist since he first met xen at a show five years ago. elsewhere ‘heart for yes, life for no will have you spitting rainbow emojis all night. an incredible piece of vibrant melodic techno rooted in synthesis, galvanized with emotive layers, driven by feels it sets us up perfectly for the fantastical finale ‘hubris. cosmic, soft-focused, sparkling but topped with a choral chant that comes in from nowhere and arrests every sense as the elements rise and fuse with theatre. by far one of man powers most techno-focused and biggest records to date.

released in solidarity with tigas anti-tech house crusade, a silent campaign fought everyday on the streets of your hometown, blaze finds russian crypto-whiz dimitri veimar still dancing with the rawer-than-the-rawest-dog electro thats brought him to the dizzying heights of the mid-tier crags of mt. turbo mountain. throwing his weight behind what some in the media are probably already calling tigas war was absolutely necessary following the events of a recent gig in moscow. veimar opened the night by playing no fewer than three tiga tracks, which anyone whos read tigas taboos can tell you is definitely a tiga taboo. deeply immersed in the practice of pouring his own mineral water, tiga ignored the hootin and hollerin of the vips crowding the dj booth (including dennis miller and diego maradona), and proceeded to play a set entirely comprised of recordings of every embarrassing thing veimar had ever said in his life. four hours later, an emotionally-shot veimar collapsed into tigas arms, with the magnanimous label boss whispering, i forgive you, dimitri into his ear. the release also features a broken techno remix from mysterious european producer florian kupfer, who made us sign a non-disclosure-agreement dictating that we can only describe him as mysterious, enigmatic, and/or european, so well have to let the music do the talking.

super rare and killer alric forbes 70s roots, only ever released on a mis-labeled pressing! the rhythm will be familiar to deep roots aficionados as the same one used for sydney wilson s -why do i cry.- a co-release with our french comrades onlyroots, who have already reissued a pair of classics from alric, -morning train- and -warn the nation.-

every release is special for us here at hizou. but to clock up our tenth one is a particularly special moment. so it is even more pleasing that we reach this milestone by welcoming on board a producer we admire enormously, life recorder. the man from marseille has a lengthy discography of must-have records to his name already and the super-deep pressure jazz ep will only add to that growing list as he delivers a trio of prime cuts, from the punchy, raw analogue sounds of the title track to the warming subconcious drive and the melodic, acid-flecked traffic jam.

mr bongo presents the first 12inch in a series of remix packages curated from ebo taylors brand new album yen ara. the 81-year-old composer, arranger, guitarist and vocalist has been a key figure in the evolving afro-funk sound since the seventies, working with the likes of apagya show band, ck mann and pat thomas. this 12inch combines three of the best remixers in the business - the legendary ron trent, west coast talent flako, and disco connoisseur nick the record. you will hear the high-energy afrobeat, sweet highlife, jazz and konkoma influences that ebo is famous for, and the remixes have contributed their disco pulse, house groove, and hard-hitting percussive edge to the tracks.

just in time for the summer sun, heynow001 features four exclusive liquid drum and bass bootlegs that will keep you and the whole dancefloor well hydrated. we’ve listened to your suggestions, and the vinyl release is backed with a first time press of two tracks that have been highly sought after as well. you can sit down, the wait is over. hey now is here!

nektar agu is next up on fake records with his 1111 ep. two originals: “1111” and “vaeeke” that have been supported by s.a.m and arapu and it comes with two remixes by cocoon heavyweight and raum musik boss markus fix & dorian paic under their mfdp moniker, and also one from the man of the moment jorge savoretti who has recently released on dorian’s raum musik and priku’s atipic. limited vinyl pressing.

thoughts towards change, evolution, learning from mistakes. take advantage of the time that we have ahead of us as an opportunity for development, to be who we want to be and not necessarily who we were yesterday. having absolute control over our subconscious and unconscious mind will allow us to achieve success.

melodic echoes drift through the stereo panorama like ice cubes orbiting through the hi-proof universe of a milky cocktail. between them stretches the intricate tick-tock of a liquified clockwork. markus homm and benny grauer sculpt their compelling grooves from the hard, repetitive substance of techno - but eventually their productions have a round, organic elegance that is reminiscent of mushrooms sprouting amidst the sparkling dew of a early morning meadow. the perfect sound for this listening experience comes from a 10” vinyl, whereas the digital counterpart of the ep comes with an exclusive third title.

dilated pupils is a collective group of likeminded friends home-based in the netherlands. when forces are joined in one of their many studios each individual brings his own influences and styles to the table. together they share a distinct flavor in productions and raw one-take jam sessions created with the use of analogue machines and often recorded on tape. each of them have their own solo productions as well as other collaborations, but when united as dilated pupils they prefer to be known jointly as one entity with their own unique and distinguished sound. since 2014 the group has developed an interesting and widespread discography with releases on labels such as fear of flying, sol asylum, mode of expression, tabla, music is art, dorcas, make sense and mayak.

finally realized, here s one that was long on the dkr wish list. among the very finest moments from both artists, these brilliant interpolations of curtis classics have been unavailable too long. a mesmerizing rhythm adorned with the lovely sounds of hand drums, melodica and flute, mixed and dubbed to perfection by king tubby himself. this 12inch is a 6 track ep, with all four cuts as originally released on two separate 45s, plus two unreleased mixes straight off the original tapes. we like to think tubbs favored these cuts, as so many mixes were done! the dub titled super cool is, in our humble opinion, one of tubby s top 10 extant mixes. full disclosure, all tracks except super cool pt. 2 come from the original jamaican mastertapes. we suspect the pt. 2 mix was lost somewhere in nyc, but don t let that trouble you, this one should please all who have ears.

del the funky homosapien and amp live have teamed for gate 13. the full-length collaborative album pairs the hieroglyphics veteran and grammy nominee with the zion i and unified highway co-founder. after working together during amp’s authorized radiohead remix project, these friends from their oakland days embark on 15 tracks that fuse hip-hop, funk, edm, and more, with guests including goapele and eligh. as they explore their overlapping chemistry and challenging music to a new place, this album may be another portal into something progressive, futuristic, and fun.

after breaking out of our holding facility in early 2017, we tracked the humanoid alien lifeform known as darling to a deep bunker in amsterdam. while we were unable to gain entry tio the inner chamber, an operative successfully placed an eavesdropping device close by. while monitoring the lifeform s movements, we were able to record eight musical compositions of varying lengths that it had created using a range of analogue and digital electronic instruments. we have called this collection tulipa moves. you will notice that the tracks utilise a variety of rhythmic patterns, explore unearthly but attractiuve sounds and are capable of stirring strong emotions in human listeners. we direct your attention towards the lilting, softly spun melancholia of composition 03 (codename so did we) the fluid, beat-free bliss of composition 05 (codename the m song), and the up-tempo positivity of composition 07 (codename kiss the glass), whose chiming, intertwined melodies and snappy rhythmic energy reminded us of so-called intelligent dance music. we were astonished by the quality and intricacy of these alien creations and those we have not described in detail. it strengthens our belief that darling is a lifeform with higher intelligence and otherworldly musical ability

in ancient lddlm times, blddlm even, belgium could well have been the freaky house and ecstasy center of the world. if only we could remember all the lost hours. but after all, as the brussel saying goes: its friday, tomorrow is tuesday. at lddlm, we try not to reminisce, that was just setting the mood.we are very happy to welcome arthur johnson in our non-fold, a young producer from liege via marseille and la dame noir. aj is amongst those ever mutating artists, his u-turns slowly composing a real personality, and one fitting our contrarian attitude. in a way perfect stranger reminds us of a good 90’s farley/heller remix, not so much camp fire island than almost sweaty late night trancer. we love those tracks that do not fit our ethos a priori but that we can’t stop playing. cosmo vitelli is a long time family friend and he beams up this stranger through the axis into some kind of romantic italo-german anthem. ballada and secretary discordia show a different side of aj, a dub march echoing dif juz and a percussive machine funk number. we sincerely hope aj keeps on straying for the best, his way being our way.

pharoah sanders is spiritual jazz, is devotional music, is the greatest living link between john coltrane, kamasi washington, and the next generation of this great lineage. his tenor sound, his singing voice, his compositions, and his recordings have already stood the test of time, in his time, endured, ever-aged so finely, and have now (in my opinion) surpassed critique. pharoah sanders is a giant, an innovator, colorful, prayerful, and worthy of all our attention, celebration, and enthusiastic, even ecstatic accolades!

who do you go to for your very first session when you have just been gifted your very own top-flight ‘stradivarius of synth based studios’? enter ‘the grid’ ... mr david ball: one man band of pioneering electro-pop distorters soft cell, part time psychic tv personality, film soundtrack composer and all round synth afficionado & richard norris: eclectic beat-meister & ambient dj, record producer, commited psychedelicist from ‘beyond the wizard’s sleeve’.

the beacon crowns ashurst hill in dalton, lancashire, looming over the verdant english countryside nearly six hundred feet above sea level. this spartan brick monolith was erected in 1798 as a watch tower to warn of french invasion during the napoleonic war — & there it silently remains, keeping infinite vigil. it stands in tess roby’s mind. the beacon calls to her. “throughout my life i have felt the pull to return to it,” she says. “i’m beckoned by father’s roots & by the sullen landscape of fields leading to the coast.”
pressing on solid white 180 gram vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

following on from his debut with adult only last year, pierre codarin returns with the ‘blue planet’ ep, a three track collection of analogue funk cooked up fresh in his laboratory. pierre run his own self-titled label and has been pushing his own brand of detroit and uk-influenced techno for several years now, earning himself a strong rep on the underground. with his return to adult only he brings a deep, yet groovy and rich sound to the label and we’re pleased to have him back.

when dorian paic, tobi neuman and patrick ense took a lunch break from their studio session they met house legend eric d. clark randomly at the burger joint. after a quick chat they took him over to tobi’s studio and recorded this delicious 12&#8243, for us. einzelkind founded la peña in 2007 as a label for friends to meet up, live, and release the music they love – and here we have the perfect example of such a serendipitous event.

backed up by a juicy mfdp club mix this release gives a nod to the golden era of house music and album cover art.
what ya doin !?

after strong releases by jerome sydenham, guti, martin buttrich and the esteemed label leaders the martinez brothers, here we have remixes of stec and chris martinez own out put by first team players. mathew johnson gives us an energetic analogue workout. peggy gou gives us a wistful version of ‘h2 da izzo’ with retro drums, lush strings to give us a straight up, classic house cut. this is also tackled by mayaan nidim who gives us a stripped back, refined take as you would expect from a perlon artist. dj deeon takes on the buoyant ‘stuff in the trunk’ with miss kittin’s playful vocals.

the best of stereophonics on heavyweight black double vinyl. housed in a gatefold .

fans of the berlin based nils frahm are by now familiar with his beguiling live shows where more often than not fellow touring artists are encouraged to join frahm on stage – the likes of rachel grimes, rob lowe of balmorhea as well as label colleagues peter broderick and Ólafur arnalds have all obliged with fascinating results. it will come as no surprise then that nils frahm, an accomplished composer and producer who signed to erased tapes in 2009, has extended his collaborative live musings to encompass the recording studio, working for the first time with noted cellist and fellow berliner anne müller to produce 7fingers.
with their first collective release frahm and müller have built a world where modern classical and electronica collide creating an intoxicating and delicious collection of songs. primarily a pianist nils frahm provides evidence with 7fingers that he can effortlessly turn electric throwing in loops, samples and glitches to accompany and showcase müller on cello. anne müller, a renowned musician noted for her work with the wolf-ferrari-ensemble, phillip boa and recent tours with agnes obel, proves an amp musical partner for frahm.
the vinyl release includes a download code.

-the wait is over as we finally have a new release ready by one of the originators of icelandic techno. it s been a while, but worth the wait - as he delivers a straight-shooter, destined to find place in the record bags of all serious djs for years to co

still hope is their second single and the follow up to motorway jam (their double a side with palms trax from late last year) which sees them collaborate with anthony anaxagorou, a british born cypriot award winning poet and essayist, whose poetry and fiction have appeared on bbc newsnight, bbc4, itv and vice. hearing his lyrics via their good friend simbad, secretsundaze connected with anthony and still hope is the fruit of their labour. the original is a potent and political spoken word piece delivered over a rolling house groove. definitely one for the deeper moments with its late night heady feel and full vocal not letting up. the poems in the heart floor version strips the vocal back and adds dramatic strings for a more direct dance floor approach. ex slum village detroit producer waajeed released a couple of killer eps in 2017 on his own dirt tech reck imprint so we had to get him aboard for the remix. his detroit hardcore dub does what is says on the tin and is a peak time slammer while his searching dub goes down a jazzier, spacey route with live sounding drums and dreamy pads.

you should all know by now i have collected a good few records in my time, hunting down that perfect beat. in search of that special piece i have found a deep love for the old soul ballads and funk that were for me great social statements, telling it just how it was. growing up with these tunes and owning them i began to realise if someone didn’t represent them to the next generation they would be long lost and forgotten. so please... enjoy this time capsule of music from another time... you’ll hear nothing’s changed! - mr. g, 2018

ltd 7- release with classic chicago house music >>>>
there’s a reason why so many of house music’s early releases have endured over the decades. the best of them have a quality that defies logic. early house records like heard s own -washing machine,- or the -no way back- by adonis, still have the power to stun listeners and drive clubs wild. they sound alien and beautiful, simultaneously ingrained within us and so unlike everything that followed. and few sound as beautiful, or as alien, as -can you feel it.- by 1986, heard—who was born and bred in chicago and been playing in bands as a drummer—had already proved to the world that he was a master of poignant, enthralling house. the previous year’s elegant “mystery of love,” originally released on alleviated records, had featured an insistent ascending bassline repeating under a plaintive, swooning analog synth, with a gentle, conga-led rhythm setting the pace. it was soon rerecorded in a slightly more fleshed-out style, this time featuring frequent collaborator robert owens on vocals—”there’s a moment in our lives when we all must try the mystery of love”—and rereleased on d.j. international.

if there is one album that we would take with us an a desert island its this one. the worst of krtm is one of the most refreshing records we have heard in a long time. perfectly blending industrial techno and hardcore to one unique beautiful/terrifying work of art. we could almost write a book on how unique and great this album is but lets just stop here and let the music do the talking. all hail krtm!

courtesy of bare hands records. recorded at the black pine lodge in 2017/2018.

forest flame is the debut solo effort of the texas-based shea mcgilvray. his previous works have been featured in compilation and remix releases on labels such as echovolt, shimmering moods, and bokhari’s swamp tapes. already getting support from best available technology and dj seinfeld

***
flowers, hands.
dance, talk, eyes.
walk, friends.
silence, sleep, chair.
sun, snow, numb.
run, clap, colours.
***

geins t naït is considered legendary at offen music. releasing music since 1986, their last 3 albums have featured laurent petitgand (2011, 2014 & 2015). now we present a collection of new unreleased tracks that we hope will plunge you deep into the special world of gn & lp. includes dl code!

coming from different regions in france, violent quand on aime’s members have joined forces to canalize their energies into something truly essential. far away from hype and expectation they have created their own peculiar world. expect a certain electronic griminess with hints of 90’s hiphop, postpunk alienation and an affinity for musique concrète. the overall experience is similar to the excitement one feels when hearing something genuinely original. this mini-album is the follow-up to their very impressive 7” on le syndicat des scorpions.

this is giles armstrong s debut ep, so we ll leave it to the man himself: -i’ve been dicking around the scene in some shape or form for the past twenty years or so. djing, promoting, dancing (you needed to have been there) eetc. but a couple of years ago i decided do the one thing that was missing from that list. to try make what the whole shebang is meant to be about, music. the thought of making tunes had crossed my mind down through the years but i was always too scared to start or never had the time. there was always a excuse handy, always.

following some now cult releases on mutli culti, turbo recordings (with the much-acclaimed “mz”) and his recent lp “lotos land” on japanese imprint endless flight, our favourite east-berlin born child sascha funke is finally coming up with an ep on hippie dance’s sister label your and your hippie friends. “i guess more than one of you have noticed my obsession with sascha funke’s music over the past years since it is an essential part in my dj sets. after the pause he gave his solo work to put his attention into his amazing band project saschienne together with julienne dessagne (aka fantastic twins, also his partner in life), he came back with a really cool ep on kompakt records which i played over and over and left me wanting for more. being close friends gave me the luxury of having access to his material before other people and when i would visit the coolest couple in berlin, sascha would always play me his new tunes in the car while rolling through the city. every time i would ask for those tracks to play them and in the club, people that i would play with would often ask who was behind them, as it happened with tiga one night in cologne, and eventually led to sascha’s music being released on turbo recordings and multi culti the following months. now i finally got the chance and honour to release a sascha funke ep on our own humble label... acatenango. like every time, it all started with me visiting berlin, sascha playing his new material while cruising around on board of his german car, me getting in trance while listening to it, asking for it and playing it right away in my next sets. three super cool tracks, all very different from each other but somehow connected with the inimitable funke touch. powerful yet elegant, hypnotic yet fun, brutal yet sophisticated. sascha funke... he’s a hippie and he’s a friend.” rebolledo

death in vegas return with the single ‘honey’, its second collaboration with sasha grey. ‘honey’ is a slow, seductive serenade, with an organic, psychedelic tone: dreamy and dripping with intensity.

the b side features ‘witchdance dub’, richard fearless’ long-held remix of ‘witchdance’ off trans-love energies, featuring the haunting vocals of katie stelmanis from austra. fearless cut three dubplates of ‘witchdance dub’ after he mixed this track. dj harvey has one, prosumer the other, and fearless kept the 3rd: delicate acetates that have been played out sparingly but with electric effect. this track is effortless, minimal dance music imbued with fearless’ unique production sound- it’s not one to miss.
180g vinyl

another star creature debut sure shot, this time from newly formed ground control project headed by dj friction out of germany. another hot 2 slider with “step out of the dark” & “all night long”. test presses have already been making their way around the globe at rare groove & disco parties.

grammy award winner louie vega is known worldwide as one of the finest creators and purveyors of house music, both as an individual artist / producer / dj and as partner with kenny dope in the renowned production team known as masters at work. his multiple musical talents have also brought him much acclaim in the genres of salsa, afro-beat, jazz, hip-hop and soul. last year he reached another career milestone when his album “louie vega starring...xxviii” was nominated at the 2017 grammys for best dance album, which further solidified his position as one of the industry’s premier artist / producers. but not everyone knows about louie’s deep respect, admiration and knowledge of the disco genre that laid the foundation for so much music that moves crowd on dancefloors and festivals today.

grammy award winner louie vega is known worldwide as one of the finest creators and purveyors of house music, both as an individual artist / producer / dj and as partner with kenny dope in the renowned production team known as masters at work. his multiple musical talents have also brought him much acclaim in the genres of salsa, afro-beat, jazz, hip-hop and soul. last year he reached another career milestone when his album “louie vega starring...xxviii” was nominated at the 2017 grammys for best dance album, which further solidified his position as one of the industry’s premier artist / producers. but not everyone knows about louies deep respect, admiration and knowledge of the disco genre that laid the foundation for so much music that moves crowd on dancefloors and festivals today.

new ep from ethyène showcasing a raising maturity in his discography. drawing samples from library music, dub, soul and r&b, this record delivers everything house music has to, deepness, groove, love and sincerity. no need to say that by launching a new imprint ethyène decided to show a different side from his previous work. we can definitely feel it from the first second the record starts, with static, mashing up samples from 80 s dub music and west-coast funk to finally sound as a surprising modernized classic house anthem. the second track of the record enove lough features a deconstructed and mysterious rhodes loop delivering a smart groove until a delightful sexy vocal sample get in the mix to round off this deeper but easily danceable cut. the b-side of the record starts with cape town mambo , a tune whose graceful horns loop keeps the listeners on an endless dreamy trip while its mid-tempo jazzy beat will have them hips sensually shaking without any doubt. the record has its consistency assured with ending on a 100 bpm powerful hip-hop beat with high-pitched and happy vocals as the nirvana of this 4 tracks sensual and groovy journey.

albrecht la brooy s analogue attic imprint returns this may with a solo project from one half of the duo, alex albrecht, under his newly formed melquiades guise... the past few years have seen albrecht la brooy steadily hone their unique spin on house & techno via self-released gems & acclaimed projects on night tide, voyage records and butter sessions, culminating with the release of their debut long player tidal river on apollo/r&s earlier this year . this solo material from alex s new alias (soon to be debuted on scissor & thread) takes a more dancefloor orientated approach. the material recorded live, retaining an improvised feel and managing to capture the surreal and mysterious atmosphere of the australian bush. combining atmospheric field recordings, jazz tinged double bass-licks and bright piano elements, all woven together with the label s trademark intricately programmed rhythms, the bluff ep is an engaging, mesmerising and addictive addition to the label s already well-loved output...

the world of b. is like a giant disco ball, where she likes to dance all around and meet some friends to share some music: roger thornhill gave classic disco perfection, hysteric sent a letter from the far east, or maybe from italy, turbo boom-boom chewed a funky bubblegum song to make a housy rolling track and baerlz reworked a boogie track, just what it needed to have the righteous construction for the dancefloor.

four tracks of taut, relentless techno grooves rooted in the late 90’s tradition of energetic and ravey & jacking tracks to rock the dancefloor. no surprise there are passionate and skilled dj s behind this project... ben sims & truncate have formed to create assailants. their new studio and b2b dj project’s first output comes on the new imprint, obscurity is infinite. early support from robert hood, ben klock, luke slater and mark broom. all killer!

since 2011, smoke machine have been running a successful and well-established podcast series. now, after 8 years, they have ventured into the offline realm and will release their first ep. the record features tracks by blind observatory, dorisburg and agnois. these artists have regularly played smoke machine parties and their larger event organik festival and are in line with the smoke machine sound.

salvador breed and stijn van beek met while studying sound design and music technology in 2006. ever since then the pair have been beavering away behind an arsenal of blinking banks in amsterdam. the musical fruit of their friendship is breek, a partnership that smears the boundaries of styles and sounds with festive flare and a rainbow steaked uniqueness. for their vinyl debut yokai, a candy coloured cornucopia of elements are swirled and whirled. braindance, electronica and neo-classical are festooned with dubby tones and underground grit in a unique sound of diverse textures and deep tones. faster works, like the swooping joy of yokai, are countered by more contemplative ama. hang is a whimsical dreamscape of squirming acid lines, crisp drums and angular notes that combine to produce a brilliantly bright piece. mu-onna and oiwa are more abstract works that melt vocals with sweet strings before the final piano swells and ambient rains of burabura. a daring and dynamic vinyl debut from this eccentric duo with stunning artwork from warren du preez and nick thornton jones.