already drowning, a song-cycle inspired by various myths & folktales about female water spirits, marks something of a departure for aidan baker. while still retaining his trademark sense of ambience & texture, the tracks on this album are much more structured & song oriented, embracing a minimalist post-rock, slowcore style & featuring a different guest vocalist on each track.

home & garden is the debut album from the already established artist jay shepheard due for release in early 2013. shepheard has been releasing 12s and singles, and remixes steadily since 2007, blending disco and deep house seamlessly into his own unique sound.

desolat celebrate their 5th anniversary with a very special edition of their annual sampler this edition not only sees artists from the desolat family turn in exclusive tracks, but also sees loco dice supply a first mix on desolat.

the annual! one year. one album! 3 cds incl. example, rihanna, wiley, david guetta, jessie j, dj fresh, avicii, otto knows, discosure, jeessie ware, mosca, and many many more! 3 cds - 60 tracks!!

terror danjahs second hyperdub album is dark crawler, a well paced and much more upfront and energetic journey through his musical world than his debut undeniable. the album revolves around the dark crawler theme, a blistering grime track that pops up several times vocaled by mcs riko dan, mayhem, deadly and saf one, and then lastly trim and kossie.

the first live performance of the steve hillage band in 25 years!

rome s egisto sopor has been making waves with his releases for quite a while now: he put out a cdr album on legowelt s strange life records and a cassette on the much admired 100% silk label, both under the name polysick. as theawayteam he released the dvd relax & sleep and cd star kinship on japanese label maomoo. he is also one half of the low-key video unit aavv, whose work has graced many of the important releases of the new lo-fi electronic movement. digital native is his first album properÑfifteen tracks of glowing, nocturnal, analog grace that recall the days of acid house and early techno, but with a mood and intent designed for watching images dance on closed eyelids. it s no surprise that his work as a video artist resonates so strongly with the music he makes. polysick has tapped straight into the synthetic pleasures of early dance musics otherworldly pulses: the hypnotic arpeggios of italo disco, soaring detroit chords, cosmic disco, the -fourth world music- of jon hassell and the library exotics of piero umiliani. this is body music for the resting body. imagine the nexus of early acid house and italo music used for mental therapy, exotic traveling and imaginingÑexciting the brain waves and journeying into imagined spaces.

originally released as a limited vinyl edition in 2010 which had quickly sold out,this much sought after longplayer by the austrian duo hey-o-hansen now sees the light of day as a cd. on we so horny,hey-o-hansen strip down dub rhythms mostly from the fifties and make them up freshly in the guise of contemporary club sound.

in stylistic regards their compositions are never predictable. a touch of organic jazz here, a subtle hip-hop allusion there, accompanied by a moving club rhythm structure and delhias captivating voice, which sings, then talks, and whispers in the next moment. this is being reflected in their life shows, acknowledged with much applause on festivals like ?sonne, mond und sterne?, the ?fusion festival? or ?ars electronica?. when they sample themselves during their concerts, modify their sound in real time and vividly interpret their songs, delhia dances audaciously in extravagant, selfdesigned costumes in haughty reserve and effuses eccentric pop magic. twisted-pop which gets straight under your skin, without ever grooving streamlined. you can dance to it, lose yourself in it or step into new worlds. there is only one thing difficult to deal with after you enjoyed ?the devil?s hand? and that?s to release yourself from its overwhelming emotional impact.

the debut album of these two young lads with baseball hats not only honours and delves into a sound that already peaked some fifteen years ago, it also hones and elevates it, without ever falling into the reynoldsmania trap (please see retromania for further reference) or being old gold retold. and this is all oh-so-clear from the very start: the fine flutes of >when its there< go straight to your heart and they do so without any self-mockery or hipster smiles as much as the gasping 303-sounds, chirping birds and healing dx-like bass sounds a few tracks later do. >salty days< - an allusion not to grim times, but to a certain members adoration for the crystalline mineral - is blessed with a coherence that isnt samey, with tradition that isnt leaden and a feeling that is pure.

clone classic cuts continues their re-issues series for one of the most influential techno acts ever: drexciya. the second selection of tracks includes favorites such as bang-bang, positron island,anti vapour waves and journey home complimented with some lesser or unknown tracks. raw, uncompromising music made with soul and creativity have always has been the trademark of drexciya (and also from their original label underground resistance) and this album is another showcase of their talents. btw there is not much further background info we can give. all that can be revealed is already out there.

sven kacirek, the much praised multi- instrumentalist from hamburg, releases his third album with pingipung. scarlet pitch dreams presents intimate solo works, following his debut the palmin sessions (2007) and the interna- tional success the kenya sessions (2011), which was honored with german record critics award for the second quarter 2011. whilst the kenya sessions revealed fruitful col- laborations with kenyan musicians, almost every single instrument on scarlet pitch dreams has been played, recorded and produced by sven kaci- rek himself.

after collaborating on exclusive tracks for the labels lovingly-acidic forward to the past series, dutch duo tj kong & modular k prepare to drop their debut full-length, dream cargoes on poker flat. having been friends and colleagues in the dutch electronic scene for well over a decade, the talented pair have so much experience in working on different studio projects, and now come together in this glorious full-length exploration of their vision of house and techno today. the artists erwin van moll (tj kong) and gijs janssen (modular k) represent two decades of collected experience in the underground techno and electronic music worlds.

on his debut album the host works in a spacey interzone, using vintage gear to create dramatic panoramas for the headphoned mind. he creates a unique suite of modern impressionistic sonics that tumble and waft in and out of the mix, earthed with strong melodies that take inspiration from net-age genres while never recalling them directly. throughout, he masters all the potentials of vintage synths, drum machines and reverbs, along with guitar and bass to explore a sound that sets him apart from producers working on computers, creating something much more band-like but rich with lively micro-detail.

the latest cd release from the soul junction team sees the much acclaimed falcons cd release followed by the first ever solo album release from duane williams.all tracks are composed and produced by duanne and will hatcher and the listing now follows, plus all members can listen to an exclusive all in preview mix of all the tracks via the link further on.

together with co-producer tom mcfall (r.e.m., weezer, stars) they experimented with new sounds, structures and melodies - and now they are very proud to present the result: the best album by alcoholic faith mission to date. alcoholic faith mission will continue touring as much as possible in 2012 in support of the album, covering europe and usa/canada - and hopefully theyÕll get to play lots of festivals in the sun.

cementing a year that saw a string of sublime stellar releases from mario & vidis, the dynamic force give house music a new accessible heartbeat with their album changed, set for release next spring. mario & vidis title their debut artist album after their future classic anthem, changed,an apt advocate to the new age slow house sound they have mastered and unmask themselves as purveyors of a hive of activity in their lithuanian home. spanning two discs and twenty tracks they cover much musical terrain, striding through epic soundscapes, hypnotic pop melodies, wandering into pure soul and running away with the finesse of raw house music on the second disc.changed opens with the atmosphere heavy introducing to you, lightly tickling the senses.

electronic duo cage & aviary are set to release their debut album >migration< on prins thomass internasjonal imprint this coming january.part man,part machine,part cockatiel,cage & aviary take flights of fancy whenever they can.jamie paton is a dj,a one-finger keyboardist,and a pot-tickler.nigel of bermondsey is a musician,south londons finest oscillator,and a dedicated dabbler.together they are winners of the cosmic lottery.having put out releases to much acclaim on the ltd editions that are dissident distribution,cage & aviary have since spread their wings with releases on dfa, tiny sticks and astro lab.their own label,the walls have ears,is slowly carving out a reputation for quality dubbed-out dance music too - the cage & aviary remix series has met with great critical acclaim thus far,with the likes of andy blake,prins thomas,horse meat disco,mock n toof,bill brewster, tim sweeney, james murphy,tiga,erol alkan and other such luminaries counted amongst fans of their work!

please allow us the pleasure of introducing axel willner s loops of your heart. hailing from sweden, the man behind this record alone needs no introduction, as he is already well known in the electronic music scene for his project the field. loops of your heart reflects axel¼s experience in germany, where during his lengthy stays, his mantra-like arpeggiators contributed to the first manifestation of the sound of cologne tape, a group that formed while he was staying there. you can also hear this on the much sought after debut render, which came out on magazine last year. only a foreshadow for what was to about to come, willner has been living in berlin and letting his creativity go crazy. with an arsenal of special synthesizers and guitars he has put together and never ending nights . after touring worldwide with the field for the last 10 years, and never ending nights is like coming home again. you can hear german children speaking outside his studio in berlin (on the track neukšlln ) and it is not only the track titles which tell of things that have come to an end and or are about to happen. the old german musical tradition of letting yourself go (holger czukay, you, anima, cluster, you name it) is in the air, and willner breathes it. his highly personal approach to music and composition leads to nothing less then a matchless album that embodies beginning anew

2011 three cd collection that contains the very best northern soul masters from the vaults of atlantic, atco, loma, reprise and warner bros records from 1965-74. this ultimate best of spans the legendary after hours series, picking the best, most funky, soulful and rare tracks to give the listener a truly authentic northern soul experience.

do you love elegant, sophisticated music with a feeling, as much as raw, gutsy, hard-hitting music? guessing that you do penniman records takes great pride in introducing you to the excitements, because their music fits into both categories. they are an all natural free-of-additives-and-preservatives r&b / soul band. a band with both feet solidly planted on memphis and detroit, and with a heartbeat which is pure chicago. to put it simply, the excitements are what the doctor ordered: six dynamite musicians intent on bringing out the very best from koko jean davis extraordinary voice, a voice which will either break your heart or astonish your ears, whatever koko fancies the most. the excitements career is truly awesome. their first gig took place in july 2010, and a month after that the band embarked on the first of their three recording sessions, their first spanish tour and a series of concerts all across europe. very few groups can boast of enjoying such a critical success, selling so many 45s and capturing such a loyal following in so short a time. their splendid first album, -the excitements- available on vinyl and cd - has been produced by the great mike mariconda - the only living man with a direct connection between his ears and his crotch. hearing is believing, and koko and her partners are bound to mesmerize with numbers such as nathaniel mayer s -from now on-, barbara stephens s -wait a minute- and little richard s -never let you go-, a track which will go straight to your heart. you may call them old-fashioned. a classic sound, if you wish. one thing is clear: the good stuff is here to stay. stop reading, listen to the excitements and hear for yourself.

one year, one album, 60 tracks! -the annual 2012- vereint auf drei cds saemtliche protagonisten der dance szene inklusive den 60 angesagtesten club hits des jahres! die -annual- serie zaehlt zweifelsohne zu den weltweit etabliertesten compilations ueberhaupt. vorliegender sampler beinhaltet die club hits des jahres, darunter tracks und remixes von boys noize, adele, aloe blacc, ian carey feat. snoop dogg & bobby anthony, wolfgang gartner feat. will i am, toddla t feat. shola ama, fedde le grand, high contrast feat. tiesto & underworld u.v.m.!

mad decent is proud to announce our very own -mad decent volume 1- compilation, featuring 18 tracks hand selected by our leader diplo from his favorite overlooked remixes of past releases plus a variety of new music from our next crop of artists. the compilation presents a selection of mad decent artist who ve helped shape the labels unique personality since inception. featuring huge new remixes of classics such as bosco delreys -wild one- (reset! remix) and malucas -el tigeraso- (sticky k remix) to unreleased gems like boy 8-bit -house on the hill- and dillon francis -beautician 2.0-, to in your face bangers like ruskos -everyday- (netsky remix). mad decent vol. 1 is as much a showcase of the labels biggest names and tracks as it is an illustration of its incessant efforts to bring new genres and cultures to light. the label has come a long way from the underground philly scene where it all started, collecting a diversified group of artists along the way. from blaqstarr, to rusko, to savage skulls and po po, the sound and influences come from all over the world, and somehow work together to form a unified front of weirdos that make music outside the lines.

in 2009 the flamingo records crew compilation captured the white isle s club-juice in ibiza and 12 months later set their sights on the big apple for a new york chapter. now, with the city s musical mercury at sky-high levels, they ve returned flamingo nights to their home streets for the amsterdam edition. this year flamingo honchos funkerman and fedde le grand have ceded the mix controls to label lieutenants nicky romero and deniz koyu - two of central europe s fastest on-the-rise spin-masters.

this collection documents the two-decades-plus recording career of r&b icon luther vandross. even before he started putting out records under his own name, he was a first-call session singer (hes the one who created and sang the chorus hook on david bowies -young americans,- for just one example). throughout the 80s and the 90s, he was (both commercially and aesthetically) one of the most consistently successful r&b singer/songwriter/producers. this healthy two-disc selection of highlights from the impressive vandross catalogue moves deftly from heartfelt ballads (-a house is not a home-) to percolating, poppy numbers (-never too much-), spotlighting the mans mellifluous voice and tasteful phrasing at each turn. this is quite clearly the definitive career summary for this deeply influential r&b titan.

this is the first part (of four) of the much anticipated reissue series of drexciya s early catalogue, marking 20 years since the release of their first ep deep sea dweller , and 10 years since their final album grava 4 . one of the most influential techno acts ever, and part of the heritage of detroits underground resistance, drexciya explored techno like no-one else before: raw and uncompromising music that reflected the harsh environment of the city where drexciya was conceived, with a mythical approach that only added to their cult appeal. drexciya arguably stands for the darker side of techno and electro, made not only for the club scene, but a further development of the music as an expression and extension of the mind. journey of the deep sea dweller is a near-complete collection of their early works, released in four parts, with all audio remastered from the original master tapes. since the original releases have such a strong character and stand on their own, these reissue can never recreate the magic of those originals. instead, clone have stirred up the catalogue, taking tracks out of their original context, giving the committed fan a fresh experience and the new listener a document that is the best possible introduction to the aquatic world of drexciya.

the album is just a few seconds under an hour long, consists of seventeen tracks and covers every style from wonky reggae through pop-funk, street spitting, straight up hip hop, sung ballads and epic death-disco. it deepens much of what mr manuva has already achieved over a glorious decade of innovation, but also throws in enough new ideas and adventures to last most creative artists a lifetime. we think it is his very best work since run come save me. we re wondering (whisper it) whether it might be his best album ever.

ralph myerz is with no doubt one of the most active music personas of the norwegian music scene. it was the year of 1997 when ralph asked for people to play percussion with him during a party in bergen, norway. the jack herren band showed up through a combination of mutual contacts and high-school friendship. supposedly a one-time-event, they had so much fun playing together that they decided to form a band, and ralph myerz & the jack herren band was formed. the band released a 7inch and a 12inch on the telle records that were followed by great reviews from magazines and dj around europe, including dimitri from paris who included the track nikita on one of his playboy mansion compilations.

this latest release by the ever impressive trunk records consists of two jazz recordings from 1964. the first four tracks, credited to west indian trumpeter shake keane, are taken from an unreleased acetate belonging to garricks private collection. the final four tracks consist of the shake keane & michael garrick quartettes a case of jazz ep that had a limited pressing of just 99 copies. much like trunks earlier michael garrick release moonscape (which was recorded in the same year), this is indeed obscure 1960s uk jazz. the first four cuts from the untitled acetate are very much jazz of the bossa nova variety. the hastings girls choir feature on the first two tracks and their lush vocals add a cool exotic vibe. tracks 3 & 4 are taken from the flipside of the acetate and were recorded with the gordon langford orchestra. the final four tracks from the a case of jazz ep are freer flowing and keanes trumpeting accompanied by garricks piano makes for some quality early modern british jazz. moody album closer regrets is a stunner and best showcases how well they both compliment each other.

-introduction to zoology- is the first album of music composer and film editor bartosz cichonsky. the title of his album is certainly sarcastic and that is in fact a clue about how much offbeat it is. doctor in atmosphere for some, pytors signature sound

gem club is an exclusive society: two people, a piano, and a cello. vocalist christopher barnes sings in a quivering whisper, and these minimal accompaniments assure that their sound never becomes louder than a hush. but the massachusetts duo s debut ep, acid and everything, showed just how much emotional intensity you could pack into compositions so spare, and how much could be suggested with so little. everything on breakers, their first full-length, sounds frozen over: icy, quiet, austere. you know that eerie feeling when you find yourself alone in a huge public place that s usually crowded-- maybe a shopping mall or a playing field- but at that moment is totally empty? this record sounds like a sustained version of that feeling. -i heard the party- juxtaposes echoing piano chords and a general sense of unease (-no one could have told you / your body would fail you-) with the refrain -i heard the partys here- floating across the track like the sound of dried up laughter. the word -party- feels so out of place in a song so pensive and lonely that there s something jarring about the experience. the feeling crops up repeatedly on breakers: a sense of slow-motion detachment, a suggestion that there were signs of life here once, but you ve arrived a couple of hours- or maybe a couple of weeks- too late.

one of the most referenced producers of the last year and one of the most influential producers on the scene: mk aka marc kinchen presents a sublime collection of his work, much of which has been previously unavailable digitally, on this latest volume in the house masters series. during the halcyon period of house music in the early 90s, marc kinchen became one of the genres most respected producers and in-demand remixers. starting out at an incredibly young age in detroit as a protŽgŽ of techno god kevin saunderson before later moving to new york, he fast became a prolific figure in the dance music community. here twenty of his most influential of recordings are collected and made available completely unedited, unmixed and dj friendly for the very first time. this package includes 9 tracks that have never been made available digitally.

andreas reihse is well known since 1994 in his role as musician with kreidler. sometimes he releases club music, for example using his alias april or with detlef weinrich (kreidler, tolouse lowtrax) as binford on labels like italic, onitor or smoothrooms. he also composed soundtracks for artist movies and installations (rosemarie trockel, maximilian zentz zlomowitz, thea djordjadze, andreas gursky, frances scholz/mark von schlegell, among others). romantic comedy is music for dark clubs, for places without much light and oxygen Ð its driving, percussive dance music. a comedy in six acts: from l.a. to dŸsseldorf and back. music and lyrics? - pop goes my heart! - of course its a romantic comedy, a bittersweet romance full of memories and a bit of sorrow. >der lange weg nach dŸsseldorf< the title reminds of mittagspauses der lange weg nach derendorf, derendorf, the district of dŸsseldorf where andreas reihse and stefan betke / pole in the late 80ies shared a rehearsal room. langeweg also was the adress of the studio of klaus dinger in zeeland. the titles of the other pieces refer to dubious characters that show that the trip on the west coast makes stops in manchester, milano, brussels and london without forgetting charlottenburg and williamsburg. places that hold up against oblivion and reinvent themselves. your club needs you. the cover was designed by artist thea djordjadze

five classic artist albums in wallets housed in a new slipcase. nice and simple, no frills just great music! includes circle of love (1975), together (1977), we are family (1979), love somebody today (1980) and all american girls (1981).

anders trentemoller has become one of the most respected names in cutting edge electronic music in the last few years. his rise to notoriety was sparked by his early, techy releases for poker flat and audiomatique and has since gone on to stellar highs with his own personal take on the genre, spanning, pop, rock, indie and classical. his debut album >the last resort< was released in 2006 to much international acclaim, and the producer also began to become an in-demand remixer in the house and techno world. as the decade wore on his sound continued to progress, opening up his studio to more live instrumentation, and a looser, rock-meets electronic vibe with his stunning >into the great wide yonder< lp. now this special double cd and double vinyl release celebrates some of the producer s favourite remixes he completed for other artists, and also some of his personal picks where other musicians have reworked his music.

the future of dance music is happening now. the next generation of edm producers is stepping up, with w&w bearing the flag of todays promise. no need to wait much longer. after merely 4 years of warming up, the duo sets things alight with the long-awaited debut album impact. though theres plenty of challenges left on their to-do list, dutch producers willem van hanegem and ward van der harst no longer play the game of rookies.

walls alessio natalizia and sam willis dont deal in perfect wholes. the kompakt duo return swiftly on the back of 2010 s critically lauded self titled debut, an album that picked up mojos coveted electronic album of the year, featured in nmes end-of-year lists, not to mention winning fans such as of jamie xx, caribou, james holden and impressing us trio battles so much that they have invited the pair on tour around the us this coming october. yet it isnt these admittedly impressive accolades that make the announcement of second lp >coracle< such an anticipated one, what makes walls so alluring is the fully immersive experience of their mellifluous electronica Ð reaching out far and wide to pull influences sonic, emotional and theoretical together into patterns of blissful phantasmagoria. taking their debut as the prototype, willis and natalizia have taken those initial early-sunrise evocations and pushed them to even more grandiose expanse

even the biggest secrets will come out eventuallyÉ! and so we are very excited to announce the next in the series of dessous >best kept secrets< - volume 3 no less!cd1 - compiled by steve bug, cd2 - mixed by phonique..

was i the wave? is the ophomore offering from montreal musician and producer miracle fortress (graham van pelt). miracle fortress gained international recognition in 2007 for his debut album five roses, a unique collection of psychedelic shoegazey-pop that garnered high praise from numerous outlets. it was also short listed for canadas polaris prize that year, alongside arcade fires neon bible and feists the reminder. while it bears little stylistic resemblance to his debut, was i the wave? is in some ways a similar offering, insofar as it takes us on a trip deep into van pelts unique musical mind. theres not much of an argument for calling this record indie-rock-its essentially an electronic offering--but existing fans wont find it too difficult to hear van pelts signature hooks swimming among the big synths, and deep beats. like five roses, it was created in isolation from top-to-bottom, with van pelt serving as composer, arranger, performer, producer, and engineer. taken as a product of his occasionally hermitic temperament, many of tracks here express themes of alienation, anonymity, or the desire for the assurances of intimacy.

wretch 32, real name jermaine scott, is one of the uks most loved mcs - from the underground up. from his early years in londons flourishing grime scene back in the early 00s, the tottenham-raised lyricist has always stood out from the crowd. his conscious and reflective bars, along with an extremely relaxed flow, made him a firm favourite on the uk hip hop circuit. much like tinie tempah, wretch 32 has proved that british mcs can reach the mainstream without selling their soul to pop. the first fruits of this crossover success were tasted in january 2011, when his single traktor broke into the domestic top five following an appearance on the bbc sound ofÉ list. and his second official single, unorthodox, fared even better, peaking at number two in april. so its clear that much has changed since his debut lp of 2008, wretchrospective - but has public recognition come at the expense of what marked wretch 32 out as such a talent in the first place? not at all - on the opening title-track, the rapper lets the listener know that its the same old wretch at work. over a drum-heavy hip hop beat he sets up the rest of the album well, advising everyone to fasten their seatbelts as he prepares to take them on a ride that they wont forget in a hurry. never be me finds wretch delving into his past, opening up about making certain decisions in life that got him to where he is today. featuring rnb newcomer angel on the hook, the track has an inspirational feel to it - all over another impressive, but this time more grime-influenced, beat. a true standout is anniversary, with alex mills on singing duties - its a love song, minus any cheese. then the album lurches into the electro-infused sanes the new mad - a glimpse into wretchs party lifestyle, with ladies and alcohol at the forefront of his attentions. and closer dont go just might be one of the tracks of the year.

larry chubby reynolds as he was originally called cut some 45 s for the tri-spin label when first starting out in detroit during the 60s. he recorded with groups the relations and chocolate syrup before ultimately, in 1973, replacing william howard as lead singer of the dramatics. here he recorded and performed before his solo album deal with capitol records in 1981 which gave us the l.j. reynolds (which included key to the world ) then travelin in 1982. ahead of this fantasy album came lovin man for mercury in 1984, then ultimately tell me you will which features a special guest appearance by the o jays. rare on cd, this album has been much sought after by soul fans in recent years.

daddy kevs label is proud to announce the release of ctrl alt delete, the debut album from free the robots. a staggering work of mind-warping electronics, fuzzed-out psych and devastating hip-hop beats, the impending release of ctrl alt delete will catapult free the robots to the forefront of the world renowned l.a. beat scene. initially started as a side project by chris alfaro in 2003, free the robots has quickly garnered a worldwide audience. combining dusty swap-meet samples, futuristic synthesizers and live instrumentation, free the robots has created a unique harmony of past sounds and future ruminations. much like his l.a. contemporaries flying lotus and nosaj thing, free the robots knows no genre boundaries. ctrl alt delete, which also features ikey owens of the mars volta, has been a long time coming. originally signed to alpha pup over two years ago, free the robots has put his heart and soul into this album. meticulously constructed, the album is a culmination of countless late nights at low end theory club, combined with a spirit of fearless experimentation. the result rattles with grit and swagger - a firm proclamation of free the robots sonic arrival.

you can forgive a band who set out to create something even just a little bit different and get it horrendously wrong, but its tough to have sympathy for a band who shy away from the challenge altogether. such was the case with autokratz on their first album, animal, which, apart from a passable opening track, consisted of a series of bland electronic pastiches Ð dance music that conversely made the listener want to sit and wait it out. that didnt stop the hype building around the duo, though, thanks in no small part to the fact that the album was released through in-vogue french label kitsunŽ music. the confusing positivity surrounding the lp suggesting, perhaps, that style overcomes substance once a record company has received the hipster seal of approval.this time around, however, kitsune has stepped aside, with autokratz releasing the follow-up on their own label, bad life. but has the sense of responsibility that surely comes with this step made them re-evaluate their direction? has it inspired them to inject a much-needed shot of creativity into their work? not a hope. if anything, autokratz descend even further into mediocrity on self help for beginners. once again, their best tunes are loaded towards the front of the album, starting with the lead single, -opposite of love. its far from outstanding, helped in no small part by the terribly contrived lyrics, but does possess a catchy synth melody Ð enough to earn it a place on club playlists, at least. its a similar story with -becoming the wraith, which has peter hook on hand to deliver an overtly new order-esque bassline. beyond that, however, the quality dips dramatically. tracks like -the seventh seal and -r.i.s.e. are typical of the selection on offer, underwhelmingly vapid, derivative tunes which show up a disappointing, but not totally unexpected, scarcity of guile on the part of their creators.where autokratz do excel is as producers Ð a quality evident not only in their own work, but also in their remixes for other artists. unfortunately, this only serves to exacerbate their deficiencies on the other side of the control room desk. ultimately it may mean that, having failed to address the shortcomings of their debut, autokratz will be fated to be filed under -also rans in the annals of music history. thats assuming, of course, that someone out there will actually remember them at all.

amiable new york city-based alt-rockers spin doctors hit it big in 1993 with the jam band hits -two princes- and -little miss cant be wrong,- both of which fueled many countless collegiate afternoons spent hacky sacking and devil stick juggling amidst a sea of red plastic cups. released in 2011, the best of spin doctors, which doesnt differ too much from 2000s just go ahead now: a retrospective or 2009s playlist: the very best of spin doctors, features 18 tracks culled from the groups three albums for epic. front-loaded with the groups two biggest, aforementioned hits, the collection loses steam as it progresses (though there are some tight, 70s-inspired nuggets to be found like -mary jane- and -cleopatras cat-), due in no small part to the groups penchant for always staying in its comfort zone.

daydreaming is the debut album release from paris based artist von d on boka records. a fusion chef of bassweight, von d has deftly sliced into unpredictable genres, concocting strange and beautiful new forms.the album sees von d collaborating with the internationally renowned foreign beggars, phephe, david boomah (vocalist for shy fx murderation), riya & mr lager, while his previous work has also been remixed by a host of respected dubstep djs including skream and tes la rok. born into the cultural melting pot of the paris suburbs, von d found his souls conduit in a beaten up old drum kit. whilst the riddims of king tubby alongside the foetal jungle of photek and serge gainsborg were initial inspirations, after forging a successful path as a sound engineer von d honed his sound sculpting skills to a razor sharp edge. von ds productions have been picked up by skream, arguably one of dubsteps most successful artists, who snapped up a release for his label disfigured dubs. dj chef released von ds >show me< on his sub freq imprint, which quickly became one of the most talked about releases of 2009 Ð so much so that three time dmc world champion dj craze has been supporting the track in recent mixes. not one to be complacent, von dÕs kept up the pressure with releases on black acre, tempa, soul jazz and argon Ð enough to attract the attention of bbc radio 1s gilles peterson who has included a track for his hotly anticipated brownswood bubblers compilation album. von d has created a global buzz with his numerous explosive live performances featuring unreleased and exciting material from himself as well as other established producers. having had a host of successful tours in the united states, europe and china, von d has now set his sights on touring new zealand and australia

gil scott-heron is one of the most influential and important singer/songwriters to have come out of america in the second half of the last century. much can be said about why this gil s lyrics are so original and powerful but ,it is important not to overlook his utterly singular voice which is so distinctive and rough and tender. it is a voice of experience. a new record from gil scott-heron, forty years after his first solo album, is a cause for major celebration and something that the world needs now more than ever.

parallel is the bold debut album from rising star dosem. the catalan producer behind such hits as >silent drop< and the sexy smash >beach kisses< unveils his futuristic vision on a double album comprised of >dosem< and >sendo<, that take listeners from gironas sultry shores to the throbbing heart of the worlds best dancefloors....

each summer, a new raft of dance compilations stake claim to represent the real ibiza. but, if anyone deserves that that accolade, it is josŽ padilla, who first arrived on the white island in 1975 and who has been djling there ever since. for jose it has been always great to experience different music and play around the colours. as jose days if it was grey, id play one way, if it was very bright, id play happy. id play with the mood. those sunsets have become legendary Ð an essential part of the ibiza experience, climaxing in warm applause as the sun finally disappears beneath the waves, and those famous mix tapes evolved into the much-loved cafŽ del mar compilation albums, conceived and compiled by josŽ padilla, which have now sold over 5 million copies around the world.