los angeles droid behavior celebrates its 15th anniversary with a two-part release from its principal artists. over the last 15 years, droid behavior constructed, developed and institutionalized the west coast techno scene with their lauded event series interface. the label droid recordings fol- lowed with the launch of its first release -negative 01-, a compilation of l.a. producers showcasing new perspectives from north american techno. the forthcoming compilation negative 02 explores the label s vision from the voices that have laid its foundation, from the dark and strange, to the slightly experimental, to streamlined dance floor tools. part 1 of the compilation delivers 4 tracks from l.a. techno stalwarts, leading with label head drumcell. with releases on clr, dystopian, detroit underground and his own experimental label bl__k noise, drumcell s channels his diverse sound into a pitch-black banger in -dividing- a thick chugging track with an undercurrent of hypnotic stabs, pads and vocals.. the second track features one of the techno s most celebrated artists - truncate. also known as audio injection, david flores turns in the ultimate dj tool with -down,- a mastery of sequence subtlety layered on this introspective production. droid cofounders and vrv label heads rai&#769,,,z contribute the most entrancing arrangement for negative 02 - -ephemeral beings- which warns of social decay and encourages positive change via this and dark and beautiful composition. longtime droid resident viktor carrillo offers his debut release for the label with -coma walk- an ingenious application of the goa sound in conjunction with clever fm synthesis which makes for highly effective mix addition. a second release will follow to celebrate this anniversary, featuring more from the droid family including luis flores, hyperactive, subversive and aaron litchke.

a 10 track slowdive into the sinuous distraction of love that is at one time, and however briefly or not, owned or desired by every breather to walk their years until dust. simple movements in synthesis provide currency for this forray of dark electropop, layered in poetic intrusions that tip a brim to william wordsworth, henry miller and dylan thomas as they ripple out in their own visceral style and intergrity.

eric fetcher has been given the honour of contributing to invite’s choice and does so with a four-track banger for its ninth output.
kaissa’s neurotic synth and wobbly bass combined with its forceful hi-hat open this ep in a stripped-down fashion, which makes it perfect to build tension and make transitions in any dirfections while mixing. mephisto continues on the path chosen with coherent and hypnotising synthesis, whilst keeping a funky kind of feel due to the very present kick and hi-hats, yet has a darker feel to it. deep blue on the b-side is a more four-to-the-flour track with a rousing synth and banging hi-hat, perfect for lifting up a crowd! cray blitz combines hypnotising bleep-like sounds and a mind-blowing string with droning low-end sounds. hypnotising like the other tracks - but with more drive - this ep is closed down. eric fetcher showcases his take on techno which fits perfectly between both modern day and oldschool techno!

after releases on fxhe, deeplabs, and planet-e, brian kage returns with “the arc ep,” a new record on his new label, michigander. “the arc ep” is dedicated to celebrating hopeful and inspiring times in the city of detroit. the arc - dark minor chord stabs emerge and echo around a solid concrete foundation of classic 909 style drum patterns and deep pulsating bassline hits. the structure builds until giving way to a break of lush symphonic strings that pay tribute to detroit in a nostalgic manner. the arc (stringless mix) has been crafted for creating and releasing cascades of tension in the darkest of warehouses. d drive – a saturated synth lead effortlessly bounces through two octaves in a classic groove that is unmistakably from an alternative universe where the 80s never ended. this feel-good jam will get even the toughest of crowds smiling and rocking out. transcending – this contemplative soundscape flings percussive hisses rippling through a deep melodic realm. an atmosphere of timeless synthesis provides reassurance that it was a great decision to come out wearing comfortable shoes and dressed to sweat.

pampa is ecstatic to welcome berlins mike denhert for his label debut. known for an uncompromising, heads-down approach to moving dance floors, whether as a producer, a dj, or in his live incarnation, mike has provided 2 original tracks that are as distinct as they are relentless, possessed of a cerebral quality that belies their tough and stripped back aesthetic. how close to be is a stuttering march of half heard and half imagined discourse, broken by bright synthesis which disappears before it can fully form, with the disorientating sonics held in check only by the rigidity of rhythm running throughout the tracks length. its both surprising and linear. dark and uplifting. me too is also a creature of opposing ideologies. warped moving jazz plays with static motorik patterns, automation curls around repetition, and textures change position throughout. bright keys warp, and swing ebbs in and flows out, all to an eventually breathless but ultimately compelling sum of these parts

following the release of 2015’s animistas album on mindtours, steevio returns with the fourth and final volume in the modular techno series after starting the project in 2012. initially conceived as he moved his studio practice towards a purely outboard, analogue, modular synthesiser set up, the modular techno series has charted the development of steevio’s exploration of this working practice both on record and on stage. the work involved in live appearances across the uk and europe over the past four years have fed into the creative process, with rehearsals for sets often yielding the material that has ended up on vinyl. volume 4 is arguably the darkest instalment in the series to date, dealing in a strict economy of minimalist rhythms and off-key melodic touches while still easily identified as the unmistakable tones and distinctive grooves of steevio. in the grand tradition of techno as visionary music, the dystopian tone that lingers throughout modular techno vol 4 points to a future of uncertainty, but this is far from nihilistic music, always within the darkness remains a glimmer of hope.

following last summers acclaim ruede hagelsteins long player apophenia, we once again revisit the album, this time with a few stunning remixes from the drifter, can be love synth, and ruede himself of the hugely popular footprints feat. c.a.r.. up first is the drifter and he turns out what may be his best remix to date with a swelling, emotional ride that will most definitely be an anthem for the coming summer. taking a different approach, yet just as engaging, ruede reworks his original into a dark, looping psychedelic odyssey perfect for late nights or early mornings. can love be synth rounds out the remixes with a gorgeous pop-esque twist on the original choosing to focus on live instrumentation and retro synthesis resulting in a cross-over favorite. and finally, for all the times you want the vibe without the vocal, a dub version of the original gem.

for the opening ep from too many squares, frank butters manages to gene-splice together the raw dna from all of the ugly-beautiful sounds present in the birth of modern dance music. -conditioning for solitude- is the hum of dark tubes, the slice and hiss of sharp synthesised percussion and the scream of blissful dementia. the mutant that existed for a brief and joyous frozen moment while disco was still birthing house. -body burn” is the tropics with a black sun and africanism with a stopwatch instead of a heart. recalling experimentalist forays by the likes of liaisons dangereuses, patrick cowley and karen finley, the 2 originals on offer manage to recall the raw passion of an era without feeling contrived or derivative. the ep is rounded off by sheila fleurraters remix of * 3 minute warning* which continues the pioneer-ist motif, albeit allying itself with a much more early industrial aesthetic.

london modular alliance is the raw and unpredictable music project from the uk’s best known, dedicated modular synth shop london modular. its members simon lynch, phil ventre and gavin pykerman met through a shared passion in modular synthesisers. impromptu gatherings and jams soon turned into live performances at clubs, festivals and museums. from the hushed environs of the tate modern and v&a to vast sweatboxs such as fabric, bloc, freerotation, weather and berghain, london modular clearly have a flair for all things modular. this year sees a return to bloc weekender as well as new adventures at festivals such as dekmantel. they create an intense live show with a huge setup of self-assembled modular gear. every set starts with one small looping beginning – a patch – and is expanded into a deep sonic landscape. with the use of cables they build unexpected circuits and explore the power of pure electronic sounds without the use of a digital software infrastructure. no laptops, no button pushing, everything is created on the spot using modular synthesizers and is based on live improvisations. overall lma tries to keep its live sets in the dark: unrecorded, off the internet and only for those who are present in the moment. a clear break with the capture-all mentality of the internet age.

la nature malade brings along a brand new album of analog electronics for 2015 from a well known uk producer operating under a new alias, aquariun. eden and after is a 9 track album on a limited hand numbered pro dubbed blood red cassette in an edition of 100 worldwide. crossing styles and opening with the sub aquatic funk of title track side one takes you through banging electro on energy in constitution, the dark dub techno of to the letter of my oath and leaves you disappearing through a black hole on the path of helium rain. on side two a slice of dark, heavy instrumental hip hop gets things started with where is that perception? next we get into some straight 4/4 club techno with cut up drums and bumping baseline of mi dominante before moving through some blissed out detroit vibes on earth looking inwards, aliens talking through fm synthesis on collected stills and finally closing out on a rough as you like tr606 driven electro groover. look out for more to come from aquariun in 2016.

crimes of the future are proud to present the first recorings from bulb. bulb are willie burns, scott fraser and timothy j. faiplay two live jams recorded in new york in the spring of 2014. side a combines gehtto techno breaks with something from wayward kosmiche studio experiments in deepest germany. on side two dark ambient synthesis and stabbing drums combine to drop you somewhere in a world of psychedelia and cavernous cave dwellings.

it grabs you and turns you round. resistance is futile. fall into it gleefully because the darkness has been lit, there is a chill in the air and you feel as taut as a bow. laurent pastor and marc lapeyre (fkclub) are responsible for decadanse where ice doesnt hurt anymore according to the whisper in the title track. the label head was convinced by his partner to start production in a basement studio to create a sound using guitars and synthesisers. the coming together of these 2 strong (id)entities has culminated in an ep which is cinematic (train in vein, easy drive), distinguished post-punk (plan b) and electronic (decadanse). and when susuma makai ventures into the meandering ruin, he delivers a mind-blowing version.

…fast-forward to an impending soundscape absolute in rhythmatic and melodic synthesis.
drivetrain (detroit, usa) – this love …a sexy late night gem from the deeper arsenal of derrick thompson. meticulous drumming regulate a solid bass groove under an infectious keyboard riff and a moody, mysterious vocal delivery.
santonio echols (detroit, usa) – magicgrooves …santonioís soiree debut solidifies his accomplished and revered status. driving a provocative vocal sample lies a signature subterranean house track flavored with lush chords.
rennie foster (vancouver, canada) – just begun …a bionic, dark creation with a touch of syncopation. spicy pads highlight an impeccable vocal sample to consummate high-tech transcendence.
hideyoshi (tokyo, japan) – alpha decay …his first release on soiree, hideyoshi dives into the depths of minimal, atmospheric rhythm with automation, effects and a dominating kick drum. …welcome to the future.

adventurous electro project 2 years in the making featuring works from ian martin, shemale, federico leocata, das muster, obergman, koova, linear synthesis (new project from kobol electronics and heinrich dressel), dmx krew, elec pt.1 and dj stingray. think kraftwerk, drexciya, dopplereffekt and bunker-style dark basement vibes all rolled into one neatly presented package and that’s pretty much what is on offer here. a fine selection of tracks which successfully presents fresh sounds by tried-and-tested names, while simultaneously introducing upcoming and arguably lesser known, but by no means any less talented artists. thoroughly essential for all electro fans out there. limited edition vinyl pressing

brand new project out of italy from obtanes francesco baudazzi ! features printed insert in clear poly bag francesco baudazzi, sometimes known as obtane amongst other secretive pseudonyms, is an electro-acoustic sound artist hailing from the tyrrhenian coast between la spezia and carrara on the west coast of italy and is renowned for producing truly dark atmospheric and droning conceptual music, enlivened with subtle, spacious field recordings and analogue synthesis. running the highly regarded zooloft recordings alongside giorgio gigli for the last five years. francesco has managed to create a highly respected sound dipping heavily into drone and industrial techniques, whilst retaining the truly hypnotic sound of early italian electronic music. making guest appearances away from his zooloft imprint label under his obtane monicker on labels such as synewave, sonic groove and strobescopic artefacts. surface welcome francescos first release under his birth name, for part two of the surface limited series focusing on the diversity that artists have to offer away from the constraints of their expected roles amongst the scene

part 2 of 3 of the remix package taken from the triple vinyl album ?un?nished business by suspect - thug records as the apocalypse rages on, communications expert tevo howard has be assigned to help develop a strategy that can end the terror. with no known footage or visual sightings of suspect, tracking the enigma responsible for launching the virus known only as ?un?nished business remains dif?cult. the survival of humanity sits on a knife edge. the virus has been ef?cient in its ability to morph and remain undetected. previous vaccines have only helped slow the rapid spread of the virus. now a new hope beacons… the resistance is armed with 3 new bio weapons which have been developed from original strains of suspects material. transmitted via an injection of analog drum machines, dark rave synthesis and tevo howards unique arrangement techniques, the thug 004 remix package adds new weight to humanities plight for survival.

from now on, the duo’s ascent was constant and then lightning struck: remixes for n.e.r.d, britney spears, franz ferdinand, u2, daft punk, lenny kravitz and an ep in 2006 (” waters of nazareth “) defining the “justice sound, this famous ultra-powerful compression of pop and baroque melodies, both dark and threatening, lightning and animative, and above all the famous justice image, the cross from which an earlier version figures on the first ep. 2007 was the explosion that will turn the duo into the emblem of a whole generation: their first album “†, anticipated like the messiah, holds all the promises, and swept everything away as an epic soundtrack. “†” is more than a magnificent synthesis of our time: its potential definition. 800 000 sales worldwide and 4 years later, the album is considered as a mainstay of the 2000s puzzled and tonic, one of the few who bridged the gap from pitchfork world to mtv without losing its credibility. ++etched vinyl + 90 cm x 60 cm poster (500 are signed by the band !!!)++

aux 88 long standing in the aux quadrant have reemerged as arashi hoshino and shin muramatsu. the mental transformation from aux 88 to mad scientist has set events into motion that have converted the mad scientist mental circuitry in to two unique entities. using smaller more adaptable nano circuitry to create new electronic synthesis from the original aux voice and mind. black tokyo are visionist, scientist, and mental programmers on the teachings of electronic sound. black tokyo’s second laboratory long thought to be hidden somewhere beneath the dark streets and factories of detroit have assembled some of the world’s most advanced technology and software to create new devices of electronic sounds. aux 88 have been under surveillance for years by others who have sought to learn if the two aux 88 members are indeed the same entities the mad scientist or are have they indeed transformed into black tokyo. the two men have ventured into their 4/4 techno world black tokyo

the techno revolution 30 years ago, where boundaries, walls and our own guarded natures came crumbling down? the archaic establishment-challenging attitude and forthright energy of the punks? the long-awaited eruption of gay culture that had burned and yearned since the dawn of mankind? dare you travel even further back? rewind two hundred years to the romantic revolution where men like the blitzed berloiz helped us transcend our physical limitations for suspended moments of fantastique disbeliefÉ all of these moments have shaped us, our music and our culture. each movement comprising artists who like us right now are trying to make sense of the uncertain world, the chaotic present and the fearful future. artists like hell. welcome to the futureÉreflecting over his participation and contribution to myriad cultural movements since the late 70s, his passion of ever-evolving musical form and our current socialpolitical landscape, hell taps into our collective rich histories, our combined fears and our mutual desires to create his most personal, ambitious and thought provoking body of work to date: zukunftsmusik. his fifth studio album zukunftsmusik fuses some of hellÕs strong signature motifs (his passion for subversion, his great kosmiche canvases, sudden throbbing bursts of dancefloor dynamism, subtle songcraft) yet it sounds unlike anything hell has ever created before. there are very few big club singles. a delicate balance of classical dramatic orchestral tension and evocative futuristic synthesis runs throughout. dark and light, hope and fear, fast and slow, day and night.over the course of one hour helmut josef geier invites you on a musical trip of a lifetime his lifetime, your lifetime, musicÕs lifetime.