rench dj-producer tom pooks releases a very special mixed compilation, bringing to your ears the kazantip unique atmosphere. the kazantip republic invites tom pooks each year, so he decided to release a mixed compilation to share his experience. last year, tom pooks opened for carl cox performance and the idea of this compilation became really serious, with the support of mike spirit, the then minister of songs and dance of the kazantip republic. now, french techno expert reveals a deep and strong mix, with 13 underground tracks and nothing but good vibes. without any big names nor big hits, tom pooks delivers a brillant mix, evolutive and mental as he loves. this mix sounds like the freedom and magic of kazantip, which is a strong experience in tom pooksÕs life : Çmy first time at kazantip was something weird, arriving in the midlle of nowhere, kind of lost in south of ukraine, even a bit scared : not my language, not the same food, not the same cultureÉ but after being welcomed by mike and his team, i found out the real spirit of kazantip !È no doubt, this compilation is a real tribute to the kazantip way of clubbing

over the last couple of years, christopher rau has built a reputation as the finest ear canal masseuse in the contemporary house music scene, catching the attention of fellow hamburger dj koze who has recruited him for this new three-track ep. raus debut full-length asper clouds, released in the fall, was noted for straddling the line between >club< and >headphone< music, earning 4 out of 5 stars from resident advisor along the way, and now, with the how are you ep, he follows up to further explore his sonic approach: an assault of subtlety. >pervading animal< is built upon a solid foundation of familiar rhythm box elements, but like vines and moss, the sedating sounds of strings and keys envelop the empty spaces, showing christopher raus ability to combine the artificial and the organic into something transcendent. then, on the flip side, he lets his weirdness factor shine. at first, >c f r< sounds like by-the-numbers muppet new age, but graduates with distinction as the meowing synth squiggles saunter over the basketball beat. the ep denouements with >how are you today<, marked by a toasty chord progression thats playfully trying to compose itself as the track moves forward, turning science fiction into science fact. you want to believe

history has spawned hundreds of genius double acts – where two minds and talents collide to form something innovative and artistically challenging. unfortunately, spirit catcher are just a pair of european weirdos. jean vanesse and thomas sohet have collaborated under their spirit catcher guise on such notable labels as 20:20 vision, silver network, missive, winding road, and nrk. their electronic disco tech dancefloor bombs get play from an immensely wide range of djs looking to help their crowds freak the funk. we are proud to have this highlyinfluential duo on our 15 year anniversary compilation. beezy operator is pure spirit catcher, and this time they bring an infectious soulful vocal to really spice things up,

strut present the story of one of the most influential and revered labels emerging from new york in the late >70s and 80s<, ze records. after the late 70s punk and new wave explosion in new york, ze became a by-word for the anything-goes culture clashes that typified the big apple during the early 80s. formed by french art student michel esteban and british journalist michael zilkha, ze quickly created its own unique independent universe, signing artists as varied as alan vegas electronic postpunk pioneers suicide, trash disco queen cristina and maverick producer august darnell a.k.a. kid creole. with estebans sharp graphic eye leading the labels visual identity, ze hit the new york zeitgeist head on and became supremely hip û in 1982, the face magazine nominated it ôthe most fashionable label in the world.the labels early success led to a deal with chris blackwells island records, which gave zes releases worldwide exposure and brought worldwide fame to kid creole, was (not was) and more. over thirty years on and ze remains one of the great cult labels of its time. with this new compilation, strut takes a snapshot of the many weird and wonderful fusions that surfaced on its famous nyc cab-influenced yellow and black label. highlights include one of the earliest outings by was (not was), tell me that im dreaming, a disbelieving commentary on reagan-omics, bob blankÆs short-lived disco supergroup aural exciters and a larry levan mix of kid creoles biting parable about corruption in the caribbean, theres something wrong in paradise. other featured artists include ze label regulars cristina, bill laswells material, kookie french experimentalist lizzy mercier descloux, and camp disco-electro icons, les garcons.

eklo 011, his first single on the label, after his famous >close to me< from the hooksey series, boris horel bring us here his idea of modern house music, a real trip in his mind with his wellknown skills, fat groovy beats, weirdy voices and some chemical hooks that bring his art to a high level of creativity and originality. a1, >how do i look like< is an attempt to mix my love for both old school and new school house music. looking for this kind of >95 tunnel< sound and feeling , but with a modern twist on the form and a more summerish vibe. the pitched vocals helps to push the track towards a weird sliding sensation ,adding a catch to the almost liquid bassline. a2, seuil remix, is something more darky and stripped down, full of analog grooves, sub and crunchy basses, he turns the track in something more deep and afterhour feeling… b, paranoia pantomime , the long side, great old school feeling >a la carter<, rolling shinning hats, fat grumbling basses lead the track...add to this some weird effects and some sexy catchy voices, here is the horels reciepe to bring u back some old feelings from your ravy times. essential debut ep for this new eklo artist. essential 12inch

applegarden is a strange duo from rotterdam making a weird kind of electronic funk. we had these tracks lying around in the office for at least 2 years...and we couldn t get them out of our system.. so something must be right!. twentyfive 6 four and armaggedon are the two original cuts on this release...and they are just a lot of fun. the finnish wonderboys of putsch 79 made the official club version of >twentyfive 6 four<. they turned the loose original version in a thight and sharp club monster that works on everydance floor. probably their most uptempo dancefloor orientated remix they ever did. allready got played by several influential dj s