ed davenport continues his full-spectrum techno experiments as inland with an elegant new ep on counterchange entitled coriolis. the title track coriolis is a moody 10 minute voyage with a morphing synth array at its core - bright, detuned stabs are layered upon tough rhythmic foundations. the jagged metallic lead builds, unearthing harmonic bleep accents and syncopated fx swells, before folding in on itself leaving the effective tribal drum section to ride on. d10d3 plows forward with an urgent staccato sequence, segueing into italo-horror filter sweeps and noise-laden moments of drama. finally tsereteli is a more reduced modern dub study, continuing ed s long running fascination with tranced-out time stretching and after-hours vibes. the 9th release on the label, the record features cover art by uk artist guy archard and is pressed on 180g vinyl.

2017 repress on black vinyl incoming!
techno stars collide as truncate and slam come together for the latest gynoid release “drum trax”. side a sees truncate return on the label with 2 original pieces in model 2 and the title track, “drum trax”. both dipped in that truncate signature floor driven minimalist funk and backed with tough percussion for drive. these are surefire dj faves waiting to happen. the flip side sees slam remix “model 2”, not once but twice. the slam remix charts darker and brooding territory, taking you deep into the rabbit hole. then the tenebris dub remix still maintains that mood, but shifts through the energy gears to develop into a dance floor bomb.

cementing his reputation as the star toaster with the small but popular el paso sound system, based in the waltham park area, dennis alcapone was one of the first deejays to rise to prominence following u roy’s breakthrough in the late 1960s. born dennis smith in the rural district of culloden, he became immersed in sound system culture after settling in western kingston. once el paso became big on the sound system circuit, dental technician-turned-producer keith hudson brought him into the studio for his debut recordings, which led to a debut album for studio one and hit material for duke reid, some cut in concert with his deejay sparring partner, lizzy. alcapones longstanding links with bunny lee yielded the excellent guns don’t argue album, first issued in 1972, on which the toaster raps with style over some of lees all-time greatest rhythms, including delroy wilsons better must come, john holts left with a broken heart and slim smiths rendition of the temptations soul classic ain’t too proud to beg.

the next set of the japanese musical tales on hhatri s imprint comes from takecha (aka takeshi fukushima), a producer who has played a part in creating some of the seminal pieces of house music that have originated from japan. his music is characterised by the perfect marriage of experimentation and emotional content. for those that know, takecha s first ep kind of deep released on his own imprint, gwm records, in 1995 is a secret gem among japanese house music collectors. only 100 copies were ever available and it is a subtle reminder of what and how deep house should sound like. takecha provides no less in a tale of shiga four gorgeous tracks that provide some insight into his own creative, albeit humble genius in his approach to producing music. fresh off the press are three previously unreleased tracks with the addition of freak out. released in 1998. tip!

florian kupfer, after a string of prestigious releases on ron morelli’s l.i.e.s. and russian torrent versions imprints, willie burns w.t. records, rush hour and ninja tune’s technicolour sub-label (lest not forget that white label sade bootleg), returns with a three track ep on private persons.
this 12 inch tells us the story of the beginning of florian’s career - his travels, dreams and of course love. title track “post present”, recorded for the first time five years ago get’s its first cut into wax. eerie, other-worldly voices reach over a kicking, distinctively kupfer-esque rhythm track. “i can’t love life without u” is a dub drive through retro-futuristic heartbreak and “&#1051,,,&#1102,,,&#1073,,,&#1086,,,&#1074,,,&#1100,,,” an ambient tip into the subconscious.

tone depth has been making music for many years but he doesnt seem to get older...... he just gets better and better. this is his 2nd release on noir music and i can assure you there’s more to come in the near future. “escape” contains 3 instrumental and very intense tracks. they are all cleverly build for the underground floors. they each have their own special signature and carry that powerful tone depth production level. each track on this ep immediatley made me “escape” into the music, took me on a journey and captivated my attention throughout the running minutes of each piece. i have been playing these tracks since the day i received them track by track and they really do grow on you (play for play) like great music always tend to do.

the first trouble maker 12” is here in full disco-led summertime force! three sure-fire summer hits, that make you smile from ear to ear and transport you to those days spent dancing in the sun… “makes you” treads the line between disco and house perfectly and delivers a summer anthem straight off the bat! the combination of party drums, howling melodic bassline and stand-out vocals makes this a stand out first release from the newcomer hatterman. “one & all” on the flip takes things slightly deeper but the focus is still very much peak time elation! think lush pads, shuffling drums, disco tints and again a killer vocal! fans of kdj, moodymann, theo parrish are going to love this! fernandos live remix fuses live bass guitar, synth stabs, arpeggiators, guitar and slithers of the original to turn it into a cosmic-disco bomb! all three are set to be festival favourites over the summer, strictly for those who like to laugh, dance and cause trouble.

nice price deal !!! supported by dj paulette/david guetta, francesco farfa, glimmer twins, kolombo, koma & bones, mason, riva starr, the scumfrog and many more... on one of his many trips to germany playing alongside marc romboy, tommie sunshine dropped by the studio of 45 rocks and heard this tune they had been working on. 20 minutes later he had the lyrics and 30 minutes more they were put to tape sending him and marc out the door in less than one hours time. the track first saw the light of day in its original form on tommie s ultra rock remixed in america and has now been transformed into a powerhouse package for every possible taste.

looking back to the beatnik era on the south coast of england.
before package holidays and the rush to benidorm, beatniks ruled the seafronts and b&b’s of the southern beach resorts. beat poets and musicians pedalled alternative viewpoints & delivered fresh melodies to these waterfronts of escapism.
marking another step forward in his sonic evolution, appleblim inaugurates beatnik boulevard with a record that channels his roots in brooding bassweight club music into startling modern compositions. from his groundbreaking work on skull disco to various mutations of house, techno and electro explored via solo and collaborative releases for r&s, aus music and tempa , this 12” finds the berlin-based producer wielding fresh approaches to synthesis in a daring framework that finds physicality in music away from obvious rhythmic tropes.

steve bug and cle go way back. as friends, dj colleagues, co-producers and label mates the pair have enjoyed a close bond for nearly twenty years. their rejected debut sees them stepping back into the studio once again to create a brand new brace of acid-tinged club cuts that whilst looking to past, are focused firmly on the future.

working with technical limitations, metro skim masters the art of omission showing that what can be left out is just as important as what is included. momentum is achieved with ticking 909 hi-hats and grumbling basslines before being thrown into whole tracks of beat-less techno sequences.

shadow play, the brand new label owned by parisian artist le loup and his partner pura, drops its second release courtesy of the bossman himself alongside chris carrier. the two men got together in the studio and cooked up some tasty goodness. the first of four tracks on this release is the intergalactic opus phoenix lights , which works off serene pads that transport you out into the cosmos, along with a warm, soothing bassline and electronic chirps and bleeps. research programm (outro) takes us into more obscure realms, as chris carrier and le loup sample a scientific vocal and create a mesmerising bed of sounds underneath it. on the flip we kick off with clouds reflection , another track which features a sample from an old instructional video. this track has minimal composition, with dreamy astral pads, shuffling beats and a grumbling low end. in the second half chris and le loup introduce more twinkling fx, to engage and hypnotise you... to bring the ep to a close we re presented with v-shape , which begins with a layer of clever drum programming aimed straight at the hips. once you re moving get ready for the juicy bassline, and a sultry top end that grips you and gripping progression. the perfect to end an utterly fresh ep..

ltd 70% deal !! after the well received ep s by label owner patrik skoog and craig mcwhinney sample & hold presents 4 tracks from 3 artists on this va ep. rotterdam s radial occupies the full a side on here, one track being a utterly monstrous machine of rhythm, another showing quite a contemplative side to his music making. the flipside goes into an entirely different realm with skoogs slip where we find combined sessions of distorted, roughly drawn out sound sketches beneath continuous streams of paranoid sequences, flowing overhead. the brand new collaboration duo chain marks here their first release under this name with their contribution to the ep and deliver an instantly recognizable, and somehow nostalgic techno sound with their single take improvised track sunstorm.

emerging from what sounds like the unknown depths of outer space, new artist icore drops a debut ep on osiris music uk lled with ve exercises in hypnotic, polyrhythmic tension. the a-side’s two tracks ’sigil’ and ‘status field’ feel like two parts of a whole, each establishing a minimal, kick-heavy march in 6/8 that would perfectly ll the cavernous hull of an abandoned mining vessel, lurching through empty parts of the galaxy to the sound of ominous drones and malfunctioning, high-end bleeps. the b-side is more cinematic in its scope, with opener ‘substance from shadow’ summoning a distinctly b-movie vibe in its melody, before both ‘claimed by night’ and ‘axiom’ retreat into darker, more ambient territory, the former thick in sub- bass kicks, the latter ramping up the dread with unnerving repetition.

!! 50% deal !!!new york by way of miami, nick klein has strung together an impressive discography over the last couple years releasing music for alter, ascetic house, and bank among others, while at the same time handling his own primitive languages imprint bringing to life music by a wide range of cellar dwelling freaks. some time in the making, we now see klein with his debut on l.i.e.s. displaying, over four tracks, a wide range of production styles, each effective in their own right. from side-chained jack to peak red drum work outs to computer based minimalist bit destruction this ep proves to be a crushing statement from an artist coming into his own

the fourth volume of the strictly for retro club use series lineabeat sees two of our most prolific producers deliverer the goods on a double a-side release. a pair of slick electro-disco chuggers that blend the familiar with contemporary and will fit into a wide variety of dj’s sets. dance floors: you have been warned!

dan curtin s name has long been associated with future looking techno, machine music oozing with soul and emotion. he has released on many seminal labels throughout his career and left an indelible mark on contemporary electronic music. alive / cascade is perhaps a lesser known entry into curtin s catalogue, released on strictly in 1994 and is almost the perfect synthesis of nyc deep house and detroit techno, a true slept on gem of a record. the music contained within the grooves of this record defy any sort of time frame, it s almost hard to believe it s over 20+ years old. a truly beautiful record, alive / cascade is a must for all electronic music lovers and will undoubtedly continue to be played and enjoyed for the next 20+ years ahead. astounding stuff and yet another example of the wide reaching ears and minds operating strictly rhythm during this golden period.

elephant moon proudly welcomes one of our good friends from barcelona, sonodab.
sonold is the starting point for this four-track ep. there’s a distinct air of mystery looming over this minimal workout. the globulous bassline bounces along supporting by clapping beats with an eerie tone that prevails throughout.
this is followed by more alluring atmospherics on ‘aporia’, a track that has an elastic b-line and every once in a while an enchanting melody drifts in, switching up the vibe turning things a little more dreamlike.
turn the record and prepare to embark on a ‘random night’. this is sonodab turning up the energy levels and taking you on a trip into another dimension to close out the ep ‘elecmann’, plays out like an ode to the good old electro days, slightly reminicent of juan atkins’ early work as model500. like the rest of the tracks on this release, sonodab adds soft pads in places to change the mood and keep things moving.

rekids founder radio slave readies a colossal double a-side titled ‘overdue’ this june. “‘the revenge’ is my homage to clubs like “rage- and my days growing up in london-, says matt edwards. “the reverse’ came from some late night studio sessions in february and i’ve had a lot of fun playing this out. all i can say is it’s very me - stripped back and made for the dance floor”. urban field recordings and a spoken word sample set the tone in ‘revenge’ before an onslaught of breaks erupt into a frenzy, the overall aesthetic borrows upon numerous uk rave hallmarks whilst sounding fresh and impeccably geared for modern dj use. meanwhile, ‘reverse’ is a quintessential radio slave record with its polished production, repetitive minimalism and atmospheric aura – rounding off a two-tracker expertly produced with the dancefloor in mind.

never to be pigeonholed, boxed if you will, schroedinger s box has once again come out of hiding (or is that once again became real?) with a new artist of indefinable qualities. steering her way through a busy marketplace of sounds and styles, angela chambers selects from an array of influences. indie. wave. electro. punk. all are present in this six tracker of ambitious proportions. tear jerking give way to emotional bangers, psy-dipped house fades into smoke shrouded experimentation as the listener is lead through a 12- of exotic surprises and out-there ideas.

up from down under, following crucial releases on his own body language imprint, lj shifts gears and steers his intricate sound-world — torn between house and ambient, with larry heard s alien lp coursing through — into deeper, more techno-infused waters. watch out for the centre of time, evoking over its twenty minutes both the arctic vapour of vletrmx21-vintage autechre and the expansiveness of vangelis in full flight. next-level stuff from berceuse heroique.

fouk are finally back on heist after their great ‘kill frenzy’ ep in 2014 and have taken mount liberation unlimited along for a remix. we’ve been waiting patiently for new material, challenging the guys to take the signature ‘fouk’ sound to the next level. fouk’s brilliance has been obvious on recent work for their own label outplay and razor ‘n tape, as well as their respective solo projects. we’ve kept a close connection, teaming up whenever possible for heist showcases, with highlights in amsterdam’s “claire” and paris’ “concrete-. seeing their work and enthusiasm made it abundantly clear that it would only be a matter of time before they’d show us what the next step would look -or better yet- sound like. anticipation ran high but boy, do fouk deliver. the excellent ‘with lasers’ ep still very much portrays their own style of loose, live percussion and many layers of funk, but they’ve expanded their vision and even toughened up a bit. their new taste for grit and an interest in the heavier side of funk is probably most evident on the opener ‘f3000&#8242,,,,,, where a thunderous arpeggio is supported by distorted drums and lush cosmic synth stabs. title track ‘with lasers’ is more of a classic fouk track, combining a lovely walking disco bassline and their signature drum programming with… erm… lasers. lots of them. the b side ‘see you on the other side’ sets a different pace, carefully blending guitar licks, rhodesy chords and vocal chops into a lovely groove that feels just as carefree and improvised as it feels exciting. swedish synth nerds “mount liberation unlimited” ran with it and transformed it into a dreamy -pepe bradock goes balearic- track where airy echoed guitars take turns with some equally dreamy and evocative pads.

former half of the defunct pitch & hold duo under the banner of which he operated from 2006 to 2011, simon halsberghe steps up on brussels’ very own vlek with his debut solo ep as simon hold. first heard on vlek s 2016 mix for resident advisor as they were appointed label of the month by the high­ranking platform last autumn, maqam bruxelloise reflects the wide­angle beauty and compelling diversity of the belgian capital and its throbbing heart, a city at the confluence of cultures and languages. across a finely­layered interplay of synthetic modulations and intricate polyrhythms, hold lays out a riveting kaleidoscope of pattern­welded textures and prismatic synth motifs played and arranged accordingly to a contemporary interpretation of the traditional arabic maqam system of improvisation the track draws its title from. an ode to brussels all­embracing effervescence. translating as -soft drone- or -pleasant noise-, the gritty dhajij doux then welcomes you into a more disquieting, bipolar audio scenario that evokes the reality of living -in a sometimes difficult and hostile city-. a curiously matching negative of the opener, in this that it taps into the same generous and plural matrix universe as main source of inspiration, but eventually opens on a more nuanced outcome, here hold clearly shows a further abrasive facet of his work: harsh and vibrant, the track may be replete with a lead­heavy amalgam of sizzling bass and jagged drumwork thrown into the furnace, light and hope still manage threading their way through dark clouds and turbulence, slowly but surely turning this rough­hewn stone into a truly haunting gem.

nice price deal !!! plucked from huge classic rave tracks. these old rave samples are mixed up with proper rough-edged kicks and drumloops, turning them into deadly tools. anyone infected with the techno / tech-house virus and some knowledge of what happened back in the days, will be flying through the roof when one of these monsters is dropped

now an essential part of the metalheadz family, artificial intelligence are back with the reprisal ep.their 2015 album on the label showed exactly what the duo are all about - blissful liquid and chunky basslines - something that was further showcased in last years shrine ep. the reprisal ep is more of the same but perhaps slightly refined, with reprisal and intimacy leading the way on the dreamy and sometimes euphoric side of things, whilst the darker sounds of sicario and force of habit transform the release into an extremely well rounded project

optimo music presents a new offshoot label, so low, named after the night of the same name in glasgow run by becky marshall, iona mchale, jd twitch and katie shambles. first lp release is happy meals “full ashram devotional ceremony volumes iv – vi” out 23rd of june. the inaugural release is from glasgow’s much-loved happy meals, a duo comprised of suzanne rodden and lewis cook and is their second album release after 2014’s acclaimed “apero” on glasgow’s night school label. full ashram is the name of happy meals’ recording studio. the devotional ceremony is happy meals connecting with their cosmic inner selves. they realise their full ashram devotional ceremony on vinyl (and digital) banishing demons, devils and ill will. devote your soul to the positive forces before the misguided, suffering spirits pull you down and wipe you out. while the album is comprised of individual tracks segueing into each other, for full salvation it is recommended to be listened to as one continuous piece.

netherlands finest, vando presents an excursions into deep and soulful microhouse and techno.

in quick succession to arcs-03, which boasted remixes by the mover, shifted and peder mannerfelt, cassegrain keep up the pressure with a new ep of originals arcs-04. returning to their tunnelling hypnotic trademark sound over three focused, club-ready trips, the arcing seas heads channel varied and irrepressible moods into each track. built on solid dancefloor founda-tions and rich in colourful, non-conventional sound design, they scan through tribal ritualism with a side shahmaran, moving to the pumping urgency of caracal and the rolling post-acid workout of vulpine arcs-04 is a straight-up dj-friendly 12inch, something that’s conveyed in the record’s more minimalist artwork.

next up on the docket for acid camp records is a record created by duo john tejada and justin maxwell. the pair came together to make acr iii with two things in mind: creating sounds that put a smile on their face while possessing as much character as possible. the opening track, -i ve got acid (on my brain)- is a mind-bending wavetable freakout, the likes of which tejada and maxwell have been striving to do for years. using a vintage ems vocoder to create an original vocal sample, this track is bright, playful, & vivacious. -the name rolls in- is layered in an acid playground of sounds. a rhythmic track with a potent 303 bass line, prominent percussion, and that infamous vocoder back at it to create a distinctly groovy track. -field notes-, is a composition of celestial arrangements that is completely beatless. carried through by tiers of sounds, filters, and noisier elements, this track lulls the listener into an alluring sonic dreamscape.

lf rmx arrives as new non-profit platform which will share only edits originally made by len faki for playing in his dj sets. what began as small technical tweaks has since grown into passionate work, the edits eventually becoming an important staple to the special feel and flow of the figure head’s well-renowned approach to djing. the series’ first release features the rework of dj bone’s 2016 slammer ‘black patterns’, whose heavily rolling nature the hardspace mix builds upon. keeping the oldschool drums’ weighty feel, len faki gives his a edit a more compact shell and punchy edge. the centerpiece piano stabs also reign over this version, albeit rising in a glimming, glistening fashion, making it a definite choice for this summer. the hardspace tool on the other side steers clear of piano and vocal, rather developing a lively sequence of unmistakenly len faki-styled, vigorous percussive permutations. as this project is very much a matter of the heart, and as much about honoring the orignal artists’ work as it is about sharing the edits with a wider audience, there will be no monetary gain involved. instead all the proceeds will be donated fully to straßenkinder e.v., a berlin organization fighting against child poverty

related artists red axes, lena willikens, khidja, autarkic, boot & tax key selling points il est vilaine arent from brittany, but they sure are tricksters. the francophiles among you might have caught on to the corny pun in their name (beating a certain presidential candidate to the punch all while turning the name of the pastoral ile-et-vilaine region into, literally, hes a nasty woman) but the real takeaway is that these born-and-bred parisians dont take themselves too seriously especially in an era in which there is much too much of that happening.

while carefully handling their respective careers, postponing then their obvious collaboration, möd3rn trio s members have capitalized its desire and now deliver its mere substance, in the rightest moment, where, simply, all the distant forces converge. the six daring, expert hands merge now into a unique entity, unanimously moving within the same effort towards techno music. the formula is elaborated freely: each one s adjunctions -subtle keys, nervous chords, underground blows, rhythmical uproars- pour into a thick maelstrom, opaque, condensing detroit s grieving sensibilities as well as last decade s bewildering cacophonies.

brian kage returns on michigander with the, best kept secret ep. kage once again provides three deeply emotional dance tracks filled with his signature warmth that immediately draw connections between personal memories and michigan’s natural splendor. best kept secret starts the record off with tones of hypnotic bells that cascade down from within minor chords that hypnotize the listener until they are met with swelling strings to tie the infectious grooves to intelligent vintage percussion. lush vocals continue building into an atmosphere of nostalgia and eventually gives way to that moment of intimacy that can only be felt outdoors while exploring with a person they love. lost on old free-soil road features a detuned analog synth-line that winds up and down over a bed of spooky night-time forest field-recordings which are encompassed by a jackin’ 909 beat . suddenly, juno stabs straight from the 80’s pierce through sending the syncopated grooves back the direction they came from taking dancers along for the joyful ride. cruise control on us-31 rounds out the record with an infectious blend of pitched wooden toms, warm mid-range bass, deep 303 lines, and a smoky pad straight from a vintage rhodes. all these elements help keep the composition positive & relaxing, while expertly conjuring the feeling of sun on your face. this tune is the perfect tool for any dj interested in luring day-partiers to a space where they can’t resist bobbing their heads and enjoying their summer outside. related items

born in the hammersmith west london. youthstar was into music from a very young age, relocated to france at just 16, and quickly discovered the drum & bass scene in bordeaux. he performed a load of shows around france with his partner at that time, elisa do brasil from 2004 to 2008. then he linked up with the infamous dirtyphonics and toured with them across the world for 3 years. as a true entertainer, youthstar quickly came up in the scene and was nominated 4 years in a row (2012 – 2015) as “best new comer mc” & “best mc” at the “drum & bass arena awards” in london.
he has worked with renowned drum & bass and bass music artists from around the globe including andy c, netsky, nero, borgore, metrik, shimon and the list goes on!
youthstar joined camo & krooked in 2011 for their “cross the line” and “zeitgeist” tours. at the same time, he began to work closely with chinese man. invited for special shows at the beginning, they continued to work more and more closely together and has now become the official rapper/mc of the group.
the vinyl release includes a download code.

moniquea established herself as one of the foremost female artists in the modern funk scene with her 2014 mofunk records debut album yes no maybe. for her followup, she continues exploring and expanding upon the boogie/modern soul sound of her debut, and at the same time, ventures bravely into a new sound inspired by the new wave and synthpop sounds of the 80’s. thus, the album title: blackwavefunk.

the third release on raw sounds district sees the label welcoming newcomer, voyd, into the fold with his “thoughts ep”. this one is a real journey through the producers mind. hip hop beats meld with strong house tracks, looped pads, powerful bass patterns and intricate, blown out rhythms. powerful stuff... thoughts...

owen jay and melchior sultana are frequently found working in tandem on their particular brand of contemporary deep house, and this is the second time they ve been snapped up by contrast wax following the aftermath ep back in 2014. the mood is smooth and sultry on the title track for this new 12inch, with a sensual sax lead taking centre stage over the kind of gentle bump that would sit comfortably on guidance recordings. bubbles floating in the sky, as the title would suggest, is an equally mellow mover, while b-side lounger saturn heads into even calmer waters with its hushed pad tones and technoid synth pulses.

hugo gerani’s esplore ep launches on cosi cosi - a freewheeling meander through a super casual house sound. it is true ‘club music’ built between social interactions and environments, with all the spice and intrigue of chance encounters and missed connections.
on the a, ‘she’s lying (roe st on the fone mix)’ channels the boisterous yet untroubled late night activity that goes into its namesake. it’s a perfectly broiled and basted club tune - a real, suburban classic. elsewhere there are organic and effusive beats, blinking with sensorial curiosities and vocal suggestions as well as elements of stark, scandinavian techno.

nice price deal !!! already championed 3 times by pete tong into the essential mix!! includes arno cost & norman doray remixes!!

nice price deal !!! an implacable, trash-and-ready son of sleng teng — bleeping, buzzing, knocking, dripping, reverberating, unresolved in nine minutes — and a high-pressurized, quick-loading hyper-grub into star wars. the sleeve is de-bossed, with metallic ink. the tracks are exclusive to this single (and wont appear on actress new hj album, out early spring

enter tsuruda. championing one of the most innovative and heartfelt collectives in the los angeles area, this salt lake city native has a very bright future ahead of him. expertly combining the hard-hitting percussion of trap, the swagger and depth of hip hop, and a style of sampling and melody creation all his own, tsuruda truly brings a unique and gripping sound to the stage. in a scene where true originality and heart is often difficult to find, tsuruda follows a similar path to artists like ta-ku and mr. carmack. he understands his love for music and his own struggle, and brings them into the light for his listeners. following his extensive body of work be sure to look out for his album “move”, dropping on noisia’s division imprint soon.

nice price deal !!! beaumont steps up for the next release on hotflush, with his >never love me ep<. the young scottish producer michael rintoul created a slice of hypnotic r&b dream pop on last years >blush reponse ep<. it was described by inimitable brighton-based blog 20jazzfunkgreats as having produced, >by a strike of genius and inspiration<, the authentic soundtrack to >a really cool z-series 80s thriller<. this time round, the vocal work on the title track is reduced to a barely intelligible processed warble, which provides the scaffolding that supports the sparse drums, synth washes and plucked melody. >uptown< begins with carpenter-esque keys of dread, but is quickly drenched in a warm shower of shimmering keys that tussles with the shuffling half-beat. the >rendez-vouz< could be on mars, cosmic winds billowing, until a snaking bassline throbs into sight, beaumonts impeccably programmed drums playing off against the tense synths. star crossd lovers indeed upon the eps closer, >verona beach<, the tidal back and forth grounding, the sound of the sun setting on a miami vice beach, but disturbed into syncopated sense.

the anonymous entity chptr derived from undefined controlled sequences progressing into endless alienated narratives, all live recorded and captured on the eponymous label, chptr.

echocord returns late june with a new release, joel alter under his jor-el alias, entitled ‘tilted reality’ and comprising three originals from the swedish artist. currently based in copenhagen, sweden born producer and dj joel alter is a name synonymous with the contemporary techno scene on both his home turf and across the globe, his back catalogue to date features a long player for the uncanny valley imprint, solo ep’s for d’julz’ bass culture, sweatshop and collaborative works for kontra musik alongside henrik johnsson amongst much more. this time round though we see alter return under his jor-el guise under which he first started releasing material on dj hell’s internation deejay gigolo imprint. up first is title-track ‘tilted reality’ laid out over seven minutes with a slowly unfolding dynamic feel, encompassing spiraling atmospherics, distorted rhythms and blooming stab- sequences. ‘elevation’ follows and takes a more direct groove-driven approach via straight four-four percussion and hooky bass chops, whilst tension building pads and fluttering dub echoes gradually build around the foundation. ‘solitude’ closes out the package deliving into deeper realms with soft ethereal dub chords, acid tinged leads and emotive strings.

in a spontaneous way, sanfuentes records releases have been offering different overviews about latin américa: the street-tour that mijo took us into the incomparable ciudad de méxico, the peep into santiago’s idiosyncratic and sexy nightlife by román & castro or the nostalgia and psychedelia from patagonia’s isolation that rous portrayed in his “silencio carmesí” release. “visiones”, sanfuentes’ new ep, comes from a similar place. it reflects on the continuously ongoing cultural cross-pollination happening in latin américa, a phenomena that brings unity and topples political, social and spiritual borders.

burnskis and jon woodalls constant sound sublabel constant black continues its march into the underbelly of heads down club tracks with this installment from the hitherto unfamiliar constant. whether it s burnski under a different guise remains to be seen, but the quality of the tracks is the prime concern here. the a1 track is the perfect blend of tech house, with a hooky rhythm section and all manner of shimmering sonic delights spread out on top. the a2 taps a more reduced house vein, keeping the beats slender and the melodic elements subtle and dubby. the b side cut seems to merge the two to create a bubbling slice of swinging funk for the subliminal generation.

braiden s material has been slow to come out since he first landed with a bang on doldrums back in 2010. a turn on rush hour confirmed his status as a producer in command of the chops necessary to get a dancefloor shaking, but this years x years in london ost cassette was a chance for him to expand into more experimental pastures. not so on this new 12inch for his off out label, which finds braiden turning up the heat with some fiercely modern tech house workouts. v.o.l.a.t has the same kind of dangerous earworm armour that made paul woolfords erotic discourse so potent all those years ago. hydroplane meanwhile takes some of the crisp but playful tropes of pearson sound et al and straps them to a thrumming motorik beat

returning with four tracks from four upcoming artists, lkr003 explores a variety of styles on the fringes of modern techno, with elements of industrial, noise, atmospheric ambience and clattering breakbeats forming an uncompromising whole.
on the a-side, strahinja arbutina’s brutal four-to-the-floor techno screamer ‘dehumidifier’ rattles the roof, leading into iazikzazubami’s slower, mysteriously murky ‘brmaa’, where visions of dark landscapes are conjured. on the b-side, consulate drags you further deep into the nightclub dungeon with his techno + breaks laden stomper ‘klattenburg’, while the ep is drawn to a determined close with hymns’ ‘map 7’, which gathers the eerie, robotic vibes of the previous cuts, and projects them into an energetic, mechanical climax.