rnt savors the last bit of summer with a deep-n-sexy offering from nebraska on the usin me- single, out now on the razor-n-tape reserve imprint. londoner ali gibbs tweaks a soulful sample with signature finesse part disco, part house all vibes! aided and abetted by an electro-funk 808-heavy remix from lovebirds, a dark and stormy take by the revenge, and a standout slow-burning mix from dj nature, we can say for certain you ll be usin this record, indeed.

the modern master of subliminal deep house is back with a new album. galcher lustwerk has rightly earned a sterling reputation for his understated, always entrancing approach to 4/4 grooves. after last year s dark bliss lp and recent diversions via his road hog alias, he s offering up eight heavy-lidded cuts to suit the smokers as much as the dancers. get blissed out in the sax-licked delights of skits like -blue lotus- or lock into the mellow raps and steady-ticking rhythms of see you when i see you 200% galcher goes down smooth from start to finish, like all good albums should.

the patchouli brothers deliver four raw tunes, looped for optimum dancefloor ecstasy. on the a side he wonders is a squelching synthy, guitar laden gem, extended and reworked for full cosmic galacticness. a mighty joy follows up with a slice of gospel disco gold, expertly tweaked to enrich your soul with spiritual goodness. on the b side can t stop christy is laced with a good helping of slap bass and trumpet flurries alongside the elusive christy trading licks with that hazy distorted guitar. closing out the ep. take you there channels the glory days of disco into a six-and-half-minute reglammed opus.

jump trax is another essential piece of early chicago house music crafted by the legendary duane thamm jr back in 1984. fusing together a myriad of influences including early 80s euro pop, italo disco and hi nrg, thamm jr was responsible for helping create and influence the burgeoning house sound that would emanate from the city all throughout the second half of the 1980s. not only were these sounds new and fresh, they were experimental too, jump trax sees the bpm s gradually shift throughout the duration of the tracks seamlessly giving the more adventurous djs out there more ammunition and room to experiment with styles and bpms. a truly visionary approach to production and all recorded and mixed within chicago s city limits by thamm jr at his reel to reel studio located in villa park, illinois. jump trax continues to be as influential today as it was back in 84, with many top dj s still citing the record as a go to, powerful indeed. chicagos still music are proud to present this fully legit, remastered and repressed piece of chicago house history. a truly pivotal record now made available again for 2018. essential sound for those who love the real deal snoozing not advised, og copies of this monster are hard to come by!

we could say that with this sixth studio album anthony joseph is back to his roots. indeed, it was recorded on his native island of trinidad. but it is more of a continuation, of a culmination. as the caribbean music has strongly infused the music of anthony since its inception. this album entitled people of the sun is a tribute to port of spain (pos), this bubbling port, meeting place of many cultures and a door open on south america. this energy is found throughout the album with many stars of the island (3 channel, brother resistance, ella andal, boogsie the king of steel pan) and pays tribute to rapso, a mixture of protest poetry and soca / calypso created in the 80’s. as always the verb remains in the spotlight with anthony joseph.

continuing the samurai music 10 year anniversary celebrations, decade (phase 2) is a further collection of tracks that map out our distinctive approach to 170 / drum and bass in 2018. commencing with a searing slow burn from ancestral voices, phase 2 features a rare 170 track from asc, a dubbed out contribution from calibre, refreshing beat pattern sorcery from sam kdc and lemna and a crucial collection of half step floor freshness from label staples - homemade weapons, the untouchables, torn, last life, and artilect. shiken hanzo and antagonist make their first samurai music appearances in memorable fashion, while es.tereo makes a return on the cusp of launching his own label. presenting advanced angles on a familiar framework, decade (phase 2) is an entree to the next decade of samurai music.

were back with the second jack cassettes series! following the success of the first jack series, weve decided to pull heavyweights out of the treasure trove of chicago reel to reels acquired by still music last year. this second series is another incredible glance into our beloved house music through some lost radio mixes salvaged from reel to reels by jerome derradji. we start with a superb one hour mix from frankie knuckles circa 1986 and dive straight to the hot mix 5 with edward get down crosby and his insane mixes, full of edits and original beat traxx. a small detour to miami is made with a killer electro mix by wgci guest joe magic. pull out the tape deck, move the furniture away and jack!

were back with the second jack cassettes series! following the success of the first jack series, weve decided to pull heavyweights out of the treasure trove of chicago reel to reels acquired by still music last year. this second series is another incredible glance into our beloved house music through some lost radio mixes salvaged from reel to reels by jerome derradji. we start with a superb one hour mix from frankie knuckles circa 1986 and dive straight to the hot mix 5 with edward get down crosby and his insane mixes, full of edits and original beat traxx. a small detour to miami is made with a killer electro mix by wgci guest joe magic. pull out the tape deck, move the furniture away and jack!

were back with the second jack cassettes series! following the success of the first jack series, w’ve decided to pull heavyweights out of the treasure trove of chicago reel to reels acquired by still music last year. this second series is another incredible glance into our beloved house music through some lost radio mixes salvaged from reel to reels by jerome derradji. we start with a superb one hour mix from frankie knuckles circa 1986 and dive straight to the hot mix 5 with edward get down crosby and his insane mixes, full of edits and original beat traxx. a small detour to miami is made with a killer electro mix by wgci guest joe magic. pull out the tape deck, move the furniture away and jack!

purport is the second release on scraps by sies. this ep is the outcome of memories of moments which sies keeps in his heart and where the rhythm plays its part, through a sound pushed from electronic music and from the freshness of a simple beat with oldschool influences, acid and melodic which makes you think about yourself. a project brand-new composed of 4 original tracks, exclusively in a vinyl only 180g format.

psp-dancer : the name says it all. this song is about electronic music between past and present, hyper funky, a glitter ball full with memories between flared pants and hedonism and yet straight forward for the year 2018. that s no surprise as for decades it would have been hard to imagine the rhine-main house and techno scene without frankfurt bedrocks pauli steinbach, sascha dive and patrick kunkel, not least because of their cocoon affinity. patrick kunkel and pauli steinbach take out the acid disco hammer full with endorphine acceleration towards dance floor. deep vibes recordingsimpresarios sascha dive and pauli steinbach form a disco reverb mix with a house-like depth between wild pitch and balearics, with kinky disco elements shimmering through again and again. try to take it high

skinny pelembe corrals together a cast of talented friends for his new ep. it’s his most ambitious release to date, boasting a different group or artist featuring on each of its tracks, each of them an act he’s met through music or through linking with brownswood’s celebrated talent development programme future bubblers two years ago. across its four entries, he bridges hip-hop, psych-rock and jazz-influenced tangents, cutting out a diverse cross-section of the city’s music scene. it’s a document of the connections he’s made as an artist, and is the most collaborative project he’s worked on so far. the title of the ep comes from some advice which skinny noted to himself on an old notebook. each of its songs started as a rough idea which was then fleshed out and re-imagined with his collaborators.

aussie house maestro, matt meler debuts on house puff with a tasty club-focused four track release. the a-side kicks of with -the looker- full of freq d n filtered stabs and pads that ll get the juices flowing. a2 strips a few layers off for a hypnotic bumper, -rub- a-dub-. incognito cognito, thumps us with a heavy hearted groove with etherial textures and psychedelic atmospheres. closing out the b-side is - nice things-, saturated with classic deep influences, wonky lfo s and hats for days. wrap your head around this all class ep.

lp + download. as prodigies of the new wave of belgian jazz, mdciii effortlessly marry the virtuosity and free spirit of jazz to influences from the other end of the musical spectrum: from tribal rhythms and roots to far out electronics.

an invitation to disappear is the debut lp by british electronic musician inland aka ed davenport – and his first release for a-ton.

christian smith and john selway, make a powerful collab team. the two legendary producers are back with the second instalment of their count zero ep. 3 original tracks delivery on all levels, whether it s the bellowing synths in delirium, the modulating bass found in royal movement or the rippling groove closing out the ep in virtual light

it s time again for us to welcome another first timer to the second state roster: rocko garoni. having been label manager of sisyphon, in-house imprint of the acclaimed sisyphos club in berlin, garoni is no stranger to curating high quality records, and this time he gets to be curator of his own stunning detection ep. jumping in head first, detection , mischievous number that is equal parts vicious and cunning as it is sensual and inviting. provocative female whispers float over a beat sure to slay any crowd, any time. switching gears, garoni heads into houser territories on phaseful , where glimmers of classic house artifacts are scattered like flickering shimmers over an energetic drum illustration. coming up next is tragedy . it s low slung drums, vast spanning bass and sinister vocal declarations make it an ideal ambassador for the dark mysterious nights. wrapping up the ep is a huge rework of detection by regal, who churns out a burner by cranking up the tempo and tension with crisp drums and an undeniable classic rave leads sure to make the forefathers of techno proud. if it keeps up like this, we expect much more big things in the future from rocko garoni!

an all-time rave classic gets the gerd janson re-loving as he works his magic on the 1992 anthem dont go. 26 years on from it s first release, gerd takes the tempo down a notch laying out that all too familiar drum break, instantly recognisable piano line and julie mcdermott s timeless vocals. his subtle touches and added weight, behind a pounding kick, are sure to set any dancefloor alight. about as euphoric as they get - if this doesn t do the business then god help us all. on the b side, belfast s ejeca flips don t go into a heavy-hitting, rave tinged, techno bomb. his inventive sampling turns the synth stabs and vocals on their heads, making them almost indistinguishable, but no less impactful, from the original. it s over four and a half minutes till the iconic chord progression is heard in it s initial form, before ejeca throws it back into a rapid fire, industrial thumper. lastly, gerd serves up a vip dub mix echoing claps and synth lines into the stratosphere, whilst leaving the vocals at bay, save a short cry of don t go from julie towards the end of the track, allowing those anthemic elements to do the talking. a modern touch on an all-time classic from gerd with a complete reinterpretation from ejeca, this is a heavyweight release and one thats already being played by the biggest and the best out there.

for our number 013 we have label boss and founder on command. kessell delivers four slices of precise, expertly crafted modern techno. the minimum for the maximum motto works perfectly to describe this ep, nothing is left over, all the components are carefully chosen to convey sensations and say something. linear synth sequences constantly evolving, profound kicks and sharp hi frequencies, continuous arrangements and solid components, no drones, no breakdowns, no big reverbs. functional tools for the real players out there.

armand (26 jahre, synths & drum machines) und clara (25 jahre, vocals & drum machines) lernten sich auf einer kunsthochschule bei paris kennen. er schwört auf den techno des berühmten warp-labels, sie sang bei den garage-rockern cannery terror. nach ersten diy-shows stieß das hippe label cracki records auf agar agar, 2016 erschien die debüt-ep -cardan-, auf der clara erstmals ihre rolle als hohepriesterin des goth auslebte: eine art wiedergeburt von siouxsie im gewand von donna summer. stücke, die klingen wie ein diskoider schamanischer trip, dunstig und ultra-langsam, ein aufruf zu besessenheit und hingabe. zwei jahre danach sind ihre konzerte monate im voraus ausverkauft. nun erscheint ihr mit spannung erwartetes debütalbum -the dog and the future-, wieder mit dem markenzeichen von agar agar: claras hingebungsvolle stimme schwebt über makellose, dunstige slow-disco instrumentals. es ist ein melancholisches, nostalgisches und zugleich poppig-futuristisches album, das sich thematisch um die virtuelle realität, um simulationen des lebens, um hunde und um die liebe dreht, und vor augenzwinkern in richtung pop-kultur, vor labyrinthischen rätseln und opium-geschwängerten schwingungen nur so strotzt. es oszilliert zwischen granatapfel großen herzen, einem himmel aus schatten, dem dunst der erde, mystischen zuckungen und dem schwarzen leder des nihilismus der neuen blank-generation.

slices of life celebrates the 10th release with a two-part vinyl compilation: sol10.1 and sol10.2! for the 10th release label owner barbara preisinger is gathering seven unreleased tracks on two seperate 12inches, by previous slices of life artists as well by producers who have a relationship to the label through frindship, events and personal support. each track presents the personal unique style of its producer, but all have a feeling for warm sounding organic house grooves in common, what slices of life stands for since the beginnings in 2009. on the first 12inch, sol10.1 the mole, baaz and john tejada excite us with an extension of their previous slices of life repertoire with 3 further timeless pieces of house music: trippy and soulful (come on kid), deep and percussive (fitzy), minimal and playful (how i used to). dana ruh celebrates her debut at slices of life with out of ada20: an upbuilding sunrise track carried by a driving beat and thrilling string lines. november 9th 2018 the 2nd part, sol10.2 will follow with exclusive tracks by dj deep, cab drivers und oscar schubaq.

the year is 2018, and human concrete block has finally emerged from the ever-growing london underground scene. helmed by dj and lobster distribution operative nettles, hcb is an international syndicate dedicated to saving the future of dance music as we know it. for its first offering, hcb delivers a packet of absolutely blissed-out serotonin kissed sunrise rave material from california’s caffeine worldwide aka dylan chase. the “trinity ep” follows after caffeine’s sharp debut on french press lounge last year and hot on the heels of his “universal theme ep” for third try records, bringing more of his signature take on euphoric hardcore, cheeky idm and ambient downtempo meditations.

the latest on lobster theremin white label comes from the canadian-based british up and comer dust-e-1. coming hot on the heels of his dust in the dance ep on collect-call records, dust-e-1 offers up more of his signature sun-drenched, percussive jungle workouts. on his latest offering the lost dustplates ep, dust-e-1 layers wistful dub motifs atop propulsive breakbeats and driving subs. fuzzed out, hard hitting drum and bass breaks are scattered throughout, fused perfectly onto hard steppin riffs and shifting rhythms evoking early 90s london days and deep-in-the-dance warehouse nights.

ingenious sw’s signature blend of atmospheric detroit techno & timeless chill-out pulses

wonderfully spaced out, subtly pulsating classic chill-out & ambient techno schooled album (download card included)

for his new release on nona records brooklyner max ravitz changes the formula again and delivers five spirited acid electro tracks. the ep will be out at the end of august supporting his european summer dates. for the past several years ravitz has been keeping up his production of house and techno music via different outfits like inhalants, masks, or pulpo and most notably patricia with his last year’s release – an epic 3lp record – ‘several shades of the same color’. his recent effort called ‘free lunch’ explores one of the directions presented on the album, however this time adding more color in the palette.

!!! 2018 repress !!! of nu guinea’s outstanding ‘world’ ep – the neapolitan duo is set to release new material on tartelet later in the year as part of the labels 10 th anniversary. the beautifully dislocated bougainvilles live lays out some warm analogue textures across a live percussion base, while the vocal edit of title track nu world ploughs a similar furrow to obscure 80’s afro-disco, with rich musical synth work over a pacey afro groove and undeniable jazz-funk flair. the flute mix passes over the vocal refrain from mix one and just gets down and wigs-out on those solos - an absolute killer! exotica dance club sounds like herbie visited the salsoul studios with his banks of analogue gear and jammed out into the small hours, as we head home on the beatless outro, all synth washes and lavish ear candy.

fabian kempes productions under the name of korridor have consistently presented a foreboding and striking assembly. previous appearances on northern electronics have taken in stuttering percussive works as well as tense minimalist designs. his debut album end of cycle applies a breadth of expression to a wide palette of mesmerizing and intense fit-outs that corrode and fortify in equal measure. end of cycle is born of a deeply personal set of experiences to have marked kempes life. shortcomings and tribulations that have prompted spirals back to starting places and beginnings have informed the mood and missive that his debut album seeks to portray. taking in themes that stretch from despondency to paranoid elation, kempe has developed an architecture that lets austerity scream. stark and synthetic ambient plains lead us out of conditions for communal experience, yet its these passages that enable the sharp and brooding dancefloor works to deliver the barbed disturbances that they transport.

limited edition reissue of the four owls’ 2011 debut album. pressing on translucent yellow vinyl with black & white splatters.

too $hort’s legendary 1992 effort “shorty the pimp” is back in effect on vinyl thanks to the hip hop preservationist at get on down. though many don’t consider this to be one of too $hort’s strongest releases, the project did move well over 80.000 in its first week of release landing at number 6 on the billboard top 200. taking the title from the incredibly rare 1973 blaxploitation film, too $hort does what he does best on shorty the pimp: funk beats, oastful braggadocio, a few conscious rhymes and layers of straight up pimp talk. the lyrical content can certainly be considered comical and entertaining. “shorty the pimp” is also a stand out project for producer ant banks who did many of the beats for the project, his first works with too $hort with many more to follow over the next decade. oddly enough, one of the best comments on “shorty the pimp” comes from a random guy on the internet who commented on his experience listening to the release, “i ran my car into a tree after listening to ‘it don’t stop’ definitely made for cars with the booming systems!”

andy hart launches a new series for voyage with two dubbed out club tools. neutron capture is a chuggy acid number with crisp drum programming, glitched out synths and a weighty 303 line. on the flip lftr offers up a hypnotic roller complete with reverberating stabs, crunchy hits and expansive textures. if this is a sign of things to come for hart s new outlet expect a string of club ready, dancefloor orientated cuts from australia s golden boy.

tropical disco records are back with their fifth release of the year, bringing you four killer edits from the tropical disco volt. moodena introduces volume 5 in fine style, mustering another spellbinding composition with gils groove. sounding as swagged out as ever, its evident form & flair comes naturally to the artist. td comrades moodena & sartorial present their first collaboration on turn it up, neatly entwining their distinct styles, rolling basslines, cascading guitars and sultry sax. the result is a piece of pure energy, its hard not to do exactly what the track tells you. the disco wizard, sartorial continues his ever growing solo output with 6 million, a righteous slab of soulful dance music that can make a dancefloor bang, as well as weep. feel the heat rolls effortlessly with a lush vocal that melts the loins and lays out a sonic smorgasboard of what epitomises tropical disco records - soul!

hot on the heels of the well received dirty channels vs danny russell watchin out/ frazelle today is the day (linkwood edit), we bring you more twelve inch heat. this time in the shape of an unreleased nugget from funk and soul legend, bobby boyd, the founding member and lead singer of bobby boyds congress - who metamorphosed into the lafayette afro rock band, after bobbys departure in 1971. on the a-side, producer and engineer extraordinaire bob blank - whos worked closely with the likes of arthur russell, taana gardner,sun ra, larry levan and kid creole - turns out a mix that hits the sweet spot between boogie and proto-house with a hint of latin freestyle. whilst the flip sees darting synths and swirling pads layered over a tight machine groove, as bobby reminds us of the simply joy that dancing can bring.

boogie café enlist the expertise of goshawk & erik rico to provide the goodness for the next instalment in their boogie café black series. the home e.p. houses four versions of the title track with side a serving up a piano vibe mix, alongside a dub mix for good measure. the vibe mix layers a bassy, bumping piano line & erik s rnb flavoured vocals behind a shuffling beat before a soulful flute line takes centre stage. on a slightly different tip the dub mix drops the flute in favour of echoed out stabs for a sparser and tougher aesthetic, readymade for the dancefloor. flip it over and the percussion vibe mix adds in some choice congas and bongos, combined with sustained organ-style synths and jazzy piano chords, creating a more summertime soul style to the track. the fourth and final dub mix sees goshawk use erik s vocals in short but sweet snippets, adding extra atmosphere to the track but allowing the piano and percussion to lead the way.

instalment three in the minor notes recordings journey sees baltimore chop provide four cuts of hard hitting house. moving is straight out of the gate with an acid laced, pumping jam resonating those vocal cries right around your mind, before deep in your soul cruises in with a bustling, low slung, deep house jaunt, sweeping synths behind a hypnotic vocal refrain. on the flip, again & again is a summery, synth laden, garage house groover with the closing track, a remix of deep in your soul, rounding off the ep in style switching the low slung dynamic to a bassy, club ready bomb.

erstmals vollständig auf vinyl: das legendäre debütalbum der australisch-britischen d&b-formation pendulum, die damit 2005 aus dem stand in die szene einschlugen. mit sämtlichen 14 tracks der original-cd plus dem bonustrack “blood sugar” (einem späteren 12” track aus 2007). limitierte triple-lp-auflage auf 180g heavyweight vinyl!

limited pressing on red vinyl. including riso printed lyric sheet. over three years after the release of his latest record, belgian singer-songwriter bram vanparys finally returns with breathtaking new music. silent days comprises both classic songwriting reminiscent of the old masters such as leonard cohen and bob dylan and on the other hand dark, complex arrangements that refer to late talk talk and even radiohead.

*** check b2: !!! *** bath-come-london party purveyors, origins, take to channelling some of their creativity into the creation of their own origins label. at the helm for the debut release is bristolian up-and-comer tommosini. having heard move d unleash the beauty of another dimension at freerotation last year, origins knew they had to find out who the mastermind behind this deep house gem was and the rest, they say, is history. another dimension transports you through the galaxies via a combination of dreamy pads, crisp percussion, full-bodied bass and those sensual deep tinged vocals. future classic in the making. the a2 i dont stop carries on the u.s flavoured deep house with a vocal house track that wouldn t be out of place coming from the shores of chicago masterfully intertwining a bumping bassline, soft organs and those introspective, luscious vocals. flip it over and you re treated to two interpretations of another dimension. first up fellow bristol bass badboy, hodge, serves up a signature remix, chopping the vocals and layering them behind a pounding kick and machine gun percussion to give that bass heavy flavour hes become so well known for. deadbeat steps up to close out the ep with a heavyweight techno rework of the original, complete with hypnotic bleeps, phased hats, and intermittent sub bass goodness, all tied together with a driving kick to give a real industrial feel to the remix.

mika visited the moog sound-lab in april 2015. he made one his last known solo studio recordings in the form of two vinyl sized side long pieces. entitled “lydspor” - danish for ‘soundtrack’. mika worked almost exclusively with the lab’s moog modular system 55.
this uk sound -lab instrument is the sole protoype model (containing several golden filters) of moog’s recent sold out reverse-engineered edition (55 units only) recreating the 1970’s classic.
on completion of his sessions mika announced ‘i could work with this machine for the rest of my life….i would need nothing else”.
a second moog session was planned but tragically mika died in an accident in april 2017, shortly after he had approved the vinyl mastering.
pressing on translucent vinyl.

london based artist doppelate is next up on x-kalay and debuts on the label with a four tracker of detroit house inspired club jams. having initially caught our attention with his records for our friends over at lets go swimming we’re super excited to provide the platform for his next release.

not much to say but please check out this release by automat. 4 tracks that will possibly please all kinds of electronic music lovers. house, techno, classic electro, everything done with a great mastery of influences, sounds and vibes. this release is just perfect

lkr records returns in 2018 with “affinity” a split ep from two of the label’s favourite australian producers. bleekman aka rings around saturn and daze take a side each in crunched out techno jams and brain tingling electro on 300 copies.

apollo welcomes ambient legend bvdub aka san franciscan brock van wey for a new album drowning in daylight .
van wey debuts on apollo with his stunning new album drowning in daylight, exploring cavernous soundscapes on a grand canvas that throb with a delicate intimacy. a stalwart dj and promoter of the halcyon 90s san francisco rave scene, van wey fled to china in the early 2000s to escape the curdling of his musical dreams as the scene became more commercial. since his return he s been incredibly prolific in his creation, etching out peerless ambient works that have captivated listeners with their delicate melody and fascinating textures through releases for the likes of echospace, kompakt and styrax - 2018 s a different definition of love marks his 30th bvdub album to date. classically trained in piano and violin as a child, van wey s symphonic approach to ambience is truly remarkable, epic in it s scale with each of it s 4 tracks clocking in around the 20 minute mark, drowning in daylight envelops the listener in swathes of nostalgic pads and nested layers of distortion, strings and haunted voices. drowning in daylight could well be van wey s crowning achievement to date and a testament to the power of instrumental abstract music to emotionally engulf the listener.

having previously released some rare solo material from ende shneafliet member hanjo erkamp aka dr. c. stein, artificial dance is now serving up something special from the cult dutch minimal wave band’s lesser-known side project, king ende shneafliet. adding king to their name in honour of original dub maestro king tubby, king ende shneafliet produced far more experimental and out-there material than their better-known big brother. they released their first cassette, dimension mix chapter i in 1981 via cult label trumpett, with batches of follow-up material trickling out on various obscure tapes and later cd-rs up to the year 2000. artificial dances first dip into the dimension mix archives a second vinyl volume will follow later in the year features selections from chapter ii (1999), which was originally recorded between 1981 and ’88. the magical, mind-altering music is raw, lo-fi, spaced-out and forward-thinking, combining effects-laden, sample-heavy sound collages and reverberating ambient soundscapes with pulsating proto-electro jams, moody minimal wave instrumentals and kosmiche-influenced throw-downs. it effectively joins the dots between early-80s, diy electronic exploration and dub soundsystem culture.

repress with new cover print! handcrafted and remastered 2lp edition of move d s seminal masterpiece. originally released on source records in 1994, reissued by ava. records in 2018. all tracks recorded by david moufang at resource studio in 1994, except: -sandman-, recorded at the blue room in 1992, -trist- recorded at future planet in 1994, -seven- recorded at resource studio in 1993. armchair photographed by gabi kaiser, lossen foto heidelberg. arrangement and variations by move d, cebra and env. artwork re-creation by damiano von erckert for ava. records. thanks to juri bader, patrick forgacs, dve, götz gramlich, denise, dan, louis and pete.

the latest release on francis harris scissor & thread is another exercise in subtlety and restraint, brought to us by the emerging talents of nadia khan. with little known about the artist, this release lets the sublime music do the talking. title track ‘in gleam is a beautifully evocative drift into ambient textures - rising pads and occasion bass tones combine to set an exquisite scene. ‘local visit is a collaboration with label boss francis harris, and features some of the trademark submerged rhythm and textures the label has become known for, unfolding its deep structures over the course of the track. ‘restless sees label regular alex albrecht aka melquíades (whose previous ep on s&t was received warmly) provide the last bells remix - again muted tones and rhythmic complexity glide under ethereal piano fragments and slowly evolving pad washes. ‘sorting through finds its groove early, a deadened kick unfolds into an urgent percussion creating a thick atmosphere of melancholia. ‘sunburnt rounds out the physical release - ending how it started - with dreamy, smudged tones, and warm pads.

label stalwart jubei returns to the label alongside long term friend tyrone for ‘the arcane ep. taking its name from the club night where they first met, ‘the arcane ep is partly a follow up to 2015s ‘out of sight with the duo now delivering a full 4 track collaborative release which has garnered support from goldie to chase & status and shy fx to break, with loads more in between. jubei & tyrones concept for an ep was triggered by the creation of ‘stabs, which since its inception has undoubtedly become one of the most asked about metalheadz tracks of recent times and was an obvious choice to headline an ep full of energy and accomplishment.

for our 12th release we turn to local friend and rising star on the underground scene, ray mono. with a string of recent releases catching the ears of people like ben rau & enzo siragusa, ray’s signature groovy sound is in hot demand. for remixes we ve turned to julenn who’s recent blind vision ep sold out in under a week. holding up the tail pathway boss niko maxen delivers a stripped back remix of identify crisis.

for over 18 years, spectral sound, the dance music imprint of ghostly international, has thrived at the forefront of techno and house. it has been a source of support for numerous djs and producers during that time, from matthew dear and benoit & sergio to avalon emerson and hieroglyphic being. now, spectral brings the past alongside the present with its latest release, a compilation that offers a vibrant cross-section of the current moment in underground dance music. despite the wide-ranging selections on spectral 139, a throughline of classic style and infectious energy emerges from the up-and-coming and established artists alike. rising talents such as minimal violence, russell e.l. butler, and earth trax x newborn jr. bring unique perspectives to their hardware-centric productions. veteran producers bring their own edge as well: d marc cantu blows the roof off with the outsized funk of regularly people, and nigil caenaans januarys end, a low-key detroit classic from the late 90s, closes spectral 139 with a whirlwind of manic rhythms and sedate synths. gunnar haslam opens the tracklist with his acidic mindbender, versione antica. and ghostly regulars like tadd mullinix, who drops a lush jtc remix of his new x-altera alias, and matrixxman, who collaborates with riccardo limiti on the cavernous inferno, tie everything back to the label s roots. the double 12 compilation, as well as each individual single, features original work by los angeles-based artist nina hartmann. her designs have appeared on releases from labels such as ascetic house and big love, and the pieces for spectral 139 continue to develop her cryptic aesthetic. the marriage of hartmanns striking, high-contrast symbols with such bold dance music speaks to a collection that aims to stand out.