supremely catchy and insanely haunting, the work of 23 year old self trained singer /musician claire boucher is one of lifeÕs great mysteries. itÕs been a good time for music in the last year or so, weÕve been loving the new psychedelic sound sometimes called hypnagogic pop at other times chill wave, glo fiÉ..zzzzzz. for us no other act captured the fractal flow better than canadian singer claire boucher aka grimes

pingipung presents >the kenya sessions< - an enchanting cooperative mission featuring sven kacirek, our experimental drummer and electronic producer, and musicians from kenya. the kenya sessions is the result of svens extended visit to the country with live and fieldrec sessions which he later processed in his studio in hamburg. sven kacirek plays with local kenyan stars such as 80 year-old female vocalist ogoya nengo, or with joseph oganga, who delivers amazing patterns with his >nyatiti<, a traditional string instrument. its sometimes difficult to tell the parts recorded in kenya from those overdubbed by sven kacirek himself. his own compilation of marimba, bassdrums and brush patterns forms a musical thread that he weaves skillfully into the live sessions. at times joyfully straight (arsenal aluny vilage) at times mellow and melancholy (mariae, paperflowers). sven kacirek and some of the kenyan musicians will bring this fantastic material on international stages in early 2011. the linernotes by goetz steeger illustrate the detailed recording process of this record. >the kenya sessions< is pingipungs second album by sven kacirek who has a background as virtuoso jazz drummer. he studied at drummers collective in new york, played several solo-shows at the world drum festival and has written books on the experimental use of electronics on the drumset. on his solo debut >the palmin sessions< in 2007 he presented his original ambient aesthetics made from silent patterns recorded on paper, wood, or glass surfaces: >svens frantic drumming is really a pure pleasure to listen to ... his instruments join together in a deeply meditative study< (foxy digitalis)

space invadas is a project of two well-known artists: katalyst and steve spacek. space invadaÕs album soul-fi is receiving rave reviews and airplay from tastemakers around the globe as well as having 4 singles smashed on national radio in australia where the record has been released earlier this year. the album is being championed abroad by likes of gilles peterson on bbc1, garth trinidad on kcrw in la, tyler askew in nyc, andrew jervis (ubiquity) in san fran to name just a few. getting much love in the us and throughout europe where the record is yet to be released via bbe records. looks like its going to be a big year ahead for space invadas.

welcome to the latest edition of hed kandis ever popular location-led release world series.next on the roster is one of the most glamorous, stylish and fashionable capitals of the world. featuring the best upfront house from kandis worldwide dancefloors, hed kandi will be taking you on a journey to the worlds most iconic and cosmopolitan fashion houses, clubbing hubs, home of the party elite and of course the birthplace of kandi hq in world series: londonhed kandi in-house fashionista, resident maddox dj and latest addition to the hed kandi roster, marie claire, is responsible for the mixes over two cds,defining the sound of our london events. this release also brings you a bonus third cd featuring the soundtrack to the major fashion houses this year.

pop ambient returns. kompakts beloved series. this is our other arena of bliss, always curated and carefully compiled by label co-owner wolfgang voigt (aka gas). somber times call for more introspective sound scapes - >pop ambient 2011< continues its mission to slowly persuade its signature sound introduced over a decade ago. this year we see the series leaning towards a slightly darker complexion than its predecessors.

in 2010, the world of electronic dance music has startled us with a bigger diversity than ever before. the boundaries of genres have never been this blurry. uplifting melodies meet techno-baselines, house beats dance around with trance and electro influences rock the bassline. to provide dance music lovers an exclusively selected package of the best and most beloved dance tracks of the past 12 months, armada music presents armada presents 101 dance hits - best of 2010. this 3 cd pack represents all the tracks that moved you, grooved you and got you singing along. 101 releases by the likes of chicane, ernesto vs. bastian, hardwell and nervo swing right next to masterpieces by stonebridge, tim berg, w&w and armin van buuren. relive the year 2010 - and start dancing to the armada presents 101 dance hits - best of 2010.

for volume 1 of breakin bread s new mix series, para and baila dig deep into the label s 12 year catalog and select the finest tunes and blend them to perfection. expect a breaks-heavy mix that includes cuts from para, natural self, rob life, quantic, color climax, ghost, tom caruana plus many more, spanning all styles represented by breakin bread from new school soul, funk, breaks, and beats.

after a slew of massive singles this year, the esp institute presents one of the most important pieces of electronic music to emerge in ages, gozmez land *chaosexotica, the highly anticipated full-length album from tokyos cos/mes (the cryptic moniker for dj/production duo flatic and 5ive). this is truly something special, an exotic journey over eleven stunning tracks, beautifully constructed and holding their own individually while working in perfect harmony as a gracefully paced album

osunlade is an artist who personifies art. his music as well as his being creates unified melodies manifested with balance, life and wisdom. in 1999 he founded yoruba. recognised as one of the most important dance labels worldwide. in 2001 he released his debut artist album >paradigm< on soul jazz Ð one of the biggest house albums that year. in 2007 he released elements beyond on seminal house label strictly rhythm. he has remixed a broad array of artists including zero 7, jazzy jeff, incognito, 4 hero and maw amongst others. here osunlades finest moments as a respected producer and distinguished remixer are brought together in one dj friendly unmixed package. cd1 begins with arguably osunlade s most well known production, erro s glorious soulful anthem don t change before taking on many of his most respected house productions from many of his different alias , including the likes of nadirah shakoor, atelewo and kb. cd2 is a collection of osunlade s greatest remixers, from the genre busting mix of ben westbeech s so good today , soul central s time after time reel people s in the sun and and jazztronik s dentro mi alma .if anyone were truly deserved the title of house master, it is beyond doubt that osunlade is worthy

introducing the raudive alias, he created a reduced, sexy, dancefloor-centered wave of greatness for labels from drumcode to cocoon. this sound turned out to be highly attractive for the djs to play and for the girls and boys to dance to. the unparalleled appeal of his beats left the usual minimal competitors sounding rather dull. thus raudive quickly became the blueprint of techno modernism and one of todays most influential genre-bending production styles. macro unleashes the highly anticipated debut album - chamber music. chamber music is both: claustrophobic in sound design, reminiscent of the dark and sweaty concrete club spaces this music inhabits, as well as carrying acoustic qualities of induced instrumental experimentalism. bitches brew voodoo reeds, new york no wave voices and european avant strings spin a mesmerizing dark patina around the ultra-sexy year-3000-rhythms. no wonder theres huge dj support all accross the board - from miss kittin to richie hawtin, surgeon to trevor jackson, ricardo villalobos to jeff mills. massive deep edge and one of 2010 finest albums so far!

lovestoned! finally here it comes: the eagerly anticipated follow-up album of dj und producer oliver koletzki, set for release in september this year. after the success of großstadtmaerchen oliver koletzki has teamed up with singer fran, voice of the über-successful single hypnotized, to record an 11-track electronic pop album. fran and oliver are not merely partners in crime when it comes to music - they are also lovestoned, glued together by their mutual love for music and their love for each other.

for the fourth year running cocoon recordings gives a forecast on the upcoming ibiza season with the latest in its summer mix series. after having such renowned djs as dubfire, loco dice, andre galluzzi and chris tietjen, the cocoon team were able to play another well-known dj ace from their sleeve: marco carola.

kode9s grasp on the throat of bass music in 2010 is almost unparalleled. his trend setting record label, hyperdub, is in its sixth year of viral contagion, hes become a published author on the theory of sound abuse and sonic frequencies being used as weaponry in his book >sonic warfare< and his production work has mutated from an almost simplistic marriage of beats and sine waves into a fusion of dancefloor ebonics and discordant synths!

material series starts the funky, wandering mix series,mixed by well known artist of this hipp pool. valiant and versatile character, a bright, cohesive mix that is inherently mihalis safras through and through. mihalis as the label owner is the 1st that will deliver the mix with teased throughout with samples from some of the latest materials plus some hot unreleased tunes. seventy minutes in a disc that leaves you feelings that will remind you the good old days. after a year of touring his debut album >cry for last dance< at trapez , this guy is taking things back to the beginning. material mix series 1 recaptures the same explosive dynamism, and ebullient enthusiasm of the material series releases. a glimpse into the future sound that material offers to the techouse fanatics. enjoy!

originally created in 1994, christian smiths tronic label holds a special place in techno circles. with the momentum of his recent successes behind him and the strength of fresh inspiration driving his ambition forward, 2010 promises to be a vintage year for the new, super-charged christian smith. having recently made his second appearance on bbc radio 1s essential mix, spring 2010 will see christian embark on a world tour to accompany his soon to be released debut solo album >directors cut<.

bbe records proudly presents you the sophomore album of recording artist the berlin based songwriterÕs latest offering of 11 brand new songs recorded over the last year, maintains the continuity of his sound which is a heartfelt blend of laid back pop, soul and dance.

the album was one of the first to reach a far different audience to the traditional >world music< market and spawned many further projects and labels in its wake. a year later, the >nigeria 70< compilation surfaced on strut and labels like soundway and analog africa would continue to unearth amazing lost gems from the motherland. the album is testament to the determined work of brooker following several research trips, especially to east africa - kenya and zaire!

this winter, rjd2 returns with the highly anticipated 4th solo lp >the colossus<. making the 10th year of his career, the album showcases the myriad of styles rjd2 has spanned as a maverick,respected producer for himself, and others. collaborating with mcÕs, vocalists, and various instrumentalists, it displays an urgency and sophistication rarely seen. weaving together his trademark rock solid drums, soulful vibes and horns, samples and anything else available, the album is a kaleidoscopic look both forward and back. part impressions, part daft punk, part thin lizzy. he is helped along by vocalists kenna (star trak), phonte coleman (little brother), aaron livingston (the roots >guns are drawn<), as well as several underground mcs and horns, woodwind, and strings. a sound to behold.

a brand new compilation series from music response records, compiled and mixed by mighty mouse. ever since the mice were picked up by aeroplanes management, things have been taking off for the london duo. their remixes over the last year have been picking up heavy support (including radio 1 plays) from pete tong, kissy sell out, rob da bank, aeroplane, unabombers, mike pickering, sister bliss, ashley beedle, cosmo, trevor jackson, laurent garnier, mouse t, nico de ceglia, prins thomas, disco bloodbath, horsemeat disco and many more.

two classic warp albums for the price of one! limited edition!

take a listen man from earth!

the green & blue open air on the first september weekend has become a fixed date in the festival schedule for seven years now. in this year, the second edition of the associated mix-cd is to be released, mixed by two djs who are able to revert on both long-time experience and innovation in sound: tobi neumann and onur …zer.

after a four-year break from the studio, laÕs finest practioners with their producer miles tackett return back with their actual album >dusk till dawn<. breakestra was formed by tackett in the late 80s and became one of the great live funk bands of their era. with their sound of gritty soul/jazz, party funk & breaks breakestra takes us to a journey into psychedelic soul, and west african farfisa stylings and instrumental cuts!

after the success of the compilation french do it... better (vol.1, vol.2 and vol.3) mixed by mathieu bouthier, serial records starts a new series: serial mix, gathering tracks from the french electro label serial records. concept is simple: twice a year, an artist from the label serial records selects his favourite tracks from the labels catalogue, and mixes them into a more-than-an-hour continuous track... for the biggest pleasure of house music fans! here we go with the first edition.

this fourth label compilation presents all dancefloor burners of the last 12 months on cocoon recordings in a diversified and coherent mix: martin buttrich, schneider & galluzzi, guy gerber, tiefschwarz, reboot, adam proll and timo maas undisputedly belong to the group of artists who have enhanced electronic dance music in the past year.

recorded over a two-year period with producer jeff saltzman (the killers, the sounds) the album has a depth and complexity rarely found in electronic pop albums. this is perhaps not surprising given itÕs gestation, deliberately designed to stretch their creativity the album was written in its entirety, titles first and in an intimate and very modest way - in a carriage house in brookyln rather than in expensive studios around the globe. stylistically the album is as diverse as it is cohesive. there are electro dance moves on the album but also the swirling electronic psychedelia of amuse bouche full of surprise flavours that enhance your perspective

the seventh album from producer geoff wilkinsonÕs hip-hop-jazz crew us3 sees the introduction of 2 new young mcs hot off the streets of new york. underground hip-hop fans will already know the name of 23 year-old sene, and spoken word aficionados will certainly be aware of 20 year-old brook yung who is already a rising star on the us spoken word circuit. last year he won 1st place in laÕs adult poetry slam and 1st place in the nyc urban word youth slam. he is currently a member of nycÕs urban word team, and performed alongside wyclef at the 2009 sundance film festival.

alongside italics great affinity for electronic dance music in its multitude of forms, from techno to house to disco, they have always harboured a love for pop (attitudes), as exemplified by the likes of prefab sprout, steely dan, orange juice, scritti politti, japan, pulp or scott walker. the fourth coloma album is a song cycle with recurring harmonic and rhythmic themes. lyrically, loves recurring dream is a narrative chronicling the phases of a romance, which symbolically runs over the course of a year. in the twelve songs, singer rob taylor follows the progress of the seasons from spring, summer and autumn to winter, with the implicit promise that a new spring will follow. in its entirety, loves recurring dream is a modern concept album featuring classic song writing and bold production, combined to create profound popular music

the prime numbers label was initiated by trus me at the start of this year. this cd showcases the direction of the label and displays perfectly trusmes dj style. he mixes and blends the prime numbers vinyl releases this year with some forthcoming and previously unreleased tracks from the prime numbers artist roster. all the artists have two tracks included in the mix

motorcitysoul are frankfurt veterans and deep house pioneers matthias vogt and christian rindermann (aka c-rock). a feast of lush melodies and harmonies, lovingly crafted beats and percussion, ambient excellence and smart vocal numbers. on the albums title c- rock explains: >its an elegant word that refers to the way we work and hopefully how our music sounds. were very technically focused yet we aim for our music to have genuine soul and warmth. we also do everything in the studio so technique is the key to that.< .the start/deliver me kicks off the journey into the motorcitysoul sound, enlisting the vocal talents of swedish vocalist ernesto to complement the soulful, summer-tinged house grooves. as the lush chords build and the vocals progress, its clear this uplifting opener is one thatll have you rolling down your car window with a smile on your face. >maybe its a risk to start a house based concept album with such a soulful track but we dont have to justify it, because of the soul in our name<, says c-rock wryly. >space kŠtzle< was originally a hit last year on aus music, >space cats< (as it translates) sees matthias and c- rock use their studio expertise to layer together lavish arpeggios and harmonies that treat you to an almost cosmic house voyage. solar is the first >ode to the cinema soundtrack< offering on the album and sees the guys get experimental in the studio with deep trippy keys layered with mad aquatic sounds. .c

with his releases for innervisions, perlon and macro stefan goldmann has been a key figure at the cutting edge of post minimal techno and the renewal of house music. with the transitory state, he finally unleashes his highly anticipated debut cd. two separate albums in one package - a double whammy with benchmark club tracks on cd1 and an electroacoustic concept album on cd2. cd1 features some of todays most significant underground anthems, including sleepy hollow and lunatic fringe - both voted top 10 tracks of the year in the polls of groove, resident advisor and de:bug mags, seriously crossing boundaries with heavy dj support all accross the board from richie hawtin to carl craig to laurent garnier to gilles peterson. the entire collection ranges from the lush afterhour bliss of prefecture to the dark modernism of blood to peak time frenzy with the bribe. all tracks have been carefully edited exclusively for this release by the artist and six appear on cd for the first time ever, thus adding brand new and previously unreleaed tracks and parts. cd2 contains the album voices of the dead which will also be released as a ltd. edition 5x7? vinyl box set. starting a trilogy of concept albums, stefan goldmann searches for the common root of all music in an electroacoustic setting. from this album turret is already renowned as the intro sequence of richie hawtins groundbreaking de9 transitions mix compilation and was also commissioned by the bibliotheque nationale de france for the imeb phonotheque public collection.

this compilation presents the amazing vocal jazz recordings of a dutch lady,who already became a living legend with her 50 year stage jubilee.moreover she is constantly going strong with over 80 live performances in changing musical formations within the year 2007.

whether it be blues, rock >n< roll, jazz or doo- wop -all these songs have an irresistible charm, guaranteed to make that christmas party swing. they range from guitar instrumentals (les paul - >jingle bells<), through to the hawaiian influenced

finally: the long awaited trentem¿ller debut album - maybe one of the most anticipated independent albums of the year - cd version