drivetrain (detroit, usa) – “my world”…it’s all about orchestral melodies, tribal drumming and an erogenous female temptress. derrick thompson architects a moody, late night narcotic. motomitsu (paris, france) – “where you go”…toxic bass underlines a barrage of timely stabs and a soulful refrain to deliver an uplifting groove essential. melodymann (brussels, belgium) – “to make you feel what i feel”…high-powered house intensity. from the quaking bass line and percussive automation to the vocal proposition this is pure dynamic energy. dawan (tunis, tunisia) – “strangers”…a dark and spellbinding debut, rich with dreamy pads, heavy subs, bewitching chants and a dash of acid. -deep, darkened, rhythmic seduction is onyx adore-

one of the most charismatic and respected djs in poland, eltron (aka eltron john) presents what is probably the most expressely club-oriented record in transatlantyk history. his four track offering sounds much like his sets - ferocious and subtle, raw and sophisticated at the same time. the main mix of b&s blends druggy deepness inspired by the vibe of 90s tribal america with uk funky riddims, creating the sort of pneumatic house groove that never fails to get the party rocking. this simple, yet meticulously produced tune has already been road-tested and received enthusiastic feedback from a number of jocks around europe, and the vinyl version seems destined to strengthen its deserved banger-with-a-message status. the dub version of fuses layers of darker, industrial bleeps with a classic break and a rather healthy dose of echo. trippy and rough, yet exhilarating - it is exactly the kind of track you want to hear in a dark warehouse. switch to the b-side for the light , where sampled vocals, pitched-down drums and fuzzy pads are combined to form a unique specimen of lo-fi r n b, eltron-style. this hazy groove is guaranteed to guide dancers ever-so-gently into the light of the morning. finally, reprise exposes the bare bones of the original. with its dubby, in-your-face quality, it is one for the track heads, definitely.

invisible inc bring out their second compilation ep, this time vaguely focussing on the interzone between cosmic disco, balearic house, psychedelic * glam rock* and seedy, tribal, dungeon acid.

italian rudeboy ivan iacobucci brings his brand of lowdown funk-influenced tech house to apollonia with this sterling three-tracker. over two decades of hard work and dedication to his craft has culminated in ivan’s untainted reputation and widespread respect within the underground from true heads like zip and, of course, the apollonia boys. his love of jazz in evident throughout this ep which is full of subtlety and depth, pulsating b-lines and smooth chords are interlaced with razor-sharp percussion and delicate keys. the first track ‘old in on’ has a laid back, though driving, groove, pushing forward with a hefty bassline that is perfectly counterbalanced by the light twinkling keys and barely-there pads. ‘scris frumos’ encapsulates more of an ominous, tribal feeling with intricate effects trickling through every pore of its deep, dark exterior. its atmospherics keep you intrigued, voices echo in the background and a few moments of softened chimes really intensify the already mysterious vibe. ‘mini ass’ channels more of that electro-funk that forms the foundation of ivan’s love for music, haywire radio pulses prance around stuttered beats, giving it a slightly cosmic feel, while pipes add a more organic nuance to the track. absolutely masterful work from ivan, and another inspired addition to the apollonia catalogue.

astute wax enthusiast brothers vibe brings forth the third installment of his mixx split series, meant to cast light on what the multi-label boss is notorious for: soulful house music! also signing the opening track 0.95lonliness , the american prodigy takes us on a deep incursion, skillfully layering classic house beats over uplifting sounds into a heart racing groove. newcomer eddie merced follows up with a deep and dreamy offering, infusing trancy vibes into a futuristic bassline for a full 6:29 minutes of midtown cruisin . delving further into the deep ambient realm, japanese producer tominori hosoya doles out some tribal sounds for his spatial track -paradise-. closing tune -deep space- gives away just a bit of the surprise in its title, as george p injects his signature tech house oomph in a contrasting murky bassline.

repress. the third instalment on kutmah s experimental izwid imprint, south london dj and producer al dobson jr. creates a 15 track deep, exploration of soulful, tribal drums and abstract musical curation. otherworldly and nuanced beats re-imagine the score of the sampledelic funk tale. one that s non-geographical but rather lost in loops, journeying through the time and space that exists within your headphones. alternating between cosmic vocal rips and a myriad of loose, soul-infused beat tape-style sketches with its digital flourishes, sounds from the village vol. 1 sees the sunrise and sunset over a bohemian musical vista

heard on “melancholia” are interpretations of honzo’s subconscious visions of life. the intense compositions are made up of drones, noises and distorted beats moving in and out of the frame. on opener “orientalism” said elements blend with hi-hat brushes, brassy synth pads, sci-fi noises and distant human voices evoking islam’s “adhan” (call to prayer). the theme contemplates over alienation caused by western accounts of “orientalism”, soaked in “hüzün” (the turkish term for melancholia). on a2 a rework of “moral masochism” is provided by the mysterious shadows outfit, starting with a distorted guitar over a slow and gritty rhythmic backbone which gradually turns into a chaotic high-intensity acid jam on the ep’s most dance floor suitable cut. on the flipside, “lovesickness” presents a broken kick rhythm periodically flipped by toms and accompanied by a disorienting hi-hat rhythm, ghostly strings and sporadic human moans – all resulting in a tribal mood, recalling a ceremony, perhaps a quest for a saviour from the blue temper? b2 presents the “moral masochism” original. again a distorted guitar plays over a slow rhythm, but compared to the remix, the original’s intensity is introverted, contemplating over melancholia’s effect of deriving gratification from self-inflicted moral humiliation. ambient closer “emptiness” explores a cold state with such an encapsulating airiness that it feels like a close account of another person’s mood down to the impression of their breath. arpeggiated synth noises appear from a distance representing increasing pressure from the outside world without ever suppressing the state of mind. as a result, “emptiness” sums up the state of melancholia experienced as a mood rather than the effect of a cause.

optimos prolific dj/producer/label boss jd twitch aka keith mcivor has curated a compilation of early 80s synth, industrial and cold wave classics and undiscovered gems in collaboration with the vinyl factory, following the cease & desist diy! (cult classics from the post-punk era 1978-82) compilation on his own optimo music label, and youth stand up!, a collaborative recording project featuring young musicians from glasgow, ghana and belize on his autonomous africa imprint.

** special cover and artwork for this unique project. limited serie**
rue de plaisances new compilation will surprise you by its eclectism and will carry you away in an ambient gateway where tribal sounds and funk converge in harmony. composed of nine tracks, produced by artists that are appreciated by the label and its owner varoslav, the release reflects the spirit of rue de plaisance and this new double ep tells a story and tries as much as possible to create new paths in electronic music.
after 4 years of activity, this 20th release is an attempt to diversify into new horizons of electronic music as well as exploring our existing sounds through talented artists such as oskar offermann, dop or the parisian 1977... what a shot !
called * le son de rue*, this double ep refers to the youth of varoslav but also to the street he lived in as a child: rue de plaisance. for the 20 release, rue de plaisance and varoslav release an ultimate compilation. a 4th birthday to celebrate in music!

the second part in his modernista initiation and this release sees tom mcconnell confirm his production versatility, merging diverse influences and sounds into a singular identity. 77 is rhodes-led house meets jazz, driven by drum box disco beats interspersed with surreal strings. hurled towards jupiter is a suitably atmospheric (cosmic?) track with swirling arpeggiated keys underpinned by a heavy bass line and off centre tribal percussion. peacefoot follows its own path, morphing from a submerged disco loop into a slow polyrhythmic acidic burn and back again.

after a brief hiatus komplex de deep and its chief protagonist master-h make a welcome return together to present the label’s twenty second release. in his very own words, -this is a new me-, h is now ready to unveil new music having been holed away in the studio for months on end mastering an array of new hardware and analog processes. the french producer is also challenging himself with the recording, locking down each individual track live and in one take. an art that was practiced by many of the jazz greats in their heyday and one that has also influenced the title of the new release - ’soul take’. as with all master-h productions we are drawn to the detail and emotion. ‘somba people’ with its inviting tribal rhythm pairs traditional african song with a warm and enveloping blanket of strings, handclaps and bass. the title track ramps things up with its bobbing drums, stabbing synth and echoing cowbell. one take and plenty of soul. komplex de deep are also happy to announce that they are now a strictly limited vinyl only label.

mareggiata a san vito is an ep from vesalio a.k.a. livio improta. a mature and balanced two track ep, explicit homage to the sea and to the roots of the purest italian electronic music culture. the ep opens with *vient*, an hypnotic and dark piece that perfectly mix the british influences of downtempo and break core with dark ambient and italian acid house influences. *terr_one* closes the ep, a never ending magnetic tribal loop piece of twelve minutes. this ep is dedicated to those who lived through the dance floor.

due to major shipping damage, there is a delay on shipping this product detroit s i.t. dust off a whole ton of unreleased i.b.m. (recorded 1995 - 2005) essential. tip!

drivetrain (detroit, usa) – “stranger it feels”…derrick thompson freezes time with a multi-functional floor-banger/dj tool, fully stocked with sonic illusion and legitamcy. the tribal vocal intro paves the way for combustible percussions and a toxic bass line. jace syntax (glasgow, scotland) – “basicz”…pounding rhythms join a subsonic groove cutting through a deeper, melodic soundscape. add finely tuned vocal samples and harmonic ambience for a pure subterranean, late night audio rendezvous. cloudmaster weed (meaux, france) – “consciousness”…an aggressive onslaught of smoke-stacked electronic musicality. the anesthetic bass escorts a mind-expanding squad of voices, pads and effects to a point of delinquency. detune (ghent, belgium) – “dualty”…an electrifying, multifaceted production, that effortlessly seizes it’s own identity. dynamic chords resonating through the magnetic, percussive palpitation, produce a sophisticated unyielding debut. - the absolute sound of true intelligence…is clockwerk -

this is something where you get appetite for closing your eyes and take a journey to a dreamland. minimal fiddly sound, tech-house with a high ratio of tribal and world influence build a fascinating symbiosis of sound. benn finn take us to a trip far away from commercial impacts.

the chicago based perpetual rhythms label welcomes trinidadian deep to the family for their 6th release, native bush ep. trini is known for his deep, spiritual, and tribal sounds on labels such as ron trents future vision records and neroli.the same holds here for his ep three deep house tracks exuding love through percussive and atmospheric vectors.

the next release on paul rip s specimen records is by god of the machine, the brainchild of deep house and techno maestro, derrick thompson a.k.a. drivetrain. the ep kicks of with the original, a powerful slice of jackin tribal techno, its bleeps, tones and chants sitting atop a tight percussive groove that s infectious from the first beat to the last drop. next up comes hijacker s electro workout. its beats are old school yet the attitude is set firmly in the future with its square wave bass line, trippy noises and swooping scikfi pads. santonio echols takes it back to detroit with a simple yet driving tech house rendition containing sublime melodic chords, eerie pads and a hypnotic pad stab that sends tingles up your spine. mr.c finishes with one of his typically infectious acid workouts, where he adds a cheeky bassline, haunting pads and cowbell pings to blend and morph into the twisted effects of a psychoactive substance.

uk techno stalwart ben sims adopts his ron bacardi alias for an outing on bass culture records, bringing with him three varying slices of 4x4-based music. d’julz has a deep penchant for bass and funk, and this is evident throughout the ep. we get off to a rugged start with ‘rock your body’, a deliciously dark slice of grumbling techno. intertwined with the morose bassline is a mysterious, tribal-esque female vocal, warped and twisted to add a primal feel to the track. on the flip, bacardi puts his a different hat on giving us ‘first effort’ a vivacious funk-laced hybrid, which teases you spitting out intermittent trumpets and other such live instruments. finally, ‘the money/dub’ goes straight into disco territory with that oh-so-familiar entrancing rhythm that will keep you fixed to its beat from start to finish. that filtered wah-wah guitar is impossible to resist, especially when combined with such crisp percussion. sheer quality from monsieur bacardi…

first up we have the talented: kryss hypnowave (att series / planet rhythm / par recordings) including a sublime remix from one of the uk s finest artists edit select endosphora: complexity and power in a frantic, polyrhythmic acid bass line, insistent tribal percussion and a thin layer of atmospheric menace with a foundation of wide earth-shaking beats. eksosporium: epic in every sense, a floating, evolving synth leads the way through an immersive higher dimension, where time is measured in a steady, powerful rhythm, yet never passes. endosphora (edit select remix): a balanced composite of power and restraint, threat and beauty, this rework weaves a hypnotised path through layers of dense atmosphere via the bubbling, deadly bass line.

following on from his releases on kolour recordings and profound, berlin resident ant orange’s latest 12“ on karaoke kalk is an innovative record packed full of diverse and lively tracks. the five tunes on the single take in an extremely wide range of styles, fusing elements of tribal drumming, funky soul, nu jazz and deep house. omi gets the ball rolling with groovy off beats and a wonky kalimba melody to get your feet tapping. yesterday is a funky dance-floor track while tunes like are you alon and the look are filled with romance and vibes under the careful guise of eclectic electronica. the track hands together brings the 12” to a close drawing inspiration from the same marlene shaw vocal sample that st germain used to such great effect on their hit rose rouge. ant orange brings a new twist to this iconic soul-jazz voice embedding it in a contemporary down-tempo groove. although originally from leeds uk, ant orange has such an mixed range of influences and styles present in his music that the result in a truly global sound. ant orange relocated to berlin some time ago where he now plays out at any opportunity, and with this new single he is again giving something back to his fellow vinyl junkies.

we continue our 10yrs 8bit series with a super double by nick curly! reverie ep is a timeless quality release as you would expect it from the label head. reverie, the a-side, hooks with a deep bass and straight drums, leaving space for an evolving arrangement of tribal sounds and laser beams shooting through the club. all people is a pumpin b-side that takes over the floor with solid grooves and deep filter chords, made to be played at the peak. these tracks will work any crowd and once more show what the 8bit label stands for: just quality music.

transmitting from new york (via toronto), jex aka jex opolis has so far been known as the man behind and in front of the good timin label. infamous for its boogie burner bombs to quote discogs member kutter karlo jex, trades his label for running back and a shifts the gear. up with the tempo and down with the lights, there still is a variety of styles. studio e is named after an after hours spot in edmonton that the record s author partied at in the early 2000s, also sounds like something ivan smagghe would have enjoyed at that point in time. laxmi tool is referencing classic tribal house and a street in pune, where jex wifes grandma bought the drum used in this track. on the flip, harpa brags and boasts with its trampoline bass line, while la casa surfs some timpani waves.

patrick o laoghaire aus dublin sagt von sich selbst, er sei ein unfertiger mann und dass es sich gut anfühle, ein unfertiger mann zu sein. er meint damit wohl, dass er immer weiter lernt und damit auch nie aufhören wird. und ganz ehrlich: wenn der modus des stetigen lernens sich so anhört, wie die musik seines jungen projekts i have a tribe, wünscht man sich beim hören, dass der sympathische ire niemals auslernen wird. da ist etwas organisches, räumliches und eine damit verbundene aufrichtigkeit in seinen stücken, wie man sie selten findet. seine musik ist manchmal fragil, klingt wie eine zarte, verträumte kammermusik, dann ufert sie aus, galoppiert los, entfaltet eine ungeahnte dynamik.

finale sessions is proud to bring you a fantastic release from berlin s youandme feat new jerseys brothers vibe and we are excited because of the combination of this release and we start with the original with its classic house appeal and the perfect vocals of brothers vibe it is one for the peak time dance floors and then we have the brothers vibe remix and it is an amazing piece with its tribal drums and its super deep vibe this one is stellar part of the record

coming from a cultural landscape that is still yet to fully form can instil in a person an unusually strong force of will. autarkic is the latest representation of tel avivs cold wave scene. the leftfield movement through an eastern lens. holding up a mirror to the current state of his world, autarkic (assisted by red axes) has provided 4 tracks which manage to be thought provoking, compelling, and even anthemic, in equal measure. industrial techno tribal goth dub vibes for 2075 and beyond! produced by autarkic & red axes.

pentagram is going straight forward. with the drums kicking in, it gets his tribal atmosphere, supporter by a jumping synth.
the deep mood is rolling with it all the way.
and the track cold is inspired by the district in berlin braunbeck is living in,
called wedding. a rough, loud and simple area but also with a lot of character and and multi cultural influences.

new artist daniel wainwright brings his psychedelic vibrations to is it balearic? doing it is a slow motion sleazy trip into the acid house. swirling vocals and psyched out guitars melt into chuggy acid beats and effects. coyote up the tempo a touch and strip back the whole track on their remix. dubby vocal samples and muted guitar groove along to an acidic finale. the second remix is a real thing of beauty from mushrooms project. keeping the same slow tempo and adding space and texture with mellow guitars and extra sitar. a subtlely developing tribal workout. groovy man.

looking back at the influences from his recent full circle project, alexis le-fan (best know by some as le-tan), winds the clock back even further to his roots of trance. call it proto-goa if you like, these three tracks show a panel of sounds that could ve received airplay in the early 80s on the beaches of anjuna or vagator. standing on the edge is shoegaze gone tribal disco, up and down is new-wave with an ethno-indo twist, whilst love to hate is new-beat led by hypno synths a warped sax and freaky vocals which will ease you in the wee hours of the morning sun

following the first installment of the furnace series, solparas thinking of jaeta is a dark techno ode to a fictional androgynous creature who lives on the moon, haunted by earths turmoils. sector ys hozvepian is a pulsing journey, inspired by the early winter mornings of montréals fattal. blue shifts in absentia is an extract of oren ratowskys and hugo boccas debut live set in the summer of 2014. on the b side, pts untitled leads you on an entrancing tribal journey, unwinding your thoughts into dreamy pads, spiraling up as it goes. finishing up the furnace series is arabie 82s woozy, introspective caravan.

nice price deal !!! cymawax explores the far reaches of our sonic galaxy with its next 12 inch only release, an exciting seven song set from evocative uruguayan-norwegian vocalist camilla luna. camilla is known as one half of luna & bazis on wahwah45s, with producer friend bhlb, and as vocalist for trulz & robins releases on eskimo and dance disorder’s ”metallic italic“ (bpitch control). her years of improvising vocals with musicians and djs at renowned oslo clubs like blaa, jeager, and the villa have given camilla a knack for accompanying electronic rhythms with haunting, tuneful melodies. for the open up ep, camilla joins producer bhlb for soulful and raw vocals recorded in one take over futuristic, bass-heavy, and delightfully offbeat tracks. the styles and tempos vary wildly, but the sound throughout is unified in a deceptively organic ex machina woman-meets-machine vibe. in the title cut, the almost tribal percussion summons exotic, benevolent spirits when combined with camilla’s temptatious crooning. the twisted r&b of ”wut r u gwonna do“ could almost be a secret collaboration with the likes of flying lotus. and ”f.o.c.- transmits a slightly intimidating techno stomp that would make all heads on the dance floor turn towards the dj and immediately take notice. these are just a few of the otherworldly audio nuggets found within the open up ep … there are more treasures to unveil. excavate soulfully.

lost my dog co-founder pete dafeet releases the second single from his critically acclaimed debut album the root, the soul. my love is raw is classic deep house: gritty chords, fierce vocal snippets, and roughshod beats that bring dj pierre s wild pitch to mind. manuel tur s remix adds menace to the original s simplicity. a stripped-back groove that builds to a crescendo of acid, synths, and tribal rhythms - as turbulent and demented a seven minutes you ll find this side of dc10.

repress 2015 , played by d julz, gregor tresher, minilogue, matthias tanzmann, 2000 and one ! excellent groovy minimal tribal / latin influenced bomb

it’s been just a few months ago, rampa carved his last ep-notch into the keinemusik-release-tally. but here he goes again, delivering his second km-offering this year, an almost prophetically headlining track called “newborn soul”. this tune virtually is the score to the current situation of its creator. a lurking, tension building piece that’s coping without a kickdrum for more than 50 % of it’s running time, just to place it in floor-shaking boost in the exact perfect moment. a percussion and synthflavoured build-up somewhere between tool-characteristics and stylish peaktime-emphasis, that’s rising like phoenix from the ashes. “mascha” on the flip can be appreciated as a classic rampa. analogue sounding, washed out intro, irresistible tribal-grooves including analogue filter and delay-rides, percussive cushioning and folkloristic chants that will invoke nothing else but rowdy floor-ecstasy in this context.

january of 2016 will mark danny krivits 45th anniversary of djing. those decades have essentially spanned the entire arc of contemporary dance musics evolution and, as anyone whos heard him play will attest, danny does the same in his creative, far-reaching dj sets. what better way to mark a 45th anniversary than to release a 45rpm record? the latest offering from most excellent unlimited is a two-sided seven-inch that features danny touching up two percussive monsters that exemplify the down and dirty tribal vibe of the earliest, pre-disco dancefloors.

dark sky veröffentlichen mit ihrer -voyages- remix-ep ein zweiköpfiges monster straighter 4x4 clubmusik. die beiden remixe verwandeln den sound des englischen trios in etwas komplett neues: während sich das befreundete londoner francis inferno orchestra auf den perkussiven teil des originals konzentriert und dessen rasselnde struktur in einen verspielten tribal house-rhythmus verwandelt, hält redshape dagegen und liefert eine mörderische techno-Überarbeitung. sein remix übersetzt -voyages - zentrales, stimmungsvolles sci-fi-thema in eine starke bassline. ein perfekter move, die zischenden bass-synths machen den track zu erstklassigem club-material.

our afro-latin warrior jose marquez is back once again on basic fingers with two new percussion infected workouts. those familiar with jose marquez s previous works will not be disappointed as this might be his strongest release yet. on quinto y bongo he goes on dark tribal journey with hints of electronic layers and some serious bongo action. the flip track canto del caribe is more direct & to the point with a full on percussion assault and fierce latin chants. a proper floor filler!

david moleon returns with some nice tribal jamz!

san franciscos very own pagan anarchist acid rave sons dj spun and jonah sharp team up with skate punk legend ray stevens ii and liquid liquid / fist of facts sal principato for their sophomore release on golf channel. a short sharp shot to the head, its hot is a fast & vibrant piece that evokes bygone, punk, no wave, genreless days - and at a fair clip at that. the bonus beats strip it down to the skeletal for some voodoo business while the columbus hotel mix is a version that sounds like nothing else you will hear this year. industrial techno tribal goth dub vibes for 2075 and beyond!

ep starts with my m my s track which was edited with a monoplay voice and collaboration, a classy melodic deep and box track to start the set with. the extended play continue with a «give me love» bomb - groovy and super foxy house track like a colorful kaleidoscope of sounds. no time for regrets is tribal colored and groovy tech house track to be liked by a producers with a thin smooth taste. nehundredandninthizm is ode to a one of most famous synthesizers in a world containing the sounds of it spicy beats and bright percussion line.

the multitalented roberto auser returns to his dutch west coast dancefloor roots! heavy three tracker on the pinkman sublabel charlois, with sounds varying from tripping intergalactic tribal electro to southern space disco.

the silver rider is a transdimensional traveller and purveyor of fine disco, funk and soul. he is currently earthbound, inhabiting a studio somewhere between brooklyn, ny and austin, tx and has developed a penchant for drinking laphroaig scotch whiskey. here, he presents his first, solo vinyl release in the form of the silver street ep which features three cuts that blur the lines of boogie-funk, jazz fusion, tribal disco and psychedelic house

uber bring the new mushrooms project ep. a slight diversion for uber into the cosmic afro infused musical stylings that the mushrooms boys are masters. madrugada s tribal energy is reminiscent of tony esposito or tullio de picopo. the italian afrobalearic groove that we at uber love so much. the big boobs is a slower more contemplative track, still holding onto the percussive feel but with hints of the east. i suspect the title is influenced by last summers trip to the great outdoors in birmingham. finally we come to the epic musical journey that is african obsession. continuing the fine italian tradition of tribal dance music this is a tight superbly produced trip into afrocosmiche. 15 minutes of hypnotic beauty. uber hitting the spot again.

yoruba records is happy to release this dance floor ready ep by label head osunlade. stretching across a range of styles theres something for everyone in this release, an absolute must for every djs bag. the ep opens up with the title track, what pho. a relaxing jam driven by a powerful sounding grand piano and complimented by shakers, the added backing percussion and subtle bird chirps lend well to the creation of this tracks rainforest-esque mystique. next up is the deep, almost jazzy track – jus anuda groove. the rolling bass line and four to the floor beat will get you moving – and keep you there - as osunlade reminds us that this is just another groove. opening up the b-side is schavanna, a funky, guitar-driven track whose pulsating bass line and friendly but muffled vocals will keep people moving on the floor. finally, the ep closes with the waiting game, a hypnotic, tribal-learning track with a foot-stomping beat, colored with the seductive vocals of rainy payne, its hard to tell which is more captivating, the groove itself or the story line she unfolds.

the furnace series is a two-part compilation of music inspired by a special room in the montreal apartment shared by booma collective from 2012-2014. when venues to throw parties became scarce, booma used this room leading to the fire escape in the back of the apartment known as the furnace as a space for small gatherings among close friends. the furnace series is a collection of memories of those intimate parties and impromptu jam sessions. part one features four tracks by booma collective founders and friends, beginning with psyche, a hypnotic, dub-techno inspired composition with oscillating, piercing sounds, evoking whistling flurries. solparas garden in the furnace echoes the hollowed-out concrete architecture of the furnace itself, filling up then emptying its atmosphere with layered drum machines and ghostly voices. cf01 is the result of feedback experimentation carefully arranged into a slow tribal jam. oren ratowsky. producer of booma collectives first vinyl release, rounds off the b side with gorby, an eleven and a half minute exploration of his mastery of analog synthesizers.

benedikt frey heads this latest offering from the batti batti label, teaming up with jonas.san for -girl from venus-, which pair the former s signature raw drums with the latter s outtakes of muted trumpet. complementing this, batti batti s own owen jay & melchior sultana lay down a typically deep atmospheric houser with a few twists and hidden melodies in the shape of title track tribal roots and the 12inch is further embellished by productions from debutant lars behrenroth and mexican duo romeo c & alhan g who have previously been featured on a digital batti batti release.

san francisco/paris-based label spring theory is back with its fourth release. called sweet bitter love, it s a four track ep of manic sample-driven house from keita sano, a japanese producer who s been on a roll lately with releases for like-minded imprints discos capablanca, mister saturday night, and strictly groove recordings. sweet bitter love kicks off with the tripped-out flair of -once i found a diamond.- it s an uplifiting bongo-led cut with dubby melodics that sound like the kind of thing sleeping bag records would have put out in the early 80s. jacques renault provides a leaner peak-time version — complete with hard-hitting snares and growling bass — via his -once i found a diamond (jacques renault trouble funk remix).- things take a turn for the delightfully weird on the ep s namesake -sweet bitter love.- starting like a straightforward house cut, it explodes into a psychedelic collage of spaghetti western guitars, tribal calls, displaced jazz fills, and other forms of cleverly sampled soundtrack exotica. the release wraps up with yet another curveball on -bouzouk.- here sano lays out a subwoofer-knocking ny garage house rhythm that takes a left turn with frenzied bouzouki playing charting arpeggios through a haze of echoing foreign voices. taken as a whole, sweet bitter love is that rare idiosyncratic bomb of an ep that will keep your dancers moving and your trainspotters guessing — in other words, it s spring theory through and through.

the titanic trio are lead by buzzers. the rise and fall of the metallic droplets oil this mighty techno machine as the march of its kick drum rolls like the constant throb of a diesel engine. dark and deadly. erector pili sees joel delivering a relentless tribal pattern wrapped in dreamy atmospheric and moving waves of synth. final cut pulhapanzak seems to combine elements of both the previous tracks. the ferocity of the lead track and the sweeping, ghostly atmosphere of the second, to create an excellent finale.

great follow up on basic soul units you knew ep, continuing the remarkable high standard of the current round of new dolly releases. the somewhat mysterious compassion crew brings us two absolute wicked floorburners with this slightly tribal hypnotic feel... sneaky! redshape on remix duties takes things to the techy side of life with a smooth & extended techno rework of v.h.s.s... winner package!

now living in warsaw, donnell knox was well known, along with black nation s jay denham for forging a tough, distinct kalamazoo techno sound in the 90s. his label, sonic mind, put out some very coveted, underground wax that still sounds unique, extra rugged, and fresh. well d-knox is now on a bit of a comeback mission it seems, with some really inspiring new material, and “africa calling”. the first version, created to donnell’s much loved “spirit man” alias, is a soulful trek through layers of pads and emotive synth work. the simple, but uplifting, vocal snippet really gives it an organic and spiritual feel, the tempo is driving and quick, but the overall vibe is laid back and deep. remixes come from the likes of brooklyn based titonton duvante, who maximizes a synth pattern to a form a beautiful, reaching, version, while canada’a rennie foster channels his futago traxx style to present a full on tribal, drum based mix with added vocal pieces. also, detroit transplant, now living in canada as well, j garrett goes in with a very emotional, warm, string laden take. the ep is capped off with another version from donnell that could stand as it’s own track really, a totally different, but equally as strong, version featuring a driving baseline and detroit style string vamps. a really nice release, worthy of your support, from a well loved veteran of the techno underground.