from the heart of macedonia comes herzel with his first ep for uncanny valley. the four tracks point him out as an expert for creating tracks on the blurred line between rave and darkness. if you are listening on a proper sound system, it is almost impossible not to be moved by the mighty drones of forms that almost feel like tectonic shifts. glide runs in similar veines and brings power to the dance floor with rolling bass synths and sublime pads. a little more straightforward is glowworms with sharp drums and an acidic synth theme only to finally merge into an elegiac climax. finally, two hits hard with slapping synths and a dubby bass line, a gripping yet somehow nasty track.

iceland’s volruptus returns to bjarkis bbbbbb with five esoteric cuts titled alien agenda. releasing on bbbbbb at the end of last year, volruptus has emerged swiftly on the european party scene, with the icelandic artist popping up on line-ups all over the continent. following releases by norways eod and fellow icelandic talent, lord pusswhip, alien agenda is bbbbbbs third record of the year continuing bjarkis progressive tastes for innovative electronic scandinavian artists. first up, svi,nasti,a 3000 deploys a synthetic, fast-pitched techno revolver fused with space- induced, twisted modulations. a scratch tool titled itchy and scratchy show follows before launching into su,rmatur a celestial 303 synth line layered over scattered electro drums, together providing a magical transcendental experience. alien agenda is suitably an eccentric, idm tinged number – with shades of acid and powerful bass shrills becoming the focus here. last up, misanthropgy (dark stoff) provides an energetic rolling percussive loop, intensifying naturally through cryptic, high-pitched melodies.

next up on duskys renowned 17 steps label is the return of long term pal kiwi. having supported the lads on 9 of the 17 steps tour dates and having also provided the 15th release in the label catalogue - the fellow londoner now readies his oooh ep which comes backed up with a remix from feel my bicep affiliate hammer. kiwis sound is one defined by positive, kinetic feeling joining the dots between detroit techno, soul and balearic. with previous releases on futureboogie, life and death and moscomans lauded disco halal imprint, hes garnered several accolades including reaching number #85 in mixmag s top 100 tunes of 2017 and sitting at #1 in the genre chart for a total of 9 weeks with his orca ep back in 2016. now continuing on his ascent, kiwi lays out a pair of rapturous, gooey house jams that lands right on time for the festival season. on oooh vocal lines swirl over a largely beatless backing track. a rich, balmy feeling unfolds behind synth chimes and layered delays which work together to form an irresistible summer dj tool. andromeda then follows up and blends 80’s soundtrack-tinged stabs with crispy drums and thick sub bass before being accompanied by a pulsating synth line that carries the track to a delectable crescendo. hammer then closes things up with a somewhat hallucinogenic take on oooh with lfos, analogue sweeps and blobs of acid bleeding together to cap off an altogether warm and woozy trip.

raised on the best of popular and underground dance music of the 70s and 80s, partner has created an outlet to pay homage to the finest hooks and loops from around the world, seamlessly repurposing them for the dancefloor. first up, a-side track patu launches headfirst into an off-kilter bollywood infused dancefloor curveball punchy drums, melodic vocals and vintage instrumentation, save your weirdest shapes for this one. on the flip, my people gives an injection of latin heat triumphant, horns and an unrelenting rhythms section throw this into full carnival spirit. just in time for the summer. since relocating to london from brighton, things have been taking shape for partner music. last year saw a debut festival slot at dimensions festival, plus a handful of great support from the likes ofmount kimbie, dan shake and san proper. with some exciting releases lined up throughout 2018, its looking like a promising year for the budding producer. with this release high praise continue to build their status as a label to keep an eye on, with their party series and clothing line steadily growing in popularity.

seth troxlers club focussed label, play it say it, welcomes a master of stripped back and dubbed out tech grooves in the form of seb zito, while fuse boss enzo siragusa steps up to remix. a core part of the world-renowned fuse party crew, zitos distilled productions are perfectly functional, boasting the sorts of subtle charms that make them truly irresistible to legions of dancers. his warm sound has landed on the fuse and infuse labels as well as rawax and kaoz theory. he runs his own seven dials label and is as revered for his resident sets in london and ibiza as he is his studio sounds. the excellent on it opens things up with tightly coiled drums, adorned with bumping kicks that immediately get you moving. a soul infused vocal brings plenty of cool to the track whilst dreamy pads add warmth and depth. a dub is also included in the package for those darker, late night sets. both versions are sure to become club mainstays. remixing is enzo siragusa, the man behind the internationally renowned fuse brand and a driving force in the contemporary house and techno scene. he djs around the world, hosts parties across europe and is known for digging deep. his version is more zoned out thanks to the swirling pads, with the orignals vocal coming at you in a dreamlike fashion, as the knotted bass hammers home the groove. this is an essential release that is sure to go on to big things this summer.

following on from 2017s experimentally-focused ep, nucleus axon finds phantasy regular ghost culture return with an urgent, pristine slice of club euphoria, backed by a standout remix from legowelt. the original version of axon powers ahead with a supremely physical bassline and a ghostly atmosphere that s slathered with atmospheric choral touches, contrasted by punching, powerful drums. each perfectly tuned element weaves a seriously impressive spell of charismatic, contemporary electro. axons original form is then driven underground and transformed into something truly psychedelic at the hands of legendary producer and synth legend, legowelt. coaxing out one of his distinctive acid lines, the hague resident unravels a heady, hazy atmosphere of creeping euphoria amid a spectral, twilight groove.

washington dc’s rush plus drop four superb techno cuts entitled ‘the sweat ep’ on p.leone and caiazzo’s e-missions imprint this june. having dropped three quality releases on their own eponymous label, rush plus continue to turn heads with their imaginative productions, gaining support from the upper echelons of techno with names like rodhad, ben klock, dj spider, ben sims, slam, answer code request, dj deep and many more getting behind them. following up a release on ambivalent’s valence records, they now join p.leone and caiazzo’s rapidly rising e-missions imprint. ‘megabust’ initiates the package with twisted sci-fi synths and syncopated drums whilst rattling metallic elements operate throughout. intricate hits of percussion are soon followed by rumbling bass in ‘rebirth’ as the track gradually becomes more and more twisted using filtered effects and soaring pads, making way for the shuffling ‘sweat’ with its menacing stabs and echoing voices. finally, the package concludes with ‘slow release’ - a high-octane and ominous roller.

albrecht la brooy s analogue attic imprint welcomes citizen maze onto its roster with the four-track serenity in the woods ep. australian duo albrecht la brooy have been steadily carving out a name for themselves over the past few years with their jazz-inflected take on deep house via the likes of apollo/r&s, night tide and of course their own analogue attic imprint which has become a home for their own output as well as fellow australian artists like sleep d, rings around saturn and more. here though we see the label offer up the inaugural ep from melbourne s adam mccoy aka citizen maze. leading on the package is the ten-minute natural playgroun , embracing the labels signature field recording background aesthetic whilst stirring in organic drum grooves, fluttering pads and jazzy sax licks throughout. glade hollow follows with bumpy, off-kilter drums and ethereal chords at its core whilst horn lines and twinkling synth melodies wander across its eight-minute duration. moonlight sanctuary opens the flip-side, edging into darker territories with murky dubbed out synth flourishes, robust drums and tension building strings before title-track serenity in the woods rounds out the package, laying focus on a snaking sub bass groove, metallic percussive shuffles and expansive atmospherics.

the second edition of the rose records limited 10- series comes courtesy of junktion, whose releases on the likes of outplay and slow town didn t only sell out at breakneck speed but also established him as one of holland s biggest talents in discerning deephouse/disco circles. junktion does what he does best on this delightful little platter. the lolloping running for whatever on the a is as infectious as they come, with loads of clever samples arranged over classy rolling drums and a deep, rubbery bassline. flip over for pale blue dot, a slightly tougher, trippier uptempo workout with spaced out pads, big drums, crisp hats and massive synth stabs that should whip up a real frenzy in a packed club. killer pair of tunes from a producer that s very much on top of his game.

the masterful trio of timo mass, basti grub and eric volta showcase their combined musical muscle on the latest release forthcoming on supreme berlin imprint, mobilee. with an impressive remix package featuring rodriguez jr. and tiefschwarz. over two years in the making, ‚we were riding high‘ is a lucid after-hours track with an uplifting and catchy vocal hook that unfolds and develops fluidly. the alternative edit utilises dark synths and drums, retaining the positivity that make this track perfect for the last summer month. this record is the result of eric volta making the demo at an after-party at his studio. he then showed this to timo mass who in turn showed it to basti grub who loved the track so much, they were inspired to develop it. two time grammy nominated timo maas has an extensive musical background, spanning over thirty years. he’s worked with some of the world’s biggest stars including madonna, depeche mode and fatboy slim. basti grub heads up his own label, höhenregler, and is known for his exotic, african-influenced productions. he’s released on some premium labels including cocoon, get physical, desolate and cr2. born in london but very well traveled, eric volta shot into the spotlight with love your illusion and since releases on dirtybird, visionquest, four:twenty recordings among others.

for its third release interstate records welcomes dold. throughout releases on polegroup, mindtrip or his very own imprint arsenik, the swedish producer has shaped a distinctive sound - raw, minimalistic yet warm and energetic. for ins003 he delivers two tracks. while the title track, “version”, demonstrates dold’s darker side, “rise and fall” bears a more hopeful tone. although the vibes are different, both tracks are driven by the same raw 909 - infused drums that have made dold one of the hottest swedish talents in the first place. as in previous releases, the two originals are accompanied by two remixes on the b-side. the first one comes from virgo and soma records protege slv. while focusing on the synth of the title track, smacking percussions and dark tribal sounds add a more punchy and energetic vibe to the original. klockworks affiliate newa, however, laid eyes on the pads and strings. through carrying “version” into slightly more playful and spheric worlds the georgian delivers an ideal closing to this records.

mood hut is very pleased to present a new record by ian wyatt, performing under the name local artist. hes one of the co-founders of mood hut, and you may remember him from his music on the proibito and rhythm section record labels. you may also have checked out his releases under the moniker slow riffs, including the gong bath 12inch from 2015. this wonderful record can be played at any time of the day or night and is also a great thing to play in the home or in the club. drums, bass, keyboards, as well as other sounds and outboard effects (including delay) are all present. the artwork was done by logan sturrock and local artist.

california’s the sentiments are back with another dose of sweet soul for all lovers of the low and slow. following the acclaim of their last 45, the group has arrived with another philly infused lovers lament. “what’s so good about saying goodbye” enters like a classic soul record with a signature drums fill leading into heavy hits accompanied by violins, fuzz guitar, vibes, and lush horns arrangements. and to answer the sentiments’ question, what’s so good about saying goodbye is knowing that after you do you can go to your local shop and grab this sweet seven inch. the song and arrangement, like the last, embodies so many elements that make up that sweet soulful sound that keeps reminding people why its better to smile now and cry later. produced and recorded entirely at the incomparable transistor sound studio, you’re gonna need doubles for sure. one for you....and one for your baby.

time flies as the saying goes and indeed it has as quintessentials celebrates its 10 year anniversary. for a decade this mighty label has been getting some true love and support from all quarters. listening to the back catalogue now, most of the tunes still sound fresh and keep the label s famous deep, raw and real- motto alive. quintessentials has always been a platform for new talents as well as established artists, and with he likes of anton zap, vakula, baaz, the zohar, mcde, nicolas, ugly drums, toby tobias, borrowed identity, mat chiavaroli, 4004, soul of hex, s3a, los goddard, felipe gordon, javonntte……to name but a few, it s an enviable back catalogue. this -ten years quintessentials- compilation offers a wide range of styles: detroit inspired techno and house, a ruff chicago stomper, some proper deep house, a discoish tool, and crafty beats and basslines all over! we hope you enjoy this compilation as much as we do. we are ready for the next decade! are you?

autarkic makes up part of an unspoken alliance from telaviv, which is currently altering the state of contemporary house and techno music. heavy dreamer, the artists first, four track outing on life and death, showcases much of what this bold movement is about, all while pushing it forward into progress. ever present tones of kraut and punk rock flow throughout the ep, beginning with some things to keep, a pumping, warehouse floor filler. autarkic steps up to the mic, often re-amping and distorting his vocal delivery, placing it alongside finely programmed keyboard riffs, tough drums and further psychedelia. realistic guru, the trippiest of the lot, is tailor made for an early morning dj tennis afterparty excursion. slowing down the pace on powerhouse, autarkic hints at moments of bauhaus and tones on tails doom and dance pop, while offering up a digital only, stripped down, bonus version. the title track stands as a testament to this new wave of artists, coming from the shores of israels mediterranean coastline. bass, drums and guitar are recorded through bespoke boxes and presented through the lens of modernist club culture.

polaroid were an italian post-punk/new wave band, formed in turin in 1981. the original lineup of the band consisted of marcello zavatto (voice, guitar), massimo vagnarelli (bass, drum-machine), evandro fornasier (guitar), claudio vagnarelli (synthersizer) and marco farano (drums). polaroid made their debut with the cassette 6-track ep

following the success of recent novamute releases by charlotte de witte and anna, nicolas has delivered a stellar techno ep. will appeal to fans of ricardo villalobos, len faki, ben sims, jay lumen, charlotte de witte, anna, chris liebing limited edition 12inch vinyl part 1 of a 2 ep series. bougaïeff returns to novamute with permutation djinn inspired by greg egans sci-fi novel permutation city. a follow up ep will be released later this year. following the success of recent novamute releases by charlotte de witte and anna, nicolas has delivered a stellar techno ep. bougaieffs interpretation on permutation djinn attempts to translate the stages of egans novel into music while respecting the constraints of making club friendly tracks. the opener woke up as a copy is an expansive track with blade runneresque metallic reverberations. panic time tryout is a peak time cut, fostering the futurist atmosphere with an unsettling melody. little djinn is the most frenetic of the tracks whilst no escape takes it back to peak time with resounding drums and drills.

the buzz around the first wilson phoenix release was huge - good luck finding a copy of that one! the mysterious techno entity returns for round two and delivers the goods once more with some razor sharp club cuts that smartly straddle vibes without losing their way. -expansion- is a fist-pumping, 90s-indebted techno workout with an urgent stomp at its heart - the pointed motor city stabs and raw 909 drums are a gift for anyone wanting to whip the crowd up. -space being- is a wilder affair with bright and bold synth leads splattered over a sizzling electro beat. -field control- mans the b side with a robotic throwdown that should tickle electro, wave, new beat and house heads as much as techno fiends.

a collection of singles from the 60s soul music duo eddie & ernie aka edgar campbell & ernie johnson.

under cover for many years, this affie yusuf two tracker finally sees the light of day on the acclaimed mindyourhead imprint. comes on a generally deep green, mixed colour marbled 12’’ vinyl. affie yusuf paved the way uk acid house scene and so much more, releasing techno and acid throughout his career. mindyourhead records recognises that sometimes you need to look a little bit into the past to move ahead and has re-launched the label with this vinyl only release. ‘parrot soup’ is a fine example of just how a track title can have absolutely no relevance to the music whatsoever. this is a lovingly constructed example of how to convey images with sound, this music renders images brimming with joy and loss, icy cold chills and the warmth of the first rays of sun on a spring morning. tight, punchy drums with crisp 808 snares and driving toms lovingly complimented with dream-like pad sequences, soul searching strings and lush bassline form a quality crossover track that will appeal to lovers of many styles of techno and house. ‘something special’ is on a different tip, more driving and direct in style with the ‘everybody…’/ ‘something special’ vocal samples put to great use (need to be heard in context!) and that essential marching ‘affie acid’ bassline. the lead follows a similar pattern to the acid but pulls your head in a slightly different direction leaving the listener suitably twisted!! this proper ‘party acid’ has just the right level of balls to destroy a dancefloor without scaring off the faint of heart. lovely work affie!!

after being one of the many standouts on the we are opilec…! vol. iii compilation back in 2016, i-robots glamouflage is now getting a full vinyl release with artwork by tomozo kevorkian, who was designer for nyc s body & soul, and remixes by a standout team of producers from japan to switzerland to south africa and the usa. opening up the ep is a fantastic new take ii version from label boss i-robots, who added exclusive chinese vocal samples recorded on the streets of huang jiang city many years ago. the track is inspired by ennio morricone and supermax and is a loose and infectious groove with brilliant drums and percussion and an elastic bassline that really gets you moving. it s a subtle update to the original—also included here as a bonus cut—which itself is a steamy and tropical sounding groove. swiss electronic pioneer schaltkreis wassermann then features on a version of the original that reaches for the cosmos with its rugged bass riffs, tumbling toms and busy, ever evolving groove. it has a big breakdown with exotic synths wandering through the night and oodles of effects and big guitar licks. the first of the remixes comes from kuniyuki takahashi who has been a big supporter of i-robots since 2000. he is a sound designer from japan who had a compilation of his works put out by music from memory back in february. his version is laden with cosmic synths and chants, grunting and organic drums and is sure to be massive this summer thanks to its open air vibes. detroit s underrated but vital gary martin is the boss of the teknotika label and his version featuring colten decker playing an unusual sax line shows another side to the motor city. it s a curious and mysterious tune that makes for an unsettling atmosphere that keeps you locked throughout as it snakes along.

off-kilter broken beats from a collection of up & coming artists from around europe and beyond. a1. twelon - quad twelon heralds the start of the ep with a builder track perfect for openings and breakdowns mid set. industrial creeps and hisses, spliced with intricate percussion. a2. nollern - sitar pro nollern s eff_el & dan beaven burst forth to bring an upfront, yet minimalistic, glitch-rife drum track - perfect for the players wanting to layer an element of sparse, brutal breaks into the mix. b1. tlk - in your shadow tlk brings us a beautiful, emotion filled arp track. one of my goals when making a track, is to only use one sound: to make one synth sing. - linkwood. this is the inspiration that tlk used for in your shadow. b2. xantrax - xtk a trippy, jazzy combination of atmospheric synthesis, acoustic drums and a heavy bass-weight underlay, giving the ep a raw, yet balanced finish.

echocord’s echo echo sub-label continues with its third releases this august, courtesy of german producer and credo founder alex bau with his ‘zenstory’ ep. germany’s alex bau has been a prominent name on the underground dj circuit on his home turf, and further afield, for three decaces as well as racking up an impressive back catalogue as a recording artists for labels like cocoon, clr, sleaze and of course his very own credo label which has been a platform predominantly for his own material whilst welcoming the likes of kyle geiger, takkyu ishino and electric rescue onto the imprint also. here though we see bau joining the roster of echocord’s fledgling sub-label echo echo with a new four-track ep and taking the lead on the package is ‘clouds’ with pulsating low-end tones, hissing analogue noise and dusty drums samples all flowing in unison with ethereal chords and sweeping pads. ‘contour’ follows, tipping the focus over to bubbling delayed stab hits, fluttering sub bass and evolving white noise bursts throughout. the ‘prelude’ of ‘zenstory’ opens the flip side and as the name would suggest it’s a cinematic build up to the title-track featuring tension-building, expansive atmospherics ahead of the original mix which features a thumping muted kick, stuttering atmospheric echoes and spoken word vocal tucked into the depths of the record.

support from: ben ufo (hessle), oli_n (phonica), ander b (robsoul), eltron john (uncanny valley), simon caldwell (fbi radio), herzel (hivern disc), nori (posivision), sascha funke, nathan g, dmitry (neo violence) acid influenced many of us. in fact, for a huge proportion of us, acid kicked off this sweaty, painful, yet incredibly fulfilling journey. the 2 originals by dircsen utilize the 303 in different ways - the opener ‘beyond collapsing silence’ sounds like an instant acid house classic with its energetic drums & dreamy atmosphere, whilst ‘depth scan’ slows it down, focusing more on hypnosis. rounding off the 3-track ep is an idiosyncratic remix of ‘depth scan’ by l.i.e.s. legend, florian kupfer. a dubbed out original gets well and truly saturated.

one half of the kwc 92 (who has previously delivered two top notch lps for l.i.e.s.), swedish producer max stenerudh aka maxxx bass steps forward with a 9 track solo effort titled gone fishing. right off the bat we hear stenerudh immersing himself in a world of chilled out and narrative fm electronic explorations that call to mind places past. the untitled tracks leave it to the listerner to create a story on their own, as voice pads, hand drums and dare we say pan flutes push and pull their way through the album creating dreamlike textures and otherwordly escapes. ideal music to fall into a late afternoon summer siesta to. lp comes come with full color 22cmx28cm color poster and download card

texas native demarkus lewis is up next on the great d3 elements label. this time, demarkus brings his signature diverse house style on this release, which features tracks from his mental notes album that only came out digitally in 2011. luckily for lovers of vinyl, d3 is putting out three of the gems from that release. first is the upfront house of without pause that is full of demarkus bumping drums, masterful combination of spacey, detroit style electronics and swirling chords that will get anyone onto the dancefloor. lady in pink also features some wonderful spacey chords, but is a more downtempo, broken beat type of affair, resplendent with computer bleeps. over onto the b side, demarkus takes us into a more spiritual and deep territory, with behind closed doors (afro main mix). the afro rhythms coupled with eman s spoken words turn this into a track that do wonders with a heaving, sweaty dance floor in the early hours. another winner for the d3 elements label.

mdcl remixes vol.1 is a compilation of remixes by musical maverick mark de clive-lowe. bridging worlds of music from dj-led dancefloors to underground jazz clubs, mdcl is one of the most broadranging artists youll find anywhere. over his prolific career hes collaborated with the likes of kenny dope, dj spinna, joe clausell and restless soul, remixed the likes of omar, shirley horn and jody watley, and regularly takes his mind-ending live show far and wide all over the planet. with this new collection of soulful, dancefloor gems, mdcl presents his dj-friendly reworks of future classics. the selection kicks off with german trumpet master nils wülker featuring none other than jill scott vocalling the nia andrews and mocky-penned worth the wait where nils trumpet dances around jill scott, delivering with goosebumps as only she can. los angeles based moulton music collaborator vocalist nina lares gets remixed with a nod to classic late 90s house music, and songbird trio king get their song supernatural remixed with the originals lush instrumentation underpinned with a bubbling signature mdcl bassline and drums. side b launches with la multi-instrumentalist dexter storys as is reimagined as an ethereal late night dancefloor moment inspired by mdcls trips to south africa. euro-caribbean-american singer amana melomes lock & key has mdcl unleash his synths and piano keys for a full 88-keys workout, and the side closes with broken beat flavors of mdcl remixing longtime new zealand collaborator cherie mathieson with the bassline and drums pressure of games we play sounding like an undiscovered p-funk-meets-bugz in the attic anthem straight from the clubs of west london.

bjarki returns to &#1090,,,,&#1088,,,,&#1080,,,,&#1087,,,, with another ep brandishing five restructured doses of idm from another galaxy. using marching kick drums as a basis, oli gumm takes references from techno, gabber and trance and morphs them into something far less easy to categorise. ‘oli gumm 2-2’ switches frantically between glistening synth cascades and bouncing kicks. ‘fork2-2’ is a subdued excursion through ominous, trance-inducing strings and skeletal percussion. opening the b side, ‘7 filakaramellur lion bar’ spirals through warped vocals and acoustic contortions, followed by ‘hatann satann’, a high speed voyage through a demonic parallel universe. closing off the ep, ‘sleikjó’ uses rolling drums to circle around a pit of sparse sonic oddities.

pyramid transmissions is back with the first solo release on the label from pt creator adj. street life ep is four tracks of bass driven future electro music from one of the longest standing members of the scene. street life part 1 is pure unadultered future bboy music with punching kick drums, dirty acid and characteristic glitches added to the mix for that unmistakable adj sound aimed at making you dance while getting in your head simultaneously and adj always looks to the future but with nods to his past of 808 electro music.

an ardent heart is a focused techno mini album that brings forward stefan goldmann’s most dancefloor-centered material in a decade. the tracks push and pull relentlessly. despite their linear appeal, there is an intricately balanced interplay between the heavy-handed kicks, the bouncy bass accents and the sizzling, yet clear-cut details whipped up by the rallying drums. the peculiar, seemingly “vocalised” mode of synthesis is maybe the most unifying sonic characteristic of the six tracks and one coda. formant shaping, vowel filters and airstream perturbations let a wide range of sounding elements speak in the tongues of a cybernetic babylon. layered polymetric patterns perforate the aural plane with alien scripts. clearly structured, yet opaque messages that seem to have traveled for aeons emanate from the red-hot circuitry. they spill into a network of delays, channeled down into labyrinthine corridors, enveloped in electrostatic noise. most tracks build on chance patterns evoked with hardware sequencers and freeform modulation sources. the resulting synthetic systems are as cohesive as they exhibit vast internal variation and range. thus balancing simplicity and complexity right in the middle, the results are just as immediately gripping as they can feed sustained attention. a wide palette of distortion and overtones mark the contours of individual elements that seem to have near-physical qualities – as if there were metallic strings, thick membranes, a resonating sphere, all struck by electric mallets, caused to vibrate by mechanical bows and sung by silicone lips.

fat beats records is proud to present bakers dozen, an exclusive series that shines a light on the best minds of instrumental hip-hop, ambient, and electronic music. each installment gives one artist carte blanche to capture their signature sound. every volume’s limited vinyl pressing features one artist and twelve tracks, and comes equipped with a 5x7inch postcard insert that features a photo of the artists workspace along with the equipment used in their music-making process. visually cohesive and packaged with the utmost attention to detail, baker’s dozen is a series that speaks up for artists whose craft renders voices superfluous, whose instrumentals alone suffice to make a statement. volume nine highlights the guelph, ontario producer elaquent, who breaks down his creative process below: “since the beginning, my philosophy has always been that perfection is boring, so despite all the changes that have occurred with my equipment and system, that main philosophy remains the same. in the beginning it was all about flipping samples with fl studio and just my computer keyboard, and over the years, i added the mpd and masterkey in order to be able to jam out drums live and play keys, which speeds up the workflow. i like the effects on the 404, and theres a lot of dope ways to integrate my ipad into it, but at the end of the day, it starts with a melody or sample, and i kinda just let the vibe take over.

reissue of balearic gem spanglish movement from little known band hot pepper! originally released as a private pressing in 1978 and featuring famous drummer jesus munoz tilico, a giant musician who appeared on countless recordings and accompanied famous figures like paul mauriat and carl tjader among many others. four superb long tracks including the cosmic underground club classic ritual song. hot pepper was a studio project created by mexican drummer / producer /arranger jesus munoz tilico who in the late 70s decided to record an album in a disco-funk vein, helped by some of his friends who were top session musicians. “spanglish movement” was the result, written and produced by “tilico”, released in 1978 as a tiny private edition housed in a fabulous afro cover. being tilico an enormous drummer, you can expect here lots of heavy drums, congas and percussion, surrounded by crazy space synths, male-female vocals, latin horns, afro touches and occasional fuzz guitar.

to conclude the unsung and defeated series we turned our attention to the distopic wave group wavering hands. the duo comes from bern and zurich, and this is their first vinyl release. the use of real drums, guitars and vocals is an unusual field for us, nevertheless, as it is clear now, we have shown no fear in going wherever our interest take us. and this time is pure new wave, kraut rock inspired music. a perfect ending for this series of unsung and defeated local heroes.

lph060-pack-a play / pause a1. let me jacq 0:15 1:30 volume a1. let me jacq a2. one more time a3. movin kinda funky a4. don t wanna stop a5. war funk feels b1. java harem b2. never say never b3. just wanna play b4. make me feel good b5. bk slice artist jacques renault title bk club beats, breaks & versions label let s play house catalogue lph060 format lp dealer price £5.50 release date 20/07/2018 territory worldwide genre deep housedisco zip download audio samples & images description three years ago, a long-overdue and much-anticipated debut album from let s play house co-head jacques renault finally hit shelves, and now, the follow-up effort, the sophomore swing, arrives. if zentrum was a sprawling and aspirant full-length, bk club beats, breaks & versions is an exacting and focused rejoinder, a powerful, punchy, and succinct exposition of renault s skills and fortes. it s a deep-dive into the movements that sucked him into club music and a celebration of the inspirations that fueled his ascendance to dj and producer in his own right. what we give you here is an album of originals that have been conceived, orchestrated, and stitched together to function as a classic renault peak-hour set—classic house sounds sandwiched between hip-hop breaks and disco licks, all glued into place with his trademark full-bodied, colorful, swinging drums. the a-side has a daytime glimmer and glisten to it, a sunniness that imparts it with a distinct top-down-crisscross-through-the-city flavor. the flip is just as pumped and uptempo, but it has a rounder bottom and feels murkier, steamier, and, by extension, more late-night.

its a captivating encounter when a producer of relative anonymity bursts onto the scene with an exciting and engaging release, that you re drawn back to again and again, wondering how you ve never heard of them before. porto producer pedro, & washington dc vocalist jenna camille have achieved exactly that with this first release on the mighty wolf music recordings. the influences from jazz though to soul, rnb & broken beat are weaved deep within this record. you re drawn in from the off with an intro of stripped back pianos behind an emotional spoken word monologue from jenna, before it opens up into a beatsy, rnb infused groove. having pulled you in float hits you with a richness of synth textures, layers of broken beats and dreamy chords alongside jennas float mantra hypnotising you deeper and deeper. reaching the last section of the track though you re woken from that hypnotic groove with a switch to a raw and energetic breakbeat sure to get any crowd moving. keep it h 2000 , the final track on the a side, has a real flavour of fatima to it emanating from jenna s blissful vocals - laid over the top of sustained rhodes, weighty synth lines and dynamic drums. flip it over and there s a tougher intensity to future dance (it ll be ok) , coupling rhythmic stabs with jazzy chord progressions, laced behind a groove that wouldn t be out of place lighting up the floor at a co-op night. to close out the e.p. you re given a sensory overload through jenna s staggered, overlaid vocals panned to come at you from every angle its the perfect outro to both stun you and leave you wanting more. and if this extremely well-polished, first key release is a sign of things to come, pedros name will be becoming a lot more familiar in years to come. support from afronaught (bugz in the attic), bradley zero, henry wu, lefto, atjazz & osunlade

generation next returns with his 6th solo ep on the 7 days entertainment label titled phoenix. the ep opens with the song sundance kid, a tune that carries a high-spirited synth and bass throughout mixed in with a simple kick drum, high hat and snare combo. next up on side a is roseland, a cool, smooth house track from gn. a funky baseline accompanied with a warm piano, some complimentary synth and a clean rhythmic drum kit pattern. on the flip side, the first track is jungle 10.10.15. the recording used at the opening is from a voicemail received on the date 10/10/15. this track is pure memorization. the voice of a woman over a frantic high hat pattern and knocking kick drums. the last song of this 4 song ep is gold scorpion. a simple dance tune with high- energy percussion, piano, and kick drum. this dance floor mover will definitely be a favorite.

your new shit. four new faces, four new sounds. artists from edinburgh, glasgow, dundee and london on one record. basically, it s a quadruple a side bbz. j wax provides a classy african vocal laced rhythmic work out, a bold statement in loopy hip movement. ted jasper follows with a beautiful instrumental double bass led playful house experience. think house meets mpc meets nu-jazz (*tip*). on the flip gavinco comes powering through with a deep guitar riff over some strong drums. this has made it into a few sets recently around town and really turns heads. finally, swayed drops a tune that is as exciting as having your bday at wimpy. a new york paradise garage vocal laced with fine horns and a baseline made to shake. these tunes make people not want to go for a fag break.

bacao rhythm & steel band return with another instantly classic 45 guaranteed to be all over djs set lists. with their sophomore full length coming in september, they treat us to another bomb of a two sider.
side a is a cover of the dr dre hit “xxplosive” done up in proper brsb fashion, smashing drums and steel pans playing the lead and bass lines. they take this one into new territory by adding synth parts and dubbed out horn lines playing nate dogg’s infamous vocal hook melodies.
side b takes on one of nycity’s grimiest hip hop club anthems, mobb deep’s “burn”. we decided to do this tune and demoed it out long before the unfortunate passing of prodigy. unfortunately, he will never get to hear this cover, and that has been one of the nicest things in covering some of these more current hip hop tunes. rest in peace p.
brsb manages to do it again ... a version equally as raw and punchy as the original. pans bang out the iconic riff from the original, theremin ushers in the changes, and the low rubble of the synth bass is sure to crush the subwoofers.

following fine scalpel-focused outings from ltj and les inferno, many of many aliases stefano de gama returns to samosa with a trio of subtly tooled-up disco edits. a-side -son of slave- sees him join together bits of soulful disco-era classics -slide- and -son of slide- to form a tasty new whole. while heavily compressed and noticeably chunkier than either of the original tracks, de gama s version is loose enough to please those who think edits should merely be dj-friendly re-arrangements. turn to the flipside for the lolloping, low-slung afro-funk goodness of -1972- and the throbbing peak-time disco celebration of filter-sporting closer -star buk-. this too boasts booming drums and bass, but also enough musical looseness to avoid the usual disco-house pitfalls.

this record comes with a version for every time and mood of a club night: jo pariotas cut of the original mix is the ideal warm up tune. flowing on a synthline that calls mike huckabys waldorf to mind, it is sweet and driving at the same time. the original mix by loveits own nico brun might be called „casual affair, but comes rolling on a phat wonky rhode that brings the groove! between the crunchy drums, a relaxed vocal snipped and warm synth unfold like the first rays of sunlight. the jk & lds reduction is punchy, minimal and dubby - with its pull and release kind of melody and the stuttered vocal sample it works perfect as a peak time dj tool. finally, the a.s.s. amnesia returns mix is something else entirely… you just have to experience it in its full 8 min breakbeat aphex twin-like glory. - morri313

the whiskey pickle crew turn their attention to a new partnership from steve cobby and laurie welton, the former being known for decades of djing, label management and producing alongside the likes of stephen mallinder for throne of blood. here the emphasis, as expected with whiskey pickle, is on disco with a slight leaning to the left. -absolute- is a bubbling jam laden with illustrious threads of melody, cosmic in nature but still rooted thanks to a rock solid rhythm section. -limoncello- is a more introspective affair that works with minor chords and a more intricate set of drums, but don t be fooled the groove is very much still intact. new york duo whatever/whatever bring a tougher dynamic to -absolute,- dialing in some beefy beats and amping up the synth touches for a surefire house heater. played by

over the course of the last decade, black pepper label boss jose manuel has proved to be one of electronic music s finest contemporary alchemists, conjuring percussive, intoxicating and otherworldly musical treats for such labels as tusk wax, kinfolk, kill the dj, optimo trax and music for dreams. the genius of manuel s productions lies in the italian s ability to conjure cracking cosmic compositions out of a diverse range of global rhythms, instruments and influences. rarely has this been more evident than on his debut release for nunorthernsoul, a four-track serving of dancefloor mysticism that puts mind-altering rhythms and saucer-eyed instrumentation front and centre. track, for example, the light and dreamy wrapped sumptuous balearic synthesizer chords and melodies around gentle hand percussion and drifting zambian vocals on the sublime journey in lusaka followed by the feverish, trance-inducing african rhythms, delay-laden chants, psychedelic acid lines and jangling jew s harp motifs of intense opener journey in lusanda , a ritualistic afro-cosmic onslaught ripe for peak-time plays. if the ep opener is all about being flat on your back and staring skywards, the follow up is all about druggy, heads down sweatiness! manuel s deep love of indian music is explored on journey in mumbai , where exotic sitar lines, fluttering clarinets and echoing, densely layered female vocals rise above a thick, tabla-fired groove. it s naturally hugely evocative and atmospheric - a fine dose of emotion-rich spirituality capable of inducing hallucinations in the straightest of listeners. to complete the ep, our hero travels even further east for journey in osaka , a fittingly percussive exploration of japanese music s past and present that also includes audible nods towards the poly-rhythmic drums of west africa. it s a superb combination of traditional instrumentation, 21st century electronics, heavyweight rhythms and mood-enhancing melodic flourishes. like the rest of the journeys in...ep, it s both hugely alluring and impeccably produced

opening track in the b kicks off proceedings in no uncertain fashion. it s 100% wall shaker material, the type of techno music best paired with strobe lights and towering speaker stacks. it mesmerises with its low-slung undulating bassline and detroit rhythms before giving way to some riotous old school essex stabs and sharp claps. no messing, this is a certified 3 am red light burner! track 2 chocolate biscuit accelerates proceedings! beginning with unfussy drums and a robotic, bleep-heavy melody driving it off into a wonderfully off-kilter direction. its arpreggio d rhythms may be brutish and wrestle a growling sense of menace out of the track, but the overall feel, however, suggests considerable care and attention has been paid to make it sound this way. there s clearly an uncommon musicality at play here to make something this complex feel so simple. the bpm drops next on jenny s hall but from the offset, there s enough funk and thrust in the motorised synth line to get bodies gently grooving without the beauty getting lost in the slower loop. this is blissed out, psychotropic techno - the kind of track where it feels like you re floating and falling at the same time, but all the while making sure you still remain fit for purpose on the dancefloor. ian blevins takes on remix duties this time and the berlin-based dj/producer offers up a sleek peak-time banger that fizzes, bubbles and percolates. he gives the rhythm on jenny s hall less space to swing and ties it to a tight motorik beat turning it into a slice of shiny, modern techno but with extra shoulder-checking force. its vibe drawing from a sense of outsider-party fun with a wry smile, and a knowing wink running throughout before bringing the package to a suitably left of field crescendo.

this collaboration between skatebård, philipp lauer & dj sotofett dives deep into flux borders of italo, new beat and the melodic sides of industrial. a-side is contoured by a synthetic bassline riff on trigged drums & percussions for a full club version. b-side’s two tracks are both differently bass driven, one with live piano solo and the other with airy whistles. all tracks cleverly composed with a richness of melody, rhythm & engaging arrangements.

more leftfield techno sounds from one of the scenes more unassuming producers, a sagittariun delivers a new single stamped with his trademark sound aesthetic. the ‘fahrenheit 451 ep brings together three new productions in lieu of a new album coming later in the year. the golden apple brings together brain scrambling drums, a heavy hoover bassline, and a typically sagi style wormhole riff, whilst blue lotus throws tropical shapes around the broken beats that flourish into a rapid 4/4 stomper, with scattering hats and equatorial ambience giving a unique vibe. a sagittariun strays into disco territory on liebe tanzen, flitting between modern intergalactic synth riffs & basslines, and sampled disco drums. hand stamped 12 vinyl, limited to 150 copies - global pr and marketing campaign from hype filter re-moulded, 25 years after it was produced, for release on his elastic dreams label.

speed for lovers release debut album hot yoga emoji on society records / ubishi recordings originally from sheffield, liverpool & the forest of dean, the three lovers met in the network of little mesters music studios on john street in sheffield. initially engineering, producing and playing on each other s projects, they subsequently teamed up to form speed for lovers in 2010. the past eight years have been spent wearing out rave trainers, building studios in their attics and sheds, geeking out with sound on sound articles and faffing with tech. with two members who came and stayed and one who couldn t leave, hot yoga emoji is the band s ode to sheffield. field recordings of late nights out and early stumblings home link tracks together and place their moments of creation in the city. spurred on by sheffield s kabal nights and trips to the electric chair in mcr, hot yoga emoji mixes live drums and bass guitar with pocket sound generators, old synths and vocals to create an album of irresistible live dance music.! single vinyl lp

the next release on leading french label zone is a very special one indeed from long time friend of the label and pioneering electro figure kittin, the artist formerly known as miss kittin. her standout original comes with an equally impressive remix from truncate. a long time stalwart of the electroclash scene who has put out many seminal singles, kittin has famously collaborated with the hacker and felix da housecat and mixed up new wave and techno in arresting new ways for decades. her albums have always been hailed as hugely accomplished and the prolific and innovative frenchwoman has worked with numerous top labels. now back once more in 2018 with her first solo single in some time, she is in fine form. her offering here, ‘eacid’, is a timeless piece of deep techno with brain melting bass and twinkling yet menacing keys. her own vocals are twisted and chopped up into wordless forms that add layers of intrigue and the whole thing is brilliantly broody. a breakdown at the mid point allows you to catch your breath as her voice refracts round the airwaves, then the icy hi hats and rumbling drums and bass land again with subtly uplifting, light emitting chords rising in the background. all in all, this is one of kittin’s most special and evocative tracks of recent times. remixing is truncate, the deep techno artist who runs a label of the same name and has released his killer wares on 50weapons. his version is more wild and flailing, with the keys becoming more manic, the drums darting about all over the place and the voice becoming more paranoid and trippy.

r&s welcome back highly-revered techno artist benjamin damage with his new double headed single ‘malfunction / binary . ‘montreal’ from his debut r&s ep proved to be one of the label s biggest techno releases of the last few years - the pummelling drums, intense atmosphere and beatuiful melodies are synonymous with the music that has made the label timeless. road tested in benjamin’s heavy artillery live shows across the globe, malfunction / binary pick up where the last ep left off - pistoning rhythms, breakneck beats and monolithic bass, but this time the mood is more reflective and optimistic - skying cloud-like pads offer a dreamy counterpoint. made between london and berlin, following recent live shows at berghain and oval space, benjamin’s wanderlust and restless studio dynamic sees him continually breaking down his gear to travel, “being on tour with all my gear i find it quite easy to work in new places,” he explains. “i like the energy of different cities and it s good to keep moving.” this new ep is announced ahead of a huge, all hardware live show at sonar by night in barcelona. with ‘malfunction/binary’ sure to do the business and an album in progress for r&s scheduled for 2019 it’s going to be an exciting year ahead!