what is this? we actually dont know but it is new and wonderful! as one of the most successful artists in contemporary techno music hendrik weber aka pantha du prince presents his new studio project together with workshops stephan abry: ursprung. after several studio sessions in the cold and charming winter of the swiss alps, abry and weber were driven deeper and deeper into some microcosm of sound to almost cut the edge to the myth. influenced by krautrock, the ambient music of harold budd and early brian eno, avantgarde, and the minimalistic guitar sound of durutti collumn the ursprung project cant resist to make the guitar a main source. coming together with highly futuristic sounds as we know from the researches of pantha du prince. a truly unconventional structure of slowly growing beats hold this universe which came from the cold mountains together. it is not the first time the protagonists behind ursprung worked together. they met some ten years ago in hamburg as the photographer and musician stephan abry worked on his workshop project together with the artist kai althoff. hendrik weber was involved in the band stella and both released on hamburgs legendary ladomat 2000 label. a frequent conversation, exchange of music and some sessions made them work on pantha du prince works. mostly recorded in that white out background of the alps it was clear from the beginning- a unique project will come one day. now ursprung is here and lets us forget time and memory. stephan abry and hendrik weber wonder what is this? we actually dont know at all but it is new and wonderful!

bong-ras new album monolith is a new step in pure hybrid electronics. seamlessly mixing all styles with ease. be it metal, drum and bass, hip hop and dubstep. a musical characteristic he has gained international praise for. monolith is divided up into two segments: alpha and omega. alpha are four hiphop-esque colossals featuring the american rapper sole, who has proven himself over the years with his crew and label anticon. omega is the dancefloor orientated part of the album where bong-ra continues with his trademark metalbreaks style which made him remix the likes of bolt thrower and even screamo legends therapy? since 1996 bong-ra has released 5 full length albums, and has released on labels such as djax. planet mu, ad noiseam, kid 606s tigerbeat 6, jason forrests cock rock disco to name a few. the biggest success came with the 2003 album bikini bandits, kill! kill! kill! managing a full rotation with the videoclip 666mph on mtv. bbcs radio 1 dj, john peel, was also a big fan, inviting bong-ra to do a famous john peel session in 2001, and was asked to be part of the peel tribute cd kats karavan containing peels 125 favourite session artists. this cd contained the likes of bob marley, boomtown rats, the jam, pj harvey and bong-ra amongst others. in the last decade bong-ra has played all the big festivals: glastonbury, lowlands, fusion, dour, eurosonic, etc and has toured europe, the us and japan. bong-ra is further known for being one of the pioneers of the breakcore genre. together with artists like venetian snares, shitmat and jason forrest they developed this unique and energetic crossbreed in the early 2000s. with monolith bong-ra continues to pave the way into heavy electronics, always re-inventing and evolving himself with every album. he recently won the dutch 3voor12 award (the largest dutch music platform) for best musician, for his bong-ra and the kilimanjaro darkjazz ensemble projects.

heirlooms is a colorful, refreshingly varied departure from the everyday, rich with emotion and as deeply rooted as they come, offering yet another side of dave ajus kaleidoscopic musical world to explore.

these are my dj mix compilation series. and now we are about to release volume 3. they are a journey through disco past, present and future. both compilations made it into mixmags top 10 compilations of 2009 and 2010 respectively. - mighty mouse

mohn is likely producing the best music that vangelis never wrote, the lost soundtrack to a kšlsch version of blade runner, a space opera in slow motion conducted by a hypnotized caspar david friedrich in orbital transit. as music it gets extremely close, obscuring the sun, whispering loudly, slowly, and furiously, both a fascinating trip into the interior of an inverted electron- scanning microscope and the meticulous recreation of a mandelbrot fractal, all in album format. whether synthesizers dream of electric sheep, wolfgang voigt and jšrg burger may not be able to say for certain, but as mohn, they seem to have a fairly accurate idea how it might sound.

together with co-producer tom mcfall (r.e.m., weezer, stars) they experimented with new sounds, structures and melodies - and now they are very proud to present the result: the best album by alcoholic faith mission to date. alcoholic faith mission will continue touring as much as possible in 2012 in support of the album, covering europe and usa/canada - and hopefully theyÕll get to play lots of festivals in the sun.

for those of us waiting for the next band who will engage our minds, hearts and souls here comes evaline - think radiohead and add in a helping of jane s addiction for energy - with songs full of immediacy and drama that just won t go away and with their high energy live show that has been gathering fans in every city they play.

cementing a year that saw a string of sublime stellar releases from mario & vidis, the dynamic force give house music a new accessible heartbeat with their album changed, set for release next spring. mario & vidis title their debut artist album after their future classic anthem, changed,an apt advocate to the new age slow house sound they have mastered and unmask themselves as purveyors of a hive of activity in their lithuanian home. spanning two discs and twenty tracks they cover much musical terrain, striding through epic soundscapes, hypnotic pop melodies, wandering into pure soul and running away with the finesse of raw house music on the second disc.changed opens with the atmosphere heavy introducing to you, lightly tickling the senses.

electronic duo cage & aviary are set to release their debut album >migration< on prins thomass internasjonal imprint this coming january.part man,part machine,part cockatiel,cage & aviary take flights of fancy whenever they can.jamie paton is a dj,a one-finger keyboardist,and a pot-tickler.nigel of bermondsey is a musician,south londons finest oscillator,and a dedicated dabbler.together they are winners of the cosmic lottery.having put out releases to much acclaim on the ltd editions that are dissident distribution,cage & aviary have since spread their wings with releases on dfa, tiny sticks and astro lab.their own label,the walls have ears,is slowly carving out a reputation for quality dubbed-out dance music too - the cage & aviary remix series has met with great critical acclaim thus far,with the likes of andy blake,prins thomas,horse meat disco,mock n toof,bill brewster, tim sweeney, james murphy,tiga,erol alkan and other such luminaries counted amongst fans of their work!

from the golden beach of bali, goa and the balearics. this is beachclubbing,a heady, organic soundtrack of the very finest house music for a decidedly different clubbing experience. the alfresco party is nothing new. back when acid house was just a glint in the smiley faces eye, there was outdoor clubbing, a new and exciting expression of our primal urge to dance to a drum under the heavens. for centuries and even millennia, of course, tribal cultures around the world had been spinning wildly around fire, idol and one another without roof or shelter. in terms of pure, hedonistic, feel-good partying, there is nothing that quite compares to dancing with friends with the sun on your face and the sand between your toes. from the golden beaches of bali, goa or the balearics, this is beach clubbing, a heady, organic soundtrack of the very finest house music for a dedicatedly different outdoor clubbing experience.

2 cds with 30 tracks...

ibiza rocks 2011 liefert uns auf zwei cds die indie und dance hits des jahres inklusive songs von adele, jamie t, simian mobile disco, darwin deez und und und! zusammengestellt und gemixt von den ibiza rocks resident djs nicola bear und doorly gibt es 35 tracks und remixversionen von miles kane, example, toddla t & shola ama, beardyman, africa hitech u.v.a.!

justice, the french duo formed by gaspard auge and xavier de rosnay, is the band of a whole generation. when the two friends were still bright students in graphic design, in 2003 they made justice a place to experiment a hybrid genre between music and image, which blends pop and electronic borders, and showcases the talents of 2 fascinating passionate pop culture craftsmen, bored with hierarchy. they met pedro winter who had just founded his label ed banger records, he immediately signs them after listening to >we are your friends< which, with its joyful and vitamin-enriched electro beats combined with exhilarating voices, became the hymn of a whole generation and one of the most important tracks of the year 2000, celebrating a reconciliation of pop music and the dancefloor.

in 2009 the flamingo records crew compilation captured the white isle s club-juice in ibiza and 12 months later set their sights on the big apple for a new york chapter. now, with the city s musical mercury at sky-high levels, they ve returned flamingo nights to their home streets for the amsterdam edition. this year flamingo honchos funkerman and fedde le grand have ceded the mix controls to label lieutenants nicky romero and deniz koyu - two of central europe s fastest on-the-rise spin-masters.

he is one of the hardcore scenes biggest icons for almost twenty years. after five albums, neophyte returned to his favorite chamber to produce his first album in more than five years. a unique album: for the first time in hardcore history, an album will be released in two different parts. on monday january 16th, neophyte will present the first chapter of rechtoe rechtaan s successor: mainiak . jeroen streundings formation dropped its first ep in 1993 on rotterdam records: they released tons of tracks on the legendary label. next to these activities, neophyte came up with several aliases like bodylotion, hard creation and masters of ceremony to produce on terror traxx and forze records. in 1999 neophyte founded his own label neophyte records, which is considered to be one of the leading labels in hardcore for more than twelve years. neophyte developed himself as one of the best producers of the hardcore scene and helped new artists like evil activities and tha playah to get to the top of the hardcore olympus as well. mainiak proves why neophyte is hailed as a true leader of the hardcore scene. the first chapter of the album is packed with an arsenal of brand new material: besides a lot of solo tracks, neophyte has also collaborated with a selection of other artists such as neophyte records colleagues tha playah & the viper. mainiak s tracks have been edited for the album to keep it flowing in the best way for the listeners pleasure. the dj s and his diehard fans won t have to mourn: the album s tracks will also be available for download in full length.

2011 album from the australian deep funk quartet. look out watch out builds upon the diamond hard and gritty funk and soul template they established with their self titled 2009 debut long player. not content to return with simply more of the same, look out, watch out expands the groups sound and repertoire, featuring as it does, incredible new vocalist may johnston, guest contributions from renowned randa khamis and roxie ray, a choice cover version plus original tracks augmented with some raucous and heavy brass.

a genuinely triumphant arrival, the album features ten stunning tracks including forthcoming single amber hands, that reel from glorious carnival-esque euphoria to a sound that occasionally flirts at melancholy and utter despair. again into eyes was recorded in london with producers ken and jolyon thomas, whose credits include sigur ros, m83, david bowie and psychic tv. the album standouts include faith unfolds, summon the sound, which featured on mute s recent exclusive record store day vinyl release vorwarts and the utopian, future-disco monolith that is whitechapel. indeed, the bands individual listening habits in psychedelia, space-rock, avant-garde and ambient soundtracks collide to form a pop trip that neatly balances the innovative with the rapturously danceable to great effect. based in london, s.c.u.m exploded onto the music scene two years ago with the release of their debut single visions arise. the single, together with their exciting and intense live shows, quickly grabbed the imagination of fans and critics alike. since then they have toured extensively across the uk and europe to a growing fanbase.

for the first time in 30 years throbbing gristle are now back on their own original industrial records label. to mark the occasion we are pleased to announce the rerelease of tgs first five albums on vinyl & cd. each album has been restored and remastered specifically for each format by chris carter from 24bit baked tape digital transfers of the original first generation analogue master tapes. each of the cd special-editions are presented in a gatefold sleeve featuring restored and remastered cover artworks and an integrated 8-page booklet (the booklets feature different artworks and content to the vinyl editions). while the cd releases feature the same track count and running order as the vinyl editions each cd special-edition also includes an exclusive bonus cd containing content from the year of the albums original release. this additional content includes tg live tracks and remastered singles. the greatest hits cd special-edition also includes two previously unreleased throbbing gristle mixes from the 1980s.

ralph myerz is with no doubt one of the most active music personas of the norwegian music scene. it was the year of 1997 when ralph asked for people to play percussion with him during a party in bergen, norway. the jack herren band showed up through a combination of mutual contacts and high-school friendship. supposedly a one-time-event, they had so much fun playing together that they decided to form a band, and ralph myerz & the jack herren band was formed. the band released a 7inch and a 12inch on the telle records that were followed by great reviews from magazines and dj around europe, including dimitri from paris who included the track nikita on one of his playboy mansion compilations.

driver drive faster are a new band from manchester, but you wouldnt necessarily tell. this masterful debut album presents a rich, timeworn sound that exists somewhere between americana and spectral indie rock. its crafted song-writing at its best, hinging on stirring chord sequences and moments of fragile beauty. -a review described us as misfits,- says singer/ guitarist dylan giles. -we took it as a compliment.- named open house and recorded in the shared digs in which the entire band reside, the album was a labour of love begun in late 2009, poured over in 2010 and set for release in 2011. the result is a lush, layered record that slowly draws you into its world. think mercury revs deserters songs for a new generation.

northern lite are back with new indi dance longplayer

2011 sophomore release from the east london quintet formerly known as dark captain light captain. the band released their debut full-length miracle kicker in 2008 to critical praise across the board. the album spawned a surprise hit stateside with -jealous enemies- and catapulted dark captain all around europe and the uk, where they gleefully shared stages with the likes of sophia, 65daysofstatic, tunng and laetita sadier (stereolab). late last year, the band disembarked the relentless carousel of budget flights, punctual soundchecks and questionable service station snack food to record their follow-up. dead legs & alibis is the shimmering, restless result of these endeavors.

previously existing as progressive/melodic house entity solarity, dusky are london based musicians alfie granger-howell and nick harriman. as comfortable writing elegant orchestral pieces or stirring piano motifs as they are jackin house and epic techno grooves, their diverse sounds are united by the duos singular aim--to compose electronic music with depth, soul and originality. stick by this is the duos debut album.

ugly duckling is back with their fifth full length album moving at breakneck speed. after more than a decade in the music business, young einstein, andy cooper and dizzy dustin are well accustomed to the recording process and for their latest lp the boys dug deep into their bag of tricks to create what they feel is their most dynamic and complete release to date. moving at breakneck speed is an exciting and musically exotic, adventure story that has our desperate heroes circling the globe to outrun an evil gang of super criminals determined to put an end to ud once and for all. the record is made up of 14 power packed tracks that showcase ugly duckling s classic production sound and the flavorful, humorously soulful vocal styles of dizzy and andy.

jailbreak at the zoo! totebagz is the collaboration between two of melbournes most daring minds, jerky perky aka misha hallenbach (perks and mini, bamboo musik) and the most excellent surfer/dj biscuit (moonrocks). when theyre not cycling the unknown regions, foraging the bush for >special< funghi or surfing the 50-year storm, theyre oozing tweaked cardboard box techno. on this limited edition disc, the totebagz pile blankets of synth upon deep-fried circuitry upon drum machines that have a mind of their own. to say they take you for a ride would be an understatement. this is what it sounds like when gremlins shack up inside your mixer.

first there was life is water for gerbadaisies when they are dancing, then there was a soft kiss by a rose, now we have shhh, dandelions at play - the latest album by boof. shhh, dandelions at play is available on cd and as download via bubbletease communications on itunes and juno download. accompanied by the 12inch-single joi is smiling/now shes jumping. produced by maurice fulton.

hier gibt es ordentlich was auf die nuss! die 100 staerksten hardcore-tracks des jahres auf einer exzellenten doppel-cd! alles, was das hardcore-herz hoeher schlagen laesst, von angerfist & evil activities ueber neophyte & nosferatu bis predator & tommyknocker!

dub trio is back with their fourth and most powerful album to date Ð iv Ð an overwhelming blend of sounds, styles and ideas that come out swinging, and hit harder than ever. can metal coexist with dubs bass heavy riddims? dub trios newest album proves that not only can such incongruities coexist, but that in the right hands they flourish! with iv the band succeeds dramatically at emphasizing the theories, emotions, sounds, and concepts of their current musical exploration. iv finds the members playing multiple instruments, tweaking, turning & torturing knobs, cutting and chopping the audio itself, and shaping the compositions to create their own unique interpretation of dub as an art form.

its probably safe to say that youve never heard anything like brothers of brazil before. for the past three years the brotherly duo of supla and joao have been combining elements of traditional brazilian music such as bossa nova and samba with rock and funk to create a unique sound thats won over countless fans in brazil, and now theyre ready to expand worldwide with the release of their self-titled album. the duo was started when the brothers landed their own national variety show in brazil called brothers on rede tv. supla and joao realized then that when they collaborated the results were beyond what they had ever imagined.

its a love story: stil vor talent have long been mad about niconŽ and sascha braemer so that the recent past has seen some very memorable releases by the two producers. now its about time they join forces to release a whole album together. while sascha braemer only recently caused waves with his Ÿber-track people, nicone is a long-established pillar of top-class electronic music.

byetone s new record symeta opens with a combined track - a transit - since topas and telegramm could be seen as one single piece. both tracks convey the atmosphere of a live session rather than the character of a studio production. the tracks are quite long and deal with repetition, layers of sounds, density and energy, more than melodic and engineering finesse. the whole album follows this approach, as it was fashioned within the context of live performances during the last two years. neuschnee Ð the third track Ð has an obviously reduced tempo, creating a wide landscape of sound with an intimate aura, which works as a counter draft to the other tracks of the record. with opal, the tempo speeds up again, a polyrhythmic phrase whirls around a straight beat, filters are turned, all that evokes the impression of early-90s minimal techno. byetone is basically interested in remembering, in a way to preserve, in citing rock/pop styles, without getting stuck in the past, whereas non of the tracks really fit into a specific genre. seen from this perspective, helix opens the final, more rocky block of the album. here, the tracks are offensive and rude and sound like a band in a rehearsal room. this part peaks with black peace in a high speed heavy metal session. finally, golden elegy closes symeta and a band-like situation occurs. the track ends with a wired lament, presented by jan kummer in the tenor of chemnitz, hometown of both artists. in former gdr-times, they started their musical activity with the brilliant-dilettantish ag geige, together with frank bretschneider (komet). symeta , the title of the album, appears mysterious. this synthetic word arouses associations with symmetry, synthesis or (meta-)structures. it doesn t stand for a definite object, there isn t any solution, and that is the reason why the title has been chosen. byetone s music tries to create such associations without really fulfilling these expectations. in this sense, symeta consequently follows death of a typographer (r-n92), the well received predecessor.

kanda bongo man is a giant of african music and the artist credited with introducing john peel to african music. his fans number vampire weekend (cape cod kwassa kwassa), paul simon and john peel. all the tracks were recorded for joe boyds hannibal records between 1984-91, an era we can look back on today as the high watermark of parisian soukous, and showcase a band at the height of their powers. behind his soaring voice kanda employed diblo dibala and rigo star, two lead guitarists who are widely considered as the best soukous guitarists who ever lived. diblo was recruited from the band led by the legendary franco whilst rigos scorching licks graced albums by paul simon and it was their twinning that gave kandas music a wonderfully joyous, ringing quality. they both feature extensively on the -king of kwassa kwassa-.

boom bip was one of the canniest underground beat producers around before he hooked up with gruff rhys of super furry animals to create the fascinating neon neon project, which took as its focus automaker john delorean and what his car (and charisma) meant to the 80s. bbs return to the solo realm finally came on 2011s zig zaj, which has more in common with neon neon than with his early solo joints. (features for cate le bon and franz ferdinands alex kapranos, among others, certainly fit in.) as always, its impeccably produced - hollon has only gained in proficiency and maturity as a producer. but compared to seed to sun or blue eyed in the red room, whose fascination with sound was positively contagious, zig zaj sounds like an overly safe record, the type that most producers would avoid if they wanted to keep innovating. heavily influenced by rock and 80s new wave, similar to neon neons stainless style, its impressions are largely textural, and as talented a producer as boom bip has become, zig zaj sounds more like a rehash than the entirely new recipe that music fans are undoubtedly looking for.

walls alessio natalizia and sam willis dont deal in perfect wholes. the kompakt duo return swiftly on the back of 2010 s critically lauded self titled debut, an album that picked up mojos coveted electronic album of the year, featured in nmes end-of-year lists, not to mention winning fans such as of jamie xx, caribou, james holden and impressing us trio battles so much that they have invited the pair on tour around the us this coming october. yet it isnt these admittedly impressive accolades that make the announcement of second lp >coracle< such an anticipated one, what makes walls so alluring is the fully immersive experience of their mellifluous electronica Ð reaching out far and wide to pull influences sonic, emotional and theoretical together into patterns of blissful phantasmagoria. taking their debut as the prototype, willis and natalizia have taken those initial early-sunrise evocations and pushed them to even more grandiose expanse

sander van doorns new artist album 2011. if theres one thing we can say about the evolution of the worldwide dance scene this year, is that its genres are being mashed up like never before. on his new artist album eleve11, sander van doorn once again does what he does best, mixing up styles, genres and artist-cooperations. along side his smash hits koko and love is darkness, eleve11 is packed with artist-cooperations such as believe with singer/songwriter tom helsen, eagles with adrian lux and sanders latest purle haze installment timezone. an emotional dancefloor-killer that brings shivers down your spine each time you hear us singer fredericks voice. more uplifting is sanders collab with fellow-dutchman laidback luke. whos wearing the cap is an idea born when their resemblance on a photo was so anstonishing that the songtitle was placed underneath it, making fans wonder if they might be brothers. those who have heard nadia ali on iios classic rapture have probably wondered when her voice was due for a svd treatment. well, that time has finally come and the result is called: rolling the dice together with sidney samson all in all, eleve11, with its neatly corresponding 11 tracks all recorded in 2011, shows the world exactly what sander van doorn has evolved into.. a worldwide dancemusic phenomena.

in keb darges own words: i ve done many a compilation in my day, mostly based around the tunes i played at my long running deep funk nights in madame jo jos. that night is no longer on the go, possibly due to a growing lack of interest on my part, (sorry). in the last few years the lost & found: nights at the club have been my real passion, and indeed little ediths and andy smiths passion too. what a marvelous era this is for good music. we may still have pure stuff like dub step: pulling in large numbers of sheep, but an equal number of youngsters are being attracted to retro, or at least retro sounding music. people tell me it is because the youth are fed up with computerized music, or men with drug problems angrily shouting at them over a dull repetitive beat, but i know lots of teenagers who have bypassed this muck all together. must be the internet that is helping kill off the demand for empty music. you no longer need to go to a retro club night, or indeed search out rare records to be exposed to good music, the internet is full of the stuff. my fifteen year old daughter is a marc bolan fan who while researching the poor fellows influences discovered chuck berry, sun records, etc, etc. i dont really know or understand why so many are at last getting into the good stuff, but they are, and it is wonderful for the likes of me.

being a product of the age it was written, slow clubs 2009 debut, yeah so, dealt with the all too familiar space between adolescence and the oncoming storm of adulthood. a boy-girl duo who played a flower-adorned chair live, they were the polar opposite of what was coming out of post-arctic monkeys sheffield. slow club were fun, cute, whimsical and all manner of other words just shy of twee - and they hate being called twee. paradise, however, is where the duo grows up. two years on, it stumbles out of a trivial, self-indulgent teenage malaise (where sexual adventure was priority for most) and carries itself with a sense of perspective that only adulthood can give - a darker, more thoughtful view of the world. for instance, on the poignant you, earth or ash, a song about rebecca taylor s granddad, her melancholic vocals (beautiful, as always) evoke an awareness of mortality for those around her: singing -and i know, soon you ll go,- her voice seemingly breaks under the weight of premature grief. whereas even love-wise (an inspiration every band draws from) slow club s lyrical output is glossed with a more mature and detached sense of sauce, with taylor crooning on where i m waking: -i can see you looking at me / you got the brains i ve got the body-.

with the white isle summer coming to an end hed kandis saxophonist and vocalist laura fowles a.k.a the lovely laura and producer extraordinaire tyrrell come together to bring you their debut artist album straight from the sunsets of ibiza, hed kandi: balearica unplugged. they go back to basics, bringing the hed kandi fans a taste of their balearic musical roots. they disconnected the decks, ditched the electronic beats and unplugged the sound system stripping things back creating a medley of deliciously unplugged covers of their favourite dance songs. tyrrell picked up the six string, laid down some sensual acoustic guitar riffs and atmospheric chords, whilst laura added a splash of soft, husky, phenomenal vocals and sexy sax melodies. this all combined with additional production by the legendary steve miller a.ka. afterlife, brings you a wide, laid back collection all reworked with hed kandis own balearic acoustic treatment... always keeping a sunny disposition in mind. this one cd includes their favourite renditions of songs made famous by the likes of groove armada, calvin harris, deadmau5 & kaskade, friendly fires, empire of the sun and martin solvieg to name but a few. this essential eclectic collage of music is destined for ibizas renowned sunset strip for years to come, where legendary balearic hang out hotspots such as cafŽ del mar, savannahs or blue marlin celebrate the setting of the most talked about sunset, and balearica unplugged offers the perfect musical companion.

mighty clouds is a brand new project that finds thomas re-teaming with betty marie barnes, a talented singer who provided vocals for slgtms every night and fill up the room.the result is a collaboration of the sort that can only occur when two musicians connect on a level that goes beyond the songs they are performing. throughout mighty clouds self-titled debut, thomas and barness musical camaraderie generates a gentle electricity that exudes intimacy and beckons the listener to move in for a closer listen.

qwazaar & batsauce follow up their masterful style be the king ep (2011, fifth element/galapagos4) with a 14-track juggernaut entitled bat meets blaine. the record is an absolute rarity a series of inspired sessions from a world-class mc & producer team at the height of their respective powers. batsauce provides ambidextrous backdrops that are as multilayered as they are strident, while qwazaar simply astonishes, baring his soul while performing near-impossible lyrical feats. its a record all true heads should cop and that all lab scientists can envy.

drawing from a rich sonic palette, man without country splice glacial guitar ripples with an eerie synth pulse to create music both complex and all embracing. their debut ep kicks off with king complex, taken from forthcoming album foe and indicative of mwcs ability to morph their source material into anthems when you least expect it, the tracks tinkling keyboard led intro exploding into a euphoric dancefloor chorus. the melody belies a darker sentiment behind the lyrics on king complex -you are a true parasite / and youre the bane of my life- ryan concedes that -they are personal and bitter-. this contrast between melody and lyric is a common theme across their debut long player. the six track ep features a further 3 tracks from foe Ð inflammable heart, ebb & flow and iceberg plus the sei a remix of king complex. xi is exclusive to this ep.

wretch 32, real name jermaine scott, is one of the uks most loved mcs - from the underground up. from his early years in londons flourishing grime scene back in the early 00s, the tottenham-raised lyricist has always stood out from the crowd. his conscious and reflective bars, along with an extremely relaxed flow, made him a firm favourite on the uk hip hop circuit. much like tinie tempah, wretch 32 has proved that british mcs can reach the mainstream without selling their soul to pop. the first fruits of this crossover success were tasted in january 2011, when his single traktor broke into the domestic top five following an appearance on the bbc sound ofÉ list. and his second official single, unorthodox, fared even better, peaking at number two in april. so its clear that much has changed since his debut lp of 2008, wretchrospective - but has public recognition come at the expense of what marked wretch 32 out as such a talent in the first place? not at all - on the opening title-track, the rapper lets the listener know that its the same old wretch at work. over a drum-heavy hip hop beat he sets up the rest of the album well, advising everyone to fasten their seatbelts as he prepares to take them on a ride that they wont forget in a hurry. never be me finds wretch delving into his past, opening up about making certain decisions in life that got him to where he is today. featuring rnb newcomer angel on the hook, the track has an inspirational feel to it - all over another impressive, but this time more grime-influenced, beat. a true standout is anniversary, with alex mills on singing duties - its a love song, minus any cheese. then the album lurches into the electro-infused sanes the new mad - a glimpse into wretchs party lifestyle, with ladies and alcohol at the forefront of his attentions. and closer dont go just might be one of the tracks of the year.

after two re-releases of conrad schnitzler classics, (zug & ballet statique) now m=minimal releases a completely new work from the pioneer of electronic music. conrad schnitzler is a sound explorer. for many years, he has been on expeditions, journeys through his collection of electronic synthesizers almost every day. sounds he liked has been conserved on tape and stored in his sound library. the result is a huge library of audio files, he calls them >solen<. >borngrŠber & struever< have got the chance to examine that library and started to con-struct new pieces out of the hidden gems. these are not remixes but new compositions. none of the sound combinations were thought or heard before. the 8 tracks form an album independent of any trend and therefore it becomes a real acoustic environment for everyone. the album was produced at studio.wannsee. to give the album more authenticity, the complete audio processing was done using analog equipment. they not only used many classics among the finest synthesizers and outboard equipment, but also custom built tube gear. the icing on the cake are the tubes used from the 60s, which bought christian borngrŠber on a trip through the atacama desert in a small radio repair business in the city of calama. thanks to the desert climate even the packaging of the tubes looked as new

driver drive faster are a new band from manchester, but you wouldnt necessarily tell. this masterful debut album presents a rich, timeworn sound that exists somewhere between americana and spectral indie rock. its crafted song-writing at its best, hinging on stirring chord sequences and moments of fragile beauty. -a review described us as misfits,- says singer/ guitarist dylan giles. -we took it as a compliment.- named open house and recorded in the shared digs in which the entire band reside, the album was a labour of love begun in late 2009, poured over in 2010 and set for release in 2011. the result is a lush, layered record that slowly draws you into its world. think mercury revs deserters songs for a new generation.

yuri mendez jr. has an amazing gift for composing good songs. he arranges them and records them brilliantly, and then groups them together on an album in an unpredictable yet cohesive way (his last album had 22 tracks. this one only has 8). uri mŽndez jr. is a true artisan in the best sense of the word. this is pajaro sunrises third album, and although the essentials havenÕt changed (good songs, great songs), the rest has certainly evolved. yuris voice sounds more and more emphatic, and with an extensive register full of nuances, he sings a story in every song. in doing this, he covers a stunning vocal range that dazzles from the first listen. yuri has been playing together with the same fantastic band for some time now. with them, he has rehearsed the tracks (many of which they were already playing in concerts), and then gone into the studio where almost everything was recorded with everyone playing live. the benefits of having a group that has already travelled together, as well as shared stages and life experiences are evident. and, if this disc breathes anything, its travel, highways, and familiar stories stolen from faraway places that also feel nearby. its a grandiose yet intimate album that thrills and grows with each listen.

the ever on point citrus recordings is stepping up for its 5th artist lp. after having released the debut albums of mindscape & jade wich all went on for critical acclaim its time for citrus to get ready for its 3rd artist album. this time its time for the debut album of fourward! hailing straight from lower austria the four men collective fourward started out producing music in early 2007. the boys knew each other for quite a while and shared the love and passion for drumandbass music. for them it was always a main issue not to stick to any particular tiny subgenre only, but to develop a sound of their own. all members have different musical backgrounds which fit together perfectly and provide a great studio vibe. days went by and the boys finished a couple of tunes properly and it wasnt long until austrian drumandbass producer duo body&soul showed interest in their works. also international artists like bbcs very own crissy criss began to support their music giving them airplay on his radio show. as a result of their effort fourward has released quality tunes on labels like subsonik sound, planet funk and fokuz. the year 2010 they experienced the so called breakthrough with releases on nasca recordings and fokuz followed by an epic 12inch for the legendary label virus recordings! the guys definitely didnt stop there and being on the road now broadened their horizon even further. resulting in a series of tunes perfectly fitting together in this cd. diversity and musicallity are keywords for this album. listen from low blow to you and me, quality drum n bass!!

our obsession with the machine lies at the heart of all electronic music. but what sets the best electronic producers apart is their ability to harness technology to create sounds that are as emotional as they are innovative - something that shines through andrew bayers debut lp >its artificial<. touching on everything from flying lotus-esque glitch-hop and leftfield electronica to swirling melodic techno and warped electro, >its artificial< is the sound of a maverick musician using his machines to their fullest

milk maid is martin cohen from nine black alps. they were discovered by jack cooper of mazes, who released a single on suffering jukebox before they were signed by fatcat records. the whole album was recorded on martins 8-track in his flat in manchester. reference points include mazes, woods and the woodsist label, the shins, guided by voices, oasis, jesus and mary chain.

founded in 2007 by julien henry (syhths & vocals) & marc aumont (bass & vocals), rafale got the meters in overdrive right from the start. they played festivals after festivals (les trans musicales, les dŽcouvertes du printemps de bourges, astropolis, art rock...) & stood out thanks to inflamatory shows which raw rock power melts with rapturous clubbing rave. after the release tow eps (rock it, dont stop it - excessively blogged - & drive, one of year 2009s best videos according to french magazine les inrocks) & with the support of the media, this double act grew to a trio when franck richard joined on the drums to work on a third ep produced by arnaud rebotini (blackstrobe) : eraser. rafale is now about to launch debut album produced by arnaud rebotini, on rise recordings