cleveland is forever in search of the brown note. this is his second offering for the esp institute. side a’s tusk is a beautiful paradox—rhythm programs that churn like the inner workings of a grandfather clock, unmistakably mechanical, yet fashioned through muted analogue instrumentation that paints a deceptively organic picture. the crystallized jangle of fm synth voices toy with the softened drum patterns and vibrant animal-like chord gestures over nearly seven minutes of splendor. on side b, aku digs further into mysticism, manifesting digital jungle themes, cleverly abstracted through erratic bleeps, distant tribal drums, atonal flutters and synthetic bird calls. the cinematic quality of clevelands production shines through both tracks, but its aku that sweeps us from reality to embark on a moonlit expedition in search long lost treasures, proving cleveland a virtuoso skilled in building complex narratives with sound. these two songs will modulate your frequencies.

frak – grown up guests
like a diy brick-shithouse frak feel like they are preparing for some nasty. kicking off the track with some serious drums. eerie synth lines and creepy bass pads lend for a slightly deranged and unsettling feel. there is a strange air about this track. tuff snares kick in that galvanise and ready the troops. the strange difference between the everyday title and the militant feel of the track makes for interesting concoction. its like a bunch of psychos preparing for a dinner party. sweeping the floor and combing their hair to precision. the house might look nice and the cake might be delicious, but these guys psychos.

jack pattern – kernkraft
kernkraft translates as nuclear power and from the outset reverberating sequences visualise a bleak working environment. mechanical sequences rotate. clouds of sparking particles swirl overhead menacingly. a kick drum stumbles into actions, the machine has powered up. cold hi-hats shimmer, and hollow synths give the feel of some sort of labouring workforce continuing their daily grind. this doesn t feel like a nice environment to live in and reflects the reality of some peoples everyday life. living to work for the greater good and sacrificing their lives in the process. it is a powerful piece. strong, monotonous and mechanical.

deep house legends craig smith and andrew mcgroarty finally let their long running instrumental hip-hop project out into the world. inspired by their love of soul, atcq jay dilla, and vintage drum machines. the sense of funky detail woven by craig smith/signal sounds imagines the world of patchwork hip hop as made famous by no-id & dilla. incredibly soulful very warm with a bounce in the beat femi fem (young disciples) craig smith is a og. coming back to his roots of chopping samples and adding drums with an ear that has been trained and sensiblilized for the soulful boom bap 30 years in the making. classic golden era break ya neck shit. marcel vogel (lumberjacks in hell) dj support femi fem (young disciples), phil asher, lay-far, afronaut, thatmanmonks, marcel vogel (lumberjacks in hell)

madcap - river soul: this iconic track has been sought after for months after being hammered in the clubs by some of the top deejay in the world. the classic drums, are complimented perfectly by a booming 808 baseline, rhodes keys, echoing flutes, and sultry vocals that fit seamlessly into the groove. madcap has created an undeniable groove that will be played for years to come. classic!

célia regina cruz recorded four self-titled albums for continental between 1971 and 1977, ‘amor’ in 1982 plus several more before she sadly passed away late in 2017. célia was a brazilian vocalist who worked frequently with master arranger-composer arthur verocai in her early years and many other heavyweights over the course of her extensive career.. this, her second self-titled lp from 1972, features an all-star line up including arthur verocai, erasmo carlos, roberto carlos, marcos valle, antonio carlos jobim, nonato buzar and vinicius de moraes amongst others. célia’s version of ‘na boca do sol’ – taken from this album – is arguably her most well-known and well-loved song. an incredible take on verocai’s original, featuring waling fuzz guitars, strings, piano, horns and drums.

dysnomia reminiscent of the infamous quote there are four lights, the release kicks off with an homage to the will of resistance. from captain picard to orwell may the (referential) chain of command is not as evident as h4ls sci-fi passion, the title tracks power structure couldnt be wielded more efficiently: while stomping kick drums and subtle hi-hats build up a foreplay full of suspense, the witty melody with its warped and distorted sounds grants four lights the perfect authority. following a similar approach, fesch with its bouncy and mantra-like groove, in which synths playing a ping-pong game, completes the swinging a-side. deepa & biri, the israeli dj and producer duo from tel aviv, start the flip side with their interpretation of four lights. by using breaks and greater attention for details, the remix not only redirects the originals energy into more hypnotic realms, deepa & biri extract the melodys keys in order to create a moody and dense version. resonating from two decades of warehouse reverberation experience, disc 2 dysnomia finishes the release with an idm-drenched workout, full of uk bass knowledge, unpolished electro grooves, and swirling synth poetry. absolute freedom means absolute lawlessness.

mid june will see the launch of echocord sub-label echo echo with the ‘dream observer’ ep from grad_u. copenhagen’s echocord is a dub techno imprint with a history dating back fifteen years and a back catalogue featuring material from genre defining artists like deepchord, fluxion, sven weisemann, pole and grad_u who launches the new off shoot imprint echo.
the release opens with ‘jacob’s dream’, fifteen minutes of release date: subtly modulating synth glitches, ethereal synth drones, sweeping atmospherics and dubby echoes creating a hypnotic, ever-unfolding composition.
‘observing the night sky’ then follows on the flip side with thunderous kick drums, rumbling low-end pulses, wandering dub chords and bubbling glitches all subtly nuanced throughout the tracks ten-minute duration.

only one month after the release of their first ep on mt on may 2018, vactrol park continue surprising, this time with a full lp in the shape of “music from the luminous void”.the album sees vp delve much deeper into more atmospheric realms. using modular synths and unexpected drum machine sequencing they leave the 4x4 beats behind in favor of off-world rhythms and ever growing bass. &#8232,,,,, starting with drops’s high frequency tension, laying on top of those heavy kick drums it keeps on growing and growing. from there it moves to the “end of the party” groove that is novikov’s notation, and its trippy monotonic rhythm. the a-side ends with the heavy sampled ambient track macbeth, bringing forward that mesmerizing flute solo by italian artist luca spagnoletti yet succeeding in avoiding the kitsch, and with a touch of class. &#8232,,,,,&#8232,,,,,the b-side delves even deeper into ambience and atmospheric muzak. starting with bells, that features again spagnoletti on flute. then we get into the real gems of the album - anstruther and glove. the first is a pure trip into modular psychedelia and repetitive jazzy-like drum rhythms, creating tension right from the start and plays with it throughout the track before decaying slowly into glove, which is in sense both the catharsis and the decompression session of the album. like a 2018 version of vangelis, this track’s soundscape will keep you dreaming with your eyes closed long after the album ends. &#8232,,,,,

spoon’s first minimal aesthetic two tracker with different moods. only vinyl.
“kindness” (a-side) takes you directly to an afrobeat-trip of 9 minutes driven by some interesting drums, definitely a peak time track that will deliver the afro-american vibe into the crowd. “looo” (b-side) is the early morning tune / stripped-back track with a pitched voice and rising production.

after his successful releases on d.ko, bfdm & wolf music. la bat sign the first release of his new label -le petit zoo records- run together with pablo valentino. -no money no honey- is a 4 tracks ep coming straight out of lb s mpc. a powerful combination of drums, samples and arrangements from outta space. track a1 -something- has been played and supported by motor city drum ensemble.

with their 5th release ourselves remain true to the passion of house music containing 4 groovy tracks full of warm sounds, onward going drums, massive basslines and bright chords pressed on black gold that we love so much. there is no emulation of a trend or hype, time just does not matter. in a very detailed way the two producers siggatunez and sello show you what their musical roots and influences are without claiming an a-side titletrack but creating timeless clubmusic for every situation on the floor which also could be classics from tomorrow.

after their mental scapes and french kicks first eps on pont neuf records, french duo alva are back with a new 5-tracks maxi, steam lights, on their own imprint virage records. they carry on with in their deep/club vibe while bringing in some new and fresh sound designs. it oscillates between dreamy atmospheres ( all very slow , steam lights ) and hypnotical sequences ( mirage ), but there is an obvious common factor to the tracks : the groove, carried by strong basslines and punchy drums.-

limited 7inch. impossibly smooth, jazzy tones backed up by some catchy double bass and heavy hitting drums.

salvador breed and stijn van beek met while studying sound design and music technology in 2006. ever since then the pair have been beavering away behind an arsenal of blinking banks in amsterdam. the musical fruit of their friendship is breek, a partnership that smears the boundaries of styles and sounds with festive flare and a rainbow steaked uniqueness. for their vinyl debut yokai, a candy coloured cornucopia of elements are swirled and whirled. braindance, electronica and neo-classical are festooned with dubby tones and underground grit in a unique sound of diverse textures and deep tones. faster works, like the swooping joy of yokai, are countered by more contemplative ama. hang is a whimsical dreamscape of squirming acid lines, crisp drums and angular notes that combine to produce a brilliantly bright piece. mu-onna and oiwa are more abstract works that melt vocals with sweet strings before the final piano swells and ambient rains of burabura. a daring and dynamic vinyl debut from this eccentric duo with stunning artwork from warren du preez and nick thornton jones.

giovanni damico keeps amazing things coming and takes it with this release on the mighty label kalakuta soul records to the next level. joining forces with the mighty gabriele spagnuolo and francesco di domenico on guitars and saxophone, the italian boogie doctor brings to life three filthy stompers inspired by amazing artists from the african continent who have shaped what we now call (dance) music. to felas people is one of three stompers delivered for this joint teaming up with mr. villy odili - lead singer of the amazing nigerian band villy and the extreme volumes - whos precise lyrics and drifty voice joins forces with a charging afrobeat rhythm hailing from giovanni damicos bad ass laboratory. afro stomp and baba on the other side come with the most furious drums and bassline one could ever imagine accompanied by a celestial instrumentation that hits the mind, the soul and the hips.

soul jazz records’ latest album ‘yoruba! songs and rhythms for the yoruba gods in nigeria’ is newly recorded in lagos, nigeria. the album is co-produced by laolu akins, founding member of the legendary 1970s nigerian afro-funk/rock group blo, and soul jazz records label head stuart baker. the heavyweight double vinyl comes in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

must we keep believing reality is something real, or is it time to embrace the tickling blood that keeps us intrigued and rising into eternal heights of surreal magnificence? we always were born confident, that you would be more than a splatter of dust on our mother earth. the collective returns with their 6th release, welcoming new music in the post-disco-punk-wave spectrum from parma italys csk, berlin newcomer dame bonnet, bogotas live duo the postmodernism forms and a giant collaboration between damon jee and alvaro cabana: holographic planes (spain/france).

berlin-based american producer p.leone returns to spencer parker s work them records with arguably his biggest offering to date, featuring two standout cuts entitled the el dorado ep . upon being discovered by spencer parker, p.leone dropped his first two releases on work them records in 2016. since then he has continued to rise, launching e-missions alongside caiazzo last year before kickstarting 2018 with a four-track techno release on rekids. he now returns to parker s renowned imprint with arguably his biggest offering to date. with its looping vocals and robust drums, el dorado (bump yo ass off mix) is a monster of a track designed to throw dancefloors into absolute revelry. on the flip, dancing to get you back features crystalline synths, purring bass and a medley of breakbeat percussion. dj support: ben sims i like them amen cut, thx! laurent garnier - good house/brea

de:tuned proudly presents the return of one of the uk’s pioneering drum & bass producers, peshay. “reflections” is peshay’s first new drum & bass album in more than 10 years that looks back while pressing forward. jazzy and acoustic flavours combined with deep bass and rolling drums will have you grooving from the get go. it’s that classic fusion sound that peshay does so well, fully updated for present times and 100% future proof. the accompanying cover and label art was designed by openmind (aka strictly kev, dj food, ninja tune) and captures the warm and funky vibes perfectly. the tracks have been mastered by matt colton at alchemy mastering to ensure the highest playback quality. this album will be available as a triple 12” pressed on 180 gr vinyl. paul, it’s been an honour and a real pleasure working with you. stay tuned!

solar phenomena are keeping up a busy and high quality release rate in 2018 with a fifth offering already. this one is a three tracker from stl, who already released his “if time would move backwards” ep on the label earlier in the year. the title track opens the account with blown out drums trudging along in ever changing patterns. swirling, lo-fi ambience adds scale to the track and encourages you to get lost in the middle of it all. “weed detective” is ten minutes of psyched-out and stripped back drum work at an inviting mid tempo. keys dance and heavily treated vocal sounds trip you out in slow motion. last of all, “scubbu babe” has finger clicks, bright and mild crazed keys and ad libbed vocal sounds all doing gymnastics round more of those trademark drums. once again, stl proves he operates in a world of his own.

departing from the band based setup of previous releases, acolytes continue their exploration of loop based paradigms with rupture. the release expands upon the murky jarring patchwork asthetic of the 2012 release, replacing brooding song structures with a more driving, visceral and relentless sound. 200 copies. rupture encapsulates the paranoia and agnst felt in an increasingly unrecognisable world. liquified rhythms attempt to define an unmappable headspace typified by io overload and wired hyperactivity, become mired in deep delays and sedate unease. while ostensibly computer music, tracks such as -eelings 2 deviate from the clinical on the grid sensibilities associated with the genre, where out of sync drums and synth lines in eliptic orbits take it to messier lofi territories with no defined sense of shape or tempo.

following their work compiling last year’s hugely well-received ten years of jaunt ep, blackhall & bookless return to their label with four varied, equally confident shades of their distinct, versatile dancefloor vision. ‘forward’ is an instantly enveloping slice of big-room techno that’s entirely club ready and yet focused on atmosphere and tension, taking no prisoners and yet unfolding on it’s own terms. that same ecstatic and almost ethereal club pressure reemerges on ‘voyager’, under which gently unleashes a skittering landscape of blissful breakbeats and vangelisesque synths. inspired by the unforgiving sea that borders their hometown in the north east of england, ‘ocean’ is perhaps the most intense moment on the ep, dragging listeners into wave after wave of undulating dub chords, always underpinned by driving, raw and percussive drums. ending in forgiving ambience, this moment of respite leads to the conclusion, ‘occupy’. a beatless send-off, it nonetheless remains equally compelling and vast in it’s filmic and complex sound design, showcasing blackhall & bookless’ finely tuned meld of the substantial and the subtle. tinged with the north sea air and the pulse of detroit, blackhall & bookless continue to master the sound of agile, accessible yet uncompromising club music.

this may sees climbers & teddy wong collaborate on a moody single entitled it s all about house ep , featuring remixes from haze-m, ekai & baum, recalde and andre vii. over the last couple of years, mexico s climbers has been releasing on get physical, bunny tiger, and turbo, not to mention touring the globe playing shows in europe, north america and south america. meanwhile, fellow compatriot and rngds music founder teddy wong has been making his mark with releases on desert hearts and monotonik. joining them on remix duties is tunisian artist and haze music boss haze-m, a collaboration between viva s ekai and elrow s baum, lost beach club resident recalde and platino founder andre vii. it s all about house opens with rattling drums before a booming bassline and tantalizing synths join a murky male vocal, leading into the rhythmic haze-m remix with its menacing synth that evolves into floating melodies. next up, ekai & baum s remix is an all-out acid roller, leading into deeper territories with recalde s percussive and twisted remix until andre vii s syncopated version chops up the lyrics until they re almost unrecognizable.

a1- o.xander with paaliaq provides a subtle and analog house track. percussive drums, 4 to the floor kick, slow acid bass-line, shy and hypnotic notes create a perfect club track . a2 - dome zero by sunn boo is a melancholic and hypnotic house track. the subtle but really deep bass-line perfects the track. b1 - maintain illusions by the paris based producer raär, is a journey to the unknown. harsh acid line, bumpy and jerky kicks, brillant hi-hats and hammering snare make you stagger. b2 - engaging proxima-b by the berlin based artist ahi is spatial track. no drums, only pads, textures and fx to make you dive into an oppressive, heavy but beautiful journey.

delsins reissue arm once again looks to the revered back catalogue of lost trax for a second 12 that picks out the best of the anonymous collectives work. the ep features five cuts taken from two highly sought after eps released on tabernacle records in 2011 and 2012. the eye opens things up with punchy drum programming and the sort of sci-fi effects and synths that immediately take you to a future intergalactic world. its a weighty but emotional opener, while pulp is more twisted and urgent, with warped synth sounds and busy, bristling drums and perc all building pressure throughout. the forest resets the mood with mystic synths and mysterious atmospheres that mix ambient beauty with suggestive skeletal beats. b01 then canes through the cosmos on a detroit electro tip with slithers of synth, swollen pads and crisp hits and dominion rounds things out in hurried fashion. the restless electro drums pound away as prickly snares and cymbals, blurts of machine noise and sweeping pads all wrestle for attention and keep you on your toes. this is high octane electro and techno designed with metallic precision but oozing plenty of human feelings.

leonardo returns with another 4 track ep on his etheric imprint. the voyage ep shows a diverse selection of tracks ranging from peak time to downtempo. the offering delivers energy through solid punchy drums and simple but intense percussion with the main synth bringing a head turning edge. symmetry has a late night feeling to it fusing primitive and hardcore elements over a broken beat structure to create a unique elevating gem. spooky deep tech track the afterlife is dubby work out with haunting vocal samples and trippy synth hooks while droplets completes the ep off in a downtempo vibe incorporating the same edgy raw feeling of many of his previous productions.

decks tipp!
following up from last years ep on pleasure unit the folks from miskotom deliver a lovely 5 tracker for our other imprint pleasure wave following on from g marie and jonny .,the guys(guy and girl) carry on in much the same vein but drop gears ever so slightly for some more sun drenched tropical sounds. the opener hyena s laugh could be wally and larry jamming with the locals on kong island. senoi takes you on the back of a pick up truck and transports you from the coastal town and out onto the dusty tracks and into the night for a ride through the jungle and onto the other side. 10th day is all about cocktails by the infinity pool in the secret resort and soaking up that late afternoon sun. kuai can che is all twilight era maze tougher drums and chimes with those floaty synths. seeing us out is final cut kopiek lying back on the boat as you leave the island and it all becomes a tiny dot on the horizon...float on.. file under tropical, balearic, beach sounds.

fina records welcome jad & the for a new ep that shows off the australian-born, berlin-based producer’s majestically melodic house sound. a special dub from 6th borough project makes this another essential release. before now jad & the has served up tracks of the year (‘strings that never win’ - mixmag 2017), fronted four piece live act mitzi—who played alongside the likes of nile rodgers—and also produced as jad & the ladyboy, all the while picking up fans like moxie and bradley zero. sonar kollektiv and toy tonics have put out his charming sounds before and this new one is another joyous offering. the feel good ‘2 getha (4 eva mix)’ kicks things of with old school drum breaks and loved-up vocals. big smeared pads, a new age melody and classic bassline line finish it off and carry you away to summery house heaven. ‘twist club’ then drops into lush deep house with a long legged bassline tumbling beneath organic drums. it’s a dreamy and romantic cut before ‘disco hold down’ has live sounding jazz drums, choppy vocals and rough edges that take you to the heart of a vibe-fulled basement party. delusions of grandeur’s 6th borough project serve up a dub that’s more stripped back and built on a big rubber bassline. jacking drums and a more rapturous vocal make it a truly steamy jam.

radio slave’s colossal ‘the revenge’ track now gets expert remix treatment from klasse wrecks label head luca lozano. luca has also released on the likes of optimo, sex tags ufo and unknown to the unknown and brings a raw, acid tinged sound to his beats. as a performer lozano’s versatile dj sets span between raw house, cosmic disco and dynamic breakbeat selections, which is why he’s become a regular at key clubs across europe and tasteful festivals like houghton. his ‘how bow dis’ remix’ is solid and features wild old school flavours in its huge drum breaks, a monstrous bassline and dark filtered vocals. it bangs for seven superbly heavy minutes with plenty of twists and turns along the way, and will transform any club or warehouse into a writhing, sweaty mass in seconds. on the flip, his ‘how bow dah’’ version is based around elastic drums and rumbling bass while a loose synth line darts about up top. some distant synths bring a sense of serenity to the madness and so despite the physical impact of this one, it also has real emotion to it.

in a short space of time prodigious dutch producer pascal benjamin has built up a catalogue of ear-snagging minimal house confections for labels like welt, norse projekt, algorhythmic and botanic minds. now hes hitting the big time with this 12inch on the mighty slapfunk, and hes packing just the kind of chunky, swinging but ultimately lean jams they love. out of line keeps things focused on the drums, with just some sub bass and microscopic threads of sonic matter in between. to goodto be who? is equally stripped down, but decidedly more wriggly in its make up, and then finest hour kicks off the b-side with some fatter beats and a more prominent bass line. lagrange point finishes the ep off with some subliminal bleeps and tones pinging in between the wafer thin percussive pulses.

bugs is aus label owner will sauls first solo ep in over 4 years and follows his inaugural release on new aus compilation series, inside out. heres will on the a side. bugs is inspired as much by dancing at plastic people/co-op to the bugz in the attic as is it is by carl craigs innerzone orchestra track bugs in the bass bin. hopefully i bring my own twist to these key influences. the map room tumbles with big, swinging drums as a fervid sense of tension burns throughout before matt karmill takes bugs off on a linear dubbed out excursion to complete the package.

16 track album from aston family man barrett & the wailers band released by dub store records

next up on late night burners we have four warm cuts by roman coskun. with the -feels like forever ep- he showcases his own personal brand of wayward, but elegant deep house.
the title track is deep, but very functional, and clearly built on the underpinnings of classic deep house, while remaining fresh at the same time. then it s time for -sunwards-, blending acidic dreaminess with a lock-tight groove. on the b1, -steps- reminds us of mediterranean summers, with its warm pads and floaty steel drums, and finally, on -tales from the reef- the gifted 92 spacedrum orchestra joins in for a raw, yet delicate late-night club joint.

roy davis, jr. s undaground therapy muzik label relaunches after almost 20 years with al zanders guidance ep. al zanders approach to his first ep of 2018 is as precise as it is whimsical. featuring 4 tracks showing zanders sheer versatile when it comes to making music. opened by piano-percussion track martha s revenge which is made so clearly for dance floors, followed by television, a chance for a closed- eyes boogie be it on a dance floor in the middle of a set, or on the sofa at home. on the b-side, likes for cash s comedic title is met in contrast with a piercing synth top-line and stripped back drums, with just enough of a bassline to sit in-between the drums and synths. closing the ep is guidance, a reflective and a chance for the ep to close as well as it would close a dance floor when the lights come on at the end of the night.

across the ‘hidden paradise’ lp demuja showcases his powerful and emotive production style with dusty, jazz-tinged cuts like ‘still do’, ‘hang on’, ‘you smile feat. ainy’, ‘hear that bassplayer’ and ‘my jazzy wung’ employing the producer’s signature style via soft rhodes, hooky horn samples, organic bass grooves and soaring vocal samples. ‘still do’ and ‘keep doing’ also explore a more dropped- tempo disco aesthetic on the project with funk-infused bass, infectious guitar licks and shuffled, loose drums.

2018 repress ... well. where do we start with deep inside ? originally released in the golden nyc house era of 1993, this 5 tracker literally smashed everything in sight. and still does now! the epitome of an evergreen, all-time classic release. masters at work louie vega and kenny dope were on a major roll in this era, producing, remixing, dj-ing and everything in-between, these guys put in ridiculous work. they are joined on this ep by a roll-call of names and collaborators, erick morillo engineering the title track? check. maurice joshua on co-production duties? you got it. vocals by ms. barbara tucker? they re there. killer, rock hard drums? stacks of soul? masterfully chopped up disco samples? all present. serious stuff. sometimes a record just manages to capture and distill the true essence of what this is all about and deep inside is one such record, it bears all the hallmarks of golden era maw, all the signposts of what was happening in nyc s clubs in the early to mid 90 s were there within it s grooves. you know a record is good when it s still being, quite literally, hammered nearly 25 years later! now, remastered, and reissued with the full involvement of strictly rhythm this seminal piece of nyc house history is made available again with all original, full sleeve artwork intact as per the 1993 original. this one s a straight up essential for any self-respecting dance aficionado. you know what to do!

mike huckaby, bergqvist, dj sports, raam and lns remix ‘deep soundscapes’, takecha’s album recently released on sweden’s love potion. released in march, the album incorporates takeshi fukushima’s work between 1990 to 2013 and affirms why the producer is such a respected figure within japan’s electronic music scene. now his compositions have been remixed by some of house music’s best, featuring renditions from detroit’s mike huckaby, aniara’s henrik bergqvist, the elusive raam, firecracker and regelbau’s dj sports, as well as wania and freakout cult’s lns. mike huckaby inaugurates the release with his sultry take on ‘low sentiment’, blending deep synths with murmuring vocals to forge a proper deep house cut. bergqvist then remixes ‘rhodes deep’ creating a bouncy minimal cut incorporating the original’s scintillating melody alongside meandering percussion and twisted effects, making way into dj sports’ remix of ‘gradual atmosphere’ with its intricate breakbeat drums and dreamlike atmospherics. raam then reinvents ‘calm imagination’ taking it into subterranean territories complete with infectious keys, until lns ties it all together with her mesmerising beatless reimagining of ‘factory 141’.

thoma bulwer returns with jandaze , his latest ep via parasol culture featuring long-time partner in crime anna wall. it follows parasol 001 their first joint vinyl release, that sold out on the shelves gaining support from the likes of mood ii swing and cab drivers plus on the airwaves via nts. their jandaze ep has already been doing the rounds on the dj circuit in hackney wick and beyond. ‘patience’ was the result of a late night jam session with sync boxes, groove benders and the classic tr-909. after much fine-tuning, it’s been tried and tested by cinthie on her recent australia tour and is set to be a staple club cut for this summer. although ‘insouciant’ means a casual lack of concert, a lot of work went into making this one. it’s the most laid-back of the bunch, with smallville-esque juno 106 melodies perfect for the afterparty or warm up session. this goes out to the post-nyd loft party crew in the wick where it was played for the first time. try pronouncing this one at 7am in the morning… ‘fridge speed’ is a minimal house cut influenced by thoma’s garage roots. think rudely placed analogue synth stab melodies, ‘tuff’ skippy drums and big subs ideal for early hours and “it’s a london thing” house sets. ‘egress’ was made with long jam takes from thoma’s modular system. deep, dubby beats, evolving synths and textures make up this track thats been road-tested on the world famous fabric room 1 sound system by voigtmann in his extended set before ricardo villalobos. current support comes from maya jane coles, archie hamilton franck, roger, cinthie, voigtmann, john dimas.

after putting out kito jempere s well received sea monsters album last year, hell yeah now serve up another selection of remixes of it. accomplished musician jimi tenor, plus miskotom and max essa all contribute before a 7inch, also taken from the album, lands later in summer. first up is jimi tenor, the legndary finnish musician who has released on warp, collaborated with tony allen and has his own band as well as occasionally playing sax with kito jempere band at live gigs. he flips puzzled into five minutes of stripped back and moody electronics with plenty of his own flute playing in the track. busted drum sounds, spooky sci-fi synths and scattered hits make it woozy and late night and utterly absorbing. miskotom—a newly emerging pair made up of mik and his wife andra, both based in vilnius, lithuania with credits on pleasure unit and balearic —then reimagine ampa as a beatdown but of deep house with trudging drums staying low and shimmering synths drift out in all directions. crunchy hits bring a subtle sense of funk and reverb drenched vocals bring a heavenly feel to the soul drenched grooves and summery keys. then comes max essa, the japan based brit who is a regular on this label as well as the likes of is it balearic?. his first remix is a huge one that is sure to soundtrack many a boat party this summer. it s a gorgeous rework of ampa that puts achingly blissful vocals front and centre as low slung bass and slowly turning drums sink you into a pan-pipe laced reverie. secondly, essa offers a dub reprise that removes the vocals and places all the focus on his churning drums and new age grooves. this is another perfect package of masterfully electronic horizontal sounds.

label newbie benjamin taylor teams up at the resopal label for three long session tunes. front side is a 8-minute heavy bass bomb filled with taylor’s understanding of subtle things and freaky details. flip-side comes with well-arranged drums, synths and shaking percussions for moving your butts on the floor.

losouls another picture label follows on from eps in 2017 by honesty and the label boss himself with a new two tracker by japanese artist sasaki hiroaki. the yotsume label owner is based in tokyo and his sleek sounds take cues from 80s new wave and look for a soulful vibe in electronic music. 2018 has already seen him release on open recordings and now he offers up some warm house rollers for another picture. ‘eo1 is eight minutes of rubbery drums and loose, scattered percussion, tumbling toms and clicks. dreamy chords light up the background and the whole thing drives ever deeper into the night, always evolving as it goes. on the flip, ‘plain song is just as heartfelt, but icy hi hats and metal stabs are more upright, getting you on your toes and keeping you there for another eight minutes of organic, authentic deep house bliss.

stephen malkmus und seine band haben in über 17 jahren 6 alben veröffentlicht und sich auf unzähligen touren zu einer konstante der us-amerikanischen indie-rock-landschaft entwickelt. auch auf seinem siebten album, “sparkle hard”, zeigt malkmus keinerlei kreative ermüdungserscheinungen, sondern bietet klassische stephen-malkmus-songs mit unwiderstehlicher subkultureller strahlkraft. schon 2015 begann malkmus mit der arbeit an “sparkle hard”. damals gönnte er seinem heimstudio ein technisches update, kaufte elektronische drums und arbeitete gleichzeitig an der musik für die netflix-serie “flaked”, für die er unter anderem den song für den abspann schrieb. alle demos für “sparkle hard” wurden an einem tag im april 2017 aufgenommen und nur einen monat später zusammen mit den jicks in portland im neuen studio halfling aufgenommen. letzteres gehört dem the decemberists-multiinstrumentalisten chris funk, der “sparkle hard” auch produzierte. als gast konnte malkmus kim gordon (sonic youth) gewinnen, die mit ihm das duett für den song “refute” einsang. limitierte silberne heavyweight lp mit zweiseitigem insert und mp3-downloadkarte.

stephen malkmus und seine band haben in über 17 jahren 6 alben veröffentlicht und sich auf unzähligen touren zu einer konstante der us-amerikanischen indie-rock-landschaft entwickelt. auch auf seinem siebten album, “sparkle hard”, zeigt malkmus keinerlei kreative ermüdungserscheinungen, sondern bietet klassische stephen-malkmus-songs mit unwiderstehlicher subkultureller strahlkraft. schon 2015 begann malkmus mit der arbeit an “sparkle hard”. damals gönnte er seinem heimstudio ein technisches update, kaufte elektronische drums und arbeitete gleichzeitig an der musik für die netflix-serie “flaked”, für die er unter anderem den song für den abspann schrieb. alle demos für “sparkle hard” wurden an einem tag im april 2017 aufgenommen und nur einen monat später zusammen mit den jicks in portland im neuen studio halfling aufgenommen. letzteres gehört dem the decemberists-multiinstrumentalisten chris funk, der “sparkle hard” auch produzierte. als gast konnte malkmus kim gordon (sonic youth) gewinnen, die mit ihm das duett für den song “refute” einsang. schwarze heavyweight lp mit zweiseitigem insert und mp3-downloadkarte.

after the first ep, that you must have heard in clubs across the world - laconica is back with its second. as with the first one, this release is all about the three solid cuts, which are made especially for the dancefloors. the first track “who gave you dis” is a deep groove in tandem with whispering vocals and powerful drums. “this for b” is a perfect minimalistic tool for after-hour sets. last but not least, “lil souvenir” (b2) is revolving around the chicago house feeling with some classic vocals in it.

hybris is a state of dissoluteness, of loss of control, of greed and of lustfulness. following that motto, wice takes his listeners on a journey through a hybristic process on his second steinlach ep, which chooses an enchanting and euphemistic entrance into hybris with absent (no aggression). gentle pads create a peaceful and dreamy world that is turned into a fascinating landscape of sound by trippy drums and dopey synths and so pushes wide open the gate to hybris. the threateningly booming hb11 then finally enters the state of hybris: synths and drums pump adrenaline in heads and bodies, dancing turns into greed, the complete lack of control sets in. that lack of control riots towards its peak with the eponymous hybris, which tears the listener in technoid and gritty manner into the abyss of hybris and holds him captive down there. hybris is followed by nemesis, the divine punishment ending in death: wice interprets this transition towards nemesis with hertz, a playful and breaky good-night kiss, which feels pretty damn good and resonates bittersweetly.

a native of the caribbean coast of colombia, abelardo carbono achieved legendary status in his country’s storied ranks of musical icons by combining the homegrown sounds of cumbia with the chiming guitars of west african soukous, enormously popular with the local tropical sound systems, and drenching the whole thing in his off-kilter, surreal and slightly psychedelic sensibility.
with the exception of a well-received compilation of songs from his 1980s heyday, carbono has been rarely heard from outside the sweaty dancehalls he still commands in his hometown of barranquilla. now, names you can trust has welcomed the reclusive guitarist and singer back to the vinyl format with a simmering afro-carib beast of a cut, recorded with the assistance of will -quantic- holland on rhythm guitar and mario galeano frente cumbiero, ondatropica on keys and in conjunction with lucas silva of palenque records & polen records. it’s a true cross-generational and international collaboration that is uniquely possible via colombia. the first release of this expansive & power packed studio session is a cover of vallenato pioneer guillermo buitrago’s la piña madura. this updated take veers heavily towards africa on a rock solid foundation of bass and drums, with abelardo’s trademark guitar and quirky vocals leading the way.

stallone the reducer is back. stallone takes you on a one way trip that will make your head rattle, clattle and clank. indecipherable robot voices guide you, while the busted up drums and industrial strength synths push you back and forth. this one is for the brave. lock in.

all things are one! riccardo in the next chapter of metropolita offer spatial environment accompanied by incisive drums, enjoy it!