r-time records releases two tracks from iceland’s sanasol, aka thor and yagya, entitled long lost thoughts - originally appearing on deep thoughts lp via hey babe! in 97. out of all of thors aliases, which includes oz artists, flow machine and thor54, sanasol, his duo project alongside yagya, is arguably the most prolific. on top of appearances on thors own renowned imprint thule records, as sanasol the pair have released on fear of flying, connaisseur superieur and alex azary and pascal f.e.o.s.s hey babe! of which the latter homed the‘deep thoughts album. matt edwards r-time now releases two of the long players finest tracks, following recent revivals of timeless music by sir lord commix and fbk. long lost thoughts begins by utilising filtered chord stabs alongside a thumping bass and sustained strings before the track progresses with ethereal pads combined with resonant bells playing a top line melody. on the flip, in the sky of normality presents shuffled drums with crisp hi-hats and a strong low-end whilst delayed synths pan left and right throughout keeping things atmospheric and mesmerising.

label boss yse is back on pft with the long anticpated follow up to his gesamtkunstwerk ep which made it into kai alci s best of 2015 chart. if you have been following ant plate s productions under his various guises (yse, yse saint laur ant, rhythm plate, vengaboys) you know what to expect - deep, quirky, innovative house music that sounds like nothing else out there. this ep doesn t disappoint - the grooves on here are impeccable from start to finish. opener unstoppable builds the tension nicely with nagging strings and chords before letting loose with the drums. sun shadow was actually selected by red rack em as one of his best of 2017 despite not even being released. now that s literally being ahead of your time. the robot boogie of all we are is guaranteed to stop heads on the dancefloor with it s unique vocal and syncopated shuffle. closing track you told me slows the tempo slightly and is one for the deeper moments.

tom dicicco is best known for his stern techno output, so its intriguing to seem him donning a new alias, veyg, and exploring a new sound palette. as with the last veyg 12inch, the tone here is somewhere around the slower tempo, discoid acid end of the spectrum, and hes made the sound his own. my sweet soul is a dusty affair with squashed drums and looped up bongos rubbing up against trippy globules of lysergic monosynth action. when they fall- is a downcast electro track for rainy sundays, while these feelings waits for the clouds to break and dances on the damp lawn with no shoes on. west of the sun is the most adventurous offering on the 12inch, escaping the 4/4 thud and twirling in an off-grid stylee with ample dub fx tugging the melodic parts around in a mellifluous haze of experimentation.

evod music is glad to welcome binny and dj surgeles on its limited catalogue. the english dancefloor killer and the dutch sci-fi master fused perfectly together on this split ep. organic by binny is a perfect tool, thanks to its mesmerizing acid sequence, masterfully fused with powerful drum patterns and hypnotic drone raids. missing link is another killer tool, perfect for a dance floor full of people. its old school sound and the various changes make this track a must have. the b side is managed by dj surgeles, with three outstanding sci-fi tracks. science fiction contains a randomic, spaced out sequence blended with heavy drums and various drum patterns variations. commander pete is the most millsesque track: in this piece there is a real space ambience, thanks to a its far pads, the electronic ringings and bleep sounds incursions that create a constant suspense, broken by the interruption from an astronaut radio message. the ep is closed by message to earth, an ambient outro that fits perfectly with all the other tracks.

the essential will & ink label continues to keep up the pressure with a new ep from museum aka anton pieete and jeroen liebregts. the pair have released on vital labels like marcel dettmann records and indigo area and make some of the most robust and powerful techno around. their three new tracks here come with a remix from resident label artist yalessa hall. opener silo is an urgent groove with warped and rumbling synth lines and frazzled textures. it s sparse and industrial as it barrels along while the list is much more wild. the drums flail around, the hits are off grid and the energy is restless and rugged. lastly from them, 1500 has punchy drum programming and watery sound effects, sci-fi motifs and a sense of turbulence that will make a real impact in the club. the raw yalessa hall remix flips the list into a freaky house track with smeared synths and big hits making for something incendiary and unhinged.

broken arrows are sudeep menon & bill ambrose, both long time affiliates of magic waves radio and cyber dance records. here they don 4 new tracks for the vivod imprint making up their second ep. a slight departure in style from their first outing on giallo disco a couple of years ago, these tracks still have that unique mechanic box jam sound they are becoming known for. female predator kicks things off in a techno fashion. charging drums lead the way with a cool throbbing bassline. fear eats the soul is more of an instrumental 80s wave track with its laid back pads and structure looping away with ease. title track edge of darkness is the stand out track on this ep and won t fail to hypnotize. meandering pads in a cosmische style with rock solid drums , simply awesome. basic structures finishes the ep off and this is more towards their jamming style from their previous ep, more aggressive, blistering hats, slamming kicks et. great ep again from broken arrows !

ok eg appears from out of nowhere in a haze of the mellowest ambient techno and downtempo delights for your mind to melt into. -creek- is a smooth but strident route in, the tidal lilt of the pads dissected by a finely paced beat loop that should find a comfortable home amongst deepest house heads. -colours- does away with the drums and uses a plaintive sprinkling of keys and delays to create an evocative backdrop for fragile females vocals. -reef i & ii- is the clubbier cut, rolling out over the b side with a looming monosynth bassline and some dub techno inflections making it a smart choice for warm up scenarios especially.

surface records has never pulled any punches as one of the uks toughest, strangest techno labels, and the 65d mavericks have embodied the same spirit with their charged, lyrically provocative approach. after a lengthy hiatus label and artist are back in action, and sounding as fierce as ever. false prophets is not for the faint hearted an avalanche of thunderous drums and expletive-laden diatribes. cosmic drift is marginally more meditative, but still positively unhinged in its execution. you lost your mind flails around a muddy, punky swamp of deviant sonic behaviour, and immovable (dub) throws one last curveball into the long grass, stripping out the bark without losing the bite of this proudly individual group of techno marauders.

after a brief time away from releasing music in 2017 to refresh his ears, essential house artist argy is back with a bang in 2018, as this debut ep on play it say it proves. greek dj and producer argy has been a prolific talent over the last decade plus, releasing a variety of sounds under a number of different aliases. his given name has always been reserved for house and techno, which is classically informed but always infused with the sound of the future. it’s come on key labels like bedrock, bpitch, ibadan, and most recently the martinez brothers’ cuttin’ headz imprint, and has spawned four fantastic full lengths. those releases, along with his storytelling dj sets, have made the these days label boss a much loved and ever-present part of the global underground scene. the excellent title track the way of kings opens up the ep with seven standout minutes of surging house. slick, powerful kicks drive it along as expertly crafted synths bring real drama and tension up top. it’s a tasteful bit of hi-tech soul for the peak of the night and is as essential as the title suggests. switching up the mood is the vibrant los animales, which has a busier, afro tinged groove and tribal percussive energy. lithe synths dart about to add dynamism and movement as vocal chants get you on your toes and the whole thing is sure to make a huge impact in the club. last of all, move like a panther featuring the new yorker in berlin, elbee bad, shows another side to argy. it’s a perfectly raw house cut with plenty of jacking chicago spirit. the drums hit hard, the synths are trippy and the snares force you to move. add in a dark bassline and spoken word mantras and you have a real piece of explosive club dynamite. these are three typically inventive and well-executed tracks from argy that are stuffed with original ideas.

tikita welcomes neel for a first release in collaboration with label mainstays natural/electronic.system. the four tracks here cover deep, rolling, dubby tribal techno. the opener is sparse and dark, gracida is more urgent and alien with watery droplets and wet melodies, then sinistra is mind melting and loopy techno that takes you into the cosmos. last of all, percussiva has supple jeff mills style synths warping round each other as heavy drums pound below. it is brilliantly consuming techno from some of the best in the game.

finally realized, here s one that was long on the dkr wish list. among the very finest moments from both artists, these brilliant interpolations of curtis classics have been unavailable too long. a mesmerizing rhythm adorned with the lovely sounds of hand drums, melodica and flute, mixed and dubbed to perfection by king tubby himself. this 12inch is a 6 track ep, with all four cuts as originally released on two separate 45s, plus two unreleased mixes straight off the original tapes. we like to think tubbs favored these cuts, as so many mixes were done! the dub titled super cool is, in our humble opinion, one of tubby s top 10 extant mixes. full disclosure, all tracks except super cool pt. 2 come from the original jamaican mastertapes. we suspect the pt. 2 mix was lost somewhere in nyc, but don t let that trouble you, this one should please all who have ears.

parisian dj and producer armless kid joins radio slaves rekids this june with five smooth house cuts. armless kid started his career in paris house circuit with respected collectives like la chinerie and copie blanche. having released on the copie blanche label, hustler trax, fina and classic music company, hes received regular support from names like dj harvey, karizma, the black madonna, voyeur and fred everything to name a few. kicking off the package, troisième acte mixes warm pads, cosmic synths and rattling organic percussion before the up-tempo abdos fessier delivers infectious two-step drums and scintillating chord stabs. jojo on the moon is next with its disco vocals until air combines thumping kicks with a pulsating sub and mesmerising atmospheres.finally, this generation utilizes a shuffling rhythm with a trippy spoken word vocal to round off the release.

belgian dj & producer mugwump performs an about-face with a new sound and live show trough second album ‘drape’.
the result of nine months locked up with musicians stephane fedele (bass), thomas stadnicki (guitars), lukas melville (drums) and a series of live shows in belgium, second album ‘drape’ fuses the electronic with an occasionally heavy rock feel and outstanding lyrics, all topped off with a french-belgian-tinged vocal and lyrical topicality. music-wise it spans a breadth of influences from the interzone between post-punk, indie pop, psych & noise while geoffroy mugwump lays down conscious, parlando-style, lyrics over nine songs ‘soundtracking our torments in the age of laissez-faire and aestheticisation’.

after strong releases by jerome sydenham, guti, martin buttrich and the esteemed label leaders the martinez brothers, here we have remixes of stec and chris martinez own out put by first team players. mathew johnson gives us an energetic analogue workout. peggy gou gives us a wistful version of ‘h2 da izzo’ with retro drums, lush strings to give us a straight up, classic house cut. this is also tackled by mayaan nidim who gives us a stripped back, refined take as you would expect from a perlon artist. dj deeon takes on the buoyant ‘stuff in the trunk’ with miss kittin’s playful vocals.

you won’t find many producers quoting plato - ‘inner symbols’ takes its cue from the philosopher’s words “music is a moral law. it gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, charm and gaiety to life and everything”. influences are many and all, ranging from colonization and african diaspora to korean shamanism, doug hammond to junior byles.

dawit follows up his recent future times dawit & dolo single with a stunner of an ep on his own label. stretched out soul, dizzy hand drums, and silky vocals abound on corona. gravity flexes, new life bops, sufferation dub glides on a deep bassline, and dawit shows off his cords in lunas medley. certified fresh.

still hope is their second single and the follow up to motorway jam (their double a side with palms trax from late last year) which sees them collaborate with anthony anaxagorou, a british born cypriot award winning poet and essayist, whose poetry and fiction have appeared on bbc newsnight, bbc4, itv and vice. hearing his lyrics via their good friend simbad, secretsundaze connected with anthony and still hope is the fruit of their labour. the original is a potent and political spoken word piece delivered over a rolling house groove. definitely one for the deeper moments with its late night heady feel and full vocal not letting up. the poems in the heart floor version strips the vocal back and adds dramatic strings for a more direct dance floor approach. ex slum village detroit producer waajeed released a couple of killer eps in 2017 on his own dirt tech reck imprint so we had to get him aboard for the remix. his detroit hardcore dub does what is says on the tin and is a peak time slammer while his searching dub goes down a jazzier, spacey route with live sounding drums and dreamy pads.

taken from gabe gurnsey’s upcoming debut solo lp, ‘physical’ on phantasy, eyes over zones in on a proto-hacienda groove that’s undistilled militant funk, loose and lucid elements of electro and dub-laden drums conspire to offer an alluring landscape for gurnsey’s restless vocals. the harder-hitting extended dub takes more precise aim at the dancefloor, allowing each disparate, analogue element more room to unfold across a throbbing baseline.

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.