pale blue, the duo of elizabeth wight and mike simonetti, released their debut album too much critical acclaim back in 2015. they come together once again with their latest ep you stopped dying due to drop on crosstown rebels in february. the you stopped dying ep takes influence from shoegaze groups like slowdive and my bloody valentine and moves it to the dance floor. the result is a strange hybrid that some have called technogaze. this would never work if liz wasnt such a strong vocalist. her amazing vocal range makes it easy. mike simonetti pale blue is a hypnotic affair, the driving bass sitting perfectly under wight’s powerful yet ethereal vocals. daughter of babylon takes the record into heavier techno territory with its thudding bass and wights breathy vocals delicately layered over the top. on the flip side love is an unapologetically industrial number with screeching synths that echo around wights vocals. simonetti and wight have each earned their musical stripes in their own rights. simonetti founded the hugely popular italians do it better as well as his own successful record label, 2mr. he’s released a slew of records on highly regarded imprints such as me me me, correspondant and public release, and enjoys a fruitful career as a touring dj, which shows no sign of abating. wight has previously lent her exhilarating vocals to the west coast band, silver hands of which she was once one half

when alexander (boddika) got in touch asking for some new fresh music i knew it was a really important step for me. nonplus is a stable reference label in the techno scene and it was a unique opportunity. i thought the open minded philosophy of the label would help me a lot and i could create more experimental works. i decided to produce the tracks in almost one take… turned on the synths and looked for the perfect range and character of sounds and spent some weeks recording it, finishing with some edits before the final mixing. the final results were more than expected. harmonic rain, the ep mains track has a really special groove, with a main melody which is transposed and slightly altering it gives me a good feeling. the ep feels to me like a complete journey itself. with peak time tracks, and more experimental and warm up music. loops but not loops. in summary, im really happy with this release and with the beginning of this musical relationship with boddika and the nonplus team.

following up drawn with shadow pens on spectrum spools, belgian sound artist yves de mey returns with bleak comfort , his third solo full-length. geared towards serving up an intense musical experience, the album deconstructs regular club music to highlight some of its key elements in a transformative way. an album about absence, malfunction and disorientation, bleak comfort is equally packed with floor-functional material and left-of-centre electronics. by turn sizzling and spherical, convulsive and atmospheric, yves de mey ushers his listener in a hypnotic kaleidoscope of sounds, providing a fascinating picture of his ever dynamic grammar at variable scales and tempos.

to kick-start 2018, happy skull serve up a rare ep from italy s d arcangelo brothers. the sibling duo have been active since the early 1990s, when they played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of roman techno alongside contemporaries lory d, leo anibaldi and their automatic sound unlimited production partner, max durante. in the two decades that have passed since, fabrizio and marco have consistently delivered off-kilter, futurist electronic masterpieces for the likes of nature, analogical force and, most famously, rephlex. the four tracks contained on this happy skull outing are not re-discovered archive cuts, but rather fresh slabs of mind-altering musical intoxication. the alternating bliss and acid-fired psychedelia of -saba tree-and the creeping late night paranoia of -pull seven- set the tone. the effervescent fun continues on the flip, where saucer-eyed chords and idm electronics combine on the rush-inducing -13th cider-. to finish things off fabrizio and marco treat us to -korty-, a mesmerizing, deep space slow jam full of backwards electronics and rumbling flashes of sub-bass.

every tune of the 12- is deeply inspired by the origins of the mid 90s melodic jungle & d n b movement, namely by the greats of that era: peshay, source direct, ltj bukem and photek. ray & karl have worked together on a number of projects over the last year, the most recent one being a split 12- on the other planet of lyon. while ray has been connected to the lo-fi house scene and acts like baltra, dj boring and dj seinfeld, karl has been more low-key, producing music that s relaxed and organic, mainly inspired by naature and the musical movement around frits wentink and max graef. for this release they worked closely together, decided to stray off their usual paths and combined their different styles to form a well-rounded record.

fina records strides into 2018 with another fresh new house ep, this time from paso aka pascal pamme. over the last few years this french artist has released on the likes of d.ko records, increase, and the groove, and always showcases his knack for loose limbed, organic house grooves laden with jazzy keys and soul-infused synths. the four cuts he offers up here once again prove he is a producer with a truly authentic and musical style.

mood to move ep is a six-part musical retrospect into the work of veteran japanese house producer takecha, the little-known artist has been sporadically releasing analogue house on his own gwm imprint since the mid-90s, however trouble maker had only recently discovered his works and were dying to hear more. the music he sent was far too good to remain unheard, so we twisted the little-known maestro’s arm and managed to grab a selection of six unreleased and never before heard cuts for your audio pleasure. created between 1995-2000, these musical gems were left dormant on dat tapes in takechas basement - until now! with classic house being the flavour throughout, the high-quality production and deeply-resonant synth lines of each track leave an imprint that’s hard to forget. if this is your first time hearing takecha you certainly won’t be disappointed., released on 12 inch vinyl , shrinked wrapped

shep pettibone - a name that commands the greatest of respect from djs, diggers, dancers and music lovers across the galaxy. a name that has been emblazoned across so many club classics that the accompanying discography is simply dizzying. the underground disco of groups like aurra, first choice and candido and early 80s experimental dubbed out club cuts of cult outfits like nv, alisha and carol williams and even the heady pop chart successes of bands like level 42, the pet shop boys, jermaine jackson and many more, have all benefitted from pettibones prowess behind the mixing boards. a true musical legend and the man who literally crafted the sounds and styles of almost 2 decades of club music back to back, shep pettibones pedigree can never be called in to question.

driven by a vicious and visceral soul, the buttshakers are known for their fierce and fiery music. yet after nearly a decade of touring and recording, it was with a different musical vision that they approached sweet rewards, their first collaboration with underdog records. accustomed to the raw, primitive sounds of 60s garage rock and the crude sexuality of premotown soul music, a sound they could have continued to dig into again and again. instead, they decided to take another route: a creative shift, a return to a style of soul music that no longer has to rely on pure energy alone. exceeding the limitations imposed by their tight yet powerful six person lineup, they opened up this studio session to fully accommodate their ideas and concretize their musical ambitions: a larger horn section creates a richer, scintillating sonority, a touch of slide-guitar opens their creative universe to the open spaces of the far west, the organ vacillates between psychedelic drapery and heartfelt gospel tones, all of this supported by the wicked groove of a percussionist driving the beat on. their sultry and soulful frontwoman, ciara thompson, is here for the first time supported by backing vocalist. an occasion for her to indulge in a few call and- response chorales, a reverence to a gospel background instilled in her from her native st louis (missouri), a still vibrant heritage from the city that cradled jazz, blues, country and folk music. ideal for a sound that never lets down yet remains intuitive to the gradual rise of emotion each song demands. with each new listening, sweet rewards reveals something new to the listener: another dimension, a hidden layer.

swiss artist and veteran producer ripperton contacted the esp institute out of the blue mid-2017 to share a gorgeous mix of self-produced material, a collection of pieces made without any agenda outside of representing the self, not geared toward the dancefloor or a specific environment but simply a bi-product of introspective exploration. we were floored, the mix was on constant repeat in our world for weeks, then was subsequently pulled apart into separate titles to form this beautiful double lp, ripperton’s debut with the label. the title sight seeing speaks of someone stepping outside their current reality to look in the mirror, as if to ground themselves and keep sight of who they are in a world of extreme highs and lows. inspired greatly by expansive landscapes and views from airplane windows (imagine your commute flying over the alps every weekend), ripperton describes this collection as postcards to himself, messages from his subconscious recorded on tape (both conceptually and literally), melancholy soundtracks to the mondays that follow weekend journeys. while musical genres tend to cycle through bandwagon moments, the esp institute strives to operate independently of these, and while sight seeing is undoubtably an ambient album, we’re simply proud to revel in the chance moment where an esteemed artist such as ripperton spreads his wings in a beautifully unexpected mode of expression.

from the redwood forests of big sur and the industrial warehouses of downtown los angeles comes pfeiffer, a label dedicated to quality and a diverse musical output. pfeiffer follows in the footsteps of labels such as svek and kompakt, known for releasing a wide range of techno and house with a common thread of unique and unpredictable energy. looking to bring this type of eclectic curation into the modern era, pfeiffer draws inspiration from the raw simplicity and effortless magnetism of its namesake location on the central coast of california. february 9th marks the release of pfeiffers first musical offering. a-side big tent sets the tone with raw, minimal percussion and acid tinged melodies. b-side twist brings a healthy dose of chicago and detroit influence to a track that feels colder than house, but warmer than techno. the first of many releases to come, pfe001 marks the tip of the iceberg for pfeiffer, a label which will continue to reveal itself over time.

the first 100 copies of this release come in transparent vinyl, the rest in black.
following 11 hotly tipped ep’s, format now delivers its first compilation release, packed to the brim with bomb cuts from both veterans as new faces. this first format compilation is a prime example of the label’s signature sound. featuring an impressive variety of musical perspectives, it’s a mint snapshot of format’s ever adventurous view on techno.

syncrophone is pleased to welcome shuffles to the family! shuffless is a technohouse-duo hailing from the forests of middle-finland. their musical inspiration comes from the sounds of legendary techno and house cities, but in production they mix it with a finnish twist. they make their music with a selection of hardware gear, and record the tracks live in the night to get the feeling right.here is one of the two ep scheduled for the early 2018.

check floorfriendly b1: petre inspirescu remix (aripar, amphia... ),
next up on francis harriss newly-founded record label kingdoms comes something very special from brooklyn-based film composer, songwriter, producer and performer leah lazonick. movimenti della luna doro (movements of the moon of gold translated from italian) is a four-track ep from one of the most exciting musicians and performers around - a beautiful quartet of contemporary classical music with a twist. lazonick is something of a polymath, having composed and conducted orchestral and electronic scores for short films and commercials as well as being a classically-trained pianist. lazonick is also a connoisseur of analog synths and vintage drum machines, and will release a second ep focussing on these passions during the course of 2018. here we are treated to three luscious works for piano and string quartet, written for a one-off performance at studio off interarts, an art gallery in montreal. the piece was performed in a forest-like immersive environment, and was originally called in a forest (a piece in three movements). lazonick performed the piano parts along with a string quartet she had assembled for the performance/recording. lazonick explains: as opposed to most of the other songs/compositions i have written, i have no concrete sentimental story behind writing this piece. the motivation, inspiration and overall idea behind composing it was of a more technical nature, attempting to relay the music in my head at its purest form, without any compromises, by primarily making use of melodic and harmonic dissonances whilst still keeping the content captivating, musical and continuous.

needle paw is the first solo album by nai palm, the lead singer and composer of r&b future soul outfit hiatus kaiyote. needle paw is the rawest glimpse into nai palm’s musical world. it is dreamlike, honest, and beautifully transparent, revealing her musical ruminations to listeners with a courageous vulnerability and artistic generosity. pressing on 180 gram audiophile double vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

lullabies for insomniacs brings you the debut release from the intoxicating garland. a project which emerged years ago and subsequently developed and transformed through overseas exchanges. influenced by popular media and musical practices the duo channels a resonating wonderland that echoes, calling for magic to ignite.

the people at antinote are always excited to introduce new names to its roster and sign libra, its latest addition, makes no exception to the rule. released under the moniker sign libra, closer to the equator is the work of latvian artist and composer agata melnikova. composed for a contemporary ballet at latvian national opera in riga, the music on this record strongly relies on melnikovas appreciation of bbc-produced nature documentaries. projecting the life of each creature that inhabits the british tv-program into her very personal and highly synthetized world, sign libra lends these microscopic beings her own voice. each song works like a musical tableau in which the main protagonists plants and animals come on stage to play their part in a ballet carefully choreographed by the latvian artist.

for the past 15 years the tanzanian megalopolis of dar es salaam has had one of the most exciting underground electronic music scenes in east africa. a constellation of micro-scenes from mchiriku, sebene and segere all the way to its latest mutation of singeli that finally after years of lurking in the underground has exploded into the mainstream and taken over bongo flava as the music of choice amongst tanzania s youth. born in the sprawling working class neighborhoods of tandale and manzese, singeli s signature sound consists of fast paced frantic loops interlocking with each other, with influences from zanzibars tarab music all the way to south african afro-house coupled with mc s who often spit satirical lyrics about the challenges facing tanzania s youth, from police corruption to the complications of dating girls when you are broke. if there is one studio that stands out amongst the hundreds that dot dar es salaam s musical landscape it is sisso records. centered around producers, bwax, sisso, bampa pana and yung keyz morento and mc s dogo niga and makavelli, they were early pioneers of the singeli sound. whilst some singeli artists have begun fusing their music with more traditional tanzanian hip hop, sisso have remained uncompromising in their sound, always raw, fast with a punk diy aesthetic that can at times verge on noise and gabber, to produce a spell binding music that is like no other sound system culture in the region.

this album is a 80’s movies musical trip.
start the journey to “mind enhanced waves” musical vision with this first volume and finish it with the second volume which will be released in 2018.
influenced by early progressive synth rock, hard rock guitars, and minimal electronical synthy ambient with heavy beats.

dualexercise_l is elaborated on the premise of collaboration and reinterpretation, it presents the original work of two artists along its respective recompositions. as a musical release produced by manchester s daniel ruane & oqko co-founder smog, dualexercise_l opens up with side a comprehended of two the original compositions which go through reinterpretation on the flip side. taking the concept of entropic degradation for focus, with harsh textural depth, twisted mechanistic noise and glimmers of breaks, bass and broken techno providing the sonic backdrop, ruane and smog serve out their singular visions of pandemonium across four slabs of high octane compositions.

antideepressant records, where fusion deep space house meets nudisco, deep techno and creates the eclectique spiritual grooves for your mind, body & soul. there are a 4 tracks ep that emphasise on the musical side, the instrumental parts, the atmosphere a gem! most of you would say this is deep, but we say it s freakin great deep influenced house.

its the big 5! berlin frankfurt based label house is ok is celebrating its five-year long presence and has decided to mark that period with something special labels story started with a sticker homeboy printed in his former hometown, zagreb, saying house is ok. catchy, right? it became an underground slogan of the local scene. it didnt take long for people to embrace the idea stating that its ok to be into melodic, fresh, groovy yet, at times, a bit awkward dance music. just around the same time homeboys frankfurt based bros oliver achatz and janis played with the idea of starting a record label. guess what the logical choice for the name was? ten records, dozens of original songs and remixes later house is ok continues to grow. literally. what was once a platform for the original three founders is now an international family affair supporting the talented artists from frankfurt, stockholm, alexandria and orlando. nurturing the friendly approach this musical family continues to grow. looking back at the first five years, not only at the music that connected them all but at the bonds that deepened through the production process, house is ok crew wanted to take create a proper reminder and thank the ones supporting them throughout the years. a double 12 pack titled gemišt seemed like a proper way to do that. „gemišt will be released as two separate eps featuring the original music from kornél kovacs, roman flügel, gavri & mcqueen, tcb, house of life and the label makers themselves. oliver and janis deliver tracks under their known names, while homeboy introduces his new project with fellow wilde renate resident the swift, called longhair. croatian artist ugruv smek marks his yearlong collaboration with the label delivering yet another smashing artwork.

“kissing to be clever” is the debut album by culture club. originally released in 1982, it immediately put the band on the musical map. turning the flamboyant boy george into a star, the soulful pop outing incorporated elements of pop, rock, new wave, dance and caribbean rhythms and sprouted several international hit songs.
“do you really want to hurt me” hit the #1 spot in several countries and turned out to be a song that resonates to this day with its universal feel of heart ache. all in all, this set is a highlight of 80s pop music, that set the stage for one of the decade’s most loved and oft-remembered bands.
pressing on 180 gram audiophile vinyl.

a long time in the making quare groove vol. 1 sounds of the irish musical underground from the 70s & 80s. spread across 2 12inches with extensive liner notes on printed inner sleeves. re-mastered with care by shawn at optimum.

for the second release of their own imprint -rapid eye movement-, memorial home heads the way and signs an opus chock-full of profoundly personal character, high sensitivity and forceful refinement. the ep features three original tracks and two remixes composed by kas:st and awb. properly titled -somewhere-, it is driven by an aesthetic quest for the essence of musical creation, when it becomes a channel of connection with the deepest self or intimate soul.

man power his raw electronic sound, organic flourishes and diverse selection make him a perfect match for dgtl, both on stage as well as on the imprint. next to releasing a steady flow of records on established labels like esp institute, optimo trax, correspondant and hivern discs, man power is running his own shop as well: me me me. this gives him an outlet to release music by both friends and himself. for his release on dgtl records he created a three-track ep called apologue ep, that showcases just two of different sides of his multi-faceted musical scope. the a-side features two firm, acid influenced tracks. the first of these two, the duelist, is an emotive house record, with a soundscape of piano melodies, synths and syncopated percussion laid on top of an acid bassline. el mago del tiempo features heavy hitting kicks combined with a sharp synth pattern. it has a long build up that keeps evolving throughout the entire composition. halfway through, the track breaks in to a raw and fierce rhythm accompanied by yearning, drawn-out synth pads. on the flipside, put your hands on the car (and get ready to die) brings back memories of a long gone past with nods to balearic pop, ebm, and the soundtrack work of stewart copeland, james horner, and jan hammer. this multi layered production has a warm and analogue sounding feel to it that rounds off a 3 dimensional release.

berlin based producer zigan aldi has always been open for different cultural influences in his music. an openess that might go back to his own background since zigan had been brought up in the eastern part of turkey, before he moved to germany when he was 14. apart from working in various jobs it was always the music that kept him going and let him experience his true passion. after releasing music on bedouin’s label truecolors or 3000 grad it was about time his diverse music finds another home on underyourskin records. therefore zigan delivers four exclusive tracks that depict his approach to electronic music with a mostly downtempo vibe. ‘luton’, ‘seems to be’ and ‘olin’ follow the path of the label’s as well as zigan’s philosophy: a slightly oriental influence that meets darker multi-layered synth chords to create significant atmospheres that can work at any time at the club. ‘miracle’ featuring sandeck is just what the track title suggest: a musical miracle. as the track slowly enfolds its groove to the audience, it is the guitar riffs and the vocals that sum up magic of this track at this very intimate moment.

this time, germination, his first solo ep, is purely musical work composed of organic, visceral, living sounds, both fragile and mighty. the electronic music is free of constraints imposed by the dedicated instruments. embodied by large dynamic ranges and a constantly moving temporality, germination tells an evolving process, in full bloom, with its share of mutations and strange directions. germination is composed of four tracks, including one remix by roly porter. in the same vein as alex augier, the cofounder of subtext recordings explores the boundaries of experimental music, both electronically and instrumentall

a compilation dedicated to the early 80s spanish synth wave and post punk scene! first to be published outside spain, this anthology explores the electronic music side of the independent music produced in the days in the iberian peninsula: synthetic pop music with industrial sounds including futurist art rock, dance-floor productions and low-fi experiments on cassettes. classics or true hidden treasures, this selection of nineteen songs is symbolic of the musical dawn that spain experienced during the decade marked by the return of democracy and by the creative freedom initiated by punk music.

tinnie house records present gratitude, the album by rafa kao and cam harris. question? what do you need to know when two deck magicians from brazil and aotearoa meld and mix up aroha and gratidao? answer: aurally that you ll experience an eight track kaleidoscope of unmissable, deep, dope, eclectic, techy, musical bliss, with a wee acidic twist and then some.. because just when you thought you were fully immersed in one tune on that dance floor, dink, blink and you ll totally be transmuted somewhere else with the next chink. whatever you do, as winter flicks autumn out the door? dont be the one who forgets to add this album to your non-chilled and lead me to the club warmers.

growing bin burst into 2018 with a bang, crash and symbol splash, uniting a premier pair of per-cussion obsessives for a supernatural mission into the heart of the rhythm. dressed in the pitch black of du&#776,,sseldorf stands wolf mu&#776,,ller, master of the tropical drums and seven time salon des amateur breakdance champion. repping cologne and berlin is niklas wandt, germany’s funkiest drummer and a mixed musical artist as adept in experimental jazz as demen- ted euro dance. standing toe to toe in a no holds barred, no drum unstruck groove contest, these two titans will make you swing your pants like a crash bandicoot victory dance... so stretch out and step in to ‚instrumentalmusik von der mitte der world

frag maddin s wizard like studio techniques don t need no black magic - just solid ingredients, being boiled in his studio cauldron. in the process, the old becomes the new again. this time, in its most musical form for kakudo records yet. his ep is a magical kaleidoscope of sounds and feelings that work their charms on our souls, brains and hips. think chicago, think nyc s kinky trax of the early 90ies, think silly amounts of bass and think flourishingly funked out synths making for an individual musical language with maddin. timeless sounds! point 0 is now, these ones will last!

after the successful mind trip ep, pulse msc releases its 4th release, a 4 track ep by matthieu faubourg with a stunning remix by the almighty black loops. with multiple kinds of sounds and influences, scenario is a beautiful dedication to lebanon. the french producer was inspired by a trip there and has created these 4 pieces. the result is wonderful, colorful and conducive to the imagination. expect to be strayed until you find your way. hope is another important theme in that musical journey, well symbolized in the sentimental tune yaret (which means -i hope in lebanese arabic).

possession records proudly present the new album by soft riot, entitled -the outsider in the mirrors-. soft riot is the stylised musical alter-ego of jjd, canadian by birth and an ex-resident of london and sheffield, now based in glasgow (so not unfamiliar with sites of post-industrial decay!). with over twenty years of playing in various post-punk and synth-punk bands, he has been crafting the sound of soft riot since the early turn of the decade, releasing a slew of albums across a multitude of labels and touring obsessively around europe and beyond. with -the outsider in the mirrors-, his sixth full-length, he has found a new home for his sound on possession records, a fledgling glasgow imprint founded by jjd, claudia nova (aka hausfrau) and andy brown (ubre blanca). their aim is to bring together their pool of musical talents and provide a more permanent home for their future creative endeavours, whether it be music, video or otherwise and to experiment with what it is to be a -label- in the ever evolving 21st century. future projects and releases will see them getting a select group of their peers and friends involved in possession s focused vision, locally or from further afield.

after a five-year hiatus, tartelet mainstay james braun returns with the ep tearjerker, announcing his debut album for 2018. jb (james braun) has been part of the label since its conception in 2007 and has contributed immensely to its development. over the years, his sound has continuously morphed – from cheeky tech house, to emotional detroit-inspired house escapades – always reflecting his originality and worthy musicianship. the tearjerker ep is a testament to jb s musical journey. rooted in classic u.s. house and techno, the ep delivers elaborate melodies not found in earlier productions. the tracks were all produced at the newly opened panalama studio in copenhagen, which jb runs alongside lasse walentin.

ecuadorian carlohs passion for music began at an early age, learning the art of turntablism from his father and uncle, both of whom were djs. heavily influenced by the native instruments of his country and the folk music of the andes mountains, his knowledge of modern and traditional is reflected in the latest release on hot creations. the ep opens up with title track sound pump. alien-like noises float amongst the powerful, thudding drums before descending into a crescendo of hurried synths that are smashed into outer space by that classic jackin beat. this is swiftly followed by the dark and looming bassline of its like before, littered with twinkling, cosmic synths it’s works a treat! claiming he wants to rescue the sound of classic house, the talented producer has forged a musical style that strikes the perfect balance between old and new. describing himself as a pioneer of the musical genre andes house, carloh has previously released records on desolat, baumsounds and im a house gangster.

this four-track ep named curiosity from techno duo, abstract man marks the beginning of the new on the 5th day imprint, the latest branch to extend from the heart of the london-based underground techno project. the final outputs of a year-long creative journey in the studio with a focus on analogue machines, curiosity (including mike parker remix) represents a chapter of exploration into sound design and manipulation, and the unity and evolution of two separate musical identities through the collaborative process

were super excited to present the latest artist to join the dirt crew stable, french producer sekou babe. he ticked all the right boxes for us with this beautiful debut ep foresight prevents blindness which explores his fresh and vibey outlook on house with sideways glances to smokey jazz, breaks and garage. the a-side lines up three varied tunes. perspectives of the youth and soukoun step in quickly with lively breakbeat rhythms. the first boasting warm soul vocals and steady bass groove, the second a melancholic yet uplifting back and forth between vintage piano and warbling rhodes. treize zero zero trois is a deep and dreamy house jam. cinematic elements infused with punchy percussion and 80s sonic touches add up to good times all round. on the b, our good friend nachtbraker does what he does best, flipping treize zero zero trois bringing the deep, dubby amsterdam vibrations. his version is lush, textural and slightly fruity, with surging synths, tropical percussion and a stomping kick. sekou babe rounds things off with the extravagant crown collection, showing us yet another colour in his musical spectrum. its trip hop meets detroit where warped strings introduce shuffling drums before the track begins to build layering subtle arpeggios, smooth pads, crash hits and a buoyant melody. sekou babe would like to add that all tracks were written and produced by b.b. at 7e republique studio and says thanks to peter, ghizlene, mohammed and florian, you beautiful souls.

the studio and label digital b of producer bobby digital dixon became the ruling production house in the musical revolution that swept through jamaica from the mid-80s onwards with a lethal selection of dancehall weapons and chartbusting reggae hits. x-tra wicked gathers many of his bestever productions from those heady times when specialist stores were awash with 7-inch singles, freshly arrived from jamaica, and reggae music was once more on the rise. this great double 2lp-set presents 24 selected tracks in a double wide vinyl jacket, with just the top hits from the two bobby digital reggae anthology releases, the 2cd+dvd set x-tra wicked and the 3cd-set of -serious times- and has liner notes written by reggae expert john masouri.

temperatures are dropping and we re all feeling the effects. bordello a parigi is letting the cold winds of the north swirl inside its doors with russia s volta cab bringing a fresh 2lp to the table. a spread of influences come together for the eleven tracks of rise again. take -emerald s phantasy-, a piece built on layers of percussion that blends elements of disco with notes of techno. -dark room- is a different affair. arctic chords are cut with electro and distant vocals for an unsettling treat. -kruger- stomps to a terse beat before lush pads bloom in a work that builds to dizzying peaks. warm blasts balance these colder moments, the rich grooves of -savage fury-, the floor filling funk of -board scandinavia- and the removed romance of -sweet exorcist- all show another shade to the volta cab sound and of course there s more. rise again is an audio collection of vibrant colours and hues, tracks pitch from icy blues to autumnal ambers and fiery reds, a musical kaleidoscope that stretches across a spectrum of styles.

otakhee is a unique and creative musician from south korea with his own broad musical spectrum. recognized first with his psychedelic-avantgarde jazz album smoked jazz released in 2012, he surprised the scene again in 2015 with an abstract hip-hop album, psychedelic weather. his unique soundscape with elements of minimalism and industrial music along with the veteran emcee m.e.d. created the album s own esthetics, nowhere else to be found. after the release of psychedelic weather, he expressed his interest in dance music, especially in deep house and techno.

fresh off the back of his debut ep 2nd nature , which received support from seth troxler, laurent garnier, ame, maya jane coles, archie hamilton, mano le tough & damian lazarus, dokta returns to 20/20 vision alongside the dance music and audio obsessive leonidas who s been topping the juno vinyl charts recently with his releases kay suzuki and hobbes . the uncompromising 15-minute composition merges dokta s unique electronic arrangement style with a transcending live saxophone melody and an original vocal recording of nycs paradise garage and loft regular david vickers, with a spoken word tribute to dave mancuso and his legendry loft residency, recorded before the great mans passing last year. structured with a driving kick, off set drums and rhythmic keys baby powder proves once again dokta refuses to work within formalities, offering up a release that is both truly unique and impossible to ignore. baby powder sees dokta continue to push the boundaries of electronic production, effortlessly compounding live elements that explore exciting new musical territories

the first 100 copies of this release come in transparent vinyl, the rest in black.
following 11 hotly tipped ep’s, format now delivers its first compilation release, packed to the brim with bomb cuts from both veterans as new faces. this first format compilation is a prime example of the label’s signature sound. featuring an impressive variety of musical perspectives, it’s a mint snapshot of format’s ever adventurous view on techno.

obrani records are proud to present strangeman - an ep from the young and talented producer plantae, who has conquered the minimal hearts of techno and house heads alike. the intensity and broadness of plantae’s musical pallet, reflected in every crease of the release, will appeal to diggers from all scapes of the globe. from grassroots break-beat to snappy hats and bold percussion, occasionally visited by passing high notes, like comets in a coma of ever-changing motive. if forced to reduce his sound to words, musical abstractionism would hit as close to home as the 808 bass drum. undoubtedly, strangeman made it’s way to the obrani records collection.

in 2016 simon pitt and alex kassian formed planet sundae recordings. opal sunn ii is their third release. part i was out july 2017 with andrew weatherall taking a massive shine to it, playing all 4 tracks at a gig in barcelona. it was championed also by massimiliano pagliara, of ostgut fame. opal sunn is live-performance duo al kassian & hiroaki oba. formed in 2015, the pair have recorded countless hardware-driven improvisational sessions, puzzled together to create abstract musical journeys. the aim is to transcend the improvisational magic of the studio jam and funnel it into the live performance. having played at rainbow disco club 2016 in japan & atlas electronic 2016 in morocco,the pair took both excited audiences by surprise with their heavily improvised live sessions. opal sun ii explores darker shades of dance music.

it’s a pleasure to introduce to you the second chapter of apparel wax, the vinyl faced artist who tears the dancefloors apart. aplwax002 is once more a concentrate of groovy beats, catchy melodies and vibrant harmonies that come together to create a solid 4 tracks release with an only one soul: the soul of the music we love to dance to. indeed, the whole ep doesn’t sound like an assembled work, on the contrary is more a complete entity that moves together in an organic way since the very first track till the last one, creating an impactful musical story. everyone should be aware that the unknown mystery man is back in town! premieres on houseum, delicieuse musique and sleazy beats.

fruit merchant launches, straight outta northside mancunia and fresh with the city’s diy spirit - a brand new musical venture from hidden spheres.
for the inaugural release, regular to lobster theremin, rhythm section and distant hawaii, hidden spheres introduces the sonic flora of his enchanted new world by way of “wonders of the rainforest”. an ep that both details the multifaceted skills of one of mcr s most treasured recent upstarts whilst paying tribute to an environment that, although a million miles away from our concrete jungle, seems more relevant than ever due to the impending threat of climate change and our critical-level resource drain.

to make it to album number three, a group has to make a compelling debut and then avoid the sophomore slump. if you reach that third record, you are supposed to be a professional, a stone-faced musical grown-up. but don’t tell that to de lux. after their 2014 debut voyager and 2015 follow-up generation, the la duo is gearing for its best and brightest lp, more disco songs about love. the difference between this album and all the rest? let s ask the band: we like to say voyage was our baby, generation was our baby all grown up and more disco songs about love thinks growing up sucks and just wants to party smart.

cryovac recordings seeks out characters that give depth to the soundscape of detroit s underground. cryovac individuals believe in their path and stand for their art. ray7 is a multifaceted musical being surviving an ever evolving technosphere. he is an unknown hero that holds his own sonicly on any side of the planet. ray7 provides the power needed for the cryovac machine to hatch a new plot. cryovac exists due to the efforts of craftsmen and artists that work together to make something unique. side a starts with an ancient zulu chant that provides protection as well as a funky sort of techno break pop. the next track grinds in to a ruff and gritty narration of ghetto mind-set under the influence of classic electro. a constant roll moves the last track into addition and subtraction inside of a spartan groove that breaks and turns with strength. side b opens with a busy 4/4 be-bop lackadaisically drifting with dreamy synth over the chatter of voice, hi-hats, and reverb broken down by a 303 buzzing. track two is a dark and sloppy incomprehensible subliminal sing-a-long building and ebbing around a stark kick and clap.