cut from the same cloth as last year’s double-cassette, “like all mornings”, vanessa amara’s new album trails shorthand piano pieces and wilted strings through magnificent, electro-acoustic surrounds, often settling into buzzing, syncopated reveries.

teatime dub encounters is the result of a few clandestine hotel room recording sessions, that began a few weeks after underworld and iggy pop had each released their last albums (barbara, barbara we face a shining future and post pop depression respectively) on the same day (march 18th2016). it is neither historical or a tribute to past work. it is the work of artists in motion, engaged in a process that both bring to all of their work – one that uses spontaneity as a spur for creativity.

after “star alliance”’s initial release as a limited six tape-box set, it was apparent that there was a need for a reissue, which now comes in the form of this remastered double lp set with a selection of the best work and even a few new tracks added. the story is the same but the narrative has been sharpened.

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

you know when the dj drops something so special you’re mentally forced to ask for the track and the reply you get is ”its my own unreleased track”. that’s how i (art alfie) stumbled upon all three of these. about ten years ago i witnessed van rivers & the subliminal kid (peder mannerfelt) turn berghain upside-down with the dark techno epos ”mars attacks”. around the same time i had the luck to see nils westerlund boogle minds with the broken beat psychedelics of ”suspiria” at a stockholm open air. last but not least, a couple of years ago i heard ”thicker than blood” for the first time, like the sirens in greek mythology, it lured people on to the dance floor at stockholms classic summer hot spot f12. i’ve been playing these tracks ever since and im beyond happy i get to share them with the world at this point. //art alfie

nice price deal !!! chem clubs fourth ep titled normal condition by brooklyn based duo seer, melds the atmospheric and distorted into a perfectly twisted mind bender of a release.

desroi debuts on avian. shifted s avian label returns to fore with a heady, five track offering from german producer, desroi. in keeping with the label s finely tuned aesthetic concerns, the music draws from a reduced palette – keeping the colours muted & the tone driven and direct, focusing instead on drawing out pleasing textures & subtle rhythmic anomalies via intricate use of delay and reverb, to arrive at a sweet spot between dance-floor potency & the more cerebral posits of the techno genre. tethered at the base by cavernous low end, heady drum machine programming drives the work – often married with a single warping synth motif shifting about the sonic periphery, modulated carefully across the course of the recording s run time to create both moments of heads down introspection & outright hysteria. like much of the best work on the label, the music has a diy quality that belies its complexity, but at the same time lends to its undoubted effectiveness. desroi s ability to harness the full force of such a limited collection of elements is testament to the producer s skill as an artist within the genre, creating a powerful sense of cohesion on his avian debut.

in the studio prototype 909 was a group that rarely agreed on a clear idea of exactly what they were trying to accomplish. the entire project was an experiment, and every time they hit record there was nothing better for them to do than to just try stuff. whenever it came time to put together an album they would go through what they had recently done and nd the tracks that seemed to fit together well, or that at least sounded like they were made by the same group. that left on the cutting room foor some really amazing worst that somehow just didnt fit their goals at the time. at schmer, we remember. p-909 leftovers have schmer written all over them. these four tracks were all recorded live in the studio in between their three studio albums 93-97. brenecki ( half of ontal ) provided his remix inspired by one of them. hyperdrive and -datafash- were recorded shortly after acid technology was released in 93. they come from the -lets make acid technology vol 2 approach-. that would have made a really cool record had they done it but they decided on making transistor rhythm instead. anoisenyc aka the tracs that dietrich hates is what you get when you let jason go nuts on a doepfer maq-16 ( they never made that mistake again ). bobo is possibly the most prototypical p-909 tracks ever: it took three guys making their own tracks simultaneously almost ignoring what the others were doing but somehow mixing them into a flow to make this one, but it all comes together nicely in the end. its amazing that they never released it before. you ve enjoyed the wait, now enjoy your new prototype 909 while it still is new!

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

arcola presents mwr157 contains six lost slices of leftfield electro including the mythical and mysterious hotline a track that was originally scheduled for release on mo’wax back around about the year 2000 but only ever reached test pressing for reasons no one can quite remember, alongside five other tracks that take in dancehall, hip-hop and 2-step garage, all recorded during the same session...

after his great debut on rawax with the -knorke ep-, alex gave us his groundbreaking release from 2008 called -ñ-. he felt it s too good to be forgotten. we felt the same and now this beauty is ready to make people happy again - not only those on discogs!

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

reissue of obscure wackies twelve, you re back by lloyd mctaggart is one of wackies earliest and most obscure 12-. recorded around the same time as the monumental revolution / the time is now by leroy sibbles / stranger cole, it features the love joys backing vocals, lots of 70s synth percussion, the weirdest trumpet part and a wicked version as part two on the flipside.

the songs, the words, the melodies in this album, they all matter to me because they represent the real time outworking of my own trauma, pain and discovery of joy and peace. but there is a life inside this record equally important to all of the above, which is also trying to be communicated. it’s almost like how listening to a song in a foreign language doesn’t hinder you from absorbing what the song is communicating. in listening closely as i expose myself to myself, that is where the art is. maybe every time we have the courage to unabashedly be true in ourselves, the courage to do the same is received by someone else.
i ask that you pray for me, so that i can continue to live on the surface, not only in private while making art, but also in public while living life visibly. also that as i continue on this journey with myself, that i can communicate who this old yet new person i have found is. a little better each time, with more clarity each time. - vicktor taiwò

this is tier’s first release and we just started levelling different stages with our friends ion ludwig and direkt. that being said, tier it’s a music label showcasing talent. in this journey we want to take everybody who fits in the same sound and shares same ideas as ours

this hampshire & foat project should not come as too much of a surprise to those familiar withgreg& warren s music, influenced heavily by not just jazz but the library sound of the 60s and 70s along with film soundtracks from the same golden era.greg& warren are avid collectors of this music,gregsends me links night and day to lps he has picked up digging on his travels. this constant search sends him down new musical pathways and often sparks a whole new concepts for projects. warren andgregare both fiercely creative talented individuals which means we have to keep them working, a challenge for us all, but the music rewards the effort many times over. we had talked for a long time about doing a library style lp (somethinggregis very passionate about) so during different recording sessionsgreg& warren started laying down various tracks with a view to the lp we have here. side one is 5 tracks in very distinct styles, musical paintings for the big screen. the vast sound of the japanese influenced jasmine, the spaghetti western melancholy of mariposa lily, the call to action that is antonio s theme, the breezy vintage sports car in the sun that coastal drivepaints, and lost in nostalgia, a late night poirotesk piece. side 2 is a classic library suite, whichgregdescribes as a detective s theme with different variations on the motifs.

the 5th release on apr marks a new step in the dj- and live trio’s maturity and is at the same time their most essential release.

a1: david goldberg revealed his exceptional talent releasing an extraordinaire debut ep on svs records. “m4l-uv” is a euphoric breakbeat track that won’t fail to make you dance.
a2: kit curse made his mark within the dnb scene during the last years having released on labels like cyclone, onset audio or shadowforces. “weird solace master” is a broken ritual that reveals the producers experimental side.
b1: “zezbo version” by skee mask is a superb dnb trip leading you through an industrial shadow world. the producer upholds his reputation as an exceptional artist all along the way.
b2: top shotta runs the uk bass orientated label ruffhouse. “m-performance riddim” somehow sounds like a race and a fight both at the same time.
b3: the style of bean is a postmodern blend of ambient, idm and dubstep. “tears” showcases this eclecticism within just three minutes.

in 2017, benedikt frey released his breathtaking debut album with the esp institute, artificial, and now as we finally come up for air, we’re more than proud to offer an eclectic collection of remixes that’s nothing short of essential. side a leads with h for hysteria remixed by a beloved hero, nicolas chaix a.k.a. i:cube, one of the most prolific and respected electronic artists paris has to offer. his touch is considered and elegant, imbuing the track with a tasteful 303+808 backbone to support an array of patiently floating melodies and angelic vocal samples. following this, tolouse low trax of du&#776,,,,,sseldorf’s infamous salon des amateurs remixes the same track, stripping instrumentation down to a skeletal palette of bass guitar and stabbing percussive punctuations, chopped up inna minimalist stylee that has become his beat-making signature. side b leads with a remix by another du&#776,,,,,sseldorfer, dj normal 4, whose re-imagination of private crimes takes us for an even more menacing ride, half-timing the tempo and skillfully rolling out a barrage of jungle snares from rave days of yore. closing the release is the most aggressive remix of them all, a bonafide techno beatdown of the same track by dalo, the co-producing artist to whose haunting vocals lace the original version. her dark vision opens with sparse industrial drums that blossom into a driving assault of raw machinery, definitely not for the faint-of-heart. an all-around solid release here, fun for all the family... more than just the tip!

spring has finally landed and we have the perfect soundtrack for those long sunny afternoon in the park. we are glad to present explorer of the humankind for his first release with us. starting with stars in her eyes, a gentle track where the lyon newcomer use his voice as well as real drums for a smooth listening-experience. following in the same vein but a touch more upbeat is just a tool, a more playful funk-inspired piece. closing the a-side, share the love takes the tempo a bit higher and and shifts toward more club-friendly territories, houses goodness. turn that disc and get awake for i know, a disco-edit piece with trace of french heritage and filter action. lastly, deep inside takes us into a gentle profound dreamy state, moving more on the inside than with the feet.

everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody. judas is back with one of the biggest collections of records since today, presenting more sides of his vision as an artist and as a conceptual persona, these are 4 cuts that brilliantly put you in the zone, right when the needle drops on the record. judas present this project in 2 parts, both part of the same creature, and of the same concept, “unsaid” goes far beyond the usual aspect of the functionality, in this case, functionality is a pure tool, every single work shows you a path into his mind.

killer previously unreleased roots from the vaults of randys studio 17. in the mid 70s carol kalphat sang harmonies on max romeos if them ever, produced by clive chin at randys. at the same time however, she cut her own tune on the rhythm, also an indictment of the failures of the political system at the time. now released for the first time ever, backed with a raw rhythm version.

loyoto are the east-berlin born eva be and cle from the western part of the formerly dived city. both started their dj and producer career almost at the same time in the heart of the then developing scene, the very center of berlin, just after the wall came down. originally rooted in very different styles of music, they encountered for the first time djing together in 2011, finding common ground in more than just music - a gig, that should lead to more: they decided to combine their talents and knowledge and build a studio together. here, and during legendary back2back dj sets, they finally united their different musical backgrounds - dub/reggae and underground house music - and defined their very own sound.

synkro aka joe mcbride teams up with veteran arovane aka uwe zahn for a sublime collaborative ep on apollo. refractive (index) sees the duo exploring their shared love of broken beats and dreamy soundscapes. the pair are also connected through their affection for yamahas venerable handheld sequencer, the qy700 (also a favourite of dutch lo-fi house master legowelt) arovane a long time stalwart of the acclaimed city centre offices imprint explains: everything started with a detail in an interview with joe that grabbed my attention. i spotted a qy700 sequencer from yamaha on one photo. i used this piece of gear for decades to sequence all of my hardware and to produce my music. its part of my trademark sound of rhythm programming. one of the factors that makes the qy700 beloved is its ability to change parameters in realtime to shuffle, shift, expand or compress the timing of each pattern independently. its touch can be felt throughout the oscillating rhythmic figures that wend through the gauzy pads and drifting melodies. we share the same wavelength when it come to breakbeats, musical taste and melodies, arovane continues this ep is the beginning of something special!

special edition gold pantone sleeves moon lovers is electronic journey through nuovo romantica much in the same vain as dreamtime 002 rev thorn airport west. 10 selected atists from all corners of the planet, swedens bobby bricks starts the lp off with the slow mo disco meloncolic love song no money, no vacation. venus express ii feel the wave is next delivaring a bouncy piano driven bop. song number 3 paul withey this is what we hold on to, is a funk guitar driven vocoded groover to likes of herbie hancock, daft punk later works. the lp concludes with peter pearsons spaced romantic piano interlude, come closer.

after a wildly successful collaboration on thatmanmonkzs turn it out from the lp, columbus-ing, dave aju suggested they should continue their production streak for a new percussive tracks project. at the same time, aju had finally kept his word to legendary bay area club/underground mc and personality, foxxee aka foxxee brown aka lawrence petty, to work on a track together as well. petty being a core part of the infamous ya mamas house radio show on 106 kmel alongside pete avila and david harness that introduced legions of young bay area djs to real house music, includ-ing aju, in the early 90s.

completing the recent lp reissue of black voices by tony allen, comet presents a 2 tracks remix ep by folamour and nit. the two rising french producers provide great new versions of “get together” and “the same blood”.

re-issue of forgotten minimal techno abstraction from hamilton, ontario. the unsung genius of secret werewolf is fully on display on this 1996 gem. rubbery and polymetric, akin in mood to robert hood/metroplex productions of the same era, but full of eerie metallic timbres and flexing grooves which combine into a lysergic hypnosis unlike anything else from then or now.
a taste of the forthcoming geej re-issue project surveying the steel city records catalogue, a wellspring of unsung, singular dance music that arose from the abandoned industrial spaces and uncompromising producers of the fertile but secluded techno zone of hamilton, ontario canada circa 1995-1997.
first time pressed in over 20 years, vinyl only.

soul clap definitely knew what they were doing when they snapped up certifiable diva legend nona hendryx to sing on one of the cuts from their self-titled 2016 album. now ray mang has got his mitts on the parts to -shine (this is it)- and turned out three versions for his own mangled label - the classic combination of extended vocal, instrumental and radio edit versions. whichever cut suits you best, the vibe is the same, a bold and bright summer party track splashed with horns, keys and plenty more besides, although the smart money is on hendryx s legendary vocal, which soars as though no time has passed since her days working with material in 80s nyc.

i was gone for a while. but now i am back. times have changed but the focus is the same. primal, stripped down cuts. jeremy p caulfield

since the debut in 2011, the swedish music project pro424 has combined complex modular synth based sounds with strong melodies resembling the synth genre. at the same always with a firm stance in techno and underground culture and always with desire to perform the music live. the previous immune released in 2014, became one of lamours most sold albums ever and was compared to historic references such as tangerine dream and underworld, but also richie hawtin. the new album is a thematic prequel to immune and is set in a light and hopeful soundscape which for some reason collapses. behind pro424 is stockholm based artist and producer maximilian karlander, who aside from music is a bioengineer.

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.

prolific and long-serving canadian producer fred everything is never one to rest on his laurels, but it s been no less than 10 years since he last released an album (the classic lost together on om records). now he finally returns to the long player format on his own lazy days label with the appropriately titled long way home, a widescreen exploration of his sound via all manner of styles. there s gorgeous broken beat and neo soul, slow-strutting electronic disco and modern boogie, and that s just the a side of this expansive 12inch track album. warm, immaculately produced and unafraid of embracing pop as much as underground styles, it s a masterful return from mr. everything.

super rare and killer alric forbes 70s roots, only ever released on a mis-labeled pressing! the rhythm will be familiar to deep roots aficionados as the same one used for sydney wilson s -why do i cry.- a co-release with our french comrades onlyroots, who have already reissued a pair of classics from alric, -morning train- and -warn the nation.-

turquoise, that is turkuvaz, is a french-origin word inspired by the color of the mediterranean, located within the borders of turkey. meaning, blue is the color that plays the green. at the same time it is relative. because both colors are in it, if you love blue you will see blue, if you love green you will see it green. it means heaven and earth. the eternity is turquoise...

6 track robotic electro compilation on pulse drift records. six likeminded artists from germany, the netherlands, england, denmark and the u.s. synchronize artificial signals to unite into this transmission. all stylistically different yet still pulsing on the same wave length. good stuff!

when harold boue aka abstraxion invited fantastic man into his studio after playing together the night before he didnt knew he was planting the seed for a new project. as he recalls, it was a day of intense sun in marseille with not enough sleep, but the result was so great that it inspired harold to work on new tracks around the idea of creating music to reflect his city: a bit rough, but luminous and influenced by elements of mediterranean, african and northern european cultures. this has translated into a heavily percussive sound, in which tribal disco grooves invoke the spirits of voodoo-techno. three cuts driven by warmly distorted rhythms, bursts of primitive drums, rubbery synths and uplifting chants that overall feel like the first sunrays after an excursion through a dark cave: both blinding and blissful. the projects name is a tribute to the astrological sign of harolds son, who was born at the same time as the music on the ep. it was the definitive signal he needed to convince himself it was the right time to start something new and different. and an event that for sure helps understanding the vibes that this music transmits: as pure, fresh and powerful as only a new beginning can be.

zuli’s new offering trigger finger is a game of shadowy atmospheres and unquiet spirits. it functions as a spacial and temporal compactor, using sampling and field recordings to reconstruct reality’s dissonance, while at the same time reverse its own introspective character into bass weight and outworked tension. a kind of extremization of zuli’s own roots as a beatmaker for the cairo rap scene, tinged with the clandestine and delirious urbanism of grime and jungle, and fronted by the necessity to face its own dark side. but the dark and crusty sonic palette does not limit the possibility for the tracks to display various layers of emotional content.

yuri shulgin is a multi-instrumentalist music producer from tajikistan. his discography includes a small number of releases from the greek label modernista and the french escapade recordings. animal planet is his contribution on cocktail d amore music. this ep is a live-recorded masterpiece that will lift dance floors into heavenly heights. a1 takes the record title. it s an acid based, genre-blurring piece of music, enveloping and disorienting at the same time. infinite strings melt together to a constant build up, reminiscent of steve reich - double sextet/2x5. boogie space feels like the continuation of the previous track, evoking a cloud of glitter in absence of gravity. walking starts off the b side. its funk future jazz-influenced groove is supported by an organic, as bouncy as timeless bassline. while the stripped down dubby body goes to deep realms, the outro recordtake closes this surreal ep.

bulkhead present their debut album – aft pressure. it is a statement of intent, blurring the parameters of dance music culture with equal doses of insanity and serenity. at the same time, it’s also a hell of a lot of fun. the double vinyl release includesd a download code.

rerelease of this franco nanni produced record - originally out on moon records in 1987. doublepack vinyl including unreleased tracks from the same period as the original album is from.

auf dem bis dato facettenreichsten und zugleich schlüssigsten werk daniel lopatins, verknüpft der 35-jährige die unterschiedlichsten musikalischen einflüsse – von alter musik über country- und folk-balladen bis hin zu melodischem pop, computer-musik und noch ganz anderen stilen –, womit er abermals eindrucksvoll belegt, wie vielschichtig und komplex sein musikbegriff ist. indem er klangwelten entwirft, die einerseits verwirrend geläufig sind, dabei aber doch ganz klar seine handschrift tragen, entführt er die hörer und hörerinnen im verlauf von -age of- auf vollkommenes neuland.

limited edition remastered release of another wicked boogie joint from delirium records that is just as good as jagg and neddy smith from the same label and previously reissued by best record italy. this one luckily has the highly playable instrumental and the soulful vocal version both mixed by the legendary tee scott. don t sleep!

white coloured , brainwaltzera and analogical force move along the same path, without questions, and always looking forward. bunker ep is the new piece of the puzzle, perfect to increase the legend to infinity.

the lehult crew goes back to beach with this v.a. full of blistering sundowners. inspired by utopian visions of northern holiday destination sylt - germanys white isle - the four tracks ooze a sense of lighthearted optimism. rave (sylt tv) is a photo-op of a track: a chilled bottle of rose at buhne 16 or a long night at rotes kliff with girls in sequin dresses. refreshing fruit, tasty fruit paints a lighter picture of the same theme. think a tasting tour of 15 different kinds of sparkling water. dj assams sandy warms things up with distant laughter and swirly synths. but stay cozy, because a change of weather is always around the corner. blueberry icetea is closing things out with a hom-age to the jolly car-train that connects sylt to the mainland - the only reasonable way to come and go!

fresh on francis harris kingdoms imprint comes rasmus junckers ‘ophold - six tracks of sublime atmospheres and textures. the danish musician, sound composer and dj fits perfectly with the labels aesthetic, joining the dots between ambient, leftfield electronica and modern classical. juncker has a background in studying jazz drumming and has been playing improvised music within the jazz domain for many years. he also started to dj at the age of 14 and was introduced to the world of electronic music production at the same time. when rasmus started to think about his debut album he spent several months trying to find his own way to combine his favourite musical influences, improvisation, electronics and classical music. almost a year later, juncker says, i went to a sensory deprivation floating tank in copenhagen while researching for another performance and while i was lying there, floating in the water, deprived from most of my senses, i got the idea to do something drastic in my musical process. philosophers like immanuel kant describe this deprived state as a mental cesura, which became some sort of guideline for the album.

-disco fashion- is certainly one of the rarest, obscure and mysterious record ever produced in italy. at the same time one of the most experimental and psychedelic recording mixed in a classic disco style. the author is unknown, his name doesn’t tell us a

ndlgnc, is the first reference of plural and at the same time the debut of crave:: duo composed of faktorm and gustavho bacilo. the musical content includes genres such as techno, electro, house and experimental nuances, on a minimalist basis with remixes of sonodab.

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.