violet and bleid met last year in lisbon, at the radio quântica studios. in the very same day, they impromptu started working together on a track: a cover of underground sound of lisbon’s so get up to celebrate international womens day. together, alongside a crew of young lisbon djs and activists, they also run the queer techno party mina, one of the most vital things going on in the city’s nightlife - the picture in the artwork was taken in the backstage of one of those infamous, dark-room-equipped parties.
bleid remixed naive001’s togetherness by violet, and that dope rework made it to rroxymore’s bag (as heard at berghain) and was played on bbc radio 6, rinse fm and +++. the pair became friends, started bouncing ideas about production techniques, rap skills and the importance (or lack thereof) of the classics in dance music. making more music together happened naturally.
naive002 feels like a continuation of naive’s first release in some ways: the jungle-inspired chopped breaks, sonic synth work and oneiric pads are still there but gain a heavier, perhaps more somber tone at times, exploding into depth or ecstasy at others.

this is a collaboration between producer nostalgia 77, synth wizard matthew bourne and maverick drummer tim giles. drum machines and acoustic drums, synths, filters and echos. an irreverent homage to the radiophonic workshops, pierre henri & their kin.

matuss continue to deliver deep and soulful techno via her vinyl only imprint absence seizure, which she helms alongside abe duque. opening with whistler, matuss delivers heavyweight bass tones, dubbed out drums and obscure synthesiser transitions before zoya the destroyer provides eerie atmospheres, crisp percussion and subtle mid-range motifs which sit on top of a melodic low-end. on the flip side we have stranger things, which sets an ominous tone with murky ambiences and ethereal pads underpinned by a powerful kick, rumbling sub-bass and percolating rhythms to close the release.

a new year means new musical horizons here at the bordello. curses formed his sound in the distortion and sweat of back alley dive bar bars amidst the crash of guitars and the audible gulp of beer. hints of disco and wave balance this rougher edge, smoothing down those creased lines for a style that adheres to no boundaries. -pedal to the metal and don t look back- is a perfect introduction to curses multifaceted sound. beats orbit burbling bass and brash strings in a work of dreamy hypnotics. -knife in teeth- comes from a similarly shadowy lair. dark bars are further inked by industrial percussion in a track born on the factory floor to strict ebm parents. terr takes on -pedal to the metal and don t look back- and does the original proud. bass rumbles to the tune of a guttering engine before lighter notes take hold. murky currents are cleared by bright synth blasts in this uplifting remake. the bird of paradise closes the ep with his psychedelic take on -knife in teeth.- drums take on a more sinister tone as tribal rhythms give rise to jungle imagery and the immediate threat of what might lurk behind those supposedly innocent sounds.

orgone is back with more heavy funk from the west coast. a dark mood and deep groove set the tone for a funkadelic-like sort of vibe. both tracks featuring adryon de leon. previous releases by orgone have landed them on the billboard hot singles charts during their release week. for listeners of funkadelic, sly & the family stone, sharon jones & the dap-kings. heavy west coast funk

the shadows is the new album from leeds-based six-piece tomorrow we sail. building on their debut release for those who caught the sun in flight (gizeh, 2014) over the course of three years, this new work combines perfectly the soaring atmospherics, gorgeously intertwined vocal harmonies and dramatic shifts in tone and dynamics that have come to characterise tomorrow we sail’s sound. yet, there is a new sense of urgency here. very much an album of its time, the shadows draws upon the same sense of connection to both past and present that defined its precursor but features storytelling that’s even more defiant and deeply personal.

like its predecessor, the record features seven songs but from the chiming guitars of opening track side by side it is clear that the stately pace of for those who caught the sun in flight has made way for a far more dynamic and driving energy, perhaps best captured in the righteous anger of the ghost of john maynard keynes. tomorrow we sail still invoke a keen sense of measured grace in their songwriting - from the sweeping, elegiac title track, through to the sparse, restrained, yet haunting beauty of winifred and to sleep. urgent, yet assured, the shadows demands your attention.

always a reliable destination for cult talents operating on exciting frontiers of techno, meandyou this time shine a light on j.s. zeiter, who adopts the analog 1 alias for some dense, meticulously crafted trips into the strange psychedelic underbelly of dub techno. sm4l features pastoral chord swells straining behind a babbling brook of high frequency sound design, while mistral takes a classical approach to ambient composition, all yearning arpeggios and lingering keys. interlude is a brief twirl around blown out drums and textural impulses, and then skiv loop (rework) sets a more positive tone for the end of the ep, pushing classic dub techno sounds into a hazy, summery space away from the usual icy tundra the genre normally inhabits.

band from trinidad & tobago, led by the internationally renowned lead guitarist guitarist and songwriter michael boothman. tabu and so dey say were recorded in 1972 and would remain family trees only recordings. limited edition of 500 copies worldwide! . family tree represented a new generation re-discovering trinidadian folk music forms and giving them a contemporary treatment. family tree infused old shango rhythms in their new sound and were the first to experiment with steel pan fused with standard instrumentation. tabu is a cover of a cuban standard made popular in trinidad by 1950s calypso musicians cyril diaz and his orchestra and so dey say was an original composition by david boothman. although they only ever recorded these two songs, the band toured with derek walcotts trinidad theatre workshop and forged long standing musical connections with some of the countrys leading musicians.

courtesy of balance recordings presents their 10th release to date. a compilation of 9 pieces of timeless house music that will rock the underground parties and twisted after hours alike. showcasing the talent of artist hailing from chicago, montreal, london and geneva and france, this triple pack is bound to become yet another classic on the balance catalogue. dont snooze baby!!

correspondant welcome berlin duo hinode having established themselves with a string of well received cuts on their own science fiction imprint, they were spotted by chance by label boss jennifer cardini on a recent record-shopping jaunt. with a raw, no-rules sense of machine funk running through everything they create, theyre the perfect match for correspondant and make their label debut with four numerical delights…i lights the analog fire with raw sleaze and off-beat mischief. unkempt and wily, it sets the tone for the entire ep: ii writhes snake-like with its slinky kicks and purring textures, iii slurs with bass groans and shakes with paranoid, alien melodies while iv closes with much more of a tunnelling, sense-blurring experience. total machine harmony, unbounded synthetic creativity, made to mix and wholly outer-planetary… hinode and correspondant are a match made in the stars.

lp theres been an air of hypnagogic mystery surrounding acid tests sublabel avenue 66 from the start. joey andersons oblique, prince-inspired incantation above the cherry moon set the tone for a label thats sound that has found beauty in the furthest recesses of the dance floor, in the murkiest decay of kick drums and rave stabs. fitting then, that the first album on the imprint comes from trux, an artist who has chosen to reveal nearly nothing about themselves. following a cult classic mini-lp for office recordings, orbiter bears out the anonymous producer as a master of liminal, conceptual dance music. orbiters ten tracks have a vaporous, shape-shifting quality, threatening to topple over into full-on kick drum bliss or vanish into ambience. opener, with it, moves from heady ambient rush to skeletal piano, while blinko and roys garage spell out a hazy memoriam for the uk continuum. forlorn pianos ring out amongst the field recordings, excitable toms and jungle bass all softened in the enveloping gauze. orbiter positions trux as an unknown auteur who puts evocative world of tone and echo into dizzying motion, content to watch from the wings. track list with it orbiter blinko roys garage third glow in my world my row odd u agoma

german producer silent-one presents an ambient four track release on his own label intimate silence this february. part of the from another mind crew longside obscure shape & shdw and javier ba&#776,,hr, silent-one (real name benedikt merkl) launched intimate silence as a platform for ambient music in 2016. since then the label has hosted artists like ressort imprint regular g&#322,,o&#769,,s, taapion records co-founder pvnv and arsenik records’ dold, however this release sees the label founder make his very own debut. fuzzy atmospherics and chilling chord sequences set the tone for the ominous ‘human border’ before ghostly synths and twinkling melodies work together to form ‘decide your fate’. on the flip, mesmerising arpeggios meander within an echoing setting in ‘sign of anxiety’ until the murky ‘lost souls’ pairs dusky elements with a spoken word sample to create a sci-fi aesthetic to conclude the release.

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.

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.

ant orange’s third 12&#8243, for karaoke kalk forms something resembling a trilogy for the label. “right there” is built on a familiar rhodes-n-bass aesthetic, combining the lo-fi jazz of 2017’s “arkupe” with the soulful vocal motifs of 2015’s “s/t”, while introducing more electronic ingredients and taking an increasingly exploratory approach to rhythm and composition. the opening title track clocks in at over 8 minutes, growing slowly from soft tickled keys to a full-bodied groove circled by airy synths and fragmented rnb vocals. “drunk in the trunk” then shifts down a gear, looping another vocal cut over a lazy, stripped-back wahwah vibe. side a closes with experimental jazz skit “let that sink in”, its jerky tempo and flashes of light reminiscent of a late-night subway ride. the b-side takes a more contemplative tone, with the meditative arpeggios and sparse drums of “comfort zone” leading into the dusky west coast stroll of “muscle beach”, before “rudis goes offline” picks up the tempo for a last shimmering dance. the closing track “a frozen lake” sounds just like it sounds – chilled by name and by nature.

a modular synthesiser and an urge to find interesting tones, textures and timbres... ekke s second lp klangfarbenmodular is due to bevreleased by detroit underground . it is electronic music with compositions that deal with abstract textures, glitchy beats, nostalgic synth melodies, and sound design. like the title of the album suggests, one of the main interests for ekke has been finding different interesting tone-colours, textures and timbres. second very important inspiration for ekke while composing this material was his instrument – modular synthesiser. he has been studying free improvisation and composition on that instrument for years and the instrument has become like a good friend and music teacher for him. the album was composed and recorded during 2015-2017. most of the material has been recorded as studio jam sessions. all the pieces have then gone through many reincarnations. although most of the material comes from machines, there is a track where all the sounds are field recordings registered in tallinn, estonia, which is a current home for ekke .

vinyl only - limited copies pressing second release of the flash forward unreleased series, still emanuele luzzi & man-d.a. flash forward is proud to release another beautiful gem from the italian producer emanuele luzzi, who shined in -stolen moments- and -a tone colour of onirico- as onirico and oneiric. for the first time after 26 years, flash forward is been issuing the alternate take version of a 1991 umm gem by onirico, -tribal echo-, a hypnotic-tribal-surreal tone recorded live into the dat tape, a new terrific version of one of onirico most exciting tracks. listening to it, you could enter some kind of trip through the darkness, a very emotional journey in which imagine the sunset rhythm fighting with flashing shadows, the neverending battle between good and evil. let s start the voyage! as in the first issue, the other side is produced by man-d.a. , -not a dream- was also conceived many years ago but only today is released after being revised, modified and remastered! past and furure classic !

vinyl only - limited copies pressing second release of the flash forward unreleased series, still emanuele luzzi & man-d.a. flash forward is proud to release another beautiful gem from the italian producer emanuele luzzi, who shined in -stolen moments- and -a tone colour of onirico- as onirico and oneiric. for the first time after 26 years, flash forward is been issuing the alternate take version of a 1991 umm gem by onirico, -tribal echo-, a hypnotic-tribal-surreal tone recorded live into the dat tape, a new terrific version of one of onirico most exciting tracks. listening to it, you could enter some kind of trip through the darkness, a very emotional journey in which imagine the sunset rhythm fighting with flashing shadows, the neverending battle between good and evil. let s start the voyage! as in the first issue, the other side is produced by man-d.a. , -not a dream- was also conceived many years ago but only today is released after being revised, modified and remastered! past and furure classic !

the olympos series continues its exploration of godly themes and adventurous techno with a third instalment, this time calling on demetra, the goddess of the harvest and agriculture. there s a consistently deep tone to all four of the tracks on offer here, employing swooping pads and undulating bleep lines to conjure up a warm, early 90s feel that would sound right at home on an early b12 single. -pump it- is especially deep, using the barest of ingredients to take you on a dreamy, machine-powered trip.

for this release metrist delves into a set of carefully constructed and deeply rhythmic but ear-grabbingly idiosyncratic, mixed fidelity dancefloor-geared oddities. the first three tracks are united, in a fashion, by the artist’s skill at programming a series of drum tracks that set a definite tone for the productions. within a quite partisan field of often microscopic generic variety, largely pinned down to the tempo and timbre of electronic drums, here metrist has pursued a tricky-to-define path. the bounce of new jack swing is twisted amongst stripped back polyrhythms, equal parts groove and glitch seasoned by some futuristic acid filters that create a constantly shifting aura of space and textural nuance around the individual drum hits. quite often arrhythmic interjections punctuate these ‘grooves’, be it the sawing bursts of noise and snarled, incoherent vocals on ‘an soaep’, the non-language and playful, bubbling bass surrounding the half time feel of ‘on golden seize’ that builds to something approximating an industrial take on uk funky or the brash sub-wobbles that intrude ‘pantomimer tongue’s juddering knife-scraping-on-a-balloon stutters. ‘caaacel the horze’ closes the record in a less weighty style, with crunchy arpeggios running on a synth that sounds like it’s picking up interference from a radio channel, as snatches of moaned vocals allude to a deeply ambiguous yet chilling narrative behind the music. thudding kicks intrude on the skittish melody but in a non-rhythmic way reminiscent of someone trying desperately to snatch your attention by banging on the adjacent wall. gauzy melodic textures in the background provide a calming counterpoint to the uneasy qualities of the composition

uk producers sween and dawl deviate from their usual homebase of their own tone dropout label to deliver a solid 4 track ep on berlin based klasse wrecks. classic electro influences mix with breakbeat flavours to produce a fantastic and energetic collection of tracks. part sci-fi terror, part alien-invasion...all good!

following a red letter release in the form of joe armon-jones & maxwell owin s idiom, yam recordings return with the second installment of their you and music compilation series, this time compiled by yam fam hollick & z lovecraft. kicking things off on the a side is native cruise, a new artist hollick has been working extensively with on no bad days, bringing that signature ‘floaty yet punchy’ sound. it’s a kwaito-esque club jam with pan flutes and percussive loops bringing that energy to the start of the record. will listers sunset over st. petets spire is up next with a hypnotising yet intricate production from the hugely promising talent. will is a dude very much affiliated with yam and, of course, our pals over at balamii radio so it only seemed natural to have him on the record. that melody is a proper ear-worm too! the b side, curated by z lovecraft, is a slightly tougher affair with three tracks representing his taste in soulful sounds and expands on his a&r work for rhythm section international. first up is rouge me&#769,,chaniques prisma ltd a 7-minute psychedelic drum odyssey showcasing the multi instrumentalists many talents and influences, with guitar overdubs and flute ambience taking the dance floor far and beyond. on b2, upcoming break beat talent, lt, takes the helm with gale force. hailing from the peak district, lt makes work of deep vocal pads, 606 touches and a killer bass line. finishing off the compilation is wholemeal musics boy wonder, dear earth, who conjures a charming hip-hop ditty with his delicate assemblage style.

nicholas returns to church with a six track mini lp. correspondant welcome berlin duo hinode having established themselves with a string of well received cuts on their own science fiction imprint, they were spotted by chance by label boss jennifer cardini on a recent record-shopping jaunt. with a raw, no-rules sense of machine funk running through everything they create, they’re the perfect match for correspondant and make their label debut with four numerical delights. i lights the analog fire with raw sleaze and off-beat mischief. unkempt and wily, it sets the tone for the entire ep: ii writhes snake-like with its slinky kicks and purring textures, iii slurs with bass groans and shakes with paranoid, alien melodies while iv closes with much more of a tunnelling, sense-blurring experience. total machine harmony, unbounded synthetic creativity, made to mix and wholly outer-planetary. hinode and correspondant are a match made in the stars.

primus motor sees ekman return to many of the sounds that gained him a reputation as an artist on labels like bunker and berceuse heroique. although harsh bucking acid lines, pockmarked notes, brutal beats and eerie echo are all present, a new tone has been added to the caustic palette. a psychological nuance, an undercurrent of the inchoate has been investigated and exploited to chilling effect. crippling psychoses. debilitating neuroses. physical pain. suffering stalks this first full vinyl album. sinister sounds encircle the eight offerings, hovering like vultures over inhospitable plains of ashen grey, jagged peaks and dark sweeping swamps. hope is all but drawn away in this bleached audio landscape, drained by sheer synthlines and reduced renderings. amidst the sorrow and strain there are pin pricks of joy, albeit bleak and pallid ones. an album that unnerves as it engages, a collection of icy radiance and industrial indifference from a dutch master.

after popping up on a various artists release last year, ugly frankie makes good on his connection to the vinyl only label with a full fat ep of chunked up, funked out house business for sunny climes. there s a dusty, rolling tone to the tracks on offer here - the crafty edits, nimble sample treatment and inventive layering creates a vibe you can lose yourself in all day. these aren t just straight up dancefloor rollers either cow boogie bumps and slides with a low slung swagger that will have you popping at a slower tempo but they re all prime for the get down. for some dusty, soul-laced cuts produced with flair, look no further.

agorias second outing on sapiens presents some of his most uncompromising work to date. boomerang manifests live percussion and analog pulse waves, rising through shepard tone drama and succinct, minimalist form. three additional solo performances accompany the title track - a clin doeil to the minimalist french synth pioneers of yesteryear. an exercise in humanity.

drumcode returns with its 6th installment of the internationally celebrated a-sides series. renowned for fostering a shared space between industry tastemakers and rising talent alike, the careful curation that goes into each volume is a fine example of why beyer s brand continues to go from strength to strength. techno titan adam beyer has grown drumcode into a force to be reckoned with, the label has become synonymous with forward-thinking, functional techno and even after 20 years, drumcode continues to find new boundaries to push, and ways to solidify its legacy as the world s number one techno label. 2017 is no exception, with beyer s imprint hosting it s first stage at tomorrowland, not to mention the expansion of the critically acclaimed junction 2 where the drumcode stage is the centrepiece and adam plays the key role of festival director. the drumcode phenomenon continues to grow each week, chiefly fuelled by drumcode radio, adam s radio show thats broadcast in 57 countries via 86 stations and to a global audience of 16 million techno fans per week. the a-sides series acts as a perfect vignette of drumcode s cutting-edge sound, functional yet inspired techno, all tracks tried and tested by beyer himself. vol. 6 continues this tradition with a collection of 16 multi-faceted cuts from a mixture of both emerging artists and experienced label friends. the heart-throbbing bass in amelie lens electrifying piece in silence sets the tone for the dark and dance-floor-ready energy that vol.6 carries the whole way through. other standouts include mars bill s rough n ready mohave. pulsating and precise, mohave has highlighted many of beyer s sets recently as has wehbba s monster track fake , which fans have been anticipating the release of all year. label-favourites dense & pika also feature on a-sides vol. 6 with their hard-hitting just a beat and a huge track from beyer himself who has joined forces with enrico sangiuliano to bring us their undeniably infectious preset heaven. with many more notable selections from the likes of julian jewell, timmo, tiger stripes and pig&dan, a-sides vol. 6 is another impressive addition to the label s prolific release roster and a testament to why drumcode remains at the forefront of the electronic world.

the latest compilation by cultures of soul gathers together little known boogie, electrofunk and j-pop released in japan between 1981 and 1988. strong compilatin!

• special deal
• 2xgatefold lp from les graciés
• silkscreened artwork by al white & house of traps
les graciés is a collaboration in the truest sense between paris-based sound artist gaël segalen and deepblak co-founder afrikan sciences. segalen’s experiments in electroacoustic sound met the wider world this year via a debut lp for erratum, an arresting work that showcases her ability to merge hypnotic murk ala angus maclise with the hard concréte of parmegiani & reibel. segalen’s ihearu imprint / organisation is a platform for her various doings, including psychogeographical audio works and multi-media collaborations, as well as servicing as a reference point for other contemporary female artists working across various mediums. eric douglas porter aka african sciences has been deconstructing and re-building forms of contemporary black music since the mid-2000’s, through releases on deepblak (the label he co-runs with aybee) and pan. his musical universe is one of warping cadences and celestial melody, referencing the bold work of percussionists like milford graves & art jenkins, the dissonant chords of motor city techno and stripped back essence of early chicago house matched with broken hard bop sentiments: all tied together with an aesthetic that sits somewhere between sun ra’s omniverse, jean giraud mœbius and dogon cosmology. together as le graciés, segalen and porter make a wholly unclassifiable strain of music that, while containing recognisable elements of each individual s work, also creates a third entity in the process, which can be heard to stunning effect on their forthcoming debut lp ‘low doses’ for firecracker recordings.

drumcode returns with its 6th installment of the internationally celebrated a-sides series. renowned for fostering a shared space between industry tastemakers and rising talent alike, the careful curation that goes into each volume is a fine example of why beyer s brand continues to go from strength to strength. techno titan adam beyer has grown drumcode into a force to be reckoned with, the label has become synonymous with forward-thinking, functional techno and even after 20 years, drumcode continues to find new boundaries to push, and ways to solidify its legacy as the worlds number one techno label. 2017 is no exception, with beyers imprint hosting it s first stage at tomorrowland, not to mention the expansion of the critically acclaimed junction 2 where the drumcode stage is the centrepiece and adam plays the key role of festival director. the drumcode phenomenon continues to grow each week, chiefly fuelled by drumcode radio, adam s radio show that s broadcast in 57 countries via 86 stations and to a global audience of 16 million techno fans per week. the a-sides series acts as a perfect vignette of drumcode s cutting-edge sound, functional yet inspired techno, all tracks tried and tested by beyer himself. vol. 6 continues this tradition with a collection of 16 multi-faceted cuts from a mixture of both emerging artists and experienced label friends. the heart-throbbing bass in amelie lens electrifying piece in silence sets the tone for the dark and dance-floor-ready energy that vol.6 carries the whole way through. other standouts include mars bill s rough n ready mohave. pulsating and precise, mohave has highlighted many of beyer s sets recently as has wehbba s monster track fake, which fans have been anticipating the release of all year. label-favourites dense & pika also feature on a-sides vol. 6 with their hard-hitting just a beat and a huge track from beyer himself who has joined forces with enrico sangiuliano to bring us their undeniably infectious preset heaven . with many more notable selections from the likes of julian jewell, timmo, tiger stripes and pig&dan, a-sides vol. 6 is another impressive addition to the label s prolific release roster and a testament to why drumcode remains at the forefront of the electronic world.

das mixtape -baller nation-, des mit dem a$ap mob assozierierten hypemans, von a$ap ferg erscheint nun als limitiertes weißes 180g vinyl.

the man behind church records and half the force propelling coastal haze, seb wildblood, jumps over to let s play house for a laid back, suave four tracker that ll smooth out that transition we re all going through as summer fades and the embers of autumn begin to burn brighter. necessary happiness, the first track, a improvisatory, noodly deep house ambler, sets the pace and tone. from there, the british producer ups the tempo a bit and explores the darker contours of red light-lit basement caves and after- hours haunts with the ep s title track. the flip is briefer: necessary happiness (mad sax mix) is an embellished and brighter reprise of the a1, and“pass the pen is a loose instrumental that has the bones of a break beat interlude built atop a jazzy hip-hop beat. is that a dewy sea mist on the horizon at dawn or a heavy cloud of smoke machine fog veiling a strobe in the middle of the night?

one year ago, sodai burst onto the electronic soundscape with fearless river / ghost from label boss gardens of god. renowned for delivering the highest quality with meticulously selected artists, the label has carved out a fresh sound and distinct style. to celebrate the first milestone, gardens of god solidifies the integrity of the label with the profound maple ep . “these three tracks represent what i’ve been playing and enjoying since river / ghost was released last year. no compromises, just for people to get lost in.” - gardens of god subtle distorted keys pan the atmosphere in lead track maple for an enticing start to the ep, before a dominating bass soon carries the track through layers of melodic synths. the sinister tones of whistler are next and set to cause a serious stir on the dancefloor. last up, bek is a solid techno roller with a thundering bass, enhanced by an incredible richness in the haunting synths that echo throughout. vilnius based gardens of god has established himself as a key player in the world of house and techno. the classically trained artist has enjoyed a groundbreaking few years with weighty features on bbc radio 1, plus vital releases on maceo plex’s ellum and his own imprint sodai.

man of war is a significant sonic progression for the band. opening track gaia sets the tone for the release perfectly. heavy, brooding bass and glitchy, synth stabs create an imposing sonic backdrop for tom’s menacing vocal to hang on. lead and title track man of war is driven by its propulsive beats and more washes of bass and eerie electronic touches. fall crocus finds the band in contemplative mood. a heavy, regretful air hangs over the track and brings to mind the work of international superstar and mercury prize winner james blake, who the band has toured with, as well as mount kimbie and ghostpoet previously. final original cut cosmos pink is perhaps the album’s most touching effort. cloud boat have always been a band capable of inducing sincere emotion and this release is no different, taking the listener on a powerful, cathartic journey through life’s big issues. remix wise, the release features offerings from phaeleh and la – 4a. each act brings its own distinguishable flavour to man of war. phaeleh’s version features his trademark, cinematic, take on house electronics and is a typically atmospheric effort, while la – 4a takes cloud boat in a modern techno direction.

lithuania s greyscale returns this december with ohrwert’s “fidelis / blavus”, backed with remixes from xdb and grad_u.
greyscale was launched in 2012 by lithuanian producer and dj grad_u, and photographer rima prusakova, set up as a platform for material from grad_u and close friends whilst prusakova’s black and white analogue photography provides the visual identity of the label.
the original mix of “blavus” opens the ep, perfectly setting the tone with murky, ethereal atmospherics, billowing dub echoes, modulating percussion and thunderous drums before dubtechno stalwart xdb strips things back a little with soft touches of the originals airy drones tucked away in the depths whilst choppy stabs and dynamically unfolding analogue rhythms wander throughout.
the second original from ohrwert opens the flip-side, upping the energy levels slightly with hooky stab-sequences, filtered delays and hypnotic melodies running alongside a sturdy percussive foundation. lastly to round out the release grad_u reworks “blavus” into a more groove-driven workout, employing shuffled hats, looped dub chords and bumpy sub-bass hits throughout.
mastered at the legendary dubplates & mastering in berlin.

following a double dose of newfound los angeles talent, apron records founder, steven julien (aka funkineven) returns home with the debut release from london-based enigma, molinaro. apron 35 is classic apron records material five slabs of soul-drenched techno anchored by groove and grit from a new name with plenty of experience. molinaro who has honed his production and djing craft for over a decade is one of the capital s best technicians behind the decks. a skill most recently recognised by nts radio, who rewarded him with a regular monthly slot on the airwaves. the first of which shot straight into the nts picks for the week. opener gio cements the tone from the off, drifting in with warm, enveloping pads, quickly joined by beefy drums and percussion in a five-minute sprawl out. jtl is arguably the standout a boogie-influenced roller aimed at prime time dancefloor. ty and -molow showcase the deeper, moodier face of molinaros sound palette before the beatless sofar rounds things out, paying homage to ryuichi sakamotos synth brilliance.

legendary los hermanos member santiago salazar’s album ‘aspirations for young xol’ is given a vinyl release courtesy of rekids. a heartfelt dedication to his son isaias, ‘aspirations for young xol’ takes us through the life of a pillar in the electronic music community - santiago salazar. from his formative years spent in california to his connection with detroit and the passing of a childhood friend, the long-player’s tracks signpost the musician’s significant experiences, both positive and negative. this meaningful body of work was released digitally on pastel voids and now rekids release the album on wax. ‘saturated fear’ sets a deep tone for the lp, flanging melodies and echoing claps float through the composition before the album’s title track ‘aspirations for young xol’ offers haunting arpeggios with occasional acidic overtones which are cleverly offset by beautifully designed lead synth transitions. ‘bloodlines’ follows a similar musical vein with delayed bass riffs that are suspended above shimmering hihats and a weighted kick. santiago provides three beatless pieces throughout, which digress into more emotional territory whilst offering brief respite from his heavier drum work. ‘xol’s pain’ combines orchestral strings and swelling synthesisers which build tension with a subtly complex, evolving motif. both ‘dark matter’ and ‘ode to stinson’ use arresting atmospheres, warped arpeggios and ethereal pads which lull the listener into a retrospective mood. an intensity builds in the later tracks, a gritty but powerful low end provides a solid foundation in ‘orange blossom thump”, eventually making way for a hectic and elastic lead synth before ‘pachuco dub’ displays drones that build a dissonant pressure in which the complex tom rhythms and rolling hi hats can grow. ‘sarah rivera’ hypnotises with its delectable chord progressions and complimentary melodies which seem to float above a rigid drum composition to close the album with style

pelerin s first release presents the bewildering works of brind, also known in certain circles as ban ditman, a friend of both classical influences and soundly crafted electronica alike. -hribi in noapte- ep shapes the tone of a well thought out concept, using melody and harmony as the center piece of creation. a side - -glotas in tarziu- grabs hold of the essence of the ephemeral human existence, capturing tales of long forgotten ache and nostalgia, making for an excellent after hour tool. flip to b and we have -lacul norilor-, an even more organic piece uplifting us with voices of angels speaking of hope and heavenly landscapes as the waves slowly cover the shore. excellent moments for both dancefloor and late nights at home with friends, vinyl only with original artwork.

this debut ep from berlin-based producer duo and best friends in the world, funky espresso, features all-new original disco productions recorded with live instruments and singing done by funky espresso and their group of amazingly talented friends!
the a side features two tracks with a distinctly latin flavour that work to settle the tone and build up a vibe while the b side features two tracks that capture the bright, colourful and dreamy vibe of french disco on the riviera in the late 70s.

in game of thrones season 5, nine noble families fight for control of the mythical land of westeros. political and sexual intrigue is pervasive. all the while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. amidst the war and political confusion, a neglected military order of misfits, the night’s watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.
game of thrones has always featured excellent music. the opening theme is practically iconic at this point, having been played and covered so many times. composer ramin djawadi’s heavy, atmospheric tunes have always helped set the mood, no matter what tone the show is going for at any given time.
limited first pressing of 2500 numbered copies on silver coloured 180 gram vinyl.

nice price deal !!! after his european success with -crush-, chris rockford is using another original big hitter -midnight man- recorded by flash & the pan that took the carts by storm in 1985 and still stands in the forefront of the major classics today. with remix of kim jofferey (stonebridge, chris kaeser) and mike md (coronabros.) rockford has put together the most spectacular package for this autumn

berlin based zehnin keeps up a fine release schedule by asking blawan to remix its inaugural ep from lucy. once again focussing on experimental, ambient and techno sounds, it is another fascinating release. blawan has been in his own sound world for years now. releasing on the likes of hessle audio, hinge finger and his own ternesc, hes made brutalist, heavily textured tracks, big room tools and dark grooves with freaky sound design. its all helped to make him one of the most interesting producers of the day, and here he shows another side to his sound. first up is his version of ‘the hermit, which is seven spacious and mysterious minutes of creeping pads and implicit rhythms. dark but inviting, its stripped back, hollowed out techno that manages to be hugely absorbing and menacing without any clearly defined drums. on the flip is the equally beguiling ‘the high priestess. deep, subliminal kicks set the tone as groaning riffs, train-track percussion and distant, tortured pads all slowly hypnotise. it builds in pressure and creeps you out as it locks you ever further in. this is evocative dead-of-night music that says a lot in impressively economical ways.

interstate records is a newborn independent record label based between london and berlin. it’s run by the up-and-coming duo dial tone and aims to provide a vibrant and diverse platform for emerging and established artists within the techno scene, whilst occasionally touching upon ambient and other experimental music spheres.

as the head of grounded theory and manhigh, henning baer has since 2009 presented his downcast, experimental interpretation of modern electronic music to wide critical acclaim, establishing his forceful presence on berlin’s scene with immaculate curatorial skills and equally imposing dj abilities. his discography so far, concentrated on adam x’s legendary sonic groove imprint and his own k209 and manhigh imprints, amongst others, keeps step with his formidable reputation and wide-ranging tastes, moving across the spectrum of hard-edged, aggressively modern techno. with ‘shatterproof’, his long-germinating debut album for manhigh, he offers for the first time his unified vision in extended format, a varied exploration into the outer limits of the genre. at its centre a work of dark minimalism, he sets and maintains the pensive tone on ambient pieces like ‘angel dust’, ‘all over’, and ‘mil-std 461’, which foreground the exploratory electronics that maintain their presence throughout. the corroded textures of the sounds, enveloped in decaying reverb, bring life to pieces like ‘never ending’ or ‘bliss’, which sit between rhythmic interludes and the stricter dancefloor material found on the remainder of the album. once he shifts into techno, he does it unremittingly, from the uptempo fury of ‘code buster’ and ‘burning chrome’, whose starkness only heighten the tension, to denser pieces like ‘drama sky’ or closer ‘vermillion red’, where the cavernous impacts of drum hits punch holes through beds of seesawing synthesizers. shatterproof like its title suggests, henning baer’s first album unifies and strengthens the work of an artist whose legacy is already assured.

it is time for the nang and rayko worlds to collide once more. the awesome madrid-based dj and producer is back with his second album on nang. as ever the grooves are wide, the beats are large and the musical elements ooze funk and nu disco sheen. thing open up with the title track and recent single no stopping. the track features the fine vocals from tania haroshka and it is a powerhouse of synth disco, electronic groove with real bass guitar and darting guitars giving it just a tint of miami vice sheen. 2016 single crazy is up next with it s catchy hooks and counter melodies. it comes with just the right amount of good-time groove to bring a smile to any face. things tone down robot life which is a creeping synth fest with wandering grooves and chunky drums. danielle moore features with a fine vocal on a pure rayko style classic cosmic pirate. muscular basses and darting guitars being deployed to maximum effect. ocarina of time is next with its layered complexity and stabby synth bass notes. tania haroshika returns for the final trio of tunes on the album. her fine vocals melding effortlessly with the slick production from our hero. first up is hot which builds the music slowly adding layers of multi tracked guitars and real bass before breaking forth into song. u sneaks in from the leftfield with its quirky strings and arpegiated synth-clavi lines. the album closes with the (slightly) melancholic and pensive groover space boat. tania adding a brooding vocal over a pulsating juno style bassline. a fine effort from our madrid based hero who once again shows everyone what this top-of-his-game dj-producer can do with some guitars and keyboards.

teklife records are proud to present their 6th release: tekvision by traxman.
a leading figure and respected elder in the teklife family, traxman has waited patiently while releases from young upstarts like taso and dj earl have been enjoyed by footwork lovers all over the world. now the time has come for traxman to take centre stage, presenting a collection of new material that demonstrates his mastery of the footwork sound.
the vinyl release includes a download code.

listening to unknown path s pathfinder for the first time is a claustrophobic experience. it s as if the tracks had been recorded to tape and left to decompose for 10 or so years, then dug up and re-recorded. a thick layer of grunge and an overall murky feel sets the tone for path 0.1 and continues throughout the ep. paths 0.2 and 0.3 add a more upbeat feel to proceedings, as the beats get scattered around like they were in a pinball machine. path 0.4 finishes off the experience by bringing the tempo back down, while all the time keeping the uneasy atmospherics that make this ep a unique and rewarding listen.

lithuanian alex krell rides the new wave of deep and dark techno straight into the sodai fold, delivering a comprehensive and cohesive four track ep for gardens of god’s respected imprint.
enticingly deep and dubby, title track parallel seduction sets the tone with a rumbling bass and reverbing stabs. optyx picks up the pace, with driving percussion and shimmering synth soundscapes. the subtle distortions of wiemar are next up, conjuring a deep brooding atmosphere. lastly, knocturne is expertly crafted for the dancefloor leaving us fully immersed in a flawless ep.