tom ellard is the creative force behind australian post-punk band severed heads. in 1982 he self-released two cassettes of solo material, “80s cheesecake” and “snappy carrion”. these cassettes document the transitional period between the early experimental severed heads’ albums “clean” and “blubberknife” before the start of something new with “since the accident”. with the advent of the then new roland tb-303 bass synthesizer, a machine synonymous with the acid house sound, tom began to write more beat driven material. the rhythms are made by a tr-808 drum machine, kawai s100f and sh-1 synthesizers, plus various televisions, radios, cassette decks and pedals. two songs from these cassettes would later appear on the b-side of the “dead eyes opened” single.

2lp, officially available on vinyl for the first time, cut from original masters. original packaging strictly reproduced. printed sleeve and printed inner sleeve with cd included. original year of release: 1992. mano negra the legendary first band of french singer manu chao. we are celebrating this year the 30th anniversary of its foundation. featuring songs in spanish, french, english and arabic. the album in the hell of patchinko, the live double album recorded in japan in 1991, is available officially for the first time on vinyl.

this is a great sophomore effort by this scottish outfit. the singer has a unique semi-quavering voice with a melodramatic quality that suits the music and would equally suit him on stage in a musical. some songs are aggressive but with a dark hue. opening cut -a leaving song- finds sutherland carving his way through jangly and buzzing guitars set to a skittery beat with a touch of the theatrical. closing is -home-, a forlorn ballad with sutherland delicately pleading -please let me come home-, elegiac and sweet.

rené audiard delivers two tracks in between worlds for this ep. once again, his special approach left us with two out of the ordinary tracks, two long journeys where classical melodies and warm minimalistic beats come together. it s dark, yet beautiful.

the procedure club is a collaborative -bedroom-pop- project founded by andrea and polish emigré adam malec in new haven, connecticut in 2008. the two began recording as a natural progression from their boredom with living in poverty in new haven, sharing musical tastes in shoegaze and pop bands of the 80s and 90s, such as black tambourine, and the jesus and mary chain, as well as a common admiration for baroque artists such as purcell and bach. out of this god-forsaken alliance comes procedure club, in which adam and andrea have combined melodic song structures with heavily reverbed vocals, stuttering mechanical drum beats, dirty bass, synths, and alternately washed-out and jangly guitars.

integral 043 sees the much anticipated return of dawn wall’s cousin, the mysterious mohican sun. following the huge “dead sea” & “fixation” eps which have made a significant impact among the scene’s tastemakers, we are pleased to introduce the brand new “cold earth ep”. consisting of 5 superfresh slabs of futuristic soul, this showcase truly highlights next-level production skills and the outfit’s unique andversatile sound. kicking off the new ep with a bang is the cinematic and soulful‘don’t wait’. the majestical, eerie vibes of the intro instantly mesmerise. rumblingand warm bass grooves, slick beats, delcious melodies andheart-wrenching vocals push the #ekhosound to newheights.

prolific producer mathis mootz is very well known within the drum/bass and hardcore techno arenas as being one of the innovative pioneers to merge both genres with an unique approach. his contribution to the electronic music community is not limited to his explorations within only the drum and bass and hardcore genres, mathis also has various experimental projects, most noteworthy being his m2 ( squaremeter ) project with releases on mille pleateux, ant-zen and hands productions. the sound of m2 is defined as a combination of micro sound and industrial soundscapes. the panacea is no stranger to the world of techno as some may suspect, his command of the position chrome record label came from his close relationship with force inc. music works which was one of the earliest german record labels to fuel the underground techno/rave scenes in the early 90’s. since position chrome came under his guidance in 1997 it has become one of the most important labels in electronic music due to it’s integrity and an impressive release of quality music for it’s genre. more recently, he has been investigating the techno landscape with david frisch together known as new frames, their latest release on hands productions is essential for those interested in contemporary electronic music of the dark techno/industrial kind. “ above the absolute “ is a 12’’ of mercenary techno produced with expert skill. the opening track “ above the absolute 96 “ is pure sound wave balance with all the components for what is sure to light any dance floor on fire. “ most basic resolution “ is a dark, mood shifting, hard acid techno reminder of what it means to create music for warehouses, pure old school for the hardcore. “ overdrive ee “ continues in a more contemporary direction and demonstrates a mastery of percussive elements in tune with the kind of atmosphere that brings people together in the dark. the final track “ walter “ goes back into the future with a track aimed at the headstrong, an exceptional closing chapter that hits dead centre on the search of the perfect beat. an overall completely impressive work from an artist who has set no limitations for himself.

ulterior motive are finally ready to release their long awaited collaboration with drs, ‘hey judas’. instantly recognisable and yelled for in seconds, this track has been doing serious damage wherever it’s been dropped in the last few months. drs lays down a sweet 16, and twinned with um’s razor sharp beats and bass, it’s a deadly combination. the aa side showcases a true master class in modular madness, as the guys team up with technical bristolian wizard dlr. growling itself all the way to the front, this sizeable slab of bass and percussion brings the funk and the vibe to the floor, bringing that 98 sound firmly up to date. we’re only at 002 in the guidance catalogue and the bar has been resolutely raised. watch out, there’s so much more to come.

already a regular studio collaborator with richy ahmed, michael jansons aka jansons strikes it solo on the fourth release for richy’s flourishing four thirty two label. the “mode” ep finds jansons following up from recent chart topping original releases and remixes for knee deep in sound, lower east and his “panic at the disco” single on leftroom, which is their best selling single on beatport to date. it’s a bumper 4 track ep, showcasing and encapsulating the many shades of jansons unique sound, and bolstered with a remix from aforementioned collaborator and label boss, richy ahmed. the original mix of “mode” comes correct with plenty of classic house music chops, frenetic synth keys jab away over a rubbery, percussive groove for a sophisticated and energizing club cut, whilst ahmed plumps for a real old skool flavor on his remix. chugging drums and a tight bassline give more than a whiff of classic windy city house vibes on this killer remix. two versions of “colours” are packed with hypnotizing string riffs and bumpin’ percussion, with the “alternative mix” edging it in the more stripped down techno stakes, whilst “sequential” find jansons in disco mood, with rolling drums, string stabs and a deadly bottom end groove that wraps up a fine release from this burgeoning british talent

fleisch is thrilled to present the debut of stockholm’s dissoci&#333,,,, modus tr&#257,,,,ns, aka dmt, featuring four cuts of some of the purest, unadulterated acid ever to hit the streets since orange sunshine. in the words of terence mckenna himself, sampled in the opening title track, “dmt is the strongest hallucinogen there is…”, and dmt certainly hold true to their name as a pair of 303s weave a mind-altering journey through multiple dimensions of being. driven and dirty techno beats form the rhythmic foundation while esoteric vocal samples lead the proceedings through the tibetan book of the dead in “origin/destination” and “bardo th&#333,,,,dol”, and onward into the metaphysical mantra of “trans dimensional”.

ltd 2017 repress - metal dance vol. 1 was resident advisor no. 1 compilation of 2012! ny times pick of 2012 this collection underscores the real romance of machines. here is vol. 2.... 15 tracks auf der 2x 12 inch vinyl

the 1980s. neo-liberal excess. crumbling communism. military juntas ruling with an iron fist. and of course, freaked out music. contort yourself are turning back the clock and returning to an unholy fount of inspiration with -80s underground cassette culture volume 1. a buffet of beaten up and brutalised tracks are on offer from unknown outfits and respected experimenters. across two lps expect to find noise reductions, post punk bitterness, no wave grunts, distortion soaked strings and vocals lost in a hail of pain. a road map into the weird and wild world of diy back alley artists who, armed with only a tape and an idea, gave the established music norms a sharp fist to the throat.

pittsburghs most loved sons, the modey lemon, rip through 3 years of silence with their new record, season of sweets. with one foot in the sci fi darkness of their last record curious city, one foot in their past garage angst ridden wreckage and one foot in the kautrock brilliance of the german frontier (what, three feet?) season of sweets is a fuzzed out, driving masterpiece with catchy hooks beaten to death by guitar / synth mayhem and the anchor of paul quattrones drums of passion. as primitive as it is futuristic, modey lemon is recreating the present, molecule by molecule, every second of every breath. the trio from pittsburgh returns with another helping of sugary sweetness that rots your teeth and leaves you wanting more. recorded during the dead of winter in pittsburgh, pa at the brass factory. mixed and recorded by jason kirker, member and principal noisemaker. the last 2 years have been very, very interesting for the band. after signing with mute recording in the uk and playing the granddaddy of all venues, the fillmore opening for dinosaur jr., the band took some time away to regroup and work on new material. the result is season of sweets. driven by drummer extraordinaire paul quattrone, the songs twist and turn through the imagery and dark rock that has made modey lemon famous. jason kirker (engineer and band member) uses various keyboards, moogs and instruments to make the sound more full. at the heart of this album is the energy and mysticism singer phil boyd leads you on. track number 5, become a monk is the more pop oriented and accessible track, with a great back beat and bass.

copenhagen’s echocord colour returns this august with stephen brown’s ‘power factor’ ep, featuring three originals from the uk techno stalwart. scottish producer stephen brown is a name synonymous with techno across the globe having been releasing material since the mid nineties on imprints such as derrick may’s transmat, subject detroit, skudge records, ben sims’ theory and holland’s djax up beats amongst many more. here we see brown join the roster of echocord’s sub-label colour, slotting him in alongside the likes of mike dehnert, nick ho&#776,,,ppner, luke hess and deadbeat in the back- catalogue. up first on the release is ‘sandtext’, a stripped-back dubbed out opening cut fuelled by a robust kick and minute percussive hits running alongside a sturdy sub bass drive and spiralling dub stabs before ‘wet’ takes things even deeper via muted kicks, shuffling shakers and delayed synth chords. ‘back stroke’ then rounds out the release with an amalgamation of airy reverberated stab hits, rumbling low end pulsations and a thunderous kick drum to once again create an understated, hypnotic composition.

the latest crimes of the future comes from dimitri distant and lvrin, two emergent artists with a penchant for pitch black grooves steeped in the kind of acidic, wavey styles that cotf are consistently striking gold with. -blasphemy- is a powerful slice of reductionist acid that uses a bare minimum of elements to create a sinister atmosphere to strike fear into the hearts of unwitting dancers. -dead sunday- is no slouch in the creepy department either, its clattering beats and bubbly acid line straining against a tape-stretched backdrop of synthesizer malaise. -achromatic- switches stance to slow, undead electro soaked in embalming fluid and filtered through a b-movie veil for maximum guttural impact.

gary brackley aka g.r.i.t returns to meanwhile afor his second full length vinyl release following on from 2012 s ahighly regarded and asought after as i look to to the sky. the seven new tracks presented here acould easily be described as a great dub techno album by the lazy hack but the sound palette used goes way beyond that, afusing elements from detroit, drone, industrial, and ambient techno which when coupled with his production techniques result ain a sound that is uniquely g.r.i.t atake opening title track difting from the bay which draws on the sounds of detroit with emotive chords and delicate percussion, or principle with deep distorted amodulations. if you want a adance floor cut alook no futher that expansed awhich grooves with driving chords, and asubtle persussive builds, aor for asomething heavier there is -pheonix- awhich would sound quite at home in any techno main room. tracks such piagga and dead faces balance heavy industrial beats and noises with meloncholy chords and pads to produce tracks of immense depth and feeling. and closing the album perfectly is immersion with mournful aambient works-esq achords and melodies, in which you will indeed find yourself drifting from the bay

proof of the rude health of the australian underground abounds with this new label from phile, who step out with a self-titled debut ep that tells you all you need to know. this is searing, brutalist techno crafted with invention and imagination - the dense crackle of the beats and scorched peals of synth on -found in blood- are a visceral force to behold. -marauder- is mellow by comparison, furnishing a minimal beat with live bass, dramatic string licks and steadily building atmospherics. the analogue dirt of -abhor- is positively evil, and that s before karina utomo s none-scarier vocals come into play. brimming with personality and demanding of your attention, phile made themselves a duo to watch in one fell swoop.

mind fair return with a deadly two-part interpretation of the joe jackson classic steppin out. for their latest rogue cat sounds incarnation the golf channel mainstays have enlisted the indispensable talents of charmaine baines on vocals, climax blues bands derek holt (bass &guitar) and alex bradbury (sundown drive) on keys. this slowed down, melting pot of soca not soca meets lovers rock, reggae, blues and soul is brought to you in two parts part one deals mostly with the song, charmaine s vocals sounding suitably dreamy and laid back whilst part two puts focus on the instrumental groove where the guitars, strings and rhodes are the main attraction. mark e provides one of his merc dubs on the flip which takes a afro rhythm meets beat down central then builds intensively with rhodes and a horn section breakdown to die for the man is on form! essential music to step out to this summer for sure!

nyc based producer and head honcho of the (in)famous, wall of fame, label, makes the trek to texas for whiskey pickle records third shot on their new minted vinyl series. his groovy brand of sampled house and disco has leant classy tracks to many a release on his home turf, but its rare that the beat smith venture into uncharted territories with his prized compositions. the folks at whiskey pickle must have liqoured up the ole boy up in order to finagle such a delightful ep out of him, and thankfully, us boppers are to benefit! water, the a1 opener kicks off with some chunky drums and an uptempo chug as layers of percussion and dancefloor onomonpea s create a bed for the piano driven groove to unfold... a scorcher! move inward for dont wanna be and the tempo drops dramatically. a hypnotic, looped beat gets a syrupy bass riff and cavernous funk-claps until the gorgeous, mono-synth lines appear and carry us to utter ecstasy! flip it over for moods, a track that is as lovely and emotional as it s title suggests. the vibes sampling and superlative drum programming create an exceptional, dreamy frame work for the groover... perfect for opening sets or a much needed, dancefloor breather. lastly, your dance snips some familiar territory into a perfect energy builder with beefed up muscles, perfect for modern heads. watch out for the mighty horn stabs and flanger flourishes, they re gonna prove to be deadly!

dub-stuy links bukkha with uk grime stalwart killa p for a dark, sound killing anthem. dub-stuy expands on their vision for 21st century sound system music with a new 12inch that brings together resident producer bukkha and one of grimes most recognisable voices, killa p . the result is a deadly cut that takes no prisoners and is backed by an equally heavy instrumental. death chat is arguably one of dub-stuys most ambitious collaborations to date. bukkha crafts a dub meets grime riddim that builds from filtered keys into a ten-ton heavy monster. killa p, who has collaborated with the bug and is fresh from a turn on sir spyros topper top, delivers cutting lyrics in his instantly recognizable patois-inflected style, with each bar building tension toward a sonic climax. backing up this dancefloor sureshot is ‘ethiopian dub’, an instrumental that samples its vocal and melodic hook from an obscure dubplate and whirls both around a steady beat and bass line solid enough to punch through walls. with this latest 12inch for dub-stuy, bukkha shows his versatility and delivers an anthem that no sound can test.

it s not clear who is behind the instinct label, but with this first release the mysterious producer displays an impressive grasp of dark garage and minimal house. the shuffling funk of -the way- is an instant hit, marrying the razor sharp beats with melancholic synths and a killer bass wobble. -pressure- deals in more abstract tones, but there s no let up in the nagging insistence of those crisp hi hats. -cocktail- meanwhile takes a more uptempo approach with its bongo-embellished beat and subtle melodic fragments woven through the mix, and then -instinct- knocks the ball out of the park with an utterly deadly 2-step workout for those who love ghost records and all that ace, moody pre-dubstep busines

ltd picture disc

house crime bounce back into the mix following the utterly essential steven bc release with this sixth jaunt through tough and rough beats from the backalley of the house music story, this time narrated by anthony fade. the drums are dirty distorted machine splatters, the synths wobble under the weight of their own fuzziness and the samples crunch like they fell prey to the ropiest of mpcs, and that s precisely why fade s jams are so damn hot. wild 9 (acid mix) is especially potent, using a simple but deadly 303 line and all kinds of hectic textures, and bout it manages to make melodic deep sound as mean and nasty as it ever should.

welcome to gully records second miscreant missive. brighton-based badman etch stepping up and coming incorrect with the chopped beats to make you screw. to be released on clear hand-numbered 7” vinyl as was deemed appropriate. “synapse cluster” is a proper slo-mo headbanger for the downtempo grunge-hop fan. deadly dankness. “labyrinthian contours” takes you on a journey of 3 stages. during the 3rd - time is reinvented. natch. this 7” single is a beautiful piece of work incorporating psychedelic art and cosmic numerology. look out for his full length double vinyl release on gully later this year.

mondo is proud to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the castlevania franchise with the premiere vinyl release of the original soundtrack to the 1989 famicom / nintendo entertainment system sequel: dracula’s curse. featuring both the nes and famicom versions of all 28 bmg tracks from the game spread across two 12” 180 gram lps.

bleed release a second ep of the year in the form of a third solo outing for label head volte-face, who also records alongside daniel avery as rote. recently featuring on semantica s latest nonnative compilation, you bury me sees volte-face further refining his hypnotic, atmospheric approach to techno. the a1, shirime , is dark and trippy, with a brooding atmosphere throughout. iori s remix on the a2 recontextualises the core elements of the original track with a broken-beat. the b1, you bury me , features a grindingly anthemic synth-line and marries it to a gothic ambience. dead cat on the dinner table rounds off the ep, an unapologetically straightforward beat underpinning some outrageous and unpredictable sounds. early support from dj nobu, svreca, daniel avery, tripeo and etapp kyle.

alessandro adriani weaves a nightmarish scenario as the mannequin man returns to pinkman s broken dreams with four hardened works. beats are shaven into rigid points as ebm echoes are speared with contemporary contempt. throughout the quartet are moments of exotic abstraction, psychological stresses and visceral disorders. music for sleepless nights and addled minds.

basic soul unit returns with another deadly ep on dolly, further investigating the thin dividing line between techno and broken beats. a-side wallow is a menacing big room stormer with a delicate pad breakdown, with voiski providing an alternate more driving techno version of it with a splendid melodic twist midway through the track. radiate and joyride on the b both have bsus signature rhythmic ideas and fresh energy with radiate even going full-on broken rave! joyride is that upbeat funky techno nugget thats going to sit in your dj bag forever.

the fifth modern cathedrals release by altstadt echo seeks to exhume genuine, complex, and often contradictory human emotion from dead samples and broken beat structures. throughout the 1905 ep, the artist crafts melodies that embody a tension between nostalgia and frustration, supported by carefully textured and relatively functional percussion. the remix of dry despair by abdulla rashim (ar) strips the original of its lofty chords, instead pursuing a focused and bone-dry experimental techno approach. in contrast, the remix by stave combines elements of the original’s drifting atmosphere with violent industrial percussion.

welcome to black riot records - the tougher brother of midnight riot records - a larger than life house label with an array of artists & producers from around the globe. the a side features hacienda resident buckley who delivers two deadly covers of the ralph rosario classic renditon that is already is receiving love from jamie jones. the b side features hot mix 5 s mickey oliver with just a tease featuring russoul that can only be classed as real deep house. the hypnotic lovers re-rub gets all dam swindle on us with big dusty beats, warm instrumentation & heaps of soul. dj support: soulclap, luke soloman, jamie jones, nachbraker & danny krivit

this is the fourth ep the paris legends dan ghenacia and chris carrier have made together over the last year, and it’s just as fresh as their previous efforts with plenty of bounce, depth and funk. first up on the a-side is ‘the blue grass’, a deeply sensual cut with a potent low end. therein lies the groove, which is utterly captivating – made to get you writhing with glee, this one is aimed straight at the hips. alongside that sleazy bassline we have jazzy notes, swinging percussion and otherworldly bleeps and chirps. all of which makes it a great intro to this sterling ep. on the flip side, we have ‘blue stick’, another ridiculously groovy riddim with warped voices floating above a set of crispy beats and a raw undercurrent of emotion. minimal in composition, and the effect is deadly. lastly, to close out the three-tracker, it’s ‘kind of blues’ (can you spot the theme here?!). when it starts off, this one is a stomper with a moody expression. the beats are hefty, the bass morose and the analogue effects strangely cosmic. more twisted vocals are filtered in the background, giving this one its weird hook. the vocal reveals itself in the breakdown midway through before the track bounds on to its finale. dan ghenacia and chris carrier deliver three firebombs, perfect dance floor material with tight grooves and killer production. would you expect anything less?! go get em…

the word classic get s bandied around a lot when talking about certain records, artists, labels etc but rarely is it truly justified. in the case of the monumental slab of nyc deepness that is i ll be your friend we feel the tag is genuinely justified. originally released in 1991 on the rca label the track has been one of house music s most enduring anthems. literally one of the deepest tracks out there, it s combination of owen s vocals paired with the stellar production techniques of def mix s david morales (and those drums) is such a heady combination that the record crossed over so many scenes and to this day remains an evergreen staple in dj s of all persuasions bags. featured here we have all the original mixes (with the exception of the shorter radio edit) in their original forms. the record sounds as fresh as it ever did, the sort of track that never dates and will always fit into a set, the very definition of a classic. legitimately re-released with the full involvement of rca records for 2017 and remastered from the original sources specially for mint condition by london s very own curvepusher. 100% legit, licensed and released. dug, remastered, repackaged and brought to you by the caring folks at your new favourite reissue label - mint condition

das album trägt den ungewöhnlichen titel “w:/2016album” (ausgesprochen w drive 2016 album). das album reflektiert, wo sich deadmau5 nach zehn jahren karriere musikalisch befindet und besteht aus einem mix an material, das in den vergangenen jahren von ihm komponiert wurde. “let go (feat. grabbitz)” ist eines der kernstücke und mit stimmungsvollen vocals von grabbitz versehen.
thomas zimmerman aka deadmau5 gewann in der vergangenheit diverse preise u.a. den kanadischen musikpreis “juno award” für den besten dance-track. bei den beatport music awards 2008 wurde er sowohl als bester electro-house- als auch als bester progressive-house-künstler ausgezeichnet, und seine single “not exactly” gewann den titel “beste single 2008”. ebenfalls wurde er im dj-mag-top100-ranking auf rang 11 gewählt.
das limitierte doppel-vinyl erscheint im klappcover.

a rare vinyl treat from the ever-surprising crookers, this white label 12inch features four tracks that you wont find anywhere else. full of seriously infectious melodies, and equally infectious house beats, crkrs 001 is for those that enjoy a very eclectic style of house groove. always on point with his productions but never one to take either a deadly serious or a formulaic approach, crookers four tracks on the ep have distinctly different flavours while remaining true to his subversive style. lead track innocent kicks things off with a statement beat, cutting through the quiet with minimal percussion. building a patchwork of loops and hooks, the track develops intelligently accompanied by baxters soaring vocals. thats just the beginning for crkrs 001, next track regular sunday introduces one of crookers signature minor chordal arrangements, then the return and drug dealer judgment toy playfully with unexpected vocal samples. grab one of these strictly limited edition run of 200 copies before they get snapped up.

consumer manoeuvres by le cliche is the latest release on cold beats records (barcelona).

the europe-centered techno scene might be thinking: where is techno in a city as vast, dynamic and electric as new york? it’s alive and well, and keeps growing through aptly-named new york trax. founded in 2016 and based in brooklyn, new york trax is an outlet for new york music, by new york artists, in new york city. new york trax 02 was written by boris brenecki (ontal, impulse controls), who has recently relocated to new york, starting a new chapter in his life and artistic career. this record is the very first material he produced in new york, heavily inspired by the city and its people. ‘the oven’, with its continuous filthy groove intensified by metallic percussions, is a serious candidate for an instant classic and a deadly weapon when used on a dancefloor. the grittiness of “the oven” was depicted through images of the less beaten paths of new york in a well-received official video published recently by the label. dark yet insanely dynamic “transit system”, based on field recordings of the new york city subway, opens with a bang the b side of the record, followed by “strictly hardcore”, a sonic manifesto of brutality. get it while it’s hot!

the second outing from btg follows, in tradition, their 2 originals and 2 remixes format. this time round toyc creates a slower paced dance floor obliterator titled ‘kicks’ sounding like a wonky laser gun trapped inside a broken 808 landing somewhere between broken techno and bass. on the remix project mooncircle and 20/20 ldn affiliated deft deconstructs and reconstructs toyc’s track into a maximalist beast fusing the current sounds of 160 bpm 170 bpm and half­time dnb with the technical precision of amon tobin. up next the booty­shaking stormer they call itoa, known for releases on bad taste and being featured in storming 160­/170bpm sets by djs and tastemakers such as om unit and sam binga. ‘snake pass’ is a classic itoa track, playful bouncing subs and flickering percussion and shards of vocal, landing somewhere between footwork and booty bass. btg co­founder etch sets the pace with his remix of snake pass, coming through with a schizophrenic beats influenced sub heavy stepper that slowly evolves into a breakbeat onslaught.
dj support: nightwave, sully, addison groove, deadboy, horse meat disco, mj cole, barely legal, shadow child, amy becker, pathaan/bbc worldwide, boy 8-bit, blackdown/rinse fm, 2 bad mice, synkro/akkord, randomer, my nu leng, craig richards, foul play/moving shadow, dj zinc, dj orgasmic/origami sound... + many more

billing themselves as crew of beat junkies raised in the legendary sugar shack studio,difusion make their first appearance on their own label in style with some righteous edits that make some decisive cuts where it counts for pure dancefloor dynamite. losing me is more of a rolling breakbeat inflected house workout with a deadly delay treatment on the vocals that drops in at just the right time to surely set a club off at any hour. get up is a more sultry cut but it still hits heavy, and be truthful and change it both offer up differing soulful angles to make this a highly versatile record for all kinds of situations.

the compilation features artists that all have been releasing on echocord and echocord colour before, from veterans mikkel metal, deadbeat, fluxion to newer signed artist arovane.

when hitting a streak it s best to keep going. for a prolific producer like ubx127 one ep just wasn t enough to keep up with his continuous output of high quality techno. constant permutation part 2 picks up where its predecessor left off and provides for another batch of deadly club weapons. living up to its title, beatless explorations sends out eerie signals deep into outer space, anticipating with suspense to maybe find some life form s response. it arrives in form of driving track felt and its ricocheting, arpeggiated synths, which would aptly soundtrack the decent of alien attack ships on our planet. weighty, yet mysterious Örnsberg seems to echo with the cries of long lost souls that have been trapped eternally inside its icy caverns. the ep ends with a masterclass in immersive sound design, a constant ebb and flow of layers, winding their way into the listeners subconscious. filling up a pair of twelves to the brim with tunes this well thought out and executed, ubx127 further displays his vast potential and leaves us with excitement for whatever he might be coming up with next.

following on from anethas ophiuchus ep last year, work them records founder spencer parker has compiled a remix package featuring himself and french techno stalwart antigone. a key component in the thriving parisian techno scene, anetha is a resident at monthly party series blocaus. spencer reworks drive with a dead girl, incorporating punchy kicks and shuffling hats before the originals mesmerising arpeggios come into effect. on the other hand antigone distorts black widow beyond recognition by blending fuzzy atmospherics with a cavernous 808 and glitchy hook. concluding the release is a bonus track from anetha herself titled traces to nowhere with its gloomy pads and squelchy melodies.

bleed release a second ep of the year in the form of a third solo outing for label head volte-face, who also records alongside daniel avery as rote. recently featuring on semantica s latest nonnative compilation, you bury me sees volte-face further refining his hypnotic, atmospheric approach to techno. the a1, shirime , is dark and trippy, with a brooding atmosphere throughout. iori s remix on the a2 recontextualises the core elements of the original track with a broken-beat. the b1, you bury me , features a grindingly anthemic synth-line and marries it to a gothic ambience. dead cat on the dinner table rounds off the ep, an unapologetically straightforward beat underpinning some outrageous and unpredictable sounds. early support from dj nobu, svreca, daniel avery, tripeo and etapp kyle.

honoring the roots and wires of detroits 909 and 303 sounds, flavio folco blends elements of hip-hop, electro, breakbeat techno, futuristic soul and funk music committed to the edge of post-acid house styles. an audio injection into the body-mind as we wave through the polyrhythmic ensemble of molecular beats and crisscrossed percussive patterns. on remix duty deadbeat who needs no introduction, and indigo raw ’s mirus.

taking up mid/late 1990s minimalist & deadly designer techno vibes

one of the founding members of apollonia, shonky was responsible for his label’s very first release back in 2012 with ‘the minneapolis touch’. outside of working on the trio’s debut lp ‘tour a tour’, shonky has been relatively quiet on the solo tip. here on apollonia’s 25th release we’re treated to four new cuts from the berlin-based parisian, kicking off with plombie&#768,,re (plumber in english). shonky injects a variety of unusual sounds, which revolve around a jaunty bassline, while voices dip in and out of the background, repeating the mantra ‘house music’ together with other difficult to decipher vocal clips. the track has a catchy rhythm that bounces along with aplomb. up next ‘house me’ is a sleazy, mischievous cut with a deadly low end and a seductive vocal that urges you to ‘house me’. as the bassline rumbles, high pitched effects add a hypnotic element to the track. badboy business.on the b-side we have ‘perchee’, which is powered by cleverly layered percussion, which is almost ‘live’ sounding. another one of those ‘shonky’ basslines gets us straight into the groove, with utterly contagious beats – this is one to shake the dance floor down its core. finally, ‘cosmopolis’ has that inner city realness flowing through with the chatter of a street corner in the background, a killer b-line and one of those classic vocal samples that is oh so familiar and gets you nodding your head as soon as you hear it. and there it is, four dance floor cuts with plenty of depth and groove in true shonky style… c est formidable!

sound carrier volume 8it’s back to the cosmos with the latest instalment in chris carrier’s always-on-point series, sound carrier. the label is a home for the prolific paris artist’s techno stylings, and no.8 in the series focuses on a galactical fight theme – taking us from terra firma up into the skies and beyond. the first track, ‘alien blaster pistol’, couldn’t be more self-explanatory. mysterious keys parade over an ominous bassline while the beats keep things moving neatly. gentle chimes and bleeps are added, initiating a dialogue between the various high frequencies located in the top end. next up is ‘mahem (magneto hydrodynamic explosive munition)’, which steps into familiar sound carrier territory, that is… slightly unhinged. rolling along at a steady pace, the tune is rough, yet light with shimmering effects and charming wobbly chunks of bass. on side b chris gets gnarly on us with ‘earth invasion’. it’s the beginning of the end, so of course the music has to match that frightening prospect. gruff beats and stomping bass collide with cymbals, crunchy snares and mutant acid licks to create a beast. finally, ‘haumea brigade’ takes us into the twilight zone again, whirring fx float above hard-hitting beats and a mean b-line. eerie pads help to maintain a chilling tone throughout. deadly, the soundtrack to the end of days here on earth... prepare to evacuate!

killer ep of techno-infused electronic excursions from the on-point dark arts imprint. across its 6 tracks we find dark dancefloor gear in the form of drama and far corner, with abstract science touching upon the classic uk-techno blueprint to create something deep, incredibly soulful and a little bit special. the deadly beneath is a moody, spacious broken-beat groove, and the ep is bookended by something more and orbit:28, two cinematic cuts of atmospheric electronica. technofuturism for the heads recommended.

miami born turntablelist & producer, jesse perez, throws down a booty shaking killer house jam for edibles fourth release. what you say about my momma has been ripping up dancefloors for months since landing in eats everythings hands, so its a welcome release on the label, backed with a deadly remix from truncate. on the original mix, perez grinds out a funky and low-slung groove, its memorable vocal hook looping and chopping from side to side as the raw mpc beats and sub bass weave their magic. truncate brings his no nonsense and direct approach on the remix, carving out a dance mania style drum workout over the cut up vox (think robert armani meets armand van helden). truncate has been a hugely dependable producer for yonks via his trax on his own truncate label as well as mixes for jimmy edgar, shlomi aber and kink, and he does not disappoint here. perez wraps up the ep with boogie down brown, another slab of funk laden house goodness, blending high tension strings and rolling drums to great effect. perez has been firing out infectious house jams for labels like bpitch, dj sneaks im a house gangster and hot creations, for some time now, as well as working his own label mr. nice guy, so its a welcome addition to the edible roster for jesse perez

the last sound carrier was based around the notion of intrepid intergalactic explorers trying to get to earth, this time we’re taken 10.000 leagues below the surface to trawl the deep sea. all the way down there, we experience increased pressure, sub-zero temperatures, darkness and previously undiscovered new worlds. up first we have ‘lactarius indigo mission’, which has a distinct urgency and ‘in-your-face’ bitch slap percussion. the bassline writhes under a variety of squelchy, bleepy effects, which add a layer of depth and the whole thing feels quite electro. after that *from the space to the sea* continues the electro vibes with more punchy beats, a rugged b-line and heavyweight kicks. carriers use of quirky details give this track a unique character and contagious energy.on the other side we are treated to another strange carrier creation, the laidback kepler 22b. named after the first known planet to orbit a sun within what’s known as a habitable zone, kepler 22b could well support life. the track is serene and full of optimism, a fitting soundtrack for a distant earth-like planet. minimal workout * diver level 1000* closes the ep with its unusual arrangement and simple yet deadly programming. another addition to the impressive sound carrier catalogue and perhaps its most leftfield so far