emerging from the endless summers of venice, california to team up with shlohmo, jonwayne, d33j, rl grime and more to form the wedidit crew, jasper patterson aka groundislava has transformed from bashful video gamer to full-fledged composer. groundislava has roots that draw from 80s nostalgia, tv and pop culture that grow and transform into the 21st century aesthetic of electronic music. recently tapped for official remixes of slugabed and shlohmo as well as kutmahs brownswood compilation, groundislava returns with the feel me lp, the follow-up full-length to his self-titled 2011 debut.

inspired by western african music past and present from the horizon is debruits debut album. it is the culmination of 3 years work, collecting field recordings, delving into restricted archives, sampling lost african vhs and reinterpreting discovered african melodies and rhythms, for synths and drum machines. this is a remarkable record, filled with groundbreaking combinations of styles and sounds, constructed with passion and energy, driven by adventure and ideological principle and packed with intrigue, authenticity and tribute.

kuduro was born in angola in the early 90s but truely blasted its way on to global dancefloors in 2008 with buraka som sistemas debut album >black diamond<

terror danjahs second hyperdub album is dark crawler, a well paced and much more upfront and energetic journey through his musical world than his debut undeniable. the album revolves around the dark crawler theme, a blistering grime track that pops up several times vocaled by mcs riko dan, mayhem, deadly and saf one, and then lastly trim and kossie.

hotly anticipated does not really do justice to the level of excitement the release of reptile youths debut album is generating among fans and critics alike. those in the know are expecting the danish duo to deliver a defining moment of 2012 - injecting their off kilter brand of highly-charged electro-punk-pop into the worlds consciousness - and reptile youth arenÕt in the business of disappointing. reptile youth was formed by mads damsgaard kristiansen and esben vall¿e in 2009. it was their intense period of gigging through asia and europe that earned reptile youth their radically evangelical fan base, while also prompting a string of superlative-laden reviews hailing the youth as the saviors of rock n roll. hype aside, the incredible energy generated by kristiansen and vall¿e and their extended live line up have made the arrival of this debut album a red letter day for their clued up followers

sound signature release of the long overdue 10 track debut album of marcellus pittman showcasing his talents

the debut solo album from visual artist james brooks. instrumental electric guitar compositions that respond to the history & geography of former roman roads.

>the evolution of afrobeat< - tony allen jungle by night drops their first full studio album on kindred spirits. hidden is the first full studio album from this group of dutch lads, who retain their youthful exuberance and innocent energy, and delve deeper into their own sound. moving slightly away from the afro-beat blueprint that characterized last years self-titled debut lp, the nine-piece have added gamelan tones and studio effects to their afro-funk template, as well as exploring other parts of africa like malis desert soul and djembe rhythms from senegal. after two years of playing, and having performed over 80 gigs last year, the group have settled in their own rhythm, and hidden sees them trying out new ideas and forms.

the debut album of these two young lads with baseball hats not only honours and delves into a sound that already peaked some fifteen years ago, it also hones and elevates it, without ever falling into the reynoldsmania trap (please see retromania for further reference) or being old gold retold. and this is all oh-so-clear from the very start: the fine flutes of >when its there< go straight to your heart and they do so without any self-mockery or hipster smiles as much as the gasping 303-sounds, chirping birds and healing dx-like bass sounds a few tracks later do. >salty days< - an allusion not to grim times, but to a certain members adoration for the crystalline mineral - is blessed with a coherence that isnt samey, with tradition that isnt leaden and a feeling that is pure.

uk electronic musician mr fogg returns in 2012 with his second long-player, the follow-up to 2010s debut >moving parts<.

minimalized is the highly anticipated debut album from tokyos heavy1, and with its release, he pushes the boundaries of electronic music, and further cements his position as one of the most exciting new artists on the worldwide scene. this standout producer has masterfully composed 11 tracks spanning from hard hitting drum n bass, to musical dubstep, to the albums title track, which is a nod to the analog synthesizers and hardware drum machines of a bygone era. throughout minimalized, heavy1s clinical and precise production is always balanced with intriguing synthesis, lush and emotive songwriting, and punishing percussion and bass. tracks like ongaku or judge with june miller show a more aggressive take on music, and tracks like deep train and light upon my road are more musical and feature stunning original vocals from key mc and iriann joyce, respectively. this body of work truly appeals to anyone with a taste for subtlety, without sacrificing impact. dj support includes loxy, dj marky, makoto, zero t, dj flight, and icicle.

forging a fantastic fusion of modern electronic pop, human woman are the new signing on hamburgs hfn records. originally hailing from iceland, the band consists of g’sli galdur thorgeirsson of prolific icelandic band trabant, and producer jon atli helgason aka sexy lazer.now after the launch of their debut single,delusional, with its sensual, indie-dance roots and pleasing 80s/90s undertones, we see the pair expand their vision of modern electronic pop with a feelgood, rich and edgy album spanning 11 glorious tracks.

dj w!ld is the french music maestro infamous for his dc10 residency and tireless work ethic. after his debut album last year, he now releases the superb d!rty on radio slaves cabin fever imprint.dj w!lds second album is a heady concoction of late night jacking cuts, interspersed with a clever use of sampling Ð infused with hip-hop attitude and vintage house. dirty is true of its namesake, a sensual journey that explores the primal instincts finely balancing male and female vocals with sonic vignettes and storming house numbers. it works as a perfect journey through w!lds sonic landscape of underground paris and beyond. dirty evokes the esteemed house sounds of dj sneak, chez damier, kerri chandler and hector moralez whilst pushing this sound further through his unique european experience and interpretation. dj w!lds album fit perfectsly on cabin fever with its famed reputation for upfront cutting edge house with a nod to the past. a perfect album for summer fun

debut album with finest classic, yet fresh sounding house music, vocal features include, kholi aka kholekile twalal, a fresh talent from south africa, already featured on atjazz and global soul releases, max c aka charles salter from louisville, kentucky is a singer/songwriter, performer, dancer, choreographer, and even actor and was a member of 3rd nation who scored several billboard top 10 singles. later he toured with bands like bomfunk mcs and blacknuss,devon dunaway, another protege of roberto who was already featured on his floppy sounds release on wave music. roberto rodriguez is one of the most prolific producers from scandinavia, hes also known as manolo and responsible for remixes like 6th borough project (the soul), akabu (ride the storm), energy52 (cafŽ del mar), crazy p (stop space return), yoko ono (give me something), vanessa daou (once in a while), moodymanc (preacher) and more

sven kacirek, the much praised multi- instrumentalist from hamburg, releases his third album with pingipung. scarlet pitch dreams presents intimate solo works, following his debut the palmin sessions (2007) and the interna- tional success the kenya sessions (2011), which was honored with german record critics award for the second quarter 2011. whilst the kenya sessions revealed fruitful col- laborations with kenyan musicians, almost every single instrument on scarlet pitch dreams has been played, recorded and produced by sven kaci- rek himself.

choir of young believers, led by jannis noya makrigiannis, garnered an imposing number of accolades in their danish homeland for a debut full-length. that release, this is for the white in your eyes, signaled the arrival of a powerful new talent, possessed of a fully formed vision, arch compositional ingenuity and a tenor to die for. while white in your eyes racked up overwhelmingly positive international press, it can practically be seen as a soft launch for choir of young believersÕ masterful rhine gold.

after collaborating on exclusive tracks for the labels lovingly-acidic forward to the past series, dutch duo tj kong & modular k prepare to drop their debut full-length, dream cargoes on poker flat. having been friends and colleagues in the dutch electronic scene for well over a decade, the talented pair have so much experience in working on different studio projects, and now come together in this glorious full-length exploration of their vision of house and techno today. the artists erwin van moll (tj kong) and gijs janssen (modular k) represent two decades of collected experience in the underground techno and electronic music worlds.

on his debut album the host works in a spacey interzone, using vintage gear to create dramatic panoramas for the headphoned mind. he creates a unique suite of modern impressionistic sonics that tumble and waft in and out of the mix, earthed with strong melodies that take inspiration from net-age genres while never recalling them directly. throughout, he masters all the potentials of vintage synths, drum machines and reverbs, along with guitar and bass to explore a sound that sets him apart from producers working on computers, creating something much more band-like but rich with lively micro-detail.

hailing from perth, australia, this talented and prolific producer is no stranger to the music scene. following his first taste of an akai sampler to drop film samples on the intros of songs in his metal band, the dirty whittler, rregula eventually found himself drawn into the world of drum and bass and formed one half of bad robot in 2003, a monster collaboration with future technique and viper superstar, phetsta.with a number of releases on subsonik sound, black sun empire, and drumsound & bassline smiths popular technique recordings as bad robot, followed by solo projects on vampire records, dsci4, citrus recordings, icarus audio, climate recordings, and too many others to name, rregula has been scaling new heights with his output in the past year. having just released an album project in 2011 on trust in music entitled echoes from the future with dementia and collaborations from the likes of smooth, trei and optiv, one might think of calling it a year.. rregula is not one of those people.now set to unleash his highly anticipated debut lp on climate recordings, rregula presents:the barramundi experiment. an album extraordinaire, with over 30 tunes of deep and dirty rolling drum and bass, halftime and drumstep.

originally conceived as a guitar based project, nzca-lines has been transformed into a suave, synth-pop sensation that combines pop melodies with r&b beats and lush arrangements with multi layered harmonies. produced by fellow loaf/lo label-mate charlie alex march and mixed by ash workman (simian mobile disco club, metronomy etc), together with main man michael lovett theyÕve created one of the years most thrilling debut albums. from the opening bars its clear that theres a unique and beautiful talent at work.

cementing a year that saw a string of sublime stellar releases from mario & vidis, the dynamic force give house music a new accessible heartbeat with their album changed, set for release next spring. mario & vidis title their debut artist album after their future classic anthem, changed,an apt advocate to the new age slow house sound they have mastered and unmask themselves as purveyors of a hive of activity in their lithuanian home. spanning two discs and twenty tracks they cover much musical terrain, striding through epic soundscapes, hypnotic pop melodies, wandering into pure soul and running away with the finesse of raw house music on the second disc.changed opens with the atmosphere heavy introducing to you, lightly tickling the senses.

electronic duo cage & aviary are set to release their debut album >migration< on prins thomass internasjonal imprint this coming january.part man,part machine,part cockatiel,cage & aviary take flights of fancy whenever they can.jamie paton is a dj,a one-finger keyboardist,and a pot-tickler.nigel of bermondsey is a musician,south londons finest oscillator,and a dedicated dabbler.together they are winners of the cosmic lottery.having put out releases to much acclaim on the ltd editions that are dissident distribution,cage & aviary have since spread their wings with releases on dfa, tiny sticks and astro lab.their own label,the walls have ears,is slowly carving out a reputation for quality dubbed-out dance music too - the cage & aviary remix series has met with great critical acclaim thus far,with the likes of andy blake,prins thomas,horse meat disco,mock n toof,bill brewster, tim sweeney, james murphy,tiga,erol alkan and other such luminaries counted amongst fans of their work!

please allow us the pleasure of introducing axel willner s loops of your heart. hailing from sweden, the man behind this record alone needs no introduction, as he is already well known in the electronic music scene for his project the field. loops of your heart reflects axel¼s experience in germany, where during his lengthy stays, his mantra-like arpeggiators contributed to the first manifestation of the sound of cologne tape, a group that formed while he was staying there. you can also hear this on the much sought after debut render, which came out on magazine last year. only a foreshadow for what was to about to come, willner has been living in berlin and letting his creativity go crazy. with an arsenal of special synthesizers and guitars he has put together and never ending nights . after touring worldwide with the field for the last 10 years, and never ending nights is like coming home again. you can hear german children speaking outside his studio in berlin (on the track neukšlln ) and it is not only the track titles which tell of things that have come to an end and or are about to happen. the old german musical tradition of letting yourself go (holger czukay, you, anima, cluster, you name it) is in the air, and willner breathes it. his highly personal approach to music and composition leads to nothing less then a matchless album that embodies beginning anew

following on from the debut artist album from marco bailey and the second album from guy j which have both been well received internationally amongst press and public alike as well as huge compilation releases from label owner john digweed himself in the form of the structures and bedrock 12 releases. following on from the second instalment of the structures series bedrock proudly present the debut artist album from rising star stelios vassiloudis titled -it is what it is-. a fantastic double cd release showcasing forward thinking music and once again showing why bedrock is one of the leading labels in the electronic scene. in addition to the many original pieces of work on this album, stelios has also teamed up with a vast array of talented vocalists and song writers. -the z- is a collaboration between himself and sasse who owns and releases music on his esteemed mood music label. based in berlin sasse has a long history of successful releases and support from some of the biggest names in the scene. john dalagelisinvolvement with the project (he co-engineered and co-produced the continuous mixes) resulted in him contributing his songwriting and studio finesse to -sunrise on the avenue-. john runs the very hip dieb audio imprint and has released music on a wide variety of labels over the years. the album is rich with the many vocal talents it hosts with notable contributions from the likes of astrid suryanto, tomomi ukomori, anna maria x and darren murray. astrid has an established history of working with some of the greatest names in electronic music such as todd terry, king britt, dj yellow and morgan page as well as a plethora of great labels like nervous, plastic city and armada amongst many others. based in japan, tomomi ukomori has also worked on stellar releases with key labels in that territory like avex, apt international and green parrot recordings working with the likes of mathias kaden, hernan cattaneo, omb and hideo kobyashi. anna maria x is a name synonymous with the music scene in greece whether it be as a dj or a producer/singer. anna has been one of the main names in the electronic scene being involved in clubs, radio and of course a whole host of releases with her studio partner, gpal.

in the year of the saxophone, santa barbaras gardens & villa give us the flute. and along the way, g&v effectively wipe clear the vaseline from the murky bedroom funk of recent days. g&v bang out instant classics - each crystal clear and immaculate, but no less sweeping or languid. their debut is a youthful exploration of just how opulent and pop starkness can go. it also leaves an impression of california in the way that richard diebenkorns ocean park series or the pool party scene from the graduate both do, always sensed more than stated outright.

overview in the 1980s, as hip hop caught fire around new york, sparky d was coming up in the van dyke projects in brownsville brooklyn. she would go on to be one of the first recorded solo female rappers and rise to hip hop stardom. early in her career she was a pivotal player in what came to be known as the roxanne wars. it all kicked off with utfo s roxanne roxxane followed by roxanne shante s debut roxanne s revenge and then a salvo back at shante with utfo and a female mc known as the real roxanne. sparky d then started a trend that ran for what some say was over a hundred assorted answer records and nearly the rest of the decade by jumping into the roxanne trend with sparky s turn (roxanne, you re through). massive spins and sales throughout the city followed. the success of the cut lead to another handful of 12 releases, and this release, her proper full length debut this is sparky ds world,- produced by her boyfriend and old school legend spyder d. though the record didn t take off to the extent that her label mates boogie down productions found with criminal minded....well, what ever did take off like criminal minded. to this day the release serves as a testament to the power of one of hip hop s first female mcs, after all, this is sparky d s world. traffic entertainment group in partnership with b-boy records is proud to release this extended version of the album, out of print in any format for over 14 years. housed in a handsome 6 panel digipak featuring extended artwork and audio including all the 12-cuts, mixes and instrumentals from sparkys classic -throwdown- and -i can t stop- vinyl singles.

little pianist is the stunning debut album of japanese duo bocca grande. formed by music producer kousuke ishida aka trio and piano teacher yuka kobayashi, bocca grande music gives an high value to the classic piano mixed with the electronic vibes. their beautiful single procedere, that anticipated the release of the album, shows magically their concept, a magnificent and emotional record, above any trend ! trio started to compose at sixteen years old. his sound reflects the deepness experienced in his life and that we find in the japanese culture and his dj style is influenced by the old school, from the deep side of chicago house to the detroit techno etc. their productions have been already released on labels like mathematics (chicago), four roses (germany), black vinyl (uk), nice and smooth (canada) and futic silver (tokyo). the tunes have been getting huge responses since played out by motor city drum ensemble during his guest slot at tim sweeneys legendary beats in space into the radio show in new york. an incredible album from start to finish. blending the majestic piano work with electronica, house, downbeat, dub and a cinematic vibe in a creative and innovative way, little pianist is one of those records that warrant to be listened to in their entirety... repeatedly!

deep, dramatic, abstracted d&b from exits most esoteric operator, consequence. test dream is an advanced follow-up to the burial-esque scapes of his 2009 debut, live for never, scanning sci-fi inspired minimal d&b topographies with a filigree attention to detail. ultimately, its not the kind of d&b thatll have you firing shots in the ceiling: its strengths lie in the vivid evocation of dystopian futures and plugged-in, cyber-surreal dream states, conducted with the ability to suspend disbelief and submerge the willing participant in a whole other headspace. that said, there are dancefloor-ready moments like the sinuous, sub-heavy soul sees spirit, but the best moments occur when the dancefloor seems to be receding beneath your feet / sofa, as with the whirring autechre-ian dynamics of magda trench and the majestic loveshell, or the flickering, skeletal remains of marlo.

mit der gleichnamigen single -soy como soy-, die im sommer bereits auf dj hells label gigolo erschien, landeten makossa + megablast bereits einen weltweit gefeierten club hit. die beiden wiener veroeffentlichten bisher alben auf stereo deluxe und g-stone, diverse remixe und singles auf great stuff und man recordings. auf dem album sind gaeste wie tony allen, hubert tubbs, cleydys villalon, og spiritual godess und sugar b vertreten! makossa & megablast verbinden spannungsgeladene analoge sounds, markante drums und percussions mit dynamischen basslines und schlie§en den kreis zwischen den urspruenglichen, primitiven rhythmen der talking drums und der aktuellen musikgeschichte mit den neuesten standards elektronischer musikproduktion. schoen, dass die jungs wieder da sind! fuer ihr 2007 auf g-stone recordings veroeffentlichtes debut -kunuaka- erntete das duo fuer seine praezisen und ausgetueftelten produktionen wohlverdiente credits von musikalischen wegbereitern wie gilles peterson, carl craig und laurent garnier. nach ausgedehnten reisen rund um die welt, wo sie vor bis zu 30.000 begeisterten party people aufgetreten sind, tun sich die beiden mit den besten und kreativsten musikern und saengern fuer dieses album zusammen.

2011 album from the australian deep funk quartet. look out watch out builds upon the diamond hard and gritty funk and soul template they established with their self titled 2009 debut long player. not content to return with simply more of the same, look out, watch out expands the groups sound and repertoire, featuring as it does, incredible new vocalist may johnston, guest contributions from renowned randa khamis and roxie ray, a choice cover version plus original tracks augmented with some raucous and heavy brass.

the debut solo album from the former oasis songwriter and guitarist. .as leader of oasis since the band s inception in 1993, noel gallagher was at the helm for their global success, from the launch of their first indie uk singles in 1994 to their final shows together in the summer of 2009. over the course of their seven consecutive #1 studio albums, oasis sold over 70 million records worldwide and charted 22 consecutive top 10 uk hits from 1995 to 2008 (including eight 1s), creating an astounding historical record.

its been a long time coming but loxy and resounds debut album -burning shadows- has finally arrived on dbridges exit imprint and its a ragga infused tech drum n bass belter. the albums 13 tracks feature eerie sci-fi style atmospheric soundscapes with plenty of menacing dub bass and sparse d n b percussion. stand out tracks are -sin city- with its fear inducing acidic bass line and half time feel (think of it as the perfect music for the chase scene from ridley scotts -alien-), and -conqueror x- with its deep dark repetitive bass line.

austin-based vvv is one of a new wave of garage producers whose music actually feels like an honest mixture of vintage and modern touches, rather than a trend-hopper looking to capitalize on a few dubstepforum fruity loops tutorials. he s an artist who happily mixes and matches signifiers, lacing his productions with subtle streaks of colour and leading them into unexpected detours. over the course of across the sea vvv swings from gleeful todd edwards-style vocal mush (-aisle seat-) to sepalcure-esque house-tinged workouts like -retreated- to more experimental fare. on tracks like -stuck between- or the stumbling punch-drunk jungle of -duration of light-Ñwhere breaks crash through filtered soul samples and cause ripples like dominoesÑhe always keeps the tracks backbone intact while doing some of the weirdest things to bass music youll hear this side of machinedrum. across the sea doesnt have the same visionary outlook as room(s), but it shares that albums embrace of fine-tuned sequencing and development. the tender, reflective moments that occasionally pop up are its best, whether its that memorable opener or the fogged-glass beats of -among the whispers,- which admittedly sounds a little like burial but higher-definition, with high-strung chords recalling netsky more than untrue. the albums closer -all that weve been through- nicely sums up the proceedings, throwing an out-of-context piano on top of another burial-esque beat loaded up with reverb yet still cutting clear as day. its perfectly representative of vvvs aesthetic: his debut album isnt always made up of entirely original ingredients, but like any good chef, he knows how to present it in a way thats irresistibly appetizing.

is the world strange or am i strange? is the sophomore album from 22 year old brian eno-approved musician cosmo jarvis. the devon-based singer-songwriter follows his debut humasyouhitch / sonofabitch with another album full of his unique musical stylings, including the singe and viral video hit -gay pirates-.

syndromes is the sophomore album from new york electronica duo the golden filter. it is the follow-up to debut voluspa from the the group - consisting of penelope trappes (vocals) and stephen hindman (synthesizers)

a genuinely triumphant arrival, the album features ten stunning tracks including forthcoming single amber hands, that reel from glorious carnival-esque euphoria to a sound that occasionally flirts at melancholy and utter despair. again into eyes was recorded in london with producers ken and jolyon thomas, whose credits include sigur ros, m83, david bowie and psychic tv. the album standouts include faith unfolds, summon the sound, which featured on mute s recent exclusive record store day vinyl release vorwarts and the utopian, future-disco monolith that is whitechapel. indeed, the bands individual listening habits in psychedelia, space-rock, avant-garde and ambient soundtracks collide to form a pop trip that neatly balances the innovative with the rapturously danceable to great effect. based in london, s.c.u.m exploded onto the music scene two years ago with the release of their debut single visions arise. the single, together with their exciting and intense live shows, quickly grabbed the imagination of fans and critics alike. since then they have toured extensively across the uk and europe to a growing fanbase.

maylee todd, one of canada s most exciting new music acts, is spreading an infectious energy around town. with the vocal chords of an angel, charismatic stage presence and a string of soulful pop tunes, this bright, young spark is turning heads by reinventing tropical grooves. following collaborations with the likes of woodhands and henri faberge & the adorables, toronto-based maylee now introduces us to her band pegwee power and their debut album choose your own adventure. the group, which started as a solo act, with just todd on her harp accompanied by a looping station, now consis...

sixteen brief and inconsequential images..glimpses of scenes flickering byÉ heres mickey moonlights debut album! full of discrete and subtle details this lp is definitely aimed for home-listening and not for the club (even if close to everything is receiving massive support from our dj friends..) although mm has assembled a large and stellar cast of musicians the album still remains his singular and unique vision.

2011 debut album from tropics aka british producer and multi-instrumentalist chris ward. since planet mu released his first single, -soft vision-, the synthpop of his early tracks has evolved into a more substantial and personal style. parodia flare features ward as a multi-instrumental auteur, weaving together vintage sounds, rhodes keyboard, banks of old synths, software and guitars, live drums and electric bass.

silent dust is the project of uk duo dan blishen (originally from manchester) and andy hobbs (hailing from kent), who produced drum & bass together for years under the respective monikers zyon base and hobzee. their self-titled debut,silent dust,brings their signature d&b sound into a different light, drawing from a wide range of influences - ambient, drum & bass, garage, dub, breakbeat and soundtracks. the result is a collection of deep, bass-laden productions that sound like absolutely nothing else, filled with lush arrangements, an array of found sounds (footsteps, vinyl crackle, sellotape stretching), cinematic vocal samples and glitchy, idiosyncratic drum programming. the album travels through a wide range of emotions and sounds - from the sublime intensity of the giant (equipped with floating operatic samples and tight drum programming) and the dark atmospheric grace of marlowe, to the weighted basslines of the club-suited zero nine zero and the sheer beauty of winter song lined with strings and a reggae-tinted vocal. though its driven by experimentation, this is a d&b record at heart: even the ambient tracks were written at 160-170 bpm. their debut album was originally signed to soul:r, but was pulled at the last minute: the duo bravely opted to start their own label, none60, to release their tour de force.silent dust is a downtempo, atmospheric album that will become an instant favourite for open minds, and for those who seek something new. one of the most unique records to come out of d&b this decade.

driver drive faster are a new band from manchester, but you wouldnt necessarily tell. this masterful debut album presents a rich, timeworn sound that exists somewhere between americana and spectral indie rock. its crafted song-writing at its best, hinging on stirring chord sequences and moments of fragile beauty. -a review described us as misfits,- says singer/ guitarist dylan giles. -we took it as a compliment.- named open house and recorded in the shared digs in which the entire band reside, the album was a labour of love begun in late 2009, poured over in 2010 and set for release in 2011. the result is a lush, layered record that slowly draws you into its world. think mercury revs deserters songs for a new generation.

after years in the game, this vinyl-wielding 4-piece originating from brighton - the one and only soft rocks - have finally committed their collective wit to a slew of original tunes. their debut album, -the curse of soft rocks- is without-a-doubt a departure from the current musical climate. in an age where any laptop-savvy poseur can upload their bland nu-disco or faux-chi-house directly to a cesspool of digitally downloadable fodder, it is more than refreshing to hear this cheeky bunch blending a mixed bag of instrumentation and obscure influences so recklessly.

2011 sophomore release from the east london quintet formerly known as dark captain light captain. the band released their debut full-length miracle kicker in 2008 to critical praise across the board. the album spawned a surprise hit stateside with -jealous enemies- and catapulted dark captain all around europe and the uk, where they gleefully shared stages with the likes of sophia, 65daysofstatic, tunng and laetita sadier (stereolab). late last year, the band disembarked the relentless carousel of budget flights, punctual soundchecks and questionable service station snack food to record their follow-up. dead legs & alibis is the shimmering, restless result of these endeavors.

darren cunninghams eagerly awaited new album is an adventurous, ultramodern, thoroughly british affair. determinedly off the map and resistant to pigeonholing, cunningham is an enigmatic and playful figure, citing francis bacon and monet as inspirations alongside theo parrish, anthony shake shakir, daft punk, binary codes and numeral systems, and the avengers. the south londoners acclaimed debut lived up to its name: a series of dreamlike sketches and ideas. for splazsh the fog has lifted, the sounds are less submerged than before, but still sticky and close a signature combination of exuberance and introversion, luminescence and puzzlement. actress has quickly and justly become one of the most respected names in the uks new dance music underground.

gem club is an exclusive society: two people, a piano, and a cello. vocalist christopher barnes sings in a quivering whisper, and these minimal accompaniments assure that their sound never becomes louder than a hush. but the massachusetts duo s debut ep, acid and everything, showed just how much emotional intensity you could pack into compositions so spare, and how much could be suggested with so little. everything on breakers, their first full-length, sounds frozen over: icy, quiet, austere. you know that eerie feeling when you find yourself alone in a huge public place that s usually crowded-- maybe a shopping mall or a playing field- but at that moment is totally empty? this record sounds like a sustained version of that feeling. -i heard the party- juxtaposes echoing piano chords and a general sense of unease (-no one could have told you / your body would fail you-) with the refrain -i heard the partys here- floating across the track like the sound of dried up laughter. the word -party- feels so out of place in a song so pensive and lonely that there s something jarring about the experience. the feeling crops up repeatedly on breakers: a sense of slow-motion detachment, a suggestion that there were signs of life here once, but you ve arrived a couple of hours- or maybe a couple of weeks- too late.

previously existing as progressive/melodic house entity solarity, dusky are london based musicians alfie granger-howell and nick harriman. as comfortable writing elegant orchestral pieces or stirring piano motifs as they are jackin house and epic techno grooves, their diverse sounds are united by the duos singular aim--to compose electronic music with depth, soul and originality. stick by this is the duos debut album.

xhins debut album on stroboscopic artefacts,sword,showcases the breath of his vision. as the second full-length release on stroboscopic artefacts, sword stretches the remit of the label s identity ever further. produced and recorded in singapore, xhin plucks sounds from the outer edges of electronic music and fuses them together. xhins approach revels not only in a hybrid sound palette but its also an album desi- gned for multiple contexts. its a record typified by duality. sword harbours electronic music ranges from brutal club sounds to deep and delicate murmurs.

zusammen mit francesco tristano und danton eeprom gehoerte cubenx zu den erste signings von agorias infine-label. cubenx hat nun sein album-debut am start, und das hat es fuer wahr in sich, denn es besinnt sich auf den guten alten post-punk, auf shoegaze und - in diesem zusammenhang ungewoehnlich - auch auf die gerade bassdrum und minimale elektronika. cubenx wird sein album live als support von apparat im dezember 2011 vorstellen.

anders trentemoller has become one of the most respected names in cutting edge electronic music in the last few years. his rise to notoriety was sparked by his early, techy releases for poker flat and audiomatique and has since gone on to stellar highs with his own personal take on the genre, spanning, pop, rock, indie and classical. his debut album >the last resort< was released in 2006 to much international acclaim, and the producer also began to become an in-demand remixer in the house and techno world. as the decade wore on his sound continued to progress, opening up his studio to more live instrumentation, and a looser, rock-meets electronic vibe with his stunning >into the great wide yonder< lp. now this special double cd and double vinyl release celebrates some of the producer s favourite remixes he completed for other artists, and also some of his personal picks where other musicians have reworked his music.