word of advice to funk lovers, there is not a minute to lose. get on board of the big hustle’s spaceship. before we take off, let s do a little history. the band was founded in 2014 by bass player and composer sébastien levanneur and its aim is to bring together 70 s old school funk with the hippest actual sound laced with influences spanning from steely dan and headhunters, to snarky puppy and soulive. with mighty horn players, a rock and funky rhythm section, the big hustle s music has a very large variety of soundscapes. the first destination takes us to the washington, d.c. area with “turn up”. the groove is clearly go-go music flavored with the trademark sound of cowbells and of course it reminds us of zapp by the use of the talk box on lead vocals, performed here by saad el garrab. and don t miss out shaun martin (snarky puppy, erykah badu, kirk franklin amongst others) as a very special guest performing the talk box solo! second stop is “a curse, a blessing”. it’s an instrumental very much in the freddie hubbard vein during his cti years. the last leg of the a side ends with an instrumental interlude titled “flying donut”. double tribute to jay dee and flying lotus, the music is a simple hip hop loop based on samples. the b side takes us back into the past with two brilliant covers, involving rod temperton the late great british songwriter who scored some of michael jackson s biggest hits. now the idea for this b side is to do the opposite approach from the a side. taking 70 s and 80 s original music and make them travel into time to 2018. we first land with a heatwave song named “the star of a story” from their 1976 central heating album. track 2 is a herbie hancock song named “gettin to the good part” from his 1982 lite me up lp. this time traveler ep journey ends with an interlude. called “gimme dat”, the song deals with the need of new music, new sound. again, this blend of deep rooted funk laced with a contemporary edge is to be consumed without moderation. and do not forget that e.p. also stands for extended pleasure.

gerry read steps up for the sophomore release on finns 2 b real label, mass media - four booty-indebted house tracks, as freaky as they are straight-forward. the a side lurches into action with a huge buzzy bassline on mass media, followed by eerie pads, pops and whistles on big boobs. the b side provides some breathing room with dreama that girl’s spacey chops and sauntering bassline, before pinky reaches a bouncy filter-house climax to close the ep.

mad dancer ep is freda’s second offering through sydney imprint moonshoe records - the record maintains the raw crunchy nature of his debut whilst he progresses into more dissonant atmospheres. wobbling jazz loops guide the a side through 2 up-tempo yet calming house tracks. the title track mad dancer is kept alive by crunchy, swinging hi-hats and bouncy synth melodies. smoking causes is a slow burning take on disco. on the flip (breakfast) is the curveball of the 3 tracks. a darker mood is established before a syncopated break drives the ep home, exemplified by a sliding dissonant synth melody.

ltd to 300 copies , the new episode on the ddq series, now under the brokntoys mantle, presents 2 different angles of mutant electronics . on the a side, dutch producer identified patient showcases his discombulated style, slow-motion burners stained in acid. on the flip, nurse owner scarlit port makes his first appearance on vinyl with the deranged marg , before going all in with touch u without touchin ur skin.

!k7 are pleased to announce forest swords as the next curator of the ever essential dj-kicks series. following acclaimed albums on ninja tune and tri angle, soundtrack and installation work, and remixes of the likes of bjork, matthew barnes aka forest swords has curated a 25-track compilation that draws a line between past inspirations and his current peers. like much of his own output, his dj-kicks skirts around pristine electronics and embraces more organic textures: 80s post punk (anna domino, dead can dance), classic 90s british electronica (orbital, mira calix), and smokey digi-dub (rhythm & sound), all rub up alongside some of the most forward-facing producers working today (demdike stare, laurel halo, fis). the compilation sifts through rhythms, shifting speeds and emotions: from pop icon neneh cherrys primal thudding to the zombified throb of exclusive forest swords track crow via deena abdelwaheeds clattering deconstructions to the euphoric two-step of djrum. its a collection of tracks that feels as restlessly curious and weighty as barnes own work. the double vinyl release includes a download code.

jah mel sees himself as a musical bridge between the original reggae sound & the dancehall sound of today, representing what he calls the real dancehall revolution, merging the spirituality of the old school & the energy of the new school. “guiding star” and “stand up to it” are the perfect examples to overstand this definition. both song were produced by roydale anderson aka andy s. “guding star” will definitely give you thrills if you are into deep synth and heavy digital rhythm, while the superb piano notes will warm you in the analog style. beware of “guiding star” dub version called “guidance (dance mix)” that will break any bunker. “stand up to it” rhythm is an adaptation of one of the most classic jamaican riddim called “heavenless”. you will never know this riddim like before, this version takes the riddim to another level. a positive song with a bionic nuclear bomb dubwise! play it loud, jah is our guiding star!

2018 repress - bicep make their way home to feel my bicep records for their first 12” on the imprint since their collaborative ‘dahlia’, recorded with hammer, back in september of 2015. fmb006 is a notable addition to the label - a reimagining of blaze’s seminal recording ‘lovelee dae’ - originally released on classic back in 1997, before a string of subsequent re-issues and remix packages on playhouse, true and urban tracks that included carl craig and 20:20 vision. the remix was originally designed to be included in their essential mix in 2014, but a lack of space has meant that its pressing on fmb is the first time it sees the light of day. using ralph lawson and carl finlow’s classic aforementioned acapella version as the basis of their work, the bicep lads ensnare an air of swooning euphoria in their remix that stays true to both their original productions and their dj sets. shortened vocals suffuse galloping 909s and a gleaming synth riff that certify it as a festival fail safe

bruno patchworks hovart is one of the top producers of todays groove music scene. after playing as a bassist and guitarist for various bands, he started producing in the mid-nineties and has kept on mixing todays technologies with the raw spirits of house, electronic, disco, funk, soul, reggae & jazz musics golden years since then. following the trail of success left by his various projects as patchworks, and under many aliases, hes proved his musical ubiquity and unexpectedly stroke in various genres. today, hes back under the edr records umbrella, following up to his various ep for the label, and meanwhile pursuing a comeback to his early love for house music. many house music diggers would indeed remember that before favorite recordings was launched in 2006, patchworks and pascal rioux produced many deep-house tracks on the rotax disques imprint. besides since the late 90s, patchworks has also collaborated with labels such as q-tape, or still music, delivering many clubbing hits such as million toes, sugar, or minautor. on this 5 tracks ep, he delivers 4 killer tunes again, inspired by the michael jackson’s classic hit, rock with you.

bruno “patchworks” hovart is definitely one of the top producers of today’s groove music scene. after playing as a bassist and guitarist for various bands, he started producing in the mid-nineties and has kept on mixing today’s technologies with the raw spirits of house, electronic, disco, funk, soul, reggae & jazz music’s golden years since then. following the trail of success left by his various projects as patchworks, and under many aliases, he’s proved his musical ubiquity and unexpectedly stroke in various genres. for this new ep, he’s back under the edr records’ umbrella, following up to his acclaimed eps called give my love (edr019) and dedications (edr021), and meanwhile pursuing a comeback to his early love for house music. many house music diggers would indeed remember that before favorite recordings was launched in 2006, patchworks and pascal rioux produced many deep-house titles on the rotax disques imprint. besides since the late 90s, patchworks has also collaborated with labels such as q-tape, or still music, delivering many clubbing hits such as “million toes”, “sugar”, or “minautor” to name just a few. on this 4 tracks ep, he again delivers 4 dancefloor killers, ready to convince any listener from old-school “footstomping” aficionados, to detroit house heads. for the occasion he also invited his long time mate eric duperray aka mr day, who brings his soulful vibes to the mix.

the nyc and berlin based group were invited to aurally explore the archive of the seminal french director jean-luc godard and release their interpretations in an innovative new album what we leave behind. drawing on godards personal collection of shot film, reel- to-reels and historical ephemera, the recordings reveal the moments before and after the camera rolls, from stage directions and on-set asides to rehearsals, false stars and outtakes.

julian sanza and andre espeut, are two very familiar names in the scene. julian, who hails from argentinian/cuban roots and andre with his french/caribbean heritage, come together to merge electronic dance, modern funk, soul and boogie, creating their own unique melting pot of goodness! there s something distinctly anthemic about perfect system . low slung, synthed up funk, with a house tinge driven by those sweet soulful vocal harmonies - sure to get stuck in your head for days. opolopo opens up the e.p. adding his trademark disco remix magic touch to the original - upping the tempo, laying a shuffling beat behind, pumping up the bassline and getting spiritual on the keys. on the flip the situation remix channels the inner improv funk, keeping the vocals to choice snippets before the sare havlicek dub rounds the e.p. off reworking the bass synth to the point where it exudes the sleaze. this is the first in a series of collaborations between these two… keep those eyes peeled!

its a thin line between love & mess. martin mercer decided to produce music for the next 20 decades before hes going release anything. eventough he didnt publish his tracks on labels his music found its way and attention in the sets of reputated acts like tini. you dont need much imagination to realize that this record could fly in high discogs speheres quicker as you can spell the word chaos. ladies and gentleman please listen to martin mercer.

taking inspiration from music, nature and the elements that surround them, jukka hänninen and mika hanka aka shuffless have quickly garnered the attention of many within house and techno since making their production debut in 2016. written at the vislampi studio, located in ruutana city, finland, using a combination of hardware gear from the likes of roland, korg and arturia, here we see the duo reveal their latest work with four diverse and expansive cuts set for release this spring as they return to syncrophone s in-house imprint. opening up the ep, hänninen and hanka fluently introduce chi , a complex and evolving cut that effortlessly fuses deep, rich chords, and delicate, skipping hi-hats, before easing into the flowing groove of lahti with its jazz-tinged melodies and heady tones guiding the production into lighter territories. on the flip, nime Ñvailla introduces a matrix of hazy textures amongst crunchy percussion licks and dubbed out atmospherics as the duo return to deeper, darker realms, before title cut puollaskel punctuates the package in classy fashion, laying down gritty analog percussion, resounding kicks and subtly programmed nuances to conclude an excellently worked ep.

mount liberation unlimited strikes back! after releases on tim sweeneys beats in space label and everyones favourite oddball house institution studio barnhus, the swedish duo, consisting of tom lagerman and niklas janzon, land on planet permanent vacation. body language is the fifth release for mlu and you can feel that they have been places and come some ways, since their debut ep in 2014: this ode to dancing sees lagerman and janzon heading into more pop-y territories than before. the swedish version is a full on pop disco track with rich instrumentation and infectious vocals that underline mlu’s status as one of the best disco and house live acts around these days. while the mouth mix is the swedish interpretation of chicago house and gets even more physical with its drum-heavy beats and computerized vocals. for your karaoke party and to round up the package, we also included the instrumental of the swedish version. rocka din kropp!

the third vinyl outing from lossless music’s leftfield off-shoot label features the return of elementz of noize with a stunning dj shadow meets drum & bass track called “the grand escape”. it’s 10 minutes of emotionally charged breakbeat unlike anything you’ve heard before. on the the b side label boss soul intent offers up two half-time slices of emotive electronica. “the fire” includes the amazing voice of jazz singer sula mae while “it’s ok to be sad sometimes” demonstrates yet deeper levels from the talented lossless music founder.

!! repress !! points new year, new concept: maceo plex locks down 2018 with a fabriclive mix and his new mutant series that sets out to explore the more mutated side of his signature cosmic techno further than ever before. similar to his conjure series in 2015, the new releases will reside across labels run by peers maceo respects and is inspired by, with some also featuring on his much loved ellum imprint. correspondant are proud to release the debut ep, mutant 1. three tracks deep, each version tells the same story from a different perspective, mutant disco tells it from the bassline’s point of view as a latent funk thumps with wry mischief, mutant dx shows things from melodic side with its rolling bulbous bass lead while mutant moog closes the ep by surging us even deeper into the stars with a crisp sinewy arpeggio that sucks us in and, like all card carrying mutants, refuses to let us go. time to mutate.

farron gets back on shaw cuts with his fourth record, invincible shaolin a tale of double-dealing, rivalry, royalty and bad blood. manchu general pus evil quest to eradicate the shaolin tradition unfolds, cunningly pitting north and south shaolins against each other. spring break ya neck opens the clash with its rhythmic shifts and whirling synth pads. the northern masters prevail. after pus henchmen secretly kill the southern shaolin, the general blames the masters from the north, unleashing chaos. cosmicaph restores order, its pounding drums and floating melodies giving new strength to the southern shaolin. revenge must be taken. to prepare for conquer, the southern master sends three of his disciples to three masters to learn their secret weapons. sir hatch sets the pace with rolling punches, dirty synths and sharp percussion as the three disciples transform into lethal fighting machines. just before the final encounter between the shaolin, leibniz lands on the scene with his fresh interpretation of spring break ya neck, revealing to both schools that they have been deceived. joining forces, north and south battle the general and his men, led by leibnizs funky drum patterns and turbulent synth action. and the shaolin spirit lives on

since its launch in 2013, bright sounds has established itself as a label bridging the gap between the dancefloor and more experimental sounds, releasing eps by the likes of shlomo, tilliander, burnt friedman or more recently conforce. on its eleventh release, the label welcomes ben thomas aka bnjmn with “final network” ep, the uk producer based in berlin and releasing on tresor, delsin, counterchange or more recently on his newly founded imprint: tiercel. the ep opens up with “reticuli”, an ambient techno journey into a forest of otherworldly sounds. “neurocity” comes next with its rattling sounds met by disorienting and spooky melodies. on the b-side “cloaked” starts off with bare kick and congos before waves of drones add textures producing an eerie atmosphere. the title track closes this ep, slowly building to create an ecstatic floating mood, leaving you longing for more as it gently fades away.

born in rio in 1940, helio won a guitar from his father at age 12.after working in sugar mills or as a sales clerk in record stores, he started performing at rio nightclubs (like plaza) and são paulo. in 1975 he signed to rca victor on which he released his first lp, -matheus segundo matheus- with arrangements by oberdan -black river- magalhães, zé rodrix and chiquinho de moraes with participation of azymuth as a support band withg a total of 128 musicians involved int he recording. unfortuanly this much deserved reissue didn t make it to press before helio passed last year, but we are most humble and proud to do it justice. one of my favourite brazilian lp s just to listen to.

tokyo tag-team kei and nagi sugano, aka dazzle drums, have been responsible for secret weapons in the bags of some of the finest djs since their debut in 2005. in addition to supporting danny krivit each time he plays in tokyo, the duo periodically floats him exclusive edits to test out during his expansive sets. two of these in particular have become regular features on m. k s dance floors, and it is these prime choices that have been selected for the latest release on most excellent unlimited. -brothers gonna work it out- takes the cinematic soul classic and toughens it up with a propulsive drum track and immaculate editing to extend and energize the already powerful tune. -get down boy- is a relentlessly driving disco cut whose dramatic synth-and-string heavy instrumentation provides a plush bed for seductive female vocals before giving way to a tremendous bass break that is certain to leave dancers in a sweat. reverently mastered and spread over a wide-grooved 12-inch single, it s another meu sure-shot.

digital releases his second lp within 2 years called -total control-. &#8232,,,,its not a massive collab fest like his 2016 lp ‘synthesis’ although, there’s a few on there with artists nomine, john b, villem and digital’s phantom audio partner, spirit. a strong jungle vibe runs right through this lp. the opening track, ‘motherland’ has crisp breaks, a bassline to die for and a haunting unforgettable vocal. other highlights are seba’s lush remix of digital & response’s, ‘silver lining’. ‘on the rockz’ sounds like a solid piece of 1998 drum and bass, ‘total control’ is superb and certainly one for the hardcore ravers, ‘dreamer’ takes you on a journey you’ve never been before. this is the first of 4 records, pressed on red vinyl.

digital releases his second lp within 2 years called -total control-. &#8232,,,its not a massive collab fest like his 2016 lp ‘synthesis’ although, there’s a few on there with artists nomine, john b, villem and digital’s phantom audio partner, spirit. a strong jungle vibe runs right through this lp. the opening track, ‘motherland’ has crisp breaks, a bassline to die for and a haunting unforgettable vocal. other highlights are seba’s lush remix of digital & response’s, ‘silver lining’. ‘on the rockz’ sounds like a solid piece of 1998 drum and bass, ‘total control’ is superb and certainly one for the hardcore ravers, ‘dreamer’ takes you on a journey you’ve never been before. this is the second of 4 records, pressed on yellow vinyl.

“i’ve been writing music and playing shows since i was 12 but had never actually released anything prior to bruises, despite the fact that all 4 songs on the ep were all written in the space of 6 months, in a way the story of the ep has been 9 years in the making. the title bloom for me captures perfectly the 6 month chapter in my life between having the idea for bruises whilst writing in the shed at the end of my parents garden back in scotland to seemingly barely a moment later waking up finding myself half way across the world in the chaos of los angeles working on fade with a producer i’ve looked up to for as long as i can remember. the making of beginnings, the start of new chapters and also the emergence from everything that has gone before.” this is bloom - lewis first ever physical release of the critically acclaimed bloom ep. clear vinyl & rose-scented inner sleeve. lewis has decided to release a physical version due to popular fan demand and to support independent record shops.

after his stunning debut on fuck reality 03 and an excursion on full pupp, frantzvaag from oslo is back- delivering 4 shimmering house cuts to present his very own vision of norwegian dancefloor deepness. essential!

the next offering on crosstown rebels comes from italian trio pastaboys, who gift us with a rhythmic and hypnotic three-parter. they invite the inimitable rebolledo to take on remix duties to complete this package. the ep is a trance-inducing affair. the trio lure us in with opener kolo kolo. its funky rhythm sets a precedent as its trance-inducing power builds layer upon layer into an intoxicating and hypnotic groove. abbassa is up next. heavy on the bass, with a sensuality that is palpable. the african vocal adds a tribal touch before the track tumbles into a crescendo of urgent synths. rebolledos version of abbassa is a more cosmic affair, staying true to his psychedelic inclinations and with an added a bass guitar groove. pastaboys have been releasing music since the dawn of the new millenium. they’ve showcased their tasteful and highly refined productions on imprints such as 83 west and defected. releases such as born again, body resonance, limit, hozho, deep musique prove that their music is timeless and that dance music is still a matter of groove and soul.

vega records puts together a vinyl package with one of the hottest records in the catalog. now a classic in the uk into my life is getting a whole new treatment and will be released as a double pack vinyl. a brand new version unreleased, the original studio recording of the song before it was remixed in the house format is already being played by gilles peterson on worldwidefm.net then there are the main version, instrumental, and two original dubs, which are all remastered by vegas mastering engineer walter coelho.

for the first time on vinyl - rare demos from the legendary tapes “not forever”, “just for now” and “live & otherwise”. comes with download code included.

audio-visual artists soundwalk collective were granted exclusive access to the personal archive of the groundbreaking filmmaker and present their ambitious new album and remix ep: what we leave behind. the nyc and berlin based group were invited to aurally explore the archive of the seminal french director jean-luc godard and release their interpretations in an innovative new album what we leave behind. drawing on godards personal collection of shot film, reel- to-reels and historical ephemera, the recordings reveal the moments before and after the camera rolls, from stage directions and on-set asides to rehearsals, false stars and outtakes.

up next on hot creations is the hugely influential leftroom records boss, matt tolfrey. well known for bringing fire to the dancefloor as well as to his productions, this punchy two-parter is no exception. on title track americas, tolfrey delivers a peak-time slice of rolling electronic goodness with pounding pads that bounce around the percussion, with a drum and vocal loop that lure you in. regain the past is laden with throbbing bass and subtle vocal stabs that gently caress your ear before thrusting you headfirst into the break. matt tolfrey has come a long way since his musical journey began. spotted by craig richards and invited to play at his fabric night, this culminated in the honour of recording fabric 81. since then tolfrey has become a mainstay in the scene. playing countless clubs and festivals across the globe, he also holds down residencies at stealth in nottingham, bar americas in guadalajara and r33 in barcelona. productions can also been seen on esteemed labels such as cuttin headz, phonica, crosstown rebels, rekids and his own impressive imprint, leftroom.

matt edwards newly launched reissue label, r-time records, prepares its third release, the second instalment of sir lord comixx retroactive. r-time records shines a light on classic tracks that didnt always get the recognition they deserve, with the labels first two releases coming from sir lord comixx and fbk. real name amoon andrews, sir lord commix’s discography has been in high demand for many years, evident by soaring market prices. the a-side of retroactive (part two) features two tracks from a rare untitled release on hard up, whilst the b-side is made up of chicago jazz from the funk box ep on eukahouse (under his a.moon moniker in 98) and motionvibe from azid jazz ep on cynic in 05. cosmic synths join wonky arps in ur my omen before moving into the more up-tempo fog horn with its robust drums, off-beat bleeps and filtered effects. chicago jazz takes things into deeper territories with crystalline rhodes and jazz-influenced samples until motionvibe concludes the package with its syncopated structure comprised of twisted sounds, murky atmospherics and effervescent nuances.

as a polychrome composer, laurent perrier is developing his work through a large number of projects which, although they often share many common points, are all built on a strong identity. thus, zonk t has always been a way of exploring the most ambient fringes of dub, and the transition from the all-digital to compositions made entirely on modular synthesizers has overall not changed its approach in depth. yet, banburismus, whose unlikely title comes from the crypto-analytical process developed by alan turing during the second world war, begins by taking us by surprise with a long luminescent drone that seems to rise endlessly before dissolving little by little in a wall of echoes, glitches and distorted voices then make way to round and deep basses disturbed by metal peaks on which float distant blips, like farway echoes of the secret messages decoded by turing. real master stroke, this track occupying the first face of the lp is a trip in an ether much more populated than it seems. shorter, the three pieces of the b side participate in the same atmosphere, but still extend the sonic field. more stripped, more airy, more cosmic, banburismus achieves there new heights with ease. we could be tempted to play the game of references and try to put zonk t somewhere amongst the great experimenters of electronic dub. but who cares,, banburismus is well beyond categories, and laurent perrier, by cracking the code, opens for us the doors of a universe of disturbing and fascinating vastness.

mihail p first came to light on respected label seventh sign before popping up just recently on verdant recordings alongside esb, and now he s back once again with the multiverse ep on distant worlds. his influences are clear, from the elegant melancholy and attention to detail of early uk techno to the snappy electro rhythms of drexciya, and he exercises those influences brilliantly on each of these four tracks. there are abundant tender synth lines criss-crossing intricately programmed drum machines in a true celebration of machine soul, all shot through with a heavy-lidded ambience that makes for some of the most captivating techno out there at the moment

dirty funk house from colombia! with heavy remixes by seb wildblood (church), retrogott (ava, money sex) & dj qualle and pontchartrain. felipe gordon is new to the scene, but entering the house world now via toy tonics in a heavy way. just watch that remix package: felipe gordon has some massive fans already. he knows a few dudes and he has some cool releases coming on church, s3a records and intimate friends. in fact felipe is throwing some of the biggest underground house parties in colombia along with his nómada records crew from bogotá. and he is making tracks, too. dirty bangers. with a certain unique vibe. he used to play in bands before switching to samplers and getting addicted to old disco and house vinyl. you can hear that: his moody, raw tunes use samples of rare records. but selected carefully, adding his own juno 60 or moog synth chords (like on tell me something true). often using minor keys and lot of little noises and short spoken words by himself. never clean, always musically special. felipe gordon might be new to the international dance scene, but for sure you gonna hear that name more frequently over the next years.

* there is a way* opens with a soiree of shuffling percussion, which drives it forward throughout. the tune holds its nerve and refuses to cash in, constantly bubbling and building as layer upon layer unfolds almost to breaking point. an exhilarating statement of intent. never looking back. side a comes to a close with * tricks*. it confidently boasts a heavy hitting kick drum, set to shake speakers and alter heartbeats. a relentlessly positive guitar sample and buoyant bassline set the mood of a lively cut, which builds to a pay-off that brims with shimmering brass and crisp hats. a sunshine filled stormer, sure to get even the most cynical city worker moving. drums, drums, drums. as * mistakes* begins we’re swept away by salary boy’s effortless command of groove, before a booming bassline snatches back at our attention. “everyone makes mistakes” is the refrain from the vocal sample. i’d usually agree but our hard hustling, hi-hat wielding hero hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. an evocative piano loop anchors ‘cry’, a tune made to define the early hours. equally adept at touching the heart, as it is at moving the feet. endings are important, and this is as strong as they come.

gorgeous and essential archive material from this master of mood. the latest unearthing on chee shimizus 17853 - previously only available on a very limited japanese cassette back early 80s. big tip!

mechatronica launches their new white series, dedicated to limited edition white label records across synth, wave, ebm and italo with a va release featuring inhalt, violet poison, sneaker and daniel holt.
mechatronica white 1 opens with sneaker’s gloomy remix of german synth-pop band opus leopard, followed by the electrifying instrumental version of “alles” - a relentlessly progressing piece of body music from san francisco trio, inhalt. on the flip, violet poison summons a fat, trippy ebm-leaning groove, before daniel holt finishes off the record with anthemic synths and a ticket to the cosmos on “floating mansions”.

back in 1962 when this, their third album was released, the group consisted of smokey, ronnie white, pete moore and brother and sister bobby and claudette rogers. while he had yet to be featured in the billing by name that came in 1965 robinson’s photo was top and centre of the lp cover. the ten songs featured barely amounted to 27 minutes of music, but what i ll try something new may have lacked in quantity it more than made up for in quality. and the reason was clear. six of the ten songs stem from robinson s pen five solo efforts and the sixth, closing track this i swear, i promise , a co-write with janie bradford. let s savour an album that, as one perceptive critic put it, features the miracles at their early best... as young, eager kids just starting out, filled with optimism, youthful exuberance and enthusiasm, long before record-company politics, favouritism and restrictions changed the group forever.

in recent years mark reeve has become a pivotal member of the drumcode crew. his 2015 ep debut run back was a standout, before he backed it up strongly with nine of you , his collaboration with adam beyer that featured on a-sides vol.4, ensuring his place in the hearts of dc fans.

a chance encounter in barcelona, spain brought us together to make this record happen. it’s a precious little marvel of love from kou keri kou and electric cowbell. based in barcelona, spain, the group began with the aim of making music to dance to, taking inspiration from all over the world with no fear: the music from cuba, perú, jamaica, congo and nigeria is as important for kou keri kou as the music played in europe or in the united states. los zafiros, gary numan, los destellos, radio futura, sunny ade and kiko veneno share place in their imagination and help them create open-minded pop that always looks to the future. their lyrics are sometimes open, sometimes a bit more cryptic, sometimes political and sometimes biting, but always try to communicate with the listeners while trying to make them dance. they’ve been playing together for two years, creating songs that didn’t exist before, urging the people to dance and singing about their issues, which may also be yours.

for alan oldham, artistic expression is a way of life, taking multiple forms and medi-ums throughout his lifetime. before he was ever known as dj t-1000, he was a published car-toon artist and radio dj in detroit writing press releases for underground resistance to get by. one day, underground resistance was in need of a last minute dj for their tour in aus-tralia, and a door flew open for alan oldham. with passport in hand he departed on his jour-ney as a dj, which little did he know would eventually span continents. influenced by every-thing around him, his work has dynamically changed and evolved along with his life. currently as an international dj living in berlin, his latest creation is the acidspace ep, released by elypsia records under the detroitrocketscience name. the traveler himself takes us on an intergalactic adventure, beginning with acidspace (8:48). with a steady beat and a unique blend of serene space sounds, this jam excites the imagination for the journey to come. it is followed by rocket to berlin (7:20), a subtle and intricate mix that entices one to enter the unknown. vesta system (6:22) finishes the ep off on a note that leaves lis-teners grooving and enjoying the ride. creativity and sweet sounds are what its all about for alan oldham. with his recent musical shift to mellower, sci-fi inspired jams, he continues to let listeners see for themselves.

mikkel metal returns to copenhagen’s echocord this may with his new mini lp ‘just enough light’, comprising six originals from the danish artist. copenhagen based producer and dj mikkel metal has been a beacon of light in the danish electronic music scene and further afield for nearly two decades now, with the dub techno imprint from his hometown, echocord, being the predominant home for his output, whilst also releasing material on cologne’s kompakt, tartelet, semantica and avant roots, a telling sign of the quality embodied in his work. here though we see mikkel deliver a mini album concept in the shape of ‘just enough light’ and opener ‘awake’ perfectly sets the tone with emotive, dynamically unfolding atmospherics, tension building bass drones and spiraling dub chords subtly easing us into the project. ‘bregnan’ then stirs in some classing dub-techno tropes with billowing stab sequences, lumpy subs and off beat high hats carrying the hypnotic groove for six and a half minutes. ‘jech’ then strips things back to an almost beatless amalgamation of murky chords and modulating synth whirrs. opening the flip side of the release is ‘include’ which embraces a brighter feel via ethereal pad swells, jazztinged synth melodies and bumpy 909 rhythms before ‘konkin’ edges back into the eerie, brooding aesthetic with bubbling echoes, broken drums and menacing bass swells at its core. ‘restore’ then closes the package on a stripped-back vibe, laying focus on an ever- eveolving singular dub chord to ebb and flow around thunderous subs, kicks and bright hats.

since his appearance on soccer96s jupiter masterdrive edits ep (alongside danny krivit and glenn astro flips, also on wotnot ) in 2015, and subsequent eps on wotnot, monologues and sgol, danvers has swiftly become a name to pay attention to. as a regular appearance on co-ops selectors assemble, both live and on their recent comp vol. 2, he s established himself as a new and original voice on the broken beat scene. his recent the future is broken mix series highlights his ear for unconventional dance music, something that makes him extremely at home on the wildly creative wotnot (thanks dj mag). the opening two tracks are strongly in the broken beat vein. mason opens with dreamy, rhodes jazz over a bruk beat with rolling snare fills, lulling us into a false sense of security before switching to an offbeat but irresistible squelchy synth groove. similarly, in aye ata the pulsing chord that slowly grows out of the beat suddenly turns the track around with a rhythmic twist, showing the playful broken beat in a whole new light. there s a house touch throughout the ep, none more so than in 1997, where a bouncing kick, soulful claps and a booming sub provide a steadier basis for laid back rhodes chords and dreamy spoken word samples. as a big influence on danvers music, frits wentink is welcomed onto remix duty with open arms. the wolf music regular brings an otherworldly vibe to his take on 1997 , with enchanting but almost disorienting chord swells and spiralling vocal fx punctuated with crisp snare rolls. the ever-busy danvers recently launched 38 east , a studio space and music community, with warren xlnce . warren s remix of 1997 was a surprise gift to his business partner and collaborator, and is a deeper house cut, joe armon jones (brownswood) rhodes jam over the track bringing a distinct peckham flavour. dj support from ig culture, andwot (touching bass), neue grafik & evm128 (co-op) t williams

ltd 1 per customer - quirke returns with three introspective tracks that take inspiration from philosophical queries and wonderment related to both the world we live in now, and that which we have inherited from those that came before us

killer stuf on klasse wrecks sub label zodiac! frozen russian plains rich with moondust and cybo-fog lie still, a faint rumble is heard from behind the horizon and buttechno checks his pulsemeter 5000, deciding to head on whilst he still can. sonic lighting strikes the dead earth, leaving echoes that reverberate for miles around as digital feedback waves sore through the airless landscape. buttechno steadies his exxo-bike, firing the back up atomic engine before taking a deep breath and heading into the lost and forgotten city. zcapri is the seventh of 12 releases from z o d i a c 4 4. one for each sign of the stars and then z o d i a c 4 4 is forever dead and gone. forever gone and dead.

american producer dustin zahn readies the next release on rekids special projects this april with four vigorous cuts entitled take the throne. dustin zahn has been flying the techno flag for two decades, releasing on labels like rekids when not helming the berlin-based enemy records, a label which has released music from artists like fellow us techno stalwart ambivalent, arts boss emmanuel, and innervisions producer yotam avni. zahn is also respected for train wrecks, his weekly podcast series inviting members of the house and techno community to discuss a wide variety of music and industry related topics and stories. the release opens with the thumping kicks and sci-fi melodies of take the throne before rolling into the dubby tones, infectious claps and rattling white noise of decorum. the atmospheric nameless midnight then follows, packed with echoing synths, tantalising effects and a twisted vocal sample that weaves throughout, arriving at the final track subtle flex where escalating synths meet syncopated percussion.

the inimitable seth troxler is next up on his own influential label with something of a milestone release: his finally physical ep is a precursor to a compilation album, this is then, due in may this year. this is then will be a typically unique celebration of seths 10 years as a major force in the europe underground scene. it will draw a line in the sand on the first part of the michigan born artists recording career before he embarks on the next chapter. this preceding ep features four productions that were never properly released and they serve as a taster to the forthcoming compilation, with two originals and two remixes, one of which comes under seths lesser used alias, thrill cosby.

berlin based co-founder of visionquest shaun reeves has gradually carved out his unique take of raw, minimalistic house music over the years via releases on dorian paics raum...musik, one records, his new shantu label alongside tuccillo and of course his own visionquest. here we see him pairing up with canadian duo maher daniel and amir javasoul who together as creatures of habit have been picking up attention from the likes of ricardo villalobos, zip, raresh and apollonia amongst others. here marking the debut of their collaborative creatures of shaun guise the duo offer up their mind over matters ep, the title-track leads and lays down mind bending, modulating percussion and synth swirls alongside bumpy bass grooves and hypnotic atmospherics whilst stirring in a tripped-out spoken word vocal sample to further fuel the psychedelic house feel. blink follows and tips the focus over to resonant subs, stripped-back organic percussion and murky vocal swells, again resulting in something mesmerizing and groove-led before out of orbit reduces things even further to refined shuffled hats, minute rhythmic modulations and snaking bass flutters.

relaxers fifth ep is the final edition in the self titled series that began in early 2016. th six tracks are split between viscous, serpentine techno and liminal, dubbed out beatless passages. my reminiscence opens with a shivering groove and a terror-soaked atmosphere before giving way to the more monolithic wormholing of headache. stevie and blister pack drift further afield from the dancefloor, rippling and reforming. each side is closed out with a brief passage: empty promises and health is wealth are evocative and fleeting snapshots.

jon dixon, member of underground resistances live band timeline, pays tribute to legendary detroit jazz trumpeter marcus belgrave. the ep features belgrave himself (recorded before his passing in 2015), alongside additional contributions from detroit musicians: ur/timelines mike banks & saxophonist desean jones, and jazz trumpeter, composer & educator kris johnson.