tengrams are brothers alessandro and davide, who collectively have a deep and long understanding of dance music. davide is a co-founder of n.o.i.a, one of italy s first electronic live acts to perform and record with drum machines and synthesizers as early as 1978. he was also behind seminal italo outfit klein + m.b.o and proto house hit dirty talk. since then they have released under an array of aliases, have clocked up numerous club hits and this new project brings them back to their electronic roots, with influences like sci-fi movies and old school electro and italo looming large. -devious- is a very breezy and energetic track with a rolling arpeggio and rich keyboards section over a simply but groovy tr-808 pattern. classical italo space disco sound updated to nowadays. -translucent- sounds like a dreamy electro-ballad heavily influenced by kraftwerk. -pop song- keeps the same 80 s electro vibes with simple, wistful melodies and a great funk bass line. -disco dub- is a pretty damn cool early eighties electronica, with a great pumping -robo-funk- linndrum!

inside out is a brand new series that invites djs and producers to blur the boundaries between traditional artist albums and mix compilations. coming from aus music label head and dj-kicks curator will saul, the concept encourages artists to showcase their own music and or the music of those in their own individual circles. the mix will be release digitally and on cd, while a selection of the tracks will also be available on double gatefold vinyl. each instalment will feature 100% new and unreleased music. it is a chance for artists to take sole creative charge, a&r as they see fit and then commission brand new music specifically for the cause. depending on who is at the helm, inside out will take different forms: producers may wish to represent their own sound with only music they have made themselves or with close collaborators, while djs and label heads may wish to reflect the sounds and scenes that surround them. the results will be a window into an artists world that works as a coherent mix, but also as a treasure trove of fresh new music that steps outside the usual lines of a dance album. the idea stems from will sauls own approach in the club, which often finds him seeking out brand new and unheard music to play for the first time. that feeling of taking people into the unknown is one that reminds him of the energy and excitement of his early days as a dancer.

after a short hiatus, deeply cultured is pleased to return with 4 raw and dusty house cuts by fast rising french producer kemt. synonymously known for his raw sample based house cuts and edits, kemt joins the label family with euphoric house drenched in analogue warmth, designed for early hour closing sets, packaged as morning after ep.
the a1 presents “hey lover-, a 90s french house nostalgic track thoroughly road tested in many kemt sets in paris. keeping the raw analogy energy with “i can feel you”, a2 is a hazy euphoric club tool.
the b side opens with “next to you- the deepest track on the ep, smothered with a catchy chord progression and smooth vocals. by public demand, closing the ep is a kemt classic and melancholic track “belfast”, which combines raw precision and acid lines. kemt is one to watch!

dread recordings have remained on the forefront since they began releasing music in the early 90s. since then, both drum & bass and the imprint have moved from strength to strength, with dread staying true to the sound which remains a pinnacle of the genre’s roots. and alongside head honcho, ray keith, the british legend that played a pivotal part in the early jungle scene, their a&r skill has remained the same since their first signing. their subsequent lp ‘ray keith presents: margaman’ is a testament to this, rolling out a definitive part of the dread recording’s roster to bring this 2 track 12- sampler to the thirteen track album which once again puts their commitment to drum & bass on a podium.

2013 marks marcos valle s 70th birthday and the 50th anniversary of the brazilian native s debut long player. for the past few years, light in the attic s been obsessed with valle s early 70s work, originally recorded for the odeon label. it s where a new modern brazilian pop sound effortlessly mixed bossa nova, baio and samba with foreign influences like jazz, rock, pop, soul and funk, bringing to mind the sounds of jean claude vannier and david axelrod. tip!!

beginning in the early 90s, emmanuel top became france s first techno superstar, even if his popularity was greater in countries like germany and england than his own. he released a multitude of 12inches on the attack label la pipe a eau, krankenhaus, ecsta-deal, stress, turkish bazar, and many more many of which are compiled on the triple-disc release collection from 1995. top s next step took him to nova mute alongside heavyweights like plastikman. in addition to his solo work, top also collaborated with bruno sanchioni and bruno quartier in the mid to late 90s as the trance act b.b.e. (seven days and one week) and also as age of love (the original age of love).

a compilation of minimal wave from around the world (1980-1991), the bedroom tapes features rare, unreleased, and licensed tracks all the way from belgium to australia to japan. the bedroom tapes excitedly marks minimal wave’s 66th release and is a follow up in the series to the lost tapes, the found tapes, the hidden tapes and of course the minimal wave tapes. the twelve artists on this compilation mostly recorded their music onto 4-track tape in their bedroom studios. the sounds on this record range from german new wave to experimental electronic, to early industrial body music from the swedish countryside, to dreary melodic minimal synth. the theme is music recorded in the bedroom for listening in the bedroom. the bedroom tapes presents songs from pink elln, karen marks, disque omo, vorgruppe, iham/echo, perfect mother, arvid tuba, subject, denial, unovidual, aural indifference, and autumn all lovingly remastered. limited edition of 999 numbered copies, pressed on 180 gram vinyl, and housed in heavy printed jacket accompanied by printed inner jacket with artists photos and info. thank you to all the artists and friends for support in making this happen.

back to the hardcore, talismann returns where it once started. early rave in the land of ecstasy, where synths saw deep and kicks shatter bones.

cute heels is the project of victor lenis, a contemporary electronic artist living in berlin, germany. he grew up in bogotá, columbia during the 1990s, surrounded by the radial punk scene. over the years, victor’s passion and fascination for synthesizers and drum machines to produce and compose resulted in his debut album “spiritual” for dark entries in 2014 as well as the “third skin” ep in 2016. inspired by equal parts liaisons dangereuses, drexciya and black devil disco club, cute heels connects the dots between detroit techno, early chicago house and belgium electronic body music. “state of mind” is a 4-track ep featuring the vocal talents of berlin artist aga wilk aka romance disaster on the the title track.

(jasper wolff & maarten, mittendorf remixes) amsterdam imprint indigo aera is very excited to welcome private press to the label family. on this first ep the duo from poland mixes a strong blend of 90s sounding techno with dub and breakbeats into two original tracks. remixes comes from label owners jasper wolff & maarten mittendorff.

eric estornels lone romantic releases -anomaly-, the new ep of the veteran english-born, france-based producer carl finlow. -anomaly- is the 3rd instalment, following estornel’s maceo plex album -solar- and the return of his mariel ito alias with the -2e komst- ep, remarking the distinct sound of the label once again, while pushing a step forward at the same time. with the relaunch of mariel ito, the electro and idm alias of estornel, that was active in the early 2000s with releases on modern love or scsi-av and that will see a retrospective album from that time on r&s records, lone romantic is a new suitable platform for carl’s music. however, from the 90s until today, his vast catalog traverses through the most relevant labels out there such as warp, soma, klang, scsi-av, novamute, satamile, electrix and his own 2020 vision. -anomaly- is a four-tracker showcasing classic electro schemes with ease. a frenetic mysticism and a meditative melancholy stand behind the most innovative trajectories of funk, within a mood much divergent than the usual conservative reverence towards the genre.

nadanna proudly presents its new project, the canadian synthpop act techniques berlin! formed in 1984 by high school buddies andreas gregor and david rout, the band started experimenting with synthesizers, drum machines and guitars. in the early stages, techniques berlin was heavily influenced by uk new romantic acts like japan, spandau ballet, visage, the human league, orchestral manoeuvres in the dark, yazoo and depeche mode as well as rising canadian synthpop bands rational youth (dave became a member in 1998/99), men without hats and trans-x. it took them a few years to master their electronic toys and create a unique blend of addictive electropop melodies and beautifully crafted alternative beats.

label boss nachtbraker is finally making his solo debut on quartet series after a successful ep last year on heist recordings. widely known for exploring different sounds and angles with his productions, this record is the most club-orientated to date. intricate ghetto house with a slight french touch to straight up 4x4 with a pinch of jacking flavour would be an accurate description of this release. the use of 90s hip hop samples within this auditory concoction successfully highlights nachtbrakers excellent ear for detail and penchant for exciting, eclectic and downright weird changeovers. the main hitter taking over the full a side is the title track small towel people. an uplifting bass line accompanied by heated 909 percussion and a hypnotic thriving arp to seal the deal. on the flipside, youll find kippendijen on the b1. a heavyweight in the house category, some glimpses of early days jacking house and a little french touch on the filter. throw in a breakdown even houdini wouldnt be able to handle and youll find yourself putting this track on repeat. then when the needle hits the b2 groove, zomaar kicks off with an energetic mpc style breakbeat before morphing into a deep jam of lush chords and a thrusting 4x4 beat. the track closes after switching back to the first part of the record and ends in a sublimely deep and dubby breakbeat.

it’s been almost three years since ressort imprint label head ekserd released his first and last solo ep to date. now - in late 2017 – the young, drum-loving artist finally comes back with a new set of tracks and even a whole new label. drive 99 will have its full focus on the tempo, the drive and the looks of the late 90s and early 00s, just the way ekserd loves to play things on the clubs soundsystems.

uzuri is proud to bring back our very own giorgio luceri after realising his first space fire truth ep with us last fall.this one really pushes the envelope, and dare we say, this may well be his best work to date.

ess o ess (aka chris stoker and jamie blanco) return to not an animal to further indulge in the organic house territories previously mined for the previous releases. the duo have an uncanny nack for deftly balancing the rockier end of disco with the authenticity of early house, and never more so than on -secret place. the original bounces and struts in a pleasingly groove laden hypnotic fashion, while the dub version turns down the guitars and turns up the synthesisers for a more heads-down dance floor excursion. on remix detail kuniyuki takahashi makes his 1st appearance on the label. on the vinyl you ll find an interpretation which can be best be described as pitched-down balearic-techno, which clicks, clacks and folds upon itself, drowning in waves of reverbed drama-drums at a deceptively low tempo. kuniyuki also provides a second remix as a digital exclusive, mildly pulling back on the pomp of the vinyl version, but replacing it with a spacious pathos, complete with backwards guitars that reminiscent of an electronic within without you era beatles. angaphora make their naar debut with their own wildly stirring remix of the lead track, which evokes the golden era of 80s melodic pop music to bewildering success, laden with digitised emotion, singing ebow guitar, and not a kick drum in site.

following the success in 2017 of the koharu kisaragi/ryuichi sakamoto collaboration neo-plant, uk label lag records continues its revival of vintage electronic esoterica with kissh&#333,, tennyo, the 1984 lp by joe hisaishi, premier film composer of japan. whilst known worldwide for his elegiac scores to studio ghibli classics like princess mononoke and spirited away, it s a different kind of soundtrack behind kissh&#333,, tennyo, intended as it was to be a musical accompaniment to an 80s manga of the same name. it s also a showcase of hisaishi s lesser known talents as an electronic musician, shortly before he became composer of choice for world-renowned directors such as hayao miyazaki and takeshi kitano. on kissh&#333,, tennyo we hear hisaishi unleash synth arpeggios with all the suspense of a giallo horror. his cold minimalist ambience evokes the likes of terry riley. tracks like &#34880,,,,,,,,,&#12398,,,,,,,,,&#25239,,,,,,,,,&#20105,,,,,,,,, ( blood feud ) meanwhile lighten the mood, running at car chase speed with the bounce of early ymo. all in all, befittingly beguiling music for the cartoon tale of a modern femme fatale who has the powers of an ancient deity (the eponymous kissh&#333,,,,,,,,, tennyo or &#21513,,,,,,,,,&#31077,,,,,,,,,&#22825,,,,,,,,,&#22899,,,,,,,,, , to use the album s japanese title). in the same spirit of the manga, lag records have combined the old with the new on kissh&#333,,,,,,,,, tennyo. licensed by tokuma japan communications, the original release from classic anime label animage comes with new artwork by luna monogatari, and a remastering courtesy of jerome schmitt at the airlab. a download card and poster will be included with the gatefold. lp which comes on standard black vinyl.

the third installment from barcelona’s nitsa club record label digs into uncharted territories. if the first release was a strong and balanced mixture between ebm and minimal techno and the second one paid a heartfelt and honest homage to detroit electronic heroes, sau poler’s ‘orchestron’ decides to draw a line between emotional melodies and techno rhythms while keeping a strong peak time momentum. young producer from badalona who already released on labels like atomnation, modern obscure music and lo recordings, sau knows how to build a banger with soul without being too cheesy. with an insane pulsating baseline, some high pitched synth swirls and a crispy rhythm that resembles a krautrock drum machine, ‘orchestron’ will be played a lot during the next months.
on the b-side there’s a remix from estrato aurora. 50% of lontano, legendary electronic band during the early 00’s in valencia, jaime romero takes away the cheerful playful disco that made him famous to a psychedelic and obsessive deep techno.

frame of mind is back with a re-issue of another unknown gem from the early 90 s. uk production team dave campbell and viv beeton are most known for their uk techno, rave and bleep classics as ubik. it is under the alias of timenet they released an obscure white label in limited quantities in 1992. this untitled and one-off 3-tracker remained fairly unknown up until today. it shows quite a different side of their stunning production talents. dishwasher is a rough drum machine work out topped with a wild bleepy sh101 synthline a la mr fingers. dx moods is a spaced out techno tune combining mysterious pads and crazy dx-100 programming. with on the move the uk pioneers come closest to their ubik sound: mad uk techno with a hint of rave. a previously unreleased and stripped down version of this track is included as well.

our resident fugal returns to secondnature with his parallels ep: four versatile tracks of powerful rhythms and diverse moods. the korean-american artist from seattle picks up from the austere, dense, textural themes of his debut ep -oil panes- and expands them into colorful, adventurous territory. early support from: peter van hoesen, eric cloutier, aurora halal, acronym, luke slater, inland, dj rolando, shifted, artefakt, developer, and many more.

gu aka cvo edits brother to brother in the bottle, jack ashford hotel sheets, moroder & saunders i wanna on & on you, revealation trammps get ready soul searchn. due out in early 2018. limited pressing

on opulence s second release the label welcomes grammy nominated artist james teej with his the only constant ep. inspired by his budding years djing, james revisits his early house influences and delivers two powerful cuts of disco infused grooves laced with an overall contemporary touch. the first track the only constant is change is a highly infectious dance floor number reminiscent of classic filtered disco house, arranged with a patient and contemporary restraint. the tracks hypnotic and repetitive nature draws the listener in, and keeps the attention throughout with subtle changes that slowly grow to a tasteful and rewarding climax. on remix duties opulence has invited apollonias house music legend dan ghenacia who delivers a slick deep house rework that keeps the vibes intact of the original with the french artist s signature groovy machine touch. already road tested over the summer at dc10, dan s remix helps bring the original to a place closer to the clubs dance floor. the 3rd and final song is life goes on, a grooving disco infused classic deep house cut that features no regular plays greg paulus on trumpet. the song perfectly blends the sounds of yesterday with a modern touch and feel, and provides an uplifting soundtrack for any dance floor, especially those magic moments outdoors on the beach. once again, james continues to show his passion and diversity in his music with this expertly crafted ep that will surely be a welcomed addition to any house lover s record collection.

great early 1979 disco funk by al hudson. time for some roller skate disco parties!!!

heads up! an early 2018 gift from stephan bodzins herzblut as the enigmatic luna semara returns to the label with more of her trademark striking sagas. two tracks rippling with tension and drama, its an earnest statement of evocative intent from both the label and luna alike.

early support from jeff mills, psyk, angel molina, kr!z, amongst others. futuristic techno!

sold out - its that time of year when thoughts turn to lazy afternoons down the beach, early evenings sat watching white isle sunsets and sticky nights of loved-up debauchery. in other words, it s the perfect time to dive into the latest volume in the consistet balearic compilation series. there s naturally much to admire in the now-familiar cafe del mar/cafe mambo style, from the horizontal, flute-laden samba shuffle of the madrigals the ride to the moon and shay lovers exceedingly drowsy black & white, to the warm chords and head nodding beats of steve cobby s remix of tradewinds- by penelope antena, and tropical exuberance of maajos musa paradisa. best of all, though, is mudd s impeccable mix for emma of zee erf s blissful cover of southern freeez, which is one of the most stunning tracks you ll hear all year.

open s 5th release invites japan s sasaki hiroaki from yotsume music. sasaki s smooth blend of thoughful tech house has been presented in 2 original pieces as key ingredients for any after hours gathering expressing tripped out broken piano excursions with subtle driving drums. frazer campbell pulls his version back from the after party to the daytime with a version that raises the heartrate with bold 101 synth leads and chicago influenced percusion. finest hours pablo tarno joins the release with his signature sound of garage meets early techno providing a classy envelope of silk like power for the peak time floor.

drums of passion was the first album released by babatunde olatunji (1927-2003) in 1960. olatunji was a drummer, social activist and musician, born in ajindo, nigeria. in this album he has recaptured some of his early impressions in his drum beats and giving them new zest. the african drum rhythms are not only musical melodies and songs but also ways of communication. for instance, the first track -akiwowo- was the name of a train conductor who shouted his humorous cry against the fading rhythm of the freight train. -baba jinde- is a dance play and the title track -gin-go-lo-ba- was sampled by many contemporary artists (santana and fatboy slim amongst others) and covered in 1979 by latin jazz/percussionist candido for his disco chart smash -jingo-. drums of passion is mainly a danceable album and often cited as one of the first african albums recorded in (then called) stereophonic sound in the united states in 1960. pressing on 180 gram audiophile vinyl.

francis harris is a founding member of the scissor & thread label a brooklyn-based imprint established 2011 as an outlet for deeper, more personal sounds, as well as music from a range of associated artists including black light smoke, bob moses, frank & tony, dj aakmael, desert sound colony and aris kindt, to name a few. harris own output has gone from tightly wound tech house cuts as adultnapper in the early days, sublime deep house as frank & tony, intricate and expressive musical journeys as evident in his two solo-albums ‘leland and ‘minutes of sleep, and ambient shoegaze with two aris kindt albums, co-produced with gabe hedrick. most recently harris branched out with a new label kingdoms a home for his love of a more adventurous sound. now we are proud to present his new solo single, the first since the release of ‘minutes of sleep, ‘minor formswhich includes two remarkable remixes by valentino mora. more we cannot do is a perfect example of harris feel for depth and dynamics a track that feels submerged in a warm amniotic fluid cocooning the listener in a thick subby bassline, providing much of the groove, with skittering percussion on top and intricate fragments of melody throughout leading to a wonderful moment with live vibraphone provided by new york player will shore. minor forms, the eps title track is cut from similar cloth emerging from a subtly distant place to inhabit a melancholic, beautifully evocative space somewhere between ambient, jazz and the dancefloor. joining harris is greg paulus on trumpet, a long time friend and collaborator adding his signature touch to an already moving piece.

in the years following the world war two, japan developed one of the most insatiable, dynamic and diverse markets for jazz. for a crucial period of little over a decade - from the late 1960s to the early 1980s - japanese jazz culture progressed at an astonishing rate, producing an extraordinary array of artists, recordings and record labels that created some of the most forward thinking and impressive jazz to be committed to tape. this amazing journey is explored on ‘j jazz’.

as one third of the lisiere collectif, andu simion learned early and often how to take a dancefloor on a hypnotic, grooving journey throughout the night. now he’s standing solo on the next release on eric cloutier’s palinoia label, delivering four bubbling, seductive house grooves for any hour of the party. from the evolving -heavy glow- to the proper house banger -gen y all,- this ep is a sure win for anyone looking to get a little sideways.

answer code request’s 2014 debut lp code was an exciting moment for electronic music in berlin – one that offered a break from the eternal hall and monolithic 4/4 kicks that ruled the city’s club landscape. as a hybrid gesture, the album’s spirit recalled an especially fruitful era in the german capital from the mid-90s to early 2000s, when dub and pad- driven detroit techno cross-pollinated with berlin’s industrial aesthetic to create one of the city’s most exciting musical chapters.

intraverso is a journey in that momentary inbetween land that many of us experience sometimes. it explores the turmoil of feelings of when one gets stuck in the middle, floating in between ambition and complete stillness.
fabrizio lapiana is a well-known name on the contemporary italian techno scene. he has been involved in music since the 90’s when he started dj ing in his hometown rome. to date he has over two handfuls of releases on labels such as figure jams, arts and m_rec ltd - as well as his own imprint, the well renowned attic music, founded in 2008.
intraverso is fabrizio’s debut album, set for release on his label. the record is a very personal journey, according to the artist himself. you here find him examining different territory than where he usually heads within his productions. the album, which consists of nine songs in total, was composed between april 2016 and february 2017 in his studio in rome. written in a state of -introspect-, we here see an artist in motion. changing. evolving. the perfect moment to explore something new and unveil a different side of yourself to the world.

black truffle is honored to present the first ever reissue of whirled music by max eastley, steve beresford, paul burwell and david toop, one of the key documents of the inventive and energetic scene around the london musicians collective in the late 1970s and early 1980s. originally released on toop’s own quartz label in 1980, the lp features a remarkable series of performances made entirely with whirled and swung instruments and objects. part of the second generations of british free improvising musicians, the prolific scene centered around the performers heard here chafed at the limitations present within the music and ideology of improvising legends such as derek bailey, evan parker, tony oxley and john stevens. where the first generations of british free improvisers often demonstrated a rigorous commitment to non-idiomatic free improvisation and instrumental virtuosity, musicians like beresford reconnected with the dada antics of figures like han bennink and surrendered to joyful musical promiscuity, gleefully disrupting expectations around ‘serious’ improvised music through quotations (of anything from betthoven to reggae) and deliberate amateurism.

heads may not know it, but olmos (real name oliver graham) has been one of the busiest influencers on australia’s underground music culture this side of the 90s. through family-run operation paradise loft records, he has quietly imported thousands of dead stock disco, boogie and early house records into crates across the country affording tastemakers a slice of digging culture only a trip to nyc would previously have allowed.

12 disco-rumba-flamenco-boogie bombs, a time machine to the spanish boites and discotheques of the late 70s . the disco music, philadelphia sound and salsoul fever were also present in the rumba-pop and flamenco-funk scene of spain in the late ‘70s / early ‘80s. producers, sound engineers and studio musicians collaborated closely with flamenco / rumba singers and bands. among others, the production / studio work that genius josep llobell did for the belter label in barcelona is highlighted

on the first long player release on ken oath records, we are proud as punch to step away from the dancefloor entirely and bring you a deep journey into the alfresco inspirations of life in the australian bush. sydneys angophora (max santilli and jacob fugar) present scenes, where resting pulses and humid atmospherics frame gentle percussion, warm synth work and tasteful guitar licks that take a note from the balearic handbook but remain clear in their appreciation and respect for the sounds and colours of australian nature. music best listened with the ancient ochres of the australian outback in view. so seamlessly will the sonic palette of scenes fit your surroundings, youll begin to question whether or not these gentle surroundings are being emitted from the wax spinning on your plate or eucalypts whirring in the wind around you

young parisian producer nikit bursts onto the electronic music scene with his debut release arcanes , a mini-album consisting of 8 tracks. its atmosphere is reminiscent of early dark electro, with a dubby touch, pulsating drive and underground techno feel - a real dancefloor cracker.

vinyl with blue marble effects in translucent inner sleeve, and includes cd. molecule returns with a new odyssey both physical and musical. following the success of 60°43 nord, his concept debut played, recorded and mixed on a fishing boat during a 34-day journey in the atlantic ocean, the french producer decided this time to take the process further up north and embarked on a voyage to greenland. isolated for five weeks in the small inuit village of tiniteqilaaq, romain delahaye used his survival electrokit to find new sounds in the fjords, the icefields and the hostile yet dazzling landscapes surrounding him. entirely recorded and mixed in this remoted place, the tracks of -22.7°c range from contemplative ambient atmospheres to more upbeat techno blizzards and accurately translate this epic self-reflective adventure across a land of contrast, its abyssal silences, its immaculate glaciers and its blinding whiteness. with ten previously unheard tracks and very enthusiastic early feedbacks from medias internationally, -22.7°c is set to confirm molecules status as a one-of-a-kind producer in todays electro scene.

tel aviv based two man project tv.out has been making a name for themselves these last years putting on impressive live sets, djing around the world, and running their paralaxx imprint releasing various strains of rugged, well informed electronic music. . on their debut for l.i.e.s. we get a smoking three tracker spanning styles that would not seem out of the place being played on the west coast of den hague in the late-90s. think early legowelt meets coca disco meeting heavier techno sounds as a starting point. club gear for the gearheads.

sole and epic 12 of orlando voorn under his defence moniker. this little (discogs.com) known ep focuses on the producer trancier side with a strong early 90s electronica / dream-like flavor. released in 1994, this reissue has been remastered by former dubplates and mastering engineer frederic stader for music matters mastering and cut at former deutsche grammophon studios emil berliner. how can it be better really?

late eighties, early nineties. a back-alley studio in antwerp where new beat and detroit techno lingered. trance was still in the house. electronic body and mind music, fuelled by common sense and primitive artificial intelligence. there was a buzz about wonka. elektrons revolving around atom. humanity firmly on the mappa mundi. labels and sub labels, one-off projects and alter egos, unsung heroes and soon-to-be stars. laurent garnier pushing ludovic navarre to pass on his tapes. all-night light from koenie’s basement. sven van hees entangled in liaisons dangereuses. jan van den bergh before lounge. jan vanneste spreading the news. jan berquin and nicolas rosquin going quadratic. usa import was ready to export its own music. antwerp bio techno. homegrown and uncut. these tracks are evergreens from that place and time.

to kick-start 2018, happy skull serve up a rare ep from italy s d arcangelo brothers. the sibling duo have been active since the early 1990s, when they played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of roman techno alongside contemporaries lory d, leo anibaldi and their automatic sound unlimited production partner, max durante. in the two decades that have passed since, fabrizio and marco have consistently delivered off-kilter, futurist electronic masterpieces for the likes of nature, analogical force and, most famously, rephlex. the four tracks contained on this happy skull outing are not re-discovered archive cuts, but rather fresh slabs of mind-altering musical intoxication. the alternating bliss and acid-fired psychedelia of -saba tree-and the creeping late night paranoia of -pull seven- set the tone. the effervescent fun continues on the flip, where saucer-eyed chords and idm electronics combine on the rush-inducing -13th cider-. to finish things off fabrizio and marco treat us to -korty-, a mesmerizing, deep space slow jam full of backwards electronics and rumbling flashes of sub-bass.

i cant love you anymore is the first single by hard working soul performer carlton jumel smith recorded with cold diamond & mink, and the man has revealed his middle name just for the occasion. otherwise known simply as carlton j. smith, theres no doubt he has swallowed a large pill of soul since seeing james brown live at the apollo theatre as an 8-year old. smiths timmion debut single sinks him into drum heavy southern flavored deep soul, a style that comes out of him naturally as water from a mountain spring. backing him up on the falsetto parts is pratt, who recently turned some heads with his pratt & moody release lost lost lost on stylart records, and together the two basically nail it. when looking for artists, who just seem to move through time effortlessly with a steady air of confidence, passion and precision, one might pick up the phone and give cjs a call. even though his discography of couple of late 2000s albums and some guest spots in early 90s soulful house 12inches is a bit mysterious, there seems to be not one bit of difficulty to his craft or personality. as a recording artist, i cant love you anymore is a new opening into raw soul territory, and it is just what the world needs today. he laid down an album worth of tracks on his last helsinki visit, and this might be something to look forward to.

phantasm is a new vinyl label and collaboration between amsterdam s sinchi collective and the much-admired night noise outlet, based in geneva. it kicks off with a strong ep from the soviet union aka richard baldwin, including classy remixes from sinchi themselves and in flagranti. baldwin has a signature style that is cinematic and synth heavy and has been formed over the last decade plus. a fine dj, experienced promoter and self-confessed addict of vintage analogue synthesizers and drum machines, richard pulls his influences from early electronica, 80s film-scores, and shades of techno right up to the present day. this track was first written on a cold evening in december 2010 using a roland tr707 and jx8p synth. after collaborating with his songwriting partner the track was given a haunting vocal and released as the disappearance of becky sharp , while the original remained on baldwin s soundcloud and got id requests from all over the world. 7 years later it comes back to life in the form of its original instrumental, with a 2017 rework, plus remixes by sinchi and in flagranti.

shep pettibone - a name that commands the greatest of respect from djs, diggers, dancers and music lovers across the galaxy. a name that has been emblazoned across so many club classics that the accompanying discography is simply dizzying. the underground disco of groups like aurra, first choice and candido and early 80s experimental dubbed out club cuts of cult outfits like nv, alisha and carol williams and even the heady pop chart successes of bands like level 42, the pet shop boys, jermaine jackson and many more, have all benefitted from pettibones prowess behind the mixing boards. a true musical legend and the man who literally crafted the sounds and styles of almost 2 decades of club music back to back, shep pettibones pedigree can never be called in to question.

bld is back on his own imprint offering for rave use only, a 4-tracker ep full of early 90 s acid techno reminiscences. showing once more his versatility, these eclectic club-oriented bangers are ready to wake up any warehouse!

the mysterious crew behind the equally elusive hot jam witness (witness01) return from overseas & deliver another batch of limited cargo in the form of two addictive disco-house looped tracks fo yo danceflows. early support from midland, the black madonna, seth troxler, terry farley & luke solomon.

a great four tracker of old school 90’s sounding deep house from french producer frederic boeuf aka concept e25. his passion for electronic music was ignited in the early 90’s when he discovered labels such as f communications and fnac. since then he has continually been developing his sound and exploring new and diverse ways of making music. frederic boeuf aka concept e25 has released most of his music on the classic label skylax. this his first release on swedish brandy productions. don’t sleep on this one. play it and get rewarded!