elegant universe a full-length album by matthew hayes and joel trigg is a must listen for fans of the celestial jazz sound of ecm. their soft, seductive duets are incredibly inviting, in a way that seems to encompass and enliven the space around you. unsurprisingly, itd be sure to add warmth to cold winter commutes, and dull the edge of even the fiercest hangovers. the wintry downtime is a tour de force of the duos sense of restraint and the importance placed on individual sounds that swell together and drift apart with organic ease. on light through edinburgh leaves, the sounds themselves seem so three-dimensional, ringing out like ripples on a lake. its hard not to be captivated by such beautifully formed music.

this single is very special for visions recordings as we see a fresh collaboration between alex attias and luman child, two swiss artists reunited for the first time.alex proposed luman child a collaboration after listening to his music. then they met and talked about music , visions, influences, method of work and decided straight away to work together without knowing each other well and pushing them outside their comfort zone. they are both very happy with the resultjalex attias has been in the music for many years producing, remixing many great artists and djing all over the world. at the moment alex is about to release a compilation on bbe records ( lillygood party !) , plus a couple of remixes are on the way and he s also preparing other singles for his label visions .luman child produced in 2017 a killer first album with german label solid ground still available on a neo soul hip hop tip. he reached number 11 in the uk soul charts. as a musician and bass player luman child had a few collaborations with ferry ultra, gogo music and marc mac 4 hero.the project they present here is very organic soulful and musical. this single hold two killer tunes for the listener and the dancers.the a side is a 125 bpm disco jazz funk killer jam with live bass, fender rhodes and vintage keyboards sounds driven by a very funky drum beat and live basseline aimed to the dancefloor and good time party people keeping a smile on your face. its simply groovy and goes on and on for 10 minutes of pure disco pleasure.the b side is a funky number boogie jazz funk inspired by mr ayers vibes and sounds . the rhythm is groovy at 120 bpm and the moog bassline is round and fat. accompanied both track by fender rhodes and dope keyboards sounds, this one will definitely find place in dj boxes for those who play and love soulful music with an open mind. groovy , warm and soulful at his best.

a love story. 3 tracks made over a period of 3 years finally coming together for release. for the third instalment oloo db takes the hypnotic sounds away from the darkness of the previous records and into a more textured and melodic arena. one for long summer days, and warm floaty nights.

rezonal proudly presents its second release, delivered by the mysterious eastern renaissance. this 5-track ep combines deep grooves and relentless rhythms to push the listening experience past the regular, club oriented sound. five thematic tracks melt together as one consistent work. eastern renaissance presents his credo, which is disturbing, crude, dark and tense, but has beauty hidden deep within.

into the light is launching a parallel and limited series with contemporary material from both greek and international artists. first stop is the album postclub prism by the german producer cass. offering ten gorgeous ambient pieces about light and romance. since 2012, niklas rehme-schlüter aka cass. has released albums of varying styles, from the rather organic and loop based ambient pieces on loops & farewell sketches and the red atlantic ep on throne of blood in 2017, influenced by 80s pop sonics, to the more balearic and percussive recordings on the sound of glades together with wolf müller in 2016. on his new record postclub prism cass. explores his affinity to calm and atmospheric ambient music at the threshold to the reverberant sound of club music.

the fourth release on anna walls label marks sunrom s debut. i am not inspired with the daylight he says. i prefer the night to the day. everything is peaceful and people are asleep. it gives me a feeling to be alone, especially when its really late. it is perhaps the peaceful surroundings of saint-german-en-laye in france, where romain nouhi aka sunrom resides that has encouraged his creative wandering. the city is a quiet place not far from paris, with a beautiful chateau and forest surroundings. the ep kicks off with spirale delightfully uplifting and playful, weaving colourful melodies intricately together. pray takes a more pensive and wistful turn. on the flip copenhagens paxton fettel has remixed superfly full of feel-good piano riffs. the final cut is dj normal 4s version of u doing, a dreamy breaks number that wouldnt sound out of place in the golden era of uk rave. i have a passion for stars and the cosmos, discovering new sounds is like discovering new stars- sunrom.

a year after his debut outing on the label, max essa makes a welcome return to hell yeah with the han zon roc ep, which is another of his impossibly laidback offerings. essa is of course the long time uk talent who has become a part of the balearic mafia thanks to releases on labels like aficionado, music for dreams, and his own jansen jardin. this is the second coming together of artist and label and is another timeless excursion far out to sea. opener han zon roc (midori coup) is an epic 12inch minute adventure that slowly awakens your spirit with new age guitar plucks and heavenly ambience before organic drums slowly being to drift into earshot. they grow ever larger as synths start to spray about the mix, hand drums pitter patter and big chords bring the soul-shine. its like the soundtrack to an afternoon boat party all condensed into one brilliant cut. how you showed me everything then gets super chill with lazy drum tumbles, bendy guitar lines and scattered hits. withering cosmic chords colour the airwaves and its a track that will slow your heartbeat to nothing. last of all, rain birds alfalfa jam is a analogue drum work out with early 90s hip hop influences and diving basslines. it s light and airy, nimble and playful and of course filled with the sort of tropical rays that make all of essa works so brilliantly escapist.

limited to 750 copies 2xlp, where 2 original concept lp s with original artwork are fit together, like it should, and housed in one beautifiul gatefold sleeve showing the original front and back sides: 2 x 140g vinyl, gatefold sleeve, liner notes (french & english), sticker.
bernard parmegiani’s never-released before soundtracks for two films by pierre kast, including the ultra cult les soleils de l’Îles de pâques and award-winning short la brûlure de mille soleils (edited by chris marker). for fans of musique concrète, movie soundtracks, experimental, early electronic, electroacoustic, library music, science fiction, pierre schaeffer, pierre henry, bruno spoerri, luc ferrari, françois bayle, robert cohen-solal, chris marker, pierre kast, weird things, the twilight zone, explorations of the galaxy and of unexplored territories of the human mind.

it was nearly a year ago when these two graced with their hugely successful track ‘hope’ on our ‘watergate xv’ various artist compilation. matthias meyer and ryan davis come together again to deliver the stunning ‘love letters from sicily’ where infectious organic grooves pave the way for a flourishing well of emotions in the form of lush pads and shimmering sonics that unfold into a tale of epic cinematic proportions. from start to finish it’s a intimate piece of aural imagery, yet the duo always keep a keen percussive focus making it ideal for any dancefloor moment. to complement ‘love letters from sicily’, we’ve enlisted the one and only john digweed to rework meyer and davis’ original of ‘hope’, and with no surprise, he’s given it the master’s touch. staying true to the original, while at the same time reinventing the storyline and constructing tension by saving the powerful harmonies for a later climax, he’s crafted a revision that’s both driving and timeless.

after two years unearth noise returns with a second dosage on lfi. and the light beams will guide the way arrives as a double lp with one disc from unearth noise and the other from his collaboration with vocalist myrh, together they are dreamspeak. unearth noises solo works delve into familiar territory. at times reminiscent of his debut on the label -prayer and resonance his signature, dense and mesmerizing sound world develops on this second outing, harnessing a frenetic energy that dissolves like devil dust. dreamspeak create a transcendental experience that beguiles listeners one that is equally as haunting as it is enchanting

as well as manning his own label duro, theus mago can be found slinging out heat on turbo, kill the dj and more recently ombra. the mexican producer returns to home turf for his latest transmission, serving up one original track with two killer remixes. -inertials- is a rowdy beast in its original form, tapping up a breakbeat roll, dirty wave synth stabs and plenty more sonic debris for a cut that spans a whole lot of styles and makes them gel together seamlessly. inigo vontier takes the original and makes it into a bone-rattling drum track to batter the crowd into submission very late on in the dance. jamie paton takes a different approach on the b-side, weaving a little tenderness into the mix with some elegant synth lines that offset the raw bite of the drums beautifully.

joe herrick - dream reading: extrapolation records are proud to present the first record by joe herrick, dream reading. comprising of 14 tracks from a vast archive of his material we’ve been listening to for the last 5 years, the album moves from ambient soundscapes to off kilter hip hop and house, all held together by herricks individual use of looping and samples. euphoric, psychedelic, paranoid, rugged, claustrophobic all at once, the dream scenarios throughout include a variety of daily work events, journeys to different locations, family matters, sex acts, and encounters with other human individuals, animals, and deities.

bristol’s finest reggae producer meets doncaster’s number one dancehall mc as mr benn & parly b join forces for an ep chock full of vibes. first up -gwarn go bathe- is a cautionary tale of lacking personal hygene in the dance underpinned by a bubbling dancehall riddim. -heat up- is much of the same as things get hotter, whilst -session cork- slows things down a little with some more laid back vibes. despite working on various remixes together, this is the first time mr benn and parly b have worked in a combination - hopefully the first of many more to come!

the third and final instalment in frits two bar house music & chord stuff sees him continue to showcase his distinct style of lo-fi, wonky house - both quirky & unconventional, yet instantly endearing in the same breath. served up first in frits melting pot, theme 09 kicks things off with a shuffling, ukg esque rhythm and rnb flexed vocal snippets, alongside floaty arps and that chord stuff that swells and stabs in the mix. throw in a weighty bass and frits trademark analogue wonkiness and you ve got a prime example of a wentink wobbler. next up, theme 10 hits you with an organ melody reminiscent of a warped crystal waters, before twisting and turning into an edgy off-kilter house track. a glitchy synth line, bouncing bass and dreamy pads will hook you till the end. flip it and theme 11 offers up a chuggier affair where glistening arps are interspersed with squelchy and sustained synths. elements and effects are combined throughout, mesmerising you with a glimpse into the wonky world of the frits. closing it out wentink leaves you with a quirky club stomper, coupling a gritty bassline, saturated loops and off kilter, lo-fi stabs all tied together with a driving kick. across this 3-part series frits has left the fancy titles at the door, letting the music do the talking and demonstrating his penchant for making interesting, engaging and distinctive house music, not your average two bar house music and chord stuff.

it was 2010 when massimiliano pagliara and discodromo got together and started working on costellazione k78. it s finally time to reveal this piece of italo-cosmic beauty landing on cocktail d amore music. the spaceship starts off and a vocoder announces the destination. in the middle of the track there is an interference. is that a hole? oh right they are out of it! going higher, higher, higher through space-time. b side is taken by a dub version where drums play the main role. everything is condensing together, it feels like connection is lost, but the bass line comes in and takes control. destination reached, time to celebrate. thank you guys for the efxapella, we ll all do good use of it. greetings from planet earth!

mang dynasty are the collective force of bill brewster and ray mang. both should need no introduction! together they combine to form the mighty mang dynasty, and deliver crash the box a riot of afrobeat, house and disco stylings, laced expertly with horn stabs and vocal chops, guaranteed to light up any club or festival stage. on the remixes are two exciting up and coming producers currently making waves: lord leopard offers a chunky, abstract bumping house version that s good for the floor. tee mango takes a loopy disco excursion, with squelchy synth stabs and party starting vocal.

akoism is back and we bringing the drumz on this one! we bring together 5 talented producers on one stunning ep.

exos joins forces with gotshell a.k.a alessan main, the great ambassador of the colombia electronic music scene for the fifth release on x/oz. the pair met in colombia made the decision to make music together. over the next weeks they travelled together in colombia getting inspiration from the colombian spirits. the pair also teamed up with maayan nidam for a true jungle remix to go along with four original tracks with sounds that originate and fluctuate with the deep spiritual entities of colombia.

jack roland pulls apart the control mechanisms of the club environment and the way this living and breathing installation can be a tool of elevation or suppression. using club sounds as instruments for this idea, control / applications is a split release born out of amsterdam s warehouse scene, fusing together electro matrix rhythms, idm, with warped hums and breaks used by dancers and performers heading up the rave. with a track on our future works iii comp last year, this is his debut record on the label: a release challenging superstructures buried among the sweat particles of the floor.

limited collector’s re-issue of the 1972 album from curtis mayfield and the impressions. pressing on 180 gram vinyl.

pleasure planet is the latest musical venture of kim ann foxman alongside andrew potter and brian hersey, and enables the trio to express and explore their unique and eclectic musical tastes. their first release will drop on the brand-new firehouse imprint, self:timer. “pleasure planet is an extraterrestrial doomsday cult. they do whatever they want and their music is their message to planet earth. self:timer is their messenger. the rest doesn’t matter.” — pleasure planet pleasure planet has been a little while in the making. having worked together for five years sharing studios and late night synth experiments, their relationship naturally progressed into the band they present today. pleasure planet embody the psychedelic, weird, and wonderful. self:timer was created as an outlet for their band and they welcome other artists to share their own visions of utopia.

autre fell asleep in a gondola and awoke in the krankenhaus. this is his first offering for the esp institute. side as everybody in the past is sharp techno aimed for the alleys of your mind gritty, driving, and melodic combinations of blown-out drums and classic electro riffs that relentlessly sprint for a good 4 minutes before a squelching arpeggio and angelic solo kick in tugging the heartstrings and lighting a beacon for those noble morning dancers lost at the front left speaker, channeling from the deep. on side b, frigo completely dismantles any expectations you might have after listening to its predecessor. an undoubtedly seductive samba rhythm comprised of distant snares, rim shots and cowbells holds together an aggressively active bassline, a steel drum harmony and synth solo that crawl all over like a funky worm. this track is truly something special, a gift for the prodigious selector when dropped in the deserved context, it has the potential to unlock unprecedented levels of euphoria. these two songs are as fluid as a paintbrush yet precise as a scalpel.

despite a history that dates back to 1990, billy daniel bunter and liquid team up for their debut vinyl release together. the 4-track mitsu ep features four banging slabs of rave beats, from the rapid early 90s, dalston-era breaks of mitsu bishi to the hard euro driving bass of novor.

building on the already incredible collection of music so far released on francis harris’ kingdoms imprint, emil abramyan returns with the stunning ‘movement’ album. abramyan is a brooklyn based composer, musician, and producer, whose work traverses various styles and disciplines. in this release emil shares his unique perspective by bringing together his conservatory training as a cellist and his love of electronic music and sound design. the vinyl release includes a download code.

it doesn t get much bigger than this: adam beyer links up with green velvet and drumcode s outstanding rising star layton giordani for a debut collaboration. some musical partnerships feel fated. both fans of one another s work, for years adam beyer and green velvet had discussed writing music together. in turn, beyer s protégé layton giordani had admired the chicagoan s work for as long as he could remember. when the 25-year-old found himself playing alongside the green mohawked legend at belfast s shine, the spark and subsequent friendship was immediate. with the links now set in place, it was only a matter of time before the trio s creative chemistry would manifest musically. ‘space date was conceived organically and birthed quickly. propelled by green velvet s trademark vocal hypnotism, the triumvirate combine to craft a pumping intergalactic slice of techno laced in melody that s highlighted sets by beyer at awakenings, ushuaia and also edc vegas when green velvet dropped it to a raucous response. the track is complimented by rome future , the product of a year-long series of productions between beyer and giordani. deftly combining crisp drum work, catchy vocal effects and a powerful bassline melody that gives the track an almighty kick, it will be familiar to many who ve followed their sets over recent months.

metalurgic funk vol. 2 takes a short leap from vol. 1, with all 4 cuts based around solid tonks of straight forward techno. cutting 909-hat s, tunnel-visioning and simple but detailed slings of futuristic synths thread the whole record together. pretention is left aside for upfrontness and most advanced interpretation of these looped bangers are left to happen in the listeners head while segueing into the core of techno.

nx1 is the duo consisting of surit and samot, artists both based out of barcelona. formed at the end of 2011, they have devoted themselves to a trademark sonic imprint that moves between heavy memories of classic techno to more mental and psychedelic spaces in contemporary sound design. known globally throughout the club circuit, their live and dj sets meld together disparate styles into a rhythmic and raw, yet emotional performance. nx1 contain futuristic aspects propelling themselves forward, while also taking into consideration and expressing modern challenges. the 3 tracks from their debut ep on bite exemplify this drive.

2018 repress .. emotional rescue and woo once again come together, this time to reissue their masterpiece, the previously cassette-only album into the heart of love. a joyous, uplifting ode to love in all its forms, the trials and tribulations and ultimately the triumphs are all encapsulted in woo s unique soundscapes. of all the myriad of released and unreleased woo recordings, into the heart of love is without a doubt their most complete and cohesive body of work. full of woos quirky analogue dub electronics, there is also a very english sense of folk. with more vocals then their other albums, the structure and softness of mood quintessentially comes from the mother isle.

i am really proud to present this 3-tracker by victor ruiz on noir music. i think he is one of the best and most flawless techno producers right now and together we have carefully picked three tracks which perfectly showcases his production skills. i often write how i’ve worked with the artists on my labels to make their tracks reach their best potential. with victor i feel everything has been served to me on a silver platter as his productions are already perfectly crafted. although victor changed details right up until last minute, some of thesetracks also dates back 2 years, so he has had plenty of time to make everything sit and sound right. after a nine month break from releasing originals i feel truely honored that victor has chosen noir music as the label for this venture. both victor and i feel these three tracks compliment each other and at the same time showcase his skills to make great, diverse music. check the entire release. the music will speak for itself.

space-electronic beats from saint petersburg. please welcome lyosha nocow. dope! cryovac recordings is proud to release its 20th edition on random colored vinyl. cryovac is a gathering of minds that work together to create a physical record of their sound in this time. we go our own way in production and arrangement for our personal vision to endure. our goal is to add a new layer to the detroit soundscape. d.j. roach is a techno activist with a rhythm agenda of percussive techno. his banging and clanging romps rock through breakdowns and back again. conga and claps work together to form a shaky funk. what is needed for a healthy dancefloor. a.garcia s subtle drone rides waves of synth in an offering of minimal ease. his moody atmosphere turns tone in soulful harmony, while simple drumming builds to a nonchalant bop. the rise and fall of the elements allow you to examine the track on all sides. garcia smoothes out an early morning gem that is taylormade for a smoke.

mirror box is the solo analog synth project of dallas musician sean kirkpatrick. with an extensive resume that includes keyboard duties for kill rock stars 00s noise rock band the paper chase as well as his concurrent projects, dark post-punk-synth-rockers nervous curtains and darkwave duo little beards, mirror box is kirkpatricks first foray into the purely electronic realm. blending together elements of giallo moodiness, dub texture, techno propulsion, a passing nod to your favorite wave music, and a flare for the kosmiche, mirror box debut release, minimal compliance ep, is a tour de force of the veteran musicians exploration of a wide range of influences and experience. released by dallas-based gavin guthrie (tx connect)’s tru (texas recordings underground), the 5-track ep kicks off with the immediately-gripping title track. a huge mid-tempo 808 beat drives the menacing moog bass while cosmic synths explore the skies over gritty, urban terrain. the body, grounded by its stuttering and singular bass line, is an expansive reworking of a track from little beards debut album which features nan kirkpatrick on the release’s only vocal appearance. side a closes with destabilized agent, a retro-futurist dream that effortlessly voyages from sagans cosmos to a melodic minimal wave refrain. while the first sides lush synthesizers and sophisticated syncopation are somewhat of a departure for tru, a label that has so far defined itself by bringing the electronic sounds of texas underground warehouse scene to dance floors across the sea, the flip side of the record is where the four hits the floor. grifter react opens with a hard kick and electro zaps, letting the rhythm take the lead until a distorted bass finally enters to provide the hook. minimal compliance ep finale, critical blitz, weaves together all of mirror box finer elements into a concise mission statement

iceland’s volruptus returns to bjarkis bbbbbb with five esoteric cuts titled alien agenda. releasing on bbbbbb at the end of last year, volruptus has emerged swiftly on the european party scene, with the icelandic artist popping up on line-ups all over the continent. following releases by norways eod and fellow icelandic talent, lord pusswhip, alien agenda is bbbbbbs third record of the year continuing bjarkis progressive tastes for innovative electronic scandinavian artists. first up, svi,nasti,a 3000 deploys a synthetic, fast-pitched techno revolver fused with space- induced, twisted modulations. a scratch tool titled itchy and scratchy show follows before launching into su,rmatur a celestial 303 synth line layered over scattered electro drums, together providing a magical transcendental experience. alien agenda is suitably an eccentric, idm tinged number – with shades of acid and powerful bass shrills becoming the focus here. last up, misanthropgy (dark stoff) provides an energetic rolling percussive loop, intensifying naturally through cryptic, high-pitched melodies.

there may be many northern soul compilations on the market, but there are few as glorious as this. few other collections have such unfettered access to such outstanding catalogues that of tamla motown and chess. these 25 floor fillers are guaranteed to ignite any party and have been tried and tested in clubs the length and breadth of the country from the 60s onwards. compiled lovingly together on vinyl, these tunes - with artists such as the elgins, frank wilson, gloria jones and frankie valli and the four seasons - are timeless examples of this most precious music. the double vinyl release includes a download code.

next up on duskys renowned 17 steps label is the return of long term pal kiwi. having supported the lads on 9 of the 17 steps tour dates and having also provided the 15th release in the label catalogue - the fellow londoner now readies his oooh ep which comes backed up with a remix from feel my bicep affiliate hammer. kiwis sound is one defined by positive, kinetic feeling joining the dots between detroit techno, soul and balearic. with previous releases on futureboogie, life and death and moscomans lauded disco halal imprint, hes garnered several accolades including reaching number #85 in mixmag s top 100 tunes of 2017 and sitting at #1 in the genre chart for a total of 9 weeks with his orca ep back in 2016. now continuing on his ascent, kiwi lays out a pair of rapturous, gooey house jams that lands right on time for the festival season. on oooh vocal lines swirl over a largely beatless backing track. a rich, balmy feeling unfolds behind synth chimes and layered delays which work together to form an irresistible summer dj tool. andromeda then follows up and blends 80’s soundtrack-tinged stabs with crispy drums and thick sub bass before being accompanied by a pulsating synth line that carries the track to a delectable crescendo. hammer then closes things up with a somewhat hallucinogenic take on oooh with lfos, analogue sweeps and blobs of acid bleeding together to cap off an altogether warm and woozy trip.

simply put, don’t leave me this way gathers together some of the greatest dance records you’ll hear in one place. from the perennial traditional floor fillers such as gloria gaynor’s ‘i will survive’ and rose royce’s ‘car wash’, to classics that paved the way for disco (manu dibango’s ‘soul makossa’ and ‘love’s theme’ by barry white’s love unlimited orchestra), and groove extravaganzas such as hamilton bohannon’s ‘let’s start the dance’ and ohio players’ ‘fire’ - these are 20 tracks of sheer joy. compiled by daryl easlea, the author of acclaimed book everybody dance: chic and the politics of disco, don’t leave me the way is an instant party on two lps. comes with download code.

following their first dive into the archives of earguard studio which led to bm02, basic moves have tapped the source again and selected two raw,previously unreleased productions from 1996. for dj deg,this was a transitional period: a moment to look back on the genesis of circadian rhythms and a time to look forward to both personal and artistic evolution. on the a-side of bm06 lies a track where house and techno come together to shape a mysterious, hypnotic atmosphere. “sinh session” is coloured with the warmth and passion that deg absorbed from his musical influences of the time and it reflects an era of great emotional importance: for him,each track holds a story.

two unissued bud ross produced quality soul tunes from philadelphia, classic 70s crossover mover in exclusive alternative take, same singer as on brothers guiding light ‘getting together’ recorded at the same period b/w never before heard heart wrenching oh-so-soulful midpacer from the same top producer!

since so many european labels have been reissuing lost and obscure 1980s japanese ambient albums of late, it was probably inevitable that at least one label would put together a compilation paying tribute to the sound. it turns out that jazzy couscous has won the race with kumo no moko, a superb double album that does a terrific job in putting japan s 80s ambient scene in context. as you d expect, the majority of the tracks feature either dreamy electronic sounds or a mixture of acoustic and electronic instrumentation, with nods to jazz coming thick and fast. there are naturally a couple of fairly well-known names on show, but for the most part the compilers have done a terrific job in highlight lesser-known tracks from unsung heroes.

two big tunes from the vault that go really well together. the a-side is taken from rubik records 023 and the b-side comes from fokuz 077. you can’t go wrong with these two calibre remixes, that’s for sure.

ltd edition, full cover artwork, dj sneak together with the mighty tripmastaz... a raw dirty acid monster... no doubt floorfriendly as well

the heavy pulse of sound systems synchronizes with the precision of musique concrète and the reconstructed memory of a masked folk dance of the swiss mountains. techno, drum n bass and dub are echoed within this sonic processional, where samples are pulled apart and recycled, cut at the beginning and end, then linked together.
tresque takes his name from an open-chain circle dance from medieval southern europe. under the musical moniker d’incise he has played on numerous solo and collaborative projects with cyril bondi, designing quiet, intensive listening experiences with various combinations of software, recordings from vinyl or in the field, modified objects, percussion and harmonium. as tresque the delicate minimalism he’s known for takes shape within driving grooves. airy, spacious, amplified noise from his collection of samples is sliced and tethered to weightier, physical beats. a tension forms between uplift and downfall, hypnotically oscillating between structural textures and collective dance.

monsieur-du-jour, chevals, graces us with his presence for an ep of exquisitely produced edits. la bouteille opens things up with a rhythmic workout combined with filtered melodies that erupt into a summery piano driven jam. under your command then comes in with the classic golden era disco feel, tied together with a shuffling beat. flip it over and fairy tales takes you into 80s boogie territory with those squelchy synths & irresistible vocals. closing out the ep chevals brings out the peak time, slap bass, disco stomper in croisades, complete with sultry sax licks, sure to do damage to any dancefloor its set before.

anyone who has followed the dj sets of adam beyer or dutch ally bart skils, would be familiar with the stirring vocal and thundering impact of your mind . while the track begun as a tool, the reactions when tested out were so momentous they decided to turn it into a full track. together they teamed up to add more percussion, snares and a rolling acid line to complete its transformation. the result? one of 2018 s most powerful techno weapons highlighting time warp, awakenings and ultra music festival, to name just a few.

that summer i developed somewhat of an obsession with tonto’s expanding head band after having seen them perform at the big chill festival that year. the music blew my mind. later upon my return to civilisation and the ensuing research which then began in earnest i became as much blown away by the enormous t.o.n.t.o. (the original new timbral orchestra) modular synthesizer that had created the music as i was by the music itself. built in the early 70s, it s still the largest synthesizer around today. with the live show still resonating in my head i tracked down everything tonto had ever recorded. one of these tracks was an obscure outtake from the time t.o.n.t.o.’s creators, malcolm cecil and robert margouleff, were producing and engineering for stevie wonder in the ‘70s(https://youtu.be/wuaszff7yq0). the track, bittersweet, only ever appeared on a highly limited self-released cd put together to coincide with their appearance at the big chill. consequently i featured it on a few mixes i did over the years and invariably i’d be asked “what’s that track?” by those with an ear for something unique. and invariably these same people, many of them djs, would turn away disgruntled when i informed them it was cd only. although i didn t know it at the time, the seed was definitely sown for this vinyl compilation that you now hold in your hands.

this summer, my favorite robot records release another of their excellent and immersive full lengths, this time from german production outfit, rework. the trio of daniel varga, michael kuebler and sascha hedgehog aka rework, describe their musical aesthetic as cabaret-independent-house and combine icy minimal structures with catchy euro-girl vocals, anglo-french funk antics and a dash of dance floor melancholy. playhouse, meant and items & things have all released their work, which includes three albums before now. this latest is another musical adventure filled with surprises. this is an effortlessly diverse album that brings a wide range of influences to the table and ties them all together with reworks unique sense of style and cool

firmly imprinting their legacy, amoss & fre4knc present watermark volume 1, the first in a series of devastating collaborative releases. on their own superb, but when producing together, amoss & fre4knc are another beast altogether, an entity capable of untold chaos, with a proven track record. a naturally formed pairing of two minds intricately in sync, the watermark series represents an outlet for the amoss & fre4knc sound.

berlin-based american kevin mchugh aka ambivalent is definitely no stranger to the scene. with r u ok on richie hawtins minus label he landed one of clublands absolute hits of 2007 which can still be found lurking in discerning dj’s record cases today. since 2015 he has been providing high quality tracks on his delft label, and he celebrated his cocoon debut two years ago with the daylights ep. together with dutch clone-producer martijn hoogendijk aka alden tyrell, ambivalent has cooked up another serving of straightforward techno complete with rigorous hi-hats, which will no doubt summon up the uncompromising energy of his berghain sets wherever its played. with its powerful incantation of sequential rave signals, wallfall recalls the best days of jeff mills in the form of ultra-modern detroit-oriented premium techno, while detente lays disconcerting industrial distortion over expansive dubtechno for maximum acceleration. the perfect fix for hot nights of celebration.

dynamic dj and producer kölsch is set to release hal, his brand-new collaborative effort with canadian techno heavyweight tiga, on new label ipso. well known for his genre-defining cuts, danish producer kölsch has sold millions of records all over the world under his many different monikers, including seminal lp ‘1977’ and his widely acclaimed albums ‘1983’ & ‘1983’ & ‘1989’, with the latter including kölschs biggest track ‘grey’. a purveyor of deep and minimalist techno, tiga released his 3-track ‘stay cool’ ep earlier this year, with the game changing producer receiving a wealth of support from bbc radio 1 tastemaker pete tong on his last album, the 11-track ‘no fantasy required’ on counter records. made up of thunderous a-side ‘hal’ and a double b-side - containing the cosmic chord patterns of ‘first blood’ and the sinister build of grumbling ‘still so high’ - kölsch and tiga will also perform together b2b at offsonar this summer, with kölsch also scheduled to play a primetime headline set at belgian mega-festival, tomorrowland. “about a year ago i launched my label ipso”, said kölsch. “this summer ipso 002 is coming up, and it s a collab with none other than tiga. we spent a couple of great days in my copenhagen studio, and came up with 3 tracks i m really proud of. since the first release, i also started my ipso night in the legendary gewölbe club in cologne. i’ve had amazing nights there over the last 2 years and now it s time to expand.” having started his ipso residency in cologne, playing a mammoth 9 hour sets, kölsch has since expanded the brand to miami and watergate berlin, with further destinations in the pipeline. labelled as ‘the king of house” by annie mac, who added that kölsch, the ipso boss has garnered a reputation as one of dance music’s most talented producers, playing several ibiza dates over the summer, including ants, hi&#776,,,,,, ibiza’s ‘in the dark’ and circoloco. follow kompakt