multi instrumentalist and deep house master lars bartkuhn returns to utopia records following his nomad ep in april with a 10 minute masterpiece, an ode to the massai . an epic journey of such depth and positive spirit it perhaps deserves to render a genre all to itself. with its musicality, complex arrangement and phrasing massai is a timeless and personal statement from bartkuhn as he seeks the essence in what dance music can and possibly should be. as a young child growing up in frankfurt, bartkuhn penned his first pieces of music with a synthesizer and sequencer, bought for him by his parents upon realising their son s obsession with music. mastering the guitar as a teenager bartkuhn fell deeply in love with the music of pat metheny, keith jarrett and john coltrane and styles such as soul, funk, brasilian sounds, minimal, dance, and others which is heard in his music today. by the mid 90 s bartkuhn began to explore the deep and soulful side of house music and formed lamaya productions and the now legendary record label needs (not wants) together with his older brother marek bartkuhn and dj yannick. needs rapidly became a synonym for soulful, high quality music and while labeled a house music imprint it was lars input that lead the trio to explore alternative, and at the time unorthodox, musical influences that allowed for original textures and arrangements to be included in their productions. countless remix commissions followed and their sound travelled worldwide with works for francois kevorkian, jazztronik, ennio morricone, atjazz to name a few. to date bartkuhn has produced five solo albums all of which demonstrate a never ending creative flow of ideas and artistic diversity, complexity and passion. after some years away from the dance music scene, residing in brasil, lars decided to continue this journey on volcov s neroli records, followed by a 12- for alex bradley s phonica affiliated utopia records. the latter release, nomad has found its way into the sets of the likes of jeremy underground paris, hunee, antal, ron trent, rainer truby, bicep and mcde to name just a few. it s at this point that bartkuhn gives us massai...his self proclaimed finest work

unique soul jazz records’ record store day seven-inch box set comprising five separate singles featuring ten killer rare collectors tracks from studio one records, featuring ska, roots, rocksteady, dub.
seminal, rare and classic tunes! these singles have only ever ever been available exclusively direct from soul jazz records’ soho shop in london and are available worldwide only for this collectors box set rsd special release.
this unique box-set edition is only available as a one-off pressing especially for record store day 2017.

bror records presents its third instalment with a split 12-inch record with two original tracks. delivered from the west coast of sweden, city of gothenburg.
arkajo (genius of time / aniara recordings) returns for the a side offering with the highly effective five minute break workout “vamp”. a track initially presented as part of arkajo’s live set now finally sees the light of day as part of this vinyl. on the flip, bror presents the debut of dj lily, who comes through with the atmospheric techno trip “folia”.

discographies in dance music don’t come much more impressive than that belonging to paul woolford, the man behind seminal releases for the likes of planet e, xl recordings and running back. special request is the project that sees him continuing to defy expectation with a new ep on the fabric-run label houndstooth. stairfoot lane bunker encapsulates this approach with 5 bold new excursions into the outer limits followed by a remix from minor science (known for his previous releases on whities and the trilogy tapes) the eagle-eyed will notice 5 of these tracks appear on fabriclive 91. this ep is issued as an addendum. redrum is the fierce opener. rampantly-edited electro beats, a sampled speak-n-spell vocal, and a pure sci-fi breakdown sets the scene for the rest. stairfoot lane bunker and replicant are jungle tracks taken to dizzying extremes - the former building from widescreen atmospherics, thunder spells and lightning before descending into a frenzy of breakbeats and long heavy bass notes. replicant ratchets the pressure up further with hyper-edits across it s breakbeat introduction and throughout, punctuated by furnace-rattling subs. telepathic dog and five lane ends are highly evocative ambient pieces, pushing into the uncanny realms of metaphysical music. to end the release minor science comes through with his remix of stairfoot lane bunker, effortlessly blending in his own work with the disjointed sr breakbeats, flashing only snippets of the serrated bars, chopping them up and creating a new track in the process.

much may have changed over a two-decade period, but drumcodes commitment to releasing the scenes most cutting-edge and refined techno remains resolute. the label pushes forwards again in 2017 bringing fail-safe, club-ready music to the techno community. in the past 3 years, julian jeweil has released on highly regarded labels such as drumcode, minus and mobilee. one of the most consistent performers in the beatport techno chart, this prolific producer is as comfortable in the studio as he is in the booth, with his 2016 show s spanning five continents including an appearance at space for carl cox s final chapter, as well as london s egg and la s exchange. 2017s first drumcode release comes in the form of chart topping regular julian jeweil, who ll be putting out his first solo effort on the label. jeweils rolling ep showcases his skill as a producer and kicks off with the emphatic title track rolling . the perfect soundtrack for the early hours in the club, this sweaty affair proves just why hes at the top of the game right now. venice and blue illustrate his signature sound to a tee, with the eps final track traffic an acid-tinged behemoth, guaranteed to light up any set

helmed by back to basics resident james barnsley, it s safe to say vessel records know exactly what they re doing with their initial five releases including names such as daze maxim, burnski, dj honesty, laura jones and diego krause. the label s excellent discography continues in their sixth release with dan curtin under his purveyors of fine funk moniker - highly regarded for early releases on peacefrog, nepenta, and more recently bass culture. politics of dancing, known separately as s.m.a.l.l & paco, are the parisian duo behind their fastrising eponymous label, whereas british talent rhymos has quickly garnered a reputation for his compelling productions on the likes of overall music, whistleblower records and murmur. joined by barnsley himself, this four-track release demonstrates each artist in fine form. purveyors of fine funk s depth of bass is a raw sounding cut with ethereal atmospherics and moody chord sequences. james barnsley is next with his deep and trippy number titled she not fast before politics of dancing merge intricate percussion with rumbling bass in their mesmerising queens road. tying things together, rhymos gets rhythmic with jazz hand featuring acid licks and echoing effects.

two years on from his critically acclaimed self-titled debut lp and 2016’s similarly transcendent club hit safe/multiply, ghost culture is pleased to announce his new ep nucleus. due for release on phantasy, nucleus, captures the enigmatic london artist’s signature sound in the reflection of unexpected, vibrant new lights. leading with the understated groove of ‘coma’, ghost culture quickly reaffirms his unwavering ability to hold the collective energy of a dancefloor, yet colours his latest work with a sense of intimacy and experimentation that resonates stronger than ever. ‘ico130’ explores almost every facet of ghost culture’s electronic form, as gasping synths and stuttering drum patterns flirt with an aching, unfurling emotional vocal sample, acknowledging both classic idm influences such as aphex twin and authechre, while subtly nodding towards contemporary, crystalline rnb. the ep’s centrepiece, ‘ngc1275’ adds flavour to a stirring, reflective acid line, amid a complex flurry of minor deconstructions and distortions, highlighting ghost culture’s unique, contrarian ability to inspire both beckoning darkness and escapist fantasy through his work. while the opening half of the five track ep is more primed for the night, nucleus’ leads to an introspective denouement. ‘perseus’ pits raw electronics against a framework of loose, lucid drums, before ‘ngc1265’ delivers a wistful, brooding conclusion that makes an emotive case that impacts powerfully across just a short sketch.

the esteemed will & ink imprint hits the mini milestone of a tenth release by inviting old and new associates to remix some of the label s still essential back catalogue. the results are as weird and wonderful as you would expect of a label that has always gone its own way. mosca flips second lucas into something intense and brutal, with lashings of frazzled industrial synth sounds whipping about above pinging and high impact drums. italian chevel then transforms third lucas into five minutes of otherworldly machine made oddness. livity sound star asusu comes with a typically hi fidelity re-work of second carol. dubby and loopy, metallic and clean, it is a pristine track to get dance floors locked to a groove. and first carol reworked by its original producers yaleesa hall and malin, minimal dub with freaky sound design and the result is an earworm of a tune that burrows deep into your brain.

mono junk’s cult label dum records is back with a new five track various artists ep that again packs a vital punch. he appears himself along with some fellow legends of the scene. first up, morpholgy is a consistent performer who has continued to serve up quality electro since 2009 and here serves up a hot new piece. ‘vector plant’ is busy and industrial, slick and metallic as it unfolds and burrows deep into your veins. then comes the a2, irwin berg featuring freestyle man (aka finnish moodmusic boss sasse aka klas lindblad) with a track made in 1995 and never released before. this pair worked together and made a cult electro record for sähkö recordigs in 1998 and this one is just as impactful. it is frosty and frazzled, slow motion but high impact and full of distorted lines and heavy drums. next is mr velcro fastener who were the first kings of electro to come out of finland and between 1999 and 2006 were famous all over the world. their brand new cut ‘almost there’ is a deep one that is riddled with bleeping melodies and has smeared chords bringing a sci-fi feel. then it is mono junk’s turn to dive into the vaults with an unreleased track from 2005. ‘feeling or destroy’ is a physical number with crashing hits and snaking, gurgling bass that is dark and dystopian. last of all comes irwin berg with mono junk as new york city survivors. says the dum boss, “our unreleased track here was made after the new york city survivors – static light cd 2002” and it is a turbo charged track with screwed up grinding bass, icy hi hat rhythms and menace in its grooves.

shir khans exploited recordings has always stood out as a label with serious ambitions. from the consistent quality of its prolific output to its early championing of many a dance music star to its diverse array of sounds, it has felt like a highly accomplished offering even since its earliest days. now one of house musics biggest labels, it has come a long way since its humble beginnings in berlin. dancing & romancing gives a snapshot of the imprints last five years, charting its story from contender to heavyweight in stunning fashion.

bergen’s christian tilt returns to norwegian label ploink with his debut album ‘alt skjedde jæla fort’ this september. norwegian christian tilt’s dedication to techno over the last two decades has securely placed him in high ranks to play alongside the likes of the zenker brothers, margaret dygas and ploink label head thomas urv at clubs such as berghain, jaeger and Østre - all in the last year. here though we see christian tilt make a return to ploink for a second time with a five track lp comprised of an intricate cross-section of syncopated rhythms and dubbed-out techno. ‘dos were the days’ slowly builds hi-hats and punchy kick drums, before a deep-synth melody drives the composition forward. up next is the stripped back ‘btl’ that combines otherworldly aesthetics with a steady bass rattle throughout, before the gritty ‘a visit from france’ unleashes a dark low-end, murky synth drones and frantic pad sequences. a relentless 9 minute affair titled ‘i only work late nights’ then swells and pulsates over an unremitting beat, before ‘Øreverk’ rounds off the package with frenzied clangs, muted hits and rhythmic percussion.

the final chapter of “the north gate” has arrived. subspecies and his owner publish the best release with this volume 3. sleeparchive, p.e.a.r.l. and error etica... with demon.i/o are the artists closing this trilogy of special vinyls. 3 original tracks and a great remix put the level of the label really high.

ark & pit spector continue their inspired journey with an extended ep full of groovy jams and absorbing rhythms for hold youth. the frenchmen have formed a potent alliance with a series of expertly-crafted, high-quality releases dropping over the last couple of years. on this new ep they go deeper into their sound explorations with five original works and a remix from their parisian buddy and hold youth member, le loup. first up, we go into bumping jazzy territory with ‘chauffage central’, a mesmerising cut with swirling pads, soulful vocal clips and a jaunty b-line. straight up after that, hold youth rudeboy le loup gives ‘chauffage central’ a funky little rework, throwing live sounding percussion, nubian vocal clips, trumpet parps and a pumping bassline into the mix which gives a totally different identity. the final track on side a, is a cheeky teaser called ‘petite ondée’. rolling out for just under two minutes the track has a muffled, jazz-esque feel to it with a warm rolling bassline and bright, sparkling piano keys. on the flip we kick off with ‘air conditionelle’, a lush, retro feeling with those oh-so-familiar heavy-hitting eighties snare licks. the bassline takes you to a new york city street and the whole atmosphere is that of an old school nyc neighbourhood, while a spoken-word sample adds a human touch just before the track comes to an end. ‘sub tropical’ goes a little leftfield with an unusual combination of sounds in tandem with a pulsating low end, occasional sax licks and punchy percussion to give it plenty of energy. ‘averse et contre tous’ closes out the ep with a slothish ride into the sunset – ark and pit spector show their experimental side presenting an odd union between blues samples, gruff electronic sounds and piano keys. another triumphant effort from ark and pit spector, in fact, some of the finest work to date. make sure you check it out!

every dog has that certain spot: you scratch it, and your four-legged friend starts kicking out in highest ecstasy, losing all control of his reflexes. the tunes of timboletti work pretty much like that. only he s using full-bodied bass lines to stimulate his audience. it almost seems like the bodies on the dancefloor get invisibly connected to the membranes of the speakers and their rhythmic movement. on top of that, timboletti employs psychelicious sounds and melodies, enchanted sample scraps and a pinch of acid, a cocktail that tickles through the brain of the listener as if somebody poured a glass of champagne into it. the essence of forward thrust and deepness, on this ep in five different variations and tree further remixes.

figure 73 introduces a new face to the family - manchester-bread and now berlin-based setaoc mass. after recently launching his own imprint sk_eleven and putting out several releases that already tread in figures lineage of modern, high-precision techno, the label is thrilled to get this promising new artist on board. the five-tracker shows setaoc mass at his most versatile yet and clearly displays the producers talent for constructing both strong atmosphere as well as sheer dance-floor effectiveness.

marcel vogel has decided to celebrate the first five years of his edit-heavy lumberjacks in hell imprint in the only way he knows how: by putting together a sumptuous double pack stuffed with fresh new material. in keeping with the way the label has developed in recent times, the eight tracks blend the boundaries between original productions, illicit remixes and straight re edits. there s a celebratory, life affirming feel throughout, from the rubbery bass, d-train synths and rolling house grooves of giovanni damicos the break down, to the bluesy deep house brilliance of borrowed identitys queens bridge. highlights are plentiful elsewhere, too, from the hustlin electrofunk meets disco of vogel s own come on, to the killer synth solos and fuzzy bits of tim jules thrilling slap beat.

flangers opens with the dark, gravelly, brooding, and heads down techno of the title track - a lengthy, spacious workout which manages still to cut a deep groove despite it s direct driving force. similarly, beast paces itself, slowly unfolding all of its treasures as it grows, swells and shapeshifts over the course of just over five minutes of sustained tension. on the flip, two heavyweight producers step up to the remix: germany s markus suckut and dutch producer, jeroen search. suckut s interpretation of flangers keeps much of the understated groove and tension of the original whilst dipping it in a more shrouded cloak of murky techno. jeroen search on the other hand pitches up the pace with a crisp, high-hat driven dive into the deep

jaumet is back,but not alone,he asked 3 remixers to revisit his track la visite.on the a side,we have a brand new band from duseldorf,the wilde jagt.we know the boys from their previous band,der rauber und der prinz(released of desolat)which a favorite from everyone at versatile.thet deliver a surprising mix of la visite,in a pure kraut fashion(neu is not that for).on the flip,the french man low jack turns the tune into a dub marécage.multi layered music typical of the low jack.and finally,gilb r,so inspired by jaumet,delivers his own ambiant version of one the highlight of jaumet s album,midnight man(a tribute to i:cube who use to come at the studio at night at that time)

limited edition double vinyl lp - 500 copies only.
twelve of the best and most in demand tracks specially selected from the five albums that carlos garnett recorded for muse records between 1974-77. deeply funky spiritual jazz of the highest order featuring the cream of ny musicians and singers

is the truth out there? with the truth 2008 - 2013 anthology, solaronemusic presents a refine selection of some of the exaltics greatest tracks from 2008-2013, reviewing in 2xlp five years of a highly prolific career. this future classic retrospective gathers together the very best of the jena located artist on labels such like transient force, bunker, clone or last known trajectory just to name a few

it often said that all good things must come to an end, but it s especially satisfying when that end is a real high note. wed like to think thats the case with icee hot, as its five- year run as a party and a label is coming to a close this month, both with a 28­hour marathon goodbye event and with daddy issues, the latest ep from vin sol & matrixxman.

opening up with the deep space atmospherics of quiet life the album immediately transports you to another world. the title track is then a melodically lush and uplifting affair with curious synth patterns ebbing and flowing beneath crisp percussion. tracks like we search for answers combine organic, wooden textures with more synthetic and trippy synth sounds that are as far away from your standard sample packs as can be imagined. across the course of the album there are dark, moody and emotive pieces like worship (previously released in extended form on the mdl02 single) featuring qzen who reads a poem by patience agbabi in tantalising fashion as well as heavyweight, dubbed out techno groovers like shadow theory. make it true (of which seth troxler will be releasing an extended edit on his play it say it label, complete with high profile remixes) is another great collab featuring the vocals of jojo de freq, and the track itself is a harmonious, radiant house jam that is humid and human in equal measure. the otherworldly, snaking feel free again showcases berkson & what s ability to coax alluring emotions out of their machines and closer logan five wraps things up in suitably spangled, textural fashion. despite the fact much of this album will work on a dancefloor in the hands of the right dj, there s an invention and musicality to it that renders the whole thing hugely listenable away from the club. a testament to berkson & what s analogue invention and fluid ideas, keep up appearances really is a master electronic oeuvre.

nice price deal !!! a journey where techno enters a land of shadows and rarefactions, escaping images, dark suggestions. where gravity becomes a relative concept, uncertain, and where cinematic refractions count as much as the dance floor rules, in a continuous encounter. it is time to get involved. after plenty non trivial satisfactions, at the end of 2013 comes the time for federico to higher the stakes. he leaves the clockwork project for a solitary one. the richness of past experiences, the years in new york (and in musical and retinal education). a musical background that goes from the sharp and geometrical hip-hop of gang starr to the spirituality of basic channels techno dub, passing through the visionaries of radiohead and to the complex lightness of matthew herbert. now, all this brings the will to give life to a new sinuous, fascinating and profound creature. millennium ep 2014. five tracks that create space, that map an itinerary, that breathe deeply.

tokyo-based composer phil gerus gives man make music a summer record par excellence, warping classic rnb and disco into five highly original and up-to-the minute tracks.

bristol acetate carver and drum major, lurka launches his black acre debut with three unpredictable drum machine battle drills. kicking off with *holding* a technoid inflected dancehall pounder with a relentless low-end theory. the anxious heartbeat littered with schizophrenic percussion and alarm bells bursting into an undead army marching anthem. with *nah so* we are back on slightly more familiar turf, crushing kick drums perform the body blows under intricate hi-hats programming. *kmt* the most meditative of the three with nods to alan howarths bleak synthesiser work while high-fiveing schooly ds drum machine.

2014 has been a great year so far for upon.you co-founder marco resmann so far with dj-sets all over the place, a highly praised rework for vince watson and a full-on solo ep on steve bugs poker flat both rocking crowds to critical acclaim whilst his very own label upon.you is firing from all cylinders.

>its killing!< nile rodgers a five track masterpiece of pure 8os influenced pop/funk/boogie from new york. mastered by herb powers (sade, eric b. & rakim, sharon redd, evelyn champagne king etc.)

white rabbit recordings presents the first various artists release with five quality tracks on wax for all vinyl lovers! this release is full of good moods, excellent old school house grooves and the proper soul we are always looking for from our artists. this music has the names of giovanni damico (owner), the already known daniela la luz, hvl, tommy finger jr and a new comer producer in the house scene, daniele polacco. handle with care!

rounding up the finest of our rare breeds for a show-stopping steeplechase, bosconi is proud to invite the world into our stables to demonstrate the sound we have been rearing for the past five years.leaping from the stocks in a flurry of high-pedigree house and techno, our stallions bring forth the values we hold dear in electronic music, from young foals such as herva and nicholas to seasoned steeds like a guy called gerald and nick anthony simoncino.
the first of the four records of the saga bosconi stallions is here: in honor to apacz between house and disco, he will be the first thoroughbred that will guide us through the first stage of this historic project that will revolutionize bosconi records. in his adventure will come accompanied by herva foal to race, with its powerful stay, followed by rondenion with the dawning output sunrize that bridges the solar put the man out of riccio until the darkest voices of san proper & the clover. it is the beginning of a long ride but absolutely pleasure.

limited edition on 10 inch snowflake vinyl.
as christmas 1969 beckoned, jimi hendrix, bassist billy cox, and drummer buddy miles engaged in extensive rehearsals for their highly anticipated appearances at the fillmore east in new york. branded by hendrix as the band of gypsys, the trio worked feverishly rounding such exciting new original material as >izabella< and >machine gun< into form. keenly aware of the special significance his forthcoming concerts represented, jimi wanted to prepare something extraordinary for his audience. to mark the occasion in his own inimitable fashion, jimi readied this special medley of holiday favorites to celebrate both christmas and the dawning of a new decade. this recording was made at baggys studios, a manhattan rehearsal facility the group preferred. it by no means should be considered a polished studio recording made to hendrixs exacting specifications. it is, instead, perhaps even more revealing. this is a glimpse of jimi simply having fun in the company of close friends. the photograph of jimi posing as santa claus was originally organized on behalf of the uk music newspaper record mirror. to help publicize the december 1967 release of axis: bold as love, the groups second album, jimi agreed to pose as santa for the issues cover. an alternate photograph from that session, with jimi bearing gifts in the form of axis: bold as love, is featured here. as an added bonus, also included is jimis playful >three little bears<. this track was recorded with the experience at the record plant in may 1968 during sessions for electric ladyland. bypassed for that album, >three little bears< was originally issued as part of the 1972 posthumous compilation war heroes. it has been unavailable in the us for nearly twenty-five years.

its not so easy to pigeonhole de:pots musical style: deep, groovy, smoky and pending somewhere between akufen, krause duo and cypress hill. with his vinyl-debut for sophisticated helmsmen, the analog-studio-punk from the provincial backcountry of eastern germany now delivers a proper dope-house masterpiece, fairly dragging the anxious legs of any foggy dancefloor. bigbait012 – thats five tracks, five statements, five unmistakably groovy and well-hung slices of contemporary house-music, giving the listener the opportunity to get a hint of what crazy and freaked-out experiments de:pot has figured out in his mind – highly contaminated dancefloor drugs for shuffle addicts

after five years of running the highly popular and eclectic music blog feel my bicep,releasing a string of productions and remixes while also djing consistently all around the world, setting up a label seemed like the next logical step for bicep. with the aim of releasing fun and varied music, the only condition the boys gave themselves was to maintain full creative control to take the the label in whichever direction they desired.

after five years of its highly successful existence, after founding its sister-label 2diy4, after opening its own club ego in hamburg, after sending its artists all around the globe and after having brought more than 50 releases into this world - its time to celebrate diynamics fifth birthday! and this charity-compilation is diynamics gift for all of you. all benefits of this compilation will be donated to kinderhospiz sternenbrücke, an organization that accompanies terminally ill children in the last time of their lifes.

here we are again, another dose of unsung heroes from the past. all the tunes on here (bar possibly the opening tune) will be well known by the rockabilly world. however to those of you who have recently become, or are about to be infatuated with this music you are now holding a compilation of some of the rarest and desirable tunes known to the serious collectors

the third release of the vinyl label seoul community is a successful ramble through house and techno. the label run by john lagora and bob morane strikes back in a firmly, drifty, groovy and passionate way. the sophisticated productions of the five artists from germany, belgium and italy offer a wide range of peak time music for the dance floor. this third record includes two originals and two remixes and offers the right track for every moment. whether for the sunrise after hour mood in the morning, the introducing warming groove or high noon dance floor monster - this ep leaves nothing to be desired. the artists, who are residents on labels like mindshake, catwash, momentum and lordag, deliver felicitous and elegant tracks in a well-known quality for this release on seoul community

as i look to the sky from the surface of the water is the much awaited second album from grit, aka london producer gary brackley and it has found a perfect home on meanwhile. the label is well placed to be an outlet for grits explorations deep into the realm of deep techno, thanks to its standing within the techno community and this album stands tall alongside contributions from the likes of murmur, sven weismann, bvdub and conforce. opening with the expansive title track, grit sets the tone for what to expect with the ripple of syncopation shifting in and out of focus amidst the viscous layers of foggified luminescent ambient texture. across the subsequent five tracks this tone is retained throughout as brackley playfully explores the inventive sparks that arise when rhythm rubs with texture, with the smudged out subaqueous >safer retreat< a real highlight.

brand new project out of italy from obtanes francesco baudazzi ! features printed insert in clear poly bag francesco baudazzi, sometimes known as obtane amongst other secretive pseudonyms, is an electro-acoustic sound artist hailing from the tyrrhenian coast between la spezia and carrara on the west coast of italy and is renowned for producing truly dark atmospheric and droning conceptual music, enlivened with subtle, spacious field recordings and analogue synthesis. running the highly regarded zooloft recordings alongside giorgio gigli for the last five years. francesco has managed to create a highly respected sound dipping heavily into drone and industrial techniques, whilst retaining the truly hypnotic sound of early italian electronic music. making guest appearances away from his zooloft imprint label under his obtane monicker on labels such as synewave, sonic groove and strobescopic artefacts. surface welcome francescos first release under his birth name, for part two of the surface limited series focusing on the diversity that artists have to offer away from the constraints of their expected roles amongst the scene

raise the curtain once more on a very special orchestral performance. how could highgrade records better celebrate its 100th release than with twelve tracks from the highgrade disharmonic orchestra? the creative combo featuring both label bosses tom clark and todd bodine, alongside philip bader, daniel dreier and dale, began over a year ago with the intention of celebrating the tenth birthday of the berlin label. and the resulting gift: a musical experiment. the five artists have bundled their creativity together into a symphony unparalleled in the techno scene. every performance is like a jam session: all five laptops are interconnected, so each of the artists has the opportunity to react to the others and modify each track as desired. thus, new arrangements are created and constantly re-interpreted. drum machines and synthesizers are also in play, to further stretch the improvisational possibilities. no wonder then, that the 100th release follows in this creative vein. the highgrade disharmonic orchestra, with multilayer, kiddnaps us away into vastly different musical worlds: from deep influences and custom recorded vocals to an array of technoid sounds and effects. then back to groovy, swinging beats reminiscent of a balmy summer evening on the beach. therefore the record is something of a rollercoaster ride, where we never know what might be waiting behind the next curve. typically highgrade

one of the founding members of the ostgut ton family, marcel dettmann recorded his debut 12inch for the label alongside ben klock with >dawning< some five years ago. now after a string of highly praised releases, his debut album >dettmann<, and a handful of uncompromising records on his own mdr label, we arrive at this new ep for his home label. launching us into the space-race, >barrier< documents those tense moments of discovery as we reach into new territories. dettmanns unique textured sound design sets the scene before diving into >translation one< - a frantic, quivering and snaking snapshot into the kind of techno the producer stands for these days. metallic bass spins sideways, while ever-modulating percussion drives forward. the sinister sci-fi tones of >translation two< warble and jive in glorious syncopation as a systematic heavy kick and hat program works the bass frequencies and rhythmic zones. open and spacious, its meandering theme hangs deliciously between paranoia and positivity. in >planning< dettmann further explores his inclination for intricate, tripping synth patterns. a staggered, wonderfully immersive theme builds from delayed staccato notes in a classic analog sequence, underpinned by rumbling dub bass pressure

was i the wave? is the ophomore offering from montreal musician and producer miracle fortress (graham van pelt). miracle fortress gained international recognition in 2007 for his debut album five roses, a unique collection of psychedelic shoegazey-pop that garnered high praise from numerous outlets. it was also short listed for canadas polaris prize that year, alongside arcade fires neon bible and feists the reminder. while it bears little stylistic resemblance to his debut, was i the wave? is in some ways a similar offering, insofar as it takes us on a trip deep into van pelts unique musical mind. theres not much of an argument for calling this record indie-rock-its essentially an electronic offering--but existing fans wont find it too difficult to hear van pelts signature hooks swimming among the big synths, and deep beats. like five roses, it was created in isolation from top-to-bottom, with van pelt serving as composer, arranger, performer, producer, and engineer. taken as a product of his occasionally hermitic temperament, many of tracks here express themes of alienation, anonymity, or the desire for the assurances of intimacy.

going on five years after the release of the highly superior debut album yoyoyoyoyo, mastermind spank rock aka naeem juwan touched ground with the sophomore full-length, the excellently titled >everything is boring and everyone is a fucking liar< (e.i.b.a.e.i.a.f.l.), due in september. featuring production mostly handled by boys noize in addition to single-shot offerings from the neptunes pharrell williams, original spank rock producer xxxchange, well known super-producer mark ronson, as well as sam spiegel aka squeak e. clean of n.a.s.a. and chris rockswell. the first single comes with a little aural accompaniment in the shape of >energy<, which ditches synthetic sheen to sample cans vitamin c. >i need new energy<, runs the chorus, showing juwans vision for 2011. alongside the original track three remixers excellently joining the party: jan driver, win win and the glimmers.

since decadence in june 2010 and seven eps released this year, dame music is a continuous story of success and has established itself in the underground music scene. the triumph of bloody marys >arabesque< ep on national radios was a turning point for the label which has defined its musical identity, a modern genre of electronic music blended with a touch of rock, disco, classic or new wave influences. last hits sierra sams >queen of spade< ep and komatons >dehunt< ep are an excellent representation of the dame-music signature. the artwork of the label has also seen a significant evolution by the quality of its covers and teasers which fully fits with the music. to celebrate its first anniversary and give a first overview of the label imprint, dame-music is proud to present potluck, a special compilation of unreleased tracks, produced by five duos (one of the dame-musics artists, plus one of their friend). bloody mary got this concept to gather the dame-music family (mostly consisted by marys berlin based artists and friends) to work hand in hand with the music and artwork. they shared talent, creativity, emotions and ideas.

with u is the debut release by elusive producer holy other. following on from critically acclaimed records by balam acab, ooooo and how to dress well, with u is the fourth release on tri angle records. taking the alien kinetics of uk garage, the euphoric highs of vocal house and the slow, sensuality of r&b, holy other has created a sound that s as melancholy as it is beautiful, spectral and yet slightly at unease with itself. playing these five songs feels like a slow, solitary walk into the city night, lights flashing around you, muted where once they seemed to shine more brightly. with u was recorded in berlin, gothenburg and manchester, where holy other currently resides.

after 15 years of involvement in d&b, austrian promoter, dj, label boss and producer disaszt is about to step his already-illustrious career up a notch with the release of his debut album, >shadow & lightening<.
forthcoming on disaszts own label, the highly respected mainframe recordings, the album promises to be packed with the dancefloor-filling, filthy drum & bass sound for which austria and disaszt have become well known.
this single is the second of five from >shadow & lightening< and delivers two immense slices of filthy-yet-funky drum & bass that herald great things for the forthcoming album.

still above the clouds, team skylevel picks up a fellow pilot and drops a package that is all about the raw essence. a1 is a thrilling jazz funk onslaught that hits you hard right from the beginning. an energetic uptempo groove meets the most wicked guitar patterns, teasing with beautiful melody fragments while clearly focusing on its irresistable rhythm section. no jazz on b1, but an uncompromising barebone funk stomper of the highest order that locks you in a cell made of drums and bass holding the promise that you wont find >disco< within a five mile radius. b2 obviously has to reduce the heat and takes you on a ride through the swampy mississippi delta of the early seventies, telling you a truly mystic sunflower county story you might not have heard by now

we are all set to celebrate five years of lmd with a mix compilation, >lost my dog: 5 years & still looking<. selected and mixed by pete dafeet, the 14 track mix showcases the labels highlights, including songs and remixes from the likes of jay tripwire, milton jackson, fred everything, nathan coles & dave coker and burnski.

scott ferguson with another deep 3 tracker inspired by moodymanns kdj and theo parrishs sound signature labels. side a takes dance floors on a bouncy, 120 bpm, southbound ride filled with clattering high hats, punchy drums, somber vocal samples, and deep chords. the b side is a deep & soulful ferguson/belton collaboration that spans the entire length of the record. a compelling mixture of dark chords, deep sub-bass, and ensnaring vocals, this late-night banger will keep dancers flowing and heads fascinated, right up until the very end

return of the famous label with the 6th release. it includes tracks of fer br, preach, cesar almena and a colaboration work of ivan devero & nuke. the result is excellent, a very cool release with high quality sound. all tracks were made to dance. all tracks are 100% techno but they are very different: funk techno, groove and new tech are the sounds youll find in this release. its the release youll hear on all dancefloors this summer. enjoy it!!