without new jersey native kerri kaoz chandler, house specifically deep house would sound very different. ever since his teens he has been making and playing music with a unique sense of soul, jazz and deepness. from majors like atlantic, king street sounds and nervous via his own madhouse, his releases are never short of genre-defining classics that have spawned a thousand copycats. affectionately referred to as the stevie wonder of house, kerriÕs dj sets take him all over the world and often find him playing live keys next to his informed selections. heÕs meticulous about sound, too, which means that no-ones kicks hit quite like kerris. his instantly classic and timeless dj-kicks mix, though, takes him out of the club and through a world of influences and inspiration

dj haus in the house, 2 cds, 40 tracks incl. x-coast, deadboy, stephe murphy, inner sense, roman fluegel, redlight, butch, italo johnson

the best of psychedelic & pregressive dance music. compiled by drukverdeler & dj bim

decadent yet depraved, the debut album by belief defect, finds shelter and complicity in raster as home and label. familiar with the underground music scene and how its skeptical nature can also be an obstacle to overcome, belief defect abandon any claim or credit in an attempt to transcend the limits authorship imposes, avoid the boundaries or expectations earned or self imposed and find the clearest, most direct path to their music for themselves and the listener. at the core of the album is the music that inspired them, the conclusion of countless recordings listened to in their formative years that ultimately result in a life-long devotion to electronic music: from dance floor to primal anger and self-annihilating noise, to transcendental, ambient escapism and intense self-reflexive sonic layering. the result is a soundtrack for this apocalyptic time, an uncompromising reflection on the state of mankind and its uncertain future Ð underscored by a sense of religious and secular demise referenced in track titles, samples, and soundscapes scattered throughout the album. yet, more than a political statement Èdecadent yet depravedÇ is an introspective journey, turning each listener into a spiritual soul-seeker staring into the abyss, reaching for some kind of cathartic truthfulness.

following on from the 2015 return to the frey real ibiza returns to the white isle for the 2016 edition of the benchmark balearic compilation -real ibiza volume 9-. first launched in 2000 real ibiza was one of the first wave of ibiza / balearic inspired compilations. a cornerstone of the genre alongside the caf̩ del mar series. real ibiza gets inside the balearic bloodstream by mixing in downtempo sensibilities, mellow house, cool jazz and plentiful doses of evening sun-washed grooves. for episode 9 bahamian dj loudery returns to sample the delight and mood of balearic music worldwide. as is the formula for real ibiza the zeitgeist is all ibiza whereas the particpants int the music hail from locations all over the word. first up we head to prague to sample the 30 piece string section of the prague philharmonic orchestra with czech producer sonority setting a mellow introducing tone with the cinematic -virtus-. its then a trip to the other side of the world for australian producer gary b to set things on a dreamy plateau with his bass guitar driven -better life-. next it is some unabashed sunshine groove with the lazy trumpet, sunshine piano and -boys of summer- guitar with -isla paradisco- from steven solveig.

following last yearÕs much-acclaimed solo album Òmondo alteradoÓ (hippie dance 08), original pachanga boy and hippie dance mentor rebolledo returns to the limelight with the jam-packed mondo re-alterado (hippie dance 10), tapping into his vast and varied network of friends and fellow soundsmiths. artists such as superpitcher, dj tennis, maceo plex, red axes, fango or fantastic twins deliver stunning takes on rebolledosÕ unique signature sound, creating a full suite of exclusive remixes, cover versions and reinterpretations.
from the super-energetic club rumblings of maceo plexÕs discotico plexico to dj tennisÕ dreamy pimiento drive version of a numb gas to the future or fantastic twinsÕ party bomb fantastic pow pow, the journey through mondo re-alterado is full of twists and turns Ð a world where an epic, cinematic soundscape such as superpicherÕs rainboy super space sits comfortably alongside the claustrophobic, punishing banger that fango sculpted from stand-out cut Òpow powÓ.

meanwhile, red axes turn the casual narrative of Òlife is strange, life is hard, life is greatÓ into a bouncing workout Ð a great companion piece to want, danny daze and shokhÕs propulsive, jagged dub version of Òfears come trueÓ. other highlights include jšrg burger aka the black frame with the lush black rainbow woman, paulorÕs country rock extravaganza discotico desertico and not one, but two excellent contributions from former italians do it better honcho mike simonetti. itÕs a magical, surprising ride that finds beauty in contrasts Ð while staying tuned to rebolledoÕs spirit of adventure and powerful sense of style.

cd format cocoon recordings presents q - the new edition of one of the longest running techno compilation series worldwide! we do not want to start again by mentioning how unbelievable it is that we have reached letter q already and we do not even want to imagine how fast we will probably arrive at xyz, if time continues to fly like this. the actual thrilling part of this compilation series is simply the fact that techno seems to not grow any older in this form - isnt this amazing? here, in the truest sense of the word, we have a compilation of timeless material before us. with a broad bandwidth ranging from futuristic-deconstructive compositions such as da dang by alex & digby and fragile by carlos nilmmns or the many contributions to q that fancy almost anachronistic acid and trance influences: everything sounds fresh and forward thinking!

the techno revolution 30 years ago, where boundaries, walls and our own guarded natures came crumbling down? the archaic establishment-challenging attitude and forthright energy of the punks? the long-awaited eruption of gay culture that had burned and yearned since the dawn of mankind? dare you travel even further back? rewind two hundred years to the romantic revolution where men like the blitzed berloiz helped us transcend our physical limitations for suspended moments of fantastique disbeliefÉ all of these moments have shaped us, our music and our culture. each movement comprising artists who like us right now are trying to make sense of the uncertain world, the chaotic present and the fearful future. artists like hell. welcome to the futureÉreflecting over his participation and contribution to myriad cultural movements since the late 70s, his passion of ever-evolving musical form and our current socialpolitical landscape, hell taps into our collective rich histories, our combined fears and our mutual desires to create his most personal, ambitious and thought provoking body of work to date: zukunftsmusik. his fifth studio album zukunftsmusik fuses some of hellÕs strong signature motifs (his passion for subversion, his great kosmiche canvases, sudden throbbing bursts of dancefloor dynamism, subtle songcraft) yet it sounds unlike anything hell has ever created before. there are very few big club singles. a delicate balance of classical dramatic orchestral tension and evocative futuristic synthesis runs throughout. dark and light, hope and fear, fast and slow, day and night.over the course of one hour helmut josef geier invites you on a musical trip of a lifetime his lifetime, your lifetime, musicÕs lifetime.

this is a clear perspective on comelades musical universe and can be considered as an ultimate best of and a radical introduction tothis chaotic and uncompromising instrumental music. rocanrolorama abrege (abbreviated rockandrolorama, in english) is the short version of the complete works and reworks of pascal comelade published at the end of 2016 as a 6-cd box set in a sold-out limited edition of 1000 numbered and signed copies. pascal comelade made this album as if it was a new and separate album, with tracks that he considers best represent his work, from 1993 to 2016, according to the principle applied with the rocanrolorama box set: songs in their original form, alternative versions, reworks, additionsÉ this short version was conceived especially for a double vinyl lp format: four sides with six tracks each, which you can listen to in the right order, from start to finish, according to a logical, thought-out progression for each side (slow tempo, medium tempo, orchestrations, electricity, etc.)

les graciŽs is a collaboration in the truest sense between paris-based sound artist ga‘l segalen and deepblak co-founder afrikan sciences. segalenÕs experiments in electroacoustic sound met the wider world this year via a debut lp for erratum, an arresting work that showcases her ability to merge hypnotic murk ala angus maclise with the hard concrŽte of parmegiani & reibel. segalenÕs ihearu imprint / organisation is a platform for her various doings, including psychogeographical audio works and multi-media collaborations, as well as servicing as a reference point for other contemporary female artists working across various mediums. eric douglas porter aka african sciences has been deconstructing and re-building forms of contemporary black music since the mid-2000Õs, through releases on deepblak (the label he co-runs with aybee) and pan. his musical universe is one of warping cadences and celestial melody, referencing the bold work of percussionists like milford graves & art jenkins, the dissonant chords of motor city techno and stripped back essence of early chicago house matched with broken hard bop sentiments: all tied together with an aesthetic that sits somewhere between sun raÕs omniverse, jean giraud mÏbius and dogon cosmology. together as le graciŽs, segalen and porter make a wholly unclassifiable strain of music that, while containing recognisable elements of each individual s work, also creates a third entity in the process, which can be heard to stunning effect on their forthcoming debut lp Ôlow dosesÕ for firecracker recordings.

an epic from rod modell aka deepchord
the first solo album from rod modell (deepchord) in nearly 10 years, following up 2007 s -incense & blacklight- comes in lush form with, -mediterranea-. clocking in at 72 minutes, this cerebral epic reveals a sense of timelessness and stillness, an exquisite portrayal of reflection that is sonically enriching and emotionally engaging. opening with field recordings conducted while abroad in the islands of spain, sculpts a sublime sense of nuance that creeps into fore as time passes, gradually enveloping and evolving into what sounds as an orchestra playing from the fathomless ends of the ocean. the quiet jazz induced snare percussion honors the melody hidden deep beneath the surface. congas and tribal rhythms accentuate its colorful and vibrant dream-like melodies that slowly expose themselves into the mix. haunting, alluding to the symphonic, its emotional depth shift gradually, revealing the underlying, subconscious tonal colors. the magic and lushness of the strings, the beautiful resonance of the violin and the love felt in each key stroke tugs right at the heart strings. to us here at echospace, this may be the most beautiful and inviting piece we ve ever heard from rod, absolutely stunning!
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der umtriebige frankfurter dj, produzent und running back-labelbetreiber gerd janson hat sich zu einem der profiliertesten connaisseure und trendsetter der elektronischen musik mit weltweiter ausstrahlung entwickelt, was nun in einer eigenen fabric-cd-ausgabe gipfelt. auf dieser bietet janson ein stilsicheres, fabelhaft fliessendes mixset aus cosmic-disco und acid-house, das sommerliche sonnenauf- und untergŠnge perfekt in szene setzt.

* this is the seventh surgeon album.
* -while exploring new production techniques using old and unlikely hardware, the results were so unusual that i really had the sense that these pieces of equipment didn t actually create these sounds, rather they were in fact some kind of elaborate reception device that allowed me to tune into transmissions from distant galaxies. the music i could hear was actually the received transmissions of pop hits from those distant galaxies that were being played on their radio stations. i quickly recorded all that i could before losing the transmission.
* i consulted with dr andrew read, the astrophysicist with whom i recorded guitar treatments in 1999. he has worked on the discovery of the most distant galaxies and astronomical objects in the universe. together we came up with a possible list of where these musical transmissions may have come from.

in all there are seven previously released tracks as well as five brand new, never before heard cuts, and they all make for absorbing listening both in the club, on headphones or from the sofa.

the first years, from his first album in 1976 to his 7th in the middle of the 80s, were fuelled with an exemplary sense of creativity and a free-spirit vision. against everyoneÕs advice, cerrone was never reluctant to compose long and pure trance disco tracks, not exactly radio-friendly at the time, but which did incredibly well because they encapsulated the hedonism of the day and were far more than a trend. for instance, love in c minor and supernature have become unbeatable classics, featured regularly in the best pop, disco or dance selections. such a success would have burnt most of the othersÕ wings, whose career would have been ruined. at the beginning of the 80s, when he decided to unleash his creativity on stage, cerrone managed to rebound with you are the one studio album.

lost my dog co-founder pete dafeet unleashes his highly anticipated debut album the root, the soul. a musical record of the year he married, pete evokes a sense of house music s glorious past in these eight beautifully crafted cuts. early dj support from chez damier, ian pooley, charles webster, milton jackson, manuel tur, moodymanc, blakkat.

features gibt es unter anderem von marcus intalex, master x, sense mc, malibu und zero one.

long arm follows up *the branches* from 2012! every new experience lets him grow as a person and also expands his knowledge of the world that surrounds him. his young mind is sometimes blurrying the lines between imagination and reality, dreaming and being awake, reality and fantasy. making sense of this world in its very own unique way, his world is filled with fantastic and surreal magical creatures and quirky characters.

hospitals sublabel med school prŠsentiert -new blood 2014-. med school steht fŸr von dubstep beeinflusste drum & bass-sounds. auf dieser compilation findet man aufstrebende dubstep- und drum & bass-produzenten wie etherwood, royalston, keeno, anile, lung, rawtekk, joe syntax, u.v.a.! ein tolles album fŸr alle fans von dŸsterer, elektronischer musik!

his first release since 2012s *fear not*, the man behind some of d+bs biggest anthems returns with his brand new album. having spent the last two years collaborating with big brother dan nu:tone on the nu:logic project, logistics takes solo control of the studio set up once more to unleash his latest monsters. a return to the classic hospital sound which logistics has helped shape, uplifting piano chords, euphoric basslines and sublime vocal chops abound, alongside acoustic guitars and luscious strings. collaborators on this project include new talents hugh hardie and maduk, veteran producer sonic, vocalists will robert and lifford, and of course brother dan nu:tone. an album of organic, d+b soul, as hospital hits its 18th year in business logistics brings us a reminder of his well renowned talent with an added sense of maturity in his production.
club support from: danny byrd, fabio, high contrast, b traits, spectrasoul, brookes brothers, subfocus, s.p.y, drumsound & bassline smith, matrix, dj hype, tc, doc scott, john b and many more.

with *my love is a bulldozer*, venetian snares first new album since 2010s *my so-called life*, aaron funk surprises yet again, drawing on new ideas and on moods that have only been touched upon in his previous work. the album seems to have a flowing sense of narrative, something akin to an opera, and unusually aaron sings songs on it, which reinforces the sense of an emotional journey. sonically he meshes together sometimes thunderous yet complex drum programming with delicate musical structures, creating, in places, a sense of haunted, atmospheric jazziness, as well as spiky autumnal strings recalling the gothic orchestral beauty of his previous work.

the second coming. finlands otherworldly electro lords blastromen return to the dominance electricity mothership to deliver their much anticipated second longplayer. the eight new compositions featured on *reality opens* continue where their debut album *human beyond* left off in the year 2010 and lead straight to the next level. sophisticated arangements with epic synth melodies and atmospheres, haunting electro breakbeats and elaborate vocoderized lyrics prove once again that blastromen are a class of their own.

fourteen tracks of transit two which follows 2011s transit one, which introduced a number of new faces to the roster along with plenty of old favourites. the sequel looks to do the same, as up-and-comers like halogenix and safire rub elbows with ebk, optiv and dlr.

capsize recovery takes the listener on a ride through a very dark universe of gloomy sounds and atmospheres. the eight rather longish tracks of the album are characterized by senkings epic signature sounds - creepy hovering bass lines, clean and slowed down drums, paired with oscillating and sometimes fierce synth melodies and shots. with his extremely deep and dubby arrangements that explore the depths and abysses of bass heavy music, he again is able to create soundscapes that convey a subtle sense of unease or even fear, as if they were the soundtrack to a mysterious and disturbing film

tricky is back. back with a new studio album, false idols, and his own label (also bearing the false idols name), but also back in a personal sense. i was lost for ages,he says. i was trying to prove something to people, trying to do something to please other people and also myself at the same time, which is never going to work. to be honest with you, ive been floating around since chris blackwell and island. my last two albums, i thought they were good, but i realise now they werent. this album is about me finding myself again.

a real sense of drama is a thread that runs through solar bears music, supermigration, their second album following 2010s critically lauded she was coloured in is full of all kinds of drama Ð from the intimate to the psychedelic, from the chase to the suppression. this time its been taken to a new level in all kinds of ways.

already drowning, a song-cycle inspired by various myths & folktales about female water spirits, marks something of a departure for aidan baker. while still retaining his trademark sense of ambience & texture, the tracks on this album are much more structured & song oriented, embracing a minimalist post-rock, slowcore style & featuring a different guest vocalist on each track.

only 9 years after its official opening, watergate has become one of the worlds most prominent underground electronic music institutions. in no small part due to its picturesque location running directly alongside the river spree, its wall to wall led dance floor installation and most of all, its consistent flow of first-rate international talent performing every week. watergates presence and influence has spawned many side projects including a boutique-style mix cd series now in its 8th volume. a whoÕs who of the clubs regular talent and resident artists such as sascha funke, sebo k, dop, ellen allien and others have all contributed to the aesthetically pleasing series, now regarded as collectors items. for the eight installment in our mix series, we bridge the gap between two global capitals of techno: berlin, and detroit, home of lee curtiss who delivers a forward-thinking mix, inspired by time spent living in both cities. lee is one of a new generation of techno visionaries from the motor city, that includes his visionquest collaborators ryan crosson, shaun reeves and seth troxler, who are putting their own unique spin on their citys most famous underground musical export. based between detroit and berlin for the last four years, lee has a fundamental grasp of what makes both dancefloors at watergate tick, and this enduring love and understanding of the space clearly shines through in his mix. building on the raw soul and funk of those who have blazed a trail before him, on both sides of the atlantic, lee brings his own subtle melodies and keen sense of dramatic tension to the fore in a mix that encompasses all that is vibrant and exciting about underground techno in 2011

the globetrotting album concept has returned as hed kandi world series takes on the usa, and after the recent success of world series miami vol 2, it only makes sense to continue this journey through americas evolving electronic music scene. electronic dance music has made it to the forefront of music across the globe, with it recently exploding in the united states. following the success of this yearÕs ultra music festival in miami and electric daisy carnival in las vegas, djÕs were booked to headline major festivals in america such as coachella, lollapalooza and swsx. with 3cds covering los angeles, las vegas and new york, it was difficult to whittle down the massive floor fillers we collected to only 45 tracks that represent the hedonism and glamour of dance music in the top 3 cities of the us.

mere is a new project that began as a soundtrack and continues as an experimental, dark-ambient jazz group. guitar, drums and bass clarinet provide an intense and improvised journey into the abyss. the trio first came together to work on a soundtrack for a dutch tv documentary called visserman. having known each other for some time this was the first time they had combined together to write music and the name mere comes from the dutch word for more. each member adds a different influence to the sound, the modal finger picked guitar playing of thomas adds a sense of movement while gareth takes both folk and free jazz ideas to play against leos free rock influenced drum work. the tracks were recorded all in single takes with just a quick discussion of outline and tuning as a basic guide. gareth davis records on important, miasmah, sonic pieces, dekorder, home normal etc. collaborating with machinefabriek, steven r. smith, scanner, frances marie uitti, ryan teague, elliott sharp, ian hawgood and the like. leo fabriek releases on digitalis, home normal etc. and is also the drummer with the noise rock band julie mittens.

for over a decade, ray lugo has crisscrossed the globe bringing his punky afro grooves to countless audiences as leader and singer of new york powerhouse kokolo, a mainstay on the global music scene through their extensive discography and consistent touring.

hospitals sublabel med school prŠsentiert blood pressure!

das nŠchtliche gemunkel am tresen bei bier und klaren war irritierend gewesen: aufs neue album, so drummer zimmermann und basser strohmeier, wŸrde das lo fat orchestra auch kinderchšre und ein streichquartett packen. man dachte mit grauen an Çthe wallÈ, konzeptalben-bombast, artrockkacke und hoffte halb, das sei nur der berŸchtigte schwarzwŠlder humor. jetzt ist Çthe second word is loveÈ da. nicht mit kinder- aber mit chšren und natŸrlich mit streichquartett. die befŸrchtungen zerbršseln im nu, wenn im opener Çbe honestÈ die bassdrum nagelt, die elektrizitŠt in der luft rauscht und singt, bevor der sŠgezahnbass und schmids gesang und orgel einsetzen. alles gut! alles besser! alles: mehr!

the rastafarian roots reggae singer brings a majestic touch to the songs he sings, which are deeply infused with his beliefs. with a sense of reverence that only a solemn, pious man as prince alla could put into song, this collection centres on tracks recorded at lee perry-s black ark studio. having spent his early days living in rasta camps & working as a singer for joe gibbs, it was at greenwich farm that prince alla (born keith blake) crossed paths with tapper zukie who was so blown away by alla-s songs he initiated the recording sessions. this release compiles those songs & their extended versions alongside 3 classic extra cuts, -hail rastafari-, -black roses- & the sublime -royal throne room-.

2011 release from the french singer / songwriter. skyline is yann tiersen s seventh studio album, and sees tiersen taking a confident step forward, cementing the sound of its darker sister, the critically acclaimed dust lane, which was released almost exactly 12 months previously. says tiersen, -strangely while skyline musically comes across as lighter and happier than dust lane the subject matter is somewhat darker - there is certainly a sense of moving on and what thoughts are left having dealt with loss-.

hed kandis world series returns, visiting one of the mediterraneans most vibrant nightlife, fashion and clubbing scenes in the world. hed kandi headline djs, greg myers and sam cannon take you on a musical discovery across two mixed cds, selecting tracks that define the true party atmosphere from the catalonian dancefloor, bringing you the pure sound of one of the most iconic dance capitals of the world. from the city made famous by gaudi, dali, miro and picasso, this release brings you some of the hottest, upfront and cutting edge hits from a-list producers and modern day artists such as dj chus, david penn, copyright, jamie jones, lee foss, waifs & strays, jimpster, stefano noferini to name but a few. as is the case with the world series titles, this release is accompanied with a handy pull-out guide on hed kandiÕs recommended places to visit, eat, sleep and party in barcelona.

with a scraggle of noise and feedback zone beginning 26000, ilpo vaeisaenen and dirk dresselhaus continue their angel duo with a work that inhabits its own zone of cryptic anger and contemplation. if anything, a sense of structure destroyed has been the hallmark of both vaeisaenen and mika vainios work away from pan sonic, but 26000 in particular - with angel added and abetted by performers such as oren ambarchi and b.j. nilsen - introduces a sense of unspoken story to the proceedings, a soundtrack to a sci-fi film that emphasizes cosmic horror by implication. the slow roil that -before the rush- settles into, a combination throb and mechanistic growl, both parallels and contrasts the concluding -paradigm shift,- the subtlest of bass rhythms anchoring overlaid drone murk and screeches of noise shaped and controlled like an event horizon reached and held. central piece -dark matter leak- sounds it, deep echoes and distant footsteps and other outer space haunted house noises interspersed with up-front bursts of percussion rattlings and glitches, a robot companion in space rapidly going on the fritz. the overlaid clatter of -in- and similarly frenetic mess of -out- frame said dead center equally excellently.

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

otdxi is the newest installment in the classic r&s compilation series. previous installments have been responsible for rounding up the labels roster at the time and presenting their finest tracks to a wider audience, and have gone onto become classics in their own rights. with r&s again re-positioned as one of the most forward thinking electronic labels and with an enviable roster of cutting edge young talent it makes perfect sense to relaunch the series. disc one contains highlights from the last 18 months and includes contributions from blawan, lone and untold whose classic r&s influences are worn on their sleeves. tracks from james blake, pariah and the chain take cues from a distinctly uk sound, which the label has been keenly following from its new london base, and in cmyk have the biggest single from 2010.

byetone s new record symeta opens with a combined track - a transit - since topas and telegramm could be seen as one single piece. both tracks convey the atmosphere of a live session rather than the character of a studio production. the tracks are quite long and deal with repetition, layers of sounds, density and energy, more than melodic and engineering finesse. the whole album follows this approach, as it was fashioned within the context of live performances during the last two years. neuschnee Ð the third track Ð has an obviously reduced tempo, creating a wide landscape of sound with an intimate aura, which works as a counter draft to the other tracks of the record. with opal, the tempo speeds up again, a polyrhythmic phrase whirls around a straight beat, filters are turned, all that evokes the impression of early-90s minimal techno. byetone is basically interested in remembering, in a way to preserve, in citing rock/pop styles, without getting stuck in the past, whereas non of the tracks really fit into a specific genre. seen from this perspective, helix opens the final, more rocky block of the album. here, the tracks are offensive and rude and sound like a band in a rehearsal room. this part peaks with black peace in a high speed heavy metal session. finally, golden elegy closes symeta and a band-like situation occurs. the track ends with a wired lament, presented by jan kummer in the tenor of chemnitz, hometown of both artists. in former gdr-times, they started their musical activity with the brilliant-dilettantish ag geige, together with frank bretschneider (komet). symeta , the title of the album, appears mysterious. this synthetic word arouses associations with symmetry, synthesis or (meta-)structures. it doesn t stand for a definite object, there isn t any solution, and that is the reason why the title has been chosen. byetone s music tries to create such associations without really fulfilling these expectations. in this sense, symeta consequently follows death of a typographer (r-n92), the well received predecessor.

good price for good music! these words are in the deepest part of douglass greed and the approach to his debut album. he allows his heart to lead, the better to look where it goes. therein he s distributing straight dope, however, in the sense of emotional impact Ð dance floor dictation it is not. greed crafts music that serves up euphoria for your mind on the terrace, mas- sage table, train or car trip and so on. a timeless effect stretches along the borders... an enduring touch, and to remain in the mind for seasons to come is his concern with this album. this is more weeping or laughing in the mirror rather than admiring the physical. douglas discusses not the luxurious but rather simplicity, in order to serve a sophisticated author-future-popfor the club under the bedspread. his fondness for other forms of musical self-realization shimmers on all of his releases up to now. on his own album, he expresses this passion to the fullest. the inclination for sensible beauty in the dark plays as the greed signature, a central role. featuring musician friends such as mooryc (poznan /polen), pascal bideau (a frenchman in london), kemo (a ger- man-hawaiian in new york), ian simmonds (uk) and delhia (jena), greed casts twelve expressive pulse beats of pure greed cosmos

ex-harry pussy guitarist bill orcutt s 2009 side a new way to pay old debts was an instant classic for those attuned to his brand of stomach-scrapingly raw, hoary blues improvisation. few could have expected the album to be subsequently issued on cd by editions mego, but the more you thought about it the more it made sense - though all-acoustic, orcutt s music is every bit as extreme, violent and threshold-testing as that of, say, florian hecker, russell haswell or mika vainio. as if to prove it wasn t a token gesture towards eclecticism, mego boss peter rehberg has signed a brand new album from orcutt, and what an album it is. for the most part it s in that visceral, coruscating style that he s best known for, all finger-bleeding fretboard assaults that manage to sound at once virtuoso and completely out-of-control, reaching a psychotic climax on the visible bosom: but there are some more reflective passages too, hell, the title track might even be the most chilled thing he s ever recorded. the album was cut at d+m in berlin, which really teases every last drop of blood, sweat and tears out of the recording, which took place at orcutt s home studio in san francisco in spring of 2011. brutal, bludgeoning but incurably romantic, how the thing sings demands your steadfast attention. mind-blowing.

being a product of the age it was written, slow clubs 2009 debut, yeah so, dealt with the all too familiar space between adolescence and the oncoming storm of adulthood. a boy-girl duo who played a flower-adorned chair live, they were the polar opposite of what was coming out of post-arctic monkeys sheffield. slow club were fun, cute, whimsical and all manner of other words just shy of twee - and they hate being called twee. paradise, however, is where the duo grows up. two years on, it stumbles out of a trivial, self-indulgent teenage malaise (where sexual adventure was priority for most) and carries itself with a sense of perspective that only adulthood can give - a darker, more thoughtful view of the world. for instance, on the poignant you, earth or ash, a song about rebecca taylor s granddad, her melancholic vocals (beautiful, as always) evoke an awareness of mortality for those around her: singing -and i know, soon you ll go,- her voice seemingly breaks under the weight of premature grief. whereas even love-wise (an inspiration every band draws from) slow club s lyrical output is glossed with a more mature and detached sense of sauce, with taylor crooning on where i m waking: -i can see you looking at me / you got the brains i ve got the body-.

yuri mendez jr. has an amazing gift for composing good songs. he arranges them and records them brilliantly, and then groups them together on an album in an unpredictable yet cohesive way (his last album had 22 tracks. this one only has 8). uri mŽndez jr. is a true artisan in the best sense of the word. this is pajaro sunrises third album, and although the essentials havenÕt changed (good songs, great songs), the rest has certainly evolved. yuris voice sounds more and more emphatic, and with an extensive register full of nuances, he sings a story in every song. in doing this, he covers a stunning vocal range that dazzles from the first listen. yuri has been playing together with the same fantastic band for some time now. with them, he has rehearsed the tracks (many of which they were already playing in concerts), and then gone into the studio where almost everything was recorded with everyone playing live. the benefits of having a group that has already travelled together, as well as shared stages and life experiences are evident. and, if this disc breathes anything, its travel, highways, and familiar stories stolen from faraway places that also feel nearby. its a grandiose yet intimate album that thrills and grows with each listen.

you can forgive a band who set out to create something even just a little bit different and get it horrendously wrong, but its tough to have sympathy for a band who shy away from the challenge altogether. such was the case with autokratz on their first album, animal, which, apart from a passable opening track, consisted of a series of bland electronic pastiches Ð dance music that conversely made the listener want to sit and wait it out. that didnt stop the hype building around the duo, though, thanks in no small part to the fact that the album was released through in-vogue french label kitsunŽ music. the confusing positivity surrounding the lp suggesting, perhaps, that style overcomes substance once a record company has received the hipster seal of approval.this time around, however, kitsune has stepped aside, with autokratz releasing the follow-up on their own label, bad life. but has the sense of responsibility that surely comes with this step made them re-evaluate their direction? has it inspired them to inject a much-needed shot of creativity into their work? not a hope. if anything, autokratz descend even further into mediocrity on self help for beginners. once again, their best tunes are loaded towards the front of the album, starting with the lead single, -opposite of love. its far from outstanding, helped in no small part by the terribly contrived lyrics, but does possess a catchy synth melody Ð enough to earn it a place on club playlists, at least. its a similar story with -becoming the wraith, which has peter hook on hand to deliver an overtly new order-esque bassline. beyond that, however, the quality dips dramatically. tracks like -the seventh seal and -r.i.s.e. are typical of the selection on offer, underwhelmingly vapid, derivative tunes which show up a disappointing, but not totally unexpected, scarcity of guile on the part of their creators.where autokratz do excel is as producers Ð a quality evident not only in their own work, but also in their remixes for other artists. unfortunately, this only serves to exacerbate their deficiencies on the other side of the control room desk. ultimately it may mean that, having failed to address the shortcomings of their debut, autokratz will be fated to be filed under -also rans in the annals of music history. thats assuming, of course, that someone out there will actually remember them at all.

dave.i.d likes to think for himself. always has done. its the reason why his debut album didnt go quite according to his initial plan. he was going to make, to use his own words, >something pretty simple and straightforward<. but then he noticed lots of his friends were discovering new beliefs. some even tried to convert him. >im very open-minded to different beliefs, but i question and see things slightly differently,< he says. without necessarily wanting to, he found himself reflecting on existential questions. >the album is a record of the time that it was made, and thats what was going on in my life at the time. i didnt necessarily want to make the debut album like that. i felt i had to make it<. the cerebral inspiration catapulted him into musics outer rim. he beamed back a dark, dense sometimes confrontational sound, but ultimately compelling sound. but, in the end, it turned out to be a happy accident because the resulting record, called >response< appropriately enough, is mind-bendingly inventive, brilliantly off-kilter and constantly surprising. crucially, the tough sonics are paired with killer melodies: this is deep, heavy music you can hum. the records he was listening to while making >response< help make sense of his singular sound