though the origin of trance music lies back in the late eighties, there are still tons of trance fans out there whoÕve been enchanted by the early days of the genre. they are the same people whod lose themselves completely in their all-time favorite trance tune and would give anything to hear an all-classics live set. today, their hearts may have skipped a beat or two as armin van buuren released the twelfth installment of his Ôa state of trance classicsÕ series. stacked full of seminal records from the likes of above & beyond, armin van buuren, atb, chicane, cosmic gate, gareth emery, markus schulz, paul van dyk, signum, super8 & tab and more, Ôa state of trance classics, vol 12Õ turns any moment into a trip down memory lane. featuring a grand total of 36 classics in their extended, unmixed forms as well as an opening track that pays tribute to the pioneering efforts of the late robert miles, it stirs the embers of the near-ancient crowd favorites and allows them to entrance the world in the same manner they did years back. for anyone who looks back on the early years of trance with a smile brighter than the sun, a state of trance classics, vol.12 is a must-have.

an unreleased classic from the vaults emerges with beautiful reshapes by cv313 (recorded and reshaped from 2007-2016) this is where the sound of cv313 was realized, culled from cassette tapes recorded live (1995-2000) with nothing but analog/digital hardware, no computer in sight (excluding our commodore 64 midi sequencer, which is still alive and well today). the radius project has been absent since the final release in 2001, the first 12- appearing in 1996 (limited white label run of 100 copies pressed at acme pressing in canada) after revisiting these works we realized there was truly some magic here. this project was initially sent to rod modell & mike schommer shortly after they launched their brilliant deepchord label in 2001. they were incredibly kind in saying it was the best demo they had ever heard and passed it on to octal records for release, sadly, that didn t materialize and since then these masters have been collecting dust in our cassette rack for nearly 20 years now. we ve spent months doing our best to restore the old tapes from our tascam 688, an 8 track cassette recorder purchased and abused since 1992 and to our ears still sounds quite impressive even by modern standards. (that is of course, if you can get past the tape hiss) we ve had nearly every component replaced and re-calibrated to bring this obsolete machine back to life, it s been a truly nostalgic experience re-visiting these masters.

deleted - an unreleased classic from the vaults emerges with beautiful reshapes by cv313 (recorded and reshaped from 2007-2016) this is where the sound of cv313 was realized, culled from cassette tapes recorded live (1995-2000) with nothing but analog/digital hardware, no computer in sight (excluding our commodore 64 midi sequencer, which is still alive and well today).

cd edition of michael mayers dj - kicks, tipp
michael mayer. credited by many as one of the leading tastemakers in dance music, his dj sets have influenced a generation (or two) of musici- ans and fans out there today. an artist that has never allowed time or age to slow him down Ð michael mayer remains tirelessly motivated behind the dj decks, in the studio or behind his desk at kompakt, the company he co-owns and is up next on k7 s long running dj-kicks series.

over the last few years dexcell have been in high demand for their remixing talents. with official remixes under their belt for some seriously heavyweight acts such as ellie goulding and philip george through to the more underground acts like hybrid minds and bcee, an album of original material was long overdue. not content with just rolling out the beats, dexcell have drafted in some of the finest vocal talent around today. from the underground jungle influenced impulse to the peak time radio friendly running to the laid back melody ofÔover the influence, under the blue showcases just what the trio of dave, adam and sammie (aka dexcell) can do. support from beats 1, friction, high contrast, spectrasoul, camo & krooked, bryan g, s.p.y, nu:tone, zero t

working together for 16 years and counting, craig smith & graeme clark aka 6th borough project possess unrivalled experience. theyve djd at pivotal clubs next to the biggest names, released music on seminal labels, and cultivated a solid knowledge of everything from jazz, funk and soul to chicago house and detroit techno. something of a rarity to find in the artists of today. following up two solid lps on revered label delusions of grandeur, 2011Õs one night in the borough and 2014Õs borough 2 borough, find your rhythm marks the duoÕs third album and is released on graemeÕs own roar groove imprint. it will feature long time collaborator vocalist paul joseph and ties into a new edinburgh based residency of the same name. spanning everything from disco, house, techno and hip-hop, find your rhythm is an impactful return and testifies the duoÕs ever-present innovation and mastery that simply does not falter with time.

the avant garde movement largely influenced katsoulisÕ early compositions. after which, he turned to minimalism, applying elements of jazz and rock into that genre. since the 80s, the use of technology became gradually apparent in his compositions, whist not diminishing the importance of the human factor and the creative involvement of the performer. . today, he is striving for simplicity, trying to express the most, using the least, providing the context for this release. from the subtle ambience of title track Òif not now whenÓ, to the intense and confronting sound on Òall the blue skiesÓ, katsoulis and his accompanying musicians deliver a diverse and contemporary work with a level of sophistication that will challenge the current electronic musical landscape. the purity of sound in stand out track ÔtoreÕ is juxtaposed by the dark and gritty Ògrand delusionsÓ, a remarkably modern composition which sounds like it has been composed for a berlin techno club, from a man we suspect has never been to one. Ôslipping beautiesÕ, the most revered of katsoulisÕ back catalogue (recently remixed by young marco) is given an organic and intelligent reinterpretation for 2016. the haunting and provocative vocal performance by anna linardou on ÔzarrinÕ leads the record down an even more emotive and provocative path.

for the next installment in our watergate mix series, we turn to two close friends of the club who also happen to be some of the most sought after selectors today, the dynamic polish duo catz n dogz. the story of the fabled friendship goes back over 10 years when they first played the club inciting the first anecdote in a series of countless returns to both the main and water floors as well as our open air summer events and club showcases throughout europe. within the mix, the pair perfectly encapsulate the vibe of each respective watergate events environment proving they are masters of their craft. over the span of 27 tracks in just over an hours time, catz n dogz showcase their affinity, prowess, and knowledge of all things house. from beginning to end, the mix dives into every corner the genre has to offer, merging classic sounds with future concepts where the sounds of legends like dj garth, joakim, kalexi, jackmate, and mr. g

the eye of the storm: welcome to tornado wallaces debut album!

gareth dickson is ghost like. from the dark outskirts of glasgow he has sent three studio studio albums in to the world - collected recordings (2009), the dance (2010) and quite a way away (2012). these albums have bewitched a growing inner circle, including some of the most innovative musicians around today - juana molina and vashti bunyan to name just two. gareth has been the only constant member of vashtis touring outfit over the past ten years and latterly they have stripped down to a duet on their worldwide travels. vashti indeed makes a spectral apparition on the first track of gareth s new album orwell court.

a year after their impressive last album burn it down, detroit techno legends octave one are back with a nine track double ep that again shows they are masters of big hypnotic grooves. entitled love by machine, the albums name is a nod to the fact that the burden brothers are such revered masters of their hardware. both in the studio, where they cook up atmospheric house and techno with soaring synths and vocals and also in the live arena, where they are celebrated as one of the most accomplished and forward thinking performers in the game today. that is all the more impressive when you bear in mind they have been active since the 80s, most often releasing on their own 430 west label, which is where they appear again here.

cabanne has been active for over 16 years and is considered as one of the main players on the minimal house scene. he is well known for his jazz and funk influences which bring a unique groove and tune to this set of 11 tracks lp available mid-october on cd and 3x12. discopathy will bring an intense pleasure to minimal house lovers, electronic music enthusiasts and jazz players who will fully enjoy this pure piece of minibarism, comfortably installed close to the flames of a burning dancefloor. this album matured and has been refined for years and it is with great emotion for both cabanne and minibar label that it is announced today.

atrocity exhibition ist der neueste hšhepunkt in einer langen serie von highlights: im verlauf der letzten jahre hat danny brown mit vielen hochkarŠtigen kŸnstlern wie purity ring, rustie, schoolboy q, e-40 oder ghostaface killah gearbeitet. fŸr den posse-track detroit vs. everybody tat er sich mit eminem, dej loaf, royce da 5 9, big sean und trick trick zusammen, und auch den legendŠren the avalanches lieh er fŸr ihr comeback-album dieses jahr seine stimme. da er auf atrocity exhibition kein blatt vor den mund nimmt und gewisserma§en die hochprozentige essenz seines kreativen ansatzes herausdestilliert, hat danny auch die wahl der gŠste ganz genau darauf abgestimmt: ihren schlangenhaften gesang steuert kelela im fall des wahnsinnig finsteren from the ground bei, mit b-real von cypress hill ist ein alter hanf-fachmann fŸr die tiefentspannte hook von get hi verantwortlich, und mit earl sweatshirt, kendrick lamar und ab-soul treten gleich drei junge hochkarŠter fŸr das ominšs schillernde really doe zu ihm ans mikrofon, die er derzeit fŸr die besten rapper hŠlt, die es momentan gibt

literary all the granny smith apple trees grown today, from uruguay to hokaido, are clones from mrs. smithÕs original tree in sydney. bananas, oranges, watermelons, garlic & other fruits of daily delight are routinely replicated without any input of external ideas - i.e., they are cloned. there is no general ethical or aesthetic decision to be formed about clones, since you have already imbibed them ever since your first bite. thus, you are not in a neutral or otherwise preliminary position, but already involved, kneedeep.

a collaboration between aphex twin (richard d. james) and µÐziq (mike paradinas), mike & rich - Õexpert knob twiddlersÕ was made back in 1994. richard edited the tracks into shape later in 1996 with his new apple mac computer and it was released later that year on rephlex, the label he co-owned and which released the first two albums by µ-ziq. this new reissued version has been carefully cleaned up, re-edited and remastered from the original dat tapes, put into a more fitting order and, more excitingly, seven new bonus tracks and alternative versions have also been added. the album was recorded over a few days during the 1994 world cup, back when richard lived in a big shared flat in stoke newington. richard had tried to collaborate with a few other likeminded artists but something clicked when mike and rich worked together and the sessions have a unique feel, playful and at times actually drunk. these are fun experiments in the spirit of lighthearted moog pop and ripe 70s british tv themes, standing out from the po-faced electronica of the time with a garish glee. the record was made on what is now seen as pretty primitive gear - an atari, roland mks-80, memorymoog, roland r8 and a handful of samples on a casio fz-10m - but itÕs to their credit that it resonates well with the hardware workouts coming out today. there s a broadminded but sloppy funk to the record, even whistling, singing and harpsichord in reg and wonky beat pile-ons in jelly fish . there s latin piano and wheezy drunken techno in ÔvodkaÕ, or the sleepy spaced out ambience of Ôbu bu bu ba with its barely contained laughter which seems to reflect the absurdity. the new versions and bonus tracks are an absolute delight - from a trancier version of Ôvodka to the wonky bounce of Ôportamento gosh , the 3/4 dub of waltz, the banging door bass of brivert and muonds , the creepy seasick atmosphere of clissold bathroom and finishing with the strangely graceful and serious organ plodder . a generous and welcome return to the racks

wowser, what a stunning double feature we have here in our hands today! to all our ibiza amigos and chicas: cocoon recordings presents an unbelievable package just in time for the peak of this years ibiza season. please welcome sonja moonear and one of the greatest house and techno producers of all time, mister carl craig! and what a package this isÉ full of love, soul and electronic dance music highlights. carl craig is in charge for cd1 of our official 2016 ibiza release. the detroits 90s techno wunderkind and the mastermind behind some of the biggest house and techno records ever made leaves us almost speechless with his amazing selection and mix. of course we didnt expect anything

counterstrike stand as one of the hardest production entities to pin down in the heavy-hitting end of drum and bass, delivering exceptionally well-executed cuts across the multiple sub-genres of the scene to carve out their unique sound. following up a string of releases across leading labels in the scene, which sparked as early as 2001 and sees them today as one of the leading forces with their heavy sound - they unveil their 2nd lp through their own algorythm recordings - fear division destruction.

brilliant debut from londoner, now l.a. based damian lazarus (crosstown rebels) , beween nu pop, techhouse and free electronic - nice price

god, reviews can be lol. so we ll presume you know your own mind and taste. let us scrub all metaphor. we ll resist comparison. today s musical tenor overlooked, we ll refuse to dissect. moments preferred are muted. we wont highlight respite or forgiveness. theres no considering of geographical fact. we ll shut our ears to technology.

much-celebrated kompakt staple the field returns to the spotlight with new album the follower, his fifth full-length offering after from here we go sublime (kompakt rsd 02 cd 57), yesterday and today (kompakt 193 cd 72), looping state of mind (kompakt 241 cd 94) and cupids head (kompakt 290 cd 110). swedish soundsmith axel willner is well-known for his mastery when it comes to the allusive layering of loops, but it was with his last album cupids head that a newly-found, somewhat pressing snappishness started to replace the soft-hued sonics of his ambient-infused techno, imbued with a darker mood and stronger footing than before. a carefully gauged balance of stoic motorik and gloomy drones was key here - just as it is for the follower which goes even further in blurring the lines between concrete experimentation, body music and precisely laid-out arrangement, leading to one of the most rhythmically and texturally engaging listening experiences in willners catalogue.

over 10.000 years ago, after the last ice age, humans began to explore and settle the place now known as scotland. evidence of our ancestors can be found in the various rock carvings, standing stones, tombs and dwellings still scattered throughout the lands today. modern archaeological techniques can offer ever more detailed suggestions as to what these monuments might have meant, but it is still largely left to our imaginations to discern just what these spaces were used for.

nach der zerklŸfteten gefŸhlskŠlte seines debŸtalbums classical curves (2012) legt der britische produzent jam city nun ein sinnliches werk mit modernen popsongs zwischen grime, hip hop, post-punk, country, gotik und moderne vor. musik zur transzendenz, aber auch zur konfrontation. ein werk Ÿber liebe und widerstand. stets roh, stets tief in rot.

it seems that there is an overabundance of artists today who have reached a level of success from their work, but very few of them come close to the level of output and range as butch. equal parts producer extraordinaire, dj, gentleman, and comedian, butch has everything deserving of a star in todays dance music arena. which is why, we here at watergate are extremely pleased to present him as next in line for our watergate mix series

emotional rescue is proud to present the first ever collection of works from spanish song writer javier bergia. as a member of finas africae his name is finally coming to prominence. now with this selection of his music from 1985 to today, the depths of his acoustic, folk and balearic writing can be heard. born in madrid in 1958 to a family steeped in both classical and spanish traditional music, javier s unique mastery of guitar, percussion, voice, poetry and composition is drawn from both this grounding and upon his lifelong musical inquisitiveness . since 1980 he has been an integral part of the ancient music group atrium musicae . in 1984 he founded, with juan alberto arteche and luis delgado, the groundbreaking group finis africae as a sonic investigation into a fusion o f diverse ethnic musical forms incorporating both indigenous instruments and electronic elements. as a solo artist, his career blossomed when, in 1985, he recorded his first lp, the acclaimed recoletos and he has since recorded thirteen solo albums . with luis delgado he recorded the now classic album la fl or de piedra under the name ishinohana and regularly appears with singer ismael serrano. javier has composed music for and collaborated on many documentaries, films and advertisements as well as collaborating on protects with a myriad o f artists including maria del mar bonet, joaquin diaz, vainica doble, marina heredia, pablo guerreo, antonio vega and cafe del mar. today he participates in the sephardic music groups halilem and alquibla , as well as diverse alternative chamber music groups. javier works around the world as composer, arranger and producer and he appears daily with manolo hh on radio nacional de espana.

there are few names in dance music today which need less of an introduction than masters at work. the duo of louie vega and kenny dope gonzalez have forged a reputation for genre-eschewing dj sets and flawless house production during careers which have spanned decades and seen hundreds of releases and remixes. their influence and reach changed house forever. taking the song-writing ability of vega and fusing it with gonzalez s encyclopaedic knowledge of breaks and hip-hop, the pair created a smooth-yet-underground sound that is still being copied and referenced by producers today...

following on from p-bens half life double header released in february on motech records, dj 3000s label heads to another new signing in march with two tracks by lionel weets, taken from his forthcoming debut album, stellar orchestra

electro shock aims to reflect the electronic scene today in france and the rest of the world Ð, a constantly evolving scene and the ultimate soundtrack of our times and their fascination for rhythms and dancefloors. the first volume extracted the absolute best from the flowering and vital scene of 2012 from confirmed artists m83 to newcomer nina kraviz.

larry gus, buergerlich panagiotis melidis und seines zeichens multi-intrumentalist, produzent und sŠnger wurde in veria, griechenland geboren. drei jahre nach stitches, seinem debuetalbum, meldet sich der grieche mit neuer langspielplatte zurueck

retro was the by far most overworked musical term in all areas house and techno. and well, we have to admit it it: so is this release by our new player matt john and his debut for cocoon recordings.

neue drum & bass mix-cd aus dem hause hospital mit stŸcken von netsky, metrik, danny byrd, high contrast, s.p.y, nu:logic, fred v & grafix, wilkinson, the upbeats, phace & noisia, fracture u.v.a.!

ital tek ist eine explosive mischung aus dubstep, garage, 2-step, sub-baessen und electronica

limited edition 2 x cd

since first bursting onto the scene with the now classic album wide angle in 1999 hybrid have been known as one of the most forward thinking and technically skilled acts in electronic dance music. after four extremely well received albums, over twenty singles, countless remixes and a raft of movie & game soundtrack work it is time to reflect on some of the bands numerous highpoints. hybrid classics celebrates and relives some of the bands finest tracks from their breakthrough classic finished symphony to an exclusive cover of depeche modes enjoy the silence (as chosen by an ask-hybrid-to-cover-this fan poll in 2011).

one of today s biggest movements in electronic dance music, still is the beloved sound of trance. continuing to grow more eclectic with each song it sets forward, the trance scene has won the hearts of millions of music lovers across the globe. for these lovers, armada music presents the armada trance series. going strong for nearly 5 years, the series presents the most essential track, with each season it passes. completing trance collections with never-ending beats, heart-rending melodies and uplifting synths, is armada trance volume 15 . filled with todays hottest trance tracks and future favorites, it takes you on a journey to the tracks of armin van buuren, dash berlin, paul oakenfold and ashley wallbridge, as well as andy moor, matt darey, markus schulz and aly & fila. enjoy the musical journey it takes you on. one big ride of energy and musical bliss!

a perfectly formed deep-house voyage, taking the listener through blends of jazz, blues, latin and hip-hop, tourist is a must have for any dance or jazz music collection. the album transcends the ages and sounds as relevant and fresh today as it did on release, rightly staking a claim as a true modern classic.

the album third encounter showcases the 20 past years of klas lindblad as a musician, dj and sound engineer, one whos seen most of the modern musical styles evolve and dissolve. always relying on the basic principles of electronic dance music that less is more, lindblad brings another fine full-lengt artist album out, surely to be considered his finest work til today.

digitalism has lovingly created a mix for !k7s legendary dj-kicks series. for these two young germans, jens moelle and ismail tŸfekci, joining the ranks of contributors to the series was nothing short of a dream come true. twelve years ago, the duo met as two record store workers in hamburg, admiringly selling the dj-kicks series to their customers, and appreciating the dexterity of the mixes and range of artists who assembled each mix. their favourite contributions include tigas mix (his mix was the essence of edgy and cold electro-techno.), the playgroup mix (more really playful stuff.) and erlend oyes mix (cause he sung over a lot of stuff and had some favorites like jŸrgen paape and the collaboration with morgan geist.

after collaborating on exclusive tracks for the labels lovingly-acidic forward to the past series, dutch duo tj kong & modular k prepare to drop their debut full-length, dream cargoes on poker flat. having been friends and colleagues in the dutch electronic scene for well over a decade, the talented pair have so much experience in working on different studio projects, and now come together in this glorious full-length exploration of their vision of house and techno today. the artists erwin van moll (tj kong) and gijs janssen (modular k) represent two decades of collected experience in the underground techno and electronic music worlds.

uk collection from the 60s soul legends. smokey robinson and the miracles are one of the greatest vocal groups of all time. they made some of the most important popular music of the 60s and early 70s, that sounds as fresh today as when they were first recorded. this 20-track collection contains some of the groups most loved moments such as the tracks of my tears, the tears of a clown and i second that emotion. this collection takes the listener on a journey through the vocal groups back catalog of albums, taking in many of their best loved tracks.

listening through bigfield, its clear why many people consider harald one of the finest producers ofelectronic music today. every single sound is pure perfection, the colors are vivid, the arrangements tothe point yet never less than enigmatic. whats more important is that hes got soul, oceans of it. harald is a true romantic artist, constantly returning to the same themes of nostalgia, understated euphoria and sunshine over snowy landscapes. over the last few years, haraldÕs followers have heard him get closer and closer to the core of his art with every single release. finally, bigfield has arrived -his first true masterpiece, one of those rare albums that will make listeners dance, weep and smile inequal parts.

2011 release from british producer / remixer / dj adam gibbons aka lack of afro. gibbons combines his live musicianship and top notch studio production skills with rappers and vocalists into a skillful combination of compositions blending funk, hip hop and soul into a steamy stew of a breakbeat bonanza. as a multi instrumentalist, in-demand producer and remixer, a dj with his finger on the cutting edge of contemporary sounds, and an ear tastefully cocked to the hippest soul, jazz and funk music from the 60s and 70s, gibbons has already established an unrivalled reputation as one of the most crucial names at work in funk and dance music today.

the xxlerator concept has become the longest running hardstyle club night of europe. it is one of the most successful nights hosted by club matrixx, where many well-known hardstyle djs have taken their place behind the decks. this particular club has been at the top of the dutch club scene ever since the doors were swung open 10 years ago. it has understandably been voted as the number one club of the netherlands three times. club matrixx stands for quality and they will no doubt prove it to you once more with an incredible compilation cd. behind the scenes, club matrixx teamed up with one of the biggest hardstyle artists in the world today: ran-d. this man has a large amount of memorable sets at parties like defqon.1, decibel, intents festival, emporium and xxlerator. in addition, his discography displays a high rate of quality and quantity with regards to his productions. ran-d pulled out all the stops to put together this cd. the result is a brutal mix with a perfect combination of raw and euphoric tracks. pure hardstyle will project from your speakers with the sounds of italian hardstyle legend the rebelz, a records and gunz for hire colleague adaro and of course the hottest tunes from noisecontrollers. he also added tracks from other great producers such as: alpha, psyko punkz, coone and crypsis. this album puts every hardstyle lover in the party mood and is a must have for any collection.

gits album -imagination- could be described as an experimental design with roots in underground hip hop. gits musical style may be hard to pin point. his love of drums set the foundation for his sound: driving, percussion heavy productions anchored in traditional hip hop, with an experimental streak. his sound has many flavours and is not to be boxed in one label. one of the goals of this album is to fill the void that pop music has left. -imagination- will remind us that talent and emotion can still be found in music today and one not always needs a million dollar budget to make good music. if you like music that is raw, pure and speaks from the heart then you will love this project.

five classic artist albums in wallets housed in a new slipcase. nice and simple, no frills just great music! includes circle of love (1975), together (1977), we are family (1979), love somebody today (1980) and all american girls (1981).

a brand new compilation featuring the a- and b-sides of all the bands chiswick singles. includes four tracks new to cd. when we recently came to re-press our long-standing the best of the damned, the pressing plant told us that, unfortunately, the films had been lost. rather than simply make a new set of films, we decided to make a completely new cd and so present you with the damned: the chiswick singles - and another thing... overseen by the producer of the bands chiswick releases, roger armstrong, the package comes with brand new high-end transfers from the original master tapes - the damned have never sounded better. an extensive trawl through box after box of saved material from that era means that the booklet features a lavishly illustrated package including rare photographs and tons of memorabilia.

kanda bongo man is a giant of african music and the artist credited with introducing john peel to african music. his fans number vampire weekend (cape cod kwassa kwassa), paul simon and john peel. all the tracks were recorded for joe boyds hannibal records between 1984-91, an era we can look back on today as the high watermark of parisian soukous, and showcase a band at the height of their powers. behind his soaring voice kanda employed diblo dibala and rigo star, two lead guitarists who are widely considered as the best soukous guitarists who ever lived. diblo was recruited from the band led by the legendary franco whilst rigos scorching licks graced albums by paul simon and it was their twinning that gave kandas music a wonderfully joyous, ringing quality. they both feature extensively on the -king of kwassa kwassa-.

it might sound like an empty phrase, but when oliver koletzki founded stil vor talent in 2005, he certainly didnt anticipate where his label would be today. now - six years and over sixty releases later - stil vor talent can look back at many magnificent moments in the labels history. originally started to give other musicians the chance to showcase their music, stil vor talent has preserved this very down-to-earth attitude until today and has helped foster the careers of producers such as channel x, niko schwind, juli holz or david august to name just a few. while there have never been any musical or stylistic limitations, an open philosophy dominated by quality and individualism prevails at olivers label, from delicately designed record sleeves to their own fashion line and to music that varies from house to pop to jacking dancefloor cuts. now it is time to congratulate everyone involved and the fans of stil vor talent with a special birthday present: a six-year anniversary compilation that celebrates past, present and future of the label on two cds