killawatt returns with his sophomore 47 solo ep. successive to 47010, his first solo four-tracker for the label released earlier this year, killawatt delivers 47012 allowing his percussive heavy background to influence his take on modern dance floor material with bone rattling rhythms with stirring overtones and ruptured drum patterns.

if psychic health s self-titled debut album took the lessons the la duo learned in the teeming clubs of berlin and melbourne, their latest lp, exclusion, look inward, a document of the duo tunneling down the studio wormhole. as such, exclusion is a remarkably dynamic effort, adeptly jumping between evocative ambience (-jamaica 88,- -ryso-) and equally expansive dance floor fair. examples of the latter, such as the album s obvious centerpiece and titular track, exclusion, document gabriel mounsey and devon steffens’s harnessing modular beast technology for peak techno utility, finding a clear thoroughfare between the soaring strings of derrick may s classic transmat releases and ostgut ton s current ebm-inflected precision. as you d expect from mounsey s background in film composition, exclusion whirls with imagery. it s a los angeles album, but focuses on raw beauty of the city at night—the lights in the distance, and the desolate downtown streets where kickdrums often waft from disused warehouses. while their debut album opened notable doors for the group, landing distribution from hard wax and featuring in the netflix series sense8, exclusion is an altogether masterful turn for psychic health, their complete studio immersion easing the listener into deeply hypnotic states.

repress without cover , the sound of 2020 is new jazz and old funk with an electronic city pace, brought to you by duo the colours that rise. made up of multi-instrumentalists and producers simeon jones and nathanael williams, their 2020 ep is a confident guide through future sounds and past histories from a time yet to come. created using analogue synths and acoustic instruments, the 4 track ep works as the score to a yet to be created animation. nathanael s background is creating soundtracks for films, while simeon plays with uk jazz prophets yussef kamaal and featured on henry wu’s ‘negotiate’ 12”. providing groove for the dancer and hidden meanings for the listener, 2020 is plugged in to the pulse of uk dancefloors and the resurgence of funk audiences. with their fusion sound, the colours that rise are another welcome addition to the new ‘uk jazz invasion’ alongside their friends and colleagues yussef kamaal and the comet is coming. 2020 is an experimental electronic voyage that emerges from the ambient and arrives on the dance floor. .

social decay expands on their intense approach to techno with nods to noise, industrial and drum & bass. the manchester duos second lp-a triple vinyl package-follows 2014s cosmic microwave background, which also came out on speedy js label. social decay is out september 22nd.

running a label with the ambition to push new and unique voices isn t always an easy task. while finding new artists is about as hard as finding a black t-shirt in berlin, most budding artists seem pressured to conform or mimic the already established, only to be heard. performing under the artist name bleie, oakland resident sarah bly is not one of them. originally hailing from seattle, she indeed works with the mortar of techno form, but uses different bricks altogether. it s a hard sound to articulate, at first, it s almost alienating to ears worn by years in dark clubs. its mercurial, yet still surprisingly club compatible nature makes it an aural tiger balm – it burns and soothes at once. this compositional depth is perhaps a result of bleie s background as a trained pianist and violinist, by which she transmutes the commonly associated tropes of the genre. bleie lets the elements rule over the form, giving the tracks a morphing and unpredictable feel. obviously we were instantly intrigued when stumbling across her music, and now extremely proud to present her vinyl debut certainty is only a feeling . four tracks of unique techno so brimfully suggestive that it s nearly peerless. we can t imagine this leaving anyone unaffected.

top tip for boards of canada fans! gorgeous isolation wrapped in electric memories. 8-track electronica for homesick time travelers. nothing left to abandon is a slow rendering of brooding introspections and imaginary spaces. memories, visions, eroded philosophies, tragedies in a few words. a childhood of livid skies, barren escarpments, homeless wastes. an absorbing contemplation of unlikely beauty and dusty melancholy that intersects with the creative territories of vangelis, boards of canada, klaus schulze, and ulrich schnauss, and the musings of joe frank and robert ashley. clocolan is south african-born composer emlyn ellis addison. a long formal training in music, his work centers on original writings and the found sounds of abandoned ideologies--generations of radicals and skeptics searching for meaning. from his childhood in south africa--a landscape of neglected hinterlands, eroded topology, unconquered vastness--emerged clocolan s homesick, lo-fidelity electronica, expansive themes lost in the background noise of human affairs.

the second release in endless illusion s series of split eps comes from marcos cabral & daniel araya and features two tracks from each artist. new york s cabral is known for his experimental idm and techno on labels like l.i.e.s. while daniel araya has recently released an album of acid, techno and industrial on the classicworks label. araya s we almost lost detroit is first and is a truly haunted deep techno cut with sparse acid undulations and a real sense of manic in the rasping synth lines. softer pads in the background only add to the spooky nature of the track. ghost bass is the other araya cut and this one is more up on its toes, with mid tempo kicks down low and wonky chords up top. it s a mind melting tune that trips deep into the night. live at the egg is cabral s first effort and is a lonely and icy techno track that is supple and seductive in its long lines and paddy drums. after getting you into a state of hypnosis, some freaky vocal sounds only add to the unsettling nature of it all later on. cuts & bruises rounds things out in squelchy and depraved techno territory. muted acid stabs are off in the distance as swampy drums suck you in from the front. it s a brilliantly odd tune that close out a fine ep.

osf is happy and proud to announce a new 12-inch by its founder, nur jaber. the label was conceived by the staub resident as her very own creative platform, a place for her to not just release uncompromising music, but also to print poems, letters and in the case of this record, even direct a video. based in berlin, the young producer who was born in beirut remains very attached to her roots. this background partially explains why she can be inspired by tragic events happening regularly in the middle east - making brave statements in the mostly apolitical electronic music environment. the past years have seen nur embrace a career as a music producer, seeing her slowly and steadily become an original new voice in the techno landscape. this ep showcases nur s ability to create and combine daunting atmospherics and frantic paces. it is dark and twisted, with its vocals and screams, but always driving. weapons of mass destruction is meant for banging crazy dance floors, but it is also personal and almost cathartic, especially in the current political situation surrounding all of us. the artwork, as always, is put together by osf family members the beholder and beauty&machines.

soul deep recordings and blade are pleased to present the blackbird ep. the ep features 2 richly crafted rollers that will rock the dance floor.
the title track, “blackbird”, has received support from ltj bukem and many other top deejays around the world. the song starts off with a heavy amen break and light background atmospherics. at each turn, the break seems to get heavier as layers are added to the mix. when the bassline drops, the groove is undeniable, and will have your head nodding in approval. the song chugs along and builds to a crescendo with it s epic pads and tasteful atmospherics.
“bella l’amore”, is the second offering, and it shows a different side to blade s diverse productions. the track begins with a light break, airy efx, and chiming keys, that set the backdrop for this tight production. at the drop, the drums fill in nicely and the warm 808 bassline punch through the mix. overall, blade delivers big on this release, and will surely satisfy his fans with this slice of d&b heaven.

its clear from the opening seconds of tu fawnings debut full length, hearts on hold, that theres something very, very different about this portland, oregon band. the two note trumpet refrain of >multiply a house< that echoes like the distant sound of a battlefield, the ghostly chanting writhing around it as though in a trance, the funereal drums that boom in the background and the harmonies emerging as the chorus unfurls: these are not the sound of your everyday indie rock act.

when two creative minds join and bring an all-out modern disco track, this is the result. natasha kitty katt & twisted soul collective have aligned forces to bring you an array of ideas, thoughts, sounds and feelings. if you like your tracks, upbeat and funky, then this is a golden ticket. definitely for the disco dancers, you can visualise grooving to this number under a mirror ball. on the b side cosmic bitch with beautiful background orchestration and a contemporary groove can integrate perfectly into either a disco or house set. from big clubs, to sunshine surroundings, this track has already received stellar feedback.

the first long-awaited release of champ libre records compiles the tracks of the label’s three pioneering artists. since 2015, spun off, 3-pi, and size pier heave been heavily shaping the eclectic character of the most daring parisian dancefloor. their work reflects the crew’s transgressive approaches to techno. it stands for contradictory ideas, open-minded experimentation with sound, art and aesthetics. genese ep highlights each artist’s intriguing distinctiveness growing from the background of creative chaos.

light on his feet but not afraid to throw a punch when required, robin ordell rustles up three insouciant but meaty groovers for his second discobar release. auguste iii stretches languorously across the a-side, skippy hats cutting through the rolling, bass groove in his now unmistakeable style. lost in misty byways goes for a more sprightly walk in the park, but its nonchalance becomes increasingly threatened by dissonant voices and faulty background circuitry. finally, the sauntering bass on chelbergerho gives momentum to atmospherics that inhabit the border between dark and light harmony, never quite resolving but always pushing forwards into the morning sunshine. for robin ordell and discobar, the summer has definitely begun.

roll the dice are back with a new full length album, ‘born to ruin’. the swedish duo, which consists of malcolm pardon and peder mannerfelt, are established musicians in their own right. pardon’s background producing scores for film and television is reflected in roll the dice’s cinematic aesthetic. while mannerfelt’s acclaimed third solo album ‘controlling body’ landed in 2016, he counts the likes of fever ray among his producer credits.

the second release from producer eomac’s new dublin-based label eotrax comes from nomadic irish producer lair. this is an exciting step for the label, moving away from the dancefloor into more diverse, eclectic territory. lair is a producer far from the norm, especially for those releasing on an electronic music label. she classifies herself as a composer, producer, vocalist, artist, sound-healer and yoga teacher. with a diverse background that includes singing classical and traditional material shes expanded her artistic approach into a diverse web-like multi-disciplinarian approach in keeping with her nomadic life. currently she creates electronic music, contemporary classical music and healing music under a variety of alias including laura kilty and luminousounds (for healing music). she is also in the duo noeverything with eomac. in her words my lair music is how i see the world - this one and others channeled - expressed through layers of my vocals which i shape electronically. the music has elements of mysticism, sacred geometry, energy, sound with intention and just sounds i love formed to make music i love. i see music as i create it. i work with lots of layers - for me its like creating an aural representation of the image i see. these layers of sound can be found in her debut self-titled ep in the deep, ritualistic drones of invoke and meld on the a-side, and the more concise rhythmical patterns of searching in circles on the flip.

the playground is proud to present it’s 10th release by john tejada & arian leviste, two long standing & revered american figures who have been producing together for over 2 decades. tejadas signature sound mixed with levistes musical background makes them a strong team. they deliver a well rounded four track ep that spans from the minimal sounds of empathy for sensors to the driving energy in -rock the transport .

two years on from their move to berlin, british brothers alex & digby return with a 10 track, triple lp album to their home imprint flash as a rat on the 19 june. the album is said to show the duos full commitment to sound and experimentation after being written during a very personal time to them both. the album title -for my process” echoes this. coming form a engineering background as well as being know for their modular wizardry and band based upbringing, expect band psychedelia with dance sensibility.

cadenzas head honcho luciano teams with house music legend david morales up for esperanza a long awaited release that will fire up the summertime. david and luciano composed the track together but then each one refined his own personal mix. lucianos flow latino mix is a long tribalistic ground moving crescendo with a sub-frequency dense kick and sparkling nuyorican flavoured percussions. the hand drums ensemble ride a magnetic bass provoking a state of hypermnesia slowly reaching a climax of celestial chords. this subtle spectral progression finally breaks down a feeling of positive trust and spiritual healing. david morales red zone mix is a lengthy dramatic ascension with a darker feeling. stretched textures are the background of a constellation of scattered percussions, over which fast paced hi-hats subliminally introduce evocative strings and arpeggios, as they were coming out, at last, as the hope from the pandoras box.

nouveaunoise is the name given to the audio collages created mostly by two people in the rural west of ireland, niall conway and conor gaffney. what you are supposed to think: veteran crate diggers. rare records so untouched and ripe for sampling that they drip essential mix. moments of melodies spliced and sampled meticulously tiered with break-beating grooves. alchemists of eclectic musical source and sampling technique. the reality: reels and reels of recorded experiments on dysfunctional equipment. instruments created, copied and acquired from distant travels. a healthy fascination with boards of canada and my bloody valentine. a cultural background just far away from the hive as to offer the whole project space to breathe it s own breath

since the release of his 2 first albums on favorite recordings, lucas arruda has quickly established himself as one of the most talented young artist and composer from brazil. his music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for jazz, soul and funk music. . here s a new single, announcing the release of lucas’ third album. this new opus is pursuing the music direction set with solar, mixing touch of blue-eyed-soul, pop, soul and brazilian styles together, and influenced by the path of legendary brazilian producer lincoln olivetti, who recorded some of the biggest stars of brazilian music (marcos valle, jorge ben, tim maia…).

favorite recordings proudly presents this new official reissue of arian: a rare and underrated disco album originally released in 1981 by pgp rtb label and fully recorded in new-york. arian kerliu was born in the small town of macedonia, dibra or debar. arian’s first recordings for a local radio stations were at the age of 14, appearing in almost every music festival in ex-yugoslavia. when he was 19, arian came to new york city, working different jobs and studying music. his first music engagements were in various clubs throughout the city, playing guitar and singing. he then met with james benjamin-fish, well known bass-guitar player, with whom he formed the band arian & funky family, mainly performing in the best clubs of nyc at that time. together, they came to an idea to record an album of their own. after travelling throughout the us, they got to know each other very well, and had connected with probably some of the best musicians you could find at that time. thus they had sinclair acey arranging three songs and hubert eaves, as a writer of -still together-, a beautiful ballad written in honor of his wife. by that time hubert had gained two grammy awards for stephanie mills’ albums. kornelius cambell also wrote and composed two songs of the album, which sinclair acey arranged. the album also contains a great cover of “can’t say goodbye” by bobby caldwell, a song that arian and james had interpreted almost every night when touring. and all of this completed with the background vocals of tawatha agee (mtume), shevill alexander and sybil thomas (raw silk). arian & funky family band was then invited in yugoslavia for a european tour, including james, kornelius and stacey, but also others great musicians such as william -spaceman- patterson, zane mark, steve kroon, trevor gale, alex foster, or reggie marks, not forgetting flame braithwaite and meli sa morgan on background vocals. having the material of the 4 songs ready and finalized, the pgp rtb label from belgrade offered them to release an album, with the idea to also adapt the songs with lyrics from the famous croatian musician and writer mario mihaljevic. today, favorite recordings is deeply honored to bring this brilliant lp back to life. in order to insure the best sound quality, the original tracklist has been dispatched on a double vinyl version, which should please all djs and music collectors

having emerged from the murky waters of the tape scene on always human and summer isle, strahinja arbutina follows up on a first 12- for bank records nyc with this sterling sure shot for the excellent bliq label. there s a range of styles displayed across fox venom, but the tracks are held together by the immersive, droning atmospheres that linger in the background of the productions. -fox venom- lurches under a heavy cloud like the best subterranean techno should, while -teabagging mystery- gets locked into a deathly minimal groove. this is music for the graveyard shift, although deemonlover s -so solid mix- of -fox venom- does inject some wild breakbeat action into the gothic surroundings

new underground label abstraxx presents greg son for its first release, delivering 2 astounding pieces of music, clearly influenced by the golden age of detroit dance music. with its raw disco loop and funky bass line ‘rough edges’ has a great house dub vibe. the track builds up nicely adding a subtle abstract spacey-pad and rather unusual background sounds making the track stronger and stronger throughout.this could quite easily become some dj’s secret weapon! while ‘rough cut’ takes a more deep house approach, taking the listener into an intense journey, reminiscent of some detroit dance classics.

broox is pleased to host for its third release the french producers jam’on and worker union. jam on offers two punchy cuts with a bass line as subtle as effective. as for worker union, this is all about 2 tools exploring with intelligence the breakbeat inspiration mingled with a deep house background. vinyl only !

saine & smith consists of jaja saine and leo smith. two talented djs/producers from stockholm. both are diaspora kids - jaja saine s background is in west africa and leo s in barbados. so their debut release is a kind of heritage reflection, with twisted elements of decadent scandinavian dance music, which echoes generally in their sound. a. lord vanlig - inspired from afro-caribbean traditional folk music from the 60s. a melodramatic blend of cheer and sorrow. with capturing and repetitive drums combined with a compact kick and sweet overlay of melodious keys and child laughter. b. sir viktig – a deep house banger with haunting ghost like pads, catchy afrobeat samples and vocal snippets.

yet more classy techno emanates from paris hotbed of talent as the mysterious who decides to launch get your copy records after 15 years spent slaving away in the studio. making a statement with his first release, the long serving background artist has chosen to dig out an archival track and drop it as a single-sided 12-, the biggest compliment a track can surely receive. there s no doubt that -make my love- is worthy of such treatment, sporting a punchy set of techno rhythms that meet with sexy vocal licks and a deadly lead synth that truly marks the track out a crowd pleaser.

one of the rarest funk 45s in existence and the rarest 45 on ellis taylor s forte label flipped with a previously unreleased acetate (has a little bit of background noise but what you gonna do when there is only one copy in the world, we did out best to make it sound good and it does). both tracks are stone cold deepfunk killers. super black is from the tapes and sounds amazing (better than the original) so go destroy a club with this.

one of the core members of the apollonia family is the mastermind behind the label’s latest release. shonky steps up with his first solo ep since ‘plombiére’ which dropped in july 2016. full of funky flavours and that distinct ‘shonky style’, the new ep consists of four brand new tracks produced exclusively for apollonia. each track emanates its own unique vibe, while reppin’ shonk’s irresistible groove. on side a we have ‘tyrolien’, a jaunty number with bright tones and a tight, rolling groove. shonky injects it with a series of unusual fx and what sounds like an wizened old creature, speaking about ‘the foulest stench in the air’. it’s a superb combination and sets the ep off to a great start.next up is ‘beat street’ which has a heavier set of beats, which stomp down as a marauding b-line gets to work. tiny fizzes and cheeps in the background add depth, sounding like robotic birds at play in the wild. the track is minimal in its make up, but deep and engrossing, classic shonky material.flip the vinyl over and we have ‘torro rosso’, a bold, stomping workout with fresh percussion and a jovial analogue riff. as the bubbly low end percolates way down below, the beats pump the track along and an extra layer of analogue funk enters the fray midway through. the final track is titled ‘serpent a&#768,,, sonnette’ and swithes the vibe. it’s loose, meandering and twisted, with a hypnotic bassline and super sharp percussion. this one is going to get the dance floor locked into a groove, as it progresses a sweet, chirpy melody brightens the mood. feel the glow!once again shonky demonstrates his ability to produce groovy dance floor cuts that have their own unique fingerprint, danceable, unusual and utterly captivating. grab the new ep now!

london-based producer and dj tarquin has returned to gobstopper. “grease (chord mix)” is a high tempo example of the genre’s more experimental side, using fragmented percussive samples set to a background of pitch-bent chord stabs and twisted melodic elements.
providing as much impact in the track’s negative space as in its instrumentation, tarquin s minimalist approach to production on “grease (chord mix)” establishes its boldness and makes it one of the most recognisable examples of deconstructed club music of the year so far.
as a counter-point to the abstract starkness of “grease (chord mix)”, the release s flip side “foxtown” utilises ominous synths and distorted bass tones to tackle the more upfront sound of first generation grime production.

amine edge & dance have become well known for their releases on their own label cuff. by bringing new sounds to this label, they are building a reputation for some huge anthems, and it looks like their latest has arrived under bad influence‘. a hard hitting beat kicks the track off, while also flitting in with the vocals of sergy which provide a real different edge to the track. they have a soulful feeling to it, especially when the track begins to build and whenever it drops down. the vocal chops work well with the deep flowing bass line and hard hitting beat that amine edge & dance have delivered. bringing this all together with the drum samples and the various synth layers which work into the background of the track, it all seems to just provide a sense of groove, a sense of energy, a real deep underground driver. amine edge & dance deliver the goods with bad influence . dj support: felix da housecat sante lupe fuentes walker & royce severino panzetta tommy trash shiba san dj krush treasure fingers vanilla ace grant nelson

one of the leading lights of a growing collection of electronic pioneers from russia, muscovite anton zap steps up with an album of gloriously deep, beautifully produced music for apollo records. with a background in sound engineering, a back catalogue stretching back to 2007 and a djing career that goes back a decade further, anton zaps music is imbued with a serious knowledge and understanding of electronic music - from ambient movements to the late night thump of deep house proper, here is a producer who is as comfortable making out-there space soundscapes as he is detroit-influenced dance-floor weapons.
the collection of tracks here includes a selection of previously released material (on jus eds underground quality imprint and anton s own ethereal sound) going back as far as 2008, along with three brand new tracks seeing a release for the first time, and the overarching feeling is of a portrait of an artist who has been slowly, steadily carving out a singular niche.

paris player le loup and pura launch their new label shadow play with a four-track collection of avant-garde house music delivered boxfresh from the studio. as a solo artist, and one half of hold youth, le loup has cultivated a nuanced sound that is steeped in soulful jazzy influences, with a nod to the future and plenty of soul. on this first ep we’re presented with a showcase of this sound, and a hint at what’s to come on the brand new label… to get things rolling we have the very first track ‘the ancient ways’, which is quite laid back and minimal in its composition. there’s breathing space for the beats and bass, with an eerie atmosphere pervading throughout. ‘ygam’ is next up with a wobbly bassline, cosmic death rays and sinister effects lurking in the background - it feels like the soundtrack to a deep space thriller. on the b-side things get ravey with ‘acid surface’. retro breakbeats and stuttered toms support a dangerously alluring symphony of effects and pads. at the heart of the track is a deep subby bassline, transmitting an ancient, yet cosmic vibe.

after the release of its 5 year anniversary ep with ricardo villalobos & umho, drumma records starts off 2017 with its sixteenth release - resolutions by faster. the romanian artist brings us three outstanding dance floor tracks. >got to give< is an excellent club piece with a funky minimal ostinato, perfect for energetic and deep sets. the tracks long duration keeps us constantly floating and finally reaches a zenith half-way through. without a doubt, this composition will allow long, purposeful mixes and calm any crowds jitters. on the b-side, >got to take< is a track with a relaxed tempo where beautiful bells and percussive instruments ring out while we feel ethereal and mysterious melodies forming as landscapes in the background of a painting. a perfect b-side to listen to at home or to bring down a club in a sunrise set. 180g and vinyl only!

madcap and jaybee team up to create the musical masterpiece called “settle down”. the song starts out rather jazzy, with it’s smooth rhodes keys and heavy cymbal riding drum lines. when the song hits the breakdown, the whole tone of the tune changes. the punchy sub bassline is unleashed and becomes one of the driving forces of the track. echoing reggae style vocals are beautifully weaved into the background of the track, transforming the vibe into a reggae/dub style d&b classic. the amen drums also help to create an intoxicating energy that make this one a sure thing for dance floor mayhem. instant classic!
“hear comes” takes over where “settle down” left off. the song begins with big amen drums, backed with a reggae style skanking guitar chop. during the breakdown, a thoughtful roots reggae vocal sample is introduced that helps lift the track into a true dubwise gem. when the drop hits, the baseline kicks in and begins to wobble and throb behind all the deep atmospherics. the track has a beautiful breakdown, which takes the listener to a more melodic place. after a moment of serenity, the song breaks back into the chaotic old school flavor, which madcap does so well. this one’s a beauty!!

exhibiting a solid background as a mastering engineer, inner lakes has spent quite some years locked in his studio (located between two of the biggest internal lakes in the north of italy), to perfect his vast experimental sound. the use of modular synths, modified machines and sequencers is prevalent throughout his work. defined in his own words as a -contemporary dj tool- the forthcoming four tracker debut ep is set to be released via vae victis records. the record is far from just a tool with multilayered textures encompassed in dreamy soundscapes and a heavy driving energy throughout. his perfection in his work and passion for all things sound are a major catalyst for his sets. a mixture of unreleased material, futuristic sounds and hard hitting classics is what you can expect.

the name mondo has its roots in mondo movies, an italian movie genre born in the 60s. mondo movies are characterized by documentary-like content that addresses several topics from around the world (mondo). edizioni mondo label has the goal to produce music that is descriptive of concepts, images and environments. edizioni mondo is inspired by library music, a genre frequently used as theme or background music in radio, film and television in that very same period. numero 7 by the trusted in-house band odeon pushed all the typical and beloved mondo buttons. accompanied by version from roman ambient hitmaker panoram (see his album on firecracker for further reference) and label boss l.u.c.a. with one of his quirky dance mixes and the usual great artwork, this deserves a good place on every balearic bookshelf. keep your eyes open for the up and coming odeon album galaxies. good listening!

for his 2nd ep on the parisian label ondulé recordings, dj un*deux decided to surprise us. with -tool for fools-, his hip hop background is talking......with -two for bass- that s the dark side of dj un*deux, the kind of track you keep preciously for the peak time when you need a jumpin bassline... and finaly with -groovy vapes-, this is a pure soul cut that ends the trip.

jt donaldson, dj and producer from texas has an impressive background with releases and collaborations on prestigious labels like balance, earthtones, distance, panhandle…and cyclo. he developed his own style of house music throughout the years using influences from jazz, funk & soul. this reissue ep originally out in 1999 is one of his best, 4 pieces of fuzzy house with spaced out effects, heavy bass rides and unique groove

disco dynamo, pontchartrain flexes his best for whiskey disco 51. an out-and-out showcase of the detroit native s house background and disco leanings.

lessismore record label, founded in 2003 by the dutch dj and producer alexis tyrel together with mbc, has been home for mostly his own releases under all his monikers and various artist compilations. “return to planet alpha” continues in this tradition, being a second long-player of alexis tyrel after his debut “newtradition” from 2011.
“return to planet alpha” is a collection of elegant techno tracks which instead of following the now so popular dark and destructive path focuses on daily moods and airy atmosphere, which is closer to open air and lounge than to sweaty pits of contemporary rave. but that doesn’t mean that the twelve tracks are just indistinctive background music. for one thing, tyrel is a master of slick and tight beat foundations of kick drums and bass, often smoothed out with cool synth pads, onto which he layers all kinds of rhythmical chains, subtle melodic ideas and sounds ranging from vintage synths and industrial bits to organic textures and even field recordings.

for many years, o, aka olivier marguerit has been considered as the best sideman of the french indie pop. permanent member of syd matters, he is the one with a complete background that always has been used to hightlighting and boosting the others. until one day he decided to to care for his ownself. after 2 albums confidentially released, known as o (ohm part 1 & 2), his first lp will come out 12th january. of course, it is about a brilliant and erudite form of pop. the album will be supported from december with many live dates, including the transmusicales of rennes, and the printemps de bourges afterwards.

the first long-awaited release of champ libre records compiles the tracks of the labels three pioneering artists. since 2015, spun off, 3-pi, and size pier heave been heavily shaping the eclectic character of the most daring parisian dancefloor. their work reflects the crew’s transgressive approaches to techno. it stands for contradictory ideas, open-minded experimentation with sound, art and aesthetics. genese ep highlights each artists intriguing distinctiveness growing from the background of creative chaos.

bartellow has long been associated with the esp institute though tambien, a trio formed alongside bavarian cohorts marvin and valentino, who have released seminal dancefloor material over recent years. with his debut album panokorama, we are invited into a completely different world of bartellow s creation a place where influences become a melting pot of mood, nuance and texture, and where instrumentation is abstracted from a variety of cultures, including those that exist solely within his imagination. bartellow has found a way to merge primitivism with retrofuturism, identifying their point of intersection and reveling in their union across ten songs. while his academic background as a jazz musician certainly informs both his progressive approach to composition and non-linear production, it is his obsession with electronics and synthesis that shape his current musical climate. the title panokorama stems from bartellows visualization of the album, a surreal landscape with a foreign presence centrally embedded, a panorama punctuated by a ko, although a hybrid word that reads as nonsense, it somehow feels and sounds just right.

mihai popoviciu has carved out a reputation for being one of the most innovative producers of electronic music active in europe today. the man from romania has established himself both as a highly respected producer releasing on labels such as highgrade, international gigolo and dessous and as a killer dj performing all over the world. fiction is his 4th release on poker flat recordings, and delivers four distinct flavours to sink your teeth into. i should is a slinky groover, with a slippery, evolving bassline, tight, funky percussion and a sultry female vocal. working just as effectively early in a set as a peak time moment, its bound to get rinsed in the coming months. twisted is a little harder - a straighter beat signals a more heads down approach, and the bassline is sure to trigger some dancefloor scenes wherever it gets played. next up is title track fiction which perhaps makes a reference to mihai’s background, with fragments of eastern european melodies woven into the beautiful synth work, all tied together over a spacey yet driving rhythm track. last but by no means least is interconnected - a straight up deep bomb with echoes of classic chicago deep and acidic house in its warm and sensual vibe.

presenting fapte002 - anamorph - subconstient ep (white 180g, vinyl only - limited)
originally from tunisia, anamorph is one of those great explorers who travel the world in search of new influences, finding inspiration in romania after a few years of living in bucharest, he presents fapte with 2 original tracks to match the identity of the label:
side a of this white vinyl consists of one original mix - sub constienta - with an uplifting baseline, with industrial background textures complete with mesmerizing synths that make your body vibrate to the groove.
on side b, swing altfel is a track that tells the story differently, taking the listener on a long journey thru the sound. just like the exquisite painting of painter leonid afremov, the track it self has many sounds combining one on top of the other in a progressive release of the right amount of joyful vibe, with passages and percussions mixed with tweaked vocals, giving this track the perfect rithm.

fresh off of a pair of well-received eps on his recently-launched manhigh imprint, berlins highly respected techno auteur henning baer makes his first appearance on nonplus with 4 excellently crafted, saturated machine techno tracks on the idea of instinct. following on feelings suggested in the title, the ep opens with a pair of more contemplative pieces: the title track’s spare arrangement puts mechanical rhythmic drive behind its exploration of dusky electronic atmospheres, while the feeling of dna is both brighter and slightly pacier, its hypnosis deriving from the pads and synthesizer sequences that circle the drums. ccc ii takes a darker approach to a similar idea, this time with the suggestion of polyrhythms in the distant and heavily-treated percussive elements circling in the background behind uneasy ambience. it builds to the closer spiritual quest, where overlaid rhythms in 3 and 4 are not easily reducible and create the tension at the track’s centre driving it to its conclusion.

this is the fourth ep the paris legends dan ghenacia and chris carrier have made together over the last year, and it’s just as fresh as their previous efforts with plenty of bounce, depth and funk. first up on the a-side is ‘the blue grass’, a deeply sensual cut with a potent low end. therein lies the groove, which is utterly captivating – made to get you writhing with glee, this one is aimed straight at the hips. alongside that sleazy bassline we have jazzy notes, swinging percussion and otherworldly bleeps and chirps. all of which makes it a great intro to this sterling ep. on the flip side, we have ‘blue stick’, another ridiculously groovy riddim with warped voices floating above a set of crispy beats and a raw undercurrent of emotion. minimal in composition, and the effect is deadly. lastly, to close out the three-tracker, it’s ‘kind of blues’ (can you spot the theme here?!). when it starts off, this one is a stomper with a moody expression. the beats are hefty, the bass morose and the analogue effects strangely cosmic. more twisted vocals are filtered in the background, giving this one its weird hook. the vocal reveals itself in the breakdown midway through before the track bounds on to its finale. dan ghenacia and chris carrier deliver three firebombs, perfect dance floor material with tight grooves and killer production. would you expect anything less?! go get em…

stepback records launch with the first new thinktank material in many years!! danger at 300 fathoms ep combines styles from many genres, electro, house, techno, reggae, electronica all neatly produced and packaged to build an excellent first release for stepback records. its no surprise as thinktank aka colvin cruickshank has a strong background in writing and producing top quality music. his band snide rhythms has a cult following and his music with thinktank reveals the breath and diversity of colvins talents as a writer and producer. a side algae rhythms kicks off the ep. its a house focused club record with a quirkyness that defines thinktanks sound. meanwhile, w sludge on b1 packs more of a punch with its heavier kick drum, snares and a much more skanky feel. we round off with l ahrax point an uncomprimising club track. its badass electro but again with a deep twist that intrigues the listener and leaves you wanting to listen again and again.

this is a vinyl reissue of the first release of stephen bishop’s basic house moniker, originally release as a tape in 2012. through his music, and his label opal tapes, bishop has been one of the most significant definers of leftfield dance music over the past years. his background in diy punk and noise is easily identified in his approach to both sound production, general aesthetics, and overall attitude.
“i’m not a heaven man” is characterized by a poetic and tape hissed melancholy, sensibly combined with a lo-fi experimental character rendering it a deeply personal take on contemporary electronic music. slow pulsations of sequenced drones combined with noise with strong emphasis on atmosphere make “i’m not a heaven man” an exquisitve piece of ambient sound design.
limited to 300 copies on white double vinyl with download code included.