inits music has the rare quality of transforming bleakness into a soothing experience. in the duos new ep, wildcard, this mechanism is more intense than ever. and that might be because of the particular circumstances that surrounded its inception. two years ago, nadia dalo and benedikt frey decided to move from darmstadt to berlin. adjusting to a rough area of a big city when coming from a quiet town necessarily brings a change of perspective. for nadia and benedikt, that meant experiencing the city life as outsiders while trying to figure out what they wanted from it.wildcard is the sonic result of this process, and proof that changes always bring growth. recorded in their new home studio during winter, the six tracks on the ep are as haunting as their previous lp for hivern, but with a rawer approach and enhanced power. take cover and solver, an approximation to the kind of moody psych-techno they display in their live-shows and two of the most dance floor oriented tracks init have recorded to date. but its the title track which best expresses the mindset of this work. with its skeletal rattle and undulating synths, wildcard feels as desolate as a berlin street in a winter night, but possesses the kind of focus that turns uncertainty into hope. in a similar way, cuts such as copycat or half baked perfectly capture the sort of estrangement -daunting yet hopeful- that comes when moving into a new place, with its slow tempos mirroring the cautious pace of a foreigner and the intoxicated atmospheres calmly distilling the essence of a new environment. nadia and benedikt describe this new habitat as small kids on big bikes, eating dry instant noodles, playing with whats to find on the streets, static aircraft traffic closely over our heads and constant running engines. listening to the music that arose from it, its obvious that, once again, they&# 39,ve been able to overturn apparently hostile elements into a place were youd want to stay forever

production from xl middleton. just in time for the summer, moniquea is back with a future glass house staple entitled “all the time.” riding thick, squiggly production from xl middleton, modern funk’s first lady delivers declarations of dominance that might make you want to stand up, pop and lock, or have a seat and slam dominoes on the table top. the b-side, “his lady,” is a future roller skate staple featuring an instrumental culled from the mid 2000’s vaults of xl middleton. the track still sounds fresh nearly a decade and a half later thanks to moniquea’s timeless songwriting and silky delivery.

very cinematic, tunnel visioned & on-going arpeggiated synth-techno in two versions by stiletti-ana (half of jesse from last years twotinos lp on keys of life). a-side with steady kick and feedbacked percussions riding through a deep, analogic, cloudy and live drummed landscape. b-side highlights the scope with no drums, except the ever lasting cymbals.

ow finally on vinyl: artbat are bringing their first full ep release to diynamic music. the three-tracker -planeta- starts off with the title track -planeta-, a rapid-fire techno odyssey that might as well be taken from a relentless pursuit in a futuristic action movie. this is followed by the gloomy bassline of -prometheus-. heavy on percussive elements, the track is divided in half by a cascading synth-break only to return with more layers of percussions, strings and the hypnotic bassline. closing off the ep is -sand in your shoes- featuring london based artist dino lenny, who has previously worked with madonna or wu-tang clan and produced remixes for underworld, missy elliot or timbaland. the collab track is a dreamy deep-house tune and a perfectly emotive way to finish the record.

the 1974 album from deep purple back on limited purple vinyl with download code included. mastered from the original tapes at abbey road studios.

jude greenaway joins analogical force with e.oneseven ep . some might already know scanone from past releases on combat recordings and yellow machines. intricate breakbeat treatments with crisp electronica melodic edits, twisted future hardcore and london-bred basslines...the sound of scanone in 2018. on the b-side the conner brothers reappear after a long silence as bitstream, to twist re-turn into the darker dystopian side. fans of solid underground music take note

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

the 5th re-issue release of berlin based label ltd, w/lbl features once again long forgotten gems and on top an exclusive vinyl rework. this one won’t might be as jazzy as usual but this selection, being part of the channel for quite some time now, was worthy to be pressed!

label head honchos rhode & brown finally debut on their own imprint, slam city jams, after putting out music on fellow labels toy tonics and public possession. produced over the past two years, the wave 100 ep might be the most versatile record by the munich-based fellas so far. on the title track we have an euphoric hint of 80s synth nostalgia, slapped bass and banging woodsticks (did someone say safri duo?!). sparkle on a2 feels like the joy of a fresh breeze on hot summer days whilst living la vida loca in the clouds - b/w phat bass, sweet flutes & strings. on the flip there is love lane, a classic house track with a funked up bassline, shuffling snares and the most erotic vocal in human history. moon bells on b2 is the soundtrack to that road trip you did back in 86 with a juno 106 arpeggiator bassline, percussive drums and airy synths all around. over europe on b3 rounds off this special 5-tracker with beautiful ambient spheres straight from outta space.

art alfie joined the toy tonics crew ! you know him from studio barnhus. he released his album last on axel bomans label last year and a couple of hot tracks with longtime partner mr. tophat before that. his first ep for toy tonics features 3 of the sweetest bangers he did till now. what a wonderful vibe! and the remix … killer. by stockholms amazing newcomers mount liberation unlimited (who just released an ep on permanent vacation). art alfie is busy these days: besides his involvement with toy tonics he started a own label (velvet pony). even if you might know him mainly from the kick-ass dancefloor stuff he has been doing with karlovak and the studio barnhus gang - there is some more complex background here: alfie used to play in hardcore and psychedelic bands and has a real golden hand when it comes to work with musicians. in fact currently he is also producing some stuff for swedish supergroup/hotshot band ‚off the meds‘! yes, stay tuned! art alfie is coming on strong ?? in 2019!

external assessment vs. self-conception by robag wruhme: people always think, im that serene and quiet guy, but actually i’m quite a noisemaker. could be that the majority of the material he put out in recent years, most notably the thora vukk album, led to the overall apprehension of robag being the virtuoso of everything subtle, enigmatic and tenderly melodic. well, thats far from being a misconception, but still just one side of the coin. the other side is embossed with his most current productions, consolidated to a double ep, captioned with the enchanting name wuzzelbud ff. wait a second wuzzelbud devoted fans will instantly prick up their ears. we’ve heard that before. back in 2004 robag wruhme released his first longplayer named wuzzelbud kk. as theres no such scenario robag might be running out of stream-of-consciousness turned nonsense titles for his music, this must be a vocabulary intersection linking the early days of his career with its status quo. and it is. wruhme presents wuzzelbud ff as the stylistic follow-up to his debut album, showcasing a sound he commits has been neglected for too long. wruhme cuts to the chase: i wanted to put out some straightforward music for the dancefloor, something for the primetime. well, for the primetime of my sets, at least.

when looking for music to be released on magazine, our guideline has always been energy. the key question remains the same: does the artist have something important to say? does it have a sense of urgency? alex played us these tracks while visiting the magazine studio in cologne earlier this year and we were consumed by unadulterated rage. this is anything but a conceptual release, alex has not released this kind of music before. a side of alex manifests itself through these techno tracks, that most might not have known before. brutal yet beautiful, furious yet fragile. a berlin native who shaped his sense for techno by striving through his hometown and its infamous raves, alex is now one of the prominent protagonists of that scene – not only when regularly playing at berghain. the ep harnesses this experience perfectly, fully preserving the energy of the creation process by recording directly to tape. most productions may have suffered from this primitive method of locking sound into position, but not these tracks from a techno master.

second in a series from someone you might know using obscure and sometimes not so obscure elements from days gone by the green girl mix kicks things off with an energetic, peak-time stomper layering those sleazed up, chopped vocals behind swelling pads and crisp percussion. up next the hometown mix struts into disco territory, splicing up the guitar and trumpets to killer effect, teasing snippets of the vocal and filtering in an epic breakdown sure to win over any dancefloor. finally, the straight 8 mix begins on a full-frontal boogie tip before an acid line takes over leading the track into an otherworldly melting pot of disco squelched goodness. dj support from: todd edwards, friend within, hifi sean, horse meat disco, kokiri, anna lunoe, luca guerrieri, sam feldt, michel de hey, joyce muniz, moodymanc, adriana lucia, martin solveig, sleepy tom, jey kurmis, motez, and don diablo.

limited coloured double vinyl in gatefold sleeve, includes a bonus track. vinyl 1 is solid red, vinyl 2 translucent blue.

standard black double vinyl in gatefold sleeve.

vast, expansive and introspective works utilising place-specific found sound on this second cremation lily lp for alter. contemplating mortality, illness and the perennial bleakness of british winter in a seaside town we find zen zsigo experimenting with piano, violin, synthesiser and walkman tape players. layering field recordings of the hastings shoreline atop druggy, stretched out 303 basslines and snippets of spoken word there seems to be an overarching thematic of memory and reflection at play. from vignettes of crumbling glass and bittersweet drones through to sprawling, semi-rhythmical pieces (‘as a sea creature...’) it seems as if zsigo is trawling the coast for fragments of its former glory. the end result of his study manages to echo the work of yoran, leyland kirby and even jacob kirkegaard yet the rare moments where he lays bare his own vocal narrative seemingly transforms in england now, underwater into sonic diary territory. mixing salt-water soaked cassette loops with haunting, minimalist piano motifs and warped recordings of crashing waves and bird noise an intense atmosphere of ballards drowned world is evoked through sound.

2lp in gatefold sleeve with liner notes. 180gr vinyl. including download code with bonus live recordings. this collection of rare and previously unreleased recordings pays homage to the life and jazz of jack sels.

mmr is happy to announce its second vinyl release, this time by ikaaw - who is also responsible for the latest tape release „pgl(n,c)“ which came out just one month ago also on mmr (mmrtape2)! the berlin resident comes forward with a nice ep covering various styles, tracks go from daphni-like dj tool -untitled“ to the space anthem -forthcoming“ to 800% house à la omar-s-detroit on -hop market“ and also a lil’ uk rave happens on „ezy4783“ which might remind the inclined listener of the great three h’s from the uk! so grab your copy quick and enjoy this five tracker in this summer of 2018!

this month we have what is the start of a string of previously unreleased bangers from the soul, funk and disco legend bobby boyd, we have been working on this for a long time and really proud to be working alongside bobby representing him. first up we have love goddess, a floaty driving disco soul number thats bound to get some spins by the northern boys as well as deep disco heads, i know its been doing this business when i play it, on the flip and classic horn driven funky soul in bobbys classic style and solid songwriting, essential. if your not a rare soul or disco collector bobby s name might not be a name your familiar with but as one of the founder members of lafayette afro rock band you will have experienced his music and influence which is far reaching.

second up on our bobby boyd unreleased recording we have some dope mid 80s material from bobby, “i like what you do to me” is boogie / proto house joint that is totally my bag, feels like it should be in a 80s movie weightlifting montage (in a good way) it just works on the dance floor so well.
on the flip things get even stronger with the proto-house banger “girl like you” a sick soulful number with with a biggest swinging kick drum i have ever heard, both proper club material.
if your not a rare soul or disco collector bobby’s name might not be a name your familiar with but as one of the founder members of lafayette afro rock band you will have experienced his music and influence which is far reaching. &#8232,,,

south london label and party series troy town is proud to present the first release in 3 years from warren brown aka wbeeza, insanely talented south london producer and 1st generation pioneer of what has become affectionately known in dance music as the peckham sound . djs, producers and musicians such as henry wu, bradley zero and chaos in the cbd have added to the wealth of a deeply musical community but it was the likes of brown and another se15 local, el-prevost, who first put the area on the dance music map. although he s resistant to using the word house too often about his music, the swing nods to detroit and chicago while the links to friends and collaborators, delano smith, mike agent x clark and scott grooves are clear. progressing through a musical heritage that has seen him produce across grime, hip-hop, drum n bass and techno but it s his signature low slung, heavy-on-groove and atmosphere productions that have garnered the respect of peers and critics whilst his popular and energetic live sets have seen him tour extensively around the world for the past 8 years. this 3-track ep covers a variety of moods and situations. opening with the od, a heady march to peak time on the dancefloor which has featured heavily in live sets over the last 2 years. the bassline bubbles tantalisingly as it edges through a kinetic, digital riff that sticks with you long after the lights go up. grove park is so low slung that the snare sounds like it might fall out of sync at any moment while the lead synth leads you on a drunk walk home, at times holding it s line before stumbling over a pitch bend and veering to find its balance. bizzle boogie is equal parts gritty, midwest-influenced bounce track and shimmering eyes closed rave moments.

attention long-time inner sunset recordings fans, collectors, newcomers, and anyone who might have missed getting their hands on these tracks the first time around! in response to ongoing public interest and demand, inner sunset recordings is proud to announce a special 4-track e.p. that features classic works and underground dance club favorites from the earliest years of the label s existence nearly a decade and a half ago! -i.s.r. classics: a reflection on the s.f. aughts- is a 12- record that fiercely epitomizes the inner sunset recordings sound and showcases some of the most loved and most highly sought after works (all remastered!) from releases: isr1201, isr1202, isr1204, and isr1205. from the dreamy and cosmic atmosphere of the attendant s -star gazing- (a1), to the uplifting and introspective ride that is low top s -hold me (original mix)- (a2), to the bold grassroots garage house sound of homero g. s -shoo be do anna- (b1), to the dark and ominous ambiance of homero g. s -manos lujosos- (b2) – this e.p. is the truest heart and soul of the inner sunset recordings crew, imprint, and sound.

killer, cosmic leaning german funk-rock moves here on the repress tip courtesy of epsilon, a 4 piece from marburg, just north of frankfurt. that kind of grooved out, downtempo dusted glam type of gear that one might hear dj harvey play at wrong o clock in the morning, or something that loda might flip into mid-set that would have everyone scratching their head in disbelief. one of a handful of cool jams the epsilon guys cranked out, remastered and repressed on a lovely, handy 45. sounds heavy. essential listening for those of a more left-field disposition. dig it.

special remarks connect4 kit ltd to 250 copies (out of 500): you might be curious about what we’re gonna give you as a present this time: included in the release pack (first 250 copies only, once gone , it s gone) you’ll find a full connect4 kit as we always like to play with numbers, right? tracklist a1. 004a1 a2. 004a2 b1. 004b1 b2. 004b2 shortinfo: here we are for the 4th round of apparel wax and a crazy one indeed for all the lovers of the vinyl masked man, a release that expresses 4 different nuances of house. few words are needed to describe the debut of the vinyl with a1 track which is a rarely powerful combination of 2.0 dance music and 80’s vibes, a proper slap in the face to kick it off! our unknown dj then shifts to a more sensual mode with a2, where funky guitar shades and smooth chords blended with the vocals that drag us on a more intimate level of listening to keep on traveling on a lower tone. b side starts with a track guided by weaving jazzy rhythmics dialoguing hectically with samba and some jungle environmental recordings, creating a super personal interpretation of brazilian jazzy house, while to end up the 4th trip on wax planet, b2 blesses us with some more classic vibes with a sharp string’s melody and a rich bassline guided silently by a rhodes piano and some pungent and melancholic female vocals, to end it up in style.

this record comes with a version for every time and mood of a club night: jo pariotas cut of the original mix is the ideal warm up tune. flowing on a synthline that calls mike huckabys waldorf to mind, it is sweet and driving at the same time. the original mix by loveits own nico brun might be called „casual affair, but comes rolling on a phat wonky rhode that brings the groove! between the crunchy drums, a relaxed vocal snipped and warm synth unfold like the first rays of sunlight. the jk & lds reduction is punchy, minimal and dubby - with its pull and release kind of melody and the stuttered vocal sample it works perfect as a peak time dj tool. finally, the a.s.s. amnesia returns mix is something else entirely… you just have to experience it in its full 8 min breakbeat aphex twin-like glory. - morri313

here it is ! the long-awaited new lp from former dubtribe soundsystem shaman sunshine jones far from basking in bay area bliss, sunshine has been busy redefining his organic approach to music making and sound synthesis into a rich and textured fresh take on the house blueprint - best realised in his elaborate & ever-evolving live shows. assembling these improvised pieces into a cohesive whole, that might well just be the best vinyl based representation off a full night out you re likely to hear this year. from the emotive opener to last year s anthemic fall in love, not in line closer, home represents the fluid but refined garden of sound that s grown from dubtribe s rich 90 s foundation. the artwork on this splendidly presented gatefold lp is a photograph of sunshine performing live at the garden party in san francisco by the holy mountain, the collage is done by sunshine and the design is by fernando_graphicos. accompanied by detailed track notes, with all equipment used to make the record alongside sonic schematic. man and machine aligned for total transcendence ! single gatefold lp

limited to 250 copies, next up in tartelet’s limited-edition series is renaissance man n.o.t.e. with “night frames” – a compilation of barrel-aged sounds for the warm nights ahead. n.o.t.e. is a new project by an already established artist who might be of swiss or italian origin, depending on who’s asking. a seasoned sailor of musical waters, he enjoys jazz piano, fine wine and silk linens. though none of that matters. the first release under his new name could be described as a mini concept album where different routes are explored, bringing n.o.t.e.’s musical diversity and capabilities to light. starting with “falsa laudis,” n.o.t.e. takes the listener back to the 80s with clear references to italian boogie and jazz-funk of that era. the track is warm, fat and sparkly, and best enjoyed with a cocktail in hand. following this is the title track “night frames” – a bruk-jazz escapade not shy of elaborate rhodes solos and filthy funk. the b-side opener moves further south: “obaleyako” is fueled by tropical energy, mixing african percussions with soft piano chords. it’s weird, mysterious and red hot! last but not least, n.o.t.e takes on the finest deep house sound with “en route,” where endless layered melodies and percussion form the farewell. this is an ultra limited-edition release of 250 copies (strictly no repress!), written and produced by n.o.t.e. and mixed at panalama studios in copenhagen on the neve 5088 shelford console for good measure. enjoy!

ground is an osaka native, but his soul is truly that of a nomad, traversing the planet, befriending the kindred spirits found in humans, animals and plants. he is exceptionally receptive to the beauty in all that surrounds him—the incidental music of a busy city street, the orchestrated chaos of a scrambling radio, the syncopated grace of a migrating flock of birds, the simplicity of an isolated hand clap—and as his map continuously unfolds, he accumulates a vast catalogue of visceral tools to complex musically recount his experiences. sunizm is a cross section of the artist’s process—an array of complex microcosms overlapping to comprise a thematic whole—gathering field recordings, found instrumentation, jagged electronics, and synthesized chanting, to be woven into a dense narrative that appears both obsessively constructed and divinely improvised. with each consecutive track, the artist gradually constructs hypnotic patterns that 1-up the mind as it struggles to break free from a seduction of loops, steadily intensifying until reaching an apex of sound collage so cerebral that the listener might consider a post-album shower. but alas, the fourth quarter releases a bit of pressure, our gobs still lay smacked but there is a warm confidence as the psychedelic trial delivers us home to nod out. dear humans, animals and plants, ground and the esp institute present, sunizm.

is it balearic? welcome the mellow charms of chris coco and camillo miranda to lay down an unusual paean to a prehistoric love with the truly breezy drifter dinosaur baby. while the tale might be a quirky one, the music is the real deal, all tumbling percussion locked into a slow, head-nodding groove, and this comes through even stronger on the 12inch dub. on the flip, rune lindbaek delivers a remix that fleshes the original out with laconic disco flourihes, and then luke solomons version injects a little housey energy into the make up with his usual flair for off-kilter party fuel.

* wislov might be a new signee to knitebreed, but he has been releasing material for years, and the spanish (not russian) maestro is already known around the world for his awesome breakbeat creations. it was only a matter of time before a label snapped him up, and he is a producer easily capable of dropping huge tunes in both dark and lighter stsyles. this ep showcases his talent, with four tracks specifically designed to compliment the knitebreed sound while carving his own niche into the label

he might have lived a century and a half ago, but antonín leopold dvo&#345,,,ák resonates on. in 2014, the deutsche symphonie- orchester recorded parts of his ninth symphony and released them into the wild for the masses to cut up, stretch out, and have their way with. this is the result of one such experiment. ludwig zibell and martin schmitz translate dvo&#345,,,ák’s operatic dramatism into a techno moodiness that sees the coming together of two unlikely worlds. alex ketzer’s 5 am reduction is a dubbed-out remix of the remix that plays out and dwells upon some of the moments you might miss listening to it in the orchestra. finally these strange, otherworldly meditations upon music from another time see a vinyl release.

for our first anniversary as a label, we have prepared a compilation of tracks by our closest associates, collaborators and some randomly found favourites, who might also make future appearances on our imprint.

after their butterfunk ep from last year, fouk are back again with their new offering mating call ep. as the name suggests, this three track ep is made for the hot & heavy moments while dancing away, during those infinite summer days. the title track mating call is a funky beast, driven by a very infectious bassline and live instrumentation, edging the line between disco and house, as has we have come to expect from the duo. the next track on the flip furthers the fact that this release is all about the groove. housey vibes with a classic hint, rhodes floating on a solid rolling funk bass. just feel good ? yup! finally we come to down below . you might wonder what s down below? well, there you can find a dreamy thumper, driven by the compact kick, repeating drone and deep bassline, while the synth pads in the middle tie it all together.

after kindly stepping in on remix duties on our first miskotom release kito is back on pleasure unit with a nicley rounded ep that shows the full extent of his production skills. houstrack does what it says on the tin and pumps it up in true old skool house style, damp firecrackers sounds like it could come from a long lost italian library lp. on the flip never been to ibiza beaches in 1997 is a nice laid back balearic ode as you might expect, lastly jungle mantra is a dense tropical treat. check for kito s previous releases on diverse range of labels from bahnsteig 23, freerange,dirt crew,hell yeah and bordello a parigi

there are west coast classics, and then there is music to driveby, the third lp from the group that birthed mc eiht: compton’s most wanted. although the group started in the late ‘80s with multiple mcs (including tha chill and boom bam), by 1992 eiht as pulling the group’s vocal weight – supported by dj mike t on turntables and production – and even producing and co-producing tracks. music to driveby might lack beats-per-minute variety, but to fans that’s not a bad thing. across the board, this is mid-tempo, super deep, funky hip-hop, made for cars creeping along boulevards across the west and south, and it’s about as good as it gets for such purposes. just about filler-free, the album struts intensely and with purpose, as eiht throws tales of cali street life at fans for an hour straight, almost without a break. this solo marathon is given a respite only once, with scarface’s guest spot on “n 2 deep,” an excellent hood roller supported by a soulful guitar lick sampled from lyn collins’ “do your thing.” elsewhere, eiht rolls alone and intensely, on cuts like the classic mash single “hood took me under”, the album’s second single and tim dog attack “who’s fu**ing who?”, the hometown big-up “compton 4 life”, and hustle tales like “jack mode” and “i gots to get over.” after this album, eiht released more classics under his own name, and with similar fan worship. it was the continuation of a legendary career and music to driveby still ranks high on anyone’s “west coast legends” playlist.

for his inaugural ep under new guise ‘yem gel, nts manchester resident and visual artist alecs pierce comes through with a four-track cacophony of sounds for dave maclean (django django) run label kick + clap. from previous experimental outings as obsidian pond, gristed petunia and, handi dogh he returns with this new project based solely on electronic compositions, giving the multi-instrumentalist artist a chance to further explore his electronic leanings. operating with a clear mission statement, yem gel moniker seeks to live up to its names reference to malleable ‘fictional future plastics by offering a set of genre-spanning compositions, drawing from multiple influences from ambient, drum ‘n bass or grime and leaving us wondering where he might take us next.

tadd mullinix, who s best known for the hip-hop he makes as dabrye and the acid-tinged house and techno under jtc, has added yet another alias to his repertoire, and it might be his most inventive project to date. x-altera and its debut album, the eponymous x-altera, were born from a fit of rediscovery. all at once, the ann arbor-based producer reconnected with the jungle he produced in the late 90s as half of soundmurderer & sk-1, revisited the forgotten b-sides of his drum & bass record collection, and fell back in love with the deep, melodic techno of detroit and london.
the double vinyl release includes a download code.

two berlin underdogs and a detroit ravemaster. a driving force in the very early frankfurt electronics since the late 80s, to hardcore acid in brooklyn in the early 90s, producing legends as carlos peron among many others along his way, adsx aka andre fischer might sound new to many but has been an active part of the underground electronic movement for the last 30 years. benji df aka hanoben is no newbie to the scene either and might have soundtracked your night if you were to be found at clubs like tresor or snax in the late 90s. together they recorded an ode to aural sex, its acid counterpart, and a genius sketch of a club banger. when label honcho capablanca heard the latter had little doubts about commissioning an extended mix to motor city s special forces gen. sharif laffrey aka thee activator, who needs little introduction to the discerning raver ears as the man behind instant acid classics turn it up and always, among others. after countless studio days and nights and endless versions (we stopped counting at 56th) sharif delivers what is possibly his best work to date, an unstoppable 12 minute dancefloor annihilator. to wrap such special release we asked legend alan oldham aka ur s minister of information aka dj t-1000, (also responsible for label designs for transmat, djax, submerge, pure sonik and a long etcetera) to create one of his classic artworks. capablanca deconstructs his center pieces for the fully printed sleeve, and everybody s.c.r.e.a.m.

the remarkable thing about belp s new album is its two-dimensional function. it works both on a loud and a quiet volume. some tracks would go down well as a club track, like opener travelling thru galaxies . this track brings back memories of the best work released on the hyperdub label, with it s fine combination of synths and irresistible, dubby beats. elsewhere, off ending might start off as dancehall-but-not-quite dancehall track but when half way the synths kick in they change the feeling of the track to a more cerebral level.

frak – grown up guests
like a diy brick-shithouse frak feel like they are preparing for some nasty. kicking off the track with some serious drums. eerie synth lines and creepy bass pads lend for a slightly deranged and unsettling feel. there is a strange air about this track. tuff snares kick in that galvanise and ready the troops. the strange difference between the everyday title and the militant feel of the track makes for interesting concoction. its like a bunch of psychos preparing for a dinner party. sweeping the floor and combing their hair to precision. the house might look nice and the cake might be delicious, but these guys psychos.

jack pattern – kernkraft
kernkraft translates as nuclear power and from the outset reverberating sequences visualise a bleak working environment. mechanical sequences rotate. clouds of sparking particles swirl overhead menacingly. a kick drum stumbles into actions, the machine has powered up. cold hi-hats shimmer, and hollow synths give the feel of some sort of labouring workforce continuing their daily grind. this doesn t feel like a nice environment to live in and reflects the reality of some peoples everyday life. living to work for the greater good and sacrificing their lives in the process. it is a powerful piece. strong, monotonous and mechanical.

in a few short years halogenix has already had a prestigious career in bass music, after making his mark with his solo projects as well as marking out new territory with ivy lab he is now entering a new chapter and focusing on his own productions. to mark the occasion critical music present an ep full of the dynamism you might expect from such an experienced producer. future thinking as ever the 8-track “deep news ep” rolls from beautifully crafted drum & bass to heavy half-time including the enormous “blej vip”.

amorfo records inaugural release takes shape by way of a four track ep by swiss-uruguayan artists bruno, danisita & guille. this introduction to the cross-continental label offers a glimpse into its musical ethos, which might make it easy to throw names like techno, funk, dub, minimal, house or acid at amor001. though, like the imprint itself and the artists related to it, it escapes categories in favour of the amorphous.

the folks at passport to paradise deliver more exotic sounds from the farthest reaches of earth and beyond, for your aural pleasure. your concierge today is cosmic disco maverick loud e, taking us from 123 to 456 to 789 in a masterclass of disco edit wizardry. step inside the elevator. the doors close. loud e welcomes you with 123 , flicking gears and switches while offering you a space mojito. it s a smooth ascension, suddenly, the elevator wobbles and the lights blink to the beat of 124bpm. still with us? we land on 456, and the doors creak open to reveal the orange surface of mars. space dust floats around a disco ball, strobe lights penetrate the atmosphere. by 789, you re seeing stars - literally. loud e takes us from nought to sixty in the blink of an eye, or perhaps the stamp of a passport. three cosmic cuts for the more enlightened of dancefloors. join the passport to paradise ride, but be careful - you might never come.

first in a series from someone you might know using obscure and sometimes not so obscure elements from days gone by

in our most private moments, we have often thought of multi culti as an educational enterprise: as you listen to our music and stare at our artwork, you are absorbing information in a way that might conceivably be defined as -learning.- our latest release brings this theoretically reasonable fantasy one step closer to fruition, as we welcome hamburg-based musician and composer andi otto (ph.d) to our roster of artists. a deep listening experience focused on repetition and timbre, bow wave was made using rare and unique instruments such as a special sensor bow for cello (and other string instruments) known as the -fello,- which otto developed during his residencies at the steim research centre in amsterdam. the album also features vocals from award-winning indian playback singer, actor, and tv anchor m.d. pallavi, a frequent otto collaborator, recorded while the two were touring japan. the digital edition of bow wave includes 10 tracks, while the six-track vinyl adds remixes by ecuadorian folklorica wizard nicola cruz and parisian adult disco purveyor golden bug, both of which will be released separately in a digital remix pack alongside reworks from brazil s ricardo vincenzo and norway s center of the universe. you are free to purchase all of them.

hmot aka stas sharifullin is siberian-born, moscow-based musician, curator, educator and multi-disciplinary artist from siberia. using modular synthesizer, field recordings and visual programming languages, hmot collects sounds and organizes them into structures, pushing traditional electronic music genres beyond their comfort zones. “permanent imbalance” is his ep debut on the berlin imprint oqko following a single contribution to the label’s “form_1” compilation. structurally, “permanent imbalance” is disorderly and elusive, it’s a techno record which has undergone a gregor samsaesque metamorphosis. embedded with dizzying polyrhythmics, the discontinuity at the heart of the record might also be its central directive – interrupting the ecstatic clubbing experience in favor of a contradictory reality which is impossible to describe with regular rhythms. boldly submitted to the niche of dance music deviations, “permanent imbalance” also reveals techniques directly derived from early institutional electronics and musique concrete. but where others would pile on the layers, sharifullin keeps it trim. these are just some finishing touches enhancing his rickety and multifaceted soundscapes. subject to constant deviations of its own temporality, this music proves to mirror the crisis in which modernity resides – a state of life out of balance which now appears to be permanent as never before.

double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with 24 page lp-size booklet and download code for high quality wav / mp3 files.
a great compilation can open the gate to another world. who knew that some of the most exciting afro-funk records of all time were actually made in the small west african country of benin? once analog africa released the first african scream contest in 2008, the proof was there for all to hear, gut-busting yelps, lethally welldrilled horn sections and irresistibly insistent rhythms added up to a record that took you into its own space with the same electrifying sureness as any favourite blues or soul or funk or punk sampler you might care to mention.
ten years on, intrepid crate-digger samy ben redjeb unveils a new treasuretrove of vodoun-inspired afrobeat heavy funk crossover greatness. right from the laceratingly raw guitar fanfare which kicks off les sympathics’ pile-driving opener, it’s clear that african scream contest ii is going to be every bit as joyous a voyage of discovery as its predecessor. and just as you’re trying to get off the canvas after this one-punch knock out, an irresistible afro-ska romp with a more than subliminal echo of the batman theme puts you right back there. ignace de souza and the melody aces’ “asaw fofor- would’ve been a killer instrumental but once you’ve factored in the improbably-rich-to-the-point-of-being-nat-king-cole-influenced lead vocal, it’s a total revelation.

having pinned to perfection the sonics of the adriatic, croatias love international festival bottles up their blissed out rhythms and sunrise sessions for the inauguration of love international recordings, fittingly, with a first release from uk producer begin. bringing the love international feel to wax and digital, the label will encapsulate the range of music the festival’s secluded party paradise has become renowned for. all the way from the balearic tinges of this first release, to the meatier house, techno and electro selections on show at barbarellas. begin aka james holroyd has a long history with love international. dating back to the early 2000s, holroyd was one of the first guest djs at the old garden festival on the former festival site in petrcane. long serving chemical brothers tour dj, back to basics resident since the 90s and bugged out co founder, begin has long paid his paid his dues to the scene. in the words of dave harvey: hes been an absolute workhorse in dance music for time. love international 001s tracks seemingly fit the festivals own daily lifecycle. from the docile guitar picking of meditative ep opener wood trees to the slow daybreak funk of‘daypulse where synths pierce through the track like sun rays through the adriatic dusk, the ep is a holistic reflection of what one might hear at one of the festivals fabled sunrise sessions. garden interlude ushers in a fresh burst of energy, with the revitalizing sounds of piano house, paired with warming neo soul vocals. into the fun is a self fulfilling prophecy, closing the ep on a quintessentially balearic note.

originally released in ‘06/’07 as the appetizer to only built 4 cuban linx ii, the vatican mixtape series consists of a vast collection of unreleased tracks, wu & solo classics (“shame on a ni**a”, “diesel”, “ghetto boy”, & “yae-yo”), as well as some of rae’s best guest work through the years (“the heist”, “brown paper bag”, & “bump bump”). volume 1 features verses from busta rhymes, roc marciano, nas, & several wu-tang brethren including rza, ghostface killah, method man, & ol’ dirty bastard. special guest production contributed by large professor, pete rock, madlib & scram jones. tying everything together is dj riddler, who weaves several skits & blends throughout, giving it that official mixtape sound. this 2xlp is the first time this volume and series gets pressed to wax, and features completely new artwork for a fresh look.