the label’s latest offering comes from hamilton himself, who teams up with panick panick! label owner noha, offering a collaborative ep that is a fitting snapshot into the work of both individuals. the nohamilton ep gets underway with ‘lip service’, a rough-and-ready track with firm emphasis on a grinding, hypnotic loop that easily surpasses your average dj tool. highly finessed and progressing steadily, it’s the perfect example of how to do less with more. looking towards more sun-kissed planes, the duo deliver the ep s a2 track, a more heads- down cut that’s loaded with good-time grooves from the get go. sure to work a charm whenever it’s unleashed, ‘bored of life’ serves up an intriguing insight into both producers’ boundless studio output. romanian duo sit culminate matters with their ‘lip service’ rework. consisting of cristi cons and vlad caia, the pair have been excelling consistently, with both their resident advisor mix and latest release on the iconic sushitech label proving a potent reminder of this. taking the listener down the rabbit hole once more, they inject archie hamilton & noha s original with an eerie sheen, also adding an off-kilter baseline that’s hard not to get lost in. a suitably groove-led but unconventional interpretation, it closes off the ep with the sort of distinction we’ve come to expect from moscow.

r&s welcome back highly-revered techno artist benjamin damage with his new double headed single ‘malfunction / binary . ‘montreal’ from his debut r&s ep proved to be one of the label s biggest techno releases of the last few years - the pummelling drums, intense atmosphere and beatuiful melodies are synonymous with the music that has made the label timeless. road tested in benjamin’s heavy artillery live shows across the globe, malfunction / binary pick up where the last ep left off - pistoning rhythms, breakneck beats and monolithic bass, but this time the mood is more reflective and optimistic - skying cloud-like pads offer a dreamy counterpoint. made between london and berlin, following recent live shows at berghain and oval space, benjamin’s wanderlust and restless studio dynamic sees him continually breaking down his gear to travel, “being on tour with all my gear i find it quite easy to work in new places,” he explains. “i like the energy of different cities and it s good to keep moving.” this new ep is announced ahead of a huge, all hardware live show at sonar by night in barcelona. with ‘malfunction/binary’ sure to do the business and an album in progress for r&s scheduled for 2019 it’s going to be an exciting year ahead!

sb traxx returns for their second outing, flexing four original club traxx from anthony fade. mind games opens things up - a jackin acid drum machine workout awash with 707 hits and 303 squelch. the a2 m1 cause everyones gotta have fun then hits you with a piano rave weapon - gritty and hard hitting coupled with those classic m1 stabs. flip it over for a top-down summer anthem in i m weak marrying rnb tinged vocals and shuffling rhythms before dr. ice closes it out with a golden-era hip hop inspired deep house groover.

drum & bass’s number one italian stallion maztek on prspct with a huge 2 track vinyl! when it comes to badass quality drum & bass maztek is for sure italy’s flag ship artist who puts that spaghetti western pizza munching ex roman empire on the map. two banging tracks delivering his hardest most brutal work to date. this records has no b side. all killer no filler and aa all the way! all hail maztek!

next up on francis harris exceptional imprint scissor & thread comes a collaboration with american producer, dj aakmael. aakmael has built a reputation for some of the deepest, rawest house music sounds coming out of the states, releasing well-received tracks on the likes of freerange records, release sustain, kolour dogmatik and ndatl. returning to scissor & thread, aakmael and label boss harris cook up an intoxicating vibe across this 5 track ep. each shares a track and work together on the fifth, while also remixing each others solo cuts. first up aakmaels deep muzik- a quintessential nod to its self-proclaimed mission statement. skittering drums, a shuffling groove, deep keys, and chords make up this essential opener. franks (aka francis harris) all that light mix shows another side, finding pockets of space and developing the fizzing percussion to produce an equally affecting piece of dancefloor bliss. sharing production duties from the outset on mercy of means, the guys slip into an easy mid-tempo groove with plenty of depth - the rhythm rolls along and offers the perfect basis for some sublime melodic touches. franks part song also hones in on the subtle deep grooves. bumping, slightly filtered and saturated drums provide the main body, with beautiful washes and keys finding their way through, aakmaels remix beefs up the groove somewhat, making the snares snap harder and kick hit a little stronger, but the essence of the tracks melodic atmosphere remains perfectly in place.

the melting point ep is back on dame-music! following the well-acclaimed volume 1 last december, which included tracks from kink, thomas p. heckmann and bloody mary, dame- music is proud to present volume 2 of this acid project, this time with label boss bloody mary inviting three guests to share the record with her. the photo used in the artwork for this release was taken in sydney s king cross district in early 2018, and features street art by owmag. thanks to this amazing artist for allowing us to use his work. once again, the melting point concept sees bloody mary invite some of her favourite and most well-respected producers to the label with these 4 original tracks. the melting point ep vol. 2 marks the fusion of four renowned producers including hardfloor, josh wink and alien rain and mary herself. this release is sure to be heard on dancefloors this summer! 4 tracks made by and for acid lovers.

bot003 is a two-track release from similarobjects introducing aquatic new depths and euphoric highs to the hard-working manila-based producer’s prolific resume. a case study in compare and contrast, cascading harps and hypnotic signal tones paint “gersisa” with an ominous momentum, while jazzy keys peek out and ultimately flourish from far below surface-level on “blueprint to atlantis”.

the strictly rhythm imprint is legendary and is instantly recognisable by connoisseurs worldwide. it s a label that has contributed time and time again to dance music culture across it s almost 30 year lifespan. countless classics passed through the nyc offices of mark finkelstein and gladys pizarro and this brand new strictly classics series looks to celebrate this cornerstone dance label and it s immense catalogue by going back to the archives and presenting some double-header action for diehard fans and newcomers alike. that s right, the proper mixes, reissued from source and remastered to the highest spec, each track spread across one side of a 12- for optimal sonic playback. the second instalment of this essential repress series sees the amazing bass tone from sole fusion (aka louie vega) take up side a. it s a truly deep slice of that nyc grit that works on every level, the rough with the smooth, trademark vega-isms and those drums! a sure-shot. on the flip is yet another gem - hardrive s just believe which is certainly a knowing nod back to the disco days delivered with gusto by louie vega and the maestro tony humphries. do not sleep on this, over 10 mins of that funk!

lobster theremin present another mind-bending lp this time the brainchild of italian producer and epic talent kreggo. using a newly established moniker for this very special project, kreggo is better known for his work as g-23, dj groov and his cult secret rave project. from his small starship studio in mongrando, italy he weaves stories and tales from hued memories and faded dreams. whirling from the hills and condensing down the green mountainsides into the vibrant forest, coasting the roof of his hardware strewn lab.

new zealand based ebm auteur body beat ritual makes his debut on bergerac with an incendiary ep of full throttle intense dark wave bangers. growing up in north west england immersed in hardcore punk and rave culture led to musical experiments and body beat ritual is his unique splicing of both aesthetics. using a combination of hardware, audio samples and midi sequencing, body beat ritual reclaims the moment when underground musicians in manchester, chicago and ghent put down their guitars and picked up drum machines and sequencers bringing the intensity, rawness and aggression of the band environment to the dancefloor. mortal sin is a certified smasher. absolute dancefloor decimation whenever its played out. no more description necessary. no mercy evokes the lost boys vibe with an equally high octane raw workout. trent reznor meets jeff mills at a daf gig on a flatliner. the ep closes with body politics which lowers the tempo to a chuggier zone, with an ode to female empowerment which keeps up that body beat pressure and intensity.

after three major releases by tell, nachtbraker and s3a, its time for debuting italian artist verner to close our beloved trophy quartet. this milanese key virtuoso is ready to blow your mind with this eccentric yet humble ep, taking you on an emotional journey. long stretched pads, playful chord progressions, organic percussion all produced with analogue 70s and 80s vintage synthesizers and drum computers in verners studio reminding us a bit of harvey sutherland and nu guineas style. were talking groove, funk, jazz but also house and soundtrack style compositions which together form a very complete record carefully a&rd by nachtbraker. drop the needle on the a side and youll start off with linizio, a majestic piece of synthwork. hurdling through different emotions and vibes, this could easily be the intro of one of your favourite 80s tv series. upset takes you on a happy groovy tour whilst crash of the web era and the motion pictures take us on a trippy and ambient voyage that is hard to wake up from. when flipping the record to the b side, verner is stepping back into the groove and funk with tecladista, arguably the dance floor hit of this debut ep. starting of with again a majestic synth intro area drops into a festive funk and jazz bomb with some intricate synth work treating us with some lovely solos. closing this versatile ep is late night job, a deep, deep tune with a thriving baseline and mesmerizing synths. we suggest to dont sleep on this one and have a listen to this piece of art by the very talented verner.

nternational nippiness from all corners of the globe. featuring prime time bobbers from: deep88, dawn again, rnr, mr fiel and l*j himself. illustrations from the mighty rubber hedgehogs.

ascetic limited is shifting gears, focusing on solo eps dedicated to the artists that form the collective. to kick it off they present an ep from renowned milanese techno producer wrong assessment, who throughout his career in techno has proven himself to be one of the most interesting producers coming out of italy. from his collaborative works with the late max_m as overall severity to his solo works as wrong assessment, his tracks are always unique. influences ranging from minimal to hard pounding techno bangers, through house grooves and ambient arrangements, he still is able to transmit his sound and vision with his music.

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.

following on from the release of fba21 collected works 1996 -2017, which was released november 2017 matthew puffett decided to wrap up the project, with a handpicked selection of artists to remix key tracks from the compilation. amongst these figures are some significant influences on puffett s early years the set includes kirk degiorgio, whose reworking of ‘cross dissolve’ reimagines the track in full machine mode, serving up a slab of driving techno for the main room.

mr bongo presents the first 12inch in a series of remix packages curated from ebo taylors brand new album yen ara. the 81-year-old composer, arranger, guitarist and vocalist has been a key figure in the evolving afro-funk sound since the seventies, working with the likes of apagya show band, ck mann and pat thomas. this 12inch combines three of the best remixers in the business - the legendary ron trent, west coast talent flako, and disco connoisseur nick the record. you will hear the high-energy afrobeat, sweet highlife, jazz and konkoma influences that ebo is famous for, and the remixes have contributed their disco pulse, house groove, and hard-hitting percussive edge to the tracks.

to celebrate two decades of skylax records, label head hardrock striker teams up with long time friend and co-worker dj sprinkles as skylax house explosion (s.h.e.). they present the second of three exclusive vinyl releases accompanying the mix cd for the 20 years compilation. all three eps will feature previously unreleased music curated by dj sprinkles and hardrock striker. “i think of one time in new york when they wouldn t let me into the loft, and i could hear they were actually playing one of my records on the dance floor at that very moment. i shit you not.” – dj sprinkles, midtown 120 blues (2008).

the hardest working reggae band in southern england, dubheart is on a mission to spread messages of peace, love, unity and resistance through a heady stew of contemporary roots reggae, delivered on live instruments with a hefty dose of dub in the mix. cool under pressure, their latest offering, is the band’s most compelling set to date, a ‘showcase’-style album where every vocal track is followed by its dub counterpart, and the vital contribution of the brassica horns—from rising london ska band chainska brassica—is another intriguing element that makes this album tougher than the rest.

if there is one album that we would take with us an a desert island its this one. the worst of krtm is one of the most refreshing records we have heard in a long time. perfectly blending industrial techno and hardcore to one unique beautiful/terrifying work of art. we could almost write a book on how unique and great this album is but lets just stop here and let the music do the talking. all hail krtm!

this is om unit s legendary philip d kick alias brought back after 7 years in retirement with it s first original material! 5 incredible jungle footwork fireworks from om unit’s legendary philip d kick alias. adding acid, 4/4 uk hardcore and sound killing amens to the sound he spawned in 2011, when he created 3 x philip d kick ‘footwork jungle’ eps, and took classic jungle anthems and footworked them. it could be argued that om unit’s philip d kick alias spawned an entire movement despite being immediately retired. as label boss fracture says -at the time, this was mind-blowing.- so 7 years later it is with great pleasure and genuine excitement astrophonica present philip d kick’s first original material - pathways - which also features teklife/chicago footwork originator dj spinn for the guest feat. on -vibe off-

the third release on the sister label, new york trax imports, comes from the legendary dutch producer and founder of one of the most eclectic underground record labels, vincent koreman aka drvg cvltvre of new york haunted. since 2009, drvg cvltvre has been working on his own blend of dystopian acid, no wave, and experimental house. respected in the international underground for his groundbreaking work in experimental techno as ra-x in the 90&#8242,,s on labels like bunker and kk records, drvg cvltvre comes from a diy punk background and opts for hard work rather than hollow pose. the 4-track ep for new york trax imports is an accurate representation of his style: dark and melancholic, but also uncompromisingly intense.

following a string of releases on jungle gym records and u.t.t.u. related mini-label vector works, intimacy returns to his hq of dm hardware for the “welcome to my life” ep. across three reflective and cosmic originals, producer parks perdue unleashes an array of extra-lush pads, and deeply melancholic acid bass. sci-fi atmospheres and nods to classic rave and electro squeeze their way into bricked waveforms… rough but not too rough distortion… and a hard hitting but bubbly remix by belgian producer innershades rounds out the 12”, solidifying it’s direct and inspirational intent. with “welcome to my life”, intimacy adds another gem to his astral catalog.

leonardo returns with another 4 track ep on his etheric imprint. the voyage ep shows a diverse selection of tracks ranging from peak time to downtempo. the offering delivers energy through solid punchy drums and simple but intense percussion with the main synth bringing a head turning edge. symmetry has a late night feeling to it fusing primitive and hardcore elements over a broken beat structure to create a unique elevating gem. spooky deep tech track the afterlife is dubby work out with haunting vocal samples and trippy synth hooks while droplets completes the ep off in a downtempo vibe incorporating the same edgy raw feeling of many of his previous productions.

“i’ve spent many days wondering why unfortunate things happen. wondering why things didn’t work out, why i deserved a broken heart, or why the world is the way it is. every song on my album points to an underlying gift in the painful experiences i’ve endured. without the hardships, i’d lack the lessons i’ve gained that have cultivated who i am today. i hope “pendulum” opens a window that allows my listeners to see how the dark and light aspects of life form a marriage that serves as a catalyst that initiates tremendous growth.” - aisha badru

2018 repress ... well. where do we start with deep inside ? originally released in the golden nyc house era of 1993, this 5 tracker literally smashed everything in sight. and still does now! the epitome of an evergreen, all-time classic release. masters at work louie vega and kenny dope were on a major roll in this era, producing, remixing, dj-ing and everything in-between, these guys put in ridiculous work. they are joined on this ep by a roll-call of names and collaborators, erick morillo engineering the title track? check. maurice joshua on co-production duties? you got it. vocals by ms. barbara tucker? they re there. killer, rock hard drums? stacks of soul? masterfully chopped up disco samples? all present. serious stuff. sometimes a record just manages to capture and distill the true essence of what this is all about and deep inside is one such record, it bears all the hallmarks of golden era maw, all the signposts of what was happening in nyc s clubs in the early to mid 90 s were there within it s grooves. you know a record is good when it s still being, quite literally, hammered nearly 25 years later! now, remastered, and reissued with the full involvement of strictly rhythm this seminal piece of nyc house history is made available again with all original, full sleeve artwork intact as per the 1993 original. this one s a straight up essential for any self-respecting dance aficionado. you know what to do!

ltd to 300, three warm analogue techno cuts and a rolling ambient outro. the works are unreleased from 1999 – 2000 by underground producers activ-analog. all tracks were recorded live in one take - hardware used includes mpc 3000, roland sh-101, roland sh-09, roland juno-106, korg poly-800 and a crumar performer analog string synthesizer.

ltd 100 copies, yan tregger can be considered as one of those composers and instrumentalists who have successfully explored various musical styles during their career, a true experimentalist with a motley repertoire, including pop, soul, jazz, rock, and even disco, he remains a must-have for connoisseurs. from the 1960s to the present day, whether as a composer, arranger or conductor, he is the author of more than 25 albums intended for the library music. the majority of his timeless works, coveted by -diggers- around the world nowadays, set his uncommon productions well apart. with their singular arrangements and rhythms which have the particularity of -sticking- to each musical era, his music continues to delight dj s and other beatmakers. this reissue of catchy, allows the listener to rediscover musical moments from an era full of inventiveness. a spirit of creativity very hard to match again today...

osaka based producer 7fo. having previously released a cassette on rvng international, and a 7inch single on bokeh versions in 2017, this is the japanese producers debut full length vinyl release. the tracks, recorded between 2012 and 2017, have been tweaked, remastered and recorded to vinyl for the first time. the mysterious figure recorded the tracks at home, processing guitar sounds, using a sampler, synthesizer and junk equipment. following in the footsteps of the ambient giants of his native lands, 7fo’s music continues this illustrious heritage whilst offering something fresh, modern and beautifully rendered. he describes his own sound as gorgeous sustained tones and dreamlike oscillations that drift through the inorganic/electronic world reverberating through our subconscious creating sonic fables in our minds. the 12inch comes with artwork designed by label head & visual artist jack hardwicke. to accompany the release greek filmmaker george kountouras, who also collaborated on the artwork, has directed a gorgeous video for the title track moment

taking inspiration from music, nature and the elements that surround them, jukka hänninen and mika hanka aka shuffless have quickly garnered the attention of many within house and techno since making their production debut in 2016. written at the vislampi studio, located in ruutana city, finland, using a combination of hardware gear from the likes of roland, korg and arturia, here we see the duo reveal their latest work with four diverse and expansive cuts set for release this spring as they return to syncrophone s in-house imprint. opening up the ep, hänninen and hanka fluently introduce chi , a complex and evolving cut that effortlessly fuses deep, rich chords, and delicate, skipping hi-hats, before easing into the flowing groove of lahti with its jazz-tinged melodies and heady tones guiding the production into lighter territories. on the flip, nime Ñvailla introduces a matrix of hazy textures amongst crunchy percussion licks and dubbed out atmospherics as the duo return to deeper, darker realms, before title cut puollaskel punctuates the package in classy fashion, laying down gritty analog percussion, resounding kicks and subtly programmed nuances to conclude an excellently worked ep.

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 3 features verses from fat joe, tek & steele, ill bill, and several wu-tang brethren including, ghostface killah, masta killa, & inspectah deck. this 2xlp is the first time this volume and series gets pressed to wax, and features completely new artwork for a fresh look.

limited edition black vinyl 300 copies...
ryuji takeuchi provides instruments of discipline with an ep of noisy, hypnotic tracks, ranging from giddy, stomping, left-field techno to melancholic ambience, the ep’s title ‘one’s sentiment’ provides a thoughtful angle to this at times cacophonous collection, for while they are bristling with noise there is something contemplative about the pieces, expressed in a way that suggests more than one thought trying to take life at the same moment, ryuji finds space for conflicting voices both spatially and in terms of mood, the first three tracks, ‘ambivalence’, ‘sadness’ & ‘sorrow’ crawl with competing elements, synth lines drool over and meld with throbbing kick patterns, anxiety & excitement are tightly wound in focus as tracks build and develop, leaving the listener to navigate these abstract planes, intoxicated, while the final track ‘regret’ is a compelling piece of noisy, ambient minimalism that allows for an austere pause after the eruption of the initial works. it becomes evident that ryuji’s journey as a producer, through periods of hard-techno, deep-minimalism and the more abrasive ventures on huehelix, has created a powerful and nuanced voice that is fully on display in ‘one’s sentiment’.

extra noir is a coldwave, minimal synth and post-punk soundtrack based in south korea. this is the first of a series of compilations, featuring artists from the hosts three most recent homes scotland, korea and texas. available on digital and limited release vinyl.

* there is a way* opens with a soiree of shuffling percussion, which drives it forward throughout. the tune holds its nerve and refuses to cash in, constantly bubbling and building as layer upon layer unfolds almost to breaking point. an exhilarating statement of intent. never looking back. side a comes to a close with * tricks*. it confidently boasts a heavy hitting kick drum, set to shake speakers and alter heartbeats. a relentlessly positive guitar sample and buoyant bassline set the mood of a lively cut, which builds to a pay-off that brims with shimmering brass and crisp hats. a sunshine filled stormer, sure to get even the most cynical city worker moving. drums, drums, drums. as * mistakes* begins we’re swept away by salary boy’s effortless command of groove, before a booming bassline snatches back at our attention. “everyone makes mistakes” is the refrain from the vocal sample. i’d usually agree but our hard hustling, hi-hat wielding hero hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. an evocative piano loop anchors ‘cry’, a tune made to define the early hours. equally adept at touching the heart, as it is at moving the feet. endings are important, and this is as strong as they come.

ab syndrom, the berlin duo, is coming with their third album. plastik is a bit like the coming of age album of the band. it tells stories of growing up emotionally and being played into a hard and post capitalistic environment. nevertheless you will find some quite romantic lyrics and songs between lyrical metaphors and a rough and urban reality in berlin neukölln, their neighborhood. the music on plastik is mainly a percussion driven and electronic laden journey. not your average pop arrangements but subtle compositions and laid back vocals with a certain chopped and screw twist. the bands musical projection is a most consequent advancement of their three albums and their body of work so far. bennet seuss, singer and composer is defining his own style in writing autobiographic lyrics with a certain twist to the obscure and umtransparent. a great album for sure.

jocelyn brown should need no introduction at this stage, one of the uss most respected vocalists famed for bringing the gospel edge into contemporary r&b and soul music. brown was the voice behind the celebrated disco and boogie outfit inner life, the focus of this stars of salsoul volume. cutting 2 lps for the label in the early 1980s, inner life came strong with club hit after hit, working with the top producers, mixers, arrangers and studios of the day the group were gaining cult status with their records becoming the taste of the dancefloors at the garage, the loft, the warehouse and everywhere and anywhere else in-between! it s no surprise then, that these records are still coveted by music lovers and djs today, classic status bestowed upon this most soulful of catalogues. featured here are those hits, in their full unedited 12inch glory. listen to the classics as nature intended, you won t regret it. a truly essential package for the die-hard disco aficionado or for those who are exploring this most important movement in dance music for the first time. curated with the full input and backing of salsoul records and carefully selected to reflect the truly timeless nature of the music contained within. for listening, for dancing, for turning on a party! remastered by optimum mastering. artwork & design by million dollar disco. fully authorised and approved by salsoul records.

pia-pia-pian-oh my god this one has some lush keys. four groove-laden deep house cuts come straight out of paris for the third release on feelings worldwide.
following two eps from kasra v and keith lorraine with enormous remixes from dream 2 science and jovonn respectively, the feelings crew deliver some white label material this time around with the inaugural ep from larry houl.
the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, delivers his first solo release with four tasty machine tracks with some heavy synth work covering a full spectrum of dance floor moments. from balearic lifters and soulful electronic jams to hard hitting detroit pacers and dark room after party moments, there are flavours for all on this debut.

after successful releases with labels such as rawax, taped artifact & thule records, the two icelandic techno titans bring us yet another intriguing release.a ohm is best known for his releases on force inc with his long-time partner exos and as an inventive techno dj. octal industries, a veteran who has already gained a reputation within the idm community under his ruxpin pseudonym, returns yet again to his origins with collaborating with ohm, a pioneer of the within the icelandic scene. bardo ep offers us four enigmatic & atmospheric techno tracks with intricate soundscapes and otherwordly chords. from the ethereal sounds of bardo to the hard hitting flow machine, a this ep works as an essential choice for both the dancefloor as well as for dancefloor within your mind.

our boss claude vonstroke is the busiest guy we know. when hes not traveling the world or curating an event, hes in the studio every day putting in hours upon hours, relentless in perfecting his craft. hes had a slew of hits the past couple years in the form of remixes and collaborations, and now with the walay (my bae) ep, claude gets back to some inventive and somewhat out of the box solo works. the title song leads with a melodic riff and an funky vocal that sounds like a defective cyborg is proclaiming love for his partner, walay. this quasi-human uses the slang my bae to try and pass for human and we almost believe in his passion. the sound harkens back to old classic rave tracks but also pushes very modern production techniques. on the flip, raw nerve is an emotional exploration in both sounds and lyrics. a melancholy vonstroke dives deep into his insecurities and fears with sonically mutated lyrics like im feeling so sad, im feeling real bad today. when i see you on the street i dont want to compete. you can feel the social instability oozing out of the vocal only to come back at the close with a violently hard bassline embodying the personal angst and frustration that goes along with not fitting in.

guber releases his first ep on paris based label beat x changers at the intersection of ambiant and mental uk bass music. the whole project is held by alternation of slope / release of sub-frequency and obsessional loop that dye each tracks. anisotropic expression is a first work that could be seen here as an draft representation of the behavior of surrounding matter. non musical influences therefore are brought here by the the study of properties of materials expressed in a musical statement. raw obsessional patterns, evolving and rolling out over the headroom could be seen as the emulation of many deformation models. shaping of stereo and arrangement have been handled with the help of the sound engineer & producer x_1 leading to home or club-listening experience as well. guber is been into music by listening & playing some music of the 70 s and trash-metal that drove him straight to uk bass music. since there he is only focusing on spontaneous creation showing faithfull perception of thoughts, leading to a higher level of singularity.

san francisco in the late 1960. the hotbed of psychedelic and rock culture. the dead, joplin, jefferson airplane and a host of others all gaining mainstream acceptance for their acid tinged work. but the city and the surrounding bay area had so much more going for them. a liberal political outlook and a large african american and latino population, meant that musical and cultural reference points were wider and more easily assimilated there than (almost) anywhere else in the united states. two of the biggest groups to emerge from this scene were santana and sly and the family stone, with their melting pots of sound that took in jazz, soul, rock and latin influence. for a while they were two of the biggest acts in the united states and scores of local bands tried to follow in their footsteps. they were hard acts to follow and very few got to the stage of making a 45, never mind a whole lp. one of the best to do just that were leon’s creation, whose debut lp “this is the beginning” acid jazz are reissuing here. a native of san francisco leon patillo led the group, whose multi racial line-up echoed that of his heroes on the local scene. self contained and gigging locally they made their debut album at the tiny studio 10 who also custom pressed the album in extremely limited numbers the music is a perfect blend of acid soul, mixed with hippie sentiments that will get you dancing on the uptempo numbers such as the title track, ‘back roads’ – with its glorious harmonies and the soaring ‘power’. more thoughtful numbers such as ‘until you were gone’ or ‘love’ will touch your soul. so impressed was carlos santana that he eventually asked leon to join his band.

bawrut has had an amazing couple of years. since kicking our label off back in 2015 with the modern acid classic ciquita (12inches of which will now set you back silly money on discogs), the madrid-based producer has gone from strength to strength. last year saw him tear down sets at sonar and farr festivals, drop a feted new ep on hard fist records, and have his music soundtrack numerous adverts for fabric events. other djs have been quick to show their appreciation, and bawrut’s unique appeal can be seen in how far and wide across the spectrum his music has featured. optimo, avalon emerson, patrick topping, jackmaster, artwork, andrew weatherall and many more have all supported heavily. were proud to kickstart bawrut’s 2018 with 4x4, a brand new ep of typically leftfield bangers. these four tracks come on like a whirlwind journey through a bawrut dj set, with something for every time of the night. ghettoscar fuses african chants with burbling acid, building the kind of goodtime dancefloor warmth bawrut is famed for. more cowbell does exactly what you’d expect, giving djs a glorious, cowbell-powered disco bomb that fuses the spirit of incredible bongo band with classic nyc house. i hear voices is a crazy ride, with an expertly cut up vocal sample repurposed into a weird, descending riff that’s quite unlike anything else out there. throw in bawrut’s trademark kitbag of carnival whistles, rattling latin percussion and a creeping acid line that works itself up into a soul-salving joy and youve got a modern classic on your hands. finally, lead track three sounds is probably bawruts biggest moment to date, a peak time jacking techno monster built from the most minimal of elements - drums, claps, a one note bass squelch and a tom drum gone wild. bawrut takes this tom sound and treats it like a 303, pushing far off the rails, working it up and up, twisting it through pitch and frequency like a man possessed, raising its pressure til it tears off the roof. theres no one else making techno quite like it - and you can expect dancefloors to be going crazy to the mania of three sounds throughout 2018 so there you have it - four more missives from the wizard of madrid. play em loud.

reaching its 15th release, amphia sees the return of cezar lazar’s double ep, intuitively called “archetypes”. known for his innovative approach both behind the decks and productions, cezar’s creative alter-ego enacts a variable puzzle with hard-edged sonic pieces laid out over five tracks, each with their own distinct acoustic palette. side a holds “equtime”. this side-long track envelops a stripped-down melody with perforated rhythmical pads, fleshed out with disconnected threads of vocals. side b is dedicated entirely to “badgervox”. displaying a weighty bass section alongside the shuffled percussion work, its intricate melody is integrated smoothly creating a unique soundscape. “thicken court” holds the first half of side c. sharp in its composition, it holds an assorted percussion ensemble and a collection of fizzy waveforms. they complement a thunder-like bass protagonist that holds the center stage. we continue with “boe dark”, where textures and sharp tones grow in layers upon layers creating tension. the apex is reached when modular timbres are hindered by sparse piano patterns, completing this electro-acoustic scenery. on the flipside, “wedmar” holds the key to our puzzle with its accurate four-to-the-floor feat. with a series of programmed overlapping organ vibes, the sound feels both piercing and intense, creating a sort of sensory impairment. “archetypes” displays cezar lazar s gentle subtleties and fluency in different dialects of idm.
(text by: bianca iulia)

new yorks marcos cabral steps up for his first full release on dimensions recordings, with the nature walk ep. following on from his epic prochainement masterpiece on dimensions 002, the ep provides a glimpse into the mind of a well-established and hugely respected artist. nature walk is a broad ep that demonstrates just why marcos records have been finding their way into a multitude of djs bags for the last fifteen years. from his work with jacques renault as runaway, and his coveted hamilton dance records output to his more recent deeper and darker leanings for leading labels such as clone, l.i.e.s. and mule musiq, marcos has quietly and studiously worked at developing an impressive catalogue which most folks who have brushed with house and techno will have heard, whether they know it or not. the ep provides a snapshot of some of the tastes and styles that marcos has experimented with over the years, the rolling, energetic and optimistic sounding, not quite house, not quite techno of wishful gives way to the brooding, dub techno of title track, nature walk. cape cod sees marcos in classic, house mode with a cut that could easily have dropped on nycs nu groove records, whereas rice a roni is a no nonsense nugget of twisted, grinding, acid. the ep rounds off with lets see how the light goes through it, a spacey hypnotic workout for the late hours and a fitting end to a stand out ep from the self proclaimed, hardest working man!

andreas tilliander released his first album as mokira at the very turn of the millennium on almighty raster noton. 11 years later, the latest mokira album time axis manipulation was issued on ulf erikssons kontra-musik and now it s time to pick up where we left off with chill out . there s an air of happy retrospect and light solemnity surrounding the new album - enhanced by the fact that it marks kontra-musik s 50th release. with chill out , mokira attempts to bring back the dreamlike state from those magical late nights of his youth spent in front of mtv s chill out zone, to go back to his ambient roots using contemporary techniques and perspectives. the result? well, imagine lee scratch perry and klf enjoying an episode of stranger things on a crappy vintage tv after being hard at work burying old tape recordings in perry s tropical garden. imagine them sitting together totally at peace in a big, cosy sofa while a heavy haze is building up in the room, pleasantly affecting the eerie images on the screen. we always knew kontra-musik s 50th release had to be something quite out of the ordinary. as expected, mokira didn t disappoint us one bit. the vinyl lp is accompanied with a download code for a mixed version of the album, containing almost double the amount of tracks. the mixed version makes it easy for the chill out listener to just sit back and let go of reality for a while, just like mokira did 25 years ago in front of his old tv.

celldod is swedish producer anders karlsson. anders has been active in the music scene for some time working on different musical projects, always with a strong diy ethic his celldod project has released several cassettes under his own label brutal disciplin and has also released records on suction records, kess kill and femur records. in 2017 anders released an album under the name vargd?d on opal tapes together with swedish techno artist varg. anders hardware driven sound has evolved over time now personifying finely sharpened ebm and techno crossover of the highest calibre. with a nod to the greats but with a forward thinking direction, we have four new cuts to destroy the darkest dance floors. relentless, bass-heavy and blown-out bangers. fans of daf and maybe 242 meets silent servant will be blown away. mastered by martin bowes at the cage, uk.

drumcode favourite bart skils kickstarts the new year with his sixth ep for the label since his debut on drumcode in 2012, bart skils has been one of the label s most regular contributors, with the dutchmans brand of functional, hook-driven techno a go-to weapon for adam beyer from his stellar shadowprint ep in 2014, to last year s classy remix of mobys go. one of the netherlands hardest working ambassadors for techno, he is the organiser of the beloved voltt love summer festival that s has been a favourite of beyers for many years. his latest work for drumcode, bells of the revolution continues his impeccable reputation for quality with everything he does, with four cuts all with their own distinct storyline. the title track is characterised by dark driving grooves and bubbling acid line that slowly evolves into a lush melodic riff. ocean drive nose-dives into deeper techno territory, while maintaining a sense of exquisite tension throughout. vocalized follows, a stomping acid techno cut that slides into the deep courtesy of skilfully programmed vox and elegant licks of melody. the ep concludes with retrodade, a track thats been one of the biggest in beyers sets in 2017 and features the famous vocal from rozallas everybodys free. the sample was used with kind permission from the iconic 90s singer

after last year s stellar ep on l.i.e.s. records, veteran, brooklyn-based producer and dj jake reif (savage hymn, upsetting keys) continues to make waves with his device control brand. the first side of the new ep2 begins with silhouettes: a robotic, techno-funk work out with a nasty kick drum, swirling modular sounds and a timothy leary inspired vocoded vocal. an instrumental version has been included for selectors who prefer tracks to songs. on the flip, joystuck continues the aural assault with a slightly more stripped-back approach. hard-hitting metallic percussion and screaming, alien-esque synth bleeps are all that s necessary here to decimate a dance-floor. finally, divisive rounds out the ep with a stomping vengeance, its jacking claps and dissonant harmonics have been carefully designed to deliver a sonic gut-punch, taking no prisoners when played on a club system

the tireless and titanic dance figure that is dj t. is next up on seth troxler’s essential play it say it label. dj t. has done it all in his long and storied career, from setting up one of the most influential labels in get physical to founding groove magazine via opening the monza club and, of course, serving up always inventive eps and lps on the best labels of the day. his sound has evolved through many house, disco and tech styles and has kept him an in-demand dj for more than 25 years. these new missives are yet more proof that few know how to work the floor as well as dj t. the perfectly menacing keep it close kicks things off with a dark, snaking bassline underpinning freaky synth stabs. the pressure builds throughout and will have the crowd locked in before it pulls back and builds again with a masterful grasp of mood. hitting much harder is the excellent the day it all started, a more physical house track with solid kicks is designed for maximum impact in the club. tumbling bass and gurgling synth riffs flesh this one out and ensure it is a real piece of dynamite. last of all is the retro-tinged 1988, with its tightly programmed drums, slick claps and spraying acid line. its a wild track to get the freaks out of the shadows and on to the ‘floor. this is a fresh ep that offers three very different but equally effective club tracks that are sure to blow up in the coming months

it is undeniable that bjarki and his bbbbbb imprint are at the forefront of iceland’s dance music scene, playing a vital role in asserting the country as a hub for genre bending electronic music. although the label has proved to be a solid platform for bjarkis own experimental material, bbbbbb continues to host some of icelands best talents (notably last year’s lauded release from volruptus who followed up with another killer outing on &#1090,,&#1088,,&#1080,,&#1087,,). for bbbbbb’s 10th release bjarki continues to substantiate his a&r abilities, introducing the world to lord pusswhip. having enjoyed a meteoric rise as a key player in icelands hip-hop scene, the young producers sound has continued to evolve since befriending bjarki and the bbbbbb crew, and the hand of glory ep now sees him at arguably his most adventurous and experimental yet. murky atmospherics introduce xmas jam creep before a cacophony of percussion ups the energy, setting the tone for a dynamic release. crazy shit mane follows with its crunchy drums, scintillating synths and sultry bass until hop out the car blends hip-hop vocals with mesmerising chord sequences reminiscent of richard d.james early work. an undulating bassline then works alongside a chorus of angelic voices in ‘the hand of glory, making way for the syncopated and dreamlike shroomm0(u)rning. moving into ambient territories, green house living layers pads and samples together to generate an otherworldly aesthetic until choppa hard combines ominous drones with a steady beat to conclude the release.