the hidden meaning of number 13 is change, the death of something and its rebirth. this is the idea behind gabriel dor & bordoys new album 13, which is meant to be a turning point on their career. influenced by old school techno but also by modern sounds, after 6 years of production partnership, theyve decided to release their first entirely unpublished lp. the album, made out of 13 cuts, starts with a dark intro that paves the way into a forceful kind of techno, followed by vintage sounds with gloomy touches and sometimes even emotional ones. they have used many instruments and samples discovered along the way on this composition process, plus lots of others found in the previous years. the sounds put together on this album have been carefully picked to preserve their uniqueness, while trying to walk on a different path.

limited edition of 300 copies worldwide w/ special colour print gold & black, 140 gram 12inch vinyl. tre, the third release from italys backwords, is an intimate, muscle-and-sinew-deep exploration of the mysterious meeting point of man and machine, here, pardo and vintage synths, drum machines and miscellany from the second half of the last century. twitchy beats, crackling textures and layers of tape distortion conjure a hallucinogenic universe that owes as much to heavy dub as it does to the techno-futurist optimism of the early modular synth pioneers.

following on from last years exceptional ‘obsession ep’ from art crime is a budding young talent by the name of will lister. originally from lyme regis, will moved up to london to attend goldsmiths university and in his spare time he helps us out behind the counter here at the shop. when he’s not here at the shop you can also hear him playing records on his balamii radio show or his monthly club night, ‘the aten’. ‘the phantom ep’ is his production debut and we’re extremely happy to be putting it out on our main imprint. the title track opens up the ep with heavily reverbed pads, echoed claps, crunchy percussion and repetitive synth stabs that all work together to create spaced-out atmosphere that’s full of twist and turns. flipping over to the b-side, ‘after the light’ picks up the pace with a driving high-hat rhythm and full-bodied kicks that underpin warm piano keys and smooth synth lines. ‘agency’ closes proceedings by turning up the intensity to full with a masterclass in building tension.

in 1988 axodry released the maxi 12inch single you on zyx records/combeat. influenced by depeche mode, gary numan and john foxx, the duo crafted high impact industrial, synth pop and electronic body music. their basic set up for recording at rahens home studio was a moog rouge, roland sh-101, teisco synthesizer, linn drum and fricke sequencer. ra/hen performed dramatic vocals, which tell of a lost love found in dreams. included here are the beauty & the beat mix and the beasty dub mix from the 1988 single. on the flip is the razormaid remix, performed by art maharg and joseph watt, that originally appeared on the welcome to the technodrome compilation in 1989. also included is mechanic, originally released in 1991 as the b-side for their final single losing you

not too long ago a jiffy bag arrived at parkwest hq. in it was a scratched tdk case with a sa-x tape containing a musical message from years past, simply marked the tape i lost! we sat and listened, able to pinpoint influence and reference but yet hearing something totally new. that this tape surfaced and made it across the years and the miles to us was fortunate. when the synth part came through clear on a later version on the tape, allowing us to remix then it became destiny. emotion, melody and rhythm will always be timeless and these tracks, selected from that tape, are as relevant today as they ever were.

neon finger rises. the new go! finger vinyl imprint, focused on synth-funk, boogie, hip hop, electro-funk and other freaky rythms, debuts with the new album by dj overdose -techno hop-. where the prolific artist from the haghe exhibits eight new outstanding tracks filled with classy electro-funk and the freshest hip hop manners. a sublime, intense and astonising piece of music, remarkable as an example of the finest electronic nowadays. rad!

toms due is talented duo from etruria beat crew, they re now back once again on their home label with two bangers urania and caliope and two remixes. one from nina kravizs trip label young protégé nikita zabelin, the second from micol danieli, italian newcomer artist and owner of 030s vinyl record label. on the a side sit the two original tracks. urania is composed of a powerful techno groove on a simple but strong chord fitting perfectly on the climax of the middle of the track. second comes calliope, a toms due signature heavy rhythm with a happy techno synth melody, a must try for all dancefloors. on b side, nikita zabellin shows once again his minimal approach, pure analogue sounds with a bit of darkness. mico danielis chose to use a never ending rhythm that wont ever leave you alone, a very elaborate arrangement. keep an eye on this italian lady producer!

our latest looking for mushrooms ep comes to us from a collaboration between long time dirt crew resident tigerskin and gifted jazz pianist and composer grambow. we first heard from grambow when his fluid key stylings featured on tigerskins faint in 2015. the title track is a suspenseful and moody journey, lead by live double bass from feature artist das eb. building in intensity with tigerskins warm production and steady percussive instrumentation until grambows live lead on a gritty synth growls in over the top. a true modern electronic classic as far as we are concernred. tsukiji is a playful deep house groover. balmy tuned percussion and shaken highs roll along under the light hearted piano which cruises along throughout the whole tropically touched endeavour. this track has party written all over it! octocat is a tougher italo disco tainted work out, tightly programmed live and analogue percussive elements push along, while wailing keys lick over a tenacious grunting bass. you can really taste and feel the long studio sessions the guys had to compose this great track. it is so much more than generic dance music. red fox is a divine culmination of the pairs compositional prowess and dance music knowhow. a cinematic and spirited house track that glides and glistens via delicate piano, plucky percussive riffs, bright strings and woodwinds. we are very honoured to release this outstanding musical release by tigerskin and grambow.

mister ho & heap close their eyes and float downstream. this is their second offering for the esp institute. on side a, feeling hopeful is a straight-ahead burner comprised of minimal thuds, bumps, honks, blips, bleeps and bloops—a harmonious arrangement of percussive elements and soaring synth chords that feels both slow and fast paced, sunset and sunrise hour, island back roads and traffic in metropolis. on side b, gis gis explores a similar notion of contrast, setting a the scene with a driving mechanical hi-hat that never dips below the selection of luscious melodies—a cha-cha bassline, breezy chords and a slippery lead hook that collectively invite us all for poolside pin&#771,,a coladas at the ho & heap villa. these two songs were conceived in the year of the monkey.

raw machine funk from an intergalactic mind – hakim murphy brings us two contrasting sides of classic analog jams, chicago style. on the a-side, ‘toms from space’ and ‘bgstyle’ both have a melodic nostalgia, the former with pads and drum accents that are almost conversational, the latter’s ringing synth lines cleaving more to the jamal moss school of machines-gone-wild, but still in an introspective mood. the b-side is a heavier affair, ‘stompsb’ coming at you with a barrage of snares, claps and toms that will tickle the more adventurous dancers out there. by ’tf3_2’ the machines are in pure revolt, battery draining and sounds escaping in fits and starts – avant-garde chicago house, no questions asked.

official from re-edition done by phil weeks & didier allyne from gene hunt with released on svek in 1996 jazzy: synth riffs with 808 bass drums. get freaky oldschool feel and toughen the tune into techno status like robert amarni style. the man: candido sample like old moodymann house track...

after a five year absence the illusive cottam label returns. since the original series paul has travelled the world djing, released on labels such as aus & versatile and started his own imprint ruff draft for his own original productions and tracks from other producers. currently taking a break from djing & concentrating on production it felt like the right time to reactivate the label that started it all with some new under-the-counter specials. first up we have ‘mixing tool’, a heavy beat and percussion setting the dark & foreboding tone, the unease increasing like something is creeping up behind you until the distant war cries reveal themselves - a deep track that is much more than the title suggests. next up, the long awaited vinyl release for the cottam re-wiring of a classic film title track, mixing the best elements of the originals synth score with a club ready beat and acid that adds to the original - this is one of the finest carpenter reworks you ll hear.

london based punk duo black volume are not easy to classify. their delirious industrial post punk sounds at times like proto house and at times becomes some sort of mutant electro. their b series sound is made of a conglomerate of filthy percussions, unexpected samples and something with the appearance of melody, with a weirdly addictive result. black rubber is james brown wearing black leather at 40ºc (in the shade) while suffering a mental breakdown. excentric melodies sliding down rhythmic dislexia. negative return blooms from an improvised beat with no traceable sequence, on top of which we find rubbery synth lines, creamy interferences and mysterious sampling, everything sounds like melting from old vhs footage with the future we enter a romantic dystopia. sensual and passionate but equally crunchy, it rises up through cheap calculator arpeggios, pitched vocals and obsessive bass lines. streetfight evoques a desolate landscape, devastated and radioactive. distant echoes from an extinguished human race that left behind only majestic rusty ruins.

answer code request picks up where he left off with his album (code, ostgut ton, 2014) and 12“ (calm down, mdr, 2015): with the neume ep the berghain resident offers three new tracks, meandering between restrained club contexts and brittle break beats, machinery and futurist soulfulness. the eponymous track “neume” starts off on a with shuffling rhythms atop a heavy kick, soon caught up by first surging then predominant drone motifs, flashing bleeps and piercing strobe sounds. “meta” on b1 clocks in instantly without any build-up: its rhythm section sets the tone with broken beats while acr slowly carves out more musical detail and textures: subtle command vocals from the machine room, swelling synth pads and other chilling, athmospheric means are subsequently being added until the track’s break where the emphasis shifts towards the kick, pads and synth melodies until the track’s sustained, smooth outro. “vis” on b2 is the ep’s most protruding track: classic uk garage shuffle rhythms and amen breaks are contrasted by a funky kick and dreamful pads, intertwined with additional sparse percusion, layered with what in the first instance sounds like chirping birds but then like sparking wires. answer code request continues what he does best: combining the warm human touch with chilled alienated aesthetics.

shlomo opens the ep with a deep and droning, yet uptempo track. ben gibson continues on the a-side with a synth and tom-driven track, in which the main synth really draws you into the track. takaaki itoh is put on the b1 spot and continues the deep vibe the artists set on the a-side, yet in a more minimalistic way. his track keeps on evolving and growing ever more, while the track in it s core does not change that much. overall severity closes the ep off with a moody banger. this dance floor oriented track focuses on percussive elements and the drums a lot. this track is one of the last ones made by the late max_m, who formed overall severity together with wrong asessment, which makes this ep a little bit more special. four different artists, but a great sounding ep with four tracks that compliment each other really well!

saobi is back and we are happy to present our 7th vinyl release. this 12 inche includes 4 warm house cuts by santi and nasty boy, the new release is a combination of melodic synth patterns with catchy bass lines, chords and percussions with some sweet female vocals. it develops the feel good vibes over its solid beats, simply few words, musicality and dancefloor efficiency!

quite a few months have passed since adam port released his last original material on keinemusik. it’s been almost too long. but then again, every expert will confirm, you won’t see a “sonnenfinsternis” every other week. port’s new ep is going under the name of that very astronomical curiosity and accordingly, the like-titled cut on a can only be the result of a rare cosmic constellation. it starts with a spoken word field recording. could it be, someone secretly recorded parts of the internal pre-release labelmeeting? we’ll leave that to your imagination. but then, all solid facts. a forceful beat, decorated with hihat-hiss, stoically pounding synthbass, rattling snare-staccato and space-opening synth-layers. finally, some siren’s wailing, just in case someone didn’t get the immediacy of this material. classy floor substance, that is, with the scarcity value of an eclipse. “working for it”, as the first track on the flipside, is rather going for the deeper realms. this coproduction with jennifer touch, a singer/producer that just moved from leipzig to berlin, is built up on a cosy, warm synth-priming, that touch congenially contrasts with her undercooled wavy vocals. an emotional rollercoaster, if you will.

paul woolford returns to hotflush with mother & child, his third solo outing on the label following the inescapable anthems,untitled and mdma. mother & child sees woolford explore a different style and more cultivated mood. comprised of two variations on a theme, the lead cut combines both sostenuto and clipped strings in an overarching and evolving melody. theres a sense of menace and foreboding, yet the record’s heart belongs, as ever, strongly to woolfords home turf - the dance floor. this newfound contemplative air is brought to the fore on mother & child divided as he strips back all rhythmic elements to leave a beautifully sprawling tapestry of strings and synth alluring, dramatic and cinematic in scope. one hopes this mother and child find each other again.

martin landskys long association with poker flat recordings continues with yet another exquisitely realized three-tracker. long since a staple of the underground electronic music scene in berlin and europe in general, landsky’s deft ear for dynamics and sense of off kilter dance-floor knowledge continues to do the business for djs and dancers alike. after the great success of vol.1 , landsky now presents ‘ekko traxx vol.2&#8242,,,. ‘echo my head’ is the perfect example - driving, focussed and funky, yet with a subtle undercurrent that keeps you slightly out of your comfort zone and locked in to the groove. weird night contains a spooky, discordant synth that raises the tension over and over, before giving way to a hard driving rhythm track that will see the late night heads fully losing themselves classic landsky style. that organ has a similar aesthetic, chunky rhythms and bass pulses for the floor, and synth stabs and melodic hooks that keep the track in constant forward motion.

elektronische remixes für die vierte single let it carry you aus dem aktuellen josé gonzalez album vestiges & claws . dfas new yorker synth-popper holy ghost! verzaubern mit einem 1980 er dancefloor-groove mit deutlichen italo-disco-anleihen, während disco-guru dino socchio aus los angeles seinen remix auf einem smoothen, mellow, fast balearischen sommer-vibe-level hält.

third chapter for blind box series back in the game with a brand new release from label owners julien sandre and konstress. this time blind boxers proudly share the ep with house giants hector moralez and chris carrier, exploring some of the finest shades of the underground dance music. vintage drums, bubbling synth elements, trippy pad lines, everything mixed with that unique forward-thinking nature that marked this platform as one of the most appealing vinyl-only record label out there.

“change the state of motion” sees fundamental interaction deliver 3 original tracks, “inertia”, “ruination” and “angular momentum”, and the ep is rounded off with a blistering remix of “inertia” by binny.
“inertia” is a track designed for the floor, with a tough, hypnotic synth line that gathers pace as the track progresses. binnys remix deconstructs the elements of the original, turning it into a more pounding, jacking affair.
“ruination” takes things deeper, the main synth filters in and out, with lush atmospheres and dubbed out percussion helping the track along. “angular momentum” takes things on a trippier route, a swinging synth line helped along with pulsating claps and powerful stabs.

!k7 proudly present alpha the first album in 10 years from matthew dear s audion alias.
for fans of matthew dear, richie hawtin, roman flügel, rodhad, dj koze
the double vinyl release is housed in a gatefold sleeve with album-cd included.

a surprising collaboration between mannella and the uk technos bearer - blawan- that clearly establish a deep techno-space, where the quirky sounds are free to be developed and created. right from the very first second of the dark breeze, which spreads a fluid, echoing and fickle synth, we can hear those fuzzy noises that mannella loves to use. a perfect combo is given by the presence of intense drums, thorough pads and harped synths: a total head-trip that flows in the whole ep. then, with i know you are a cheerful air gain the upper hand, leading it to be theperfect dance floor track. even if is just the second release, its pretty explicit the aim that the label has come to play in music today.

after coming with a pretty great electronic soft jazz number on the first release, distant works begins to define the mission behind the label with the second offering-a synth, italo-esque 5-cut ep that would only come from somewhere in the netherlands these days. the label bosses are clearly up to go to distant places to deliver the sounds. it s a very impressive statement and raises our interest on future releases.

the third release in this series opens up with fanon flowers remix of be good to me on the a-side, and has everything we love about fanons signature sound, an industrial rave-stomper that provides a heavy 909 beat topped with mercilessly propelling chicago-style claps. the b-side kicks off with henning baers remix of visco space saves the world a super trippy and minimal interpretation of the much more heavy original, which was a raw and gloomy industrial monster with a bold noize overload. its progression changes build up neatly but peak in an epic spiral break down that shatters the soul. b2 is a remastered version of herz aus stahl by the mastermind christian morgenstern himself, presenting an upfront, sinister electrofunk monster that attacks with waves of synth menace straight from its metallic robocop-heart.

coming up next on format is a new ep from the label s head honcho juan sanchez including remixes by jeroen search and andre kronert. the diffy ep marks juan s first format ep released under his own name, and it s definitely one that will turn heads on the floor. the original version of diffy and mirage reflect juan s trademarked minimal but hard-as-nails techno sound: staccato kicks, nervously rattling percussions and looped synth pulses make up the fundaments of both tracks, locking in all ingredients for proper techno clubbing.up first on the remix tip is renowned techno veteran jeroen search, whose remix of diffy is a chunky piece of stripped floor funk with subtle hints of detroit techno. following up is a rerub by andre kronert, who drops a beefy slab of mid-tempo techno that s particularly heavy on the dub side of things. 007 does have a license to kill for a reason, you know...

for the second bad barbie records vinyl release of 2016 we are more than exited to bring you the magnificent work from the bla bla music owner daniel sanchez with his impromptu ep. here we have four amazing pieces where each one tells a different history. the first one pearled into droplets saw the light after a great live jam and the result is combination of several layers of base elements with subtle minimalistic articulations. these, in combination of the bass and synths lines do create a truly amazing micro house piece. the second one vague, is an atmospheric dub were a single synth chord raises in slowly, followed by a very subtle kick and bass line to set a bit of rhythm to the whole thing, creating a superb dreamy vibe while the chords do their thing with delicate reverbs and delays in the backend. a great musical piece indeed. for the third track we have yi, again another amazing micro house jewel born from a live jam, but this one is even more energetic than the first one and it also includes, besides a rocking bass line, analog synth chords that lifts up the mood during specific moments, which also do their part articulating themselves perfectly with some occasional twisted vocals that helps create an amazing party vibe from beginning to end. and if this wasn t enough we also have bedroom stories vocal tool that daniel included with his delivery, which can help spice up a dj set with ease.

brand new experimental-techno label gothic romance, located in vicenza releases his first ep by gothic (alessandro de re & stefan battistetti, label founders and main label artists) called reims, included a special rework by xpress. reims is ispirated by gregorian chant, masked of a dark and melanchonic melody, aggressive and paranoid beats. xpress rework was born for the dancefloor, its composed by original beat parts united to a 4/4 deep violent kick and a paranormal synth voice inspired by cosmic and aliens sound.

for their next release, zone records welcome legendary french producer, remixer, singer, songwriter and emblematic musical star arnaud rebotini for a fascinating four track ep. alongside the standout music, the artwork for the ep is a photo of a suitably impressive sculpture of arnaud that the label have had specially commissioned for the release. arnaud rebotini has done it all, from pioneering electronic works to teaming up with chamber orchestras. a real synth wizard and mesmeric live performer who has remixed everyone from depeche mode to nitzer ebb, bloc party to rammstein, he is an award winning musician who also started the seminal black strobe group and has had his music used on a number of films such as the wolf of wall street. as such, from experimental pop to death metal, electro to soundtracks, he has done it all. now he returns to his good friends at zone music for another sterling ep.

broken body is the follow-up to 2015s do it again single. this two-stepping banger is dripping with 90s retrofuturist sensualism, a heady and visceral latin jazz-tinged house track with a back beat guaranteed to get the dancefloor jumping. alister s trademark synth flourishes mingle with the vocals of returning collaborator rahan boxley, creeping into the mix with that repeating hook of jump on in, slim. when the beats are this infectious and the melodies are this strong, it s hard not to obey. on the flip side, you ll find the deep vibes of -ago-, an analog electronic freight train with a touch of acid mysticism, as well as -endgame-, an ethereal creeper replete with rolling arpeggios and drum machines. alister johnson is a staple of the toronto dj community and has commanded decks as far afield as the us, the eu, and south africa. his diverse production c.v. includes work for dinamo azari as well as the polaris-nominated zaki ibrahim. keep your ears on alister johnson, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

our fresh outing for kid caprice ep sees another new face join the dirt crew/ spiel family. our latest artist discovery is bal 5000 out of budapest, hungary. coming from a diverse genre background, his sound ranges from disco to techno, tastefully touched with indie and balearic. the title track, for kid caprice heralds a soulful bass line, easy house stabs, light hearted keys, gently swung percussion and sparkling disco licks, this ones a soundtrack for traversing the cosmos or blissfully swaying on a dance floor. dub version steps the energy up a notch. with its growling lead and steady lathered groove this one is wide and warm. on the b-side, farewell my lovely is melancholic yet uplifting, eerie synths sing over positive key hits and its lithe melodic lines playfully interact with the rolling bass giving this one a live synth-pop feel. wake up! its monday! is bouncing and joyous with a chunky bass at its core. a queasy lead wraps around the central ideas while rising arpeggios elevate the mood. finally, as digital only track, cop is a pumping italo influenced house jam brightened with classic disco elements. boasting a self assured bass and gritty rumbling analogue synths, this one is right at home under the lights.

kicking off the dkmntl ufo series is esoteric techno stalwart peter van hoesen. the berlin based belgian dj and producer has attracted a dedicated following for his signature sound of ebm-tinged productions, and will continue to do so thanks to his distinctive take on how to inaugurate our new platform. from dystopian kinetic techno (‘cartesian taiko’) to an anarchic and dub heavy break beat jam (‘duet dub’), and from the rolling and hypnotic peak-time intensifier (‘p2me’) to synth-heavy seductive high tech soul (‘qaudra’): van hoesen casually wallops you round the back of the head with gargantuan bass vibes. dekmantel is adding a new series to their label called ufo. following the same-titled stage on the annual summer festival in amsterdam, the ufo releases focus on the same sound spectrum. in the forthcoming months, starting in may, ufo will be inaugurated by marcel dettmann, randomer, dj stingray, peter van hoesen, and voiski.

mindtrip presents mt13, which sees another young argentinan talent - farceb - making his mindtrip debut. farceb is a producer whos been pricking ears over the last couple of years with strong releases on labels such as arts, orioni and circular limited. he now joins pfirters imprint with his superb signals from space ep. exoplanet war sets things in motion and is a stylish, entrancing tune, which, if it wasnt for its intrinsic energy and power - would border on the somniferous. next up is signals from space, a tough, brutal and percussive workout, punctuated by dark, organic synth stabs. this track builds and rolls along in a way dancefloors will love. unknown shadow is a powerful, stripped down merciless lump of peak-time techno which cleverly blends atmosphere and hard hitting percussion. the final track - the superb hyperion, is a 6 minute, deadly exercise in pushing intensity and tension to (and sometimes beyond) commonsensical limits. this is mindtrip music!

shaw cuts is happy to present its third release, which includes 4 tracks produced by farron under the title ‘death duel’. the story of this chapter is simple: the third master is respected as the unrivalled and undefeated swordmaster of the day. his strength and skill saw many opponents who sought to slay him and win his title. all failed. there was only one rival who might sever his crown. it is only a matter of time until the ultimate duel… ‘we don’t make no sense’ rings in combat with a dirty break-beat drum pattern combined with deep, melancholic pads, circling the scene before one of the masters makes the first attack. warmer in tone, ‘tangency’ is the first intermission, a lull in bloodshed and impending annihilation. short-lived… the b-side brings back battle mode with ‘centro’, a rough and rolling thunder with churning synth action and distorted drums. the duel ends with ’par 2’, its sharp percussions, goliath bass drum and spheric pads reverberate victory. an open breast and sword glazed red. fatal hemorrhage…

following up on his critically acclaimed this day ep, pomrad (be) debuts his full length with on and on records (fra) & jakarta records (ger) worldwide this summer. pomrad a.k.a. adriaan van de velde has lots of funk in his colorful trickster bag. just check out the title track knights of his album: its beats chug like the wheels of a locomotive and electrifying synth solos guarantee the best brain freeze you’ve ever felt. he could be your favorites producer, favorite producer with lefto & mr. carmack among his fans. his debut album knights, a collection of razor sharp keyboard licks, phat electro grooves and thick funk, following up on his ep release, which received radio support from mistajam (bbc radio1), alex nut (rinse fm) & lefto (studio brussels).

unheard nuggets all over this one... palto flats and new general catalogue are partnering to release awaawaa, a new record by woo, the longstanding project of british brothers mark and clive ives. undertones of: jon hassell, holger czukay, durutti column, popol vuh, this heat... a hearty recommendation from us! featuring never before heard recordings from woo’s archives, awaawaa sees the band at their most evocative and psychedelic - presenting a suitelike, atmospheric collection of stunning miniatures. recorded in south london during 1975-82, awaawaa lines up chronologically with other woo releases, such as ‘whichever way you are going, you are going wrong,’ and touches upon synth, ambient, electronics, dub, and even krautrock. following re-issues on drag city and emotional rescue, awaawaa presents a new chapter in woo’s celebrated discography, further distilling the brother’s unique and otherworldy vision.

introducing broken dreams, a new series of white label releases on rotterdam based pinkman label. first up is metropolis, who returns with four wave, electro and body music hybrids. a quartet of tracks that draw on lapien s diverse catalogue, this is undoubtedly some of his darkest music to date. acid, new beat and post-punk influences bubble and churn throughout. crisp beats crash, strings lament, vocals sigh and synth stabs squirm for an ep that refuses to conform to norms. a hoarse and harsh cry to open a new pinkman chapter.

london modular alliance is the raw and unpredictable music project from the uk’s best known, dedicated modular synth shop london modular. its members simon lynch, phil ventre and gavin pykerman met through a shared passion in modular synthesisers. impromptu gatherings and jams soon turned into live performances at clubs, festivals and museums. from the hushed environs of the tate modern and v&a to vast sweatboxs such as fabric, bloc, freerotation, weather and berghain, london modular clearly have a flair for all things modular. this year sees a return to bloc weekender as well as new adventures at festivals such as dekmantel. they create an intense live show with a huge setup of self-assembled modular gear. every set starts with one small looping beginning – a patch – and is expanded into a deep sonic landscape. with the use of cables they build unexpected circuits and explore the power of pure electronic sounds without the use of a digital software infrastructure. no laptops, no button pushing, everything is created on the spot using modular synthesizers and is based on live improvisations. overall lma tries to keep its live sets in the dark: unrecorded, off the internet and only for those who are present in the moment. a clear break with the capture-all mentality of the internet age.

floating away on the melancholic synth and piano arrangement, whilst the straight yet subtle 808 house beat keeps your feet dancing on the line.

bodytrax drops it s second ep of 2016 with another essential 3-tracker from bodyjack. laugh it up opens things up and we are in vintage bodyjack territory from the outset. rough (and we mean rough!) beats and percussion, vocal hook and a metallic riff combined with possibly his ugliest bass line to date to make this an essential addition the bag/crate of any house dj. slow clap strips things right down to just drums and bass taking the track into even more raw areas. warehouse vibes! the title track i m here all week on the flip is one of those simple but infectious house tracks that you re going to remember after a night out. once again, our man s synth n bass work duck around those sharply programmed beats he s know for to round off the ep with a bang.

it couldn’t be better described as a mystical synth rhythm ride through eagles & butterflies personal house universe. do we find the right exit?

muchias is a collaborative project from normals welcome co-founder nik kozub (the paronomasiac / shout out out out out) and modular synth artist borys (who has toured extensively supporting junior boys, and whose collaborations with junior boys’ jeremy greenspan have seen release on the jiaolong and hyperdub labels). brooding modular techno, acid, and a hint of new beat influence are all represented on this compelling 4 tracker.

ltd to 300 copies , back again on the disco house jam. shir khan presents 4 new fine cuts on black jukebox 15. a1 and a2 is being represented by glasgow duo illyus & barrientos, while b1 is in charge of purple disco machine & lorenz rhode (tour synth wizzard for jamie lidell & dam swindle) and b2 by dayne s. do yourself a favor and pick it up before this limited collectors item sells out

ron obvious takes the helm once more for the fifth release from london’s l.b produce imprint. coming through once more with their speciality blend of deep, jacking house cuts reseda drive-in sees bouncing drum tracks collide with low slung synth lines and curated vocal sample chops.

severence is an electronic sound artist who lives in spain. mensch 003 experiments with various forms of chaotic sound & signal generation to create dense chaotic sound fields and other more relaxed ambient soundscapes. all tracks were recorded live in one take using a eurorack modular synth, a mixing desk and various effects pedals (no overdubs or post processing in the computer).

sasaki hiroaki is a minimal techno/minimal house artist from japan. his label * yotsume-music* has just released its 3rd ep. the 1st ep (recorded in -yone-ko rework-) is highly sought after on dicogs, whilst the new icon ep resembles these floating pads combined with a very tight sound machine rhythm on its four minimal techno and minimal house tracks. a1 * circle* brings a sorrow sound loop whilst a2 * forever* features a hypnotic synth pattern. the b side relies heavily on floating pads with * icon* and brings a dubby, deep sea feeling with b2 *kaii* . all 4 minimal techno/ minimal house tracks!!!

isaiah tapes delivers a sunny work by various artists on its 8th release. same time first labels proper vinyl release starts with soulful instrumental composition of karl lumont fluting and whistling all the way long. signers of 100% silk and fasan records continue melodic trip crossing the deep river and playing warm synth arpeggios and chords. great release to remember the summer and kind vibe.

after rebolledo’s successful debut album super vato (cÓmeme cd lp 01) from two thousand eleven, his highly praised mix cd momento drive (kompakt cd 117) from two thousand fourteen, and all-around mayhem during his adventures as one half of the pachanga boys, xalapa s finest returns with his second solo album mondo alterado: a recollection of moments and experiences from recent years, colorful mnemonics encompassing the brightest and the darkest. the result is a kind of soundtrack for a movie that doesn t exist, a sonic journey designed like a mixtape that faithfully reflects rebolledo s background as dj and producer. nine tracks connect for one overarching narrative, sharing elements, motives, details, as they blend together. the artist s signature can be found all over the place, roaming between straight, rock-drenched drumming, sinister atmospheres, raw synth textures, exciting peaks and foggy bottoms - but always following the kinetic flow and relentless drive which are such a big part of rebolledo s compelling charme.