12inch sleeve designed and hand screen printed by alex from cassegrain. arcing seas is back with arcs-03, a unique ep of selected tracks from the first two releases, remixed by the mover, peder mannerfelt and shifted. first up, rave and techno legend the mover presents his first new material since 2009. after using the slogan “see you in 2017&#8243,,,, for years before, this marks the start his return. he turns trappist into a hard hitting electro workout using original parts that explode and punish the senses. peder mannerfelt introduces the b-side with his take on skull gun. broken beats and exciting percus-sion sit atop deep kicks, disorientating quick fire samples and rapid snares, showing how versatile and on-point he is. finally, shifted is called into action with a signature deep-sonic soundscape. rumbling kicks and high frequency textures occupy the sound field, alongside reverberating samples from vultures, making it his own. label info: arcing seas is an anagram of cassegrain. it started out as a secret alias, releasing a couple eps on our circula sound. the secret was less well kept after the duo appeared at berghain under this name.

for the labels ninth release, deep a & biris black crow records revisits one that helped establish the labels direction back in the imprints first year. bcr003, insular realms by fellow israeli producer hakimonu, was praised by many including resident advisor, who said the ep proved his off-kilter take on techno and house is as vibrant and inviting as ever. now in 2017, deepa & biri have invited mind against, luigi tozzi and echologist (aka dub techno veteran brendon moeller) to all rework the original version of insular realms for 2017. first up are life & death’s mind against, with one of the fognini brothers most direct techno productions yet, with a mid-track moment of calm before the intensity resumes. luigi tozzi, the rome-based producer who has had previous outings on dynamic reflection and dino sabatinis outis music, contributes the second remix. taking the lead from the originals more ethereal moments, his version is dreamy & almost wistful as it propels along its shaking rhythm. the b-side offers two takes from brendon moeller in his echologist guise, with a dub mix that twists the original into an acid-inflected track that slowly ratchets up the tension over its seven minutes, while the reshape breaks things down into a churning rhythm peppered with flashes f off kilter sonic details.

after starting out with eps showcasing tracks by various artists, invite’s choice is back with a 3 track ep by drafted.
the ep is opened by detached with it’s dominating, repeating tom/percussive low-end sound. the frequential spectrum is filled up by other percussive elements and reverb-filled effects, which give the track a spacious feel. oxidian starts out in your face with it’s droning and repetitive synth. the track evolves into an abstract apogee with intense synthesis before it breaks down again, allowing for a smooth mix to be made. sphere closes down this 3-track ep on the b-side and does so with lots of fast changing hi-hat and ride patterns and one sharp sounding synthesizer, which makes it a perfect b-side closing track. once again a great showcase of sustainable modern day electronic music by invite’s choice!

this 4-tracker from spanish affkt might quite simply be his best release to date. i have always admired his different and quirky productions and as the followers will know we have released tracks with affkt before.this time me and marc (aka affkt) went deep into a&r ing the release to make sure all tracks reached their full potential. tracks have been added and removed from the release over time. the tracks have been re-arranged, adjusted, revisited over a period of 9 months time (yes thats how much time we spent carefully putting this release together and making sure it was perfect). i am really proud of what marc acomplished with this release on noir music. all 4 tracks work really well in the clubs and they each have a very strong affkt signature which i wont bother describing in detail by words but rather have you listen to these amazing squared pieces.

limited edition of 250 copies, featuring 2 hot funky tracks from tom hooker, never before released on vinyl.

nyc s legendary west end record label has contributed a fair few classics to the disco cannon and continues to influence dance music today with it s forward looking releases. when you touch me is no exception, recorded and released in the golden year of 1979 and featuring the breathy, sensual vocals of a young tanaa gardner who had previously worked as a backing vocalist for numerous other projects until the label released her (other) stone cold solo classic work that body the same year on 12-. both cuts featured on her self titled debut lp and boasted the combined production and studio talents of kenton nix, bob blank and of course - larry levan. now, that s a serious line-up to have behind the boards (& in the clubs!) and of course when you touch me was a classic with it s slow, elongated intro that calls to mind a sleazier version of donna summer s love hangover before launching into a full-on disco assault that you won t forget in a hurry! yes, the record surprises you, tanaa leads us into a false sense of a slow jam and then - boom - we re off! backed with the incredible instrumental version the 12- is repressed here in it s original 1979 glory, an essential classic that has stood the test of time for the last 30+ years & is now available again, remastered & repressed for 2017 in conjunction with west end records, nyc.

4 tracks from fall 2016. dedicated to nothing. best before swz002. thanks to all the people involved in this and my friends for always supporting me.

since 2015, james welshs contribution to phantasy as kamera has delivered a series of releases shrouded in mystery, injected with the personal energy of both a hardcore and club heritage. two eps, arc and ventoux, set a distinct tone, with the latter complimented by head-turning remixes from artists such as george fitzgerald, throwing snow, truncate and yaleesa hall. now, the key phantasy artist emerges from the shadows under his own name, in order to continue his uncompromising musical journey. returning with a new, two-track ep, standing/slip captures the finely tuned tension and euphoric release of welshs sound in arguably its strongest form to date, showcasing not only the dancefloor mettle firmly established under his prior alias, but a new sense of wistfulness that coaxes his typically outstanding machine work into altogether more reflective territory. standing throws listeners headlong into welshs formerly anonymous industrial complex, generating a churning, relentless rhythm offset with a dry female vocal that recalls the sardonic stance of vintage electroclash. following this, slip is an initially unexpectedly spectral diversion, transmitting a curious synth line into space, and receiving a choral, sombre frequency in return. without losing its emotive qualities, the track succumbs to a hailstorm of welsh’s sharp, potent drums, before collapsing in understated catharsis.

feat a remix from fxhe/mahogani music artist kai alce.
french producer and dj john jastszebski has been involved in the french and global underground house and techno scene for over a decade now, releasing on imprints such as d’julz’ bass culture, phil weeks’ robsoul, syncrophone recordings and of course phonogramme where he returns to here. the original mix of lead track ‘season’ takes the lead via infectious stab sequences, snaking subs and raw organic percussion before kai alce’s ‘restructure’ of ‘season’ follows and tips the focus over to airy chords, jazz-tinged lead melodies and a bumpy rhythmic swing. illusion’ follows and sees jastszebski focus on a more stripped-back aesthetic with rolling drums, dusty string samples and warm rhodes driving the composition. ‘gracelend’ then closes the package with smooth, unfolding pad melodies, crunch drum sounds and a murky, hypnotic feel.

monomood returns to his dubby roots with his fantastic laid back and atmospheric ep unexpected perceptions on etui records. remembering the frost and darkness, the first track wjnter can’t hide it’s origin. cold chords and warm synths are creating the unique feeling of gloomy days in winter. with spuukj dub on the flip you get a reduced echo-tool with haunting vocals and complex delay structures. finally monomood layers some pads and reverbs in the last track dronje before breaking up the tune with a stunning piano & string combination. goosebumps.

after the successful calypso roses far from home album, because music will release a two remixes ep for the record store day. those remixes are made by the south african mo laudi. his work is considered to be in the vein of jamie xx’s music. forget the thorns, because she has them, and without delay pick this (calypso) rose who, at 76 years old, looks fresher than ever. calypso rose was always a fighter and had to overcome hostility from her father, a baptist preacher thoroughly opposed to her pursuing a musical career. and she was sexually abused as a teenager, as she bravely confessed in calypso rose, lioness of the jungle, the 2009 documentary about her. a tireless worker, she composed almost 800 songs, starting at age 13, and spent 17 years singing on cruise ships for the new york-based company celebration at sea, before playing on the legendary stages of the apollo and madison square garden with two of the greatest calypsonians, lord kitchener and mighty sparrow. calypso rose is a fighter indeed: you dont survive cancer and two heart attacks without a solid dose of grinta.

swiss duo me & her join the hottrax roster with a robust release featuring british duo dense & pika and detroit’s dj bone on remix duties. with recent appearances on deeperfect, natura viva and clarisse records, the rising duo has quickly cemented a reputation as ones to watch since making their production debut back in 2014. joining them on the release is dense & pika, who have been taking the world by storm whilst releasing on leading labels such as adam beyer’s drumcode, scuba’s hotflush, not to mention renowned uk imprint hypercolour. meanwhile, dj bone needs little introduction having paved the way for quality techno for over two decades including running his renowned subject detroit imprint. sturdy kicks and intricate effects drive ‘wild rage’ forward before introducing metallic snares and animated melodies. on the other hand, ‘thunderstruck’ is a dusky production composed of heady stabs and echoing elements that together generate a compelling groove. dense & pika’s shuffling remix of ‘wild rage’ shines a spotlight on a tantalizing synth as eerie nuances operate throughout, before dj bone concludes the package with a trippy and percussive reinterpretation of his own.

bas roos is a dj and producer from rotterdam, the netherlands. he started dj ing at the age of 16 after spending some time on making his own music. a year later he released his first ep and from that moment on he started to develop a unique and fresh sound which has seen releases on phil weeks’ robsoul label as well as shir khan’s black jukebox disco house series on exploited. the 18th edition of black jukebox sees the young producer deliver 4 new tracks which work magic on the dancefloor. do yourself a favor and pick it up before this limited collector’s item sells out.

fleeting wax hits its third release with this bout of sinister, sleek disco for the darker dancefloor that finds bucharest-based duo valeriu borcos and eduard gabia getting remixed from a strong cast of characters. the ever prolific khidja is up first, turning -choose your colour gypsy dark- into a brooding, almost-rocking affair with an irresistible noirish tint to it. the label heads then get busy with a version that ups the arpeggios in a nod to italo amidst plenty of dubby fx, before mehmet aslan stretches out across the b-side with a more yearning version that lets a little light in on the situation. it s a diverse, potent bag of versions that do credit to the original while saying something new as well.

at a recent gig in macedonia, he played an incredible “live pure data” set, using real-time graphical data flow programming to create all his own sounds. with this huge wealth of knowledge and a hard drive stacked with unreleased productions, his ‘spookz ep’ is long overdue. he describes his music as industropical or funkyndustrial and when you hear his two original cuts on this ep, these descriptions become more apparent. ‘spookz’ is dappled and harmonious with sweeping electronics and in-depth grooves. ‘prance for me’ is atmospheric and quaking in its deliverance, showing all his innovation and creativity. the ep comes with two stellar remixes. the first is by el prevost who delivers a grinding reworking of ‘prance for me’. el prevost has been forging his sound over the last decade, gradually shifting into the house and techno scene in particular for uk label, third ear and his most recent self-run label, no speakers, which boasts a varied artist roster that includes doorly, red rack em, wbeeza, 65d mavericks and gabbi lopez. rommek’s remix of ‘spookz’ follows and shows why this recently emerging artist is fast becoming a definitive force on the techno scene. fellow loose lips collective member, rommek made his production debut on weekend circuit, before joining james ruskin’s iconic blueprint label who released his ‘moth hole ep’, plus an appearance on their 20th anniversary compilation, ‘structures and solutions’ gaining him an admirable reputation for textured sound designs.

what is love? we had away once then we lost it. so russ told us we got to find it and yazz said it was up but elvis said it was down. the west went out and harrods went in if only essex could have shown us before sid bloody murdered it. no matter. at light sounds dark we like ours with kurds anyway. unequivocal love, 100% pure love love on top of love.. its hard.

nerolis own volcov selects some favourites that never been available on vinyl before and shares them re-mastered and ready for all the music lovers. music ranges from larry heard collaborators lee pearson jr to blaze collaboration with the late dj man x, passing through a manoo deep and hypnotic late nite jam.

the latest release from serbia’s soul print recordings brings together the two l’s, leonid and laak. up first is leonid on the a side with two tracks urania 1 and 2, possibly named after the muse of astronomy, which makes sense, as both tracks have a cosmic feel about them. urania 1 starts off with a nice string sound that permeates the space before the drums start to really take effect half way through. urania 2 has a more house feel about it, with the acid bass line sitting nicely along the deep pads. over to the b side and laak takes control. delving into late night territory with haunting layered leads & pads these tracks are typical quality by laak. featuring label artwork once again by fellow serb, bratislav milenkovic and pressed on a beautiful sky blue, yesterday for tomorrow is a thing of aural and visual beauty.

limited and numbered 2017 rsd release, 180g triple vinyl in tri-fold sleeve.
this triple album brings together the two main strands of fsol’s current output, namely the “from the archives” series and the “environments” albums. comprising a total 48 tracks, 35 of them are new or previously unreleased.

new york’s sheik n beik continue to assert themselves as a trusted outlet of chilly, understated techno following up releases from xamiga, keita sano and hermans with a va from family members ivvy, mr dello, og ag and ray rose. first up is mr dello with ‘pilgrims’ - a bold march that propels few finely crafted elements with deft usage of warped analogue fx. intensity snowballs throughout as metallic synths thicken before og ag aka andrew grant follows up with ‘410 prospect’ - an intergalactic transmission rich with bending synth lines. one half of dirk largo, ray rose then casts his eyes down in following up with tight, shuffling drums and buoyant synth tones all suffused with a healthy dose of dub before ivvy - a fresh alias from madison levine. originating from seattle’s burgeoning hardware scene, he offers up ‘shape speed’ - a languid, capacious groove that drives thick drums through dense and dubby textures that round off a solid addition to a catalogue continuing to go from strength to strength.

originally released on the v.a. quintessentials 50 and making rather big waves, grooff machine from ponty mython gets the remix treatment for some more dope grooffs! chicago hotshot chrissy (the nite owl diner, classic, razor n tape) puts enough disco and acid in it and offers a great clubby alltime classic. ponty himself fuses lost of house, disco, funk and 808 busines so that you can grooff to the max. and our mexican buddy soul of hex (vicario ltd, freerange) keeps it dark and loopy before adding some splendid riffs. time for the grooff machine!

loft records returns after a fruitful year to kick-start 2017 with three infectious cuts from rising irish talent hammer. the belfast-born producer is well known for his lauded releases on feel my bicep (in collaboration with the label founders) as well as optimo music but production isn t his only facet. hammer has shared dj booths with the likes of hunee, sasha, midland, craig richards and nd_baumecker, whether at his residency at sub club or at his many gigs throughout europe. with loft recordings reflecting on a prosperous 2016, including a class two track release from isaac tichauer, followed by a chart topping remix package featuring hackman, dorsia, lancelot and bicep, hammer s innovative contribution to the imprint looks to follow suit. soaring pads and intricate drums form the overall aesthetic of canna but as the track progresses serene melodies and subtle snare rolls come together to form a harmonious eruption of synths. manaka then shifts to syncopated percussion and spectral nuances before man ray delivers distorted atmospherics and twisted chord sequences to conclude the package.

four hypercurrent and gently melancholic cuts on this new vinyl only label linked to one of lisbon s best clubs for house and techno, ministerium. side a is all about the electro: markus sommer s trademark stinson-indebted grooves strike an optimistic note on empyrium, while happy-sad chords soften the sharper edges of klein/melchner s breaksy plata o plomo. house is the feeling on side b: phil evans syscresh sticks a tech house groove and bumping bassline under the mournful bleeps of a heartbroken computer, before ministerium regular jorge caiado takes us into a languorous, transitory mood on between flights, its dreamy cliffside opening taking a deep plunge into a reverb-laden acid finale.

ltd to 200 copies
hailing from east london but otherwise shrouded in mystery, loop lf makes a strong first appearance with this opening gambit for well street records. there s a diverse array of sounds presented across this 12-, with the intricate minimalisms of -moon gz- matching glitchy percussion with ethereal pad tones to great effect before -ocean drums- opens the sound out into a broader, fuller broken beat context. -stepping back- is an audacious production that makes full use of the space between the drum hits before -you wouldn t understand- heads into an overtly reduced, dubstep-minded headspace perfect for all lovers of the original fwd vibe in a modern setting.

one in a million leads with a bright 90s garage house beat reminiscent of disclosure before breaking into the kind of danceable indie-pop swagger that will excite fans of lcd soundsystem and hot chip. replete with remixes from zomby and playgroup this 12inch sets a precednt for olsson 12inch release where he kindly asks his heros to reimagine his work. in this case two of electrtonic musics most exciting and consistent names step up.

folamour was responsible for one of the dreamiest, most colourful deep house records of recent times - the brilliant shakkei ep on all city so hopes are naturally high for this excursion on the producer s recently launched fhuo records. he kicks off proceedings with the thrillingly addictive very first touch, where dreamy pads and looped party samples cluster around a snappy, jazz-fuelled house groove, before ratcheting the energy levels up a notch or two via the rubbery slap bass, driving drum machine beats and warm rhodes chords of alerte a babylon. in between, you ll find pravis l estaque, a stomping deep house floor-burner blessed with some seriously good, jammed-out electric piano solos.

trio kazanchis got together by coincidence in 2009 in addis ababa, ethiopias musical hotspot while playing jam sessions in melaku belays club fendika and mulatu astatkes own african- jazz club before touring europe most underground venues and related festivals.

a great step forward for the legendary tim maia – working here in a style that’s even tighter and more sophisticated than before – yet still equally filled with funk and soul!

before he was nigeria’s self-proclaimed mr lover boy, felix lebarty was an upcoming musician in the country’s edo-delta region. his big brother, aigbe, was a legendary highlife bandleader, but felix paid his dues playing guitar with thony shorby nwenyi and the collection of stars, along with fellow star mighty flames bassist, willy nfor. perversely, girls for sale was released after lover boy, the slick disco album that cemented his place in nigerian music history. it is a collection of tracks lebarty made early in his career, when his music was rawer and his pickup lines less sophisticated and less practised.

discographies in dance music don’t come much more impressive than that belonging to paul woolford, the man behind seminal releases for the likes of planet e, xl recordings and running back. special request is the project that sees him continuing to defy expectation with a new ep on the fabric-run label houndstooth. stairfoot lane bunker encapsulates this approach with 5 bold new excursions into the outer limits followed by a remix from minor science (known for his previous releases on whities and the trilogy tapes) the eagle-eyed will notice 5 of these tracks appear on fabriclive 91. this ep is issued as an addendum. redrum is the fierce opener. rampantly-edited electro beats, a sampled speak-n-spell vocal, and a pure sci-fi breakdown sets the scene for the rest. stairfoot lane bunker and replicant are jungle tracks taken to dizzying extremes - the former building from widescreen atmospherics, thunder spells and lightning before descending into a frenzy of breakbeats and long heavy bass notes. replicant ratchets the pressure up further with hyper-edits across it s breakbeat introduction and throughout, punctuated by furnace-rattling subs. telepathic dog and five lane ends are highly evocative ambient pieces, pushing into the uncanny realms of metaphysical music. to end the release minor science comes through with his remix of stairfoot lane bunker, effortlessly blending in his own work with the disjointed sr breakbeats, flashing only snippets of the serrated bars, chopping them up and creating a new track in the process.

absorbed by a parallel reality we come to the change. needs never before contemplated derive in new emotions. mix of excitement, agony, joy and anger. we digest the trip thinking about the next one. music as nexus.

new fauxpas output!
extras: download codes included, very high quality old style tip on sleeves with gold stamping
we are back again with russian artist, module one. at just 22 years-old he is already had a stack of releases including an ambient album on detroit underground. * hometown* was written in the depths of russia in a place called novocherkassk, whose industrial cityscapes made a great impact on the overall sound of the album. most of the tracks were written in a few takes. most notably, the track * innermost self* is a dedication to module ones grandma who passed away a short time ago. due to a tragic sequence of events, he was unable to see her before she fell into a coma. the track is overloaded with tension and fear as well as stark anxiety. vinyl tastes better…

after debuting on mr. gs phoenix g imprint in 2016 with the unfamiliar territory ep, jayson wynters makes an appearance on dba for this, his second release, backed by a kowton remix. jayson wynters is a dj that is able to combine many genres in one set and make it work. wynters was first known as a garage mc in birmingham, before rising to prominence in the city s underground radio and club scene, where he showcased an impressive knowledge of rare groove and house music. as he got older his taste for music began to mature, his collection began to grow, and he soon began to dj. using music as an outlet for expression, whether in the form of djing or having fun on some drum machines and synths, is one of the most defining features to wynters. he continues to fuel his passion by keeping an eye on the future rather than the past and striving to remain different.

it’s a match made in heaven, techno veteran dino sabatini meets up and coming talent luigi tozzi, who over the last couple of years has delivered stellar eps for the likes of hypnus records, dynamic reflection, mental modern, and sabatini’s own outis music. anyone familiar with the two will know they share an aptitude for adventurous and evolving techno. this is crystallised in this collaboration, which doesn’t take the easy path of creating straightforward club tracks. instead, the three tracks on this release explore the subtler sides of the two producers. that’s not to say this isn’t club music - it is - but they have a lot more to offer than pure functionality. the ep opens with manticora. this eight-minute experience takes the listener through winding claustrophobia as ringing feedback pulses across the stereo field and cavernous rhythms dance about, hard to quite grab. these rhythms build to a point to which they solidify and fall into place, a point at which the track gains a feeling of propulsion, alongside shifting and emotive reverberations and resonances. next up is celeno, a track that slowly unravels under a backing of shuffling hats and a rolling kick drum. twinkling synths swirl around before giving way to a rhythmic and compelling melody. celeno’s musical themes continue into the third and final track, aello, which eases you in with softer drums while a haunting drone builds up. over this, ghostly arpeggios develop alongside weightier drums that carry the track through until the end, leaving just enough time for the drone to ring out and provide a fitting end to the ep.

following the first chapter of andy mac sdiving birdseries, idle hands welcomes italian producer piezo into the fold with an ep that harks back to the smoky, dubwise ambience of some of the label s earliest releases. luca mucci was a bristol resident for a few years before returning to his native milan, carving out an identity for his piezo alias with a slew of dubstep-focused eps on labels such as artikal music and subaltern. while on an idle hands skirmish stateside and playing on ny radio, one of the kelly twins dropped lume and remarked on how idle it sounded, sparking the process that led to this record. you can sense a link the early kowton records on ep opener opeq, all monochromatic textures and taut, slow-stalking rhythms, but here those facets are interspersed with a unique melodic elegance that offsets the moody immersion of the track, eventually blooming out into an effervescent slice of slow-motion house music. novemiluano meanwhile displays muccis capabilities in handling broken beats, exercising a devastating restraint without compromising on presence or energy in crafting a stunning piece of meditative soundsystem music. pushing that foundational dub principle of space and minimalism even further, lume closes the record out in stunning style with an intimate, glacial stepper that champions minute detail as much as looming gaps in the sound. with a peppering of micro sampling atop a deathly bassweight march, its a finely pointed arrow aimed right at the heart of idle hands, and we couldn t be happier to be releasing it.

“ld fantasy tracks” is made up of bittersweet melodies, bumpy bass lines and wonky old samplers and is punctuated by coloured drum sounds. these 6 tracks serve as a journey into melodic house and revel in the fantasy and spontaneity of the vibe. as too smooth christ preaches, “it has to be a first-try thing”.

iuly.b returns to visionquest this march with the surreal experience ep accompanied by a remix from bass cultures djulz. romanias iuly.b is rapidly becoming a household name in the realms of stripped-back, immersive house music of late, a regular feature on hectors vatos locos imprint and at the labels events, as well as releasing material on bouq, claque musique and of course visionquest where he returns to here following his observatory ep in november of 2016. this time round iuly.b launches the surreal experience with a murky, dub-tinged composition entitled sci fry, laid out over eight minutes with snaking synth whirrs, sweeping dub echoes and tumbling sub bass tones before bass culture head-honcho djulz reworks the original into a more robust, groove-drive interpretation via swinging rhythms, stuttering sample chops and a thunderous low end drive. moonberry opens the flip side on a more reduced tip with bumpy organic percussion, rounded sub swells and an amalgamation of sonar blip melodies to create a dynamic and hypnotic workout, time traveller then closes the release via expansive atmospherics, subtly evolving acidic synth licks and loose shuffling drums

one day back in end of the eighties, a pair of friends began sharing a deep love for music, the music we have been supporting, playing and now, able to put it out for your listening pleasure: ‘mind merge lp’ is a beautiful quintessence of detroit electro, funk and techno, partially blending with contemporary electronic contaminations and we believe it’ll be as timeless as many of their records before.

after contributing a smashing remix to the first release on blank, uk producer kalyde is coming back to the emerging german imprint with a fantastic ep of his own. growing up in detroit, he never got involved with electronic music until he went to university in bristol, where he honed his production and dj skills before resettling in london. not long after that crucial step, an impressive string of releases followed on great labels like skint, madtech, avotre and roush. kalyde has rapidly advanced to be one of the most exciting new talents in the uk s modern house & techno scene, and also has become a sure shot on dj sets of big players from the likes of annie mac, loco dice, eats everything and many more

more disco house gold: shir khan presents 4 new fine cuts on black jukebox 17 featuring martin lewis & aussteiger. do yourself a favor and pick it up before this limited collector’s item sells out. ltd to 300 copies

this release journeys to mid-80s argentina and the highly sought after 2nd solo album of carlos cutaia. inspired by the new electronic sounds emanating from europe, this multi instrumentalist offers more than a pastiche, embedding his own melancholy in a unique and classic nueva wave-album. classically trained, carlos cutaia started as a composer for dance and theatre, before spending much of the 1970s as a member of a number heavy rock, prog rock and rock-fusion bands of some note, before finally going solo with the city of distant tones album in 1983. however, by the time of his 2nd solo album in 1985, as his country finally left behind a long period of military control and enjoyed greater freedoms, carlos was fully immersed in the new electronic pop sounds imported with hungry ears from europe. teaming up with fellow composer, keyboardist and producer, daniel melero and alejandro oucinde, the futurism of kraftwerk and gary numan s tubeway army was embraced, but also adapted to fit their native land, just as it was understand a new modernity. starting with the swagger of visiones incomunicadas, the template is set. sharp drum machines, semi-nonchalant, half spoken vocals set the scene, while chopped guitar and smart synth lines fit the over riding feeling of an intelligent nonchalance. things however, do go beyond the straightjacket of euro-pop as heard on the anthemic programacion and avant twist of the first of two piano-ambient pieces aproximacion dos and its companion piece uno found on the b side). eric satie and minimalism are clearly not far away. however, it is side b opener sensacion melancolica that captures the sound to perfection. a balearic masterpiece, capturing in it s title the over-riding atmospheric of a unexplained sadness, a loss. operativo and the poem humanos de america bring things to an end of a feeling melancolica.

spencer parker returns on his own imprint this march with a four-track track release as part two of the three part different shapes and sizes series. following on from the raw and stripped back house jam aesthetic as seen in part one, parker kicks off this techno release with size information a track with driving kicks, subtle atmospherics, and infectious panning percussion. next up is shape deviation, which hones in on a twisted 303 arpeggio and is saturated in white noise and backed up with entrancing drums, before shape fascination goes into full drum machine workout mode with off kilter 808 claps fuelled by a hypnotic synth bass line. size devotion rounds off the release with its raw and distorted kicks and simplistic yet effective mesmeric male vocal samples.

blood money club traxx first offering comes from tempe-based affiliate jock club and comprises of four hennessy-fuelled drum machine workouts fit for the post-recession era. on the a-side jock club delivers two haunting club tools capable of invigorating any life expectancy reducing lock-in. the b-side starts off with an emotional slow jam, before veering into a ruthless collision of hi-fi shape and pain.

aus welcome back label favourite shenoda for his third release on the label, burn backed with a remix from juxta position. previous releases on hypercolour & electric minds have seen shenoda firmly on the ascent but its in his recent outings on aus that his bold, rugged club music has really reached its zenith. burn follows suit with its predecessors with its power being rooted in seismic, analogue drums that are balanced against soft, allaying melodies. the muscular vista then rolls out punching stabs and tight, shuffling drums before label mate marquis hawkes dusts off his juxta position alias and delivers a pacey and forthright take on burn. melodies are softly mangled and given a spectral quality that recalls his mazury on dvs1’s mistress wrapping another solid addition to the catalogue as the aus music family continue to deliver the goods.

darren allen joins the family at discobar for a 2-part release, the first containing four abstract grooves disrupted by distinctive sound interventions both synthesised and real. a clock ticking on ‘initiation’ joins rapping snares in giving intent to the track’s floating melodic figures and vocalisations. ‘manitou’ overlays steppy breaks with the rumble and roar of the eponymous heavy-duty vehicle, an invasion of the outside world sure to bewilder some dancefloors.things turn darker with distorted highs and groggy mid-range drift in ’obyvatel’, before the quiet industry of ’molecular’ – its assorted bubbles and rattles both musical and humorous – brings us back to the light.

written & produced by roboknob. mixed by stefan goldmann. mastered by rashad becker. info: weve said it before: technos vanguard can be found in the east right now. sofias quirky techno underground is densifying. evolving around the diviat slon parties (residents: stefak & stefan goldmann), the beton nights, the indoors offspins of artmospheric festival and unannounced appearances of kink under his cyrillic guise, raw and rave-infused techno is increasingly defining the citys sound of the small hours. roboknob are part of this movement, and this is their debut ep. a live hardware duo, yasen and stanislav drop rugged, noisy machine jams around the bulgarian capital and have been regulars at artmospheric. the ep’s tracks have been distilled from their live repertoire and mixed by stefan goldmann into sharply defined form with added bite.dexydi is greek for acid - the corrosive liquid, not the music. accordingly, its heavy-handed single-note bass attack will cut through anything.spellbind is more bouncy with frantic upward movements, distorted percussive fallout and a seasick bass foundation. liulka handles two layers of time rubbing off of each other: quirky and pushing high in the sky, against the bass drum mechanics down low. a suitable acoustic symbol for sofias state of techno.

catz n dogz continue to roll out their pets sub label step recordings and follow up a slew of soulheavy dance records from baltra, reno wurzbacher and the analog roland orchestra with a solo ep from fellow polish producer universo. with previous appearances on transatlantyk, the auspicious newcomer slots neatly into the step catalogue in presenting his ‘underworld’ ep: a package of softly glowing lo-fi that fans of baltras recent sophia ep on step will relish. underworld then unfolds at a steady, hypnotic pace as moody, interlocking chords and paired up with a gentle spoken vocal that work together to create a poignant, eyes-down mood. icy strings and a trippy spoken are introduced before kora buta follows up with some warm, swooning sample work. sleeper is next up as distant, meandering thumb pianos and rainy textures colour the tracks fuzzy drums while a glassy, legowelt-esque pad glides overhead.frequenza kicks things off a soft, sizzling pad sent ducking under a rock-hard kick drum.

hannulelauri have lain silent for more than half a decade, the finnish duo seeming to have disappeared into musical memory. but thankfully this is not the case. resurrected, the pair return with a quartet of space inspired disco from their vaults. starting off with the warming plinks of -earth-, the duo then dazzle with the laser show of -crossing-. the flip keeps the goodness flowing. -blinds- strips back basslines to let bright bars and strings shine before the playful whimsy of -dream- closes. tracks from a decade ago and still sounding as fresh as ever.

the second release of girasole records is made by daniele temperilli. he released before on slapfunk records, quality vibe records, mlh and kakudo records. now on his own imprint girasole records with 4 housecuts. a1 is starting deep with a slower vibe. a2 is more energetic, but still has that lazy vibe. the b-side is more rough. b1 is a straight going track with a profound twist. b2 is the most rough and energetic tooltrack of the ep.