hns-x made a new record after a while: „the music was new, black polished chrome and came over the summer like liquid night.“ hns-x drops another cup of fluent acid (any tin man fans around? tune in!) and bangin techno on the flip!

tech-droppers fronts a coil of six acidic, harmonizing, well programmed, whizzing and straight to the bone dance punchers. the string of snappy snares, rainy cymbals, steps of cuts & drops, as well as the sequenced balance of high flying chords, rolling rhythms and solidly sectioned stabs keeps all tracks absolutely straight to the point.

boogie box launched in style last year with a release from the mighty stl, and now they re revisiting that strong first step with a clutch of smartly selected remixes from some deep cover operators. juniper drops two dubs of -haze & kraze- that press squashed synth pressure, found sounds and splattering fx into tight but funky grooves with a distinctly nocturnal feel. fold s dub of -hide & seek- spaces things out beautifully, taking a crooked, steppers approach that works wonderfully with the source material. jonas friedlich s own dub of -hide & seek- takes a dustier path through the undergrowth, completing a package of truly non-conformist techno that chimes with stl s own outsider spirit.

hello leif mueller on shtum. pleased to meet you. especially with such a strong debut release. everything is starting with the no-nonsense-techno track teleshop which is designed for big room pleasures. on wo ist meine playstation 4? things get a little more psychedelic without losing the straightness you need to get lost in the dance tunnel. cairo is a lesson in keeping goose bumps alive with its up and down galloping synth stabs. to cool things down, the stuttgart based producer drops nightcleaner, a quietly starting ambient affair that evolves into a little acid monster.

variable is the first compilation on pi electronics, which also kicks off the new catalogue peva. this various artists release includes the works of several artists involved in the label till now, along with some very familiar faces to pi that have been supporting the parties in the past years. the aim was to bring the main label roster - artists with original music on pi, such as jk flesh, ontal and damcase - under the same roof as artists that have been with the pi electronics project since its early days: the label s party residents, 3.14, nemmett and das along with other fellow athenians, unhuman, bmsk and the project “i am legion, for we are many”. the outcome will be available in cd, vinyl and digital format, while the vinyl sampler will feature jk flesh, ontal, nemmett and bmsk.
regardless of the different variables, equation drops back to the same constant result.
divide and rule. sticks over carrots. repent or collapse.

scion of the urals this devotee called gedevaan drops a notable classy non-moscow sound. the city where music can be fake, where anyone can lie to you, where anything can be sold and re-sold for a higher price. where constantly you suffer from major vanity and notorious capital speedy manner. moving to that town may change you with no warning. “class compliant” is more about authentic slow-burning undercurrents. smells like rest of russia the noise is out of massive roaring cities and their pre-harsh dummy lives. inclined to withdrawn and introspective synthesis gedevaan offers an original dim-light feel, warm-wet, woody swamps and mossy rocks. a velvet haze makes your vision blurry. just look! is it a baba yaga’s hut? track the music. to don’t forget about your roots. it’s pretty nice to accomplish with old stuff by perc and a brand new one of electric rescue - the pure primal perception with a high impact factor.

cold busted’s acclaimed iwymi series makes the jump to vinyl with a four song iwymi intnl 7” (it’s what you make it international)” focusing on japanese beatmakers. curated by es-k and vitamin d, the single aims to expose a quartet of worthy producers from the land of the rising sun to turntables worldwide. en tokyo’s pigeondust launches the wax with his smooth and sexy “bboy blue,” filled with glistening keys and guitar chops over intricate rhythms. the lilting “inheritance” comes next via utsunomiya’s axion117 (collective resonance), easing the listener into a quiet storm mentality. the mesmerizing vibes continue as tokyobased beat-slinger bugseed drops the dreamy “mindless” straight to the platter. tajima hal (hermit city recordings) closes out the single in style with “all day,” featuring cut-up beats, looped guitar and vocals, and an otherworldly flavor. the iwymi intnl: japan 7” is a prime sampler of the innovative sounds coming from japan’s instrumental hip-hop scene.

argentinian born, barcelona based producer flug steps up for the next in the suara series. aptly named rave his hard-hitting techno weapon has an air of the rave days to it, marrying classic hoover synth sounds with an industrial kick perfect for those big room drops. three remixes of the original come via matrixxman, coyu and stanislav tolkachev each providing their own glitched out, rave heavy interpretation, offering up three different paths to dancefloor destruction.

love drop drops (!) his first release on gamm and goes all in for a jazz-disco-boogie affair that will be hard to resist. | lesette willson s jazzy boogie classic gets a proper rework with some female spiritual spoken word vocals on top. jupiter beyonds jazz-disco monster gets a heavy club edit and last but not least one of the best jazz-funk tracks of all time by johnny hammond smith gets a vocal treatment that just...works!

brazilian boogie merchants barefoot beats treat us to two very distinctive but equally refreshing flavours on yet another highly collectable 10 inch record. first up they welcome nyc dj & music collector jacques renault on board to exchange the loft for the beach bar as he drops a heavy slice of funk inspired boogie bliss that s perfect for the beach party. on the flip, selvagem s trepanado transforms the party sound by dipping into a more synth driven and edgy 80s influenced brazilian warehouse party vibe that builds to a break so tropical you can actually feel the sunrise coming. tudo bem! vamos!

touchstone ep is a story told by a new romanian producer. his fascinating music journey takes us along the elusive and mysterious minimal techno path and steps us out of the ordinary with passion and its acid drops of rythm. pain and progression are hypnotic tracks that keep us on the dance floor until we reach the warm reveal of a perfect night out, while the enjoyable bass and beats enchant us throughout the playful tones of his music.

sven atterton‘s much anticipated follow up to ‘the cove’, thematically named ‘the cape’, drops on his newly formed cruise club records. anyone that’s experienced the wonder of sven live, is well aware of the prowess and apparent effortlessness he possesses on stage. as at home laying it down on a synth, as he is tearing it up on the bass, ‘the cape’ showcases modern synth boogie as good as anyone at present.
‘taboo’, one of many highlights, demonstrates both sven’s skills as a multi-instrumentalist and as an accomplished producer. flexing those 80’s linndrum hits, getting spiritual on the keys, whilst layering that full frontal bass and dreamy pads – it’s a nod to the past, whilst re-imagining it for the modern age. and considering the cost sven’s debut album now goes for on discogs, ‘the cape’ is one to snap up on sight.

verdant recordings continues its quest to provide a space for lesser-known artists exploring the deepest pockets of electronic music, not least around the 4/4 axis. next up on the label is the first public appearance from interjection, a london-based artist who has been cooking up an immersive sound for some time. her blissful solitude is a smoky deep house cut that drifts through heavy clouds of pads, while common places drops some brittle electro rhythms into the mix without lifting the veil of ambience. radiating soul has an equally intricate set of rhythms at work, with extra notes of 303 sprinkled over the top, and her nocturnal note finishes the ep off with a shimmering trip out to complement the a1.

jonny drops debut, sub plot, was the very first album release on the fledgling alberts favourites label at the beginning of 2016. the initial offering, a 7inch of album favourites mind field and this is the one had quickly been picked up on by the good people at bbc radio 6 music as well as some of drops personal heroes including kenny dope, mr. thing and nightmares on wax.

dmitry meshcheryakov hails from moscow but lives in canada, where he s been busy pumping out classically informed garage house for over five years. now plastik people s new sublabel rhythm people carries his first vinyl release, and hes stepped up with some surefire party starters. body werk is a bad ass swinger with a crafty bassline and all the right stabs and samples, while hands together gets into a more rolling peak time house flow. mike millrain drops a heavy remix of body werk that keeps the original ingredients intact and simply builds on them with subtle flourishes. smokey bubblin b gets busy with hands together, crafting a classic shuffling masterclass from the component parts.

this is the debut release on noir music from brazilian k.a.l.i.l. we have been working quite some time to perfect this first release from him on the label and give it the edge needed to stand out. after tons of road-testing and going back and forth with production ideas i am now happy to have 2 perfect tracks ready from k.a.l.i.l. that really showcase his super solid techno sound and production flair. “involved” (co-produced with any mello) is a quite simple trip with any’s spoken word in center of industrial elements wobling it and out. this track works really well in the clubs because of its on point minimalism, the high intensity stacatto synths and the catchy vocal line from any. it’s not easy to do big tracks without big basslines – but that’s what k.a.l.i.l. and any mello truely achieved with this one. “revolved” is a track i signed already last year and since then k.a.l.i.l. has been perfecting everything about the track from small details to bigger arrangement improvements. this track has that big bassline that sits right in your face. it also has the right build for those peaktime moments in the clubs. i have been playing “revolved” a lot over the past months and people go crazy for those big bass drops. we are honored to have another great producer join the noir music family and proud to have another belter of a release ready for you.

special request joins forces with nina kraviz and anastasia kristensen, shattering the doors of perception over a four-track ep. through the looking glass drops july 20th on houndstooth. on the a side, nina kraviz provides two interpretations of curtain twitcher. alice was here remix takes the intensity of the original and boils it into a 4/4 spin of frenzied basslines and distorted acoustics, punctuated by her languid reading of the mad hatter. for the samba version, syncopated polyrhythms take charge of a fragmented melody. opening the aa side, looking glass lures you down the rabbit hole with mysterious bleeps, only to reveal a whirlwind of stormy breaks and junglist percussion. closing off the trip, anastasia kristensens remix of tiresias marches its way through a field of swollen bass and glitchy percussion.

it was said that the craft was so large that one could walk for days without touching a wall. that instead of the glowlights above, there was only one, and somehow it split into the many we have today. and in the floor of the ship, there were rushes of water, hallways so to speak, that entire men could float down. and so they did.
depth over distance is bringing new talent to the limelight with its second release. a collection of cosmic grooves spanning 5 original tracks conjured by young bristolian mcgregor.
going from solid crunchy house grooves (light years from you) and an ethereal mix of breaks, pads and crisp percussion (reality) on one side of the vinyl, to a more extrapolated back side: wanna e, with its unexpected groove and drops, ready to tear up an unsuspecting dancefloor, closer feeling like a timeless breakbeat classic and with 1997 (vocal mix) forming an elegant, emotional last note of the ep.

dext recordings has reached it’s landmark 10th release, and we now enter our next phase with this very special 2 track ep from a vital part of our label: bodyjack. aside from his collaboration with special request at the end of last year, this is chris’s first new music under his bodyjack alias since the summer of 2016 (his “cobra effect ep” for us). his time away has helped him refocus, and its clearly paid off “nataraja” (hindu for “lord of the dance”) is one of those tracks we can’t actually describe, but it’sbodyjack on rare form. his signature quirky percussion & synthwork is stripped down more than on his previous work, but this is one works in so many situations, we can’t wait to hear what you think. on the flip, “tandava” (the name given to the dance of nataraja!), is a peak-time detroit bass style workout with booming drops and razor sharp edits aimed right at the floor.

rephlex producer eod drops a mind-bending fifteen track debut album on bjarki’s bbbbbb this june. born in trondheim, norway, stian gjevik is a rarity amongst electronic music producers. possibly the most interesting musician representing the braindance and idm sounds of today, eod’s productions have landed on labels like we&#769,,,,me&#768,,,, records, sleepers, cpu, 030303 and aphex twin’s highly respected rephlex. dropping on bbbbbb last year, his ‘swurlk ep’ sold out within a month and received support from aphex twin, bicep, bjarki, nina kraviz and many more. “it s the album i ve wanted to do since i started making music - feels like a dream come true. inspired by what got me into electronic music in the first place, jungle and early ‘00s warp/rephlex -drill & bass--type stuff, but shifted through my own eod-style lens. oh yeah and loads of lovecraft references because i love those.” - eod a must-listen for fans of sublime synth-driven cuts, otherworldly beatless affairs and frenetic, machine- driven jams, eod’s ‘named’ is a refreshing and highly anticipated debut long player from a true master of his craft.

just in time for summer, rnt drops a 3-tracker of tropical heat from brazilian outfit balako. although relative newcomers, their production prowess has been known to their rio de janeiro musical community and beyond for some time, and is on full display here. the a-side showcases their knack for modernizing the canonical brazilian mpb sound, from the deceptively demonic build of batuque, to the acidic-leaning lilt of deixa acontecer. the flip side takes a hard turn left of field with honey honey honey, a 9 minute opus of afro-brazilian disco insanity, primed for those balmy summertime roof parties.

your new shit. four new faces, four new sounds. artists from edinburgh, glasgow, dundee and london on one record. basically, it s a quadruple a side bbz. j wax provides a classy african vocal laced rhythmic work out, a bold statement in loopy hip movement. ted jasper follows with a beautiful instrumental double bass led playful house experience. think house meets mpc meets nu-jazz (*tip*). on the flip gavinco comes powering through with a deep guitar riff over some strong drums. this has made it into a few sets recently around town and really turns heads. finally, swayed drops a tune that is as exciting as having your bday at wimpy. a new york paradise garage vocal laced with fine horns and a baseline made to shake. these tunes make people not want to go for a fag break.

rich in tradition & sound, don papa & kambo super sound yearly highlights their take on dub & reggae from moss, norway. kambo super sound presents a rockin cross-over digital stepper with horns and galactic synths. don papa with remix work by dj sotofett drops bass heavy, hard drummed dub with extremely high-attentioned dub styles horns.

you know when the dj drops something so special you’re mentally forced to ask for the track and the reply you get is ”its my own unreleased track”. that’s how i (art alfie) stumbled upon all three of these. about ten years ago i witnessed van rivers & the subliminal kid (peder mannerfelt) turn berghain upside-down with the dark techno epos ”mars attacks”. around the same time i had the luck to see nils westerlund boogle minds with the broken beat psychedelics of ”suspiria” at a stockholm open air. last but not least, a couple of years ago i heard ”thicker than blood” for the first time, like the sirens in greek mythology, it lured people on to the dance floor at stockholms classic summer hot spot f12. i’ve been playing these tracks ever since and im beyond happy i get to share them with the world at this point. //art alfie

reissue des legendären debütalbums -the silicon dawn- des us-produzenten und heutigen wahlberliners dan curtin, das 1994 auf peacefrog erschien. in bester detroit-manier schaffte es curtin, melodien und harmonische ebenen über komplexe percussion zu legen, was damals auf innovative art und weise die gängige techno-norm sprengte. für das fact magazin grund genug, das album heute in der rubrik -the greatest techno albums you ve never heard- zu führen.

opening track in the b kicks off proceedings in no uncertain fashion. it s 100% wall shaker material, the type of techno music best paired with strobe lights and towering speaker stacks. it mesmerises with its low-slung undulating bassline and detroit rhythms before giving way to some riotous old school essex stabs and sharp claps. no messing, this is a certified 3 am red light burner! track 2 chocolate biscuit accelerates proceedings! beginning with unfussy drums and a robotic, bleep-heavy melody driving it off into a wonderfully off-kilter direction. its arpreggio d rhythms may be brutish and wrestle a growling sense of menace out of the track, but the overall feel, however, suggests considerable care and attention has been paid to make it sound this way. there s clearly an uncommon musicality at play here to make something this complex feel so simple. the bpm drops next on jenny s hall but from the offset, there s enough funk and thrust in the motorised synth line to get bodies gently grooving without the beauty getting lost in the slower loop. this is blissed out, psychotropic techno - the kind of track where it feels like you re floating and falling at the same time, but all the while making sure you still remain fit for purpose on the dancefloor. ian blevins takes on remix duties this time and the berlin-based dj/producer offers up a sleek peak-time banger that fizzes, bubbles and percolates. he gives the rhythm on jenny s hall less space to swing and ties it to a tight motorik beat turning it into a slice of shiny, modern techno but with extra shoulder-checking force. its vibe drawing from a sense of outsider-party fun with a wry smile, and a knowing wink running throughout before bringing the package to a suitably left of field crescendo.

breaking into a new century, following last months 100th release on the label, ishan sound collaborates on 2 killer tracks with bristol-based hodge and alex hughes aka muttley.
‘c5’ refers to cold explosives and makes for a perfect title for this stark, cold rhythm. a circling melodic synth line sets a moody context before the floor drops out and an industrial strength sub drives things forward at 130bpm. deep, hard, dark, original. exceptional quality from ishan sound and hodge.
flip for a 140bpm excursion from ishan sound & muttley, melding elements of trap, grime and dubstep meticulously to form an engaging sonic that is both fuel for the dancefloor as well as providing introspective qualities for bass weight meditation. ‘still smoking’ sums it up appropriately.

the mysterious love drop continues his homage to the classic raw sounds of days gone by as he drops an anthemic and pounding slice of house music for home taping. with his trademark moody grooves and heavy delays he builds a vibe which is guaranteed to set any dance floor on fire. keeping it raw and proper with a generous pinch of soul and more than a touch of badass, love drop just moved things up to the next level. less is definitely more as he destroys the floor. on the flip, dicky trisco plays to the emotional strength of the original and delivers a highly polished heads-down, dubbed out version for the club. while rising star of the scene dan shake raises the tempo and treats us to a raw and funky workout to complete a very fine package indeed. free your mind and love drop will follo

everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody. judas is back with one of the biggest collections of records since today, presenting more sides of his vision as an artist and as a conceptual persona, these are 4 cuts that brilliantly put you in the zone, right when the needle drops on the record. judas present this project in 2 parts, both part of the same creature, and of the same concept, “unsaid” goes far beyond the usual aspect of the functionality, in this case, functionality is a pure tool, every single work shows you a path into his mind.

tokyo japan based label fasten musique is now reaching its 12th release.the first release of 2018 sees stanning dublin based producer laughing man drops two original cuts of timeless house music ep compete with remixes from our resident artist yoshitaca is back to fasten musique since his debut ep and a talented canadian female artist alicia hush. ltd copies / only vinly

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.

up next on hot creations is intrepid spaniard dennis cruz. the award winning dj and producer drops some heavy hitting dance-floor dynamite this june, enlisting the production expertise of new yorks joeski for the remix. title track freaks is deep and driving, with its almost slurred vocal, its perfect for those 4am vibes when the freaks come out to play. mother f..cker utilises heavier percussion set off by a pounding bass. the joeski rework of freaks adds a dash of prominent high-hats with the producer softening that unmistakable bass-line. dennis explains this ep is the style of music that i love to play and produce. it s what i feel more comfortable with and what i think defines my sound. dennis cruz has been firmly implanted in the music scene from a young age. he got his first taste for playing music at the age of 17. since then hes gone on to produce tracks for prominent labels such as moon harbour, solid grooves, snatch! and nervous records. his records have been championed by some of the industrys hottest djs from jamie jones to loco dice, and nic fanciulli to marco carola

sweat it out up the perspiration levels to 10 with this modern day rework of kwanzaa posse s 1993 tribal infused musika , by the much in form yolanda be cool. a driving beat and dynamic bassline are interspersed with the posse s euphoric chants firmly placing this a dancefloor destroyer. the first of three remixes comes from babert. turning musika into a miami vice style synth laden boogie number, complete with uplifting piano stabs and a full bodied bass. flip it over and things get a little more sinister. both ideal for the basement club setting as much as they d work in the big room clubs. gotsome revolve their remix around the chopped up tribal chants of kwanzaa posse - enhancing the expansive build ups and breakdowns to new heights. to close it out, dateless strips things back with a huge pulsating bass / kick combo whilst dubbing out the chants to be dropped in at choice moments before those heavyweight drops.

nu york groove sessions drops a hot collection of 10 rare boogie funk, disco and classics taking it back to essence of the sound of new york. there’s a definitive cross section of flavors giving you a look into the late 70’s and early 80’s ny club scene. repressed and back in stock!

finally, copenema drops on vinyl. this special limited-edition vinyl ep especially for those summer beach bar vibes. the ep includes the much loved te faz bem which became a balearic classic in ibiza last summer after dj harvey regularly played it at his residency ‘mercury rising at pikes.

only one month after the release of their first ep on mt on may 2018, vactrol park continue surprising, this time with a full lp in the shape of “music from the luminous void”.the album sees vp delve much deeper into more atmospheric realms. using modular synths and unexpected drum machine sequencing they leave the 4x4 beats behind in favor of off-world rhythms and ever growing bass. &#8232,,,,, starting with drops’s high frequency tension, laying on top of those heavy kick drums it keeps on growing and growing. from there it moves to the “end of the party” groove that is novikov’s notation, and its trippy monotonic rhythm. the a-side ends with the heavy sampled ambient track macbeth, bringing forward that mesmerizing flute solo by italian artist luca spagnoletti yet succeeding in avoiding the kitsch, and with a touch of class. &#8232,,,,,&#8232,,,,,the b-side delves even deeper into ambience and atmospheric muzak. starting with bells, that features again spagnoletti on flute. then we get into the real gems of the album - anstruther and glove. the first is a pure trip into modular psychedelia and repetitive jazzy-like drum rhythms, creating tension right from the start and plays with it throughout the track before decaying slowly into glove, which is in sense both the catharsis and the decompression session of the album. like a 2018 version of vangelis, this track’s soundscape will keep you dreaming with your eyes closed long after the album ends. &#8232,,,,,

wurzel series sublabel drops its first wurstel on the grill – instructions for use:
1. unwrap
2. keep tv off
3. position the needle at the beginning of one side
4. go back to point 2

the next episode in the aquarian motion epic!

falcon black ops drops 4 deep hard hitting techno club tools on uttu. heads down / eyes closed bizness for speaker dancers worldwide.

fina records welcome jad & the for a new ep that shows off the australian-born, berlin-based producer’s majestically melodic house sound. a special dub from 6th borough project makes this another essential release. before now jad & the has served up tracks of the year (‘strings that never win’ - mixmag 2017), fronted four piece live act mitzi—who played alongside the likes of nile rodgers—and also produced as jad & the ladyboy, all the while picking up fans like moxie and bradley zero. sonar kollektiv and toy tonics have put out his charming sounds before and this new one is another joyous offering. the feel good ‘2 getha (4 eva mix)’ kicks things of with old school drum breaks and loved-up vocals. big smeared pads, a new age melody and classic bassline line finish it off and carry you away to summery house heaven. ‘twist club’ then drops into lush deep house with a long legged bassline tumbling beneath organic drums. it’s a dreamy and romantic cut before ‘disco hold down’ has live sounding jazz drums, choppy vocals and rough edges that take you to the heart of a vibe-fulled basement party. delusions of grandeur’s 6th borough project serve up a dub that’s more stripped back and built on a big rubber bassline. jacking drums and a more rapturous vocal make it a truly steamy jam.

original mix, chimes, bells, metal against metal, a distant voice, a premonition , altogether, it s a beautiful darkness, one that comes together in an alien fruition ! sylvain chauveau rmx,, the sun ascends sharply. lying in bed i feel a sense of remorse , i rise with the melody of a violin in some place not so far away , coster escorts the listener from their clicking complacency to a warning for things to come. cristian vogel rmx, a rainspout overflows, drip by drip, on a pile of sheet metal down below, vibrating, building to a crescendo of drops in an otherwise hypnotic sequence of echoes. the manmade feature of this track is stunning, it is industrial, a vacant warehouse of cobalt sound.

2018 repress in plain white sleeve.
critical come extremely correct once more with what is bound to be an early summer smash as a certain dub phizix picks up where the almighty marka left off. teaming up with fellow manchester scene stalwart fox proves an inspired choice here which critical just couldnt ignore, so invited him back to drop these two more astonishingly fresh tracks for this, his second outing on the label. simply put, >never been< is baaaaaad man business. a lean, stripped back percussive intro leads us to a breakdown where fox greets us with the sickest of vocal hooks that you will be trying to decipher until the end. when the tribal half-time break drops its time to bounce as the undulating b-line rolls heavy throughout with dub phizix teasing with awesome drumedits and amen shakedowns. riddim! cinematic soundscapes and a solid beats combine on >codec<, a more bass-led slab of equally dance floor drum & bass that retains the dub phizix air of originality with an experimental break the kicks like a mule. another winner without doubt from a very exciting splinter cell coming out of the north of the uk right now.

after an excellent 12inch on rosten label sstrom drops his first full length otider, which is by far the most diverse offering of the project encompassing elements of different genres and putting them in woolen and dense sonic textures. otider could be loosely translated as un-times or non-times. it positions the tracks out of specific context and rather represents them as some rediscovered artifacts relating to personal experiences of the artist. otider slightly distances sstrom from techno label as the compositions elegantly drift between lush transparency and thick grooves of outsider/lo-fi house as in kronofobi or svvaren or sensitive, yet subtly monolith and mellow techno on damm and i huvudet. in modernisten we can even trace echoes of coldwave/synth aesthetics with melancholic guitars sweeping over hypnotic rhythmic patterns, while closer sov nu introduces something which reminds a darker form of garage music with light synthpads constantly surfacing among raw mechanical beats. all the tracks were created over a relatively long period between 2010 and 2017 by employing the process where he let his hands work automatically without interference from his head. this freedom could be felt across the release, which juggles with different musical forms so lightly and organically, but at the same time maintains a coherent vision, which illustrates the vast scope and diversity of the artist.

2018 repress!
with our indian summer holding strong it seems to have spread into camp critical too as the label that has delivered the finest grade d&b since 2002 drops another sumptuous release from the man with the midas touch, calibre. showing off his more experimental self is a release that sits perfect on the critical mantle, sit back and enjoy.

after the huge success of -010101- and -angels-, michael james drops a double record on constant black

following two previous appearances on the -contemporary dance- and -quiet eye- compilations the elusive lyubocha makes their first full ep release through black opal. -noblask- opens proceedings and instantly energises with a bass heavy acid jam, sitting on a simple motif and crunching away into the dance.-berzerk- pushes with a slow burning, deep and dubby tech sliced open by red hot hats. -nenavist- proffers a floral counterpoint to the earlier acid, bejewelled back drops host a perfectly wonked 303 line popping off to the horizon. closing track -nikogda- rolls re-pitched kalimba/xylo styles into a ball and jacks it against the wall, hard. simplicity is a powerful tool when used correctly. lyubocha nails a warm, lo-fi techno minimalism on this debut release.

its taken almost 3 years to get the man like medlar back on delusions following his 2015 release with dan shake but finally its come together. that release, along with his regular output for wolf, riverette and for discos only has helped cement medlars reputation as one of the leading uk underground house producers and led to official remixes and approved edits for legendary labels tk disco and west end no less! the medlar seal of quality has led to support from such influential heavyweight selectors as dj harvey, gilles peterson and dj koze. kicking things off we see medlar in straight up dance floor mode on title track nrg, coming through with a drum-heavy workout that utilises a gnarly bassline, echoing synth stabs and rasping hats to excellent effect. flip over for his own dub version which strips things back further placing all the emphasis on the bassline and going heavy on the space echo for a tripped out, dubby warehouse vibe tailor made for the freaky hours. closing the ep we have the aptly named tripped which drops the bpm’s for a low-slung mood-setter to warm up the floors with. a simple groove lays the foundation for a rolling bassline while chiming synths weave in and out of the spacious mix.

slow motion s 38th (!!) release comes courtesy of berlin-based gallo who you may know as part of balearic gabba soundsystem. joining the family for his debut solo release gallo drops the tempo for three deep-cuts of blissful balearica. backed up with an acidic, chugging re-rub of faron from fabrizio mammarella which is perfect when the sun goes down, orange stripe arrives just in time for summer. how to get the most of this track: combine it with blissful and dreamy beach-excursions or with a sunset aperitivo. this 38th release has -future classic- written all over it.

osunlades beautifully crafted yoruba soul imprint drops 2 delightfully soul & funk fuelled cuts in his distinctly unmistakable style. pressed on green vinyl in bespoke 7inch sleeves.