nicola cruz polishes off a trippy tryptic of cult releases for multi culti with espÌritu. folklorica s chosen lord, nicola cruz has shepherded the masses from the church of high tempos and brought trance-formed revellers down to earth with his fusion of crisp electronics and organic, indigenous vibrations. miraculously, he has brought this style of music to europe s major big room clubs and huge festival stages worldwide, pleasing crowds in the habit of being hypnotized by homogenous house music. espìritu de protección opens as a revelation, two seconds into the groove and you re deep in the tribe. you re dancing, everybody s dancing, things dub out, melt down, and a haunting vocal wisps through the room, tickling the crowd from their tailbones to their pineal glands. just as you recover from that spell, in fly the flutes. every yogi in the vicinity sways into the front and all of a sudden, you know you re getting laid tonight. that s the kind of power we re dealing with: cruz control. it s so potent we had to carefully extract the flute-a-pella and serve it up separately to use as a cult dj tool. on the flip side, not one but two slamming remixes of tzantza from disco halal-defekting russian duo: simple symmetry. vinyl lovers rejoice in the supreme exclusivity on the digitally unavailable folklorica dub, a supreme tranceformational party tool with enough flute to elevate the mind of the many.

new york collective sheik ‘n’ beik continue to expand an impressively developing catalogue adding to releases from xamiga, keita saino and jeffrey scott with a fresh 12” from voodoo down records owner and fellow brooklynite n conduit. having utilised voodoo down as a platform for his own brand of rich, emotive house music n conduit now dims the lights a tad in offering up 3 neatly reduced techno tracks that meld dystopian drones with disquieting melodies and tough, swung drums. ‘echo must die’ kicks things off with looming pads and glistening synth tones. a bold, punchy kick drives a purposeful march forwards whilst mangled computer fx pepper the high-end.

ltd 2017 repress, yo people, it has been a while but these things take time. since our one release last year gave you enough booty shaking until this spring, now is the rite time to drop our 8th release to get them butts shaking again. the a-side is like that dish you always order at your favorite restaurant because it simply never fails. just like it, this track during peak time hours is satisfaction guaranteed. the flipside, aa1, hands you your ass on a platter. this track belongs in any house set to be taken seriously. aa2 is the real reason behind the reasoning. novices and experts need look no further. word. vinyl only

weÆre now halfway through the treisar series and moscoman shows no sign of slowing down. next up is donkey jumps ahead. the sixth chapter kicks off with big jack arbon, an unambiguous summer anthem tied up by digital steel drums and pitched chants. on the flip, things forgot to be this way calls for the never-ending daze of the afterhours with disco infused melodies and distant vocals floating atop doped down beats. closing track unheard melody sets a different pace. wistful mediterranean guitars pick unhurried melodies while delays cloud the track in just the right amount of sleaze.

baltra has been plying his trade for a few years now, dealing in a distinctly retro brand of house music that could easily pass for a forgotten chicago cut were it not for subtle touches of advanced production tucked away in the mix. on this single for tape throb, the warbling synth tones of up 2 you sound like a perfect fit for the label, while twist of fate smooths things out a more melancholic mood atop a classic jack beat. feds watching strains under a cloud of grit that adds to the backwards glancing vibe of the record, while dis aura opts for a marginally more modern approach spelt out by the plush polysynth tones that pulse throughout.

2017 repress -- amazing release from legowelt , three tracks full of house and techno vibes, you will not want to miss this one. big, big!riverettes first release sees legowelt delivering one of his best releases blending everything we have come to love from him, 90s vibes check!, house, check! techno, check! arpeggios, dreamy leads, chilling chords, no nonsense sequences check!expect big things from this new spanish label as can only be assume by their mind-blasting first release

folamour represents the present and future sounds of the disco/house hybrid, staying true to the glitterbox sonic philosophy. his tracks share the same production values as the timeless records from classic disco imprints in the late 70s, melodies are super-tightly harmonised, instrumentation is lively and the rhythms are designed purely for dance. ‘the power and the blessing of unity’ is almost a mini album, exploring all the facets of folamour’s sophisticated house and disco tendencies. the title track sparkles with brass stabs and a textbook swinging disco beat, ‘island of recent father’ breaks things down into synthy house goodness, ‘let’s grab some smokes’ channels a more contemporary low-fi sound and bringing it home with ‘home beyond the clouds’, folamour closes with uplifting house hooks and percussion. it’s a real trip.

ou just can t beat those super secret squirrel trax releases on guesthouse, one of the most sizable house labels operating of the bay area. on this third installment, mark funk and danny cruz keep things live and direct with the impassioned soulful house of -givin my love-. peter brown then slides in with the tracky pressure of -funkosphere-, which comes with added flute for good measure. dj mes also strikes a headier groove, but teases the ingredients on -state of affairs- out into an effervescent peak time floor filler, and then hazzaro brings it home with the rallying, roller-skate call of -saturday-. other releases on guestho

emotional rescue starts its 5th year by shining a light on one of europe s best underground 80s label in spain s auxilio de ciento. their terra incognita volumes i and ii collated an international mix of synth-pop, new wave, world and industrial sounds to a small but appreciative following. released in 1985 and 1986, the volumes have become highly regarded and rightly sought after, finding a place in discerning playlists from london to amsterdam and dusseldorf to glasgow. here, taking a premise of avoiding the songs unearthed on other recent reissues, is a unique album itself. starting with denis mpunga & paul k s esoteric criola, a fusion of fourth world ideals and poly-rhythmic funk. the music of mal, bene gesserit and la caida de la casa usher, however, soon highlight that the decade also belonged to dark, minimal synth as to shiny balearic ideals. the inclusion of hector zazou with bony biyake and their contribution komba, is a fitting continuation from their cult noir et blanc lp before, things continue with us avant-artist danny alias and his humorous big brother -response- to laurie anderson s superman o. image pour image loose indie-pop and the inclusion of seminal beast of burden lead again to a zazou contribution, this time in his collaborative stranger in a new light, before the compilation eclectically ends with the dadaesque lakota and the post punk dub of instead of s closer, angels

null+void finally step up with their second release after impressing with the opening salvo from shinra, and this time electro fans will be in a tizz to discover that radioactive man, monoak and london modular s simon lynch have teamed up for four utterly essential workouts that tickle the synapses just as much as wiggling your booty. -tiger stripes- is a tightly wound snake charmer with intricate rhythmic patterns offset by chilling pad sweeps, while -fruitcake- gets even more frantic with its growling distortion and unrelenting tempo. -land- cools things down to a minimalist techno mindstate on the b-side, and then -aesop- teases out a more melodic kind of electro for the braindance crew.

ltd repress !! this special one off collaboration sees young gun native berliner prodigy max graef, coupled with globe trotter fantastic man aka mic newman. with mic living in max s broom cupboard for a few vodka soaked weeks in berlin this autumn, there was a beautiful inevitability that some music would outcome. the lead track -soothe me- is no noodly shrinking violet, but a grade 10-cross-genre-dance-floor-destroyer which andy snapped up for label on first listen. clearly taking it s inspiration from the rhodes and sample drenched sound signature detroit label and adding in live instrumentation, tape effects, for a track rich in steely dan sensibility, coupled with a sub bass and twisted lead line dragging us into a new year. the b-side relaxin at the flip is a raw slab of analogue goodness, flying 606 high hats, a tough kick drum and simple elements driving the track forwards, best heard 8am in a dark corner of a club.

after kicking things off with sean thomas’ (cop envy) the weigh, sydney’s outer time inner space return with a collaborative ep from jon watts, the kind-hearted, go-to sound engineer of the sydney club and experimental music scene and otis label owner, hugh burridge (aka hubert clarke jr). as resident djs for otis’ sweet echoes parties and guests for some of sydney’s more open-minded club promoters, jon & hugh have developed their own style of warm up set, largely unrestrained by genre. another view is just an extension of this open approach to club music. there’s an obvious ode to bukem’s good looking records, a lopsided mpc jam that could have been written by a drunk ron trent, a club roller with uk broken beat at it’s heart and a spaced out, dream-scape dub from melbourne mate, rings around saturn (dan white) to round out the ep. the common thread, they’re keeping it deep.

ensuring they keep things pushing forwards while also celebrating their past, vibraphone call upon rising talent gemil to deliver an ep that is purely fresh material. -forces & gravity- is perfectly honed to get the maximum response from the dance with its muscular production and catchy vocal sample, but if you want an even more focused affair the remix strips things down to the bare necessities and works just as effectively. on the b side -horizon- gets a touch more playful in its synth work with interplaying riffs creating a dazzling whole, and then -solar storm- brings the heads-down, hard-swinging heaviness into the mix in a devastating finishing blow.

the difusion crew turned some heads last year with the low-key release of their first grip of cult edits, and now they re back with a second installment that keeps the source material obscure, the treatment respectful and the vibes pure and positive. -someday- is a killer simmering slice of disco funk, while -on the scene- slows things down and turns up the 70s bombast with philly strings and brass blasts aplenty. -freaksta- takes things in a more cosmic direction, while -right now- aims right for studio 54 indebted flamboyance, all stirring diva vocals and bold production to get everyone freaking the right way.

there are few operators out there with the understated skills to match colin macbean. the man known best as mr g is a master of the stripped down, simple groove and he s been invited to holic trax to demonstrate that with two productions of the most immaculate house music. -soba shioyaki- hovers with a touch of mystery in its melodic hooks - a punchy monosynth basslines and sweetly shifting chords striking a melancholic note perfect for heads-down moments. -komorembi- is more overtly deep, using an urgent shuffle beat to propel spacious chords through the atmosphere in that inimitable mr g style.

after only 3 short years, my second album o u r w a l l s is out. it comes clad in vinyl, polycarbonate, bits and bytes and i’m very happy and relieved to finally let go of this one. the cores of its 10/11 (cd/2lp) tracks were developed on a loop pedal at home. lyrics spun here and there. almost all of them are trying to extract levels of meaning from an everchanging knot of emotions. they take their time - ranging between t h r e e m i n u t e s f o u r t y to t h i r t e e n m i n u t e s f i f t y s e v e n - to clinically isolate, examine and name the elementary building blocks constituting the knot. o u r w a l l s is about the ups and downs of your everyday-mercilessly-hopeless love relationship, about staying mild when things get rough, fabulous metaphors, childish selfdefence mechanisms, the burning space in b e t w e e n words and o u r very personal w a l l s that have so far always kept us safe..

coalmine records is excited to announce the limited-edition vinyl release of the artifacts’ highly regarded 2012 single, “easter,” which marked the group’s first official release in more than 15 years.
initially released as a digital single on april 3, 2012 (the tuesday before easter sunday), the track later appeared on coalmine’s decennary compilation, unearthed, which dropped may 13, 2014.
however you heard it—one thing was very clear: despite their time apart, artifacts emcees tame one and el da sensei sounded as fresh as ever on “easter.” the new jersey rappers’ venomous flows are boosted by the neck-breaking production of acclaimed north carolina producer khrysis. making the cipher complete is the turntable work of dj dutchmaster, who provides the scratch hook and outro cuts.
with this release, “easter” makes its grand return in the physical form in a limited-edition white vinyl pressing that also includes the instrumental track on the flip. it also takes things back to the old-school by way of a front jacket hole that exposes the label (the heads know what’s up).

legendary nitsa club from barcelona comes back releasing new music fifteen years after their first venture with nitsa recordings. the new label is called nitsa traxx. the essence is not to focus in a particular sound, but try to cover all the range of styles you can usually listen to in this acclaimed club. besides that, the main idea is pretty simple: the a side includes the original track and the b side comes with a remix. first release comes from valencian producer daniel kyo. after releases in drumpoet and bordello a parigi, on this occasion kyo dives into deep techno with a nostalgic hint to ebm. “nacht drei” sounds like one of those tracks from the infamous ruta del bacalao, but with a very nowadays production. sharp and hypnotic, but with a certain sense of epic humor. valencia style. on the flip, marc piñol remixes the original track and makes it sound blurry, obsessive, fast and mental. inspired by his legendary warmups in nitsa club, expect nothing more and nothing less that a simple but not-so-simple mixing tool with a personal touch. one of those long tracks for djs who just love to make lingering transitions to flip out the crowd. nitsa traxx will come back very soon with new music from people related to the club. family and friends. look forward to some surprises for the upcoming releases!

new talent from detroit. hazmat s infinite silence ep is as deep as they come, and is the first release in a new series of detroit artist releases from third ear. following on from third ear s landmark detroit beatdown series, the new detroit deep series of releases is just that. hazmat has played keyboards for artists such as bilal and mary j blige, as well as detroit legends kenny dixon jr, amp fiddler and delano smith. along the way, he started to make his own beats and his own tracks and is now ready to take things to the next level. he also plays keys with motown legacy artists touring bands, such as the the four tops, the detroit spinners, the gap band. it s not all about the beats and the synths, though. hazmat s work using the talkbox is right up there.

following on the heels of releases on labels as etruria, cocoon and elevate, italian-based dast makes his debut on off recordings. the ep kicks off with raid zone , a classic and timeless piece of spacy bigroom chord techno. system failure with its unsettling lead takes things more towards the latenight realm. and juan sanchez delivers an even more stomping and peaktime interpretation of raid zone , perfect to destroy festival dancefloors.

opening the ep is k.a. posse aka kaay alexi, a legendary producer whose tell alexi features here, a raw, low slung acid burner with sultry vocals and tough as nail drum programming from 1989. killer stuff indeed. following that we have the jovonn blade mix of terrence parker s the lost articles jam touch me baby from 1993 - some classic detroit early proto-beatdown sounds, rough and ready and still doing damage today. on the flip is the stone cold banger flash by fix aka orlando voorn, this demented p-funk ripper never quits and is a monster! classic material. finishing things off is the mk mix of nexus 21 s still life keeps moving on , it doesn t get any bigger than this, pure heat. pretty much an all-star line up on vol. 4, a perfect release for the novice and expert alike! file under classic, all tracks encapsulate the detroit sound while retaining that raw energy and vibe that this music is famous for! heat! 100% legit, compiled with the assistance of kevin reese saunderson and the whole kms family, detroit, mi.

garrett david returns to distant hawaii with ‘ebb vibe’ a five track ep of beach bronzed cinematic house, delivered in his trademark unhurried style.

zone records welcome a real legend in the form of cardopusher for their next ep, a five track affair that is arresting from the off. venezuelan born cardopusher is now based in barcelona and co-founded the classicworks label. his diverse and experimental sound takes him from techno to electro to acid to rave to house, all with his own singular perspective. always fusing ideas with great skill on labels like super rhythm trax, zodiac 44 and bnr, he now comes correct for zone. kicking things off is the raw and raucous ‘nothing left to believe in.’ it is a macho tune with fractured vocals, wild synths and slap funk drums all sounding industrial and tortured. then comes blast cut, a more dynamic and stripped back electro groove with a corrugated bassline and metallic synth stabs all sounding informed by the past but looking to a distant future.

over the last fifty years few musicians or performers have created as monumental and uncompromising a body of work as that of keiji haino. through a vast number of recordings and performances haino has staked out a ground all his own creating a language of unparalleled intensity that defies any simple classification. for all this, his 1981 debut album watashi dake? has remained enigmatic. originally released in a small edition by the legendary pinakotheca label, the album was heard by only a select few in japan and far fewer overseas. original vinyl copies became impossibly rare and highly sought after the world over. watashi dake? presents a haunting vision stark vocals, whispered and screamed, punctuate dark silences. intricate and sharp guitar figures interweave, repeat and stretch, trance-like, emerging from dark recesses. written and composed on the spot haino’s vision is one of deep spiritual depths that distantly evokes 1920s blues and medieval music yet is unlike anything ever committed to record before or since. coupled with starkly minimal packaging featuring the now iconic cover photographs by legendary photog rapher gin satoh, the album is a startling and fully realized artistic statement.

die legendären britischen rough trade-shops starten mit -behind the counter- eine release-serie mit einflüssen und inspirationen ihnen beliebter künstler. den anfang macht der in berlin lebende, britische neoklassik- und filmkomponist max richter, der einen faszinierenden einblick in seinen musikalischen kosmos gewährt, aus dem er seine einzigartige, künstlerische vision schöpft. die 36-track-compilation enthält musik von mogwai, boards of canada, let s eat grandma, kaitlyn aurelia smith, godspeed you! black emperor, philip glass, aphex twin und low, sowie klassische werke von rachmaninoff und bach, und erscheint als doppel-cd mit zwei mixsets und als triple-lp mit allen ausgespielten tracks, samt einem download-code zu den beiden mixsets.

primitive trust is the coming together of two experienced musical minds. in one corner is will saul of the influential aus music empire, and in the other is tom mangan, aka tee mango, the producer who started millionhands record and clothing label. the pair met many moons ago and reconnected recently at a festival in morocco. they bonded over music, lunch and shared family travails - and as they both now live in somerset decided a little local studio collaboration seemed all but essential. between them, these consumate country gentlemen have seen plenty a musical styles come and go, so decided their best route forward would be to make music to please themselves. to that end, they holed themselves up in tee mangos woodshed studio with the following ground rules: they would make music only with the gear they had (mpc 2000, ableton, roland 101, juno, fender rhodes, various fx pedals) they would trust their instincts and go with first feelings they would embrace the joy of randomness if in doubt they would ask what would carl do? with that, you have the simple but effective mo of primitive trust. these sessions have resulted in a series of three eps to be released over the course of four months. each ep will feature 2 or 3 original tracks and one fresh remix, with unique artwork and an illustration by all-around visual auteur geoff mcfetridge. using the building blocks of house, and classic techno primitive trust can do zoned out and romantic, as much as driving and heady, but with an ease that comes from experience, years in the making. while tipping their proverbial hats to the past they also look to the future with their sound, mixing samples, wigged out synthwork and propulsive rhythms to create something honest and heartfelt that will stand the test of time

since its release last year, the grammy nominated album louie vega starring…xxviii has reached unfathomable heights, after 8 single vinyl releases and two full triple set album releases, we still have one more up our sleeve. today, here we are in the third and final installment of the louie vega starring…xxviii vinyl album release series, this time taking it to another level with unreleased and lost mixes. when making an album there are usually way more than the number of songs allocated for the project. in this case there were over 50 songs and tracks created for the louie vega starring…xxviii album. vega has selected 14 unreleased and lost tracks from the recordings and put together dj friendly versions with these super talented artists involved: funkadelic, nick monaco & soul clap, kenny bobien, cindy mizelle, maphorisa, berita, wanda baloyi & kabomo (south african top talent), roberto roena (of the fania all stars), brutha basil, jesse jackson (blues rock artist), sara devine, luis salinas (argentinean guitarist), duane harden (song/hitmaker), & 3 winans brothers featuring the clark sisters. the packaging is lovely with an open gatefold huge picture of a mural painted by none other than richard wilson uk artist. mastering by the great walter coelho, for sonic perfection & pressing manufactured by optimal in germany.

one of the current techno scene’s ‘hidden treasures’, bristol based a sagittariun has discretely released a wide breadth of music over the last five years for labels like secretsundaze, hypercolour and his own elastic dreams label. two highly acclaimed albums in “dream ritual” and “elasticity” as well as fifteen eps have appealed to those who like their techno without frontiers, taking in blistering 140bpm techno, breakbeat idm and ambient dub with ease. his second release for hypercolour displays signs of crossover appeal at long last… lead track “vanishing point” has already been receiving early plays from the likes of laurent garnier (dropping it in his recent timewarp germany set), spencer parker and len faki. big pumping beats and spiralling fx fall aside to a lone breakbeat that ushers in one pretty special breakdown section. the childlike keys and fathoms deep synth stabs (straight out of the john carpenter school of fathoms deep synth stabs) have already drawn comparisons to the retro 80s vibes to be heard on the american sci-fi horror series stranger things. it’s a breakdown that takes the listener to an uncharted dimension, bookended by slammin’ beats that acts as a perfect mood changer in any set. watch this one soar! “the pathway” keeps things on an all together straighter tip, an incessant tribal loop weaves and filters around a thunderous kick and shuffling hats, ebbing and flowing all the way in what might be a sagittariun’s most club-centric and stripped back production yet. matrixxman (dekmantel/spectral sound) is on hold to deliver a superb remix, pushing the original down a long dark tunnel for a growling and reverberating techno overhaul

nice price deal !!! fresh from a big 2010 that saw corrosion become many peoples candidate for album of the year, and a follow up 12inch with remixes from autechre and the black dog that brought even greater attention to the project, the next job for anodyne (colin cloughley) is to now release what is bizarrely his debut solo 12inch. while corrosion showed colins love for early black dog and warp records, this ep starts off with the more growling intent of destruction - a thundering techno/dubstep hybrid that brings together the rawest elements of both genres, punctuated by suitably eerie undertones and venomous bass-heavy snarl - a true club monster if ever there was one. a2 is a straight hitting acid/hoover attack that descends into all sorts of chaos - reminiscent of the power of polygon window coupled with the madness of spiral tribe, this is a track that quickly brings things into disrepute. on the b-side menace 808 revisits the electro/breakbeat rave sound with all sorts of twists and turns that eventually drops into a pure unashamed hands in the air breakdown, one for the fields and festivals this summer? you know it is. closing with the pacy, glitched up breaks of talon, anodyne proves once again that when it comes to haunting yet majestically uplifting dancefloor music, there are few better in the game.

connaisseur of all things funky, mr. g is re-releasing some of his most classic tracks through his ever advancing phoenix g imprint. on the second part of this label retrospective we have light’s out, how deep? and all u need. classic material from the g man.

r.o.s.h. returns with two anthemic uk-leaning 4/4 productions. following last year’s debut release on bristol’s drumz for eternity label, herts based r.o.s.h. broadens his release schedule via two tracks that establish a common thread of unique top end melodies coupled with swinging, uk funky indebted percussion and pure peak time atmospherics. ‘winona’s love (stranger things mix)’ launches with an audacious mixture of circling john carpenter synths and rolling ’09 era uk funky percussion coming across as one part london legend apple to two parts prime eighties repo man. honed berlin kick drums and low swung bass hits combine to create a constantly driving concoction of ceiling banging techno all tied together with the distinctive infectious synth work that’s fast becoming a r.o.s.h. staple. creating a fully fledged dance floor homage to netflix s most popular sleep competitor is the young producer’s raison d’etre across this release. ‘amg (a45 mix)’ goes in for the kill with rattling percussive stabs and tweaked woodblock snares winding up the drama before the rumbling techno breakout at the one minute mark. it s a return to the rude form of uk funky s heyday, with colossal amounts of sub and every element driven to a singular purpose, to move bodies in the dance.

berlin based arttu has been dropping his dusty fat beats across numerous techno labels including philpot, clone and 4lux for a few years but it was 2016’s track ‘hoodies’ on arttu’s own imprint cyblo that caught the attention of accidental label boss matthew herbert (and which remains firmly in herbert’s record bag). arttu was invited onto the accidental jnr roster and has delivered a chunk of techno with so much swing it made donkey kong blush. arttu takes the most simple of jazz bass hooks and loops across a rigid kick, it’s when those hats kick in that the groove goes fucking wild. the presence of us native roberto q ingram on vocals brings a full detroit gangster flavour to the party. initially arttu and roberto had an idea to record a simple and sweaty track with roberto on the mic and arttu at the control of some dusty old machines. the result, ‘bass trakk’ is exactly that: roberto dropping lyrics over a raw beat and a massive bassline. the ep is rounded off with a deep bit of techno ‘debris’ with all the trappings of the darkest hour of a berlin winter in which it was recorded.

this summer sees the joining together of two of the most loved institutions in drum & bass as bryan gee s pioneering v recordings imprint links with one the most loved and respected annual events in the d&b calendar, sunandbass. however this collaboration goes further than just these two - if you add certified d&b legend dj patife into the mix, add a collection of some of the most exciting brazilian producers into the mix (and a couple of special guests!) and you have one of the mostly hotly anticipated compilations of the year dj patife presents viva brazil sunandbass sessions. to kick things off sun&bass present a four track collection to wet your appetite the vibe is coming , available on 2x12inch vinyl this ep sets the tone with brand new music from dj patife, david ws & mc fats, alibi, command strange and simplification & translate. as you d expect this sampler is packed full of sunshine, liquid vibes the perfect meeting of sao paulo & sardinia. the vibe is coming, make sure you catch it!

south africas escapism refuge returns to londons smokin sessions with the on the fence ep, following his previous effort for the label the highly acclaimed vol. 31. a-side and title track on the fence is an understated and subtle effort, carrying with it an introspective and moody set of harmonies and chord progressions. its a quietly uplifting start to the ep, and the tracks lead melody will remain stuck in your head for days. the b1, almost eight does things differently by incorporating elements of classic ruff sqwad-era grime with an updated and crisp set of modern day production techniques. the ep’s last track, dust, uses a deep and propulsive bass line, which is augmented by escapisms now signature use of fleeting vocal samples. its a powerful ending to a heavyweight and emotionally-charged ep from escapism refuge. escapism refuges previous efforts have gained impressive dj support from across the scene, from figures such as compa (deep medi), synkro, gilles peterson, lefto, joe kay (soulection), don letts, tim parker, n- type, phaeleh and many more.

creme organization s latest missive comes from fabio monesi, an italian with a gritty house sound that is aimed squarely at the club. he s served up punchy beats on labels like russian torrent versions as well as his own wilson records before now and has a simple but effective sound. riot kicks us off with rock slid kicks and lithe synth stabs fleshing out the macho groove. clever vocal samples bring some steaminess and ensure this one will do plenty of damage on the floor. last friday is a raw and lo-fi affair with rattling, sharp edged hits and hissing synths all softened with jazzy chords. house drums and rolling bass prop it up in groovy fashion, then reduction is a frazzled brew of spiting hits, jerking machine grooves and busted frequencies that is as raw and tough as you like. last of all, the excellent ozyork rounds us out with punchy drum programming, intoxicating and off kilter chords and brain frying sonic imperfections that are perfectly imperfect. add in a deep acid line and you have a surefire house bomb with real meat in its bones.

arnaldo launched naturist recordings this year and is on to the second release, ’folk in the path’ is more dance floor oriented than his previous work but still delivers his own brand of airy organic house. the label aims to release stripped back and soulful music, focusing on the journey rather than the destination. originally from argentina, arnaldo now lives in berlin, he has released on smallville, aim, greta cottage, untilmyheartstops & blank slate. he has also appeared on scissor and thread under the low-key rosa nievas alias and has a monthly nts show. artwork by jen von klitzing.

1985, restored from a vintage vinyl copy (masters were lost long time ago in chicago...) copies sold for 0. on the youtube thread for the track a cousin of t. woodard says they pressed 2.500 copies of this - but that seems hard to believe unless they didnt sell and got recycled at trax and/or were simply thrown out, as this rarely show up anywhere. this is a very early and simple track which sums up the new and experimental sounds of early 1985 along with tracks such as jesse sanders on & on and funkin keith funkin with the drums. basic early house music that havent lost any of its relevance.

medical records continues it s fascination with all things mark van hoen this time presenting the sole album release by autocreation entitled mettle . autocreation was formed in 1992 when mark van hoen was roomates in west london with the other members kevin hector and tara patterson. kevin and tara as dj s at the university of london, tara had recorded with the hafler trio prior to this the 3 lived in an apartment block that was full of acid house devotees, djs, and house producers. the 3 friends spent a lot of time in cutting-edge london clubs which inspired and influenced their music. a remix they worked on - seefeel s -plainsong- became the blueprint the autocreation sound, as well as feeding back into seefeel s sound on their own subsequent material. autocreation were heavily influcenced by contemporary dub techno such as basic channel, mika vanio as well as more pure techno such as kirk degiorgio and jeff mills. they recorded the album in late 1993, sandwiched between the recording of van hoen s locust album weathered well and his collaboration with seefeel s darren seymour aurobindo:involution . the album notably features heavy use of modular synthesizers (aries 300, digisound 80 and others), quite unique for a techno record of the time. the album was released on the orb s label inter-modo on cd only - directly following the orb s collaboration with robert fripp (ffwd). artwork was designed by the designers republic - responsible for the vast majority of warp records catalog and various releases by the orb. the album is a dark, brooding ambient techno masterpiece. similar in vein to locust s weathered well but more techno/idm genre compliant that made it at times dance floor compatible. for this special edition (first time on vinyl), the album is expanded to a double lp featuring bonus tracks. the jacket is a gatefold featuring a montage of photos in the gatefold. specially remastered by mark van hoen. presented on limited edition high quality double 160-gram classic black vinyl. for fans of early locust, dark ambient techno, and early 90s dance floor friendly idm.

summer might be on its way but we felt things were getting just a little too ‘nice’ over at x-kalay hq. there’s been bare palm tree emojis flying around for time now and not enough hammers, sickles, cheap fags and adidas tracksuits m8.
next up for xk008 we present mysterious russian newcomer, diego tierres and his solar winds ep. based in st petersburg he’s served us up four of the toughest warehouse burners you’re likely to hear this side of the iron curtain. proper raw material, this is straight out the furnace, blow your doors off, no prisoners shit.

!! vinyl only !! four originals from the italian artist. turins rills has been steadily gaining a strong following over the decade with his tracks being played the likes of ar:pi:ars raresh, daniel bell, dyed soundorom and cassy, and finding a home on imprints such as 8bit, in haus wax and esperanza. here we see rills join the roster of visionquests vinyl only offshoot label, special editions, following material from jorge savoretti, konrad black and quilla. zorlak opens the package and sets the tone of raw and dubby via murky atmospherics, swirling chord sequences and a swinging rhythmic drive, yoda follows and retains a similarly swung drum groove whilst introducing spaced out, unfolding pads across the composition. stranger freaks kicks off the b-side of the release, stripping things back to bumpy drums, heady resonant synth swells and hypnotic tension buildings drones before paper beatz rounds out the package with smooth deep pads, modulating synth stabs and shuffling hats.

rune returns on his own drum island imprint, this time very ably assisted by uk house turned ambient ambassador chris coco weekend billionaires, in its original form is a delightfully lolloping balearic builder. the chris coco sunshine mix immerses those guitar licks and synth pads in a sea of dubbed out, ultra-violet light. already rumoured to be included on harvey s eagerly awaited mercury rising comp. anton klint (tryck & ton / public possession) steps up on the flip with a no-less psychedelic, but decidedly more laser-lit interpretation. finally alta lab wraps things up with a pacier interpretation, housing up the elements into a hypnotic, emotive rendition

following the success of ‘ride’ with miss kittin, eminent sci+tec founder dubfire returns with another chaos-conjuring techno composition. previously the sole-preserve of his epic sense-blurring hybrid show, dubfire is finally unleashing ‘dust devil’… his first solo release in several years, ‘dust devil’ is all about precision momentum. a move that dubfire’s made his signature, you can physically feel movement and destination throughout. especially as we reach the short breakdown where the riff revolves faster and higher, providing space for the echoed stabs that whirl and twist around you intensely. as the drums re-ignite, the riff is suddenly converted into groove energy as the jack-minded persistence brings the elements back together with pure focus. this is what ali has to say… “this was an instrumental i had done that i wasn’t quite sure what to do with. it wasn’t strong enough for a lead single and it always felt as though there was something missing, perhaps a spoken or sung vocal. so i sort of put it out of my mind until it was time to compile the music for the hybrid show back in the summer of 2013. once i had the backbone of the set list, along with the visual look, there seemed to be a more defined mood and look. and when i happened upon this track again it seemed to have been tailor-made for this show. it was also nice to insert something no one had heard before to break things up a bit.

bss records returns with the second in a series of va compilations entitled percussive parameters . after successfully launching the series last year, showcasing both emerging and established artists and topping juno s vinyl chart, this one s set to cause a stir. first up is troy gunner, an artist with a wealth of experience and a diverse arsenal of club focused records to his name. ‘pleading shows troy s deeper, more melodic side with atmospheric pads and vocals layered around an intelligent, driven percussive array. as the track progresses, a hypnotic and compelling synth is introduced that draws the listener further in, cementing troy s intuitive abilities in the studio. next up are head honchos silas & snare, who deliver a certified club weapon. memories starts unassuming, mesmerizing and innocuous, before launching the listener into a rolling, dubbed out cut destined to open and close sets across the world s sound systems. on the flip, we bring two exciting and emerging uk producers, agrippa and yak, both delivering their debut 12- offerings. kicking things off is ziplash , a drum workout that demonstrates agrippa s ability to manipulate percussion and sub to the highest caliber, with thunderous claps and kicks weaved over intricate beats and samples. finally, and as the name suggests, showdown is a menacing cut of club weight destined for low ceilings and late nights, with a relentless sub and inimitable groove throughout! as ever, we d like to say a massive thank you to everyone supporting our music, ideas and artists.

timothy heretic’clerkin has a new record out. this new record is called serenade. it is out on ransom note records. it is three tracks from timothy and one remix from marlon hoffstadt. all four tracks are winners. they sound like the 90s remade by people too young to remember the shit bits. there are breakbeats. there are acid lines. there are weird samples about drugs. there are things that sound like orbital. there is no time wasted.

dusky present the latest 17 steps release with the cold heart ep, a four track package that cements their ability to craft a unique range of house and techno soundscapes. having spent last year releasing their outer lp, as well as delivering their second acclaimed essential mix and touring a new live show, the cold heart ep sees the prolific duo return to their roots in textured house and techno with four powerful dj tools. with a nod to vintage new york house through a carefully sourced vocal sample, lead track cold heart is a blissed out, atmospheric house epic that blends crisp percussion, soulful hooks, washing pads and a hypnotic lead organ melody. a favourite from the duos recent dj sets, psychic life coach shuffles with dubby grooves, skippy drums and ethereal vocal cut-ups, before bowed offers a high energy dose of cosmic disco and ravey techno flavours, rounding things off, closing track balfour betty is built around warm, swirling synth textures that meet at the intersection of detroit techno and vintage progressive trance.

ltd 50% deal ...significant success for artists is based on two things: talent and timing. dave.i.d has talent by the spadeful but his timing may also be spot on. when dave.i.d released his debut single in march 09 he was probably too ahead of the game but now as we enter the last third of 2010 it feels right on the money. daves initial release went down very well though. paul lester in the guardians important new band of the day feature totally lost it, calling dave.i.d >totally brilliant< and dubbing him >aphex timbaland<. his single was voted single of the year in dazed & confused and made the end of year round-up in drowned in sound. now with the amazing zola jesus setting up so well around the world and the dark electronica coming more to the fore outside its nerd roots, dave.i.d sounds perfectly in tune with the unhappy, troubled sound of now.
bespoke packaging using industrial blue plastic cut in a rhombus shape. the same blue plastic forms the backdrop to the live stage show.

this june session victim return to delusions of grandeur imprint with their third studio album. listen to your heart is the result of a year of cross-continental scripting, started in their hamburg studio and wrapped up stateside in san francisco’s room g studios where the duo had worked on their 2014 lp see you when you get there. here we present the second of three lp samplers containing four tracks each, cut nice and loud for the vinyl crew. shadows gets things rolling with a classic session victim housey groove, looped up pads and hooky spoken vocal samples. filtered string stabs bring a warm and soulful edge whilst dub delay touches add a floaty element to get lost in. next up we have unchained which drops the bpm’s for a widescreen, slo-mo jam clouded in a smokey haze with jazzy touches, recalling the halcyon days of pork recordings. flipping over we have a brand new lp version of previous single up to rise, another sublime slice of blissed-out house music with a wonderful organic and live sound palette. echoing rhodes licks join the lead guitar tune for a balearic beauty which will be stuck in your head long after the sun sets. closing this second sampler we have over and over, which winds things down somewhat for an inspired, bass-led roller. an impeccable demonstration of retro-inspired yet forward thinking house and downtempo music, listen to your heart sees session victim at the top of their game.

as part of madhouse records milestone twenty five years in the business the label will be offering up a selection of projects over the next year, ranging from vinyl reissues, events, new releases on madhouse and its madtech sub-label, merchandise and more. here we see the imprint revisit some of its biggest hitters since its inception, delivering a selection of recent output from the like of t williams and james jacob, opolopo and roog and dennis quinn while revisiting one of label-founder kerri chandlers most loved records on the label. up first is roog & dennis quinn feat. berget lewis igohart which saw support from the likes of sante & sidney charles, shadow child and maya jane coles with its raw swing, gritty stab sequences and soaring vocals. the dub mix of opolopos lowlife follows and add a playful bounce to things via wandering organ hooks, spiralling vocals and an infectious musicality with its warm string and bright piano chords. t.williams and james jacob then head back to more direct dance floor vibes with the piano-laden together fuelled by weighty 909’s, string samples and smooth chords before kerris kaoz 6:23 mix of lafayettes better late than never gets a 2017 remaster, bringing even more shine to the soul infused new jersey house classic.

if mega-psychedelic tripping house excursions are your thing then it s entirely possible that derrick carter s sound patrol orchestra may have exactly what you need. no exaggeration. tripping among the stars indeed. the other version of this jam lifted from the sweetened - no lemon lp from 1994 is maybe a little better known, but these mixes right here are worthy of all your attention too! 3 non-stop funk excursions into the cosmos with derrick and co. joining you and guiding you with their cosmic voices. it s hard to pick a favourite as all included are very different beasts yet somehow essential. honestly, this ep kinda shits on most things that you may hear currently and this stuff is from 1997. the still trippin mix is definitely a standout, a free, weaving, 12 minute plus colliding jam that just opens up and evolves real lovely, exactly the kind of record you want to hear around 7am on a smoky dance-floor somewhere. pure after hours perfection. the other mixes are just as potent, with a heavy cowbell laden dc dub mix that s brimming over with live drums and handclaps and a superb bass laden wamdue kids mix that takes off into the stratosphere of deep. basically, this whole record has it covered. literally, it shouldn t leave your bag anytime soon. essential new (old) school chicago gear that just won t quit. thank the heavens we all get the chance to trip again with this beautiful repress! essential. remastered and repressed with the involvement and welcome assistance of the mr.derrick carter, chicago usa.