“the marshall suite” is a 1999 album by the fall (their 20th). the album builds on the techno-influenced beats of its predecessor levitate (1997), while also returning to a more rockabilly-influenced sound reminiscent of earlier fall line-ups.
the end result has songs like the catchy “touch sensitive”, and the strange, complex, thumping jungle beats of “crying marshall”.
the album was long out of print on vinyl, until now.

hailing from outer space via reykjavik, volruptus maps out intergalactic forms of communication on ‘alien transmissions’, the latest release from bjarki and johnny chrome silver’s inimitable bbbbbb records. title track is a disorienting dose of acid powered electropunkfunk whilst ‘jargon’ uses complex polyrhythms to propel a grinding techno stomper. ‘gett vffreakye’ uses percussive breaks and mechanised vocal chops to depict aliens having a live jam in outer space, whilst closing track ‘tesseract’ is an angular drum workout featuring animated bass and dissonant pad calls. like each bbbbbb release before it, volruptus presents an intoxicating ep that pairs impeccable sound design with an unruly approach to genre, form and style.

r&s presents a killer ep from romania’s ada kaleh aka iulian cuculea, which follows his stunning alejandro jodorowsky inspired debut lp -dene descris- on his vinyl only imprint ada kaleh românia. like many of the second wave of romanian minimal producers, iulian s music combines propulsive hypnotic rhythms with rich, organic sounds that envelop the listener in an otherworldly atmosphere. -the creation process is a moment of temporary madness for me” iulian explains, -i enjoy working with layers of sounds that intertwine and embrace like a lotus flower. folding and unfolding.” finding fans in the form of countrymen like raresh, petre inspirescu, rhadoo, barac, cezar, priku and internationals like ricardo villalobos, sonja moonear, tini, prins thomas, he’s also dropped critically acclaimed releases and/or remixes for uvar, the rabbit hole, third wave black, supernature as well as his own ada kaleh românia imprint. opener -palatul de cle&#351,,,,,tar- (translated -the glass palace-, received a vinyl only release on his own label in 2014) sets the tone with a mesmeric rhythm track overlaid with a haunting clarinet part and spaced out synth gurgles that combine to enthralling effect. apollo records alumnus laurine frost supplies a trippy, blown out version that blackens the tone of the original into a work of quiet menace. on the flip -devotare- (translated -devotion-, also a vinyl only release on his own label in 2013) strikes a more strident tone, the grooves strut rather than purr - gauzy chord stabs weave between the beats and clunking percussion in a delicate yet complex interplay of elements.

five releases strong and a colourful storm is cementing itself as one of the most exciting labels to watch. theyve even managed to surprise us with their most ahem, functional record yet. four demented bleeps n bloops n bassliners with just enough sass, sub and a beautifully complex sound palette to boot. our pick is the specialist. fifth release on australian label a colourful storm - premiered on someones boiler room (we cant remember who) - ricardo villalobo’ favourite artist (surely) - absolute bangers

unapologetically ambitious, complex, staggeringly powerful music, simultaneously haunting and moving

for the first half of the twentieth century, ellis island stood as the gateway to america. for some twelve million people, it was their first encounter with the land they hoped to call home.
directed by acclaimed artist jr, ellis tells the story of one such migrant. starring robert de niro, the film winds its way through the crumbling hallways of the abandoned ellis island hospital complex, now home to jr’s unframed art installation. it’s a place that reverberates with the hopes and fears of those who passed through it, the echoes especially resonant today.
entwined with the narrative is a score composed by woodkid, performed and co-written by nils frahm. the delicate piano motifs of winter morning i culminate in a crescendo of strings, while the harmonium swells on the b-side are the foundation for de niro’s narration: an encomium for those who shaped modern america. there’s perhaps never been a more fitting time for this story, with all the proceeds going to the sea watch initiative, a non-profit charity dedicated to the protection and rescue of civilian refugees.
pressing on 180g vinyl, includes 12x12” foto booklet and download code.

monosoul is back on tieffrequent with 4 timeless and classical cuts focussed on the important elements of housemusic...with love for the dancefloors, clubs and basements of this universe... on the a-side you have „make em match“, a rough and steady house-groove containing a constantly bouncing bassline, a deep chord-pattern, a complex percussion-cluster and a well infixed electric piano...all elements are perfectly balanced, finalized and formed to a completed floorfiller. then there is „monument street“ after which the ep was named. starting really deep and minimalistic it developes to an impulsive und powerful song. organic pads, pulsating deep chords, a rhythmic bassline and well arranged drums make „monument street“ flowing impressively from start to finish. the b-side starts up with „hot concrete“, a blazing, drum-driven basement-groover. with a sharp deepchord which is wrapped-up in several padsound-patterns, monosoul creates a very own athmosphere. in combination with an impulsive bassline and a distinct percussion- ensemble „hot concrete“ beats time on the floor noticeably. finally „life on the red island“ as the perfect final track brings the „monument street ep“ to an end. it builds up by adding small bits and pieces very subtly to a point you recognize a pulsative deephouse beauty. the remarkable bassline and the concise and bouncing kickdrum are casted in a flowing deep sounded carpet full of hope. „life on the red island“ disappears to where it came from and leaves you with strong impressions. the „monument street ep“ gives an insight into monosoul s impressive understanding and definition of house music which you can hear on 4 tracks loud and clear...thank you!

bruno pronsato returns with his first new artist album in 6 years. entitled us drag, it’s the follow-up to 2011’s critically acclaimed lovers do— lauded by pitchfork as a “striking and massive statement,” and decorated with a 4.5/5 rating by resident advisor. the new record, which finds the ex-punk rock drummer exploring dense, interlocking rhythms and unorthodox tuning systems, was recorded in berlin during the second half of 2016, and features a collaboration with liars’ frontman angus andrew. after the vast, complex arrangements of his previous albums, the 9 recordings on us drag are relatively more upfront and direct, with a particular focus on bells, tuned percussion and the sequential circuits six-trak synthesizer (used to create many of the album’s synth parts). pronsato’s ongoing collaboration with yonatan levi continues, with the israeli bassist appearing on the album’s second track

adballons (made-up word from ”advertising balloon”) was a duo formed in tokyo and active only between 1986-88. equipped with some gear (casio cz-5000, teisco s-110f, roland mc-202, roland tr-909, korg kpr-77) and influenced by the music of d.a.f, kosmonautentraum, tommi stumpff, propaganda, the flowerpot men, cassandra complex, this heat, the pop group, spk and laibach, they released just one 7” in 1987 and played some shows in local clubs before disappear and become part of the obscure and inscrutable japanese underground scene. limited to 270 copies on 10” vinyl including the four original studio. everything remastered from the original reel-to-reel tape. each copy comes with a obi strip, an insert with some photos/lyrics/credits and a numbered card.

repress 2017 !! pender street steppers drop in on the lo-nrg side with mh008: the glass city / golden garden. this vinyl record could be compared to a home depot furnished office complex or a slimy algae covered rock briefly revealed by the tide. this is music for car parks, drywall delivery vans, and days when the air smells fresh but slightly shitty. the record is already seeing huge support from djs such as pender street steppers! available soon on 12inch and youtube ripped vbr formats. shouts 2 krang

hpty recordings is proud to introduce their spiritual brother pekko. his debut ep -culpa becco- is a stratospheric mechanical journey into the complex mind of the helsinki producer. musky and nocturnal pelvis-driven slabs of techno/house orientated pieces of electronic music.

brightons boutique house label black key recordskicks off 2017 with a fantastic ep from label newcomer cinthie. cinthie is a well established force in berlin: as well as being a resident at key spots ipse and humboldthain club-where she spins heady vinyl only sets-she runs three much loved labels and collectives in beste modus, unison wax and beste freunde. as such, she is a true leader of the underground house scene who also runs a studio complex in berlin, and so is very much at the heart of the house conversation. kicking things off is the excellent house rhythms , a rugged, bass driven, deep house cut with flabby drums and snares and icy hi hats all sounding informed by classic deep house greats like ron trent. warm, soul infused pads emanate from the core and the whole unhurried affair really sucks you in with its cosy and romantic atmosphere. the second splendid offering is liberty, a much rawerand direct cut designed for peak time sets. again it is riddled with jazzy chords that have real soul, but the drums are exposed and banging and the whole thing barrels along at a sweat inducing pace. this is a typically classy offering from both artist and label that kicks off 2017 in real style.

kalakuta soul records proudly presents the homewreckers new full length album, machinekiss. the ruhr valley-raised trio have been heavily involved in the underground dance music scene for many years and the soulfulness of their output is unquestioned. now machinekiss might come as their masterpiece. recorded over the past three years the album s nine tracks evolved out of a long in-depth investigation of blues and funk recordings from 1910 to 1980. as the sole sonic sources, the musicians - johannes ehmann, gregor pottmeier and krischan wesenberg - use their own music collections, making the work a reflection of their personal and collaborative history and backgrounds.micro particles of guitar chords, organ sounds and drum elements reappear in new contexts and are fused with contemporary synthesizer and bass motifs. the results are deep, rhythmic, complex and eccentric, leading the listener into the melancholic, more obscure sides of urban life.

ninze & okaxy’s “blurry mind”, a frame of their impressions & work, as sine qua non for every listener, and a memory of all their travels over the past year. for the last half a decade ninze & okaxy have been establishing a significant and experimental sound, self-branded ketapop, by creating a spherical, yet melancholic atmosphere with a distinctive deepness and complex sound patterns. as part of the laut & luise family, and working their magic with side-project wide awake.
the blurry mind ep contains three unreleased tracks and plus the soundcloud hit four that is now officially published.

scotland s premier electro alchemist is back on shipwrec and this time flying solo with five shards of sharpened machine music. beats rain down in solid sheets, a hail of drum patterns pelt and pound. acid scorn, speeding snares and scorched sound roar and rumble in the menacing -days of rage.- the 12- hisses and howls, sending forth a searing line of percussion as gears crank and grown. -glasgow to detroit- is just as fiery, scorn and sparks leaping off burning bars. aggression is always at the surface, and behind the razor rhythms lurks a palpable paranoia, as in -daisy cutter- or -uprising.- the only respite comes with the complex and textured -stones and sticks.- harsh mechanics from an industrial heartland.

this is the 3rd release on riot radio records, an independent techno label based in scotland. ingen is an edinburgh based producer who s sound is one of harsh complex poly-rhythms and soundscapes that crosses over into the darker realms of techno. over the years he s appeared on many respected labels and also works regularly on projects with some of the worlds techno elite. for those lucky enough to see him battering out his stunning live sets, playing alongside such lumineries as surgeon, whitehouse and the advent, these humbled few know exactly what extremes ingen is capable of reaching to crush your senses into submission. on this release, along with the original version of haste makes waste , there are remixes of this beast of track by lag, martyn hare, paul birken, duellist and the riot remix (ingeneered by taser), each one taking the original composition down a different track. the ingeneers have spoken.

new york native shawn o’sullivan returns to avian as 400ppm with debut lp, ‘fit for purpose’.
as an artist, o’sullivan has long since explored the juncture between hard-hitting, functional dance floor material and more lofty, conceptual work. from a purely structural standpoint, the artist’s return to avian bears all the hallmarks of previous output under the alias, utilising the same palette found on early ep’s for guy brewer’s label. stripped back and driven, the music marries caustic drum-machine polyrhythms with warping, pitch bent leads and characteristically atmospheric use of reverb. it’s a decidedly dance floor offering, but the music comes refracted through o’sullivan’s own lens, with plenty of elegant references to a career spent exploring much of the techno genre’s periphery, from noise to new wave. crushed vox bubble up from beneath wrought-iron percussion and the artist takes time to step away from high energy 4×4 workouts to explore more complex rhythmic structures and harsh, low tempo grooves.

picking up right where ep 1 left off, ep 2 kicks things off with a bang. first up is catz n dogz and yotam avnis for blakkat a high pace burner ideally suited for dance floors from panorama bar to under the leds of watergate and every club in-between. the duo return with the bright version of afterglow for the second cut on ep 2 and aptly titled, it pushes an intense, glitter filled ride to its limits. embarking onto the b-side, o.a. peas from heavy hitter eats everything & lord leopard take a trip down memory lane with a heavily sample based feel good tune that will absolutely demolish dance floors worldwide. rounding out the ep is a final collaboration between catz n dogz and reno wurzbacher with ma people and its by far the smoothest and most laid back tune of the bundle, but never does it let you rest as a mesmerizing groove and lush atmospherics tell a deep, complex tale of late nights and early mornings.

hoel’s contribution to this disorientating piece of engineered sound sculpture, is imagined as a schizo-paranoid state of delirium. voices whisper over evolving modular phases of heavy, distorted nothingness. it is a full theatrical construction featuring a haunted choir conducted to sing in the producer’s own unique voice.
the second side features two tracks by label debutant simon marchesini. subtle, brooding almost-there beats reach from underneath, intertwining themselves with a rich sound carpet of complex poly-rythms and twisting vortex-like pads. marchesini seeks to push sound to the very limits of the spectrum.

after studying dance, kirikoo des aka nsdos, felt the need to create his own sound in order to explore movement. this is how he started imagining a whole new sonic order, an alternative approach to music – through abstraction. nsdos can’t restrain himself to existing technological tools and softwares, he prefers creating his own mediums: futurist instruments made of old audio converters (carte son), gameboy emulators, pieces of metal dismantled and weld together giving form to surreal machines. surrounded by his hybrid tools, nsdos unravels the rectilinear anatomy of techno music. textures are exploded, sounds mutilated, and brought back to their essence. this sonic odyssey, nsdos initiated in his native town paris before exploring it deeper in berlin – a city that he sees as a giant laboratory in which he experimented the field of possibilities. a huge admirer of the dada and lettrism movements, nsdos can be considered as the offspring of a diy culture. he ranks among his icons artists such as christian marley, stelarc or donna haraway who gave him a desire to push the limits of the body, objects and sound. his alternative vision and the way he reinterprets technological tools have made him one of the most important techno hackers of his generation. nsdos doesn’t create, he regenerates and transmutes music. his creative path is empirical, sometimes organic as he puts sensors on insects, his public in trance, trees – everything that comes on his way – and transcribes their movement into sounds. after three maxis, lazer connect in 2013, female guest list in 2015 both signed on parisian music label clekcleckboom recordings and money exchange published in 2016 on his label standalone complex, his new album, intuition, intervenes as the completion of his organic vison of music. inspired by meteorological stations and according to a principle of « bio feedback », nsdos surveyed the movements of nature, turned into data before translating them into sounds, textures and rhythms. the album comes with a series of 5 videos detailing the creative process of the artist – from recording in the middle of nature to the studio. in intuition, nsdos splinters the boundaries between genres and places techno as a matrix. his album reveals his sense of discipline, one that he draws from his passion from japanese dance buto, as well as his interest for biology, his experimental aura through industrial, sometimes nearly metal sounds. all these elements form the essence of whole new movement, unclassifiable, of which he constantly pushes the frontiers.

planet mu are very excited to announce jlin’s long awaited second album “black origami”. a percussion-led tour de force, it’s a creation that seals her reputation as a unique producer with an exceptional ability to make riveting rhythmic music.
“black origami” is driven by a deep creative thirst which she describes as “this driving feeling that i wanted to do something different, something that challenged me to my core. black origami for me, comes from letting go creatively, creating with no boundaries. the simple definition of origami is the art of folding and constructing paper into a beautiful, yet complex design. composing music for me is like origami, only i m replacing paper with sound. i chose to title the album -black origami- because like -dark energy- i still create from the beauty of darkness and blackness. the willingness to go into the hardest places within myself to create for me means that i can touch the infinity.”

danish born/stockholm based house producer, anders and serves up his debut release - love on 12inch vinyl. this marks the first physical output for brown fat, a fresh new label out of stockholm. a rich patchwork of influences have made up his exotic sound, along with the artists experience in living and studying in london for 7 years, where he developed a raw style that fuses complex jazz, african drumming and blissed out ambient grooves together into something refreshingly original - it’s no wonder why he is considered to be one to watch in 2017.

vanta 004 comes from alex cortex, an artist who has been producing music for over 20 years now and who has been featured on many killekill releases already. for this release he delivers two monumental tracks in his very own aesthetics: although both tracks are straight at first sight, their complex beat structure makes them shift and drift. and also their sound is distinctive: crystal clear and without any of the reverbs that you hear so often in modern techno they still have an incredible depth and sound more psychedelic than most of the other stuff that you hear nowadays. killer!

audiosapr is one of the most consistent albums you’re likely to come across in russia’s gost zvuk entire back catalogue. surprisingly, the full-length by saint petersburg’s scene veteran kuzma palkin is a compilation of random jams and studio recordings he made in the period of 2014-2015, carefully pieced together by label’s masterminds. sapr stands for the system of automatic projection (a russian term for computer-aided design, cad) which defines the album’s experimental yet complex and interlocking heart. based around a central theme of immediacy and spontaneity, audiosapr builds upon the foundations of early, pre-detroit era of electro and techno, and then progresses the wispy entrails of analogue gear in a contemporary dancefloor direction. it’s clearly music that can be attributed as hybrid, however it’s not you re going to think about while listening to “audiosapr”, palkin’s definitely most inspiring work to date.

multi instrumentalist and deep house master lars bartkuhn returns to utopia records following his nomad ep in april with a 10 minute masterpiece, an ode to the massai . an epic journey of such depth and positive spirit it perhaps deserves to render a genre all to itself. with its musicality, complex arrangement and phrasing massai is a timeless and personal statement from bartkuhn as he seeks the essence in what dance music can and possibly should be. as a young child growing up in frankfurt, bartkuhn penned his first pieces of music with a synthesizer and sequencer, bought for him by his parents upon realising their son s obsession with music. mastering the guitar as a teenager bartkuhn fell deeply in love with the music of pat metheny, keith jarrett and john coltrane and styles such as soul, funk, brasilian sounds, minimal, dance, and others which is heard in his music today. by the mid 90 s bartkuhn began to explore the deep and soulful side of house music and formed lamaya productions and the now legendary record label needs (not wants) together with his older brother marek bartkuhn and dj yannick. needs rapidly became a synonym for soulful, high quality music and while labeled a house music imprint it was lars input that lead the trio to explore alternative, and at the time unorthodox, musical influences that allowed for original textures and arrangements to be included in their productions. countless remix commissions followed and their sound travelled worldwide with works for francois kevorkian, jazztronik, ennio morricone, atjazz to name a few. to date bartkuhn has produced five solo albums all of which demonstrate a never ending creative flow of ideas and artistic diversity, complexity and passion. after some years away from the dance music scene, residing in brasil, lars decided to continue this journey on volcov s neroli records, followed by a 12- for alex bradley s phonica affiliated utopia records. the latter release, nomad has found its way into the sets of the likes of jeremy underground paris, hunee, antal, ron trent, rainer truby, bicep and mcde to name just a few. it s at this point that bartkuhn gives us massai...his self proclaimed finest work

the fifth modern cathedrals release by altstadt echo seeks to exhume genuine, complex, and often contradictory human emotion from dead samples and broken beat structures. throughout the 1905 ep, the artist crafts melodies that embody a tension between nostalgia and frustration, supported by carefully textured and relatively functional percussion. the remix of dry despair by abdulla rashim (ar) strips the original of its lofty chords, instead pursuing a focused and bone-dry experimental techno approach. in contrast, the remix by stave combines elements of the original’s drifting atmosphere with violent industrial percussion.

after multiple cassette and 12” releases through kastil’s stale in 2016, it’s time for irazu’s latest addition to the series of complex techno works. “shtamm” is a package that contains four original cuts + a remix by specialist of high-end machine music regis. “refused to be found” is a soaring travel through moods and sonic landscapes which at times resonates like a helicopter flying through an inner city estate building. the aesthetic nature of the opening track is extended through “shtamm”. a multi dimensional piece of work that showcases a more submersive side of irazu s broad pallette. “last hours” is a cinematic stroke of vivid pads that sound like they were extracted from a remastered russian thriller classic. regis opens ups the b-side with a rework of “shtamm”. the off-beat machine funk of the remix leaves little of the original mix intact, yet regis has turned it into a staggering piece of ferocity. “torso” is another irazu original that sound like 7.5 minutes of vigorous rhythms and swerving perc elements.

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.

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.

the music of swedish producer hans berg often soundtracks sculptural installations produced in collaboration with his partner nathalie djurberg. working as an artistic duo since 2004, their output comprises animation, public sculpture, immersive environments and now, vinyl recordings taken from these same pieces. berg brings his experience in house and techno music culture to bear on this cooperative process. the first track began life as an accompaniment to the outdoor work in dreams (2016), installed at the wanås sculpture park in sweden. a naturalistic soundscape of birdsong gives way to a wave of complex, driving synth-pop, itself a shimmering reflection of the riotous, mirrored floor that nestled in the forest glade.

goldmin founder romain lanteaume aka einka meets terrence dixon for a 2nd record which is nothing but a logical suite to the one released last year. this one is probably less deliberately dark but to us the edge was not dark at all, like what we tend to call melancholy isn t obviously a negative feeling. we believe there s no real duality between things and states. there s an incredible amount of degress in between. its always a bit more complex and deeper than the first impression!

the new york-based (u)nity is made up of michael valeanu, axel tosca laugart, chris smith, max cudworth and amaury acosta. they formed the band in 2006 as a project to explore afro-cuban jazz, funk, soul and contemporary electronica. they say they ve been influenced by everyone from chucho valdes to art blakey to led zeppelin to kendrick lamar, and you can definitely hear all of that in this jawdropping work. guarapachanga is special in that it was the first song written by the band back in their days as music students at the new school. it s derived from the style known as guarapachangeo the most advanced form of cuban rumba, heavily improvisational and based on very complex rhythms and melodies. on this recording, (u)nity is graced with a guest performance by grammy award winner pedrito martinez, a master rumbero, one of the greatest conga players ever, an innovator who has left a permanent mark on cuban music. martinez is also a priest in the yoruba religion and a historian of cuban culture. over its eight and a half minutes, guarapachanga twists and turns and journeys through a mind bending array of different tempos and modes, from latin jazz to hip hop, ultimately ending with a trippy ambient soundscape. the whole thing is overlaid with free spirited melody, soul and the afro-cuban essence that is the bands lifeblood. the white-hot live playing gives it the feel of the best early-morning jam session, yet it packs a sonic punch that will make it sound incredible on a good sound system in the hands of adventurous djs in the world-beat or spiritual-house vein. if you didnt know guarapachanga was a contemporary work you might mistake it for a loft classic, yet it s also as fresh and exciting as anything you ll hear this year.

time runs fast and it s time again for our annual vinyl release. for our second delivery we have on board two of the best producers in the techno panorama, no other than tensal and p.e.a.r.l.
tensal opens the release with his own particular version of the original, enforcing the beats adding white noise sweeps, twisting the sound and rearranging the structure in a clever and hypnotic vein. following on b2 a special edit version of the original mix.
on b side p.e.a.r.l. is on remixing duties offerin a raw beat exercise as remix one and a more complex rework as bonus remix to close the release.

joining our label for the 4th release are dan andrei and kozo, under their collaboration named ak41, a fructuous project that offers three highly complex tracks.
on the a side you can find “icebreaker” solely, an eccentric sound with a steady bassline, percussive kicks, tripping shakers and a thoughtful, mysterious melody that touches all the frequencies of your body. turning to the b side we find “swingenious”, a groovier interpretation produced by a combination of spacey feelings and sophisticated instruments that will move every bone on the dancefloor. closing the ep is “in memoriam”, a melancholic version that is not short of an aggressive bassline, ambiguous vocals and deep introspects, all aligned to disconnect you from the reality of routine.

following their massive debut “girl”, danish duo cirkular are at it again with a follow-up release featuring more of that complex-but-danceable electronic music. the “huff / am plingest” release owes homage to the electronic music of the 90s, with hints of breakbeat, underworld style 4/4, dub-house and early autechre style idm.
the remix side features punkrocker-gone-techno antonio gram (of reptile youth fame), longside one of danish technos godfathers, broxgaard (formerly known as patrcik bateman of tictactoe records).

the mighty shadeleaf pull in a seriously strong u.s team for their twelfth release damon bell from oakland, is a chief connoisseur at heralded deepblak recordings, and stands strong offering a complex variety of sounds that ebb and flow through all of his productions. known for his polyrhythmic, organic, and soul-filled musical releases on deepblak recordings & sound of speed records japan, he has also scored critically acclaimed releases recently on burek, meda fury, and don t be afraid. this collaborative ep with the vocalist (good friend and former oakland, and now berlin resident) khalil anthony, features a production collaboration with shadeleaf s own thatmanmonkz, and a remix from the mighty afrikan sciences as always, top drawer isht another shadeleaf sureshot

for the fourth release shaw cuts lines up five shaolin commanders who created their own interpretations of farrons death duel ep: marco zenker, russian duo poima, roger 23 and simo cell. these heavies form the shelter clan whose mission is to cover ah chis back wherever he goes. marco zenker gives we dont make no sense his signature machine funk that decimates challengers in one swing. ah chi can always count on marcos sword. poima from moscow rival with sabers, severing those who dare to cross their path. their version of tangency is lead by a dirty break-beat drum combo blazoned by cosmic synth melodies and warm machine derangement. centro on the b-side gets heavily grimed by veteran roger 23 whose axe is as heavy as his remix style in general. beware of roger! armed with tonfas, simo cell layers par 2 with a complex and fresh-sounding groove, causing lethal devastation to enemy combatants. ah chi is well-shielded by his companions and still unbeaten to this day. trust in the shelter clan!

two years on from his critically acclaimed self-titled debut lp and 2016’s similarly transcendent club hit safe/multiply, ghost culture is pleased to announce his new ep nucleus. due for release on phantasy, nucleus, captures the enigmatic london artist’s signature sound in the reflection of unexpected, vibrant new lights. leading with the understated groove of ‘coma’, ghost culture quickly reaffirms his unwavering ability to hold the collective energy of a dancefloor, yet colours his latest work with a sense of intimacy and experimentation that resonates stronger than ever. ‘ico130’ explores almost every facet of ghost culture’s electronic form, as gasping synths and stuttering drum patterns flirt with an aching, unfurling emotional vocal sample, acknowledging both classic idm influences such as aphex twin and authechre, while subtly nodding towards contemporary, crystalline rnb. the ep’s centrepiece, ‘ngc1275’ adds flavour to a stirring, reflective acid line, amid a complex flurry of minor deconstructions and distortions, highlighting ghost culture’s unique, contrarian ability to inspire both beckoning darkness and escapist fantasy through his work. while the opening half of the five track ep is more primed for the night, nucleus’ leads to an introspective denouement. ‘perseus’ pits raw electronics against a framework of loose, lucid drums, before ‘ngc1265’ delivers a wistful, brooding conclusion that makes an emotive case that impacts powerfully across just a short sketch.

forging an idiosyncratic musical language, told through exotic rhythms and adventurous wordless vocal explorations, deal is fays boldest work yet, moving further away from the pop signifiers of previous exploits. with an articulate minimalism, deal flexes and shapes these elements to their maximum potential through vast spacial movements that evolve down unexpected paths. compositional directions diverge through variations on a theme. the album s complex choral arrangements and daring structural ideas demonstrate a deft understanding of music foundation while departing into abstract possibilities outside of these standards. a conversational interplay between drum and voice is at the center, highlighting the human element. a loose, primal urgency guides these compelling and playful electronic compositions that favor intuitive sense perceptions over self-expression. the voice acts as a beacon throughout the record, leading the rhythms and arrangements towards their next move. deal is music for movement, an active listening experience that feels narrative or visual, building tension and anticipation of where the piece will lead, and what will happen next. the album uses sparseness to it s strength, with each note and drum hit sounding more potent and unexpected. here you ll find soul, exhilaration, guts, humor, freedom, play, humans animalistic nature. with a willingness to embrace the potential for new music, deal is a brave and different record that will reward listeners.

florian meindl kick starts 2017 with a special four-track vinyl only release ‘colorful cage’. released on his own imprint flash recordings, the title track is taken from his forthcoming album ‘time illusion’. there is an exclusive vinyl edit of florian’s previously released foreboding techno track ‘nix charon’ and completing the ep are two further unique tracks ‘controlled pressure’ and ‘wild sequence 3’. as a dj, live performer, studio producer and sound designer, florian has over the years established an impressive producing base for himself in his berlin based riverside studio complex with an exciting hardware set up including modular systems, an analog mixing desk as well as classic machines like roland 909. in anticipation for the lp release in early april, florian has prepared a unique live set featuring a modular system, the korg minilogue, effect boxes and a 909 drum machine which were used in the creation of the album which he will be touring throughout 2017.

no problemo is jonny teardrops first physical album release. inspired by native american peyote songs, using his jaguar as a bass, drum samples from obscure japanese crust punk songs, jonny teardrop charges through 13 brief songs snapping audible polaroids and conjuring fragments of memories. a short movie made of 13 scenes, written by himself and directed by louis vignat will be presented alongside the album. the 13 videos will be your introduction to jonnys weird and complex universe, a door that wont be easily closed once opened.180g vinyl with a secret locked groove giving access to a free downloadable ep

side a starts with aster ix, a track with simple percussion and a hard, yet smooth, bassline. the continuous pad and the occasionally sparky chords make aster ix the perfect combination for an 8-minute track designed to keep you up. this 12-minute vinyl flaunts on the same side twisted , which takes the darker side of the producer one step further. the dark track, twisted , boldly surprises you with the trippy sequences of its repetitive vocals. side b is represented by the most complex track of the ep: organik -- a track playing with a natural groove as well as acoustic-based elements. it s a 15-minute journey with spacey and atmospheric-drone sounds that takes you far away while listening.

substrato records features techno veteran edit select on its most recent release, points of contact. the ep is in line with substrato’s signature sound – stripped down hypnotic percussion with deep ties to techno’s past. at the ep’s outset, edit select layers straightforward loops into complex textures, weaving careening synth lines through skittering hi hats and driving kicks. faction 1.1 brings the composition to a subdued close with warm, thrumming percussion that evokes a propulsive ethereality. at its fourth release, substrato has firmly established itself as a techno label adept at driving techno with psychedelic, shamanistic impulses.

emptyset is the innovative electronic duo of james ginzburg and paul purgas. the duo composes within a complex set of self-imposed parameters or rule sets and the results of their expeditions on borders are at once minimal and visceral. focusing on shifting timbral changes over melody, emptyset’s work is an exploration of the relationship between rhythm, texture and space.

a dub house dream come true: that s the quick summary of thomas wood s new ep for swiss label waehlscheibe. being a longtime friend of the label thomas wood from zürich delivers four super creamy and understated tracks for waehlscheibe which are just perfect for the imprint s focus on deep and chord driven dub. on his rooted in the past ep thomas displays not only a wonderful understanding of harmony and melodic elaborations, but at the same time combines this sophisticated musical approach with a great sense of complex rhythmic funk. this results in four irresistible dub house grooves which nicely link a compelling dancefoor experience with home-listening pleasure rich in details and variety. as always the quality mastering of above smoke at the hole of dub studios rounds of the musical attraction of this vinyl only release just right.

the first track, moaning, has a linear feeling at the beginning: a layer of bass lines makes your feet move instantly until some subtle piano sounds come in at the perfect moment. it creates an atmospheric vibe and when the bass kicks in again, everything seems to fall into place. cosmjn’s interpretation is, as expected, more serious and it has a no-nonsense approach: stripped of the melodic piano sounds, a strong bass line takes over, which makes for an interesting contrast to the original track.
if moaning was a more gentle track, fr sa su is a little bit different: dance floor oriented, the rhythm is certainly higher and it has some intriguing background sounds that go hand in hand with the powerful bass that grows on you from the start of the track. the florian meffert remix closes this ep and it goes out on a strong note: it is a complex track with very different elements and sounds that complement each other just right to get things going.
with early support from: barac, mihigh, dubtil , cristi cons, petre inspirescu , sepp , crihan

dsc welcomes back boris bunnik, this time under his conforce moniker. two contrasting tracks are the offering. heavy thump introduces kernal of truth. angular melodies are painted on glass as a complex composition unfurls under the strain of galvanized percussion. the aquatic -oasis- occupies the flip. notes gentle lap a shoreline of burbling bass and distant percussion. echoes are submerged, folded in on themselves, as absorbing ambience envelops. two wonderfully different sides to the conforce sound.

monologue plays out like a novel, where the abernathy’s expand the perception of family over ab’s expansion of the stripped down soul/r&b music we’re used to hearing. whether he’s playing piano, wurlitzer, synths, guitar, programming drums, live drums, or arranging strings and horn lines, ab’s mastery of musicianship is on full display through monologue’s array of colorful, complex compositions, coupled with his rich, layered vocals.