echocord’s echo echo sub-label continues with its third releases this august, courtesy of german producer and credo founder alex bau with his ‘zenstory’ ep. germany’s alex bau has been a prominent name on the underground dj circuit on his home turf, and further afield, for three decaces as well as racking up an impressive back catalogue as a recording artists for labels like cocoon, clr, sleaze and of course his very own credo label which has been a platform predominantly for his own material whilst welcoming the likes of kyle geiger, takkyu ishino and electric rescue onto the imprint also. here though we see bau joining the roster of echocord’s fledgling sub-label echo echo with a new four-track ep and taking the lead on the package is ‘clouds’ with pulsating low-end tones, hissing analogue noise and dusty drums samples all flowing in unison with ethereal chords and sweeping pads. ‘contour’ follows, tipping the focus over to bubbling delayed stab hits, fluttering sub bass and evolving white noise bursts throughout. the ‘prelude’ of ‘zenstory’ opens the flip side and as the name would suggest it’s a cinematic build up to the title-track featuring tension-building, expansive atmospherics ahead of the original mix which features a thumping muted kick, stuttering atmospheric echoes and spoken word vocal tucked into the depths of the record.

an impressive debut ep on fledgling uk label uncertainty principle from berlin-based artist larry. sys 001 features four tracks of superbly produced microtonal electronica and techno, cerebral and banging in equal parts. opening track systems hyperthread ramps up the tension before growling into action, techno thumper systems obfuscate hits like a jack hammer, and systems online resets the mood before systems encoder sends us spiralling into the future. one to watch.

veteran nyc producer and dfa regular juan maclean hops on the rnt wagon for a rolling ep of drum-machine driven grooves for the reserve sub-imprint. the record starts with the peak-time stomper fine time, building exquisite tension and release through looped and filtered samples, and then moves on to the boogie-infused swing of dont stop for nothing. everybody clap leads off side b with a soulful and string-laden vocal over a bouncing hi-hat-focused house arrangement, and the ep closes out on the dubbier tip with the eponymous panic in fort greene park, a synthy and smooth slow burner. all around beautifully produced and eminently playable, señor maclean has made himself a most welcome addition to the razor-n-tape family with this dynamic ep

boli group is a new ensemble spearheaded by copenhagen based composer and producer asger hartvig. responsible for some of the most fearless and intriguing works to come from the city in recent years, hartvig is as imposing as he is mysterious, and his debut release for posh isolation makes no concessions.

echocord’s colour sub-label returns early june with a four- track ep from eindhoven’s albert van abbe in the shape of ‘klangbilder’. dutch techno artist albert van abbe has nearly two decades of experience under his belt in various forms of musical and visual expression, releasing on his own vanabbe imprint, figure jams, semantica and no comment, as well as playing live and djing at hot spots across the globe such as berghain, tresor, dgtl and awakenings festival. ‘klangbilder 1’ leads with a robust rhythmic drive, employing bumpy toms, shuffled hats and lumpy kicks at its core as vacillating synths, tension building drones and menacing pizzicato strings develop throughout. ‘klangbilder 2’ takes things deeper next, retaining the dusty drums sound of the previous cut whilst stirring in airy ethereal pads and choppy, resonant stab sequences. ‘klangbilder 3’ kicks off the b-side with modulating synth whirrs, emotive organ tones and a muted drum tones throughout before ‘klangbilder 4’ closes the package, taking things beatless and cinematic via emotive synth leads, droning subs and expansive echoes.

anyone who’s followed maurice aymard’s galaktika label over the years will be all too aware of the imprint’s leaning toward eclectic sounds. it’s an ethos that mirrored in the work of aymard himself and regardless of whether he’s turning his hand to tech house sounds or more straight-up techno jams, his is a way of working that’s endeared him to many over the years. his latest is a case in point. the 75th chapter in the galaktika discography, the into the night ep serves up an array of sounds that are enticing as they are upbeat and intriguing. getting us underway is the sounds of the title track. an unfurling beast of a track that’s loaded with dramatic tension throughout, it’s an eerie cut that’s characterised by its clever bells and some incessant percussion. a full on track that’s not to be handled lightly, it’s repetitive nature and sporadic vocal charms is indicative of levon vincent at his best. ‘shinning’, a more progressive cut, follows after. another track that’s notable for the suspense that lingers throughout, it serves up a nice stylistic alternative to what’s arrived before. aymard then goes all out on the frankly astounding sounds of ‘rage’. a propulsive gem of the type that sees the producer greatly rewarded for trying something that bit different, it’s a special sort of track that takes on various tones throughout but always stays captivating. seeing us out soon after is eduardo de la calle’s remix of the latter. the cadenza man is well versed in all things deep and dextrous, and his interpretation serves up a fitting example of his talents. although it starts on a melodic tip, it too soon brings the listener on a thoroughly captivating but unexpected journey. much like the rest of this ep, de la calle’s remix is full of surprises from the off.

brothers harvey and ryan mckay return to drumcode with their dynamic alias project. we were introduced to alias last year when the mckay brothers dropped the impact-heavy visions ep mid-way through 2017. the duo followed with a lauded contribution for drumcode live and the buzz from fans was palpable. the follow up sees the pair in powerhouse form. the title track nrg is an attitude-packed tour de force compromised of aggressive snares, warped vocals and a tension-filled break, it has been smashed by adam beyer for the last six months. orange sunshine pulls no punches as it dishes out apocalyptic acid paired with the siblings startling drum work. the event rounds out the ep and is an exhilarating affair propelled by uplifting synth lines and a buzzing energetic bassline.

label boss yse is back on pft with the long anticpated follow up to his gesamtkunstwerk ep which made it into kai alci s best of 2015 chart. if you have been following ant plate s productions under his various guises (yse, yse saint laur ant, rhythm plate, vengaboys) you know what to expect - deep, quirky, innovative house music that sounds like nothing else out there. this ep doesn t disappoint - the grooves on here are impeccable from start to finish. opener unstoppable builds the tension nicely with nagging strings and chords before letting loose with the drums. sun shadow was actually selected by red rack em as one of his best of 2017 despite not even being released. now that s literally being ahead of your time. the robot boogie of all we are is guaranteed to stop heads on the dancefloor with it s unique vocal and syncopated shuffle. closing track you told me slows the tempo slightly and is one for the deeper moments.

after a brief time away from releasing music in 2017 to refresh his ears, essential house artist argy is back with a bang in 2018, as this debut ep on play it say it proves. greek dj and producer argy has been a prolific talent over the last decade plus, releasing a variety of sounds under a number of different aliases. his given name has always been reserved for house and techno, which is classically informed but always infused with the sound of the future. it’s come on key labels like bedrock, bpitch, ibadan, and most recently the martinez brothers’ cuttin’ headz imprint, and has spawned four fantastic full lengths. those releases, along with his storytelling dj sets, have made the these days label boss a much loved and ever-present part of the global underground scene. the excellent title track the way of kings opens up the ep with seven standout minutes of surging house. slick, powerful kicks drive it along as expertly crafted synths bring real drama and tension up top. it’s a tasteful bit of hi-tech soul for the peak of the night and is as essential as the title suggests. switching up the mood is the vibrant los animales, which has a busier, afro tinged groove and tribal percussive energy. lithe synths dart about to add dynamism and movement as vocal chants get you on your toes and the whole thing is sure to make a huge impact in the club. last of all, move like a panther featuring the new yorker in berlin, elbee bad, shows another side to argy. it’s a perfectly raw house cut with plenty of jacking chicago spirit. the drums hit hard, the synths are trippy and the snares force you to move. add in a dark bassline and spoken word mantras and you have a real piece of explosive club dynamite. these are three typically inventive and well-executed tracks from argy that are stuffed with original ideas.

incl. downloadcode ... unnatural, uneasy, unexpected. the great filter keeps you on your toes constantly, it makes your fingers tingle with anticipation and the hairs on your arms stand up from the tension. it is eerily calm and controlled, while it takes you to faraway places in the twilight, that dont actually exist. subdued, bright yellow light with no sun in sight. wide plains with an inherent structure that can only be illogical. unorganic sounds, alien voices, excited synths and sobering organs. reality is so mundane. the way we are now expecting it from krink, he does what is unexpected and stretches conventions somewhere around techno and deep house. the music is driven by imagery rather than song structure. the ep puts cutting rhythms over comfort and sound over beauty. like a focused dream, it is concrete and abstract. lets get found in the universe

we present to you a disc signed by paulie jan that allies power and emotion, tension and sensuality. carried by two remixes from electronic music references cassegrain and blndr. vinyl comes in squared quadri sleeve.

zuli’s new offering trigger finger is a game of shadowy atmospheres and unquiet spirits. it functions as a spacial and temporal compactor, using sampling and field recordings to reconstruct reality’s dissonance, while at the same time reverse its own introspective character into bass weight and outworked tension. a kind of extremization of zuli’s own roots as a beatmaker for the cairo rap scene, tinged with the clandestine and delirious urbanism of grime and jungle, and fronted by the necessity to face its own dark side. but the dark and crusty sonic palette does not limit the possibility for the tracks to display various layers of emotional content.

they dont get much more anthemic than idris muhammad s could heaven ever be like this and who better to rework it than edit royalty, late nite tuff guy. subtle in his touches yet incorporating a more dj friendly, dancefloor orientated beat and tension building intro which teases elements of this classic, before that instantly recognisable bass riff and staccato guitar chords come into play. that subtlety is key when it comes to handling a record as epic as this, elements are accentuated and looped, delicate effects are woven in, but the soul and feeling of idris music is lovingly maintained by lntg. and for the purists out there, the flip houses the original mix so you ve got two paths to heaven to choose from.

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,,,,,

mix kruskova with julischka and a hint of maraska and you get bodin s striking three track ep zabawa.
cevape for your life your life for cevape.

following their work compiling last year’s hugely well-received ten years of jaunt ep, blackhall & bookless return to their label with four varied, equally confident shades of their distinct, versatile dancefloor vision. ‘forward’ is an instantly enveloping slice of big-room techno that’s entirely club ready and yet focused on atmosphere and tension, taking no prisoners and yet unfolding on it’s own terms. that same ecstatic and almost ethereal club pressure reemerges on ‘voyager’, under which gently unleashes a skittering landscape of blissful breakbeats and vangelisesque synths. inspired by the unforgiving sea that borders their hometown in the north east of england, ‘ocean’ is perhaps the most intense moment on the ep, dragging listeners into wave after wave of undulating dub chords, always underpinned by driving, raw and percussive drums. ending in forgiving ambience, this moment of respite leads to the conclusion, ‘occupy’. a beatless send-off, it nonetheless remains equally compelling and vast in it’s filmic and complex sound design, showcasing blackhall & bookless’ finely tuned meld of the substantial and the subtle. tinged with the north sea air and the pulse of detroit, blackhall & bookless continue to master the sound of agile, accessible yet uncompromising club music.

with his solo project jesus is my son, gregory duby, a guitarist from the belgian black country, explores since 2005 another side of his expanded tastes in music. after years in noise-rock bands (the invisible frog, k-branding) both bands being under influence of metal and industrial music, jesus is my son is  clearly on the classical guitar side of things. except you can never forget and always feel the intensity of duby s heavier practice in the soft and peaceful innocence , sometimes in its almost threatening tension, sometimes in its profoundly melancholic relief. on the b-side, insouciance has an oriental feel to it, a lighter face: recklessness after a crash or smiling distraction before a tempest.

bugs is aus label owner will sauls first solo ep in over 4 years and follows his inaugural release on new aus compilation series, inside out. heres will on the a side. bugs is inspired as much by dancing at plastic people/co-op to the bugz in the attic as is it is by carl craigs innerzone orchestra track bugs in the bass bin. hopefully i bring my own twist to these key influences. the map room tumbles with big, swinging drums as a fervid sense of tension burns throughout before matt karmill takes bugs off on a linear dubbed out excursion to complete the package.

returning with renewed force after henning baer’s unbreakable debut lp, manhigh’s sixth release comes from a name already well-known in techno circles. sciahri is the italian producer whose luminous 2014 debut on the celebrated ilian tape’s itx experimental series immediately announced his presence, followed by another on the label and two eps for the highly-rated black opal offshoot of opal tapes by 2016. he was simultaneously occupied with his ambient-leaning unknot duo with emanuele porcinai, better known as wsr on samuel kerridge’s contort label. 2017 saw the launch of his sublunar imprint and a tripartite release from him featuring a more streamlined sound than the craggy broken-beat style familiar from ilian tape. sciahri’s manhigh ep opens with ‘demur’, showcasing his most dour, industrial sounds, scraping metallic highs against the unrelenting impacts of reverberating kicks and subbass drone. ‘forbidden’ holds its forces more in reserve, the cycling, mechanical soundscape maintaining a spacious, ambient aspect, worked against a broken rhythm more implied than explicitly stated. returning to full intensity for ‘reliance’, he tightly coils the core elements around deftly-deployed percussion and a militaristic, pounding rhythm in the bass and kicks. henning baer’s reinterpretation of ‘demur’ saves little from the original apart from its overriding tension, instead adding a layer of nearly-tonal pads and an unremitting acidic bass throb pushing forwards inexorably.

mm audio announce his own upcoming ep from astronomy domine, and a special remixes from wrong assessment and pacou. feeling across the spirituality and north uk pagan festivities, inspirational and minimalist jump. >imbolc< is a live jam. candles, incense, drum machine, moog sub 37, vocoder. imbolc is an otherworldly trip, pulverising and deeply work. lammas, composed by old percussions, used for a rituals, an immediate tension, scrupulous and impactful. a true mesmeric dip. pacou would spin immediately, with balanced and sophisticated percs, behind an esoteric drone. wrong assessment begins insightful, a fine pad, intense, portly, for sensibilities are mind expanding. 180 g – marbled vinyl

coletivo vandalismo kick-start a new 12inch series for the contort yourself label. hailing from the city of porto the duo also dj under the name gam and released their debut lp on lake haze s eye for an eye label. their music has an immediacy that seems to stem from a background in live performance as opposed to polished studio sessions - an improvisational punk aesthetic that manages to carry this ep so strongly. wild, crashing fx and unrecognisable vocal distortions layer atop wonky 90bpm drum machine grooves and the pair even show off what may be their turntablism skills on zombie zombie. theres a nod to early concrete on the closing track black suns demise with whirring, mechanical noise motifs suddenly jolting us into punishing gabber-at-33-minus-8 territory. the diy spirit is alive and well here and the feeling that things could fall apart at any minute just adds to the tension.

the next instalment in the my rules catalog sees label owner justin van der volgen take on japanese house legend yukihiro fukutomi aka foog s techy club jam flying . originally available as a digital-only release, it s twisted into two exclusive new versions. on the a-side edit, justin travels down the less walked path of splicing and shortens the track, which along with his subtle drum additions tastefully amplify and sharpen the feeling of tension and release. the b-side dub is a heavy bass and drum mix complete with flanged hissing hi-hats, alien claps and cavernous echoes.

excise is a vinyl-focused label based out of san francisco, california. each release pairs a regional californian techno artist and a local visual artist, thus serving as a platform to fuse the two local creative scenes. its first release features label co-owner muon with 3 hypnotic raw analog tracks. many of these tracks received heavy play time in the san francisco underground, and now are seeing a broader release for the first time.

dj, producer and rex club resident molly presents the third ep for her rdv music imprint, drawing on talent from across her native france, featuring fellow parisian aleqs notal (clek clek boom, sistrum) and 1977, as featured on syncrophone s for those who know imprint. while each side and artist offer their own distinctive flavour, percussive, classy late-night house music is the main course ideal for late nights under dim red lights.aleqs notal pays tribute to the timeless appeal of spinning analogue wax throughout opening track, sweet rotation a simple hymn to the essence of house music, bubbling gently on bright keys and woozy basslines. hands on follows, offering a more nocturnal angle on this enduring aesthetic, reducing the energy but enhancing the atmosphere even further, both on-record and across any packed dancefloor.the more southern sensibility of 1977 brings drumwork to the fore, weaving an exotic, patient tapestry of bubbling, alluring synths and analogue feedback across two confident, percussive jams. while vodoom indulges in tension and intrigue, ep closer jdlf is pure, unwinding pleasure, across which each of 1977s influences and instruments are offered freedom to breathe and evolve.with this installment of emminently classy and supremely confident house, rdv music continues to prove itself as one of the most worthy musical institutions on the contemporary parisian scene.

mikkel metal returns to copenhagen’s echocord this may with his new mini lp ‘just enough light’, comprising six originals from the danish artist. copenhagen based producer and dj mikkel metal has been a beacon of light in the danish electronic music scene and further afield for nearly two decades now, with the dub techno imprint from his hometown, echocord, being the predominant home for his output, whilst also releasing material on cologne’s kompakt, tartelet, semantica and avant roots, a telling sign of the quality embodied in his work. here though we see mikkel deliver a mini album concept in the shape of ‘just enough light’ and opener ‘awake’ perfectly sets the tone with emotive, dynamically unfolding atmospherics, tension building bass drones and spiraling dub chords subtly easing us into the project. ‘bregnan’ then stirs in some classing dub-techno tropes with billowing stab sequences, lumpy subs and off beat high hats carrying the hypnotic groove for six and a half minutes. ‘jech’ then strips things back to an almost beatless amalgamation of murky chords and modulating synth whirrs. opening the flip side of the release is ‘include’ which embraces a brighter feel via ethereal pad swells, jazztinged synth melodies and bumpy 909 rhythms before ‘konkin’ edges back into the eerie, brooding aesthetic with bubbling echoes, broken drums and menacing bass swells at its core. ‘restore’ then closes the package on a stripped-back vibe, laying focus on an ever- eveolving singular dub chord to ebb and flow around thunderous subs, kicks and bright hats.

pun kuyen (moon night) is the second ep of the nguillatun records label. auca immerses us in this album with a first track, curico (black water), with a techno from the depths of the water, dark hypnotism and pulsating loop. puken (winter) is full of cold atmospheres and suspended drones that create tension. lanahue (lost soul) closes the album with a strong and intense original version, and a remix with low frequencies and beats that takes us almost to the mental disconnection, from the hand of svreca, to take our breath away.

desolats loco dice joins the roster of martinez brothers cuttin headz label this april with slammer, backed with a remix from detroit techno veteran dj t-1000. du&#776,,sseldorfs loco dice has long been one of the most respected figures in contemporary electronic music with releases over the years on leading labels like cocoon, cadenza, ovum and of course his own desolat as well as a heavy touring schedule taking him across the globe year in year out. here though we see dice offering up his new single courtesy of cuttin’ headz, a platform the martinez brothers and associates to deliver high octane, dance floor focused house and techno. the original mix of title track slammer leads with spiralling brass like bass tones, flute licks, shuffled shakers and resonant synth hooks running alongside a bumpy bass line and an amalgamation of heady, processed vocal lines. following is detroits dj t-1000 stepping up on remix duties, stripping back the aesthetic of the original to lay focus on robust rhythms and various vocal refrains from the original whilst chugging bass and tension building atmospherics gradually unfold throughout.

for anma’s sixth outing we see a coupling of two remarkable talents from either sides of the atlantic, each taking two turns across a side of crisp wax. first up for the us side we have new york based trinidadian deep. personally mentored by chi-town legend ron trent and with his own unique vision of soulful deep house, he has imparted us with two deeply immersive cuts of intense dance floor electricity, laced with his signature percussive club spirituality! for the uk flip, london based will lister is a name to watch out for, a young producer who can boast his first wax release being put out on phonica’s own house label! taking things down a notch on the pitch fader, will has provided two slow-mo jams that reward the attentive listener with his sensuous and detailed production style. building tension meticulously before releasing energy with aplomb and polishing things beautifully with his class jazzy flair. lovingly pressed on 180g vinyl, hand stamped and labelled on a limited run.

after leaving his noise-soaked techno signature on details sound with the uncompromising informations 12inch, a hand is returning to the label with a healthy dose of enigmatically crafted sounds, made to stick in your head and body intensely. on breakline, a hunting dark bassline is backed by relentless drum patterns cut with machine gun precision. for a better end takes off into a swirling atmosphere propelled by anti-gravity beats. slow injection expands further into dense and obscure realms of electrified experiments. the wandering your lost dreams carries us to a breathtaking conclusion filled with abstract suspension. slow injection ep is a four-cuts selection of captivating tension and release from italian producer and sound artist giuseppe magistro. edition of 300 copies.

with el tunel / proceso , marc pinol and hugo capablanca aced their blend of industrial, acid, techno and new beat in an ep that remains one of the most celebrated moments in the hivern catalogue. now, the evasive duo return to set the bar even higher. four years might seem quite a lot of time, but for c.p.i. it was the necessary period to get rid of expectations and let space for something new to emerge. studio sessions in places like berlin, barcelona, and belgrade brought together an amalgam of voices, spontaneous liasons, mutations and surprising movements that finally crystallised in the four cuts that conform meine hand . masa y poder and sendero luminoso are two sides of the same coin. under all the layers, both ride exactly the same rhythm. two completely different paths that share a common starting point. one builds tension on the dancefloor. the other one tries to fool the threat in the mist. with it s unrelenting acid bassline and lethargic vocals, meine hand feels like some kind of love from above, yet another unexplainable conclusion. ninos de belgrado are, in fact, the children of belgrade. high on drugs. an impending sense of doom. longing for wasted years or perhaps an external threat lurking, who knows. vinyl comes in a standard black cover with insert by designer arnau pi.

with el tunel / proceso, marc pinol and hugo capablanca aced their blend of industrial, acid, techno and new beat in an ep that remains one of the most celebrated moments in the hivern catalogue. now, the evasive duo return to set the bar even higher. four years might seem quite a lot of time, but for c.p.i. it was the necessary period to get rid of expectations and let space for something new to emerge. studio sessions in places like berlin, barcelona, and belgrade brought together an amalgam of voices, spontaneous liasons, mutations and surprising movements that finally crystallised in the four cuts that conform meine hand. masa y poder and sendero luminoso are two sides of the same coin. under all the layers, both ride exactly the same rhythm. two completely different paths that share a common starting point. one builds tension on the dancefloor. the other one tries to fool the threat in the mist. with its unrelenting acid bassline and lethargic vocals, meine hand feels like some kind of love from above, yet another unexplainable conclusion. ninos de belgrado are, in fact, the children of belgrade. high on drugs. an impending sense of doom. longing for wasted years or perhaps an external threat lurking, who knows. silkscrened cover letterpressed at lanacronica. design by arnau pi.

the mysterious scaarlet is back with a vapourous ep lurking into light and darkness. not good opens the a side with a desperate electronica mood. feel the tension until drums propel you into apocalypse. um pushes you slowly toward the dancefloor. syncopated breakbeats, cut up grooves and a wavy bassline thrive you to embrace the cinematic ambiance. essai nouvo is not just a deep atmospheric broken techno sound. its an awaited glide into nothingness. all tracks mastered by pole at scape mastering in berlin.

the past few years have seen berlins frag maddin release material on waze & odysseys w&o street tracks, rough recordings and egg londons what came first as well as offering up a remix on roog & dennis quins ep for madhouse where her returns to here for a full ep featuring remixes from fellow berlin based acts black loops and kevin over. taking the lead on the package is the zauberflo&#776,te with its skippy hi-hats, hooky organ licks, hypnotic rhodes melodies and vocal cuts all further fuelled by a snaking sub-bass groove to create a slice of authentic house for one of the leading labels of the genre. black loops turns in a remix of the zauberflo&#776,te next, stripping things back to a deeper, more refined feel with spiraling, filtered elements of the original wandering around swinging 909 drums to create a groove-drive counterpart to the original. focus opens the latter half of the package, the second original from frag maddin which employs chugging square wave bass tones and dynamically evolving drums alongside tension building strings and choppy stabs before keving over closes the package with his gritty take on focus, featuring crunchy drums, dusty chords and cleverly arranged string and key samples.

tokyo based dj/producer tsuyoshi ogawa presents -seven samurai-. this vinyl-only label has been founded in 2018 and it is operating in tokyo, japan. it pays tribute to the japanese legendary movie director -akira kurosawa-. therefore, the name of the label comes from his film -seven samurai- and the tracks on the vinyl have been recorded using sound effects from the original movie s scenes. -seven samurai 001- is the memorable first ep produced by tsuyoshi ogawa. the 1st track, -seven samurai-, was recorded using the voice sample from the movie -seven samurai- by akira kurosawa: -everything s riding on this battle!-, which brings us a sign of the start of the samurai battle. here, the 2nd track -shadow enemy-, expresses the fear and tension of invisible enemies, whereas the 3rd track -kannon soleil- leads to the end of the battle by buddha who comes from the sky. this ep is dedicated to kurosawa as a new spiritual soundtrack for seven samurai.

vigram, a new viennese label, debuts with a strong three track ep by dan lodig, also known under his lok 44 moniker and as one half of /dl/ms/. dan s ms-45 ep features two hazy and playful original cuts on the fringe of techno and electro. pinn 487 builds tension with doomy sci-fi synths, welcome repetitions are broken up by frantic hi-hat patterns creating a dialogue, while watery acidlines support the beat. can t stop breaks with the four to the floor paradigm and delivers raunchy electro rhythms with intersecting acid lines topped by ethereal sounds for the curious minds. comes with a massive spesimen remix on the flip!! essential stuff..

discotheque fantastique is a musical collaboration that produces an eclectic spectrum of genres, somewhere between psychedelic rock, rare groove, funk and cosmic disco.

the first release is an ep with three driving tracks. the first track by discotheque fantastique -carnaval- has a percussive beat, hypnotic bassline, solid funk breaks with layers of tension. the second track by herr 2003 s -bourdonnement de l amour- is an amazing rework of a classic 70 s psychedelic rock tune with a groovy bass line, punchy female vocals and a shimmering arpeggiator synth. on the b side, club bizarre delivers an incredible extended version of a classic french cut from the 80 s.

limited copies - 2 vinyls for the price of one.

after me planet e are proud to present momentum, a two-track collaboration between carl craig and argentinian live electronic collective klauss. the ep is a result of an unplanned production session at the bands buenos aires studio in february of last year. each running at over ten minutes long and brimming with tension, both tracks use analogue grooves to form a grounding for meditative loops and mind-bending sonic processes to wander.

reaching its 15th release, amphia sees the return of cezar lazar’s double ep, intuitively called “archetypes”. known for his innovative approach both behind the decks and productions, cezar’s creative alter-ego enacts a variable puzzle with hard-edged sonic pieces laid out over five tracks, each with their own distinct acoustic palette. side a holds “equtime”. this side-long track envelops a stripped-down melody with perforated rhythmical pads, fleshed out with disconnected threads of vocals. side b is dedicated entirely to “badgervox”. displaying a weighty bass section alongside the shuffled percussion work, its intricate melody is integrated smoothly creating a unique soundscape. “thicken court” holds the first half of side c. sharp in its composition, it holds an assorted percussion ensemble and a collection of fizzy waveforms. they complement a thunder-like bass protagonist that holds the center stage. we continue with “boe dark”, where textures and sharp tones grow in layers upon layers creating tension. the apex is reached when modular timbres are hindered by sparse piano patterns, completing this electro-acoustic scenery. on the flipside, “wedmar” holds the key to our puzzle with its accurate four-to-the-floor feat. with a series of programmed overlapping organ vibes, the sound feels both piercing and intense, creating a sort of sensory impairment. “archetypes” displays cezar lazar s gentle subtleties and fluency in different dialects of idm.
(text by: bianca iulia)

up next on wolfskuil records and as the title suggests we find some of shlomos finest cuts on the dutch imprint reworked by oscar mulero, johannes heil and tripeo. spanish techno master oscar mulero takes over the a-side, keeps the heat of the original and adds extra tension to offer a stand out rendition of obsession, while in vanished breath he goes deep and delivers fine electronica and a sophisticated, experimental remix where broken beats and haunting synths seamlessly blend to create ghostly atmospheres. on the flip side johannes heil transforms the beatless, synth-heavy beauty m.u.m. into an euphoric, driving techno track, right before tripeo proves ones again his strong command on the dancefloor with a solid, twisted version of avadon part 1

fear is the vilest of human emotions - it weakens and corrupts, leaving mistrust and paranoia in its wake. in against the dying light, swarm intelligence embraces and wields fear, all the while breathing life into its rival: hope. to explore these concepts, swarm intelligence turned to horror films for inspiration - choosing dissonance and atonality to create sinister and unsettling melodies, as well as foley techniques to produce disturbing, unnatural sounds. the results are at times vicious and abrasive, at others acquiescent and almost mournful. swarm intelligence s against the dying light marks the first, full-length album on voitax. with moments of seething tension, unrestrained fury and dejection, as well as glimmers of hope - this record may have its roots in industrial techno, but ultimately it defies classification.

what if music had no beginning, no end? can music exist for itself or of itself, without structure constraining it, defining it? can music be non-linear, non-narrative, simply experiential, existential? the second full-length album on mysteries of the deep, musica enterrada from portland’s william selman, neither answers these questions nor supposes them. but in listening, one can’t help but wonder: what if i disappeared into this record forever? in another time and place, william selman was known as warmdesk, an alias through which he issued a series of sharply precise minimal techno records. in recent past, selman shifted gears, shedding the dynamics of tension and release that characterized his previous alias output. under his own name, selman began releasing process-oriented, freeform experimental music on cassette-focused outlets like digitalis and hausu mountain. now comes musica enterrada, a diaphanous, weightless musical vision not unlike the theoretical square root of grm and popol vuhs early electronic forays. split into six tracks across two sides of vinyl, musica enterrada bubbles, churns, drifts, and dozes. dulcet tones pile up gently like waves on shore. patterns repeat and reconfigure, as if heard from different angles. rhythms appear, shift the frame, then disappear, into the ether whence they came. play musica enterrada on repeat. and if you disappear into it, fret not you have drifted into solace.

in their fifth release, dc label partial magic welcomes four friends and producers from the knoxville, tennessee based collective teknox. alex falk opens the record with an upbeat slammer, looping cocky vocal samples over brash, noisy textures sure to please those familiar with his sound. second on the a side, saint thomas ledoux follows with an introspective track perfect for building or releasing dancefloor tension. on the b side, nikki nair brings back the raunch with a cheeky breaks-and-bleeps acid track. dialectic sines closes out the record with an ethereal cut backed by a hypnotic, tropical electro-techno groove.

the follow up of the acclaimed first volume of this compilation, a real discovery for many djs and music lovers worldwide who didn’t know that much about zouk or diy electronic music of the french west indies. the selectors julien achard and nicolas skliris continue the excavation of french antillas vinyl from the 80s and the 90s and for this second volume, they found some really exciting new references which should be soon classics on the dancefloors.

coldgeists music on unknown bodies is an intimate reinterpretation of coldwave, techno and dark ambient codes, uttered with strength, guts, and an underlying romantic soul. inspired by nocturnal runs of bosozoku bikers clans, who stem from this japanese subculture of the late seventies , coldgeist has created a series of soundscapes and songs that evoke speeding through foggy nights and fluorescent lights. haunting repetitions and stiffness of the rhythms as a metaphor of mechanical gestures, of bodies turned into units of consumption, stranded from the life and passion they crave. the frustration of a youth that only finds relief in extreme experiences, danger, and the sexual tension of speed and crashes. with analog and digital instruments, field recordings but also his own voice and songs, coldgeist has bred a truly unique record.

aroop roy has been making waves with his unique sounds for the past few years, with a wealth of successful releases and a busy gig schedule at the helm of some of the best clubs around the world. by fusing elements of jazz, afro, latin, funk and soul with the deeper end of house and disco, aroop has forged his own style with eps on revered labels including g.a.m.m, basic fingers, freestyle and lazy days. for his delusions of grandeur debut he pulled out all the stops, delivering three original tracks which further show his diversity as an artist and ability to produce left of centre, quality underground music without losing sight of the dancefloor. things kick off with save our love, a track that’s absolutely brimming with energy thanks to punchy wurlitzer chops, tension-building philly strings, and a rock-solid disco groove. next up we have what i love which sees aroop take an altogether more freaky approach flipping an uptempo rolling break, distorted synth line, cross-rhythm stabs and rasping vocal cuts into an edgy dance floor workout. closing this brilliant ep is the low-slung bump of walk that walk featuring original vocals from oakland, ca based blacktroniks who delivers his flow on top of a bass-heavy slice of deep electro boogie.

drumcode favourite bart skils kickstarts the new year with his sixth ep for the label since his debut on drumcode in 2012, bart skils has been one of the label s most regular contributors, with the dutchmans brand of functional, hook-driven techno a go-to weapon for adam beyer from his stellar shadowprint ep in 2014, to last year s classy remix of mobys go. one of the netherlands hardest working ambassadors for techno, he is the organiser of the beloved voltt love summer festival that s has been a favourite of beyers for many years. his latest work for drumcode, bells of the revolution continues his impeccable reputation for quality with everything he does, with four cuts all with their own distinct storyline. the title track is characterised by dark driving grooves and bubbling acid line that slowly evolves into a lush melodic riff. ocean drive nose-dives into deeper techno territory, while maintaining a sense of exquisite tension throughout. vocalized follows, a stomping acid techno cut that slides into the deep courtesy of skilfully programmed vox and elegant licks of melody. the ep concludes with retrodade, a track thats been one of the biggest in beyers sets in 2017 and features the famous vocal from rozallas everybodys free. the sample was used with kind permission from the iconic 90s singer