british trip-hop pioneers morcheeba return with their first new album in over five years. the band have released 8 albums that have sold in excess of 10 million records in their career. “blaze away”, their positivity-packed ninth album, marks both a fresh start in its organic approach and a return to the joyous genre-mashing of their early days, with featured guests roots manuva and benjamin biolay. there was no template for its ten, extraordinary, future-facing songs, no self-imposed limits on style, no themes to be adhered to or rules in place to break.
black vinyl pressing.

a project 18 months in the making, marcel fengler presents a imf10, a three part compilation series detailing the past, present and future of his label index marcel fengler. part 2 focuses on the warmer and more soulful side of imf and features an outstanding array of artists making their debut for the label, all of which have a strong personal meaning to fengler. there’s fjaak, the exciting berlin trio he admires for their authentic identity and honest sound, a special shed remix of the enigmatic vril whose timeless productions continue to strike a chord with him, good friend eric cloutier who he has long wanted to get involved in imf and of course long-time label champion thomas hessler. viennas arthur robert a new face marcel discovered after he sent him tracks over facebook contributes a beautiful shimmering work to the compilation. highlighting this section of the project is the first azur track marcels new side project. he explains: ive always liked to be diverse with my music, but i also do’t want to confuse people. this is the reason why i decided to give my melodic side its own identity. my music under the marcel fengler name will go back to its roots and be more raw and rough in production terms. the final digital package will be complemented by a dj mix from thomas hessler comprised of tracks from imf10. stay tuned for parts 3 to follow, which includes originals and remixes by marcel fengler, sebastian kramer (aka redshape), luke slater, peter van hoesen and more.

hogg returns to scrapes with a full-length recording made at electrical audio. self-extinguishing emission captures the physicality and energy of a hogg performance over the last several years, while the song-writing and production show a refinement and development that is uniquely hogg. the songs are built around a spare foundation of heavy electronic pulses punctured by occasional stabs of distorted guitar, floor tom, and biological samples. dueling vocals of diverse sonic and emotional quality render each song into a pleasurable exploration of internal conflict within a brutal psychological atmosphere.

those who preordered, do not have to do so again - we will contact you when we have stock! omar mccutcheon, operating under his batu alias, has been on the frontline of bristol’s innovative electronic music scene since 2013. in 2015 he founded his record label timedance, a platform for showcasing his tastes utilising a close knit group of young producers and djs. batus glistening broken techno productions are pushed through a deeply uk-sounding prism, one informed by batu being brought up on a diet of dubstep and uk dance music from a young age. trying to tie his sound to those genres however, would be a mistake. having been earmarked already by the guardian as an artist to watch for 2018, batus sound is very much his own. batus rebuilt ep marks his third release in just over a year. not one for complacency, his debut release via xl recordings shows batu pushing his sound forward in every way possible, creating his most uniquely slippery sounding tracks to date. i wanted to try and challenge myself a bit for this ep. every track represents a different phase of experimentation and also different tempos, i wanted to push my processes further than i ever have done.

after a lot of questions from fans when we were going to drop enzyme 060, it is finally here. we thought it was time to celebrate one of our most memorable releases with some new influences, but not forgetting about the original one. as it’s been well over a decade since its initial release and the overwhelming impact it has had on many of our loyal fans. it was time to do something special. we present you the (very!) limited picture disc edition of ophidian & ruffneck’s “so many sacrifices”, including two remixes by rapture and neox. the original track has been carefully remastered to fit today’s standards, so you can play it loud again in your sets.

record kicks celebrates 15 years in the business with a collection full of exclusive new singles on a limited edition double clear vinyl lp.
side by side with similar outfits like daptone, truth and soul, freestyle or timmion, under its motto the explosive sound from today s scene milan-based independent label record kicks has been pitching the contemporary funk & soul scene since day one. with over 200 releases under the belt, rk has released bands from all over the globe and earned the support of vip fans such as kenny dope, jamie cullum, craig charles and not least jay-z, thanks to which the label has recently received a grammy nomination for hov’s use of hannah williams’ late nights and heartbreak as backdrop for his 4:44.

dutch artist and producer ian mono presents his first release on his new label. straight up, no nonsense techno but with a slightly oblique edge that takes us over into dub and experimental territories from time to time. in oceans is a three track ep which covers echobound’s statement and ideals right from the start.

gothenburg based tora vinter brings a sonic journey of two genre defying tracks to bror06, coming from releases on her own my sonic mountain imprint and remix work for fever ray (rabid records). arriving from an impression inspired by female characters of one thousand and one nights, tora starts the ep with the emotive morgiana, presenting minimalist layers of classy percussion over an eight minute bassline workout together with veraluz’s impassioned vocals. following up the a-side is the lush and evocative sheherazade, bringing the listener from atmospheric soundscapes through suggestive drum patterns - featuring a spaced out, stepping remix by dj lily.

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

personally endorsed and officially licensed remix of ned doheny. a first for anyone, we were granted full access to the separate tracks of a ned doheny masterpiece. accordingly, claremont 56 maestro paul -mudd- murphy was selected to preside over the full stems for ned’s classic -think like a lover- and asked to deliver one of his famed remixes. his gentle disco rework blew us all away. an extended triumph of strung out balearic bliss, it is presented here on vinyl as a limited edition of 500 copies, complete with the dub on the flip. with mastering handled by the wonderful simon francis - engineer for both claremont 56 and be with - you know this sounds every bit as good as it feels. housed in a beautifully produced disco sleeve, designed by mudd himself, these will not be around for long. just in time for spring/summer parties and festivals, ensure your set is flavoured with this slow-motion, string-drenched gift.

(incl. dl card) agents of time are proud to present ordinary cosmic dance, the new ep on their own obscura imprint. over three tracks the bari based trio brandish hypnotic, looping melodies in techno structures with subtle trance references.

through the years intacto records became a household name. the label was founded in amsterdam in 2004 under the collaborative genius of shinedoe and 2000 and one. it was launched as a platform for the by then strongly emerging amsterdam scene supporting a pack of local artists shaping a fresh distinctive sound which took over the electronic scene by storm. intactos defining sound included many styles and its catalogue is a melting pot of influences of which house and techno are the key elements. after running intacto records successfully for 14 years, shinedoe and 2000 and one have joined forces on their very first collaborative release. a ten year old unreleased 2000 and one track world of acid have been played out by shinedoe for years and received ecstatic feedback from the clubbing crowds. convincing him to release this timeless tune to scorch the dancefloors worldwide, shinedoe was inspired to do a remix. in return 2000 and one remixed her track acidploitation which she recently produced. acidploitation ep is the culmination of two dutch legends, defining their brilliant take on music once again

fullcover version! bold - the new born techno and techhouse label from berlin - is proud to present the first record from minigram, mastered by martin eyerer (riverside studios berlin). in 2016 minigram started to launch his own productions which allowed him to show his varied repertoire of music which also includes remixes of known and not yet known artists. over the past 20 years minigram has already carved out a career in electronic music as a dj. to create this sophisticated and immersive record that easily flows between techno and house, minigram is constantly playing with the expectation of the audience on the dancefloor.

bold - the new born techno and techhouse label from berlin - is proud to present the first record from minigram, mastered by martin eyerer (riverside studios berlin). in 2016 minigram started to launch his own productions which allowed him to show his varied repertoire of music which also includes remixes of known and not yet known artists. over the past 20 years minigram has already carved out a career in electronic music as a dj. to create this sophisticated and immersive record that easily flows between techno and house, minigram is constantly playing with the expectation of the audience on the dancefloor.

apollo proudly presents the return of sw, joined by partner svn for a sublime 6 track ep. sws lush sound design and hypnotic arrangements of 2017s the album had hearts and minds swooning following its license from sued to apollo. its balmy glory won over pitchfork (deeply expressive debut album 8/10), rolling stone (best electronic albums 2017) and xlr8r (best releases 2017) amongst many others. one year later, sw and svn have gone into the studio, together to make some original music specifically for apollo. the results are the 6 tracks on this ep, they share in a typically taciturn statement. taking inspiration from the iconic house and techno of the mid / late 90s - sw and svn combine dreamy melodies and mesmeric grooves with unfussy, focussed minimalism, their beguiling, modern take on classic sounds and rhythms remains thrillingly unique and elusive. while sw and svn are more comfortable out of the limelight, this 6 track ep for apollo once again proves that they are rightly worthy of the hype that swirls around them.

it was vladimir ivkovic who introduced me to the world of rex ilusivii. a world where the spirit of a genius holds sway. i remember spending an entire night at vladimir s house in germany, listening to all those recovered pieces, and feeling like i had entered another space-time. mitar tragically left us, one november night in 1999 in brazil, leaving behind an extensive body of work consisting of more than 500 pieces, for the most part never released. being submerged in such a unique universe, so singular, brought me happiness. it also filled me with hope, because i tell myself that today there must be many other outstanding musicians who produce in the shadow of the traditional circuit, just for the pleasure of making music. listening to the music of mitar suboti&#263,, makes you part of his world. he did not stop producing from 1983 to 1999, in different styles, but with an instantly recognizable touch.his music also marries the evolution of recording techniques with new instruments that have appeared over this time, from the tr808 to the digital samplers. it took me more than two years to select the music for this record, as each time i listened to the material it revealed other details and other possibilities. i am extremely happy and honored to present this record to you, in which i try to do justice to the different, versatile- facets of suba.

osynlig fetma is the production duo arvid wretman (aka your planet is next, sexazoid) and dennis vera. the two stockholmers have created a diverse ep of analogue lopsided dance music. freaky vocals take place over freewheeling jazzy jamming synths and drum machines. house music for dancers with two left feet. comes complete with a mix mup remix. download code included.

field of dreams are field theorys chris kentish and dj al mackenzie. field theory have recently had tracks on respected labels such as futureboogie and secret life gaining rave reviews and even garnering plays on bbc radio 6 music. al has been a dj since the late 80s, now resident at birminghams great outdoors. he s made numerous records over the years but will probably be remembered primarily for his 90s band d:ream making number one all over the world and remixing for emf and duran duran amongst others. bumping into each other in the street one dayand realising they lived opposite each other, they seized upon the chance to combine their favourite passions, making music and drinking.

the 3rd release on alma negra records is dedicated to the music of eritrea, a small (in african terms, that is) country nestled in between sudan and ethopia on the south end of the red sea. drawing from its native spiritual roots as well as the christian and islamic influences of conquering factions, this multiethnical country is home to an amazingly diverse plethora of cultures and musical styles. on this ep, we are happy to showcase the music of the saho people from the region of zula, which is located in between the coastal lowlands close to the dahlak archipelago. the word saho roughly translates (translated?) as nomad, pointing towards a lifestyle where tradition and culture is being passed on orally over generations. the exact source for these edits of the saho sound are thus lost to the murky depths of history, as they are based on traditional folksongs

(180 gr, purple/pink/white marbled coloured vinyl) morning star is a combination of the sound of the congos and the pura vida sound. it features 6 new congos songs, 3 songs from pura vida and a dubversion called dub love. the album has the vintage lastark sound and was mixed the oldschool way using the mixer as an instrument.

incl dl code, dam swindle present ‘high life, their second studio album due on the 28th may on the duos own heist recordings. the heart of the album was recorded over a three week period at their amsterdam studio in march 2017, and the release will coincide with the fifth anniversary of the label. since forming in 2011, the dutch duo have carved a unique place for themselves in the scene. their sound - which merges references from multiple decades into one smooth aesthetic - quickly rose to popularity for its careful blend of soul and rhythm, taking cues from their passion for obscure records, with influences ranging from house and funk to afrobeat and soul. dynamic live shows and dj sets afford them a packed touring schedule across the globe, whilst their label heist recordings is credited with consistently breaking new artists. the album explores the intersection of live and electronic music, with much of the improvised material left largely untouched to maintain its organic sensibilities. dam swindle describe the album as an electronic album with a live approach, combining our love for house, ambient and jazzy harmonics, making it a record interesting for the club, as well as a pleasant album to put on at home.

world beyond ist die neueinspielung von erasures letztjährigem album world be gone in einem post-klassischen gewand. es wurde in nur zehn tagen von andy bell und sieben musikerinnen des brüsseler echo collectives eingespielt. die idee zum album entwickelte vince clarke, der zunächst vorgeschlagen hatte eine single von world be gone in einem größeren rahmen einzuspielen. im gespräch mit dem echo collective formte sich allerdings schnell die idee, das gesamte album neu zu interpretieren. produktion und arrangement lagen in den händen des echo collective, den mix besorgte gareth jones. reflektierte world be gone in einem größeren maße als zuvor die aktuelle lage der welt, ohne dabei freilich hoffnungslos zu werden, offenbaren die neueinspielungen eine neue dimension der stücke, die man so nicht vermutet hättet. pressung auf rotem vinyl, downloadcode inklusive.

the saqqara ep is a multilayered, sonic canvas from the mind of chris barratt, as he launches his new alias, baratt, for life and death. fine brushstrokes move from all areas of his musical hideout, spreading over five, varied, aural sculptures, each one warping and weaving on its own cosmic trajectory. pooling from key aspects of his eagles & butterflies project, barratt induces new musical shades, hinting at moments of disco and funk, through a lens of psychedelia. the title track is a late-night floor-filler - a bold yet uniquely personal necropolis built from riveting delays and arpeggiators. time bending sees dj tennis join in, stepping up with his trademark, rough around the edges production aesthetic, en route to unknown destinations. barratt hones-in on a confident, stripped-down style on khaos - rhythm versus melody just in time for festival season. 1983 soundtracks a ride to utopia on a rocket-fueled vespa, leading to collider, the land of un-quantised madness, where the most treasured of synthesisers live amongst their drum machine counterparts. flowing yet incredibly interconnected, saqqara is best interpreted as a mini artist album - the first of many barratt offerings.

soma are proud to present the debut album from one of techno’s most prolific and renowned producers, tensal. as one half of the duo exium, hector sandoval has already carved out a career in techno spanning over 20 years, with countless release on their self-run nheoma, warm up recordings & pole group, to name but a few. in 2014, he started the tensal project as an outlet for his own productions which allowed him the scope of pursuing the more direct and minimalistic approach with his music and also his djing. after hooking up with the soma camp in early 2017 and releasing a collection of well-refined singles, tensal delivers his debut album, graphical. searching to go beyond the realm of standard techno, tensal lends his considerable production experience to this project and creates a sophisticated and immersive album experience that flows gracefully between idm and techno.

the city of bologna (bolo for locals) has been always a crucial junction for the underground music scene in italy.
over the last few years a small group of bad boys has started to fill the streets with a distinctive and modern interpretion of house music.
we are here to represent that sound.
we are bolo represent.

the ny house trak brought joy to dance floors world wide in 2012 and beyond. with second hand copies now fetching for 40 euros and over, we thought it was time to serve you with a limited re-issue of both this club track and can you feel it? remastered and vocals on the a-side slightly adjusted this time round too! the ny house trak is cut on one side so you know what this means: extra loud pressing for ultimate sound quality. side b contains a previously unreleased instrumental!

fresh from releases on honey soundsystem & non plus, vin sol returns to uttu’s dance trax series for vol.14 bringing his magic touch of ghetto house over 4 original productions! fresh cuts for the floor!

transit valley is the debut release by joe coghill, a multi-disciplinary artist, musician and experimental publisher based in edinburgh. his practice incorporates sound, video, performance, social sculpture, facilitation and media distribution. borrowing from multiple spheres of influence, his scattered output operates from a liminal position. coghill works in an improvised and often haphazard way, incorporating disparate field recordings, modular synthesis and other sonic ambiences to create unpredictable and ephemeral multi-layer audio-visual performances. alongside this coghill has been producing music recreationally in his various bedroom studios over the past 14 years

‘lillygood party!’ is the brand new bbe compilation from highly respected swiss dj alex attias. taking its name from a party he runs in his native lausanne, lillygood has gradually evolved into a radio show and even a label, now on its 4th release. refecting the music he plays at the clubnight, ‘lillygood party!’ is packed with funk, disco, deep house and boogie bullets from across the globe. “the idea is to present not only rare or difcult tracks to fnd, simply good grooves for people to play out, or listen to at home.”
from rare japanese disco gems, through spiritual jazz, to genre defying sounds from broken-beat cohorts kaidi tatham and dego, ‘lillygood party!’ takes a unique trip inside the musical mind of one of dance music’s true nonconformists.
alex attias got his start in back in ’88 playing funk, house, jazz, and disco, as well as producing under various monikers such as mustang, freedom soundz or beatless. moving to london in ’97 he started his ‘visions’ label and found himself at the epicentre of the emerging west london ‘broken beat’ scene which grew around his studio at goya. releases on people, planet e, ubiquity, neroli, archive and compost followed, as well as remixes for incognito, 4hero, ennio morricone, sun ra, art blakey, roni size and laurent garnier among others.

after the release of brazilian disco boogie sounds (fvr098), favorite recordings follows-up, this time focusing on its homeland language. helped by a close connoisseur friend, dj and collector charles maurice presents a fine selection of what he thinks represent best the amazing energy of this specific movement and period. with 10 rare titles, all produced between 1975 and 1984, he shows a perfect picture of what you could find in french record stores at that time, on one hand, tracks by overdrive, marché noir, didier makaga or france-lise, were produced by underground artists and labels from the french caribbean and african community and also filled with the raw spirit of this tropical stamping. on the other hand, tracks by beckie bell, kelly, le club, or bernard guyvan, were released by major labels such as trëma, carrere, disques vogue, or pathé marconi, thanks to confirmed independent producers, acting not only in france, but also in canada and the us. today, favorite recordings and charles maurice are very proud to shed some light again on these gems, and hopefully offer them a new life on your turntable

deep house done properly australian trio rüfüs amazing 2016 sophomore album bloom, previously only available in australia, gets a welcome, worldwide release. featuring the singles you were right and like an animal! its a journey through richly layered synths behind driving beats, atmospheric build ups and killer breakdowns all married together with tyrone lindqvist s soulful vocals. from the heartfelt epic that is innerbloom, to the uplifting melody of say a prayer for me, bloom will have rüfüs fans fall in love all over again.

lisbon’s parai&#769,so is back, bringing us their first artist ep - and it couldn’t come from a realer luminary of the portuguese underground. dj senior vasquez, mostly known as photonz, has been doing the rounds for over a decade, continually championing the early sound of lisbon rave while helping craft some heavily innovative dancefloor ammunition.

assertiveness can be virtue. hence, boss moves - luca lozanos debut for running back - is aptly titled. generously spread over two vinyl plates, lozano investigates the hybrid sound that once was embodied by groups like future sound of london, labels like guerilla and djs such as sasha or dave angel. blessed with the production of skills of today, the eyes of a tailor and the chemoreceptors of a perfumer, the klasse wrecks and grafiti tapes man delivers nine tracks that do it all: tribal, trance, breakbeats, house, 303s, bleeps, rave, dubby deepness and pianos. like a trip down the 3d-visual-kaleidoscopic-artwork* hole or a snake charmer without a flute. intake as a whole, record it to your tape desk and feel like tuning into on a pirate station in ‘95. happiness is just around the bend. *none of that can be found here. see explosive black-and-white sleeve for further reference.

rhyw is alex tsiridis aka one half of cassegrain. on this, his solo debut for arcing seas, his smoul-dering alien techno sound manifesto continues to thrive over three unique tracks. the morphing, deconstructed acid of unpunishable - a molten statement of lusty intent - strikes first in a heady, hazy pummelling of doom-funk. ‘vertisol pushes crisp and dry snaking percussion through an anechoic chamber, the bass end neatly warming at first then burning hard through your mid section. an icy cold shot of ‘aqua velva is the final offering - a pushing sub-level trip through rhyws private domain - where tingling rushes of bass and static charges wash over us leaving a sinful residue. arcing seas is an anagram of cassegrain. it started out as a secret alias, releasing a couple eps on our circula sound. the secret was less well kept after the duo appeared at berghain under this name. a year later, after deciding to start a label, it finally made sense to bring the two together

perc & truss’ statement of rave intent “leather & lace” returns when you least expected it, this time in the form of three new remixes from an all-star cast of producers. leading the charge are perc trax’s breakout starts of last year ghost in the machine who build upon their trademark kick drum volley with reese basslines, swearing pads and a stretched out arrangement that showcases all that they are capable of. flip it over and tectonic main man pinch takes a different approach with his uniquely bristolian take on techno, featuring everything from primitive computer bleeps to the kind of broken rhythms he and his label are known for. closing things off is the wildcard of the set as mumdance and logos step away from their weightless sound to serve up a tough, acid driven take that nods it’s head to the classic sounds of bonzai and eye-q.

arcarsenal duo is back with their first ever full length production in 7 years of making music together. the album is a collection of intuitive jams crossing over the codes of electronic music typologies. with this set of hallucinatory psychedelic electronica tracks evolving over complex patterns and grooves, and sprinkled with pinches of krautrock and folk aesthetics, arcarsenal is here once again blurring boundaries and proving that their world is located in an ever expanding universe.

originally released in ‘06/’07 as the appetizer to only built 4 cuban linx ii, the vatican mixtape series consists of a vast collection of unreleased tracks, wu & solo classics (“shame on a ni**a”, “diesel”, “ghetto boy”, & “yae-yo”), as well as some of rae’s best guest work through the years (“the heist”, “brown paper bag”, & “bump bump”). volume 3 features verses from fat joe, tek & steele, ill bill, and several wu-tang brethren including, ghostface killah, masta killa, & inspectah deck. this 2xlp is the first time this volume and series gets pressed to wax, and features completely new artwork for a fresh look.

lenny kravitz’ greatest hits on 180 gram double vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve

since the release of their critically acclaimed debut album in 2013 on names you can trust, la mecánica popular has quietly been contemplating the evolution of the group s sound, philosophy, and overall approach to making music. band leader efraín rozas experimental nature has continually pushed the boundaries of his own definition of not only latin american music, but its broader relationship with music s global culture and history. the sound of -psychedelic salsa- that lmp helped capture in their debut was destined for further outside-the-box interpretations, and with the formation of a new quintet lineup over the last few years, lmp began to incorporate a more free, improvised and instrumental-focused performance of rozas increasingly radical compositions. the band subsequently took this liberated approach directly into the studio, recording roza cruz live, in its entirety. it was a cathartic experience, a necessary methodology for the new album s concept that embraced the intimate performance of its players and did away with standard techniques of isolation and overdubs. the evolution of the band s sound on roza cruz brings forth a blend of styles rarely heard together, a touch reminiscent of electric-era miles davis or eddie palmieri at his most experimental, as the driving force of timbales and congas provide a bed for a wave of lush, analog amplification that mirrors the dueling leads of fuzz guitar and electric piano. but as far out as those instruments take the listener, the raw rhythm the clave always keeps it tethered to the earth and the dance, a cerebral yet visceral gift for the mind and feet.

(180 g vinyl incl. dl card) following its launch in 2006, slaters l.b. dub corp moniker has been responsible for refreshing house music on labels like mote-evolver and ostgut ton, with the latter hosting the pseudonyms debut album in 2013. side effects is the projects first body of work since then. i wrote the tracks over the last year between being on the road as p.a.s. and playing a few l.b. dub corp house sets, which naturally evolved into side effects almost accidentally luke slater

on the special occasion of rsd 2018, michael kiwanuka releases an exclusive live album. recorded over his 2017 tour in three iconic uk venues.

tokyo tag-team kei and nagi sugano, aka dazzle drums, have been responsible for secret weapons in the bags of some of the finest djs since their debut in 2005. in addition to supporting danny krivit each time he plays in tokyo, the duo periodically floats him exclusive edits to test out during his expansive sets. two of these in particular have become regular features on m. k s dance floors, and it is these prime choices that have been selected for the latest release on most excellent unlimited. -brothers gonna work it out- takes the cinematic soul classic and toughens it up with a propulsive drum track and immaculate editing to extend and energize the already powerful tune. -get down boy- is a relentlessly driving disco cut whose dramatic synth-and-string heavy instrumentation provides a plush bed for seductive female vocals before giving way to a tremendous bass break that is certain to leave dancers in a sweat. reverently mastered and spread over a wide-grooved 12-inch single, it s another meu sure-shot.

over the course of four unforgettable eps released on throne of blood since 2013, hardway brother sean johnston has cultivated a broad international following for his singular brand of dancefloor fodder. best known as one half of legendary dj team a love from outer space alongside the one-and-only andrew weatherall, johnston’s roots in the dance music scene include a clutch of leftfield 90’s era bangers on labels like sabres of paradise and flashcomm. beyond his original output, johnston has also remixed the likes of man power, the asphodells, museum of love, split secs, clandestino and many more. the laser ep is peaktime hardway bros business. friedman feedback loop revision (a nod to tob boss james friedmans highly-valued opinions) is a masterclass in efficient simplicity, elevating a few basic loops into an exhilarating 8 minute monster. the laser rounds out the a side with a classic electro rhythm/bass/vocal sample combo could easily have landed in retro territory. instead, hardway bros easily flips a clutch of oldschool tricks into an utterly modern execution. the b-side finds tobs label manager max pask injecting friedman feedback loop revision with his love for all things analog and italo. with his impressive collection of synths brought to life by chinatown records brennan green, the song is transformed into an epic set closer thats already devasting dancefloors like berlins panorama bar. the ep closes with afro sirene, a midtempo groover with melodic arpeggios built for the discerning djs warm-up set.

limited & numbered rsd 2018 release.

for over 4 years, david coccagna aka chaperone has been a constant part of great circles, as musician, art director, and muse. with snapback balaclava he once again fully embodies all of those roles, delivering three inspiring tracks, selecting his remixers with specific attention to their musical histories, and designing his cover art. across the a-side, chaperone scrapes away at the grit – personal grit, the grit of anxiety, and philly grit. these are meditations on loops, and loops on meditations. each one appears on the surface to be a brief quote, but time dilation takes over, and minutes later we discover that chaperone has welcomed us into and back out of his own healing moment. like chaperone s p o n d release grcr-009, the b-side of snapback balaclava is a great circles extended family affair with a trio of diverse remixes that expose and exploit fragments of the chaos chaperone so carefully contained. hitoshi kojima thrive reinterprets pulse feels swells beating with relentless syncopated rhythms and synth lines that hang like massive string drones. m//r lays down a signature percussion ensemble palette, zeroes in on otherwise peripheral elements of grit neglect, and then deftly navigates sea change with both. matt korvette and sean mcguinness of philly punk band pissed jeans open up the pit and finish the story, taking femur baseball bat to its literal and brutal potential with monstrous vocals and kicks.

memento s steadfast head-honcho idirss d is back on his own label with -shams-, a maxi-single with two cuts of pure sonic bliss, finely embellished with soul and dedication for his personal d.i.b series. “shams” is an overwhelming dancefloor tune that expands on a flangered sequence, crackling arpeggios, an uplifting galactic pad, shredded male hooks and finally an esoteric slice of a female lyric. “piramide” is a fast technotic ride over an hypnotic tribal chant. a fat saturated bass drum and crispy claps open the way to an highly resonant synthetic lead that spins around itself over and over again, submerging and resurfacing with furious snares and rapid hi-hats. the two sides of the record entirely disclose idriss sharpened club sense and his superb taste for graceful arrangements.

originally released back in 2011, lord giveth, lord taketh away, saw freddie gibbs team up with legendary east coast beat maker statik selektah. the project was recorded in a single day, with the sessions being broadcast out on u-stream. across the seven track ep, gibbs showcases his hyper technical gansta rap flow, stepping out of his comfort zone rapping over some classic nyc boom bap production. the ep features guest spots from trae the truth, smoke dza, termanology and more. omerta inc. will be bringing this collaborative project to vinyl for the first time. as well as featuring the seven tracks from the original project, the vinyl release will include two bonus tracks, crushin’ feelings and carry on featuring joey bada$$.

vienna-based producer sam irl popped up on our radar a couple of years ago following stellar releases on jazz & milk, but honestly we should have been paying far closer attention as this guy has been making the best crunchy, mpc-driven jazz-infused house music dating right back to 2006. ep’s for s3a’s sampling as an art and collaborative projects with patrick pulsinger and dusty have won him fans including gilles peterson (leading to a release on brownswood), mr scruff and session victim amongst many others. his live sets have also seen him perform at the hallowed grounds of panorama bar and sonar festival. for his debut ep here on freerange sam has delivered four tracks which perfectly showcase his production skills and knowledge of what makes a dance floor tick, kicking off with title track rain technique. quirky keys and a playful groove help build a warm and charming vibe, light and bouncy yet deep and driving enough to get your dance on to. trust follows with loping, lopsided percussion forming the basis of the groove, sparse rhodes pads punctuating the beat and adding just the right musical element to the mix without cluttering the beats or compromising the sense of space. flipping over we have all thats left which sees sam utilising his trusted tr606 for some lovely snappy snares and sizzling hihats. chiming arpeggios join the repeating chord riff creating another simple yet uplifting and playful mood which cant fail to get under your skin. closing the ep we have a wonky, shuffling house track which once again shows sam proving less is more, sampling his key elements into the mpc and jamming out the arrangement in a live and improvised way which brings a fresh, somewhat naive appeal to the production.

after a big contribution to our tenth release compilation back in 2014 (via his track “4×4&#8243,), defekt makes a long overdue full ep debut on earwiggle with his most overloaded 12” to date. while recently conspiring to make the first tinfoil album, he applies some similar grit here, while still retaining enough classic defekt components. displaying the full repertoire of his sound over 5 tracks – from tougher techno to acid to melodic electro to ebm – every one here is a killer in its own right. do not miss! early support from ben ufo, dave clarke, the hacker, boddika, boys noize, uvb, perc and more.