after putting 1990s record label emote to bed and a 17 year break from making music mark churcher has now knocked out 2 rasping acid house discs within a year on his new chicago bee record label. the first very well received ep whos this guy? is followed up with the same a eno-acid moniker. this 4 track ep is deeper, darker and even more drugged out. the tracks are slower and longer allowing the listener to be sonically submerged in the reverb swelled acid lines.

new yorks marcos cabral steps up for his first full release on dimensions recordings, with the nature walk ep. following on from his epic prochainement masterpiece on dimensions 002, the ep provides a glimpse into the mind of a well-established and hugely respected artist. nature walk is a broad ep that demonstrates just why marcos records have been finding their way into a multitude of djs bags for the last fifteen years. from his work with jacques renault as runaway, and his coveted hamilton dance records output to his more recent deeper and darker leanings for leading labels such as clone, l.i.e.s. and mule musiq, marcos has quietly and studiously worked at developing an impressive catalogue which most folks who have brushed with house and techno will have heard, whether they know it or not. the ep provides a snapshot of some of the tastes and styles that marcos has experimented with over the years, the rolling, energetic and optimistic sounding, not quite house, not quite techno of wishful gives way to the brooding, dub techno of title track, nature walk. cape cod sees marcos in classic, house mode with a cut that could easily have dropped on nycs nu groove records, whereas rice a roni is a no nonsense nugget of twisted, grinding, acid. the ep rounds off with lets see how the light goes through it, a spacey hypnotic workout for the late hours and a fitting end to a stand out ep from the self proclaimed, hardest working man!

edwards graceful take on modern house and techno is a perfect fit for trelik, and the german producer sounds comfortable as he unfurls swooning threads of otherworldly music for the tripped out dancefloor. the ogermania mx of mikko is a hazy, string soaked affair pitched somewhere warm and dreamlike, but there s plenty of energy churning away in the lower register. lottery is a more twitchy affair for darker times, all moody bass bounce and looming drones around a shuffling set of percussion. groaning ghosts is the techiest of the bunch, and theres a whole lot of freaked out sound design swirling around in the mix as well. this is simply stunning, highly advanced dance music from a modern day maestro.

roza terenzi is the latest convert to the kalahari oyster cult, the australian producer debuts with four tracks showcasing her unique sound. influences come from far and wide, shifting between electro, house, techno and even early rave anthems. the space bleeps of -gigi- are soon interrupted by shouldering kick drums. samples stagger and stumble before key stabs cut through beats in this hazy piece of early morning elation. -mwah- maintains those euphoric moods. snapping snares slice through shimmering synthwork and soaring strings to keep the night grooving. darker tones enter with -rare high-, but these shades are soon brightened by arcing notes. acid lines squeak and squirm in this balancing act of disparate colours and chords. distant lands and exotic encounters are conjured for -soft-, perfumed percussion and meandering melodies mingle and merge for head swimming close of aromatic audio.

mental modern is a underground music label created to explore all the nuances of modern techno music, from deeper sounds to the darker and industrial ones. focused on signing new artists with big artists from the techno scene, to provide quality music.

dark entries editions is proud to reissue ghost town the 1984 debut 12inch single by mono band from italy. the project was conceived by producer rene d herin and massimo fantinatiti aka fantenax. they teamed up with songwriter and guitarist luigi venegoni aka svengile who had previously worked with progressive and jazz-rock bands arti & mestieri and venegoni & co. as well as cosmic disco group stratosferic band. treading the lines between italo disco and the darker side of new wave, the trio crafted a mysterious sound. melancholic arpeggiators, a throbbing baseline, stuttering samples, and the classic linn drum machine run throughout the track. vocals were handled by an uncredited carlo rossi who raps about a ghost town filled with fear. when female vocalist elena sansonetti begins to softly whisper the chorus one might get goose bumps. the trio were joined in the studio by dj mike aka michele paolino of make up/mike up, dj moody, fabrice bellini of art fine and producer miceli. the song was recorded in a few days at dynamo sound studio in turin and originally released on the popular discomagic records. this reissue includes the original vocal version, backed with a longer dubbed out instrumental ?ghost version? on the b-side. all songs have been remastered for vinyl by george horn at fantasy studios in berkeley. the 12inch is housed in an exact replica of the original sleeve with an astrological photo the planets orbiting the sun. each copy also includes a 2-sided postcard.

nerang recordings first vinyl release showcases the talent of 4 producers who follow no rules on the studio. iok’s, i want to be with you (and a couple of others) is a lush track filled with emotion to set you on any roller-coaster. straight after that, we have dj safeword taking us to the darker side, literally, with his track hell. grey people’s lizard man dance is a hard hitting floor mover, for anyone with feet on their ankles. future dz came to the party with bongo 2cc, sure to start or or finish any night. put your seatbelt on, it’s time to get bumpy

the inimitable cc:disco! has partnered with hyped underground label soothsayer to curate the first in a collaborative series of compilations entitled first light. soothsayer presents first light: volume 1 compiled by cc:disco! is due for release in february 2018 digitally and on vinyl. australias reigning champion of tasteful electronic music, cc:disco! has procured exclusive tracks from emerging and undiscovered artists across genres such as boogie, balearic, funk, disco and house with each sound piquing her interest, culminating in a finished product that would undeniably slot into a cc:disco! set. her mission statement? less chin stroking, more dancing. it captures what cc:disco! is all about: the dancefloor. the very first taste of first light comes in the form of a salty and sweet track called really want that by jace xl. premiered via resident advisor, cc:disco! explains: i remember the first time i heard jace sing in a bar, at first i thought a dj was playing then i looked up see jace singing his guts out. he blew me away! jaces voice is amazing and to me, a huge part of whats going on in australian music, so its with open arms we welcome him to first light. staub comes back on wax for a third episode. following the no name policy from the parties which started 5 years ago in it is time again for unknown artist to shine. this new ep sees the shy producer appearing on 4 tracks of pristine techno. a1 is an atmospheric trip while a2 is more brutal, on the b side it is going weirder and darker. we think unknown artist tries to craft interesting techno cuts and that he loves variety. that it is the idea behind staub since its beginnings, it does not matter whether you are a newcomer or lady gaga, what matters is the quality of the music. this is what was again aimed with this third record.

having carved out a reputation for some of the finest cosmic house productions on labels like omena, dirt crew and quintessentials, the lithuanian based producer delivers three new cuts on this release, which comes ably backed by a remix from italian producer fabrizio mammarella. on the title track, alex pletnev (ponty mython), goes for breezy synths and wandering melodies over a chugging mechanical beat and an fm style bassline, whilst fabrizio mammarella (bear funk/les disques de la mort) toughens things up slightly on his remix, plunging into a darker sound aesthetic for a great reinterpretation of the original. on “time spiral” an unhurried groove is laced with layer upon layer of meditative synths and percussive rolls for a fat dose of eighties soundtrack vibes, whilst ep closer, “appreciate it while it s not too late”, settles down to a head-nodding pace with funky bass and key melodies and live drum samples for a real earworm of a track.

lagaffe tales co-founder jónbjörn drops four tracks on icelands falk records beat driven sub-label, falk disks. since 2008 falk (fuck art lets kill) has become a creative hub for icelandic and international artists involved in experimental and electronic music, spanning noise rock through to power electronics, underground hip-hop to diy techno and electro. 2017 saw falk continue with releases from icelandic hip-hop producer lord pusswhip, techno/electro producer thizone and canadian industrial techno musician /&#991,,,/huren/&#991,,,/. berlin based icelandic producer jónbjörn, known for curating reykjavík record label lagaffe tales – one of the main pillars in the icelandic house scene – now joins falks’ club focused sub-imprint with a robust four tracker. moving away from the deep house sound hes renowned for towards a darker and leaner night time aesthetic, amsiak inaugurates the release with an infectious electro groove as gurgling pings and acidic clangs and drones are liberally dropped throughout the track. aspekte is a spacious track with blown-out bass sounds that morph and glide across a tempered, slow burning planar rhythm. on the flip, jonbjörn goes for a harder techno sound influenced by his relocation to berlin. sunnudagskaffi is a bendy, 4/4 roller that contains hidden grooves below the basslines and the acid pings that wouldnt be out of place on a livity sound release. meanwhile, holy b is pure warehouse creeper techno, complete with machinic tones and the atmospherics of sweat and grime on dungeon brick walls.

emotional rescue returns to the the work of remix specialists extraordinaire, razormaid, with a special collection of their remixes of cold wave / dark wave synth band, psyche. featuring unreleased, re-edited and remastered versions of some of the bands most club-based tracks on one ep for the first time. formed in 1982 in edmonton, canada by darrin and stephen huss out of love of the new electronic sounds emanating out of europe, psyche soon forged their own path. influenced by the industrial and post-punk sounds of bands like killing joke and alien sex fiend, as well as the synth pop melodies of groups like soft cell and yazoo, the brothers help precipitate the start of darker electronic goth sound.

norwegian duo smerz had a prolific 2017, which saw the copenhagen-based henriette and catharina play the likes of club 2 club, moma ps1, sell out half life parties of their own, as well as release five new tracks along with five self-directed videos. clearly not ones to wait around, smerz go in to the new year with their have fun ep on the horizon for release via xl recordings in march 2018. with their unique electronic sound blending deconstructed club music, minimalist r&b and experimental pop and techno, smerz are also prolific djs who s djing style takes a similar route. mixing live vocals over their own music and interlaced with choice cuts aimed squarely at the dancefloor, this duo dj hard in a live setting and are thrilling to watch as well as listen. smerz currently host their own monthly nts radio residency, mixing cutting-edge dance music and darker tones, in what is turning in to their trademark style.

drumcode favourite harvey mckay returns to the label with a darker new sound. the glaswegian has been a regular contributor over the years, highlighted by the memorable the illusion of control ep in 2014 and his newer work with brother ryan under the alias moniker. earlier this year drumcode released the duos pentatonic ep and featured a mix on adam beyer s radio, which included black dolphin, kickstarting the hype on the track. named after the infamous russian prison, the title track is dark, tough, deeply textured brooding affair, with a menacing touch than runs through its core. mckay then brings in a huge synth line and changes up the dynamic of the track, giving it a powerful and driving feel. retox is a dark and twisted heavy-hitting cut, driven by aggressive drums and bassline, while a hypnotic synth line sustains a sense of tension throughout the six-minute track. concluding the package is cover up, a fantastic stripped back exploration into dark atmospheric techno territory that s tailor made for the winter warehouse raving season.

the grand, sweeping sonic explorations of “pretoria”, from john matthias and jay auborn’s 2017 album “race to zero”, are given new life on this four-track remix ep.
moon gangs (better known as william young, keyboardist in bristol-based electronic outfit beak>) takes the reins first, delivering a thunderous take on the original’s faster-paced second half. typically of the artist, the track builds and builds in intensity, climaxing with an apocalypse of emotional, layered synths.
bristol’s cuts strips back the elements for a much darker reworking. a single, repeating piano note echoes into wide, open space alongside the original’s antique violins before clattering percussion and synths enter the mix for the most foreboding turn of the release.
closing the ep, former mogwai member john cummings also bases his reinterpretation around the original’s piano. but where cuts leans on moody darkness, cummings take is more upbeat, courtesy of a driving four to the floor kick and fidgety, high-pitched piano.

coloured vinyl + insert
inner surface music is proud to present its next release from canadian duo mdd. falling inside opens the ep bringing together industrial and punk prototypes of the duo’s influences in the shape of a techno stomper. chunky kick drums and gnarly textures fizzle and pop to the march of the industrial rhythms before the low slung bassline and abstract vocal cuts take the track into a darker realm. tension builds and welds together heavy broken kick patterns with crisp but rusty percussion demolishing everything in sight. the elements amalgamate together creating tension with walls of sub bass, while remaining spacious and nonchalant with glacial atmospheric pads, dropping and breaking like a thunderstorm overhead.

melbournes short black label has been relatively sporadic with its releases up until now, having started back in 2013 with matt kennedys together at 2am ep and dropping the third release on the label back in 2016, rustal s privilege. hopefully this excellent new transmission from newcomer tristan kino will be the start of more productivity from the crew. the ep starts off in fine style with the nervy, reduced acid twitch of yggdrassil, while at the other end of the record niddhog presents a tougher, darker throwdown crafted for seedy techno dancefloors. johannes volk has been snapped up for remix duties, and does a sterling service with the metallic clang of his version of niddhog.

staub comes back on wax for a third episode. following the no name policy from the parties which started 5 years ago in ://about blank, it is time again for unknown artist to shine. this new ep sees the shy producer appearing on 4 tracks of pristine techno. a1 is an atmospheric trip while a2 is more brutal, on the b side it is going weirder and darker. we think unknown artist tries to craft interesting techno cuts and that he loves variety. that it is the idea behind staub since its beginnings, it does not matter whether you are a newcomer or lady gaga, what matters is the quality of the music. this is what was again aimed with this third record.

a firm favourite with the hot creation camp, jey kurmis returns to the label with his jessycat ep. following acclaimed releases lil’ nic french, kari and not too flabbeh on the imprint, we once again see the talented producer at the top of his game. the ep stays true to jey’s trademark sound as the producer delivers three tracks to take the dancefloor through to the small hours. the ep opens with jessycat, a bubbling tribal affair that implores you to move. an array of vocals bleeds into the record taking you on a journey to outer space. fien features co-producers nukov & yelmet and takes a darker turn with a rumbling bass and intense vocals that state “my head spinning like a merry go”. the outer space sounds continue into closing track vanstone, unfolding with a swinging bass and distorted stabs. part of the industry from more than a decade, jey kurmis has previously released on labels such as, moon harbour, leftroom and kaluki. taking his dj skills to new levels he has played the world’s hottest parties- from sonar to bpm, and the warehouse project to dc10. the leed’s based music maker has also commanded residencies at do not sleep and paradise.

doe dee is a new label curated by stalwart sydney dj / fbi radio presenter kato releasing forward thinking club music from australia to the world. the first release sees the two personalities of melbourne producer fergus sweetland splitting 2 sides of a liquorice pizza. on the a side sweetland shines with unique energetic yet emotional deepish house workout with a beautiful deep dubby re-rub from sydney’s own hubert clarke jr 100% silk / wolf music / otis while on the b side sugref takes things considerably darker with a brooding electro influenced acid trip alongside a chunky uptempo dub house workout from sydney duo alba aka cop envy and sam weston

various power. funkycan aka am kinem teams up with max gee for the a1, a technotrack made with a dr-550 and the crumar performer. up next is a fast dub by glenn & max,one for the heads. the b-side starts with glenn astro s & delfonic s riddim followed by the darker -d.i.d- produced by imyrmind and lonny benz. happy 2018

halvtrak has gathered a following. the previous releases by the finn on dont be afraid and bakk teased an appetite among techno heads for his detroit infused and texturised sound and unexpected grooves. moving towards warmer tones, his latest output on a new london/helsinki label cold blow enters him further into detroits past. as an unexpected treat, the title track has been re-imagined by the very special chinaski with his trademark ghoul sound so reminiscent of old horror films now blended with sharp electro and ebm vibe. chinaski has been busy of late with a berghain live set as well as his fine rivers end ep on uncanny valley and ghost rider on live at robert johnson. from relentless groove to darker places, this is halvtraks most refined release yet as he becomes an illuminator of his own ascent.

warehouse music is the imprint brought to you by london based dj and producer ryan aitchison, aka mella dee.
after being named the ‘best breakthrough label’ of 2017 by dj mag and following on from the ‘techno disco tools ep’, warehouse music launches into 2018 presenting a three track ep, this time under aitchison’s given name ‘ryan aitchison’. this new project gives the more experimental, darker sounds he is producing an identity.
dn5 is relentlessly percussive and hard-hitting, whilst corruption is laced with a growling funk and auxiliary draws the ep to a close as a dark, electro cut. wm004 is pressed to white vinyl with a bespoke hand-stamp design of the infamous doncaster warehouse.

to differentiate between his solo dance-oriented work to the darker tones, kaczmarek aka paul ritch launched his new album titled iiiiiiiiiiiiii on october 30th on his fresh imprint kczmrk. kczmrk is definitely a more personal project for paul, helping him define a newly found darker and more genuine taste to produce electronic music, which would even the most demanding audience left surprised. kaczmareks immersive sounds on his debut album were highly supported by respected artists of the underground scene such as sterac, vril, lewis fautzi, vsk and djedjotronic, who will contribute reworks that will come out in a remix ep in february 2018. the 12inch is gently introduced with a sophisticated remix of iiiii by techno pioneer sterac aka steve rachmad, continuing with vril’s remix of iiiiiiiiii who delivers beautiful ambient tones in a euphoric travel of sound. the b side begins with emerging talent lewis fautzi and his iiiis remix in a deep and hypnotic cut, followed by the curtesy of vsk and djedjotronics remixes of iiiiiiiii. vsk sticks to the dark and hard forms of techno with glimmer of deeper and industrial sounds while djedjotronic enrich kaczmareks dark techno tones with some futuristic idm.

a quartet of heavy reworks. reginald omas mamode iv truly does what he does best, bringing a percussive, low-slung funk to one of the most ethereal and beautiful pieces of soul on the album, sunshine. glenn astro, elevates bossa b to a jostling, bouncing shuffler that eventually turns around and heads skyward with uplifting chords and irresistible bass. deoke heads into the darker regions of the original for his hugely loved remix of bossa b. the bass on this one is ridiculous and has caused damage to a couple of sound systems were aware of (genuinely). finally the ever exceptional mr beatnick simply took the stereo track for kalimba 2 and edited it into a mind-opening dub. handling bass and harmonics as only he can, a true highlight of this high quality remix package.

berlin based producer zigan aldi has always been open for different cultural influences in his music. an openess that might go back to his own background since zigan had been brought up in the eastern part of turkey, before he moved to germany when he was 14. apart from working in various jobs it was always the music that kept him going and let him experience his true passion. after releasing music on bedouin’s label truecolors or 3000 grad it was about time his diverse music finds another home on underyourskin records. therefore zigan delivers four exclusive tracks that depict his approach to electronic music with a mostly downtempo vibe. ‘luton’, ‘seems to be’ and ‘olin’ follow the path of the label’s as well as zigan’s philosophy: a slightly oriental influence that meets darker multi-layered synth chords to create significant atmospheres that can work at any time at the club. ‘miracle’ featuring sandeck is just what the track title suggest: a musical miracle. as the track slowly enfolds its groove to the audience, it is the guitar riffs and the vocals that sum up magic of this track at this very intimate moment.

f*clr music are proud to present irish producer/dj, glenn davis and his debut release. a deep soulful affair aimed firmly at the dance floor fusing his love of all things chicago, detroit & nyc. the title track body & soul has its roots firmly in the strictly rhythm/nu groove groove a lush, organ driven banger that is guaranteed to incite hands in the air mayhem. ashley beedle & the north street crew put a different spin on body & soul giving it a spaced out, balearic feel while i ain t got nothing has got attitude and then some. the held string, melancholy chords and beautifully ethereal vocals take you to that tiny, dimly lit backstreet club in your mind you ve all been there the one you never want to leave. the gasping interjections on i feel it are underpinned by ominous synths while emotional intelligence takes you in an even darker detroit direction.

this is the 2nd installment of sable noir recordings: the jojoe ep, a 4 track vinyl exploring a deeper, sometimes darker minded side of the 170 spectrum.
the first 2 tracks by jojoe are some really deep, clean, and strong tunes, and also dancefloor destroyers, we saved them for years until finding the right idea to release them and this is whats happening now with this vinyl.
the first track “untitled” is a deep and dark minimalistic tune with a really strong bassline and some great cuts that makes it a fantastic dj tool for your sets.
the second track “97” is a clean and deep tune driven by some analog pads and a reese bass that will make a great job on any systems! watch out for the switch in the second drop!
the 2 tracks on the b-side are by joakuim the first one “to chant down babylon” is a halftempo dub influenced tune @ 170 bpm with a strong vocal sample and dubby bassline! the last track “snow” leads you onto a world of deep and cold atmospheres with a rolling beat and bassline!
this vinyl is done in the memory of joe holland, beloved friend and music producer. this ep is done for him!

in 2016 simon pitt and alex kassian formed planet sundae recordings. opal sunn ii is their third release. part i was out july 2017 with andrew weatherall taking a massive shine to it, playing all 4 tracks at a gig in barcelona. it was championed also by massimiliano pagliara, of ostgut fame. opal sunn is live-performance duo al kassian & hiroaki oba. formed in 2015, the pair have recorded countless hardware-driven improvisational sessions, puzzled together to create abstract musical journeys. the aim is to transcend the improvisational magic of the studio jam and funnel it into the live performance. having played at rainbow disco club 2016 in japan & atlas electronic 2016 in morocco,the pair took both excited audiences by surprise with their heavily improvised live sessions. opal sun ii explores darker shades of dance music.

the follow up to trouble and run sees offaiah launch his own label all fire and take a darker, deeper approach as a result. purely for the late-night sets!

to make it to album number three, a group has to make a compelling debut and then avoid the sophomore slump. if you reach that third record, you are supposed to be a professional, a stone-faced musical grown-up. but don’t tell that to de lux. after their 2014 debut voyager and 2015 follow-up generation, the la duo is gearing for its best and brightest lp, more disco songs about love. the difference between this album and all the rest? let s ask the band: we like to say voyage was our baby, generation was our baby all grown up and more disco songs about love thinks growing up sucks and just wants to party smart.

during the mid-nineties, david kempston secured himself a considerable following while recording releases for the seminal uk labels clear and evolution/universal language. he went on to produce music under various guises including the solid house sounds of cartel productions and his darker electro alias clatterbox. now its 2011 and time seems right to put out a collection of tracks that we have been sitting on for quite a while. 2 very strong and razor sharp electro tracks of the highest order + the main track desolate void, an experimental drone that comes in various different takes through out the ep for a healthy dose of unpleasant frustrated funk atmosphere. this is the first ff release in a new quality series of limited hand numbered and hand stamped colored vinyl 12 inches. highly limited, so act quick!

nice price deal !!! future retro vol. 2 continues the excursion through the label background. an intimate electro record that goes straight to the darker corner of your collection.

after the success of his recent comeback ep entitled exiles ep, the icelandic artist cold shows us that he is here to stay and ready to make his mark in the international techno scene. dub safari offers us intricate soundscapes and otherwordly chords which are impeccably assembled into five minimal techno masterpieces. a side starts with a dreamy voyage where ethereal pads seamingly blend with punctuating kick and a acid bassline. second cut gives us a darker experience. a pulsating groove where chords and percussions offer an interesting sonic playfulness. b-side offers three minimalistic techno tracks ready for both the dancefloor as well as for dancefloor within your mind. thule records is considered by many to be a pioneers in the field of dub-influenced techno music and was a starting point for many of iceland s most renowned electronic musicians

8 tracks with full of techno... darker side

last seen baring his musical soul on maceo plexs ellum, innovative valencian artist fiberroot now makes his debut on correspondant. making himself known with three soul surging originals fiberroots spell-binding aesthetic and diverse palette complements jennifer cardinis label perfectly as it taps deep into most rudimental electronic foundations. suddenly sets the agenda: teaming up with og maestro dino lenny, the title tracks hits with authentic blasts of italo romance and rich analog craft. echo silent follows suit with more of a droning, loopy, wall-of-sound surge of introspective hypnosis while looking from the outside hits with more a clash-style feeling thanks to its loose drums and sweaty throbbing electro bassline. remix-wise glasgows mr tc goes nordic with his mystic refix of echo silent while jonathan kusuma takes suddenly to deeper, darker, driving places. three arresting originals, two immaculate versions suddenly is a landmark release for this exciting enigmatic man. we suspect hell be corresponding with us again very soon

new years deal - one side pre-release.. limited to 300 worldwide.. jacking chicago track styled up with an great darker mind-blowing synth-string!!

after ennio and the sluwe vos, it s time for patron record s third release. the gru ep is coming from the hands of lewski, a young dutch producer/dj who clearly got his inspiration from the darker detroit techno sounds. lewski definitely shows his originality and craft with his debut ep. the four-tracker is full of vintage sounding techno tracks, blasting you into another dimension. laurent garnier, leftfield, carl craig (ernie guerra is his manager), a?me, barely legal, maceo plex, bleaching agent, diz washington/iz & diz, minor science, simeon mobile disco, freund der familie, or:la, marco bernardi, horse meat disco, benjamin damage, danny tenaglia, truncate, kid enigma, iron curtis, randomer, altern-8 + more to follow

the man behind church records and half the force propelling coastal haze, seb wildblood, jumps over to let s play house for a laid back, suave four tracker that ll smooth out that transition we re all going through as summer fades and the embers of autumn begin to burn brighter. necessary happiness, the first track, a improvisatory, noodly deep house ambler, sets the pace and tone. from there, the british producer ups the tempo a bit and explores the darker contours of red light-lit basement caves and after- hours haunts with the ep s title track. the flip is briefer: necessary happiness (mad sax mix) is an embellished and brighter reprise of the a1, and“pass the pen is a loose instrumental that has the bones of a break beat interlude built atop a jazzy hip-hop beat. is that a dewy sea mist on the horizon at dawn or a heavy cloud of smoke machine fog veiling a strobe in the middle of the night?

scuba drops another four cuts as scb on hotflush recordings this december. paul rose first launched his scb moniker in 2010, going on to appear on labels like ostgut ton, aus music and nonplus until 2014. this year saw the pioneering british producer revisit his darker alias with a dystopian themed release on hotflush he now returns with four more twisted and ominous productions.

the reality is a relative concept, and our life is made up of fantasy and illusion. our music is the key of our thoughts, and our sound can help us to discover it. nothing is real express our vision in a period where information is false and manipulated most of the time. alberto iovine and alessandro fumagalli aka modular project announce the launch of their new label, in partnership with rebirth records. born and raised between como and milan, alberto and alessandro quickly shared their love for electronic music and the great passion for vintage synths and drum machines. they started to produce together in 2012 and released on labels like off, moodmusic and perpetualis music before joining rebirth in 2017 with their remix of the blond:ish classic wizard of love. the label s third release is a special ep from modular project. alphaville is an hypnotic journey through shades of indie electronica, new wave and their signature sounds, while another glimpse is a beautiful emotional slow workout. the package comes with two strong remixes from nuno dos santos and fairmont. amsterdam dj and producer nuno dos santos reworked alphaville adding a darker and trippy touch, while jake fairley aka fairmont, key force in the canadian electronic music scene, gave another glimpse a beautiful deeper and atmospheric appeal. a strong third release for nothing is real.

so, after a little break we’re back with a new release. this time we’re joined by the multi-talented production powerhouse that is swarm intelligence (aka simon hayes). landing heavy with four bruising techno cuts that each find their own unique way of taking your head off, ear017 is a bumpy journey through darker club flavours. ‘flatlands’ opens things up, reminiscent of the type of marching, granite-heavy brum techno of old – this is minimal in construction but maximum in its impact. move forward to ‘ground up’ where demonic, dissonant keys take the lead above a rattling midrange that sounds like a corrugated roof ready to fly off. opting for cleaner, elastic drum patterns on ‘tingla’, hayes swaps tense for dense, with a loud take on steppy techno, that’ll please fans of some of blawan’s earlier work. ‘skitz’ starts out an a more dub tip with a wailing, paranoia inducing hook and snaking rhythms, eventually joined by more hard-hitting broken kicks, leading us comfortably into oblivion.

milan based collective just this return with two va releases to continue their broken promises series. with the aim of documenting the progression of cultural movements, the label have pursued underground material since 2010. broken promises part 3 and part 4 are due for release on 1st december and 8th december respectively, and each feature four new tracks channelling refined techno with minimalist, ambient sentiments. hunter/game open part 3 with distance, a meditative journey through ambient textures using expansive synths and vast acoustics. next, architectural brandishes 808 drums for a tense workout on electric soul. on the b-side, label co-owner pisetzky explores the darker side of minimal on anterial, whilst altman plays with moody bass and ricocheting percussion on shapes. part 4 opens with a shuffling rhythmic framework on inlands aechmea, followed by zona, a pointillist groove by ben gibson, aka one half of the collaborative project dyad. on my flowers kundal, a cyclical melody wanders through eerie acoustics whilst hiver navigates a broken beat framework with glitchy distortions and dub echoes on stellar parallax landing

those who physically suffer from dopamine depletion seek ways to experience maximized pleasure. hong kongs hyper everything enfant terrible, s.y. delivers a much darker complex ep than his two previous offerings under a new alias, a creative therapy of sorts apparently dealing with substance abuse and unstable mental conditions which luckily for everyone translates into more leftfield dancefloor gold with the brilliantly nondescript $ lfo and weirdo power drive of the title track on a side, followed on the flip by a surprisingly beautiful ode to concrete music, and a deeply haunting field recording piece that closes a perfectly round ep... or does it? sleeve artwork by matt damhave

acid fourniture is a journey into the darker recesses of ceephax s acidic mind. simple 303 lines pulsate alongside sinister chords and detuned synths. berlin trip is a classic acid 4 to the floor track along the lines of flow coma by 808 state. alligatored is a tight 808/303 groove made for the dancefloor. the zone is a slower more introspective acid, conjuring up lost warehouses and derelict minds. alien beacon takes a more electro acid slant, inspired by sinister lights in the sky and paranoia.

fh10 marks onirik’s debut ep on his very own finest hour imprint. the a side, with “kaleidophon” and “vivid”, carries the slightly darker and trippier sound recently embodied on his solo label, garage hermétique. on the flip, a more traditional stripped down deep house affair, an 11 minutes groover for the early hours, aligning perfectly with the label’s aesthetics.

• equiknoxx’s debut lp proper, following the hugely acclaimed bird sound power primer last year
• 13 brand new, darker, more psychedelic, starkly dubbed perspectives on up-to-the-second dancehall
• curated by jon k and demdike stare
• essential if you’re into lenky, haruomi hosono, errorsmith
• mastered and cut by matt colton @ alchemy

fur coat s new label oddity aim to showcase a darker, more tripped out techno sound. their second release is by hugo ibarra and antü coimbra aka natural flow. founded in mexico city, this innovative duo of producers and djs, known as natural flow, is formed by hugo ibarra (mex) and antü coimbra (arg), each with more than a decade of musical background. natural flow amazes long-time fans and new listeners alike, with their sets in the most important clubs of mexico. each performance delivers a fresh and stunning experience. lined up for remix duties they have dubspeeka & roman poncet

curtis mayfield’s iconic debut album from 1970 available on vinyl again.

following dusky’s ubiquitous ‘cold heart’ ep 17 steps presents kiwi’s ‘marmora’s theme’ ep - the london producer’s debut on the label.
having recently released on tastemaker labels such as futureboogie, correspondent and optimo music, kiwi’s distinctive sound is a physical mix of italo disco, techno and electro influences.
carried by a pulsating italo bassline, lead track ‘marmora’s theme’ is a cosmic epic that rides crisp piano melodies and sci-fi synths - and is already garnering support from gerd janson, dj tennis and annie mac.
transporting the original’s piano euphoria into darker, rave referencing territory, the tuff city kids remix calls on growling reese bass and ’92 hardcore style pianos.
offering some alternative vibes are the deeper, dirgy warehouse grind of ‘oth’ and the beautiful, reflective electronica of ‘reservoir’.