phil gerus is a natural musical talent who oozes sound from every pore. fusing together cassette pop, disco, soul, r&b and funk, his sounds are effortless but hugely emotive and have come out on labels like sonar kolkektiv, manmakemusic (george fitzgerald’s label), futureboogie and true romance. growing up in moscow, phil studied classical piano and was heavily influenced by his parents’ music tastes, including jazz records of oscar peterson, bill evans, and keith jarrett, it is these classy vibes that permeate his own creations. phil has played around the world at leading clubs like japan’s dommune, studio 80 (amsterdam), mojo club (hamburg) and various hotspots in europe and russia. phil is also a regular guest on radio shows around the planet and is considered as an artist on the rise.

after two incredible eps, wayne snow the nigerian-born, berlin-based vocalist and songwriter now presents his debut album on tartelet records. freedom tv is the natural sequel to the max graef produced tasters red runner (2014) and rosie (2015) a project marinated in afro-caribbean, soulful grooves and topped by waynes effortless falsetto acrobatics. as the title suggests, freedom tv is an album with themes of liberty, struggle and creative identity pumping through its veins. within ten tracks, snow fluently meanders between musical styles: from low-tempo soothers like album opener cooler and fall to the syncopated bruk of the rhythm and cosmic funk escapades found on nothing wrong. production comes from three varied and solid sources. the tag-team between snow and fellow berliner, max graef

first he had us in denial. then he made us an offer we couldnt resist. now hes fixing our focus on the most crucial player in this whole house caper: the selecta. come again? selecta is yet another crystalline acid body workout from the ovum boss whos been dishing out single sinewy shell-outs in a seriously rich vein of form of late. galvanised by heavily swung drums, loaded and coded with a venom-like funk and characterised by a big soundsystem vocal that tears out of nowhere and disappears just as quickly, its yet another unique piece of 303 witchcraft, the likes of which only wink can conjure. deeply groovy, unabashed darkness and just a nuance of mischief with the vocal, its yet another precision piece from mr wink whos also kindly provided an instrumental for your added creative pleasure. selectors, this ones for you. you know what to do…

limited edition repress of the four owls’ second album on golden & silver coloured double vinyl.

limited edition repress of the four owls’ second album on red & blue coloured double vinyl.

bass culture welcomes frenchman leo pol to the fold for this fresh new four-tracker full of analogue vibes. leo s penchant for synthesisers and the warmth of his beloved machines is evident throughout this new release, with a retro soul spliced with modern sensibilities and, of course, visions of the future. things get off to an energetic start with caliente , a track that combines a killer main riff, scintillating pads and steam-powered percussion to really get those feet moving. this is followed by fnc burning , which totally slips the script with its off-kilter rhythm and uk-influenced breakbeat-esque sound. get ready for a sublime breakdown, with more uk rave stylings in the second half... fresh!on the flip side we get dark outside, which harks back to the early days of post-electro detroit. those formative years when masters like juan atkins were the soundtrack of motor city... from the hushed, silky vocal to the cosmic bleeps, this is a homage to the ghosts of techno s past, with a contemporary sheen.finally, we finish up with techyes no! , a dark, marauding stomper with a menacing atmosphere and spinetingling strings to really amplify the eerie feeling that pervades throughout. a diverse, yet cohesive collection of killer cuts from the young master leo pol and another superb bass culture release. only the finest from d julz s excellent label...

we are happy to introduce a new release and a new project from ben vedren and chez damier, a new collaboration that has been in the making for some time now. side aa1 presents a unique sound in its vibe, kind of a minimal track. the french discussion/vocal in the background adds another dimension. you don t need to speak the language to understand what s going on, but you must wonder at some point: do i understand french or is it the music that made me understand them? an -organ- sound intervenes towards the end bringing power and light to the hall. it s eleven minutes of pure music! while -aa- is composed of two different remixes of a different track, -berlin nights in paris- it can probably be called the house anthem. it starts strong with some acid sound and is filled with a lot of wonderful elements. like a gourmet meal, you wonder if the track shouldn t have been at least three times longer to satisfy the gluttony of the listen. the techno remixes of the track. it s a perfect example of detroit meets house. techno track can, with no doubt, feed and drive the dance floor. no need for more than five words to describe it – it s a serious techno track.

balance records is happy to release -paul cut- while no stranger to the french scene paul is one of the up and coming dj/producers out of paris. this release finds it roots in jazz (chicago /paris?). a1 starts with some heavy beats, which later combined with the other elements can bring the madness to any dance floor. side , a2 brings another kind of madness which shakes you from inside like heated particles with its jazzy vibes. b2 heats you in a subtly way, when you expecting it the least with background sounds inspired from jazz. and once they suck you in you start to be driven by them, like being stuck in the waves. b1 will draw anyone inner energy with its piano. it s a great track to lead to the end of the night or even closing. for the love birds and the loners on the dance floor. b2 heats you in a subtly way when you expecting it the least with background sounds borrowed from jazz. and once they suck you in you start to be driven by them, like being stuck in the waves.

ja:ck is back to showcase his first solo release on cocoon recordings. tuscany smells of pines and good food, the sea spoils you just like good wine and lots of sun. for some time now we here at cocoon have been connecting with tuscany through the legendary cocoon events at the tini soundgarden in cecina and since last year segnore ja:ck has also joined our tuscany vision. following on from his track “naturra” on the 10&#8243,,,,, with joel mull (2017), we’re proud to present two new tracks by the tuscan artist, which once again possess their very own charm. dry and grainy, they still come across housey and sexy and to put us properly in the picture, ja:ck’s called the release “paprika” - short and crisp, red hot and spicy - that’s alright with us! listen up as we bring the tuscany vibes to the festivals and to ibiza this summer. signore e signori: ecco il tuo uomo!

“he bleeds stories ep” is the first vinyl release on vraaa records, a techno label with the aim of queering-up the genre. both original tracks contains elements from projekt gestalten’s past original productions clashing with new sounds and being incorporated into a whole new context, like pieces of different stories scattered throughout the music and reconfigured into a brand new tale. each track was remixed by projects with contrasting gender identities: the heavyweight techno duo i/y, representing the masculine side and the fabulous german selector anja zaube, giving a feminine perspective. pressing on pink & black mixed vinyl.

the long awaited first release of stavroz on denature records has arrived! this 5-track ep starts with -zorrow-. this track sounds like an invitation to wander and get lost in the jungle. by the second track, perron 11 the tempo gets more vigorous opening the way to the main track kasambila and its enchanting ethnic vibes, on the other side of the ep, xs pls (pronounce it extra small please) has this unique instrumental groove that four-piece band masters so well. the ep ends with the title it was all a ruse , a melancholic ballad through mystical lands.

nice price deal !!! hatterman returns to trouble maker with his second ep, bringing the goodies with two more summer-heaters, guaranteed to cause a stir over the warmer months. the a side love somebody (everyone) is an instant hands in the air classic, made purely for the dancefloor. big swirling vocals and funk-led basslines are the order of the day, whilst those swinging percussions keep you shaking into the early hours! we thought >you can do it< was that good it also deserves a full side at 45rpm! reminding us of an early derrick carter jam, wonky as you like disco/house hybrid at it’s finest- its as tough as it is fluffy, that bassline switch-up gets us every time! festival business at its best from hatterman here… lets cause some trouble x

a much welcomed reissue of the 1978 idris muhammad gem boogie to the top. released a year after, arguably, idris most well-known anthem, could heaven ever be like this the similarities in style and composition are clear. expertly produced, rich instrumentation, expansive drum fills, gospel tinged full-bodied vocals, all the while epic and life affirming in it s nature - what more could you want? young pulse steps up on the b-side, to add his own subtle touches and tweaks to the original. looping the guitar and echoing out the vocals whilst working in more of the synth lines. the addition of a crisp clap and extra percussion add an element more vibrancy into this mix, keeping the original feel intact whilst revitalising it for 2018.

ron trent meets skymark! two masterminds at work. the organic meets the electronic - musician meets machine. pressed loud for optimum dj play. summer is happening... big tip! . ron trent takes on the mighty skymark original, and elevates the listener to a whole other place like only he can. trent treats us to one of his deepest, dubbiest jams in recent years - embracing the strength of the song while interweaving his own rhythm throughout. the original track, here on the flip, featured on skymark s 2015 wave from the nucleus lp- a beautiful song from the sun-kissed swiss musician and producer who resided in rio de janeiro for many years, and now in barcelona. a real meeting of minds. both artists express their love for the deep and organic, incorporating brazilian sounds, gospel, disco, jazz and soul in their music. their similaraly detailed approach and ideologies blend perfectly on this 12” release.

here we go again! coming back with a juicy 4 track va from the french team that started their business back in 2016. alva, armless kid, mara lakour & ortella are part of this brand new adventure that you are about to discover. nothing but quality house music provided in this release, we hope you like it as much as we do!

16 brand new remixes by robert smith. half speed mastered double vinyl in gatefold sleeve.

as with all ultradyne works there is meaning in everything. ocular animus delves into the mindset of humanity and breaks away from the usual ep format - three tracks - five songs. this release explores the terraforming of humanitity as seen through the eyes of the machinists as they look into the mirror at its underbelly. solid rhythms, shifting beats, eerie synth lines splatter across the canvass of this new release feeding the beat hungry and philosopher alike. fear. uncertainty. hate. a glimpse of the possible future or the deconstruction of a paradigm. you decide if you like what you see

one of the deepest reaching projects from the multifaceted vibraphone stable resurfaces for an extended trip through ambient sonics that marks possibly the most daring departure on the esteemed italian label to date. the harmonious tones undulating throughout sketches from space are instant soothers, taking the odd cue from techno but defiantly beatless and meditative. its a surprising addition to the long and winding vibraphone story, but also feels like one of the strongest steps forward the resurgent label has taken since returning to the fray. just try sinking into lagrangian point l4 and you ll see exactly what we mean.

banoffee pies records drop their third beats release samba del sol with clifford brown & jeen bassa ft. ella mae sueref - the album is influenced by carnival and latin sounds with hip hop drums and soul roots - meeting in middle ground as an expression of the production duos upbringing, johns heritage in mauritius and cliffords childhood in south america. partnered with ellas spanish language fluency and soft badhu acclaimed voice as previously heard on the single stop rewind credited by the like of gilles peterson and mr. scruff. the tracks were recorded on garageband by clifford brown and jeen bassa with 2 karaoke microphones, mixed in bath and later buried on a hard drive for over 6 years never to be heard again. sliding into the forgotten darkness of lost tracks and rediscovered in 2017. the production, originally just an instrumental, was then found and reignited, revamped with a vocal insert from the wonderful ella mae sueref. the 10 track album demonstrates a flurry of drums, latin inspired sampling, and mesmerizing vocals from start to finish. for the music and the lovers. living room jams made in smoke. banoffee xx in loving memory of anna sueref.

dawn dissevers the earth and skies, dragonflies twirl into the light of the suns world no vapour dims the air, twinkling lightness buoys the eyes, during the night i can see leaves flying on the tree branch and settle like tiny butterflies.

catz n dogz are some of our oldest extended dirtybird family, spanning multiple eps, a couple albums, some remixes, and we even presented their very first release as catz n dogz as they transitioned from their old 3 channels alias in 2007. its been over 4 years since they ve been on the label, and we re ecstatic to have them back with the feelings factory. fine feelings features the legendary vocalist robert owens, and sounds like a classic deep house track from the late 90 s when no one called it deep house, they just danced to it all night in warehouses. factory settings includes additional production from londons joseph ashworth, and from the first note to the last its filled with driving intensity and an ascending cacophony of rhythms and voices.

you got the stuff is not lovely day - that much is true. this ones a wigged out, extended, trip into deep space from 1978 that is truly baffling. of course, it features bill singing for the first half of the track but then all of a sudden we re launched into a cosmic wormhole as everything just falls back and the track is stripped of any earthly qualities. people find themselves asking this, this is bill withers? as lazer guided synths and rock solid drums pull us into the sonic vortex. truly amazing. obviously a nugget like this has not gone unnoticed and has been edited and chopped and sampled deftly by the more sarcastic, left-field oriented crate diggers out there but it has never been reissued legitimately - until now! a hugely sought after and collectible gem right here, backed with the wistful slow jam look to each other for love as per the original 1978 columbia promo 12inch version. this left-field, cosmic classic has been legally reissued by above board distribution in conjunction with the legal rights holders sony music entertainment. this high quality repress features original columbia pink label disco 12inch artwork and has been remastered from sonys original sources by optimum mastering, bristol uk.

holic trax takes a trip to the far east to celebrate the finest in japanese house music culture with a split 12inch from veteran producer takecha (aka takeshi fukushima) and label boss tomoki tamura. takechas productions roll out like reams of silk, peppered with cheery midi horns but not at the expense of the overall deepness of the tracks. kiara to sarara is especially infectious with its sprightly jazzy demeanour. tamura takes a tougher stance on the b side with the techy tones of taiyo mo nai and then hits up a classic house tone for the subdued but focused prhthemic.

the ppa duo outta london is back with another burning hot 7inch on gamm. just like on the first 7inch they go for two rare jazz-funk tracks where they not only rework the originals but also add their own instrumentation on top. song for you (by popcorn) got a real nice boogie funk feel and sounds like an early 80s production from the uk even though its actually a rare florida production. green machine is jazz-funk original by o donel levy but now re-tweaked and with vintage clavinet and percussion added over the original track. another ppa home run!

1 copy per customer!! everybody s favourite parisian party fiends are back, polishing up another batch of patchy pound bin finds and not-on-discogs delights for your next summer soirée. putting their orange-eagle eyes to good use, the lyo crew have trawled the crates of europe and beyond for this sunkissed set, working the scalpel to the max to pack the dancefloor in arms aloft ecstasy. our party starts with the kwaito groove of -avidiyo--, a killer bit of late 80 s afro-action boasting synth marimba, alien bass blasts and life affirming vocal chants. not only is this cut moving in the ants-in-your-pants/dancing-like-a-madman sense, but its sting-on-safari emotion and clarinet solo could bring a tear to a glass eye. cartwheeling between aspirational jazz-funk and afro-cosmic, yanga mbiwaa makes its way to the heart of the party like a bewildered parisian at an ivorian wedding. as tumbling toms rumble like thunder on the serengeti, an oddball exotica chant encourages the nearby wildlife to shake a tail-feather to the club tropicana guitars and buzzing synthbass. at last you have something to keep quantum jump s lone ranger company! last but not least comes autoradio , a very well mannered monsieur living the french highlife by the sea and sun of the mediterranean coast. effervescent afrobeat guitars and swooning sax dance over a rolling rhythm section of buoyant bass and 80s percussion, while a spoken vocal drawls in your direction and the girls ask if you re ok. it s only when the pinging, ringing, madly modulated bass breakdown bounds through your surroundings that you ll wonder who slipped what in your drink...

after kindly stepping in on remix duties on our first miskotom release kito is back on pleasure unit with a nicley rounded ep that shows the full extent of his production skills. houstrack does what it says on the tin and pumps it up in true old skool house style, damp firecrackers sounds like it could come from a long lost italian library lp. on the flip never been to ibiza beaches in 1997 is a nice laid back balearic ode as you might expect, lastly jungle mantra is a dense tropical treat. check for kito s previous releases on diverse range of labels from bahnsteig 23, freerange,dirt crew,hell yeah and bordello a parigi

in 1982, a group of friends deep into post-punk, jazz and dub got together in mad professors studio and lay down their youthful interpretation of a nyc disco cut. their unique take included trombone, vibraphone, piano, and an ital dose of tape delay. they called the song trouble and released two versions (vocal and dub) on their friend tony mcdermott s !drum! label with artwork inspired by russian constructivism. tip! . the group, comprised of justin langlands, chrysta jones, john schofield, tom dixon, and dave killen, decided to call themselves a-team, having no idea that mr.t and co. would make them almost totally ungoogle-able 30 years later. the result of their adolescent studio idealism sounds akin to otherdisco misfits like arthur russell, maximum joy, talking drums and wouldn t sound out of place on legendary nyc label 99 records. remastered with an extended club dub formaximum dance-floor action.

there are west coast classics, and then there is music to driveby, the third lp from the group that birthed mc eiht: compton’s most wanted. although the group started in the late ‘80s with multiple mcs (including tha chill and boom bam), by 1992 eiht as pulling the group’s vocal weight – supported by dj mike t on turntables and production – and even producing and co-producing tracks. music to driveby might lack beats-per-minute variety, but to fans that’s not a bad thing. across the board, this is mid-tempo, super deep, funky hip-hop, made for cars creeping along boulevards across the west and south, and it’s about as good as it gets for such purposes. just about filler-free, the album struts intensely and with purpose, as eiht throws tales of cali street life at fans for an hour straight, almost without a break. this solo marathon is given a respite only once, with scarface’s guest spot on “n 2 deep,” an excellent hood roller supported by a soulful guitar lick sampled from lyn collins’ “do your thing.” elsewhere, eiht rolls alone and intensely, on cuts like the classic mash single “hood took me under”, the album’s second single and tim dog attack “who’s fu**ing who?”, the hometown big-up “compton 4 life”, and hustle tales like “jack mode” and “i gots to get over.” after this album, eiht released more classics under his own name, and with similar fan worship. it was the continuation of a legendary career and music to driveby still ranks high on anyone’s “west coast legends” playlist.

“we are doing this on our own, with not much help from government. i am proud that we are building a movement. it’s like a child that you can see growing and evolving. it’s growing exponentially, but that was the plan… we are standing on the shoulders of giants. i grew up respecting the craft. there was that golden era of reggae music when everyone looked to jamaica. i know the history, i know the impact reggae music can have, and i want to be part of an era that brings it back to that stature” - protoje

we share with kaffe crème, a penchant for side roads, for mixing textures and visiting other territories. if house music is at the heart of our project and history, it is often just a medium to cross the path of genres and bringing into some of our other tastes like here jazz, broken beat or hip hop.after his remarkable debut ep in 2016 which was containing the staggering beauty kapo choc that still resonates every weekend in many clubs around the world, we are very happy to welcome, the lyon-based kaffe crème for our fourth release. you ll find there everything you loved about his debut ep, which means, a beautifully produced organic and dusty house music that make a leap into contemporary jazz (i <3 u) and dig into warm finely mpc-sliced syncopated beats. but you ll also find an astonishing broken beat song (umusa) that show all the former-percussionist s talent for making sophisticated and ambitious jazz-infused rhythm compositions.

the guys on this compilation are playful composers and appear to engage in various behaviors for sheer enjoyment, such as making waterslides and then sliding on them into the water. they may also find and play with small stones. their record is based on a myth where naya le loup shapeshift into beautiful women wearing stones-patterned clothing. if a human attempts to speak to him, he will answer nao and then answer copo, and if anybody asks him anything, he say cryptic things like blizzaga.

what should have been a quick process has taken a bit longer than we hoped, but thats the way of handcrafted products, be they ginger beer or sourdough bread, and like the bread, the vinyl is currently cooling down to ensure an undisturbed, top quality product. np004 contains two tracks, cunningly devised in yorkshire, reflecting the area s no nonsense attitude and warmth. the final touches of mastering, have been added once again by the highly trained ears of moog expert dr spaventi. this continues to give us a very important international dimension to what is still a local artisanal product. specially formulated to make you dance and give you something a little extra, we ve switched to stealth black paper sleeves for this release, and where cutting engineer failed with inscriptions, as can be their wont, we ve lovingly re-designed the label to incorporate details of the free gift we re providing

when cities collide iii features lithium parasites which is a project from former ultradyne member alex lugo together with alonzo, who released a great record with wt records last year, on this rotterhague release their combined strength brings out what sounds like dystopian cruising music. watch those crumbled skylines pass by. dj overdose does what dj overdose does.

for this seconde release, the brotherhood from marseille wanted to present their personal profiles, this ep is built like a various, but built with a common touch, the random bass! hypnotic, trippy and randomised, these tracks are done to push up the dancefloors. the last track is a downtempo vision of the eclectism of this southern crew, hip-hop beat and a bassline played by there friend mike b4, a real candy to close this ep!

the shortest connection between the past and the future leads through the music of boston 168. drawing inspiration from both classic and contemporary approaches to the acid techno sound, early nineties rave culture and the throbbing pulse of the now, sergio pace and vincenzo ferramosca have carved out a niche for themselves which over the past four years has become a musical microcosm of its own. having released a slew of records on such labels as involve, attic, odd even and dustin zahn s enemy, the italian duo now presents its most cohesive musical statement thus far on ellen allien s bpitch. on the three tracks of »drops in heaven«, boston 168 seamlessly mold together lysergic acid lines with elements of nineties ambient techno and a rhythmic groundwork that is as thrilling as it is intricate. »cosmic tribe« translates its idea of universal togetherness into a nerve-wrecking groove punctuated by complex percussion work and a subtly building acid line, while »drops in heaven« uses a booming kick drum as base for an emotionally driven exploration of sonic textures. the psychedelic »straight to light« nods to nineties pioneers like emmanuel top, showcasing ferramosca and pace s talent for creating musical depth by ingeniously bringing together a few select elements to greater effect. these are tracks that relentlessly head towards the unknown final frontier of what techno can sound like in 2018, while not in the least neglecting the rich tradition that they draw from.

l_cio is a brazilian artist who brings his own flute playing to his music. he has previously collaborated with the likes of portable on the huge hit ‘surrender’ and is a live act who has held residencies at plenty of key clubs in brazil. he’s also toured all over the world from egg london to robert johnson in frankfurt and released on labels like perlon, soul clap records and d.edge. his eight-track album is an emotive affair with deep house grooves embellished with his own spine tingling instrumentals and flute.

opilec music s eclectic remix series rolls on with another essential package, this time tackling a single from label boss i-robots s law of robotics album back in 2008. adding their own spin to things are red axes and hiroshi watanabe aka kaito after likes of kuniyuki takahashi, djembe monks, danny ocean, los hermanos, gary martin, alexander robotnick, daniele baldelli & marco dionigi have all stepped up previously. isreali duo red axes go first, a pair known for mixing up synths and guitars in exciting new ways on labels like hivern discs, i m a cliche and esp institute amongst others. their excellent version of the track re-works it as a deep and spine tingling house cut. moody chords lull you into a hypnotic and zoned out groove that is finished with some intoxicating spoken words. hiroshi watanabe aka kaito is next, an acclaimed kompakt and transmat artist who makes succulent techno with ambient atmospheres. his brilliant version here is just that, with cosmic chords and slippery rubber beats carrying you away into the night. warm and inviting, it elevates you to the next level over its long length, it is a classy bit of techno that also comes as a stripped back instrumental version.

heady, astute, deep techno and ambient from blue veil, a new musical project from danny clancy. blue veils debut ep reveals gorgeously textured techno on tracks like wherethetimegoes and citizen score, as well as crafting some tender ambient passages on cuts like night czar and a kind of adventure. the ep will be released on dichotomy records, a new imprint, dedicated to refined electronic music. the labels ambition is to allow artists to explore dichotomies through their work, as they span sonic landscapes from pure ambient to techno, and other abstract dance sounds in-between. there will be a strong attention to the visual presentation of the label, with all artwork and photography also created by label boss danny clancy. with the next release lined up from ahu, and more to follow from there, the agenda for dichotomy records looks hugely promising indeed.

winter thaw marks the return to furanum of uncto, the silesian dyad domink muller and rafal furst, with their first full release of collaborative material since 2013’s seminal fu009. like its predecessor, unctuous offers four cuts of viscerally engineered and rhythmically exacting dystopias, each ably situated within a striking synth-etic narrative. it is this latter aspect of each arrangement that perhaps most noticeably demonstrates the pair’s singular and evolving approach to composition, born out in the calculated emphasis on hardware-based expressionism.

catalog number-yotsume 002- used as a missing number in long years is released as the 5th work of sasaki hiroaki’s yotsume-music. this “winter ep” is sasaki’s latest release.it includes a remix by stewart walker who is a berlin based producer and based on experience releasing distinguished labels such as force inc, tresor, m_nus. starting from sasaki’s track a1”winter” has a long dubby bass, a pad sound is covering this euphoric minimal work which rhythm comes and goes like a returning wave. it likes snowscape of japanese ink painting. b1”stewart walker snowflake mix” is a reconstructed “winter” landscape and soundscape by stewart walker’s minimalistic approach.the grain of the sound with the three-dimensional feeling scattered on the low-frequency, it conjures images of the snow piling over the white, chill earth.b2”over” shows the another aspect of sasaki’s emotional side. it has a simple but selective rhythm and matter-of-factly composition of piano and pad sound, which makes us feel the end of a long journey. it s quality and brilliant minimal house release is shown how each of these three tracks differ this time. vinyl only.

a selection of tracks from the archive. twelve tracks for those who like it the easy way and don t want to collect all the 12 s.

conforce is back on his home label with four more of his richly detailed and hugely atmospheric techno tracks. its his first release on delsin since latest album autonomous back in 2017 and finds him in typical underwater techno territory. celestion kicks things off with smeared pads and rubbery, dubby drums instantly setting a hypnotic groove. the serene ambience makes it feel like youre deep down in the ocean and various deft sonic details drift by the keep things on the move. vessel is another fathom deep track with supple drums undulating on the sea bed as beams of synth light things up from above. theres melancholy in the pads that brings a rueful vibe, while zephyr is more troubled and turbulent thanks to the wet, gurgling synths and darker bass sounds. aerial rounds things out with heavyweight, rumbling kicks and ominous energy that keeps you on edge, despite the presence of beautifully celestial keys. as ever , it all makes for an absorbing trip.

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.

seven davis jr proved once again he s one of the brightest lights in authentic soul-soaked deep house with attitude when he released love from the other side back in 2016. now he s pulled together a strong cast of cats to offer up remixes of key album tracks, with scintillating results. davis jr s heady atmosphere is maintained in all of the versions, from marcel vogel s funky broken beat treatment on -99 candles- to the woozy bump of the teflon dons version of -this weekend-. watch out for the tracky heat of coflo s remix of -me like you- as well - just the kind of lean, mean, sexy jam that will get bodies heaving in the right party spot.

next up on the ever-eclectic xvi records, a shadowy figure steps into the spotlight: enter the mysterious captain over, whose dark yet soulful bruk-infused tracks soundtrack the next stage of their voyage towards the sun. for his debut outing, captain over calls on the abstract vocal stylings of the legendary trim (roll deep, 1800 dinosaur) on opening track sick. showcasing why hes one of the most iconic and forward-thinking mcs to grace the mic, trims dulcet tones twist through a jungle of shuffled beats and subterranean sub-bass, an eerie child-like melody drifting overhead. clack clack and no one ever really flies inhabit a more dancefloor friendly space, their unique syncopation, fierce instrumentation and relentless energy open up the dancefloor for some real get loose moments. on the remix, they hand the controls over to xvi homestay books (following on from the success of his previous feel it in my bones and high praise edits vol 1 releases which won praise from the likes of the black madonna, moodymann, gilles peterson and seven davis jr) books expertly crafts a cosmic footwork jam, full of his trademark soulful chords and eerie midnight saxophone licks. as he prepares to launch his forthcoming ep no-one every really flies into the cosmos captain over is beginning to cement his place as one to watch in the uk underground a sequel ep featuring grime upstart nico lindsay is scheduled for release later in the year, with several more collaborative works in progress.

antam is back from its galaxy ! for this second release, the french label adds a 100% italian flavor to his collection. frankie lazz delivers a complete ep with different tastes, droven by a bubbly-acid-spatial-brokenbeat style. as a remixer, the talented producer lapucci brings his vision of what life on mars looks like.

rough house rosie starts its year by introducing area, a project that has seen action on adventurous underground labels like idle hands, sequencias, ethereal sound, and umhs. the moody four track ep opens with sinuous acid house and a rubbery bassline techno stomper, then gets raw and abstract on the b side. visceral and varied electronic music for the soul.

ste roberts steps up with the second instalment on his self-titled label, once again burrowing into the more mysterious corners of the house and techno spectrum to deliver distinctive dancefloor gold for those who like their beats a little different. circle is a nocturnal affair that matches dark techno atmospherics with a rigorous housey bump, and the results are stellar. ac is equally tough, although in this instance the main ingredient is a rattling conga sample that has a raw, live and in the room quality that contrasts the unrelenting kick drum perfectly.

the essential will & ink label continues to keep up the pressure with a new ep from museum aka anton pieete and jeroen liebregts. the pair have released on vital labels like marcel dettmann records and indigo area and make some of the most robust and powerful techno around. their three new tracks here come with a remix from resident label artist yalessa hall. opener silo is an urgent groove with warped and rumbling synth lines and frazzled textures. it s sparse and industrial as it barrels along while the list is much more wild. the drums flail around, the hits are off grid and the energy is restless and rugged. lastly from them, 1500 has punchy drum programming and watery sound effects, sci-fi motifs and a sense of turbulence that will make a real impact in the club. the raw yalessa hall remix flips the list into a freaky house track with smeared synths and big hits making for something incendiary and unhinged.