joe powers is from edinburgh, far outside the network of the grime capital of london. his caffeinated productions as proc fiskal are faster than usual, with many clocking in at 160bpm. ‘the highland mob’, his 2017 debut ep, opened up his music to open-eared footwork and drum’n’bass fans as well as the grime crowd. after following that up with a jungle-inflected ep on cosmic bridge, ‘insula’ switches the feel and intention towards a personal, and melodic music with one foot in grime, infused with often comic, often wistful recorded moments from his environment. he says ‘i wanted to be aware of where the music is coming from, referencing things i’m presently experiencing, like making grime, my radar radio show, phone addiction, alcohol, my surroundings, girls, depression, positivity, being unemployed, being employed and hating it, my friends etc. trying to be true to myself instead of relying on other peoples’ nostalgia, and focusing on now.’ the record is a huge leap in vision, with delicate, pointillist melodies and intricate edits reminiscent of grime producers such as terror danjah. it also resonates with japanese video game music like that recently explored on the ‘diggin in the carts’ compilation. ‘i think i probably make tunes to get out emotions i don’t express in day-to-day life. i used clips of my friends talking, drunk folk, and general scottish life to preserve and represent what my experience is like right now, like a time capsule. social media notification sounds are designed to release serotonin, which is what i’d like my music to do, to make me, and other people happy, and in using these manipulative noises in a positive way, i like to think i’m taking back the power of the manipulation.’ proc fiskal is adventurous and thoughtful as a producer, and at the young age of 21, his debut album is very advanced in its ideas and execution

the unique album from the legendary buena vista social club bassist, recorded in egrem studios, havana. pressing on heavyweight 180 gram vinyl with 12 page colour booklet included.

you should all know by now i have collected a good few records in my time, hunting down that perfect beat. in search of that special piece i have found a deep love for the old soul ballads and funk that were for me great social statements, telling it just how it was. growing up with these tunes and owning them i began to realise if someone didn’t represent them to the next generation they would be long lost and forgotten. so please... enjoy this time capsule of music from another time... you’ll hear nothing’s changed! - mr. g, 2018

dark entries is proud to release ‘commerce’, the third ep from san francisco-based trio inhalt, german for “content”. the group was founded in 2009, and for the purposes of this recording are matia simovich, philip winiger and steven campodonico. inhalt’s core operative strategy is of sonic fidelity and integrity rather than nostalgia. their first release was a split 12- on world unknown in 2011 followed by two eps on dark entries, a remix ep on emotional especial and a part time punks session on cleopatra. ‘commerce’ is a close examination of the self destructive tendency of the ego in relation to the allure of negativity and mass tragedy. the ep details the psychopathy of relentless thirst mandated by neo-liberalism and traverses through the adoption of social and economic technologies that strengthen domination vis a vis self enslavement to disempowerment. employing the best of both modern and vintage techniques, the four songs on the ep utilize dense production, big snares, and powerful german vocals from philip. inhalt are informed by the brooding soundtracks of john carpenter as much as the vastness and sheen of trevor horn, and set out to explore the borders between the vocal-driven pop song and the expansive dancefloor 12&#8243,,,, arrangement. the record was produced over four years at the bands own black sun loft recording studio and different fur studios. paul lavigne mastered the ep in london, england at kontrast mastering and george horn handled the vinyl eq curve at fantasy studios, berkeley. each ep is housed in a specially designed jacket by leo merz and includes a lyric sheet with english translations.

george feely is probably one of the busiest and most diligent dj s in dublin — if not in ireland — with residencies, club shows and festival bookings coming thick and fast. we are very proud to announce the vinyl-release of his 4 track disco/ funkyhouse apache 909 ep, which previously only appeared digitally on re-play records. the magical ep includes 4 outstanding productions: apache 909 , shame on an interlude , halfway crooks and his keep it up funky mix of de la soul s 1991 track a roller skating jam named saturdays which has already cracked 80.000 klicks on social networks.
we offer you four peak-time bangers in a limited issue —so you better don t sleep on this one!

the strike team ep is the second in the trilogy of releases introducing the world to the sound of the stripper. the title track is a rare hybrid of modern day production and timeless influences transformed through the prism of 1990’s hardcore, jungle, and broken beat. you and your favorite dj like to close your sets with classic jungle tracks? well, the stripper is here with a monster for the middle of your set, pacing at a cool 128 bpm. following it is the hidden gem of the record, culture vulture: an impossible to pinpoint breakbeat laced melodic odyssey. similar to “consciousness proliferation” (back 2 93 mix) from sleeve-01, culture vulture takes you on a journey inspired by the irresistible grit and beauty of the early 1990’s sound from the city of coventry and producers like skanna and essence of aura. flipping the record to side 2, the stripper gives you an absolute burner of a techno track intended for the heaviest and sweatiest of social settings. the atmospheric pads are pointing to the producer’s undeniable rave influences and love for illegal parties around the world. the final track of the record is the stripper tying back the european influences with his unquestionable debt to the american midwest: melodic, deep, and irresistible. this is a physical release of a four track ep. it contains music tracks intended for social settings. suitable for dj sets of varying styles in the range of 125 - 135 bpm. the material presented here is also available digitally. all tracks produced, mixed, and stripped by stripper™ using digital synthesizers and sequencers.

our boss claude vonstroke is the busiest guy we know. when hes not traveling the world or curating an event, hes in the studio every day putting in hours upon hours, relentless in perfecting his craft. hes had a slew of hits the past couple years in the form of remixes and collaborations, and now with the walay (my bae) ep, claude gets back to some inventive and somewhat out of the box solo works. the title song leads with a melodic riff and an funky vocal that sounds like a defective cyborg is proclaiming love for his partner, walay. this quasi-human uses the slang my bae to try and pass for human and we almost believe in his passion. the sound harkens back to old classic rave tracks but also pushes very modern production techniques. on the flip, raw nerve is an emotional exploration in both sounds and lyrics. a melancholy vonstroke dives deep into his insecurities and fears with sonically mutated lyrics like im feeling so sad, im feeling real bad today. when i see you on the street i dont want to compete. you can feel the social instability oozing out of the vocal only to come back at the close with a violently hard bassline embodying the personal angst and frustration that goes along with not fitting in.

blackstyle is meant to create this image of the berlin fetich underworld, scenes in berghain, of decadence but also one of independence, of liberation from social standards, entering into another mode of existence. the edition of 300 copies are silkscreened and individually hand numbered. silkscreened at atelier 30, quai notre-dame

in october 2017 honey dijon was commissioned to take part in the smirnoff were open campaign, aiming to promote inclusive night time culture and celebrate nightlifes ability to transcend gender boundaries and prejudice. as well as appearing in the were open tv commercial, honey was asked to record her take on the initiative’s ethos for creating positive change, making dance music culture a more open-minded and socially inclusive space. what resulted was a rework of ‘queen of disco’ sylvester’s ‘stars’ featuring vocals by singer-songwriter sam sparro, who she collaborated with previously on her album the best of both worlds. now being released on limited edition blue vinyl via classic music company, with breathtaking artwork from assume vivid astro focus who also supplied cover artwork for the album, the entire proceeds from the release will be donated to lgbt foundation. created with parts recorded especially for the were open advert,stars (disco version), produced with the help of classic head luke solomon and studio partner lance desardi, pops sylvester’s spangled party-starter directly into 2018. previously made available as a free download to coincide with the launch of the campaign, the cosmic energy dub, underlining honey’s acidic but sweet production, is followed by two mixes by one of her favourite producers of the moment and fellow chicagoan, cratebug. his nova remix references the classic disco elements of the original, while the supernova remix - exclusive to vinyl - goes fully intergalactic with a glorious squelching extended mix. paying lip service to the legacy of a truly gender-redefining figure whose music is nothing but inclusive and empowering, honey dijon and classic prove the power of music to inspire positive change in the dance music communities with this stars release.

metro skim returns to 6dimensions with actualising possibilities. there’s a degree of cohesion found in metro skims releases on 6dimensions, both socially and physically. each of the six metro skim records will feature a different segment of the same painting, revealing the whole picture when all six have been collected.

blacksilk s fourth release features the emerging italian producer unconscious. four relentlessly sophisticated electro tracks infused with a taste of ebm constitute the framework of this record. unconscious stands out as a refreshing surprise, enriching the complex structure of his work with a powerful dark veneer. a remarkable remix by violet poison is an added value, both the artists hailing from a country where the vatican s influence still pervades every level of social and public life, molding a pervasive hypocritical morality.

the mysterious, internet-bother 70s network finally sees the light of wax. five killer raw af house cuts mixed to the nines and scorched to eleven. crunchy, swung vibes for the youtube channel rippers and underground misfits. instagram fashion & tumblr social movements all rolled into one. u kno the way.

for her first single, the sublime title loverboy comes out as a big urban spleen, released in a space made of asphalt and artificial paradises. groups like hooverphonic or even portishead play around this throbbing softness that is loverboy, splashing about in the electronic lounge of the 90s. the opener, alien lady features a flute-driven solo backed up by a funky guitar riff that then transitions into a tropical beat and tanja narrating the story of feeling a stranger in a big city, not understanding the social codes and clues ‘i don t speak the language in the way that you know’ while worth to you is a dreamy, glitched-out hypnotic track which maintains an edge of mysterious sexuality and her signature sense of intimate detachment. if the atmosphere coming out of lomboy’s work can be sometimes felt as prude and even shy, it certainly does not intend to hide with embarrassment the aphrodisiac scent that permeates it. on the contrary, this modesty perceived in the interpretation and in the production sensually envelops the different compositions, and imparts to this guilty pleasure the feeling of a stolen kiss. warped caress brings us to vertiginous heights and takes us into abyssal depths throughout the five tracks. this suggests at times a diegetic representation of this erotic world seen through the insolent prose and at other times a mimetic representation where each instrument plays an important part in every story told.

marionette is very proud and happy to announce kilchhofer s debut album the book room. benjamin kilchhofer is not new to the world of recorded music, yet he doesn’t seem to fit into a particular scene or group. as an outsider he is, however, fully immersed and melded into his own universe. he mentally escapes to a parallel world and weaves an alternate reality which would otherwise not exist in his daily life. kilchhofer avoids the spotlight and therefore isn’t really visible in today’s culture of ever changing content and social media. this is where marionette steps in to attempt to shed as much light as possible on this unique and incredibly talented artist. the book room is kilchhofer s musical diary, it s his library of emotions. it s a fairytale, an imaginary place shaped by exotic cultures, an escape from modern society, a collage of real and imagined experiences. you can hear influences abstracted from a wide number of musical approaches: the story-telling nature of folklore music, naive and conflicting rhythms of tribal drums, melodies and pads reminiscent of classical minimalism and microtonal experimental music, the freeform approach of early electronic music and krautrock, and buried deep within the tracks some hints of hedonistic dance and club music.

guizmo has for many years left a strong imprint in the french rap scene with his unique personal universe and an acknowledged gift to writing. three years after release the album dans ma ruche and the surprise street album gpg 1? in 2016, the singles of this fifth album are already receiving praises from the fans and the medias, paving the way for another success for the 26-year old rapper. guizmo is a viral sensation and strategizes his own social campaigns to reach his fans directly. hes gathered 400+k followers on youtube and 160+m views, 730+k facebook fans, 100+k twitter followers and more than 95k followers on instagram

every now and then a release comes along from out of nowhere with little fanfare, no social media or extensive pr campaign enabling those who discover it to simply focus on the music without bias or preconceived ideas which can so often cloud our judgement these days. the hypochondriac ep is one such release, bringing four diverse tracks which veer from the heavier percussive groove and goose-bump inducing rhodes of the title track through to the spaced-out, soul-drenched vocal workout existential. on movement and ghosted we’re treated to deep and tracky shuffled grooves and 90’s inspired nyc deep house with a nod to dopewax and henry street. simply put, this is the kind of record that back in the day would be your secret weapon for many years with all four tracks working their magic in different sets in different situations and places. we hope you enjoy this little slice of house perfec-tion!

whiskey disco welcomes back label boss sleazy mcqueen and a&r pontchartrain alongside newcomer, the rejected, and alumni vagabundo club social for the 3 track ep thats all in the hips and the lips and the eyes and the thighs. grab your partner, bailamos!

audiophile re-mastering by ray staff at air mastering, lyndhurst hall, london. pressing on 180 gram vinyl.
the best r&b songwriter and soul singer that most people have never heard of, sam dees has written songs for countless artists, including gladys knight, aretha franklin, whitney houston, george benson, the temptations, teddy pendergrass, millie jackson, jackie wilson, the manhattans, regina belle, kc & the sunshine band, willie clayton, and many others. he’s also a pretty fine singer, having recorded for the chess, atlantic, polydor, and sss labels, and he had a nice string of his own hits in the 1970s.
his 1975 atlantic album “the show must go on” has long been regarded by southern soul aficionados as one of the best of the genre. sounding a bit like a deeper-voiced curtis mayfield (in both style and theme), dees sings with assurance, wisdom, passion, and a whole lot of soul here. songs like “child of the streets”, “troubled child”, & “what’s it gonna be”, share mayfield’s commitment to social commentary, and dees knows his way around a love song, too.

> it felt like a long wait for us, but finally we can present the first artist on our label xxx, jack pattern<. with great honor we introduce to you this collective consists of three producers who live and breath deep in the heart of switzerland. they delivered four diverse and atmospheric stellar dance floor tracks with serious hints to the late 80s. this first vinyl only release on xxx, will be accompanied with custom made artwork by patrick van vliet. patrick s work has evolved from pop surrealistic, psychedelic imagery to a dutch social realism. he incorporates social annoyances and public degeneration from day to day life in his images. these images seem familiar but alienate. alienation by disrupting the familiar with uncanny elements and deviant colors. a perfect mix for this release. xxx is a new label that combines music, art and club nights curated by shmlss. every artist they invite has the freedom to fill in the x.

nice price deal !!! the ever-prolific curtis lynch strikes again with this new reggae roots dub series, access denied. trinidad & tobago born franz job lends his vocals to the n side of this sound system killer with a tune called >i used to<. franz describes how he used to be afraid to speak his mind but now he is a rebel for the cause. the second track on this side is from curtis lynch who plays steel pans across the rip roaring dub.
the m side features another rising reggae star, massicker, originally from jamaica and currently residing in boston. massicker is a superb writer and this tune is his calling card as he explains the decline of personal interaction due to the rise of social network sites and mobile phones. the second track on this side is the customary heavy grynch dub, with plenty of echo, reverb, drum and, of course, a devastating bassline. sure to please all lovers of roots music as well as flavours to spice the jungle and dubstep crews.

the visionary talents of multi-instrumentalist zach witness have sprouted full life in this world, lending his sonic touch to the bulk of erykah badus latest album, but you caint use my phone (motown records). this project was brought to life with erykah badu at the badudio and world witness studios in zach witness hometown, dallas, texas. this project put him on a unique trajectory, harnessing his intricately designed fusion productions into the periphery of an entirely new audience around the world. his forthcoming debut ep, electric revival: rise of an outkast nation, is the first project to find the light of day after this expansion phase, initially created as a birthday gift to zach witness friend and collaborator, andre 3000. the catalyst behind the creation of electric revival has a very specific initiation point. during the recordings for but you caint use my phone, erykah badu called on andré 3000 for collaborative assistance. this would result in the albums last track, hello, created at the home studio zach witness has lived in his whole life. this moment in time compelled zach witness to create an offering for andré 3000, and this was in the form of an entire body of music. electric revival takes on the stories of the lives entangled around societys most crippling and hopeless of situations. the social and political intentions of the ep paints a very defined purpose in this context. experience the transformative sounds of zach witness and his debut manifesto.

dub-stuy welcomes up and coming producer blind prophet for a conscious dub release in collaboration with russia’s tenor youthman and italy’s numa crew. long island, new york s blind prophet makes his debut on dub-stuy records alongside the vocal talents of tenor youthman , one of the founders of russia’s lion posse sound system. ‘ marijuana burns capitalism ’ is a deep and meditative social statement sure to move the dance and stimulate the heads. on ‘marijuana burns capitalism’, blind prophet lays down a solid riddim, with a deep driving bassline and a bubbly harpsichord skank, for tenor youthman to sing about the liberating properties of hemp in fighting the evils of mass production and capitalism. the result is a simple and effective cut backed by a sparse dub that lets the drums and bass roll out to full effect. the flip side sees florence’s numa crew deliver their own fire for the dance with another straight to the chest dub version that focuses on the bassline and tenor’s unique vocal style. a 12” for the massive that continues the uplifting sound system music dub-stuy is known for.

summers here! ransom note records continue their search for the finest dance music from planet earth with a carnival-ready curveball of a new release the sleazy, playful ghanaian afro-ghetto-techno-pop that is brytes word-of-mouth classic i like your girlfriend. originally surfacing on a couple of youtube dance videos, the shitty quality video rip of brytes bizarro lyrics leaping over gafaccis impeccable grime-meets-afrohouse beat has been a much-loved secret weapon in the sets of djs that know for a minute now - bok bok, mixpak and gang fatale have all supported heavily. coming from accras booming azonto dance scene, where tracks are knocked out in makeshift home-built studios then swapped through social media apps on smartphones, a proper release of i like your girlfriend has long remained a holy grail. now, after months of searching, several western union transfers, hundreds of whatsapp messages and no lack of determination, ransom note have finally managed to legitimately sign the track, and are all set to give a modern classic the 12inch release it deserves making history with what is quite possibly the first azonto track to be released on vinyl. alongside brytes crazy vocal version, the release features the original beat from producer gafacci its bouncing techy minimalism carving a unique path between techno, house and uk funky that defies genre with glee. vinyl buyers get a special bonus brytes acapella, coming in at 128 bpm, is the perfect mixing tool

this is a physical release of a four track ep. it contains music tracks intended for social settings. suitable for dj sets of varying styles in the range of 125 — 135 bpm. the material presented here is also available digitally. all tracks produced, mixed, and stripped by stripper™ using digital synthesizers and sequencers. remix and additional production on a2 by exal.

in the whole history of hip-hop music, few groups can claim to have been as influential and important as joseph saddler’s group grandmaster flash & the furious five. many of the genre’s signature elements and trademarks can be traced back to the supergroup founded by the grandmaster, their discography was among the first to feature recordings of scratching and turntablism, their’s was the first to feature songs with political and social commentary, they were the first to refer to rappers as mcs, some might even say they were the group that first coined the term hip-hop.

mehr als zweieinhalb jahre liegen zwischen der letzten gro?tat (dark angel) und dem nun endlich vorliegenden neuen werk des legend?ren kieler sextetts. f?r eine so leidenschaftliche band keine frage: am ende des tages muss eine platte her, die alles vorherige m?glichst nochmals eindrucksvoll in den schatten stellt. in anbetracht von genre klassikern wie 777 bloodrock oder german angst kein leichtes unterfangen. und doch gegl?ckt: colossus sollte als das ultimative smoke blow album in die geschichte eingehen.

2021 repress - social media frustration treatment

bad education is a soulful heater that will shake your hips and your social consciousness. inspired by the afro-latin soul blends from the likes of joe bataan and ray barreto, this collaboration between timmion records and yemayá sol records - brainchild of bardo martinez (lead singer of chicano batman), makes a statement. the horn laden groove will transport the listener to a summer in new york. the memorable flute line by ernie hawks is flavorfully funky while the pulsating tumbao of the conga carries the vitality of a nuyorican neighborhood in full effect. the force of the rhythm section provides the vehicle by which martinez lays down a fiery indictment of educational institutions, defining them as a mouthpiece to the military industrial complex. the music and the message flow together in a very classic sense, packing a punch that gives it to the man, necessary now more than eve

nice price deal !!! chica vas is a brooklyn-based all female drum band. with anywhere from five to twenty-five musicians onstage, chica vas can feel like a dance party, a social group, or a tribal initiation, depending on the day, whichever, this is the kind of band that turns the audience into an instant party. pink stallone experienced this for himself at the infamous williamsburg fashion weekend, immediately initiating his own live recordings of chica vas at public assembly. these recording sessions have recently become a recent 7 inch on pink stallones generatto self-release label, and now a special series of remixes from under the shade.

we are pleased to announce dj hells 5th album zukunftsmusik, to be released on international deejay gigolo records. the techno revolution 30 years ago, where boundaries, walls and our own guarded natures came crumbling down? the archaic establishment-challenging attitude and forthright energy of the punks? the long-awaited eruption of gay culture that had burned and yearned since the dawn of mankind? dare you travel even further back? rewind two hundred years to the romantic revolution where men like the blitzed berloiz helped us transcend our physical limitations for suspended moments of fantastique disbelief. all of these moments have shaped us, our music and our culture. each movement comprising artists who like us right now are trying to make sense of the uncertain world, the chaotic present and the fearful future. artists like hell. welcome to the future…reflecting over his participation and contribution to myriad cultural movements since the late 70s, his passion of ever-evolving musical form and our current socialpolitical landscape, hell taps into our collective rich histories, our combined fears and our mutual desires to create his most personal, ambitious and thought provoking body of work to date: zukunftsmusik. his fifth studio album zukunftsmusik fuses some of hell’s strong signature motifs (his passion for subversion, his great kosmiche canvases, sudden throbbing bursts of dancefloor dynamism, subtle songcraft) yet it sounds unlike anything hell has ever created before. there are very few big club singles. a delicate balance of classical dramatic orchestral tension and evocative futuristic synthesis runs throughout. dark and light, hope and fear, fast and slow, day and night. over the course of one hour helmut josef geier invites you on a musical trip of a lifetime his lifetime, your lifetime, musics lifetime.

we are pleased to announce dj hells 5th album zukunftsmusik, to be released on international deejay gigolo records. the techno revolution 30 years ago, where boundaries, walls and our own guarded natures came crumbling down? the archaic establishment-challenging attitude and forthright energy of the punks? the long-awaited eruption of gay culture that had burned and yearned since the dawn of mankind? dare you travel even further back? rewind two hundred years to the romantic revolution where men like the blitzed berloiz helped us transcend our physical limitations for suspended moments of fantastique disbelief… all of these moments have shaped us, our music and our culture. each movement comprising artists who – like us right now – are trying to make sense of the uncertain world, the chaotic present and the fearful future. artists like hell. welcome to the future…reflecting over his participation and contribution to myriad cultural movements since the late 70s, his passion of ever-evolving musical form and our current socialpolitical landscape, hell taps into our collective rich histories, our combined fears and our mutual desires to create his most personal, ambitious and thought provoking body of work to date: zukunftsmusik. his fifth studio album zukunftsmusik fuses some of hell’s strong signature motifs (his passion for subversion, his great kosmiche canvases, sudden throbbing bursts of dancefloor dynamism, subtle songcraft) yet it sounds unlike anything hell has ever created before. there are very few big club singles. a delicate balance of classical dramatic orchestral tension and evocative futuristic synthesis runs throughout. dark and light, hope and fear, fast and slow, day and night over the course of one hour helmut josef geier invites you on a musical trip of a lifetime his lifetime, your lifetime, music’s lifetime.

the jungle brothers’ 1988 debut, straight out the jungle, was important for many reasons. it was sloppy and goofy but had moments of real focus and social consciousness. it was a true “kitchen sink” record, that caught a rap fanbase enraptured by eric b. & rakim, public enemy and boogie down productions a bit off-guard. also of note, beyond the excellence of the album itself, the jungle brothers were the fulcrum for what would become the native tongues movement – they came first, de la soul and a tribe called quest followed, under their guidance.

los angeles droid behavior celebrates its 15th anniversary with a two-part release from its principal artists. over the last 15 years, droid behavior constructed, developed and institutionalized the west coast techno scene with their lauded event series interface. the label droid recordings fol- lowed with the launch of its first release -negative 01-, a compilation of l.a. producers showcasing new perspectives from north american techno. the forthcoming compilation negative 02 explores the label s vision from the voices that have laid its foundation, from the dark and strange, to the slightly experimental, to streamlined dance floor tools. part 1 of the compilation delivers 4 tracks from l.a. techno stalwarts, leading with label head drumcell. with releases on clr, dystopian, detroit underground and his own experimental label bl__k noise, drumcell s channels his diverse sound into a pitch-black banger in -dividing- a thick chugging track with an undercurrent of hypnotic stabs, pads and vocals.. the second track features one of the techno s most celebrated artists - truncate. also known as audio injection, david flores turns in the ultimate dj tool with -down,- a mastery of sequence subtlety layered on this introspective production. droid cofounders and vrv label heads rai&#769,,,z contribute the most entrancing arrangement for negative 02 - -ephemeral beings- which warns of social decay and encourages positive change via this and dark and beautiful composition. longtime droid resident viktor carrillo offers his debut release for the label with -coma walk- an ingenious application of the goa sound in conjunction with clever fm synthesis which makes for highly effective mix addition. a second release will follow to celebrate this anniversary, featuring more from the droid family including luis flores, hyperactive, subversive and aaron litchke.

langeweile. faulheit. totale teilnahmslosigkeit. ist es nun schon eine so genannte quarter life crisis oder einfach nur eine ausrede, um blo§ nie erwachsen werden zu mŸssen? fragen wie diese, sind die eckpunkte jener welt, in die washed out mit seinem ambitionierten neuen visual-album mister mellow aufbricht. fŸr viele, viele vertreter der generation y ist das leben derma§en dramatisch und problematisch, dass es mithin schon absurde zŸge annimmt. und die methoden, mit denen sie sich von den ganzen unsicherheiten und unwŠgbarkeiten abzulenken versuchen, die zu ihrem alltag gehšren, sind dabei nicht weniger absurd - da ist alles von social media bis hin zu fantasywelten dabei, von drogenexzessen bis zu musik-eskapismus. mister mellow, das erste komplett als multimedia-werk angelegte album von washed out, fŸhrt durch all die hšhen und tiefen dieser oftmals lŠcherlichen alltagskŠmpfe und beleuchtet dabei augenzwinkernd auch das gro§e paradox, dem man immer wieder begegnet: wie kann es sein, dass wir derma§en unzufrieden und gelangweilt sind, wo wir doch eigentlich alle erdenklichen privilegien genie§en und somit mehr als zufrieden sein kšnnten? auf -mister mellow- dominieren eher experimentelle collage-techniken ˆ la musique concr�te. free jazz, house, hip-hop und psychedelic haben allesamt ihren platz in dieser welt, in der auch interlude-artige voiceover-samples aufblitzen, woraus sich insgesamt ein hektisch-chaotischer und karikaturistischer mix ergibt, in dem sich die reizŸberflutete psyche dieser generation widerspiegelt.

hugo gerani’s esplore ep launches on cosi cosi - a freewheeling meander through a super casual house sound. it is true ‘club music’ built between social interactions and environments, with all the spice and intrigue of chance encounters and missed connections.
on the a, ‘she’s lying (roe st on the fone mix)’ channels the boisterous yet untroubled late night activity that goes into its namesake. it’s a perfectly broiled and basted club tune - a real, suburban classic. elsewhere there are organic and effusive beats, blinking with sensorial curiosities and vocal suggestions as well as elements of stark, scandinavian techno.

in a spontaneous way, sanfuentes records releases have been offering different overviews about latin américa: the street-tour that mijo took us into the incomparable ciudad de méxico, the peep into santiago’s idiosyncratic and sexy nightlife by román & castro or the nostalgia and psychedelia from patagonia’s isolation that rous portrayed in his “silencio carmesí” release. “visiones”, sanfuentes’ new ep, comes from a similar place. it reflects on the continuously ongoing cultural cross-pollination happening in latin américa, a phenomena that brings unity and topples political, social and spiritual borders.

a soundtrack for the contemporary -vinti- (defeated) with its dark and at the same time sparkling flavor of the 80s sounds between cold wave, synth pop and imaginary electronic atmospheres. this record with its horror-framed and distopic scenario (-slot machine-) reveals a content of social criticism healed through the warm and evocative indulgence of -che male c e-.

for the past four years francesco leali kept busy running parachute alongside co-owners manfredi romano and thomas feriero, producing under different monikers and touring the globe as half of cw/a. finally back as clockwork, leali reveals a five track ep featuring some of his rugged music to date. a briery shift into foggier territories where leali explores layered sound-design and broken rhythms, something he had only hinted in his previous work. online entity depicts lealis hindrance with modern societys social networking obsession. in contrast to what these services were actually intended for, leali explains, they seem to have impacted a lot of people negatively, resulting in unnecessary resentments, misinformation and feelings of proximity when these tools can easily alienate you from reality. constantly worrying about how you want people to perceive you is absurd already, but for many of us this constant sharing has become the only way to achieve happiness, to be satisfied. in an era where all of this is getting out of hand its essential to remind yourself of the things that truly shape you as an individual. with online entity i aimed for feelings of release, mutating resentments into something positive - more physical. i imagined it as a soundtrack to an escape from these very situations. the release showcases this approach with five club-ready numbers filled with calculated, pounding drums and gloomy atmospheres, with only rare glimpses of hope scattered throughout. to round things up we mobilised fellow parachute affiliate ayarcana and serbian techno pro lag who both deliver two startling interpretations of escape sequence and rumination.

the fifth record on new york trax is by løt.te, the turkish-born, brooklyn-based dj, producer and designer affiliated with the bunker new york by virtue of two well-received vinyl releases. this politically charged ep titled ‘state of exception’ is løt.te’s personal reflection on the current social and political climate in turkey. with rhythmic synths brought to the foreground, løt.te committed a masterpiece that only a skilled and thoughtful artist like himself can. the opening ‘ultra vires’ is a relentless synth-driven warehouse track mercilessly rolling at the speed of 140bpm. the deeper ausnahmezustand follows, it is a reflective and rhythmical piece perfect for both home listening and the dance floor. 15.07.2016 opens the b side with its tense yet playful atmosphere and numerous constantly evolving layers of sound. finally, graft is a shockingly intense introspective piece. crafted with japanese taiko drums and digital synthesizers pushed to their limits, it is a lesson in perfect sound design

it might not always be obvious, but music as escapism can serve as a radical social statement. what some may see as daydreaming or imagination of impossible realities, can constitute a sort of revolution of thought, the seed of a more human and sentient worldview. although on a first listen, high-level basis, it may seem as if the music contained in informa’s 10th release is a series of psychedelic, dystopian and otherworldly tools for escape, it might actually be a proposition for improvement, a route to self-discovery, a reflection on the true nature of our surroundings. although at no point in this release such high concepts are made explicit, there is a consistency in vision and methods present in the art created by the peers that label founder and owner deepbass has selected for this very special, celebratory release. encapsulating the product of eight minds, eight visions, in a common concept for evolution in unity.

golden age hip-hop by a multi-talented spanish beatmaker, a french singer and three us mcs. the multi-talented alex rocks is back with his debut album rise n shine! after his 7 inch get em up featuring replife, the madrid dj, musician and beatsmith hooked up with french singer jessica fitoussi and us based rappers sleep sinatra, junclassic, and jack jones. he carefully selected the tracks he felt would sit well with each artist, and they did not disappoint. from the pharcyde-evoking title track to the raw soul on moonlight creedence, the rugged vibe of my time and the fiery all in your mind the heart-made beats are the perfect backdrop for the socially conscious and intelligent lyrics provided by his collaborators.

ag (ditc) & john robinson - they watching ep produced by ray west ag (ditc) & john robinson is a full circle collaboration that was organically birthed out of a meeting of the minds connected by producer ray west. the first building session completed with two songs recorded and some great vibes and the rest is now story. they watching is the first installment of a series of eps from this collective, the music is ag and j.r. telling retrospective stories of their journeys and experience combine with history, social justice, music and much more over jazz attributed sound beds provided by ray west. -they watching- speaks how living in this advanced state of technology has forced people to surveillance themselves just through every day life from social media to security cameras to debit and credit cards etc. whose watching?

7 years on, fred p drops installment 2 of the incredible adventures of captain p, subtitled escapism, a constant stream of consciousness that takes you on a journey into a dimension of sound. eu pressing.

dele sosimis album you no fit touch am was released in 2015 to much universal acclaim. a perfect document of the lessons the keyboard master and vocalist learned in fela kuti s ranks during the 70s and 80s, but brought firmly up-to-date and with contemporary social comment as vital to the afrobeat genre as any rhythm or instrument. in 2016, to take that forward thinking even further, wah wah 45s commissioned four huge remixes from a quartet of the uk s most interesting new production names. that was just part one of the story though this year the label can reveal the final four remixes to be taken from this hugely popular and influential project.

inspired by selfish showmanship of social networks argomat and jen from hannover packed their very own view of things into this release. long live the selfie-stick...not. the b-side is just about misunderstanding. all in all...don t take this release too serious. there is a beat, a bassline, some things around that and essentially again, the really nice voice of jen. with mikel gil (lonely owl records) from spain and label owner gunman we have two fantastic remixes and both are delivering their own perception of music. enjoy :)

this rare piece of ex-yu socialist electronica was considered lost. composed by famed croatian artist tomislav simovic for the 1981 sci-fi extravaganza visitors from the galaxy which included men with breasts, beautiful alien heroine and jan svankmajer monster on killing spree, it is now found and published by fox & his friends label team. this gatefold limited lp release on 180g vinyl includes soundtrack cut from the original master tapes restored by paul alexander from cedar audio ltd., extensive liner notes in english by zeljko luketic and irena paulus, new artwork insert spread with film set photographs and colour poster starring alien heroine andra. fox & his friends is run by leri ahel (worldwide syndicated mutant disco radio show) and zeljko luketic (electronic jugoton, ex yu electronica iii, borderline music). we release music without genre boundaries, discover rare, obscure and forgotten stuff, the sounds that have timeless value, both contemporary and vintage

living in a post capitalistic desert, rural south holland, the only social meeting point, your local lidl (europe’s number1 food retailer), must be god itself. jahmoni proudly presents - the world of venderstooik - that weird & enigmatic collective with its vibrant online community having pushed some sound for years beyond comprehension, a genre of its own, rooted in gabber, goa & rotterdam techno. this situationist ensemble will explain to you why indian week at lidl is not just a marketing move but more an inspirational sending from god urging you to find spirituality in places and things that seem boring and dull at best.

whiskey disco small batch returns with a third installment of floor rockin, love songs. sunshine jones returns to the fold, once more, joined by scene veteran s ed wizard & disco double dee, as well as newcomers, will buck & prtmnto and vagabundo club social. all tracks compiled by detroit s #1 disco-lothario, pontchartrain.

the protagonist of this extended longplayer is the remarkable falke. he is the unseen hermit of the clan and arrested the labels attention due the things he does best: sitting at home collecting cheap ancient technology and creating his own artistic universe, influenced by his distinct sense for the simplistic beauty in everyday life. after two records and several compilation contributions, the label collected ten tracks to introduce his own extensive world properly. post-socialistic aesthetic detects 90s electronica to merge into a careless version of house.