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

2020 repress >>> back in march 2003 claro intelecto announced his arrival in the electronic world with his peace of mind ep on ai records. now, a decade later, delsin, the label on which he released his latest lp, is re-releasing it in all its glory.

for its fifth release, third try introduces maude sphinx, a mysterious new project from a producer who will remain nameless. screen printed by hand / 500 ex only!

following lo sheas industrial iterations ep, duskys 17 steps welcomes the mysterious polymod to the label family with a three track ep of club tools that draw on classic acid house and techno influences. hooked with a vintage 88 piano loop and tightly sprung bassline, opener no other has been ever present in dusky’s sets since the autumn - already inspiring multiple posts in a certain well-known facebook id group, as well as causing one eager id hunter to tweet dusky with home played piano videos of the main loop. for all its catchiness, though, it maintains an understated approach that plays on dynamics and contrast - a driving club tool. taking a darker route but maintaining the intensity, tx goes for the jugular with a looping surge of acid and rolling electro rhythms. completing the trio is the spacious pg1000 that joins the dots between 90s ambient, proto-house and detroit machine music at its most dreamy.

clash lion is a mix of three personalities shall ocin, terr and daniel watts. three artists with different musical backgrounds merging forces to create a truly eclectic and open-minded label. after the success of their first release from maetrik firmly putting this label in the spotlight, it was followed by releases from shall ocin and daniel watts. anna who started 2018 with the acclaimed‘hidden beauties ep on kompakt now comes back with a 3 track ep for clash lion. her debut on the label kicks off with suzi in transe, a roaring synth work drives this track into the deep and dark realms of techno, but with an acid element thrown in for good measure. ethereal yet brooding, impression is a track that grows and grows. its classical piano stab perfectly blends into the mix, keeping its dancefloor ready pace right to the end. 80s flare, break beat focused rhythms and an explosive synth riff. into the void is the most futuristic offbeat techno piece we have heard from anna, and makes for a standout new release with three varied and texturally interesting tracks.

r&s newcomer karim sahraoui delivers an ep of deep, emotive techno that draws on the rich legacy of detroit while staying relevant for the modern era. sahraoui is a globetrotting seeker of musical truth spending time in malaysia, italy and spain as well as his native france, he recorded in the early 2000s to some acclaim as djinxx, releasing prolifically for delsin, cocoon, f-com bedrock, and ovum amongst others. in 2009 he took a couple of years out from the industry, travelling to malaysia to find himself. in 2011 a chance meeting reconnected sahraoui with derrick may, who he originally met in the late 90s. may was reactivating transmat and persuaded karim to let him release his music, but on the condition it be under his own name. the resulting pair of eternal life eps in 2014 and 2016 marked his rich return to form glorious melodic, contemplative techno in the classic motor city mode. his plenitude ep for r&s builds on similar positive themes - from the percolating arpeggios and mystic melodies of spy of the desert, to the anthemic jazzy techo paen of born again or the aching symphonic build of before the 2nd coming its clear that after decades in the business sahraouis talent is only growing rather than diminishing. i wanted to give it more spirituality, musicality and roots with the choice of the sounds. going back in the past and transcribe everything with visionary fusions, sahraoui explains.

after kicking off the year with releases by wheelman and general ludd, were very pleased to announce that naum gabo completes our recent trilogy of releases from glasgow based artists. alongside ivan smagghe, its no secret that optimo have been a huge influence around these parts and having released ivans smagghe & cross project on belters last year, its a huge honour to work with naum gabo - the production partnership of jonnie wilkes (jg wikes of optimo) and james savage (mastering engineer for optimo music). fittingly enough, naum gabo played live at the first ever optimo related parties we attended at the sub club back in 2005 and jonnies influential and supportive presence has been felt over the years as we started to become more involved in the glasgow scene and as the label developed. so it didnt require much thought to do this release before we had even heard these new naum gabo tracks they are absolute slammers of the highest order! really big release, bringing to our minds the likes of errorsmith. belters is a new club-focussed label brought to you by huntleys + palmers.

2018 repress - standard cover ... us born and meanwhile in berlin residing kevin mchugh aka ambivalent presents his cocoon recordings single debut. ambivalence seems to the be the musical direction here. daylights is a sheer technomonster, musclepacked and full of dark detroit flavour but the used vocal samples and the harmonic synthstrings cant hide the magic touch of daylights. although the massive techno bassline is the star of this track we are sure it will find its way into the sets of many house djs, too. in contrast to that “swung out” appears way more like pure techno and cannot be filed as house at all. we are hypnotized by the shuffled rim shots and hi hats and ambivalent drives this one straight through the dub universe. techno is the destination and the dark vibe of swung out makes it a perfect after hour weapon.

chevel gives the prism-pushers at mumdance & logos’ different circles their first album release with always yours, a slanted new take on the ‘weightless’ paradigm, floating somewhere between headspaces associated with the styles of lee gamble, actress and logos. paradoxically the longest and yet most minimalistic release on different circles to date, always yours says its piece in succinct yet expansive terms, rendering precisely tooled rhythms and technoid motifs in acres of suspenseful emulated space in a way that connects the brutally efficient dynamic of late ‘90s tech-step with a raster noton-like appreciation of pointillist reduction.in that imagined space chevel moves like a soviet gymnast or prototype robot fluidly executing a demanding routine full of intricate, rigid steps. from the ambient airlock of one evening in july he pulls off the aerobic mid-air rolige of the call, which comes off like a syncopated sleeparchive workout, before twysting into the knotted quasi-step of bulletand stepping into hyperspace on arp 2600. another ambient interlude warming bath returns the lp to balmier states, before the jagged pulse of data recovery pulls back into the dance like a virulent alva noto piece, and dem drums pitch to the rave’s darker side, but ultimately the lushly self-explanatory underwater and always yours keep the lp hovering around the edge of ecstasy and the abyss with a grasp of heady, day-after feelings known to ravers the world over.•the first artist release on logos and mumdance’s different circles•floating in ‘weightless’ space between lee gamble, logos, actress and alva noto•vinyl master + cut by matt colton at alchemy.•cover photo by yusuke yamatani. design + layout by our place

following from deetrons accomplished entry in to the dj-kicks mix series, !k7 are now serving up one of the original singles from it. produced by the swiss artist and featuring soul futurist steve spacek, it comes with the original and three vital versions. entitled chose me, the single is six tender minutes of musical electronic soul. warm and supple bass, twinkling keys and smeared chords form the atmosphere as spacek delivers a dreamy and heartfelt vocal up top. its a track to get the spine tingling, while the instrumental allows the celestial keys to ring out into a night sky as the main focal point. on the jupiter version, the drums are more loose and broken up, lending a spaced out vibe that will be perfect on outdoor terraces as the weather warms up. jumbled percussion tumbles next to the chords as the vocal soars. a jupiter instrumental closes out this cosmic and cultured house ep

hot on the heels of their recent eps on roam, correspondant and futureboogie, zombies in miami maintain the disco heat with their debut on mike simonettis 2mr. three tracks and one remix deep, the entire release is a full trip to the senses. take it off leads by example: strident, uplifting and dynamically arranged so a whole new level of feels is unleashed when you least expect it, theres a real timeless energy and focus coded deep into every element. new odisea takes more of a cosmic approach with its slinking bassline and soaring, yearning chords that weave and wave above it. buckle up even the slightest variations and percussive additions are so well placed, they create an almighty rush every single time. finally ‘where is the voice of that man on acid’ attempts to ask the question we’ve all been asking for years. fittingly psychedelic, layered and circuitous, its springy riff persistently tickling under waves of evocative atmospheres and it comes complete with a sublime, sub-loaded rolling technoid trip-fest from honey soundsystems jackie house. the duo describe the ep as the result of hours of jamming, trying to imagine and recreate the loudest, most energetic and sweaty dancefloor tracks that we could play in mexico, europe and all over the world no matter the borders. we’d describe that as mission accomplished.

this is a homage to childhood years spent in the scottish highlands. to mountain biking in fort william. to nights out in glasgow and edinburgh. to the scene and the people. to cha deoch-slaint, i gun a traghadh. its no health if the glass is not emptied. this is alex warrens little nod to scotland. disco halal is delighted to add another genius dancefloor master to the family, kiwi. pine marten opens the ep up, contemplative and majestic, like highlanders preparing for battle. following up, daubentens bat is a bonafide disco halal anthem with indigenous vocals and psychedelic woodwinds. to close the ep, kiwi reworks pine marten into a peak time, italo-infused roller. the highlanders drop their swords, head to panorama bar and jig with reckless abandon.

organic analogue broadens its remit on this killer boogie inflected diversion from italian producer croza. where the label has been often associated with deeper techno and electro, it sounds right at home exploring the moog bass licks and snappy drum programming that pours like a fine wine out of every track. night heat is the perfect lead track, all steamy synth throb and funky guitar licks, while feel turns up the pressure with a proto house burner that would have set the paradise garage alight. also look out for a rare appearance from ad bourke, who cruises on to the record to deliver a blissed out version of night heat for the smokiest of sundown situations.

89:ghost is on fire at present, having thrown down killer releases from todd sines, logic system and tomoki tamura over the past year. tommy vicari jnr is a great addition to the roster, bringing a freaky, wobbly and distinctly hi tech approach on all that matters that will have party people freaking out in a whole new way. things at night takes a completely different approach with its focus on delicately chopped up piano hooks. tlk 2 me wt yr bdy flips the script yet again with a roughneck, ardcore sound palette and some filtered house elements riding atop a booming low end. likely story finishes this varied ep off with a cheeky garage house strut that will have just as many fans as the other killer jams on this well rounded record.

tresor records is proud to announce a new commission, bringing together two of its most time-honored contributors. berlin’s thomas fehlmann and detroit’s terrence dixon came together in detroit to produce this expressive album. an avant-premiere live performance of this album was presented at tresor’s annual detroit showcase in may 2017. composed of six titles and exploring a wide range of rhythms and emotions, “we take it from here” is a celebration of resilience, patience, creativity and devotion.

naïf 008 opens a series of five eps that will be released around the release of the dj-mix-cd also named naif which has its release in april 2018 the first strike comes with two blinding techno tracks: running man is a contribution by the gentleman of techno steve bicknell. the other comes from the young swedish producer that goes by the name of kuf and who is part of the arsenik crew. besides that we find two compositions by phillip sollmann himself that show his abstract and experimental approach. while aliasing bells is a texture of sampled tibetan bells tag3 by his side-project autolyse is a jam on a light-sensor-controlled custom-made synth. perfect for layering on top of a mix. after more then three years of silence as a producer, efdemin aka phillip sollmann returns with a striking hybrid concept that merges the album format with the continuous dj mix format, presenting completely new material in a seamless manner. the cd-mix, named naif, officially reinstates his label of the same name and is a sprawling tour of inner space featuring 19 distinct tracks from fellow producers along with an additional ten that feature efdemin himself (either as soloist or collaborator). the release condenses his decade-long dj-ing journey and evolution as a producer into a single potent elixir of contemporary techno. naïf consists of completely unreleased material from both himself and valued collaborators, all of which will eventually manifest as ep releases: five on his own naïf label and two more on curle.

pets boot down the doors of 2018 with this generous five track version excursion. five of the label bosss most distinctive and decorated tracks from recent years get the treatment from five fittingly big names, this is how its going to go down… the one and only roman flügel takes the lead with a wonked-out trip down ‘basic colour theory lane. with a sly switch on the kicks and full emphasis on the alien encounter feels, his trippy take on ‘dont sets the perfect creative benchmark for whats to follow. dig deeper for a bumping, stripped back warm and jacking twist of ‘its happening by the currently unavoidable rutilance founder dj steaw while counter records pional breaks down their recent jolt of euphoria ‘rave history and rebuilds it into a slinkier, house affair, repurposing every spine-tingle and skin-ripple greg and voitek coded into the original. deeper again were treated to an exceptional twist of their green velvet collaboration ‘keep on as lawler injects a springy, molten momentum to the elements with a salubriously loopy machine funk feel. finally, for good measure, jonathan kasper wraps up their 2016 spiritual trip ‘elixir with a new sense of conga-riddled, bass-licked momentum. still reaching the highs when you least expect it to, the pay-off keeps giving and giving. a little like this whole ep

fresh from his and elizabeth wights widely supported pale blue debut on crosstown rebels, new jersey renaissance man mike simonetti returns to correspondant with a touching cyclical trip.fuelled by emotion thanks to an on-point sample of a barbed spoken word, i love you mom is characterised by shimmering hypnotic cathedral cascades that fully arrest the senses. symmetrically bookended by the equally overwhelming i love you dad, where the same chords and sample take a much darker acidic trip, simonetti also treats us to the icy ricochet subversions of the chime-binding riser lets go for a walk and the purring electroid bass prowler no gods, no masters along the way. pregnant with restraint and well-tempered emotions but knowing exactly when to pop, its another certified odyssey from the perennial troubleman. feel the love.

last spotted on correspondants fourth annual collection, jennifer cardini and noura labbani return to yovavs majestic slice of cold wave theatre running wave and develop its universe on their ever-bubbling dischi autunno imprint. still as epic and dramatic as it ever was, its narrative is now galvanised by a typically dynamic edit from gerd janson (who also remixed yovavs last single on correspondant), three originals and one remix. railroad is an animated chip-like adventure with layers of leads cleverly interlaced around the lolloping lofi kicks file detective plays the consummate creeper as a slinky metallic beat suddenly melts into a sleazy, sneaky lead that keeps peeping over its shoulder space work closes the show on a cosmic high with such a strong emotional pull it could make sabres of paradise blush while brassica add crucial footnotes with uptempo breakbeat remix so elastic and euphoric it could flex a bicep or two. stunning, immersive and truly singular no one is doing it like yovav right now.

a year on from luigi tozzi and label head dino sabatinis collaborative manticora ep, outis return with a striking, singular solo work from tozzi. ecate ep sees the roman producer bringing three distinct slices of techno, each with its own set of subtleties and the crystal, adept sound design that defines tozzi’s work. spanning the a-side is ecate. this title track is rolling and hypnotic, with muscular, percussive bass. throughout the track, angelic chords come and go, washing the listener in euphoria. alongside, we hear a disorienting melody, grounded by the lightly swung four to the floor kick that gives this track an infectious groove. the flip opens with leto, which immediately defines itself as a club track with an unbroken but evolving set of percussion and a weighty kick. its around this kick that other elements build. we hear long, ringing, resonant string sounds, and a bell like melody morph and unfold as other percussive components come and go. the track falls away into atmospheric eeriness, which perfectly sets the stage for the eps finale. esperedes swung, panning drums give it a disorienting feeling of otherworldliness from the get go. this is before youre greeted by an alien, slightly dubbed out melody and a hanting backing drone that feels like a reference (perhaps in opposition) to the angelic chords of the eps first track. its on this closing track that tozzis delicate, expert sound design best shines through, and really has to be heard to be understood.

having grown up with and on the internet, martin steer (1986) has transformed its pull into a concept album that is just as immediate and intangible as the digital world. bad stream is guitars and machines vanishing in the spaces between radiohead and nine inch nails only to reemerge amidst ambient, noise, and drone. bad stream, then, is his modus operandi - a hybrid soundtrack to the feelings of resignation, isolation, and cynicism within neoliberal cyberspace and to that strangely numbing comfort of bodies transmuting into zeros and ones in real time.

len faki mixes , transparent vinyl , len faki takes on a couple of classics for 007 of his ongoing special edits series lfrmx, striking a perfect balance between the old and new. first up is a tweaked version of steve stolls 1998 lp-excerpt reciproheat, elegantly edged while carrying the proper weight to move. dj shufflemasters booming housedust release from the same year however has a wacky tack to its groove, its mind-bending qualities yet amplified by faki boiling down the tempo to more current confines. the flipside goes all deep, starring a rework of valentino moras recent space odyssey. building upon the originals lively tribal percussion, the prevailent mystical mood is spliced up, readying the track special moments in an otherwise up-tempo-environment. a gently pulsing edit of ubx127s barabrus eventually puts a meditative and soothing finishing touch to the ep. as with all releases of lf rmx, the proceeds of this record will be forwarded to the berlin organization straßenkinder e.v. to be used in actions against child poverty.

new clouds material from calum macleod and liam robertson can mean only one thing: these things will go quick, and as you can imagine, you ll want to get them in your dj sets just in time for the nye debauchery. the duo land on british techno imprint overlee assembly, kicking the carnage off with a perc remix of tuned to a dead channel, something of a toxic headbanger with a gnarly bass at its core. this is followed by a much sleeker, more restrained tuned version of chained to a dead channel, and then by a jungle/breakcore driven version from headcore wreckage, and an acid-laden, drum-nutty hardcore tuned again version.

so robbie m says hes retired, but thats just the day job, now with new gear acquired and the studio set up in the family room, its time for ram music productions to become a household name (spoken only through a vocoder).

repress , originally pressed in 2013 this 12” sat undiscovered for a good year , until vol 2 came out and people found it, then started charging silly money on discogs. this really raw piece of vinyl features just the owners of tone dropout records - sweeney and dawl. trk 1 from dawl is a pounding pulsating rhythmic banger with bleeps gliding through the track with the help of sharp snares and claps, real atmospheric track. then next comes strange world with all its space aged laser bleeps and busy bass line running through like a freight train, as always sounds moving and changing throughout the track both these are bleep tastic, paying much homage to our heroes from the warp days. boom check it then on side b sween comes in with a totally different track, another atmospheric track with military style snares and a moving acid line going in and out over the moody baseline and rising synths. an all round complete e.p kicking off our tone dropout sound, breaks ,bleeps, acid and boomy busy baselines and synths.

bawrut has had an amazing couple of years. since kicking our label off back in 2015 with the modern acid classic ciquita (12inches of which will now set you back silly money on discogs), the madrid-based producer has gone from strength to strength. last year saw him tear down sets at sonar and farr festivals, drop a feted new ep on hard fist records, and have his music soundtrack numerous adverts for fabric events. other djs have been quick to show their appreciation, and bawrut’s unique appeal can be seen in how far and wide across the spectrum his music has featured. optimo, avalon emerson, patrick topping, jackmaster, artwork, andrew weatherall and many more have all supported heavily. were proud to kickstart bawrut’s 2018 with 4x4, a brand new ep of typically leftfield bangers. these four tracks come on like a whirlwind journey through a bawrut dj set, with something for every time of the night. ghettoscar fuses african chants with burbling acid, building the kind of goodtime dancefloor warmth bawrut is famed for. more cowbell does exactly what you’d expect, giving djs a glorious, cowbell-powered disco bomb that fuses the spirit of incredible bongo band with classic nyc house. i hear voices is a crazy ride, with an expertly cut up vocal sample repurposed into a weird, descending riff that’s quite unlike anything else out there. throw in bawrut’s trademark kitbag of carnival whistles, rattling latin percussion and a creeping acid line that works itself up into a soul-salving joy and youve got a modern classic on your hands. finally, lead track three sounds is probably bawruts biggest moment to date, a peak time jacking techno monster built from the most minimal of elements - drums, claps, a one note bass squelch and a tom drum gone wild. bawrut takes this tom sound and treats it like a 303, pushing far off the rails, working it up and up, twisting it through pitch and frequency like a man possessed, raising its pressure til it tears off the roof. theres no one else making techno quite like it - and you can expect dancefloors to be going crazy to the mania of three sounds throughout 2018 so there you have it - four more missives from the wizard of madrid. play em loud.

4 shorelights is a collaborative ambient techno project feat. rod modell (deepchord, echospace, waveform transmission, transformations), and walter wasacz and christopher mcnamara of the detroit-based audio visual collective nospectacle. ancient lights expands the vision and the range of the shorelights aesthetic, heading into deeper territories of inner and outer space. its ambient for body and spirit, sound designed to make the human heart dance. limited copies…

its almost 20 years ago that hector left mexico to pursue his dream of dj-ing. on this journey, he has learnt that there is no room for complacency, and to stay sharp you need to test your skills. vlack is a new imprint created by hector for techno focused releases, that he also enjoys playing and producing, outside of those deeper more minimal grooves.

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

next cocoon floor bomb! cocoon recordings is back with a bang after the winter break, cranking up the pressure once again. what s more, we re seriously pleased that we ve managed to land johannes volk for the new season. johannes has been making us smile with his productions for more than 12 years and considering his 2006 debut appeared on jeff mills axis label, it s easy to guess which direction his cocoon release is going. there are no dreamy minimal sounds or deep house trips this time round, instead you ll find headstrong techno pumping out of the speakers. tears & walls drives forward relentlessly with its meaty kick and metallic open hi-hats setting the pace. energetic and demanding throughout, johannes volk certainly takes no prisoners! -a little story about time and space- follows in its footsteps although the mood here is notably more detroit, taking us back to productions on cult labels like red planet, metroplex or the axis records sound. volk layers the track with more prominent harmonies and hypnotic arpeggios, giving it a subtle yet highly effective trance touch. the warm analog strings in the middle section underline this emotional impact and make a little story about time and space a guaranteed sunrise song for the upcoming spring and summer season, heartwarming and dance floor friendly in equal measures!

dj seinfeld presents an immersive ep exploring the balance between fragility and force. ‘sakura ep’ is the third and most dynamic offering from deep sea frequency. four tracks draw from a multitude of influences, breaks, electro, dub and trance elements band together with a familiar lo-fidelity approach where distortion acts as an instrument of its own. ‘sakura’ is a subaquatic dose of old school electro with swollen bass and fuzzy harmonics. title track ‘segrada’ brandishes swirling melodies with layers of detail, followed by ‘belvedere’ which uses looped breaks and a sub-driven bassline to build animated funk. ‘battery’ closes things out with a nod to detroit, and a full on drum workout which plays with delicate melodic inflections over a cavernous low end.

tevatron is back on its metrohm label with its -my origins- concept. inspired by the fathers of techno he synthesizes his influences and his project is quickly acclaimed by one of the masters of the genre like derrick may in others. -my origins part 2- is an invitation to discover the roots of techno, with this new version, tevatron returns to the sources by offering us two beautiful timeless tracks powered by bass lines based on arpeggio, powerful beats with a groove supported, striking agreements with a backbone very representative of the techno of the mid-90s. laurent garnier considers this ep as a new classic of its kind.

ras g and moresounds explore the outer reaches of sound system culture for dub-stuy’s new collaborative series of eps. brooklyn-based label dub-stuy kicks off 2018 with the inaugural release of a new ep series dedicated to unearthing and celebrating the outer reaches of sound system culture. taking its cue from the classic dub releases where two producers would face off with their own versions, dub-stuy’s meets series brings together artists who have a clear dub influence but do not operate solely within the sphere of the dub and reggae world. the first such meeting is between los angeles beat supremo ras g (brainfeeder, stones throw) and paris junglistic dub scientist moresounds (cosmic bridge, astrophonica).

founded in 2015 by dubstep forefather sleeper, crucial recordings has continued to develop and strengthen its undeniable grip on the dubstep world with each release, never failing to act as an unyielding beacon within the scene for unearthing fresh, standard-setting talent. leaping from strength to strength, this highly prolific imprint constantly delivers multifaceted and boundary shattering bass music through ingenious and unprecedented ways. the latest addition to the label’s ever-expanding vision for multifaceted bass music comes from rotterdam-based hebbe, who has truly emerged from the shadows recently through releases on subway recordings, artikal music, duploc and version collective. regarded as the most promising up-and-comer in the dutch dubstep scene, hebbe sports an obscure, sound driven flow that aims to inject diversity and progress into today’s musical output. keeping within a similar spirit, hebbe’s crucial016 boasts two far reaching tracks, “mad hatter” and “galata” that convey trailblazing bassweight through two very different formats. while “mad hatter” cuts through to the core with simplicity and impact, “galata” equally enchants with smokey darkness and trenchlike depth, building upon crucial recordings’ irreplaceable position within the dubstep circuit.

following on from releases on mary go black, novamute and sleaze, charlotte de witte continues her streak of stripped back techno on this latest ep for suara music. the heart of mine ep leads with the dark stomper this. a simple and very effective twisted workout. the title track heart of mine, is typical of her trademark style. pounding kicks, stark synths, and snatches of uplifting vocal. the ep closes with the lewis fautzi remix of this. its atmospheric and crunching sound rounds of this solid techno release.

adam beyer s drumcode closed out another hugely successful year in 2017, with a non-stop release schedule showcasing some of the best techno on offer from both the labels roster of artists to some fresh new names popping up on the scene. now in its 21st year, the label announced its drumcode festival later this summer, that will only contribute to solidify their position as the world s no.1 techno label. making his debut on drumcode in 2017 with his track fake featured on the a-sides vol 6 compilation, one of brazil s much loved exports wehbba brings us his first full ep this february with eclipse . a no nonsense 4 track offering, and all thoroughly road tested by adam, they have gained much support from longtime drumcode fans. eclipse, delivers a low end rumble along with a modulating synth line. reigning high throughout the track, is the undeniably catchy and unique synth. leaving this track one to be recognised on dancefloors all over the world. ‘protocol doesn t turn down the pace, straight into a chugging hypnotic drive, this track leaks with attitude, along it s eerie undertones. probably the most acid influenced track of the ep, glasswerk has a futuristic modular synth riff which thunders along a hypnotic bass line which flows nicely into framework to close out the ep. its punchy and powerful kick sits alongside the cleverly crafted synth pattern, taking this track into a dark zone with a groovy element still resonant.

after the sublime triple 12inch re-issue of the sonar bases 4-10 album on deeptrax records, it s now time for the second installment in the sonar base transmissions series: the album dark matter . all 6 tracks were produced by frank de groodt around 2004/2005 and were only released in the inner circle, never released on vinyl. this mini lp still sounds as fresh as it was produced 13 years ago, experimental on the drums and synths. when listening to sonic discharge and velvet sky of sonar 6 , the link with drexciya is easily made. sonar base takes you further into outer space territory with the dark sounds of polygone suffering and the title track dark matter there is the clear idm feel of tracks like meet you at tower 3 on sonar 7 . dark matter is a hypothetical type of matter distinct from baryonic matter (ordinary matter such as protons and neutrons), neutrinos and dark energy. dark matter has never been directly observed, however, its existence would explain a number of otherwise puzzling astronomical observations the mini lp is limited to 400 black versions and 100 on limited edition purple marbled vinyl, pressed by deepgrooves and fully remastered by thee j johanz. you know the drill!!

rico casazza is an electronic producer, dj & teacher, based in london. having produced music for over 11 years, he has established a solid musical identity with releases on labels such as soma, archipel, plastic city & wiggle. following his killer “they move fast” ep on beef last summer, we now welcome him back for his first 12” with us. the productions are unique but you can tell they are from the same magical casazza signature ... raw acidity, enslaving basslines and subtle percussion. the ep kicks off at a measured pace with “yurican”, whose self-assured acid line sits wonderfully alongside the track’s reflective atmospheres. “argue” then evolves this acidic energy, still praying to the sky but pumping its fist higher than before ... laying the patchwork for the final original on the 12”, the euphoric dance floor obliterator, “macabre”. to finish, bringing your heart rate down with caution, dirscen has provided a drugged out remix of “end 2016”.

deepartsounds may be a sublabel of moto music, but it s achieved so much on its own terms over the past decade. now joe lewis is joining the esteemed ranks of the label with even more experience behind him he was recording for the likes of relief records and peacefrog way back when. its no secret when you listen to his jams on back 2 live, where rugged and raw synth lines sit atop tough machine beats. love mystery is plenty tender where it counts, but 9 lives and confused house head towards a rougher end goal for the nastier kind of party.

tartouffe for its eight release presents the second part of olympus series by valeriaan.

review with its latest reissue, majiks back into your heart - melodies international dug deep into the back catalogue of hi records, the legendary soul label from memphis founded in the 1950s. originally signed as a recording artist, willie mitchell took the reins of the label and guided it through its most successful period in the 1970s, notably producing a string of studio recordings for al green, syl johnson and o.v. right among other eminent soul musicians of the time.

13th hour records presents its debut ep: a four track v/a celebrating both the pulse of the late-night dancefloor and the starry-eyed ride home. two tracks from subjoi forge the a-side, the vibrant yet moody “make me” taking the a1 slot and spacy, hi-hat bonanza “doin’ fine” at a2. and influenced by the bass-heavy vibrato of 70s funk, ricky razu kicks off the b-side with the infinitely groovable “reaching out,” followed by the sultry cut “moonlight jam” to close out the album.

the second of alma negras 12 rhythms series is dedicated to the maloya sound from la réunion, a tiny island where a melting pot of cultures is reflected strongly in its music. maloyas roots go back to the time of slavery, its quick tempo and raw energy making it not only a popular dance music but also a powerful protest through movement. on their maloya ep, the basel collective pay tribute to the hypnotic rhythms that were feared both by the catholic church and the french government for the musical forms subversive part in the rebellion against colonialism.

pleasure zone welcomes franco cinelli & leonardo andres to the family! this collaboration blowed us away and now its time to share the teaser with you. the cristal jams ep will be out in march

arte moderno was a project running in parallel lines to the overriding trends in early 80s spanish music. short-lived as it was (active between 1981 and 1982) its musical output has continued to amaze the connoisseur ever since. their only 7inch single ninette en new york (ja ja records,1982) is today an item highly rated by collectors and djs worldwide.

nice price deal !!! another bomb on uncage! this ep is heavily influenced by that berlin techno modular sound, kicking off with >terraforming< and its percussive swing coupled with synthetic percussive riffs twisting in and out the mix. >monastero< is a slow builder of a track, a haunting synth line accompanies firing hi-hats. head down late-night moments are to be had with >exoplanet< with a low key acid line slicing through the background, leading us into >solar shade<. the lead track has a low-end rumbling sub, deep and powerful with an eerie vibe.

a true lynchpin of the detroit underground. sharif laffrey has been producing music & djing internationally for over 20 years. sharifs participation in detroits early rave scene during the early 1990s led him to music, djing & organizing underground loft parties. sharif became part of detroits submerge squad as he worked & lived in its storied 2030 grand river avenue headquarters working for mike banks as an operative for underground resistance & submerge. and dance is the debut release on laffreys own record label special forces. a workout of a jam that along its 14 minute long route undergoes transformations. cryptic spoken vocals and sound for dance.

firescope records, the scion of b12 records, releases its first album from none other than its chief commander, steven rutter. the second credited solo release from rutter, it signals another step away from b12 as he steadily builds on a singular vision of work under his own name. finished in two different coloured vinyl a/b and c/d in a wonderful gatefold featuring the artwork of sarah sparkes

2lp gatefold, running back welcomes andreas grosser for the start of its non-dancefloor series running back incantations. released in 1981 on uks york house recordings as a cassette tape only. now carefully transferred from an archived tape, remastered and compiled on a double album for the first time, it features the previously unreleased and not less mesmerizing the quantum leap