bonnie & klein can often be found cruising round labels like music for dreams and leng, imparting tender touches of balearic finery for those who like to cruise on the slinkiest of 80s flavoured jams. they re on cracking form for this return to uber, kicking off with the sultry -tones of ballad-, which gets a subtle beefing up from drifts projects on the remix. -pretty lake- is the cut for those who want to achieve pure transcendental bliss by way of canned slap bass and sustained chords, and then -snowdrifts- finishes the ep off with a thoughtful piece shaped out by sweet piano and stirring strings.

we have reached our tenth reference , something that we are proud of , for wich we have chosen 6 tracks from different artists. side a roger van lunteren present the theme – acid on the lounge floor side entrance, full of slow acid beats with dubby echoes , we continue with nikolay sunak – back in the day when we were together , a deep theme with vocal samplers and all the 90 s u.k. dance reminiscences , we close this side with morales – futurama, created and thought to make you sweat the dance floors. side b nikolay sunak – loner s groove, 4×4 bases , organ chords and riffs that plunge us into deep atmospheres accompanied by a compact base of bass-line and beat boxes , roger van lunteren – care about your future , pure freestyle acid, casual, cool and bubbling , we close this tenth reference with i -vil – repentance , pure 90 s belgium rave , hoover sound , voices and rithims 909 pounding with an hypnotic bass.

phat drum & bass dbl header

following their debut ep release -one- earlier this year, french music act esss deliver an array of sounds in their latest ep naturally entitled -two-. electro down tempo 80 s synths meeting 70 s funk with modern dark techno builds. -two- is a melting pot combination of gesaffelstein and stranger things . the opening track (1) berlingot will no doubt take the dance floor by surprise as layered synths, kick drums and bass sounds descend into a new wave banger. (2) kickflip is a glitchy down tempo cut with dreamlike percussion with twisted retro synths. (3) nightlight is an ominous rolling cut that offers similar 80 s sounds but with added grooves and darker techno elements.three tracks on -two- offer retro and futuristic beats, enough to lose yourself into. get -two- after -one- by ess

after releasing some heavy deep tracks on labels such as flyance records or steawards, the new figure of techno and deepness ka one & st-sene sign here a killer set of house music jewel. gunnter (rutilance recordings) is proud to introduce his close friends with this new label dedicated to real underground house sound. pressed with qualitative mastering, heavy bass lines and emotional synths, this wax will easily fits clubs with a powerful sound system.

ike yard recombine their music looking across decades of post punk, electronic, soundtracks and come out with some of their best yet and enough to last the next 20-30 years (in ike yard s very own words). originally founded in 1979 new york city, members michael diekmann (keyboard, guitar, vocals), kenneth compton (programming drums, synths arrangements, bass, guitar, vocals) and stuart argabright (programming drums, synths arrangements, distortion bass, keyboards, metal perc) reformed the band once in 2007 and again in 2010. each time different and with new ambitions. this time ‘sacred machine’ ep is defined by detailed drum layers supported by multiple basses and keyboards, some off-timing beat patterns that turn in a second of synchrony into a straight four on the floor kick and first time vocal collaborations.

new york native caiazzo releases the devotion on his and p.leone s e-missions imprint featuring three dusky techno tracks and a remix from white material co-founder young male. much like p.leone, caiazzo s debut release (entitled the dredge ) landed on work them records, spencer parker s label that s featured names such as radio slave, rodhad, dj richard and ryan elliot. launching e-missions earlier this year, the pair continue their high quality output by following up two releases from p.leone with three uncompromising original cuts from caiazzo himself. rolling percussion drives 917 (sportmixxx) whilst intoxicating drones operate throughout, making way for lifeform with its layers of thick synthesised sounds that build on top of a relentless drum composition with subtle but effective transitions. godbody offers a stripped back approach to techno with an intricate percussive composition that allows a deep low-end and a hypnotic perc to take control. finally, white material label boss young male provides his take on godbody where bass hits combine with haunting atmospheres and warped rhythms, closing the release with style.

last year’s on the corner underground smash release, the 12” ep santuri’s embaire umeme, introduced uganda’s mugwisa international xylophone group (m.i.x.g) to the world. the recordings center on the embaire, a giant xylophone native to ugandan folk music, which is dug into a pit for a natural, earthy bass resonance as gargantuous as the instrument itself. the instrument performs a key role in village life, with ceremonial playing sessions lasting for hours on end. these recordings may be esoteric in nature but they add important context to the santuri’s embaire umeme 12” and are a vital documentation of the iganga village’s culture, as well as that of uganda. jones has artfully chopped the epic session into a series of short evocative chapters to create a pioneering masterpiece. remix duties are led by griot house innovators, the diabolcal liberties, who have raved-up some sun ra frequencies for the cosmic junglist crew. last but never least, victoria topping has created beautiful artwork using the session photography taken by jones during the recordings

redstone press is a new label from the highlands of scotland born out of long nights on homegrown soundsystems pushing the uk scene, with a unique northern edge that comes from the freedom and isolation felt in that part of the world. red001 compromises of three eclectic bass-driven cuts from delphic producer pseudopolis. the a side pulls no punches, pointing you front left with arpeggiated synths on at last and artillery like percussion on tracer. we can all groove is a grittier but more subtle workout on the reverse.

it is time for the nang and rayko worlds to collide once more. the awesome madrid-based dj and producer is back with his second album on nang. as ever the grooves are wide, the beats are large and the musical elements ooze funk and nu disco sheen. thing open up with the title track and recent single no stopping. the track features the fine vocals from tania haroshka and it is a powerhouse of synth disco, electronic groove with real bass guitar and darting guitars giving it just a tint of miami vice sheen. 2016 single crazy is up next with it s catchy hooks and counter melodies. it comes with just the right amount of good-time groove to bring a smile to any face. things tone down robot life which is a creeping synth fest with wandering grooves and chunky drums. danielle moore features with a fine vocal on a pure rayko style classic cosmic pirate. muscular basses and darting guitars being deployed to maximum effect. ocarina of time is next with its layered complexity and stabby synth bass notes. tania haroshika returns for the final trio of tunes on the album. her fine vocals melding effortlessly with the slick production from our hero. first up is hot which builds the music slowly adding layers of multi tracked guitars and real bass before breaking forth into song. u sneaks in from the leftfield with its quirky strings and arpegiated synth-clavi lines. the album closes with the (slightly) melancholic and pensive groover space boat. tania adding a brooding vocal over a pulsating juno style bassline. a fine effort from our madrid based hero who once again shows everyone what this top-of-his-game dj-producer can do with some guitars and keyboards.

full-on ricardo villalobos treatment on both sides: one for the vox, one for the bass

eleased by butter sessions and noise in my head who are also known for their offshoot efficient space, sky girl is enriched with artwork from perks and mini mutant misha hollenbach and appropriately elegant sleeve notes courtesy of ivan smagghe. australian import 2lp, released by butter sessions and noise in my head who are also known for their offshoot efficient space (sky girl, etc) - all exclusive tracks! scratching the surface of australia’s independent electronic massive, butter sessions and noise in my head finally compile the second volume of domestic documents. featuring all exclusive tracks, perth godfather ewan jansen joins new wa blood phil stroud and senate, respectively making hectic percussion tracks and hell bent techno, as newcastle transplant roman nails emerges with his squelching one take tape experiments. meanwhile in melbourne, fia fiell’s ambient mind maze and butter sessions alumni booshank target the cerebral cortex, hotrod goes full turbo and live/dj wingmen miris and norachi share the same side of their vinyl debuts (alongside the freakishly underrated colours of infinity aka kloke). kangaroo skull and cale sexton fly the flag for temporal cast, the latter on a calming club collab with sleep d. liner notes from ivan smagghe and artwork from misha hollenbach (perks and mini) features many rarities reissued for the first time ever

brilliant drum & bass double header .... floating stuff

since jim coles took on the mantle of om unit, the english producer has sought to challenge himself and his audience by going beyond the confines of genres and styles he has so far explored. in the process he has found success by striving for more feeling, for a more human and daring electronic music. this journey continues with ‘self’, coles’ third album as om unit and a true follow-up to his 2013 debut ‘threads’.
‘self’ captures coles in a period of growth, change, and experimentation. inspired by personal psychological and emotional healing work, and a vision of the self as an egg — which coles later on discovered is a jungian archetype — the album blends dubwise, bass-heavy music with the space of experimental ambient compositions and the daring imagination of a cold wave science fiction soundtrack.
the first om unit album on coles’ own cosmic bridge label, ‘self’ offers new forms amid familiar touches. stripping away what people might expect, coles deconstructed and reimagined his work so far as a challenge to himself and, in turn, to his fans.

seven years into its celebrated journey, life and death assembles its third and most adventurous compilation to date - displaced soundtracks. for the first instalment in a new series, dj tennis has given free rein to some of his most trusted contemporaries, enabling many of todays most respected dance music producers to display their hidden talents as composers. gathering music from a long-aborted film, the collection stands as another bastion of life and deaths perpetual evolution. duncan gray embraces dissonance, black merlin, appleblim and artefakt go interstellar and fango channels post-punk squat music. hades rocket showcases the expertly-sequenced synth work that has graced simian mobile discos illustrious career, while redshape revisits all the right sides of 80s wave and library music. danny daze and synth-savant kink embrace non-standard tempi with great success, while axel boman delivers sitar-laced gospelhouse without a bass drum. elsewhere, your favourite producers favourite producer, stimming, teams up with pianist lambert and the pair learn to fly. inspired and challenging, life and death ventures into their eighth year confidently, constantly evolving without compromise.

brand new glastonbury production duo speakman sound team up with frankie forman for the palliative psychedelic dance stylings of latest single warm. warm follows the breakneck success of debut single in flight which became a top viral track on spotify while being touted by key tastemakers including 6music’s lauren laverne, radio x’s john kennedy, soho radio’s eddie temple morris and radio 1’s huw stephens, monki and phil taggart. the latter commendations led to the brothers being offered a slot on the bbc introducing stage at glastonbury for a ram-packed homecoming. brothers todd and guy, the duo behind speakman sound, spent their childhood in the glastonbury area immersed in music through their father, a guitarist in psych-rock scene including bands such as hawkwind. growing into adolescence against a backdrop of rave culture in somerset shaped the psychedelic tinged future bass sound they create in their studio in north london today. warm is a sonic embrace, a trip into the uterine comforts of music. a rolling kick drum structures it, ostensibly four-on-the-floor, but with syncopated fibrillations, the sound of a heart skipping a beat. with frankie forman’s brilliant, mantra-like vocal and tobie tripp’s sweeping strings, warm reminds us of the comfort we find in music. enveloping in its beauty, it’s the latest majestic entry into speakman sound’s unique and beatific body of work. that the speakman brothers are producers in their own right should come as no surprise. having received a start-up grant for a studio in cricklewood, they have built an artistic hub from scratch and are surrounded by a creative coterie of young musicians and talented artists practicing across film and music in north london where they hold regular late-night jams and parties.

lithuanian alex krell rides the new wave of deep and dark techno straight into the sodai fold, delivering a comprehensive and cohesive four track ep for gardens of god’s respected imprint.
enticingly deep and dubby, title track parallel seduction sets the tone with a rumbling bass and reverbing stabs. optyx picks up the pace, with driving percussion and shimmering synth soundscapes. the subtle distortions of wiemar are next up, conjuring a deep brooding atmosphere. lastly, knocturne is expertly crafted for the dancefloor leaving us fully immersed in a flawless ep.

this album has been many years in the making. around 2005 we were gigging, playing hip hop breaks and supporting acts like krs-one and raekwon. we wrote a lot of our own material, but we never properly recorded it in a studio, we did however make lots of -one mic- recordings onto a mini-disk player. tom kept hold of all of these recordings and in 2011 send copies of everything to the rest of the band. a short list of 30 were chosen to record properly. a basic studio was booked, and recording began, initially it was pretty basic, just drums, bass & keys with guitars overdubbed the following day. with these foundation rhythm tracks tom went away and edited them, creating structure, extra layers and demo mixes. these demo mixes were used to send to mcs. it was decided to go with american mcs as the type of thing we listened to when we wrote a lot of our material was classic 90s hip hop. el da sensei & sadat x were the first to respond to our request, and soon features were flying through ever other week. we actually had enough material for 2 albums, but picked what we wanted to represent our first release and continued to develop the material, including adding session musicians for harps, brass, strings and cuts. we chose 4 tracks to create videos for and got the ball rolling with various video makers. the final year was spent mixing, sequencing and deciding on artwork. the title cinder hill is reference to where the band spent many afternoons practicing at john & joe’s parent’s house, their mum maggie passed away in 2016 and the album is dedicated to her for her endless support and love for the music.

natasha kitty katt returns with a new, two-tracker 12inch for masterworks music. the multi-talented mistress of disco has been wreaking havoc on dance floors all over the place with her infectious sets at liverpool disco festival, the southport weekender and this year s suncebeat in tisno, croatia. not to mention having recently solidified her own imprint, ghetto disco records, she s also been flexing her talents in the studio with recent releases on hot digits, tribe uk and now, masterworks music. the disco vibrations ep comes with two sides of pure dancefloor heat with 24 hour sesh up to bat first. co-produced by krane, this high tempo burner features a relentless, pumping bass groove and loads of those quintessential disco-strings. jubilant vocal chops chant, screech and howl for the party to continue all night and day while filtered piano riffs keep the disco fires burning bright. flipping over we get after the dance, which offers a similar approach to it s a-side counterpart. taking on a deeper, sub bassline, things get even groovier once layers of sampled vibes and cosmic synths chirp and swoop all throughout the tracks six minute run time.

with this release a new label emerges under the name deep down. veebo delivers a smooth ep for the occasion. expect stripped down microhouse with spooky laughs and repetitive vocals. on the a side you’ll find essentially, a delicious 45 cut with a classic uk bass melody. on the b side it starts of with one two, a house driven, conductive tool. the ep ends of with ethereal, the title track that will take you on a modular journey with buttery pads and stripped down ultra deep bass lines. this label will continue to focus on the minimal groovin’ side of the genres of house and techno. expect more sounds from vivid antwerp soon.

2020 repress on silver & black mixed 180 gram triple vinyl, housed in full colour sleeve with download code included. 15 years of prspct is nothing to be taken lightly... 12 tracks by 29 prspct artists. for sure the drum & bass/hardcore/breakcore album of 2017!

fadi mohem &#769,,,s interest in electronic music began to rise when he first discovered drum and bass at an early age. since then he built up an extensive stylistic portfolio that has no genre boundaries. with the reckless ep, a first excerpt can now be tested out on the dance floor. „we are- and „reckless- on the a-side are uncompromising techno. both pieces are markedly aggressive and captivate with drifting synths and grooving drums. with „on the run- on the flip side, fadi mohem shows his more experimental side carrying broken drum patterns and atmospherical synths. the soundscapes of this thoroughly crafted record will absorb the listener into another dimension. the fact that his debut single simultaneously marks the first catalog number of the new label of berlin event series werk is actually consistent with the same sphere of emerging producers ready to step up and challenge the old guard. the record lays the foundation, both for werk and mohem himsel

to give end to his alter ego mariano marcial aka -deep mariano- gives us its latest album. a story filled with syncopated rhythms, elegant passages between techno and microhouse abstract sounds. this work completes in a collaboration with exequiel, artist of san pablo, and a rmx with a solid groove with futurist low funk bass of federico molinari.

the nicetraxuk label welcomes another three artists to get involved for the soulfuricacid ep, bringing a range of straight up house gear to the table for the funkiest spinners to get busy with. leeds based producer j cub follows up appearances on eclectic avenue and saints & sonnets with the woozy, trumpet soaked grooves of mestizo. uk cheeky house mainstay lil mark steps up with another quintessential shuffler in the form of small syndrome, and then moodymanc adopts his dubble d alias for a smooth cruising trip through plush synths and warm bass.

coming hot off his rather expansive cognitive dissonance 2x12inch for love notes, and also an ep for axetrax, tape_hiss herein continues his impressive run. on jacob s ladder, the artist pushes his emotionally wrought sound over cooking percussion and bubbling acid undertones. maspeth ave is quite honestly the nastiest bassline we have heard on a deep house track in some time, sure to cause spontaneous bass face in the listener. life as an echo uses soaring chords and synths to prove its point, and forests of my mind finishes the ep off with a pitch bending chord that pushes the track right along. yet another extremely cohesive, emotionally charged effort from this artist.

cheap present was formed in 2013 as a collaborative project between melbourne artists env and luis cl serving as an outlet for the pair to experiment outside of their main musical acts and subsequent genre limitations.
cheap present’s music is mostly recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs and draws sounds and influences from various sources. using old keyboards and samples mixed with digital high definition sounds, the duo create a mixture of raw elements from the techno and dance tradition with a nod to classical melodies and industrial music. each song features heavy drums to highlight the melodic playfulness of their bass, synth arrangements and humorous but expressive vocals and song titles. the anterior mini lp follows on from the duo’s wet garden cassette earlier in the year and presents a collection of material looking back from the group’s creation in 2013 to more recent output. the pair’s evolution is clearly on display on the this 12 inch, from initial jam based songs such as waterproofyouth and bergwasser, which have a spontaneous metallic edge, to new songs such as rooftops, which display a more meticulous and mature approach to production.

the delsin re-issue arm turns its attention to lost trax. this ep features four cuts taken from two different eps, the saturnian system and lost trax 2 from 2006 and 2010 respectively. saturnian system opens the ep with some acid laced electro slickness. fluttering snares and spacey synths carry it away into the cosmos, then the sequel gets much busier. scurrying lines dart about in manic but funky fashion, with serene pads off setting the high energy drums. self destruct sequence then drops into an urgent, slippery electronic groove riddled with squelchy sounds and rubbery bass all perfectly orchestrated. last of all, birth is a nimble electronic house cut with plaintive synths and kinetic drums that wiggle and wriggling through the night sky. this is an ep stuffed with timeless sounds and is another essential reissue from delsin.

scenario founder sebo k drops his debut lp - a seven track mini-album - entitled ‘patience’ on rekids in november.
reflecting on 15 years as a producer, sebo k has an admirable discography but recent years have been particularly exciting. the german producer’s continual rise includes recent releases on bass culture, robsoul recordings and tsuba, whilst his vinyl-only label scenario has been putting out wax featuring ian pooley, dj honesty, jus ed, dan curtin, dj deep and diego krause. having cemented a reputation for consistently quality house music, sebo k’s debut on rekids exhibits a refreshing sound from the established artist.

new yorker anthony parasole provides three powerful, dancefloor productions for the third release onjoseph capriatis new label redimension. the exceptional opener ‘velocity wastes no time setting the theme of the record with its supremely-tight drum programming, jerky bassline and synth notes that spiral into space. ‘bang has similarly skipping percussion and a looped melody which reveals itself for a moment midway through the track before the pulse beats on. a killer, minimalist combination of drums, bass and the sample that the track takes its name from. finally, the restrained, warehouse feel and human touch to the rhythm of ‘hot zone again finds the berghain resident exploring the sweet spot between house and techno. his sonic voice between the two genres is founded on his wider influences, and the result carries a subtle funk, muscular beats and hint of nyc swagger. tried and tested by joseph capriati and sure to stay long in the bags of djs, parasoles fine productions have the hallmarks of an artist who knows exactly how to move a dancefloor himself. at once you both expect the unexpected and find that every progression or pad sweep arrives exactly when it was meant to.

gritty & raw tight funk breaks, with hammond organs, electric pianos, exotic instruments, razor sharp guitar lines & nasty thick bass lines. all recorded live to tape with vintage tube studio gear.

for the 4th release from our beloved ourselves they ve once again invited a group of friends to serve us up a healthy dose of tasty house and disco. this time, originaltracks from luvless, snacks, siggatunez und jan ketel are on the menu. &#8203,,,, for starters we have luvless from leipzig whose prepared a floor stomper with a side of heavy drums paired with a warm chords- and stringsounds and a groovy bassline...completely love. the berlin duo snacks appear for the first time on ourselves with their track sisters . a delicious disco snack that sounds like an effortless kitchen jam with an extremely funky aftertaste - you re tastebuds will be dancing. hand played bass sprinkled over percussion, guitar licks and building up synths....hopefully you like your snacks authentic...they muste be true musicians...they are!! the one love disco & funk and the other jazz...so does siggatunez. he cuts us up a vibraphonline and sends it on the chase with a chord so delectably deep that not even the side of fat drums can keep up with the bounce and speed it creates but finally gets it and breaks down the club. jan ketel has prepared a desert that at first, tastes like a mere groovy tool but it soon opens up into something bigger and more hectic. it s like you gotta check in at charles de gaulle while in anothher moment the unmistakable flavour of a lush warm rhodes appears...a timeless flavour, and one that you ll never forget.

silent is the new single by miruna boruzescu aka borusiade from bucharest. silent is a suffocated cry. silent as in silence that is hard to take. sitting and waiting in silence, while exploding on the inside. silent as in silence before the storm. an intense track that recalls industrial spaces, hedonism, sweat, sex and disconnection from the outside world. the rattling sound of ghost train passing by, or big reverberated factory machines unleashed. body music 2017. the b side features a remix by the project khidja , also hailing from bucharest, and is driven by the tracks bass synth, a neurotic now school electro rapture take on the original. silent will be part of borusiades debut album that will be unleashed next year via comeme.

long time is it balearic artist max essa returns with two warm weather bombs.
first up is mekko sekko an early evening shuffler full of all max’s trademark sounds subtly charming the most horizontal listener onto the dancefloor.
top post sunset shuffler. craig bratley pumps up the bass sounds and drops an lovely vocal accent. we love this remix at iib a real fav. reminiscent of an early doors flying track the b-side is the stand alone track aestival a beautifully evocative journey from chilled out bliss do chuggy dancefloor grooving done as only max can do. great to have him back.

vancouver based producer, woodhead, adds masterworks music to his list of accomplishments with the minty fresh 12” ep, -deeper than love- just around the corner. after making his bed with the likes of editorial, royal soul and homebreakin , it’s no surprise masterworks would be all hot and heavy over these thumpin cuts.
kicking things off on the sleazy tip is -be with you,- a mid-tempo funk number that carries an irresistible vibe, bumpin moog bassline and a chug that is sure to inspire more than one dancefloor to do the hustle. taking things a bit deeper is -i love you,- with it’s hypnotic chords, brooding sub-bass and twirling groove.
flip the disc over to catch -love so fine,- which lightens things up a tad thanks to a shuffling rhythm and layers of chords and soulful vocals. ep closer, -whenever you’re around- amps things up with a heavy dose of 80’s chunk and funk… serious business to get the party all hot and sticky.

having given us a taster of things to come back in september 2016, with the pressing matters single, the cyclist returns to hypercolour with a brand new, full length album. and as the title suggests, sapa inca delirium leans heavily on south american mysticism, not just musically, but in the visual imagery that the eleven-track album paints so well across its various tempos and rhythms. from the tropical burst of mood setting opener, go back to the steamy and pacey percussive flow of inhale/exhale which features regular collaborator tanaya harper on vocals, the cyclist’s fourth long player is crammed full of intriguing atmospheres and soundscapes. antiexist, with its down-tempo rolling snare fills and ethereal gregorian chanting segues effortlessly into a blind girl drinks ayawaska, a suitably discordant and hallucinogenic skit that ensures the album flows into the more rhythmic cuts like skateboarding in the jungle and mirrors (the second album cut to feature harper on vocals). even the traditional jazzier vibes of when we all break down featuring joni are kept rugged and boisterous, with heavyweight bending bass, choppy breakbeats and fx’d ambience amongst the smooth jazzy chords and sweet vocal delivery. sapa inca delirium is one of those albums that will reward on repeat listen, such is the diversity of style on show here, and the detailed and wide eyed curiosity offered up across the long players fifty three minutes.

mind records is a finnish record label and a record store in finland owned by marko laine (also known of his works on djax-up-beats, drop bass network and planet rhythm). now after 18 years since last release there’s a new 12” offering some serious dark, hypnotic minimal techno by a new finnish talent j. lyden.

rodhad’s debut album ‘anxious’ sees the artist step away from the dancefloor and further develop the narrative qualities of his beautiful soundscapes. it was the natural next step to present the sound he began cultivating with his recent eps “kinder der ringwelt” and “söhne der erde” as a full length lp. the experience the album is trying to convey is being thrown into a world that is ready to crush you.they have you with your back to the wall, and you are ready to give way to despair. will you be able fight back? how is it even possible? rodhad is the spearhead of a new generation of techno producers and djs. with his bass heavy grooves and dubby atmospheric soundscapes he is a sonic guide, knowing exactly where he wants to take the crowd, leading through the inexhaustible sounds of techno music in all its beauty and gloom. he fully immerses himself into the music, yet never loses himself. growing up in berlin’s rougher outskirts, as a teenager he was able to grasp the final flashings of berlin’s mythical nightlife of the 1990s at legendary places casino and ostgut. in the late 2000s the dystopian crew began their own series of parties and then the label with two seminal releases by rodhad, “1984” and “blindness”.

xixa balance ep (apa002) abstract places audio elusive producer xixa delivers the second abstract places audio release. balance is a three-track ep where the co-founder of the label packs a solid techno sound drowned in complex and evolving atmospheres. as first label’s release (clip - gebre, 2016), this is not a 100% club record, we can hear ambient and idm influences, but a1 and b1 are perfect tracks to keep a techno set full of rhythm and tension, and will get its place on any dj record bag. a1 balance is built around a distorted but controlled techno beat. patiently, a wide palette of drones and other-worldly artefacts are growing next to carefully crafted percussive sounds. 1984 opens the b side of the 12”, with a 4 to the floor overdriven bass drum and a reverse reverb announcing its main synth sequence, accompanied by organic hi-hats and clap sounds. a collection of ethereal drones and noises is also used, giving the track a sense of cohesion and gluing its different parts. life inside a snow ball is xixa s personal take on ambient. some of the drones and artefacts from a1 are now mixed with new quasi- harmonic emotional textures and subtle noises emerging from a deep unknown space and forming a complete new sonic experience. balance ep is a very solid second release by abstract places audio that confirms the label sound and philosophy.

break at home is the collected recordings of the mysterious group 2 katara which was formed in athens, greece in 1978 by george theodorakis (keyboards, percussion, vocals) with his close friend dimitris papangelidis (bass, guitars, percussion, vocals) tip! this musical-duo recorded quietly over a decade between theodorakis’ family idyllic home studio in the philopappou hill of athens and the nearby studios theta and sr. for some part, the tracks seem like adventurous experiments or even unfinished samplers or riffs the band starts to develop, but at the same time there are productions that are clearly meant to be the backbone of an album that never came out.

next up on bucharest’s raw tools label is börft co-founder, johan sturesson, also known to be part of the swedish electronic trio, frak. the four-track ep consists in music from the private vaults of the producer, that has been kept secret for almost 20 years. rough and gritty, his analogue approach and stripped down sound define the record. starting with the rave sounding “uncle owl” and then moving to a more darkly atmospheric title track, kord shows his muscles on the flipside with some more techno infused and bass driven dancefloor cuts.
always under the radar, johan has been operating raw electronics since the late 80’s, developing his distinctive sound. as kord, he has released on several swedish labels, including his own imprint. together with jan svensson and björn isgren as frak, they have released music on labels such as kontra musik, lux rec and midlight records.

late september will see ceri release her truth ep via decay records, backed with remixes from julien sandre (blind box, these days, rawax) and och (trelik, bass culture, all inn). london based producer and dj ceri has been steadily on the rise over the past decade. she shaped her distinctive dj style playing nine hour sets in the second room of corsica studios as one of jaded s official residents.

one of detroit’s best kept secrets, rick wade has been producing late night tracks and tapping into the essence of deepness since the 90’s. known for their universal appeal and appearing on over 20 different labels worldwide, soulful, timeless grooves are his signature. growing up in buchanan mi, 1 hour outside of chicago he was influenced by chicago radio station wbmx and the salsoul material and local stations that played the likes of al green and isaac hayes. in 1993 rick and dan bell started harmonie park to release house material and in 1995 rick started another label bass force primarily as an outlet for the booty / bass material that he records under the big daddy rick moniker. this time rick brings us “the depth charge ep”, three tracks of lavish organic deepness, with jazzy rhodes-chords, strings, trumpets, warm lush big sounding pads, combined with soulful vocal samples and crisp beats. london’s westlake72 contributes with a stunning remix of “be there”, injecting a fierce disco groove and vibe.

* dom & roland’s label has gone from strength to strength from its conception in 2006. featuring collaborations by dom with other artists such as noisia, hive and amon tobin the label has continued to push sonic boundaries whilst staying true to it’s ethos of “not selling out”. it is currently in a “dubs from the dungeons” phase releasing sought after unreleased music from the 90’s from various accomplished artists every month on limited edition gold vinyl. * phoenix – dom ft technical itch a straight dancefloor dj smashout made from two of the featured artists most seminal tracks combined. dom & rolands thunder and technical itch’s reborn. nuf said! *tears in rain – dom & roland a futuristic roller from the “bladerunner” era. it perfectly captures the mood of the film. a big hitter at the metalheadz sessions in the 90’s this was smashed by doc scott and randall in many of their sets. again featuring a reworked alternating clean and distorted -flow break- and big 808 bass this style of production pioneered the way for dom’s later work. this turning point in dom’s history is now finally mastered and seeing it’s release on vinyl 20 years later.

ziúr is a female berlin-based producer and she’s bringing some future club industrial vibes to objects with her deeform ep. in 2015 she started ‘boo hoo’, a night dedicated to the queer community, along side joey hansom. bookings are inclusive, having female identifying and people of colour on the bill with a core friendly and accepting space for people to party. ziúr first made stirs when she remixed peaches “how you like my cut- from the totally nsfw but incredibly fun ‘rub’ lp. she then exploded on to the scene with her debut club vibe taiga ep on infinite machine earlier this year. ziúr has come a long way from her experimental noisy punk band ‘sissters’. punk vibes still run through the dark and bass-heavy sound of deeform ep though. her use of environmental noises, dogs barking and the like, are evocative of cityscapes and dimming lighting when the streets meet dusk. “my testing ground for my own music is when i work at a venue and i do a sound check,” she explains. “if people freak out, then i know that it’s a good track.”

after making waves a few years back via his potatohead people project (with astrological) and co-producing illa j s critically acclaimed self titled lp, vancouver based playboy & producer nick wisdom steps out from behind the boards to deliver his first solo release for bastard jazz. the -intimate strangers- ep mines deep into nick s proclivities for disco, hip-hop, and house flavours. -good times- kicks things off with a snapping four on the floor, deep rhodes chords and a rollicking bassline and vocals courtesy of mr. wisdom himself. -feelin alright- heads into outerspace disco territory with cosmic synths, walking bass, and sultry vocals courtesy of reva devito (hw&w, kaytranada). on the flipside -don t tell- brings in some 80s boogie vibes with downlow vocals from san francisco s k-maxx, while -rock the cash bar- is an instrumental party rocking hip-hop jam sounding like a modern day showbiz & ag.

keysound recordings are proud to announce the second album from uk don sully. while the double vinyl features grime legends jamakabi (roll deep) and jendor (essentials/ogs), it showcases sully’s peerless status across uk bass-driven music, moving though epic soundcscapes, twisted next ragga jams, dark 2step, grime and into chopped up jungle. “with music one of the big motivations for me,” explains sully, “...is its potential to push the crap into the background - to create moments where problems go out the window for a while. that s the drive behind

following on from 2016’s excellent “birsk” single on futureboogie, philipp lauer returns to the label with a new three track single. the “las brisas” ep kick starts with the mechanical funk of “pile”, acidic notes drip over heavy ebm drums whilst a hovering ‘resse’ style bassline dominates, the influence of early house and industrial dance are ever present here on this belter of a track from the tuff city kids and talamanca system player.
more acid pressure can be found on “clipper”, a blazing and dynamic slice of anthemic balearic dance. searing pads and lustrous melodies pour over the robust drum machine workout, that’ll have dancers reaching for the skies! real stirring stuff from lauer, which continues with closing track “tyco”. ricocheting stabs and cowbell hits bounce off a sturdy kick drum as the track flourishes with more on-point melodies and a snaking bass. dripping with emotive refrains, lauer brings his very best to the table here, and rounds off an ep that’s most definitely all killer and no filler!

marlon hoffstadt is a rising star as both a dj and producer, effortlessly joining the dots between classic rave and the future of techno. taking a break from running his retrograde label, marlon has cooked up observing the known for ransom note records. over three tracks of warm synths, bubbly acid and emotional chord progressions, the ep sees marlon reimagining house music for todays dancefloor, taking the passion and energy of ‘80s chicago and giving it the production heft of 2017 berlin. opener ‘floating’ is a piano house classic, shot through with chimes and 303 gurgles, nostalgic for a golden age whilst optimistically looking forward. this is peak time house for dancefloors with heart. it’s followed by the computerised funk of ‘arp+’, an acid house roller that teams jacking 303 bass with mournful strings, as sorrowful as it is uplifting. b-side opener ‘batavus’ is a driving tribute to detroit, kevin saunderson-esque keys stabbing over soaring washes of synth, the sound of late nights and starry eyes. london-based scott fraser has added a remix of arp+ that takes marlons classic techno to darker lands, with snapping electro drums and deliberately seasick bass pressure ramping up the claustrophobia. this mix has already been causing huge damage when dropped on dubplate at fraser’s feted body hammer night.

astrophonica welcomes lewis james to the fold with the shapeshifter ep. a professional sound designer and life long musician, london-based lewis james first appeared on the label via the gradients compilation in early 2017. with this ep he celebrates his love of jungle and drum & bass across four tracks that combine analogue and digital processes to create what he calls, -a spaced out identity, somewhere between science fiction and the dancefloor.-