luiz mendes jr or junior mendes was a ubiquitous figure in the brazilian soul / funk scene of the 70s and early 80s, contributing to compositions for bands such as banda black rio, tim maia, sandra de sa and many more. this, his only solo album has remained off the map (unless you re a collector of rare brazilian vinyl). despite his huge contribution to brazilian music the lp has remained unissued until now, 35 years after its recording.

after two first tracks and a debut ep mental scapes released in 2016 that explored various electronic atmospheres, alva are back with a second opus french kicks. we can find the paw of the parisian duo, whether their pads with large chords, their groovy basslines or their melodies mixing fresh sounds and old school references.

the mysterious parisian chevals joins better listen for their eighth outing, after making his debut on nycs homage with a global affair. his effort on blr is conceptual, taking the scalpel strictly to japanese disco soul material and adding that sweet bump like only the french can.

danny berman aka red rack em is back with 2 more burners on his much loved bergerac label. after slaying everyone last year with wonky bassline disco banger and this years hotly tipped self portrait lp he s got his sights set firmly on the dancefloor once more. 2017 has been a vintage year for the berlin based dj producer with radio 1 mixes, serious air miles, remixes for tensnake, tinie tempah, shows for rinse and after a hectic summer, it s time to focus on his own productions and get back to what he does best. making slamming house cuts designed for maximum floor damage. place for me (version) is a cut up, pumping, soulful disco house slammer. originally released in 2009, it s been updated and remastered and is another great example of red rack ems ability to chop up vocal samples and make something fresh from them. guaranteed club wrecker, which served as a pre-cursor to wbdb and thus needs to be out there once more. exhalt is a super deep, spiritual house number with vibes galore. deep pads and crisp beats combine with deep bass in an ecstacy tinged, euphoric disco number. one for the heads…

after chris carrier’s amazing >addicting game< ep mouche returns with another strong ep. the second release of the label brings a varied ep full of bouncy, driving deep techno freshly cooked by finnish native tm shuffle. while document4 on a1 is a driving deep excursion into snowy landscapes of middle finland, the powerful chord-driven weapon drumman dub on a2 brings a lot of groove to all the dancefloors out there. the b-side takes a more relaxed stance: alone in dub (b1) - created with longtime-friend lauri leino – combines icy soundscapes with a deep dub bass. that mixture heats up things slowly and steadily. ruutana by night (b2) rounds up the package with moody, chilling beats and echoes floating around.

as one of fuse s original residents, rich nxt played a major part in the brand s evolution, helping take it from that sunday morning afters to being one of the most respected event brands and labels on the planet ever since the age of 10, rich nxt has been involved in creating his own music. thanks to his early training as both a drummer and keyboardist, nxt has an inherent musicianship fully apparent in his sound and style of production. taking influence from the london rave scene of the early 90s spanning drum n bass and jungle and later the minimal and tech-house scenes of europe, nxt s output found a platform on the now world-class fuse london label (launched in 2011). a core artist for the label, with five solo eps and a collaboration alongside seb zito, rich nxt has been integral to fuse s trademark sound with his debut ep bristle and quixotic ep two of the labels defining moments. nxt and zito s chemistry in the studio is clear with a further two collaborations on fuse sister label infuse. alongside his own productions, nxt s remix catalogue includes seb zito s never with enzo siragusa and his original breakthrough remix of jon maker s seeker , which was championed by tini and many other leading djs in the minimal house scene. by the end of 2016, a residency at amnesia ibiza with hyte x fuse alongside dates at off week in barcelona and several stand out events on fuse s 8th birthday tour including an epic after hours set at berlin s hoppetosse proved nxt is on top of his game. nxt also launched his own imprint nxt records that year, another platform for his own consistently quality output. several releases down the line, nxt s distinctive style layered with intricate percussion, obscure synths and ethereal pads combined with punchy snares and atmospheric vocals is marking out the producer and label as a prime source for djs and vinyl lovers. 2017 sees the launch of a second vinyl only imprint what nxt, a home for musical discoveries that end up buried deep in his own record bag. featuring both emerging talent and established artists from the uk and beyond, what nxt? all roads lead to the rave.

argentinian producer cemento delivers four uncompromising techno cuts on norwegian label ploink this december. now based in norway, the south american dj has spent well over a decade honing his craft both on the dance floor, organising his own club nights and in the studio, producing records for the likes of antarctic, primitive state and diligentia. after the release of his first full length album on faarikaal records earlier this year, cemento now delivers an ep on bergen-based imprint ploink. fjordens vei provides noisy ambiences underpinned by a pulsating low-end and a series of arpeggiated synthesisers which evolve with the tracks sharp percussion before trolls reise grips us with enticing chord progressions, gloomy atmospheres and crisp drum fills floating above a powerful and grooved bass line. forekomsten hits hard with a heavyweight kick, rolling hi-hats and thick dissonant drones whilst haunting motifs develop with dubbed out effects. remixed by enigmatic producer twinspeaker, the speaker extended mix of trolls reise demonstrates an intricate structure of intertwining melodies with acidic overtones to close out the release.

local talk broadens the palette further with new music by melbourne producer prequel. the a side plays host to freedom, a jazzy, undulating, mixed-up house sound that epitomises the spirit of prequel in one track. it s loose and swinging beat infused with hip-shaking bass, heavily percussive piano riffs and crunchy claps only quieten to make way for an unidentified vocal, who politely thanks you for listening and hopes you have a great time while you are here. it sits perfectly in peak-time territory as it does on a late night afterhours tip. on the flip is the ever evolving lefty . a track that starts off playful & dreamy and features some truly lovely keyboard work. after settling into the groove it takes a sudden and sharp left turn and enters a harder acid focused workout. percussive elements weave definitively in and out of the bass line as detroit influenced vocal cries echo throughout the background. this is the type of track you ll be sure to hear blasting out of speaker stacks on all open-minded dance floors around the globe. another accomplished and celebratory affair from prequel, it comes highly recommended.

blind delon debuted back in 2016 with -edouard ep-. after a sold out and a lot of love and great acceptance of specialized press the french duo presents 4 new remixes of the main track -edouard- signed by kareem, synths versus me, i hate models and violet poison. -edouard remixed- will be presented on 12&#8243,, ep format and produced in a one-off truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid black vinyl. all tracks have been specially mastered and remastered for long cut vinyl by eric van wonterghem.

lucky number seven for good company records is the o.g.ep, roza terenzi s cheekily-titled debut. three tracks of doof-approved club gear from the perth-born melbourne resident, plus a bonus sunday-morning-coming-up megamix from vancouver s jayda g. with a sound like windham hill gone hardcore, this record promises fans from black rock to berlin. after the driving, new age electro of opener the right zone, terenzi declares yeh yeh yeh with a bush-bashing jeep of a bassline, blasting roxanne shante as the posse pile out of the whip & into the function. later, higher place sparks the chalice for a pre-dawn dip into the spirit realm. sometime after that, designated driver (and freakout cult-leader) jayda g takes the wheel, pulling into the church car park with her deep in your soul remix, a piano house kick-on of all three roza terenzi originals. feels good, right?

hola, amigos! our next 12- comes from mexico, delivered to you by the one and only rodrigo alvarez aka rainforest, known already for his output released through monochrome recordings, omni music, cadence recordings, skutta records, or 45seven. so once you’re familiar with the said list of his affiliations, you might imagine what to expect. the most appropriate term for a common denominator to describe the content of this ep would be, let’s say, jungle refurbished. feel more than welcome to explore rainforest’s world of beautifully-crafted complex drum patterns, low-frequency bass lines, and rich palettes of background samplework. we’re positive that your early-morning cup of coffee can be well substituted with the powerful, fierce-percussioned squad nights. the pensive, deep-end blu diesel euphoria will help you digest your daily concerns, and the exotic, desert-inspired sound tribe will give you a strong energy boost. given a bowl of so varied ingredients, you can be sure that you get a really wholesome treat, especially if you’re after something more organic. in terms of sound, that is.

an incredible album from brazilian rock legend raul seixas – easily one of the most important artists to emerge after the tropicalia generation – and a singer with a sound that’s as striking as his image on the cover! the album’s got an explosive blend of styles – everything from psychedelic samba to country rock to easy rock tunes – all bound together by the strong sense of presence that helped seixas elevate to become one of brazili’s most controversial rock stars of the time, all with the kind of legacy you might expect from the cover image! the sound is great – very different than what american and anglo groups were doing at the time, although with sly nods to their modes from time to time – and titles include the english track -how could i know-, plus -as minas do rei salomao-, -mosca na sopa-, -cachorro-, -al capone-, and the strange electronic -introducao-.

eight years after moon in libra (sccd/lp 407), the new s-tone inc.s onda consolidates the partnership between stefano tirone and his longtime friend and collaborator tomaz di cunto aka toco, who co-wrote 8 of the 10 album tracks. a strongly heartfelt black rio-inspired effort, ranging from groovy brazilian soul-funk to mellow soulful chill moments, featuring historical (laura fedele, manuela ravaglioli) and new (barro, qinho, the 4maré quartet) contributes on vocals, for a very personal and original result.

perth, capital of western australia, sits where the swan river meets the southwest coast. sandy beaches line its suburbs giving purpose to hot summer days, but after sundown, the city is where its at, if you know where to look. its possible that this double-life is what inspired the deep, melodic, futuristic sounds of one of australia s most mysterious electronic dance music labels of the 90s - red ember records.

* no order* is a&#8203,,,,,, * deeply emotional and darkly &#8203,,,,,,atmospheric track*. billboard only three releases in and kidnap kids birds that fly is proving to be one of the most prominent uk labels with knockout releases so far coming from kidnap kid himself and bristolian applebottom. keeping the standard sky high, this next offering comes as an epic double hitter from us native amtrac. caleb cornett aka amtrac has been pushing his creative limits as a producer, dj, musician and vocalist since 2008. through this release he skillfully creates feelings of elation and euphoria sharply contrasted with a moody and melancholic ambience. he explains how ‘no order’ is like a movie score for the club, diving deeper with it’s dark atmosphere. big ups to kidnap kid. i love the direction he’s taking with the label musically and aesthetically.” raised in kentucky but now based in la, multi-talented artist &#8203,,,,,,amtrac can electrify an audience with his moving live performance and his driving, funk-filled dj sets. he recently released ‘those days’ featuring vocals from stevie wonder & marvin gaye on legendary uk label toolroom records followed by the &#8203,,,,,,‘lost in motion’ ep, which really gave a snapshot of where he is at musically. never content to settle, amtrac’s musical mood and influences change with each passing season. his ambition and curiosity keep him locked on the edge, always happy to experiment with new techniques and sounds.

kidnap kid’s birds that fly label got off to a flying start with his ow&#8203,,,,,,n release,‘ moments’ feat leo stannard picking up over two million plays and shaking up the spotify / hype machine charts. next up on the imprint is rising uk star apple&#8203,,,,,,bottom with &#8203,,,,,,‘the ride’ ep, an artist that draws many parallels to kidnap kid’s own early career as he barely has made his way out of his teens but already caught the ear of some of the most sought-after labels and radio establishment. annie mac can’t get enough of him and his releases on kerri chandler’s madtech, zed bias’ biasonic and uk powerhouse black butter records have coined him one of the future figureheads of dance music. applebottom has come to be considered a beatmaker able to transverse genres with that rarest of production talents: the consistent ability to make a straight-up club banger, which makes him the perfect follow up for birds that fly. “‘theride’ was quite a diff&#8203,,,,,,erent piece of music for me, ’he explained of the track, ‘i had been thinking about where i d want to release it and i was pretty stuck. but shortly after i d finished it kidnap kid’s first ep on birds that fly came out, and straight away i felt a connection with the sound and a lot of the music i’ve been making recently. it already feels like it has a clear and distinctive sound forming and i can t wait for my music to be part of that.” applebottom hails from the musical mecca of bristol but shares a pioneering view of its style and output. “&#8203,,,,,,i think a lot of people have just gotten too comfortable making the same sounding dance music - and for me that kind of defeats the point, there’s so much variety in it. i feel that particularly for my generation anyway, we’re a lot younger as producers and it’s kind of our job to be that next generation that produces that next sound. we should be striving to make something new and different and build our own vision of what it should be.

kevin saundersons kms imprint is a label that should require no introduction. the motor city label has been a techno mainstay since its inception in 1987. numerous detroit luminaries have released classic after classic on the labels hallowed grooves over the last 25+ years and its influence is still felt in contemporary dance music today. the idea behind the kms origins series is to shine a light on the lesser known cuts in the kms vaults as well as the classics that have given the label it s legendary status during its lifetime.

for this album, ebo joined forces with 12-piece band ‘the pelikans’ — from the cape coast region of ghana — led by bessa simmona, with rhythm guitarist fifi orleans lindsay. a genuine ‘holy-grail’ of ghanaian music and one of ebo’s most saught-after.
the album was released on the small abookyi label. named after a nightclub they played in called pelikans, and sung in english and fante, this was the first album where ebo sang on tracks, such as the classic ‘come along’, on which he also plays keyboard. this song clearly defined a new direction in highlife and has become a ghanaian funk anthem. ‘come along’ formed the basis of sadat x’s ‘remember that’ hip hop jam from 2011.
this official mr bongo re-issue is packaged in our new & improved heavyweight ‘tip-on’ sleeves, printed in japan, pressed on high quality vinyl, audio restored to the best of our ability, with label designs and artwork as per the original release.

known for housing a famous beastie boys sample, the reissue of the 1975 funk and fusion classic funk factory brings peerless polish and american players together for a groovy, eccentric journey. it was an album cut from this lp that captured a particular corner of the music-geek imagination for more than 40 years: “rien ne va plus,” from the self-titled 1975 album, had its reckoning with the canon when the dust brothers sampled major chunks of it for beastie boys’ “car thief.” “rien ne va plus” is a banger, all post-head hunters springy synth-bass. as for the rest of the album, funk factory can stray pretty far into the cheerier excesses of prog-jazz. it emphasizes the alluring strangeness of its more experimental moments, like the hallucinogenic haunted-house tour of “lilliput” or the banshee james brown vocal riffs on “horsing around.” “rien ne va plus” remains the top highlight. this album is proof that a core of musicians schooled in jazz but culturally steeped in the folk and classical traditions of eastern europe could, at least once, put out something that fit well with the crossover sound of the times while being unafraid to dive into freeform weirdness.
pressing on 180 gram audiophile vinyl.

re-issue of mall grabs sought after feel u ep on collect-call.

remastered 2017 version of the 2002 thump mix with a new version on the flip, played with band and the addition of live instruments.. the legendary german house label needs (not wants) returns after a long hiatus with a new release on the exclusive gold edition that is set up for revisiting their own classics to upgrade them with brand new versions and re-interpretations. walkin thru circles - originally produced by lars & marek bartkuhn - has always been a favourite for many of their fans. the original thump mix is a constantly building mover that is based on a massive beat, hypnotic soundscapes and highly energetic chord hooks, ready for taking off to outer space. for the full expansion lars has gone back to the studio to recompose and re-record the whole thing over again, combining the skills of some excellent session musicians with lots of live instruments, drum & percussion and vocals all played and sung by the producer himself. the result is a complex, epic and fearless jazzfunk odyssey, both musically expansive and heavily grooving at the same time.

nicola altieri aka the mechanical man, from naples is the newest entry in the bosconi family. after contributing with one track on -the sweetest- series on bosconi extra virgin, he delivers here a rich eight tracker mini lp on, where casio sounds, yamaha fm synths and akai samplers are the main ingredients to give birth to his own compositions.
sounding like a constipated and forced minimalistic funky music created in a small bedroom environment, warm, dirty and slowed down like from an old tape cassette but full bodied, the release begins with the intimate and dark mood of sam and keeps going on with the mysterious vibes of march, the breakbeat rhythm of the broken gravity track and the smokey atmosphere of the downbeat sketch slap. more mechanical grooves on b side with the percussive mid tempo of attrazioni and more ethereal, intergalactic broken beats with amarcord, going back to obscurity with the soulful slow house jam of gess, while the dubby the new stein track close up the release with a touch of micro spacial spirituality. mechanical soul for you ears.

paul hester created his cult moon music label in 1997 as a portal for his own productions and sounds. the label was short-lived, with only 3 releases in it’s catalogue, all produced by hester himself. those few releases on moon are now highly sought after among house and techno aficionados who are forever seeking that deeper groove. the interesting part of this story, beyond the amazing music that was released, is that there are many other tracks that never saw the light of the day, thus leaving the full moon story untold. “millennium / days gone by” from 1999 is the second moon music release and is comprised of 2 cuts that boast hester’s idiosyncratic production hallmarks - slick, glacial, minimal electronic funk.

drumcode returns with its 6th installment of the internationally celebrated a-sides series. renowned for fostering a shared space between industry tastemakers and rising talent alike, the careful curation that goes into each volume is a fine example of why beyer s brand continues to go from strength to strength. techno titan adam beyer has grown drumcode into a force to be reckoned with, the label has become synonymous with forward-thinking, functional techno and even after 20 years, drumcode continues to find new boundaries to push, and ways to solidify its legacy as the world s number one techno label.

drumcode returns with its 6th installment of the internationally celebrated a-sides series. renowned for fostering a shared space between industry tastemakers and rising talent alike, the careful curation that goes into each volume is a fine example of why beyer s brand continues to go from strength to strength. techno titan adam beyer has grown drumcode into a force to be reckoned with, the label has become synonymous with forward-thinking, functional techno and even after 20 years, drumcode continues to find new boundaries to push, and ways to solidify its legacy as the world s number one techno label.

this october will see canada’s mathew jonson join forces with visionquest co-founder ryan crosson for a two track ep in the shape of ‘robots of dawn’.
canada’s mathew jonson has quite the impressive career under his belt having co-founded the revered wagon repair label and heading up itiswhatitis recordings as well as performing under his own name and various guises such as cobblestone jazz, the modern deep left quarted, and his new project units & measurements alongside hreno and the mole. here we see the synth aficionado joining forces with visionquest’s very own ryan crosson, who’s carved out an equally impressive career to date and will soon drop his second long player alongside cesar merveille focused on intricately musicality and an intriguing approach to electronic music via the visionquest imprint.
as you’d expect from such a pairing this collaboration packs a bunch, opening with ‘tempelhof’ named after the now defunct airport in berlin and laid out over thirteen minutes of gradually unfolding and retracting acid swells, resonant synth whirrs, mind bending arpeggios and dynamic, baroquely evolving rhythms.
title track ‘robots of dawn’, featuring added help from cesar merveille and new upstart artist isis, captures an old school electro feel via an 808 drum workout, vocoded vocal murmurs and funk-infused wandering bass lines whilst modulating synths spiral through the depths of the composition.

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 standout success of their debut release from maetrik in september, the labels second helping comes from label co-owner, shall ocin, known for his heavy use of modular synths, analog rhythmboxes and custom-made effects his bounty hunter ep is definitely unique. cicada layers atmospheric modulations, slow pulsating synth work on top of a booming bass drum. dark synth tones resonate to create real exploration of sound. raw, and somewhat ethereal in its composition ‘bounty hunter’ layers frequency patterns in a fresh formation, leading into a heady path of sound texture before its thunderous release with a booming synth riff. the labels mission to achieve eclectic, no boundaries electronic music has been displayed throughout this release from shall, with the final track yummy jam creating an experimental electronica vibe, showing his passion for innovation.

betonkust immediately blended in with the 9300 family and it felt like we ve been knowing each other for years and years. after his characteristic remix on innershades latest ep (aal006), it was only a matter of time before he would deliver his own release on our label. with varied percussions, hard kicks and dark synths, the 0% swing ep brings you back to a time when belgian highways were still lavisly flanked by discotheques and afterhours clubs. an era that counts as one of the most beatiful pages in belgian dance history and of which betonkust probably has more knowledge than most of our fellow-countrymen. all four tracks on this proper release produce a thrilling energy that will bring those sleepy ravers, from the 90 s, back to life.

a first-ever collection of the highly sought after and largely previously unheard recordings of the one of turkish pop and rocks best kept secrets - featuring the two rare has hens teeth 1 numara 7inch singles (which fetch in excessive of £200 on certain internet auction sites) including a previously unreleased extended version of evren

three years after the launch of the label and after releasing different digital tracks, sumpfsee records proudly presents the release of the first vinyl. at the end of summer the hamburg based producer and long year sumpfsee member pay kusten shows his preferences for slow and organic music. the alpaka ep comes with four different tracks and shows the diversity of his music. all tracks are characterized by warm basslines and influences from different places of the globe. from the happy and harmonic alpaka till the more dark and dusty camina the artist takes you on a journey into his mind.

pierre bastien is a french legend that has collaborated with artists such as robert wyatt, jac berrocal and jaki liebezeit, to name just a few. he is also very well known for his compositions based on home-made mechanical instruments, designed and constructed by bastien himself. pure diy. using these instruments he would create a heady experimental mix incorporating poetry and some far-out music, all in all very intriguing and original indeed. needless to say when the notion of pierre bastien and versatile records potentially making a project together arose, it was a total honour! throw into the mix esteemed electro-acoustic composer eddie ladoire and now we ve really got something interesting. eddie and pierre met when they appeared on the same concert bill together and they decided to collaborate further with versatile being the platform for the fruits of this particular project. the original version of phantom dance is a beautiful piece where bastien plays a trumpet into some water blended with electronic drums and mellow organs lines, creating an otherworldly, subterranean jazz vibe for the freaks. suzanne kraft, the la native / amsterdam based producer turns the original into some mechanical broken funk vibes while rotterdam s oceanic delivers 2 fresh, reimagined versions. one for for the club with a strong afro beat feel while the other one is a slower affair for the after hours. both mixes bringing something new to the table. a truly original and interesting release from some very talented people, for those with open ears and open minds!

formed in 1997, and inaugurated that year with a split 12inch from new-comers and label founders, solvent and lowfish, this year suction records celebrates its 20th anniversary with the re-introduction of their famed snow robots series of compilations. while originally started as a north american answer to uk electronix labels like rephlex, skam and warp records, a sound that is still a staple of the current suction records catalog, suctions sound has also swerved into new territories, reflecting our love of dark 80s electronic music synthpop, ebm, and beyond. snow robots volume 4 features an international array of artists, fromsuction records mainstays like digital poodle, june, celldoed, and ceramic hello (with their much sought-after 1982 vocoder anthem), to label-favourites appearing on suction records for the first time: beau wanzer, morah, and one of skanfrom/sleeparchives lesser known aliases, civil defence programme.

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

2017 remaster, original from tape and oversee by the autheur pepe bradock himself.in original art! already a modern classic and two of the most sought after pepe bradock tracks one one classique ep. excellent deephouse tracks a la moodymann !!!

after a few collabs with franck roger (sun orchestra), dj deep (funk force project), and multiple aliases, olivier portal is back with playin 4 the city

the third release for la freund recordings comes from amsterdam resident beraber. consisting of four strong and diverse tracks and a jazzy, piano-heavy remix by chicago house legend vincent floyd, sun ritual works just as well in the club as it does at home. after working on hiphop and downtempo electronica under different aliases, this ep sees baris akardere venturing into up-tempo territories, marking the debut of his beraber moniker. all tracks were written and produced during the last two years, combining digital instruments like the korg m1 and yamaha dx7 with analog gear like the roland juno-6 and korg ms-10. kicking things off on the a-side is title track sun ritual, a positive and warm tune with lush chords and arpeggiated synths. after a surprising outro, it gets the remix treatment by deep house pioneer vincent floyd, who adds multiple layers to it and delivers a stunning, dreamy eight-minute take on the original. the flipside opens with ugly, a soulful club workout with a deep bassline, rolling drums with crisp hi-hats and a hypnotic melody. next up is introspect, a serious electro-tinged cut with heavy juno chords building up tension as the track evolves. rounding it up nicely, forest rain treats us to an intimate broken-beat affair laced with rhodes chords and field recordings from bali.

the industry of dance music can be as soul-crushing as any other. those thrills and spills of late, loud nights come with a best-before expiry date, after which even the most seasoned selector-producer-scenemaker begins to wrinkle their nose. to have experienced it all over 15+ years and seek to see it unfold again through fresh eyes, what sort of lunatic would willingly put themselves through that? v would. so its a new character, but who was the mysterious v in a past life? make your own conclusions. a little digging will lead you toward the origin story, but sometimes the pleasure comes from the unknowing. opt to enjoy the silence. silence, however, is not the focal point for v. in fact, this new form is a way to discard baggage and revitalise the process of music making.

the uks best kept secret chocky returns to dessous recordings after the success of his first outing, the well received self knowledge ep. here we see the talented dj / producer drop four tracks via the playtime ep - yet more sublime house music for steve bugs imprint. ‘double dip is a chunky, stripped down vibe, reduced the vitals that will slay dancefloors - firing percussion over a shuffling groove and a cut-up vocal reminiscent of pepe bradock. ‘organism is a deep affair - spacy pads provide the counterbalance to the tough drum track, softening the edges but keeping the vibe high. ‘soul alive taps into chockys clear appreciation for the 90s, with a strong vocal, atmospheric strings and a loose yet crispy beat. ‘playtime (dub) brings the whole ep home with yet another stormer - beginning as a driving basement jam but then introducing an unexpected piano riff that flips the script and takes things in a welcome jazzy direction.

the apparition of spanish female duo las grecas with their gipsy-rock sound in the 70s created quite a boom in the spanish market at the time and paved the way for other similar gipsy-rock duos. morena y clara were one of them. launched by bizarre flamenco producer lauren postigo, they released a string of 45s and three lps (highly sought after now) for the discophon label. they mixed rumba, flamenco, psychedelic rock, funk and disco music featuring an amazing production (heavy drums, fuzz-wah-phaser electric guitars, moog, hammond) over the wild flamenco female vocals of the duo. featuring their psychotronic hits like no llores mas, deje de quererte, buscando alegria and more.

after the recent collaborative library of babel ep alongside retina.it and prg/m as r2&#960,,, , ruhig is back on midgar with the 4tracker sleeping oracle ep, first instalment of a release trilogy. expect nice things!

new york city based further reductions is the live project from husband and wife shawn (aka vapauteen, 400ppm, let er est) and katie o sullivan (aka rose e kross, ppg). back in 2014 they released their gorgeous debut album on cititrax records. the album was an adventurous trip, where they pushed forward a unique sound. after all those years there will be a follow up to this ep on knekelhuis. expect a fusion of different sounds, grimy and pretty at the same time.

marco resmann returns to watergate after a productive stint at the red bull music studios in cape town with two stellar cuts featuring local heroes deep aztec and black soda. tack on a remix from the one and only oliver huntemann and another revision from resmann himself and you have the ‘babylon side ep. teaming up to kick things off, resmann, black soda and deep aztec embrace the cultural sounds of africas organic percussion and vocal prowess to create a tour de force tune perfectly balance between flashing club lights and vast open skies. following suit, ‘abadala sees marco again with deep aztec for a lush ride into deep emotional spaces by applying mesmerizing syncopated rhythms and spellbinding vocals ideal for deeper or more sentimental dance floor moments. up next is techno legend oliver huntemann who, playing after resmann earlier this year at the 15 years of watergate event at warung beach club in brazil enjoyed his set and the two hit it off, so logically he was asked to lend his trademark sound for a revision of ‘babylon side and he twists the original into a heavy techno belter complete with sinister sonics and fever inducing sirens. wrapping things up is marco resmann himself with his own take on ‘babylon sides and delivers a wild and twisted version of gargantuan low end and psychedelic shimmers of the original vocal resulting in a killer tune with a ton of attitude.

much may have changed over a two-decade period, but drumcode s commitment to releasing the scene s most cutting-edge and refined techno remains resolute. 2017 has already seen releases from adam beyer vs pig&dan, alan fitzpatrick, ilario alicante, julian jeweil, as well as a debut album from layton giordani. the label continues push forwards, bringing fail-safe, club-ready music to the techno community. perennial pushers of the techno envelope, dense & pika are renowned for their standout studio output that seems to constantly conjure up a particularly unique take on their distinct sound, d&p have rather outdone themselves in 2017. kicking off the year with a selection of back catalogue remixes from the likes of danny daze, scuba, slam and yotam avni that illustrated the high esteem in which d&p are held by their peers right across the spectrum, from heritage acts to current headliners and cutting edge talent, the duo have gone on to drop bomb after bomb after bomb. their universally lauded remix of tiga s louder than a bomb was the first of a run of chart topping cuts, with a remix of me & her s wild rage on jamie jones hottrax imprint and their own casino single both challenging the norm of what techno sounds like in the here and now. cooked up with a more melodic vibe and fusing elements of house and techno, dense & pika s latest outing on drumcode offers something different compared to their previous work. there is still that vintage feel to each of the tracks with analogue sounds and arrangements born and developed from experimental studio jams. indeed, suki heavily utilizes the distinct harmonic tones of the dave smith prophet 8 keyboard. while little sun - a staple of d&p performances over the last three months - delivers a more classic drumcode sound. lanky closes out the release with an infectious slab of wonderfully wonked-out raw funk

after solemnly closing out the spc-series in 2016, jeroen search hands in his second ep of the year for figure. carrying his signature style, these tunes embody the live-recording feel he is known for, perfectly executed and arranged in clean-cut layers. both tracks on the a-side feature big and beefy beats, their generous sub-range creating ample space for the juxtaposing elements to effectively slice through, whether it be the penetrating bleeps of deduced or the piercing rides on interval. things get bumpy on the flip when the rugged but undeniable groove of steady pulse firmly stands its ground against repeated onslaughts of flailing percussion. the jolty rhythms and tinkling loops of endless circles may seem like it being the odd one out, but unexpectedly merge into an intricate mesh of sounds, making for a most memorable closer to this jam-packed ep.

after the tease on the label’s latest va with their track “envoy”, scalameriya and the label boss vsk return to crs ltd with a 4-tracks ep. the duo has already proven to be a prolific team up in the past with releases on perc trax or power vacuum and with “helix ep” they continue to develop a fresh vision of techno, once again delivering tracks that represent a perfect symbiosis of their individual styles. without any fillers on board, this release showcases peak time tracks with instantly recognizable synths, sound design and theatrical breakdowns.

it s with two kisses and a hearty handshake that bordello a parigi welcome stalwart of electronic music: mr pauli. schooled on the west coast, this pivotal figure has worked extensively with likeminded visionaries to create iconic tracks as the novamen, matzo & pauli and sumerian fleet whilst producing his own unique works on labels like moustache and viewlexx. after such successes pauli returns as a solo producer, delivering to the bordello mansion two tracks of pure class. -at night- is big, bright and brilliant. hooks grip as soon as the needle lands. vintage vocoder lyrics, a particular favourite of this trailblazer, tell a tale of twilight romance while crisp beats snap and notes sail. the flip keeps the fires burning. synthlines are soaked in mediterranean sunshine, an italo disco influence coming to the fore, with lovelorn vocals used to balance this cheer-filled creation. golden sounds from a true pioneer.

four tracks of stunning french disco in a wide range of styles: from 80 s afrobeat to underground canadian cosmic groove, here is another bullet from the parisian gang!
a1/ guehi jean pantalon s craqué guéhi jean is a key figure of ivorian music and many of his records mixing funk, jazz and afrobeat are sought after nowadays. having left africa in order to make it in france, he recorded this digital afrobeat hit in paris, then went back to his native country where he died in 2012. despite his talent, guéhi jean didn t get the recognition he deserved.
a2/ michel conte & cie s magoshan a disco anthem composed for quebec cultists wearing flares, or the main theme from an obscure series? anyway it is time to acclaim magoshan s pulsing come back on the dancefloor!
b1/ jean-michel gascuel s dominus this french composer who collaborated with pierre schaeffer was also a great lyricist working for the likes of vivian vee or suzy andrews, and a fashion designer. with its latin touch, this track is a little ufo standing out of the rest of his french productions, so let us be blessed by dominus domine dominarum.
b2/michel robidoux les planètes this track by composer michel robidoux featured on a kidisk with a book called -visitons les planètes avec goldorak- and was released in canada in 1980. this incredible space jam was chosen as a macaroon for this new ep – our tribute to an amazing composer who wrote more than 325 songs and even collaborated with leonard cohen.

after numerous eps through the years, we are pleased to announce the debut lp from one of the cornerstone s of the l.i.e.s. label, terekke. we asked the man himself for some words regarding his album as to do it justice best. suffice to say we couldn t be more pleased this is happening as it stands as a truly special record for all of us. download card included

after a 10 year silence, the frequencies of radio mars are back on the line with a mini lp from the enigmatic the observer. the release features 6 tracks serving up a space journey oscillating between cinematic interludes, irresistible electro rhythm bass lines, and cosmic arpeggios. you will feel like you are traveling through an unexplored landscape, lost far and away, deep in the galaxy.