diskotopia is extremely proud to kick-start 2019 with girar, a four-track ep of new kaleidoscopic productions from lisbon-born, london-based producer silvestre. silvestre is no stranger to diskotopia, this being his third release with the label, debuting with the gritty noise-and-thump frank pike ep in 2014, and following that up with the more buoyant, latinate floresta ep in 2016. in addition to producing, silvestre also co-runs the padre himalya imprint, putting out 2018 s critically acclaimed focus ep from tombak virtuoso mohammad reza mortazavi, renato s 2016 alo alo, plus his own sport theories and all the things 12-s. with the girar ep, silvestre presents four idiosyncratic cuts: the bubbling psychotropic mutant rhumba of ir a sagres, woozy spliff-house deptford bus, rc surfer, a time-stretched reggaeton soundclash and the pseudo-jubilant breakbeat-house everybody is happy, testimony of a truly unique and exciting artist in the modern current of electronic music.

incl. brainkillers, noise factory and chatter b & potential bad bo

vinyl will feature individual, hand illustrated sleeves. distraction combines thundering bass elements from darker techno with deeper, emotive pads and flourishes to create a meditative yet driving late night groove. best used to hush dance floor chatter in favour of getting heads down and putting a shift in. static and choke also play with juxtapositions of light and dark elements, with choke being the firmer of the two. both offer sounds ideal for creating trippy and introspective dance floor moments, while not allowing those hard fought for energy levels to drop. viber.

yeah its a floorshakin where you at

2 sim is a phrase the references mobile phones with two sim cards to describe people of mixed heritage, dual nationality or multiple residence. after being called 2 sim in conversation with a stranger while on a walk through freetown (a recording of this moment features on the record) duval began to explore what the 2 sim experience is in contemporary west-africa. 2 sim ep was created from 2 months of field recordings and interviews with family, friends and peers in freetown sierra leone. these site specific recordings are collaged with solo piano recordings and production recorded in sierra leone and the uk. the ep is accompanied by a short film/ music video of the same name which duval shot and directed whilst making the record. 2 sim ep is the second release from carrying colour which follows on from 2017 s sen am -

emerging producer patrick conway delivers the goods on the second ep to be released on art e-fax. e-fax002 is a selection of submerged breaks, dark and spectral bass grooves and washed out melodies all combining to make release that is as eerie as it is infectious. a producer who describes his influences as being -transcendental meditation, uk rave, sheffield bleep/warp records, carl craig circa the early 90s, silent servant, shabba ranks and joss sticks smoking out the studio-, it s not hard to hear the shadowy, dense smoke and heavy calm that unifies those inspirations.

lootbeg is no stranger to releasing quality music. with notable releases on crow castle cuts and o*rs he also finds time to act as label head for -a friend in need-. the travel to planet trance is being played monthly at sensu s club night at sub club in glasgow, such is the allure of the melodic pensiveness of the lead track. cydonia mensae offers a similar feel for those looking for something a little more stripped back. on the bside eupen lends a groovier house option before things get a little harder and darker with relate.

with brighton being the spiritual birthplace of the london based anti skate label, it only felt right for them to finally have a proper release from a local talent. tech support’s output has seen releases on the likes of homage & astropical tapes, as well as a busy year of djing up and down the country. “excursion” is the dreamy playful opener that everyone needs to be prescribed in the morning, and not surprisingly, jesse bru has done an amazing job at turning it over its head quite intricately with a bit of detroit flavourings to go with it. the b-side is nothing short of special with the exciting piano keys and vocals on “praise” making it a boat party must-have. last but not least, the namesake “friends” is the butterfly-inducing club closer that’s been shown love by the likes of dan shake, lovebirds and laurence guy.

up next on phonica white is brooklyn based artist justin cudmore. he is a well-known dj thanks to his memorable sessions at the bunker among other new york and many of the best clubs worldwide as well as teaming up with mike servito and gunnar haslam as hot mix dj collective. as well as djing, justin has always been a fan and creator of dance music, he started being part of chicago’s underground scene, deepening his appreciation for the classic house and acid that you can still feel in these new tracks. this new release follows in the wake of ‘forget it’, his last celebrated ep released by the bunker though in our minds his sound has progressed yet again, sounding fuller, faster and rounder. ‘twisted love’ gets straight to the point, with firm and strong percussion joined to a fickle acid bass line. in addition to this, justin weaves in some house-flavoured vocals to keep you hooked until the end of the track. a certified floor-filler of a track. on the flip is ‘about to burst’, a track that starts with a powerful kick drum and grows with new emerging elements, punchy hi-hats coming and going in key moments and a simple keyboard arpeggio that added to an acid bass line catches you instantly. justin’s new ep is unapologetically aimed at the dancefloor. its primary influence may be detroit-flavoured techno yet you’ll also find chicago house and acid elements floating over its powerful backbone, all combining in devastating way, primed for club use. artwork as always is supplied by the talented pedro carvalho de almeida.

originally released in 1986 under luis delgado s cult imprint -el cometa de madrid- produced by luis delgado (finnis africae, mecánica popular) and performed by patricia escudero, this beautiful record dives into erik satie s compositional work thru an experimental optic. entirely recorded on synthesizers, and making heavy use of fx and timbral manipulation, this recording brings out a satie that s never heard before. additional info: -this record was remastered and cut from the original tapes. however, those tapes were highly affected for what is known as the sticky shed syndrome, and were very deteriorated. even though that was professionally taken care of, it was a very long process to get a result that exceeded our standards to be pressed. that being said, there are very few parts were you might find an slight change on sound that was impossible to eliminate completely, due to the above mentioned issu

singer, songwriter caoilfhionn rose is from manchester presents her new indie album >awaken<

hamburg based producer vincent beckmann will release his debut ep under the name of “han duo” on his self-run label “enbeezee”. the ep evolved at a trip to rio de janeiro, where he was introduced to old samba records. vincent being a jazz trained drummer tried to incorporate those brazilian percussion into his music, which lead to “phil in rio” right after the trip.

new ep by producer mamazu from tokyo . hybrid house music such as middle east wind instruments and percussion, dreamy tropical grooves, tribal rhythm and african future soul session. topic that is already being played around the world. acid arab is favorite for his past work.bomb!

ltd repress! for their first afro-brazilian compilation the german jazz & milk label teamed up with tahira, one of sao paulo s most active djs andmusiccollectors. levanta poeira (afro-brazilian music & rhythms from 1976 - 2016) highlights a few of his favourite dj pearls and encompasses brazil s various regional musical styles influenced by african and amerindian forms. while most foreign music lovers tend to approach brazilian music by having american music genres such as jazz, soul, funk, disco as a reference, tahira s personal wish was to showcase the rich musical roots and facets of his country by featuring carefully selected artists and bands from the past 4 decades. most of these tracks will be made available on vinyl for the very first time with a highlight certainly being tahira s -a toda menina baiana- remix (vinyl-only) of one of brazil s absolute musical heroes, gilberto gil.

oufoufof represents the beginning of a new turn for shxcxchcxsh, one born out of a fresh conceptual approach to rhythm. having concentrated in recent years on music for more experimental scenes, shxcxchcxsh wanted to create music for the club, but not with the usual 4/4 approach. ...the main focus being our relationship with the dancers minds and how we do our best to fuck with them . stylistically, the project began with a discussion about rhythm, about what is interesting and what is not. the result is a conceptualized approach, one in which multiple sounds in each track are based around a single rhythmic pattern. this concept has been extended holistically, to track names and artwork. ultimately, what began life as a series of records has evolved into an eight-track lp of twisted, polyrhythmic studies in pattern and texture. fresh off the back of shulululu ep for avian, oufoufof, is the fourth studio long-player from the swedish duo and will be released on their own label rosten

acidic powerhouse bill converse makes his debut on fit sound. his sound is a refreshing perspective informed by the midwest warehouse parties of which he was schooled mutated into his own blend. treading the line between melody and brutality, while never being heavy handed, converse has proved himself once again to be a true original lurking in the underground today.

acid steve’s avinit label delivers 4 more warm and throbbing london squat party acid techno anthems from the heart of the london acid techno underground. featuring some of the major players of the scene - geezer/secret hero etc. - and newer producers like acid steve himself, benji 303, and rats on acid, this release is already being championed by the likes of chris and aaron liberator.

its maths classes. a red-haired boy sits in the back, rhythmically tapping his fingers on a table like a madman. although other students eyesight is focused on the formula being written on the black-board, the boy could not care less. out of a corner of his eye he notices as the sequence of numbers slowly begins to melt off the blackboard, glittering with colours, and finally spills all over the floor like a fractal leakage from some other dimension.

the elusive producer nortasun hasn’t released a record since his debut one through saft back in 2016. after two years, it’s time for a follow up which is fittingly named “two”. the track titles also resume in a fashionable manner with the opening track being titled: “untitled 3”. on this track, nortasun introduces a firm rhythm that is supported by the impossibly beautiful strings that serve as the tracks key element and appear throughout. next up is the antonzap remix. antonzap doesn’t do the stereotypical remix take on the original. his version is dub laden, otherworldly, and only implements miniscule pieces from the original take. with just under 7 minutes, the remix version is a true sonic voyage.
on the b-side, nortasun takes a more dubbed out approach to modern day house music. “untitled 4” is a work of precision. the carefully crafted hats and dub elements sizzle throughout the entire track and help the track morph into a stunning piece of dance floor music around the four minute mark. nortasun cleverly introduces a thumping bass that changes up the mood for the entire work.

hailing from nashville, tennessee - a city better known for being the cradle of country music, jaundice and dzee form the backbone to the future dz duo, which has way less to do with johnny cash than with the hague sound, and their latest offering for the label they help co-run, tram planet records, although tracing rings of fire in its wake, further ratifies that lineage.
a shape-shifting collection of post-apocalyptic detroit electro and squelchy acid grooves sieved through filthy filters - perfect to play in your muscle car while speeding the highway at night, splint mask finds the duo at their most epic and unhindered. premiering today through our channels, sawed off is a high-octane 303 fuelled racer blazing with a hint of unit moebius weirdness and off-the-cuff rugged hardware spritz. if you like your electro scruffy, grinding and aggro like we do, future dz have you covered. get in the zone and feel the burn, you’re in for a treat.

new zealander julien dyne is a multi-instrumentalist with a long and impressive history of collaborative, live and solo musicianship. best known for his solo work on bbe and having worked with the likes of theo parrish, steve spacek, andreya triana and lord echo - one of soundway’s most successful artists. dyne has also accumulated a number of accolades over the course of a 10-year career including but not exclusive to being hotly tipped by both moodymann and gilles peterson.
dyne’s new project for 2018 is an 11-track lp on miles cleret’s extolled soundway label. demonstrating a shift in gears and movement toward a more uptempo, afro inspired sound ‘teal’ melds instrumental flair with astute production and a persistent grain of impassioned, effortless soul. the album features fellow new zealanders lord echo and mara tk, long term band-mate ladi6, fat freddy’s drop trumpeter toby laing, plus australian vocalist tim guy and jazz luminaries jonathan crayford and john bell. this is a body of work for the listener and the dancer alike with a mood as fitting for headphones as it is for the floor, with the double vinyl album cut loud at 45 rpm.

tuskegee music welcome jamal moss, better known as hieroglyphic being, with his epic house tunes on 2x12 inch vinyl

fast-moving times, in which popularity and quality are often equated or commonly confused with one another, aids and abets this imitation game some call conformity, others professionalism. in the end, both paths will end up in predictability. heres where stathis kalatzis, aka mr. statik, comes to play. the resident at athens’ multi-purpose cultural space six d.o.g.s has not only been one of the scenes pivotal figures, but since he started to release his first solo releases in the mid-00s, the now berlin-based greek dj has earned a reputation for being a trend-ignoring, unconventional producer. whether his output for bpitch control, rotary cocktail, or even last years debut ep rogue cherub for away mr. statik enjoys thinking outside the box by crossing his diverse pop-cultural interests and pulling in expertise and perspective from beyond the usual functional formulas. after a decade of not staying in one comfort zone or sticking to one musical direction, he finds himself more comfortable in his producer shoes presenting his debut album metamorphose. housing a few film references in this for mr. statik typical nebulous fashion, the ten tracks not only carrying the narrative potential of an imaginary score, but primarily exploring a versatile array of influences, themes, and contradictions (which mr. statik as an illustrator also united on the albums artwork). ranging from the sci-fi infused album opener insomnia, the first non-dancefloor piece he ever produced around 7 years ago, over?

quest, transit, chaos, mutation, transfiguration, ascension and illumination. these are some of the steps followed in the journey of life that are embodied on each track of the album adonai. the solo debut of the multi-instrumentalist composer marco paul condenses a career of more than ten years, in which, the search for the truth of oneself and authentic sound has traveled and nurtured from different genres and cultures. adonai is an odyssey that combines sounds and images of the earthly and oneiric worlds: an audiovisual work that opens several windows to the different perceptions of the facts that make up the life of the human being. the 180 gram vinyl includes a download code.

german producer and dj boys noize has announced the release of his much-anticipated cover version of adamski and seal’s 1990 rave classic ‘killer’ on 12&#8243, vinyl, via the vinyl factory and boysnoize records. featuring vocalist steven a. clark, the original 12&#8243, version is backed by an instrumental, both of which you can listen to below: as boys noize says: “being a ’90s kid i kind of grew up with this song which later became one of these tunes i’d play out at the end of the night. when i met steven and heard his voice for the first time i immediately thought of that track and the idea of doing a cover version was born. it was initially just for fun but it turned banging and lit the dance floors wherever i’d drop it.” adamski and seal’s original represented something of a breakthrough for both the producer and vocalist, spending four weeks at the top of the uk singles chart in the summer of 1990. speaking to journalist dave simpson in the guardian in 2013 seal explains the impact the song had on his career: “within a week, i went from being a relative nobody – this weird guy at raves, with silver bits in my hair – to a household name.” boys noize’ ‘killer’ is out now on 12&#8243, vinyl, limited to 500 copies.

new york city house / disco imprint. on a1: well being s remix of detroit jevantte s, mr. piano man is a slamming baseline loop driven groove. next up ari bald and martín miguel, of better listen records fame, bring a summer edit fit for a wbls barbecue. on the b side we have a special filtered out cut with a big low end from tilman. finally on b2, a track from higgins with filtered strings on top of raw house drums.

by now, the story of how jlin went from working in a steel factory in gary, indiana to being one of the most widely appreciated electronic musicians is well known. “black origami” was one of the most lauded albums last year. seriously prolific and seriously hard-working, she has toured constantly since its may 2017 release and despite being involved in a wide range of projects, still manages to find a balance and time to “do some personal healing and growing.”
here we are over a year later with “autobiography,” the score for her collaboration with renowned british choreographer wayne mcgregor (a collaboration arranged by krakow’s unsound). this isn’t technically her third album (that’s due to arrive in 2019 or 2020), but the soundtrack stands up on its own with all the emotional peaks and troughs of a well-sequenced lp.

we welcome back lenson with his first solo-ep for the third release on the revenge techniques imprint. being with the label since the very first paling trax output, lenson counts among the best in the young, cutting edge techno producers from rotterdam. highly essential club traxx!

with the release of this ep ,influential parisian producer d’julz establishes the launch of new label jv in collaboration with highly esteemed french yoyaku team. jv is set to evolve with d’julz showcasing his own productions while bringing in masterful talents to collaborate, and with the music policy being very much open, it’s guaranteed to be a consummate source of electronic music. this two-tracker ep kicks off with ‘chaplin bong’, a euphonic groove-packed house cut that is sheer liquid perfection evolving with a combination of dubby techno stabs penetrating a rolling disco bassline. ’j’y vais’, which translates to “i go”, is a deep and bass-heavy old school track that’s hewn from chicago influences. apropulsive, sheen-polished dancefloor gripper.

auf ihrem zweiten gemeinsamen album -imagori ii- zeigen hans-joachim roedelius (harmonia, cluster) und christoph h. müller (gotan project) neue facetten ihrer zusammenarbeit. die zwölf stücke pendeln zwischen zartheit und scharfen kanten, zwischen science fiction und garten eden, lassen organische klangkörper aufkommen, die sich wieder fragmentieren, erschaffen stimmungen zwischen melancholie und euphorie, stets begleitet von jenem filmischen pathos roedelius , der ohne große gesten auskommt und vielmehr die grenzen des minimalismus auslotet. auffällig oft kommt dabei auch sprache zum einsatz, so zum beispiel in der ersten single -fractured being-, der miss kenichi alias katrin hahner ihre stimme leiht.

falk records will be releasing ‘spaces’ from icelandic experimental producer aaiieenn this august. aaiieenn is the solo project of electronic musician hallmar gauti halldórsson. halldórsson first came to music though being a mover and shaker in iceland’s punk and hardcore scene where he was the “harsh noise guy” with local band distill the world. with aaiieenn however, halldórsson moved away from the guitars and screaming to a fully electronic world of experimental synth music and gorging on the mathematical possibilities and expanses of arpeggio/sequencer driven ambient music. ‘calab-yau’ and ‘continuous property 1’ drip shards of pure crystalline sound into deep crevasses as harmonic droplets ping of gleaming surfaces coated with spongiform bass. the light and effervescent ‘euclidean’ evokes classic ambient works aphex twin, while ‘manifold’ is more direct with a muscular and sturdy bassline. spaces closes with the fluttering and lush ambient sounds of ‘zariksi’ that are carried into the skies by a pulsing and gliding techno beat.

12 compilation with music by dj candle in the wind, earth & fire, macho macho burito band and dj pizza burger. records is pressed in 300 copies, and will be sold in some selected stores. this record is part of the dj pizza burger pizza box. a hand printed pizza box, containing a 12 compilation. and a magazine with fett burger drawings. made for the exhibition take out vol 1 by blad in oslo. the box is limited to 150 copies only. now this is the record from the box, being sold seperatly. rare and limited project.

repress 2018, finally, i was able to be re-united with my father, rick (poppa) howard, in the studio again. he had two thoughts about the selections on this particular vinyl piece: >can your love find its way< is the track that laid out, and also, that he believed us to be blessed both in being reunited, and in what we were there to do. as my father continually offers me a knowledge that takes me time (sometimes years) to understand, i am very proud to offer this release to the world.

this is a long overdue collaboration and we couldnt be more excited to present a brand new ep from our man, jenas mad scientist funk freak himself, metaboman. a stalwart veteran of the legendary musik krause camp, which has been a kindred spiritual sister label of sorts of ours since the millennium-turn heydays, being fellow purveyors of bold and raw dance floor music, still brimming with new ideas galore and bucket loads of soul. here with the wireless dancer ep we have metaboman in top form offering nothing less than his finest work: doppeldenk starts things off with some classic krause bump that brings to mind the heights of the duo at their peak but updated, like an stl banger turned up to 11 with sinewy melodic lines and that special thuringen twist. hanno follows up with a guest spot by jazz saxophone master thomas prestin, and guarantees to bring down the house with a storm of swinging stabs, rough riffs, and fresh-as-it-gets drum work. on the flip, splitit does exactly that, whether referring to wigs, legs, or that last drink ticket - where dusty blues vox chops and a rolling percussive smack down will revive any fading floor faces. and finally, echterg rounds it all out nicely with the illest of atonal trips and subsonic bass tones that the finer sound systems out there will fully indulge. much love from jena & paris to the world!

jansport js low begins with the rude assertion that we oughta wake up and be released from our dream state before we absorb what we are about to hear. what follows is 20 concepts identifying the many different states of human existence. the track titles function as a compass. if we began sleep, we are high in the clouds by album-midpoint, before allowing a wake to bring us back to the sobering reality of modern times. love, nostalgia, consciousness and artist integrity, these are some of the themes masterfully weaved in and out of lows soundscapes. jansport stitches together carefully selected samples, nuanced drum loops, and pungent soundbites. by the time you realize you are being serenaded by the revelations of one of americas greatest literary giants, the albums true concept becomes clear: nobody knows whats real and whats not real. but you wake up everyday to try and figure it out anyway.

apart from being known for founding the infamous vinyl imprint subaltern records and for his residency on sub.fm, gabriele romeo aka. mentha has made quite a name for himself with his jazz-influenced bass music productions. this lp is a selection of tracks from his vault, showcasing his musical abilities and tasteful compositions in this self-release.

experimental ebm techno ep

an all-time rave classic gets the gerd janson re-loving as he works his magic on the 1992 anthem dont go. 26 years on from it s first release, gerd takes the tempo down a notch laying out that all too familiar drum break, instantly recognisable piano line and julie mcdermott s timeless vocals. his subtle touches and added weight, behind a pounding kick, are sure to set any dancefloor alight. about as euphoric as they get - if this doesn t do the business then god help us all. on the b side, belfast s ejeca flips don t go into a heavy-hitting, rave tinged, techno bomb. his inventive sampling turns the synth stabs and vocals on their heads, making them almost indistinguishable, but no less impactful, from the original. it s over four and a half minutes till the iconic chord progression is heard in it s initial form, before ejeca throws it back into a rapid fire, industrial thumper. lastly, gerd serves up a vip dub mix echoing claps and synth lines into the stratosphere, whilst leaving the vocals at bay, save a short cry of don t go from julie towards the end of the track, allowing those anthemic elements to do the talking. a modern touch on an all-time classic from gerd with a complete reinterpretation from ejeca, this is a heavyweight release and one thats already being played by the biggest and the best out there.

heavily supported by the likes of raresh. not to be missed.... fourth in this eee series, following three outrageously good and well received records to date, sees another one-sided, hand-stamped bomb. the artist behind it, as always, is being kept under wraps but there s no hiding the fact that this is some seriously heavyweight club ready business.
pressed on 180g vinyl.

noamm is the electronic equivalent of a honed switchblade. with surgical precision the bass agenda alumnus incises keys, cuts chords, pierces percussion and razors through rhythms. it is this slicing sound that the greek artist brings to his debut 12 for shipwrec. seven tracks of machined melodies and frigid fire make up psychoanalysis. the ep is brimming with calculated fury and clinical rage. from the coursing cruelty of ruhestimmung and the menacing dance macabre to the future world coldness of das schwarze korps, noamm is direct and straight to the point with his hard hitting style and no-nonsense approach. few respites are to be found on this 12, into the abyss of changing subconsious being the only refuge from the arctic winds and audio blasts that scour this record. frosted ferocity from start to finish from this exciting musician.

2lp. an exciting blend of electronics, rock and ambient passages, the belgian trio have gained prominence of late with their futuristic propulsions and has led to their music being described as mogwai meets kraftwerk.

children of tomorrow will celebrate soon its 10 years anniversary. the label was created by emmanuel ternois back in the day and being joined by arnaud le texier in 2011. since then they focused on techno producing amazing artists, to name few: terrence dixon, zadig, tensal, antigone, oscar mulero, jonas kopp, samuli kemppi etc... children of tomorrow is now presenting the first album from arnaud le texier. after almost 30 years dj-ing around the world and almost 20 years producing. signing many releases over the years and always busy delivering dance floor releases, it s been a long wait to finally get an album from arnaudon his first album we can feel that he wanted to tell a story and to express something deeper with his production experience. there is a different variety of techno that stretches from ambient / broken beat / hypnotic / raw techno along with subtles grooves, wondrous atmospheres & sonic textures. on a side the album opens with dusk, an ambient atmospheric mid-tempo track with sonic sounds that is a perfect intro.pattern 2 starts with drones and blip sounds and a broken beat groove follows with a pad that sounds like a voice coming from the space. the track ends with some modular click sounds that make the whole track clever. followed by the album title granular therapy, a deep techno track with modular bass line and melancholic pad. a perfect track to play in after or to warm up a party.the b side is more dedicated to the dance floor with black nympheas that is a proper dark modern techno with a grinding bass line and magic drones. a simple beat makes the track evolve in a nice way. blade pass frequency is 4/4 effective techno with a 909 kick, a syncope acid bass line and a pad that sends you to another dimension. it is a powerful track but with a sense of deepness and sensibility that arnaud can achieve sometimes. this side closes with binary sun dawn which is an ambient track with melody that has a jazz feeling mixed with dark atmospheres, sonic drones and water drops. the c side opens with mono driver, a minimal track with a little synth that stays until the end repetitively until it makes you travel and lose your mind. deep and dance floor at the same time.

2018 repress coming in! being played and charted, so far by the likes of ben klock, answercode request, marcel dettmann, kr!z token, truncate, jonas kopp, phase, psyk...

farrago created a name for himself in this short time taking back the real roots of techno and rave and putting them in a new context... we said new, not different. this is his 3rd record on the label, and this time he goes beyond the idea of reminiscing the past, “hard light” shows how the rave can be alive in everyone of us, and absolutely not changing the formula he gives us this beautiful feeling of being back in the past, while you dig in a record shop and you find something that hits you, in our past was that record that gave us memories. in this case the work of this record is almost double, the record itself reminisces the past, but gives good hope for the future of genuine rave music without compromises.

for over 18 years, spectral sound, the dance music imprint of ghostly international, has thrived at the forefront of techno and house. it has been a source of support for numerous djs and producers during that time, from matthew dear and benoit & sergio to avalon emerson and hieroglyphic being. now, spectral brings the past alongside the present with its latest release, a compilation that offers a vibrant cross-section of the current moment in underground dance music. despite the wide-ranging selections on spectral 139, a throughline of classic style and infectious energy emerges from the up-and-coming and established artists alike. rising talents such as minimal violence, russell e.l. butler, and earth trax x newborn jr. bring unique perspectives to their hardware-centric productions. veteran producers bring their own edge as well: d marc cantu blows the roof off with the outsized funk of regularly people, and nigil caenaans januarys end, a low-key detroit classic from the late 90s, closes spectral 139 with a whirlwind of manic rhythms and sedate synths. gunnar haslam opens the tracklist with his acidic mindbender, versione antica. and ghostly regulars like tadd mullinix, who drops a lush jtc remix of his new x-altera alias, and matrixxman, who collaborates with riccardo limiti on the cavernous inferno, tie everything back to the label s roots. the double 12 compilation, as well as each individual single, features original work by los angeles-based artist nina hartmann. her designs have appeared on releases from labels such as ascetic house and big love, and the pieces for spectral 139 continue to develop her cryptic aesthetic. the marriage of hartmanns striking, high-contrast symbols with such bold dance music speaks to a collection that aims to stand out.

the notorious london white vinyl only project is back. this time round tracks selected by gareth wild. this cut through va sees excellent additions to the series via standout material from gareth wild, sp-x, kessell and exciting london based newcomer end train. tried and tested, dance floor killers.
being played and supported by the likes of: marcel dettmann, jonas kopp, kwartz, dax j, rodhad, etapp kyle, dj pete, aiken, rem co, and peter van hoesen.

walter gibbons, a true master of the mix, a disco legend, a pioneer of dance music. theres literally very few who can lay claim to progressing the artform of studio mixing and technique than the late gibbons. his contribution to contemporary music cannot be understated, first as a dj where his drum laced experimentation captured the ears and minds of his peers and the dancers, then later as a mixer and studio genius where he continued on his quest. often fixated on the percussion and breaks within records his versions would often dive into spaced out, dubby and stripped back territory that very few of his peers were even contemplating at that time, fervently reconstructing the tracks themselves and often the time, space and dancefloor within which the record was being played. a true original, gibbons was behind many of the definitive versions of the classics, his unique style often catapulting records that were just fine in their original form into brand new colourful, cosmic interpretations that flourished sonically and rhythmically with brand new sounds that bristled with vision.

a year after his debut outing on the label, max essa makes a welcome return to hell yeah with the han zon roc ep, which is another of his impossibly laidback offerings. essa is of course the long time uk talent who has become a part of the balearic mafia thanks to releases on labels like aficionado, music for dreams, and his own jansen jardin. this is the second coming together of artist and label and is another timeless excursion far out to sea. opener han zon roc (midori coup) is an epic 12inch minute adventure that slowly awakens your spirit with new age guitar plucks and heavenly ambience before organic drums slowly being to drift into earshot. they grow ever larger as synths start to spray about the mix, hand drums pitter patter and big chords bring the soul-shine. its like the soundtrack to an afternoon boat party all condensed into one brilliant cut. how you showed me everything then gets super chill with lazy drum tumbles, bendy guitar lines and scattered hits. withering cosmic chords colour the airwaves and its a track that will slow your heartbeat to nothing. last of all, rain birds alfalfa jam is a analogue drum work out with early 90s hip hop influences and diving basslines. it s light and airy, nimble and playful and of course filled with the sort of tropical rays that make all of essa works so brilliantly escapist.