during the eighties it was possible to observe an italian fascination with the mysterious far east. this can be found across art, design and music in italy during this time, in subtle or obvious ways. specifically there are italo-disco records that proudly show this influence, some of the best known being: fun fun – -living in japan-, koto – -chinese revenge- and city-o – -rose of tokyo-.

following in this theme is fancy – -null null-. not to be confused with the famous euro-disco artist behind -slice me nice-, this fancy is a one-off project from italo-disco icon raffaele fiume, the artist and voice behind many great italo-disco hits, such as: helicon – -you ... see-, malcom & the bad girls – -shoot me- and ralph river band – -strange vibration-.

adding to the original tracks of the 1982 release is a totally ecstatic and powerful remix from betonkust: one of the most talented and exciting dutch producers of recent years. also included is an instrumental edit from hysteric, for those who find the unique vocals challenging.

arkada records is a new independent electro/techno imprint hailing from london u.k. the label is being presented with the &#64257,,rst split vinyl ep featuring the sounds of t15dm (earwiggle /trensmat) and errorbeauty (arkada, crobot muzik).

due rent is a collaborative double album by solo artists lojii & swarvy. written & recorded in the summer of 2016 in l.a. by the two philadelphian transplants, lojii says this tape is a score to being a broke nxgga in amerikkka (emphasis on the kkk) – full of dreams and hustlin to make em happen, but dealing with the everyday pressures of making ends meet. a.k.a trying to pay rent. the 22 tracks, many of which barely break the two-minute mark, make for a vast voyage through remarkable contemporary hip-hop. the grooves and beats that skip and flutter are smooth and mellow, with nods to the old-school but entirely void of nostalgia. this is a sophisticated, thoughtful, and inventive modern hip-hop record that understands anger doesnt have to be loud. daniel dylan wray, bandcamp (best 100 albums of 2017)

on ultra satans second 7inch release on hoga nord rekords, the band is developing a new genre and concept: “freedom rock”, which is also the title on one of the tracks. “freedom rock” is a step beyond world music which would be the wrong label when ultra satan sounds too spaced out and out of this world.
on the second track “anti clock”, ultra satan hit strikes against the hysterical swedish mortgage market, how safety destroys creativity and also against the worthless tokens of appreciation you receive from our corrupt and ultra capitalistic society.
ultra satan is like a space being, living alone in an enormously big and empty space station, orbiting our planet. with mathematical precision this genius creates music that effects us earthlings on a transcendental plane and shakes the foundation we lead or lives upon.

reissue of balearic gem spanglish movement from little known band hot pepper! originally released as a private pressing in 1978 and featuring famous drummer jesus munoz tilico, a giant musician who appeared on countless recordings and accompanied famous figures like paul mauriat and carl tjader among many others. four superb long tracks including the cosmic underground club classic ritual song. hot pepper was a studio project created by mexican drummer / producer /arranger jesus munoz tilico who in the late 70s decided to record an album in a disco-funk vein, helped by some of his friends who were top session musicians. “spanglish movement” was the result, written and produced by “tilico”, released in 1978 as a tiny private edition housed in a fabulous afro cover. being tilico an enormous drummer, you can expect here lots of heavy drums, congas and percussion, surrounded by crazy space synths, male-female vocals, latin horns, afro touches and occasional fuzz guitar.

crs ltd 005, -gray fox- is the first ep from the polish producer michal jablonski on vsk s label, following the last ep from the duo scalameriya and vsk himself. -find god- opens the release with an organic broken beat , which meet an evil cinematic voice. -post human being- is the hypnotic element of the release with a dark tribal groove. -gray fox- has a strong 4/4 kickdrum combined to a sound design high frequency scream. -phantom pain- is a madness slow beat rhythm with outstanding soundscape layers. crs ltd is really glad to welcome this amazing talent on the label.

licensed from french label, nymphony, f*clr are proud to present blazers groove sequence ep - four tracks of sublime french house. the title track of blazers ep, groove sequence is unrelenting with its taking no prisoners high octane rhythm, giving a reverential nod to the classic 90 s era of new york house. the north street remix crew - ashley beedle, darren morris and jo wallace - take groove sequence twelve beats to the four bars and beyond - an exploration into deftly constructed dance floor mayhem. side2side is an absolute cut up disco killer, already being championed by luke solomon on rinse fm and reviewed in april s dmc & mixmag magazines. with filters galore and that incessant vocal refrain, you ll need to call the fire department to put the heat out. and finally, bel air - one for the deeply approving head nodders - providing a musical poolside palette cleanser showcasing the versatility of blazers and his syncopated sophistication.

nils oliver frahm + peter ray broderick = oliveray. being musical companions and label buddies for many years, it was just a matter of time until peter broderick and nils frahm would start their first standalone project together. oliveray was born during a time when both artists were living in berlin and frahm supporting broderick on tour. their debut release wonders — a nice little collection of eight musical pieces — was released on erased tapes in 2011. the vinyl release includes a download code.

amsterdam based luuk van dijk is welcomed into the hot creations fold this july with his heavy-hitting parallax e.p. chicago production wizard dj skull is also on board to rework the b-side. title track parallax is set to cause a serious stir at festivals and clubs alike this summer. the smattering of high-hats elevate the track as the space-like beeps and blips add another facet. on the flip, dimension applies an ominous vocal stab as the bass rumbles — perfect for low ceiling basement raves. on the remix, dj skull adds a touch of chicago class via some softer vocals, dubby chords and a pounding bass. at the tender age of 22, luuk van dijk has been signed to acclaimed labels such as viva music, roush, food music, sanity and lost records. championed by stalwarts such as steve lawler and eats everything, he has taken his sound to some of the world’s most prestigious events. ron maney aka dj skull became known for being one of the first djs to play the new sound coming out of chicago, honing his craft at the infamous music box and power plant. releasing records since the early 90s, he later launched his own labels hypnotic tones and wax candy records. recent releases have appeared on chiwax, domina trxxx and mentha records.

mika vainio and franck vigroux’s peau froide, le&#769,,,,ger soleil was a dense and complex record, a collection of sonic sculptures forged in the heavy tonal matter. it was the product of a lengthy creative process, articulated through studio sessions and live performances. the result was a huge amount of material that the duo actually decided to partition into more than one release, the album being the first in line. the new 6-tracker ep ignis makes for the first posthumous release from the two producers, after the untimely passing of vainio in 2017.

with the masters at work name under contract elsewhere at the peak of their career, kenny dope and louie vega had little choice but to work under other names for their strictly rhythm projects. hardrive became popular, largely thanks to the iconic ‘deep inside’ whose vocal hook (from, barbara tucker’s ‘beautiful people’) and bass line helped made the track become one of house music‘s most memorable hits. “sometimes a record just manages to capture and distill the true essence of what this is all about and deep inside is one such record, it bears all the hallmarks of golden era masters at work, all the signposts of what was happening in nyc s clubs in the early to mid 90 s were there within it s grooves. you know a record is good when it s still being, quite literally, hammered nearly 25 years later”. it’s no surprise even kanye west would sample this classic to make another chart topping track! this one s a straight up essential for any self-respecting house music aficionado. availble for the first time as a 7”. original mix on the a, dub on the flip. you know what to do!

the whiskey pickle crew turn their attention to a new partnership from steve cobby and laurie welton, the former being known for decades of djing, label management and producing alongside the likes of stephen mallinder for throne of blood. here the emphasis, as expected with whiskey pickle, is on disco with a slight leaning to the left. -absolute- is a bubbling jam laden with illustrious threads of melody, cosmic in nature but still rooted thanks to a rock solid rhythm section. -limoncello- is a more introspective affair that works with minor chords and a more intricate set of drums, but don t be fooled the groove is very much still intact. new york duo whatever/whatever bring a tougher dynamic to -absolute,- dialing in some beefy beats and amping up the synth touches for a surefire house heater. played by

hailing from the mists of the early 90s uk techno scene, ramjac corporation s -cameroon massif!- epitomises everything great about the anything goes spirit of the scene prior to firm genre boundaries being established. emotional rescue have done the right thing and brought the vintage curio back to light, and what a return it is. while it shows its age, it sounds in fine fettle, all rolling breaks, trancey zaps and mysterious vocal hooks that positively draw you into a transcendental rave headspace. both the -massive- and -massing- mixes are essential, but then you also get the added bonus of a live version from a reunion gig back in 2009.

benjamin vigneron, also known as vronsky, was born in 1991 in aix-en-provence, france. as a teenager, drawn simultaneously to visual arts, cinema and music production, he made his first contact with techno by working for a local club as a graphic designer. during his 20s, while living between montreal, canada and marseille, france, it was revealed to benjamin he suffered from a heavy bipolar disorder. as a reaction, he started losing himself in free parties and increasingly dangerous habits. gradually learning to love himself despite his flaws, he kicked his risk-taking after he realized the love of music prevailed over anything else. equipped with a strong desire to share his vision despite not being able to perform as a dj, benjamin started a youtube channel and a collective named listening blue.

over the course of the last decade, black pepper label boss jose manuel has proved to be one of electronic music s finest contemporary alchemists, conjuring percussive, intoxicating and otherworldly musical treats for such labels as tusk wax, kinfolk, kill the dj, optimo trax and music for dreams. the genius of manuel s productions lies in the italian s ability to conjure cracking cosmic compositions out of a diverse range of global rhythms, instruments and influences. rarely has this been more evident than on his debut release for nunorthernsoul, a four-track serving of dancefloor mysticism that puts mind-altering rhythms and saucer-eyed instrumentation front and centre. track, for example, the light and dreamy wrapped sumptuous balearic synthesizer chords and melodies around gentle hand percussion and drifting zambian vocals on the sublime journey in lusaka followed by the feverish, trance-inducing african rhythms, delay-laden chants, psychedelic acid lines and jangling jew s harp motifs of intense opener journey in lusanda , a ritualistic afro-cosmic onslaught ripe for peak-time plays. if the ep opener is all about being flat on your back and staring skywards, the follow up is all about druggy, heads down sweatiness! manuel s deep love of indian music is explored on journey in mumbai , where exotic sitar lines, fluttering clarinets and echoing, densely layered female vocals rise above a thick, tabla-fired groove. it s naturally hugely evocative and atmospheric - a fine dose of emotion-rich spirituality capable of inducing hallucinations in the straightest of listeners. to complete the ep, our hero travels even further east for journey in osaka , a fittingly percussive exploration of japanese music s past and present that also includes audible nods towards the poly-rhythmic drums of west africa. it s a superb combination of traditional instrumentation, 21st century electronics, heavyweight rhythms and mood-enhancing melodic flourishes. like the rest of the journeys in...ep, it s both hugely alluring and impeccably produced

the 1990 s was an incredible decade for techno - especially if you bought the releases being pressed and then shipped globally on a weekly basis out of birmingham in the uk.

simple elements -9.2%- originally came out on ideal trax in 1997 and over the years has become a holy grail among underground dj s and record collectors.
nicky b, the artist behind the simple elements moniker and resident dj from long running techno mecca, the house of god, has decided to re:release the original double pack on his new label, prisoner of sound records.

this double pack is a collection of the first tracks nicky ever wrote and is an insightful glimpse into the mind of an artist drawing upon a pool of influences, taking in jazz, funk, soul, electro, chicago house and detroit techno - you can listen to the influences at work throughout the six tracks, transporting your senses off world, into the deep realms and forgotten worlds of a vintage future.

r&s welcome back highly-revered techno artist benjamin damage with his new double headed single ‘malfunction / binary . ‘montreal’ from his debut r&s ep proved to be one of the label s biggest techno releases of the last few years - the pummelling drums, intense atmosphere and beatuiful melodies are synonymous with the music that has made the label timeless. road tested in benjamin’s heavy artillery live shows across the globe, malfunction / binary pick up where the last ep left off - pistoning rhythms, breakneck beats and monolithic bass, but this time the mood is more reflective and optimistic - skying cloud-like pads offer a dreamy counterpoint. made between london and berlin, following recent live shows at berghain and oval space, benjamin’s wanderlust and restless studio dynamic sees him continually breaking down his gear to travel, “being on tour with all my gear i find it quite easy to work in new places,” he explains. “i like the energy of different cities and it s good to keep moving.” this new ep is announced ahead of a huge, all hardware live show at sonar by night in barcelona. with ‘malfunction/binary’ sure to do the business and an album in progress for r&s scheduled for 2019 it’s going to be an exciting year ahead!

this one has been a long time coming. great 12”s never get shelved at lddlm, time is not the essence. benedikt frey has been part of the extended family since his remix of car’s idle eyes and we crossed paths a few times at robert johnson in frankfurt. init, his project with his other half nadia d’alò, has seen releases on neighbours such as hivern or correspondant, our door was naturally open to their pretty personal brand of “off-kilter techno” as ra says. stereometric is almost a definition of init’s acid mind. failing their own tricks, heavy atmosphere and unusual restraint. nuts is almost an instrumental extension of the title track, when your head finally hit that window pane. wheels slows the rush down, wandering on an imaginary khyber pass. this is only deception though, mindwork being a real exercise in post-goa trance. hope you enjoy the trip. see you after the summer.

following the release of “all my dreams / innocence” last month, today róisín murphy unveils the second pair of tracks in her series of four scintillating 12”singles produced by maurice fulton and shared across consecutive months this summer through the vinyl factory. having taken control of all aspects of her work in recent years, murphy delivers yet another amazing vision with a series of films to go along side her new music. filmed over a two day residency in london’s the store x, the “plaything” video follows “all my dreams” from moloko onwards, murphy has always gravitated towards a deep groove. but here, with baltimore maverick musician/producer/dj maurice fulton, she s gone and made some of the most hip-twitching, pleasure-centre-stimulating music of her life. and it s being released in the only correct way for sounds so intimately connected to the dancefloor: on a series of 12” singles, with stunning graphics from portuguese new yorker bráulio amado.

this is tier’s first release and we just started levelling different stages with our friends ion ludwig and direkt. that being said, tier it’s a music label showcasing talent. in this journey we want to take everybody who fits in the same sound and shares same ideas as ours

2017 saw the arrival of pin up club here at the bordello with a superb three tracker, friends of the vortex. now the dutch partnership are back. this time a quartet of tracks has been selected to produce the forever machine. the bold bars of friends of the vortex, the romantic rushes and soundtrack silhouettes are all present with new elements being introduced to further develop a truly unique style. breathy vocals and melancholy are countered by warm synthlines in the brooding -valis- before the lonesome -is there anybody out there?- blooms into a daringly bright work of disco dimensions. opening the flip is the title piece. smouldering, -the forever machine- burns with quivering chords that rise ever skyward on a column of tight rhythms as lyrics spiral ever upward. -a deepness in the sky- is a perfect illustration of pin up club s ability to transform burgeoning sombre sounds into tempered elation, rumbling strings and fragile percussion intermingling for a heady finale. welcome back to bordello a parigi guys, welcome back to pin up club.

allfeelings is releasing a 12- in dedication to his love for early dub techno coming out of berlin. the idea behind the title “untitled” is to give the listeners more space to interpret the tracks themselves rather than being distracted with any track names. as allfeelings music label is about the amalgamation of sounds and rhythms to bring about a visceral experience, this can be observed in the african inspired percussion on side a and the subtle changes and movement it has throughout its length. side b focuses more on easy listening with sounds and dry textures meandering slowly demanding the listener’s attention at all times. the other great thing about this record is it works really well pitched down which can be used to great effect during warm ups and after hours. this release has the support from ario and o:utlier from astral industries.

the checkup & deeleegenz, legendary belgian production duo, are back with another instant house classic. with multiple traxsource #1 house releases on labels including peppermint jam, toolroom, defected, madhouse, simma black, large, and beef records, the checkup has made his mark with his signature sound that mixes soulful chicago house with uk garage elements. getting a dancefloor banger of a remix from johannes albert, label boss of frank music and co-founder of fine records, this ep is a true dj tool with each track being dance floor ready.

during the recent years, terence fixmer kept on being prolific by producing and releasing his music output on well esteemed quality labels such as ostgut ton, novamute, jealous god and recently on aufnahme+wiedergabe. following a constant workflow, fixmer decided it is now time to restart his label planete rouge which he launched back in 1998 already but has always been irregular in terms of releases. the label will relaunch after a 4-year hiatus with his new 12-. terence fixmer s oppression ep is a great resume of his unique sound design signature, delivering a collection of four energetic tracks that speaks to the soul. on top of it, as an homage to one of his all time favourite tracks of the normal / warm leatherette from 1978, fixmer decided to rewrite this 40 year old tune from daniel miller as a a personal pleasure and fun. by using as well the mini korg 700 s terence fixmer recreated nearly the original sound, keeping a track that is loyal to his own sound as well as its original spirit.

the second release on werk is signed by j. manuel. the young producer has been polishing his sound ever since he first started experimenting with electronic music gear as a child. his commitment to following his own instincts rather than conforming to what was being played around him resulted in a very different aesthetic to the one commonly associated with berlin techno. drive fiction ep stands proof of that. all 3 tracks push boundaries in their own style, that being perhaps the strongest link between them. the title track -drive fiction- presents old-school leads over broken beats and electro inspired pads while the a2 -falling in sine circulation- is arguably the most dance floor oriented track, with a pounding 4×4 kick drum and an alarming 3/4 sine wave slaying the high frequencies. closing the ep is b-side -softer-, a melodic track with long, undulating pads that is nonetheless driven by a powerful rave-inspired beat. with its second release, werk comes to confirm the path it seeks to travel through both parties and releases: that of the sounds less rigid. gritty, wild and presenting a wide range of rhythmic patterns, drive fiction ep is a defying record. challenge accepted?

balance records is happy to release -paul cut- while no stranger to the french scene paul is one of the up and coming dj/producers out of paris. this release finds it roots in jazz (chicago /paris?). a1 starts with some heavy beats, which later combined with the other elements can bring the madness to any dance floor. side , a2 brings another kind of madness which shakes you from inside like heated particles with its jazzy vibes. b2 heats you in a subtly way, when you expecting it the least with background sounds inspired from jazz. and once they suck you in you start to be driven by them, like being stuck in the waves. b1 will draw anyone inner energy with its piano. it s a great track to lead to the end of the night or even closing. for the love birds and the loners on the dance floor. b2 heats you in a subtly way when you expecting it the least with background sounds borrowed from jazz. and once they suck you in you start to be driven by them, like being stuck in the waves.

with 2018 marking a quarter of a century for positiva being at the summit of the dance industry, the label have enlisted the work of both paul morrell, and latroit, to sprinkle modern magic on the timeless record. british producer and xxl resident dj paul morrell laces his own mix with euphoric, high-tempo chords and a floorfilling breakdown, a stark contrast to the deeper, gritty interpretation offered by 2018 grammy award winning american producer and composer, latroit, who added: - as the rush comes was obviously one of the stand-out tracks of the decade, and it was amazing to get my hands on that vocal. i ve also known dave dresden (one third of motorcycle) for years before this came out and it was great to reconnect and finally work with him creatively after all this time. the vinyl features 3 remixes of as the rush comes by latroit, paul morrell and dash berlin.

“he bleeds stories ep” is the first vinyl release on vraaa records, a techno label with the aim of queering-up the genre. both original tracks contains elements from projekt gestalten’s past original productions clashing with new sounds and being incorporated into a whole new context, like pieces of different stories scattered throughout the music and reconfigured into a brand new tale. each track was remixed by projects with contrasting gender identities: the heavyweight techno duo i/y, representing the masculine side and the fabulous german selector anja zaube, giving a feminine perspective. pressing on pink & black mixed vinyl.

marquis hawkes is an alter ego adopted by long time electronic music producer mark hawkins, founded for his house music focussed activities. hawkins decided it was time for a reboot after being head-hunted by old friends dan monox and kenny wasp, who had just founded dixon avenue basement jams in 2012, particularly as the material differed from what hed previously released.

after a wildly successful collaboration on thatmanmonkzs turn it out from the lp, columbus-ing, dave aju suggested they should continue their production streak for a new percussive tracks project. at the same time, aju had finally kept his word to legendary bay area club/underground mc and personality, foxxee aka foxxee brown aka lawrence petty, to work on a track together as well. petty being a core part of the infamous ya mamas house radio show on 106 kmel alongside pete avila and david harness that introduced legions of young bay area djs to real house music, includ-ing aju, in the early 90s.

rare & underrated album mixing soul, boogie, pop and synth styles together
favorite recordings presents this new official album reissue of state of emmergency by french band the fizz: a real underrated, complete and intriguing album, originally released in 1986 as a private-press lp and quite hard to find in good conditions nowadays.

chances are you ve already heard this track being played by zip or ricardo, it s been causing some damage on the dancefloor for almost a year now. and now it s finally available on wax. one sided 180g vinyl with a hand stamped label.

early support by: raresh & tini .... audionik is a well-known name in the latin america music scene by showcasing events for several years in mexico, now taking the first step to being recognized as a vinyl only music label with his own particular style. during the first sonic showcase they bring on board the infamous dubphone with its voodoo dub ep which comes with 2 outstanding renditions that needs no introduction, one by egal 3 and the other by jack wickham.

next up on donato dozzy and neels spazio disponibile label is close friend and italian producer marco shuttle. the eerie label-boss is a regular on the label having put out his systema album here last year, as well as his flauto synthetico ep in 2016. his always meticulously crafted sound is rooted in dark, cavernous techno. he finds plenty of new ground in each new release, though, with some tracks being haunting ambient works and others more propulsive rhythms. this new ep features just that across four typically inventive and absorbing tracks that are as much for your head as they are for your heel.

from conrad schnitzler in the 1960s to the pioneers of detroit techno in the 1980s, experimental sonic artists were often inspired by the metallic noises of industrial factories. schnitzler wanted to recreate the sounds he heard in his apprenticeship as a locksmith with musical instruments, and the sons and daughters of the midwestern automobile-industry generation programmed the motown soul into japanese electronic music equipment. with his new piece the metal beat ep, credit 00 wants to get in line with this tradition of transforming factory sounds into music. each of the three tracks reflects on the role of the human being in an industrial environment. the never-ending movement of the machine becomes the rhythm, while the melody embodies our forlorn voices in the vastness of the factory site. the blues played by machines--modern work songs for a post-industrial society!

label boss yse is back on pft with the long anticpated follow up to his gesamtkunstwerk ep which made it into kai alci s best of 2015 chart. if you have been following ant plate s productions under his various guises (yse, yse saint laur ant, rhythm plate, vengaboys) you know what to expect - deep, quirky, innovative house music that sounds like nothing else out there. this ep doesn t disappoint - the grooves on here are impeccable from start to finish. opener unstoppable builds the tension nicely with nagging strings and chords before letting loose with the drums. sun shadow was actually selected by red rack em as one of his best of 2017 despite not even being released. now that s literally being ahead of your time. the robot boogie of all we are is guaranteed to stop heads on the dancefloor with it s unique vocal and syncopated shuffle. closing track you told me slows the tempo slightly and is one for the deeper moments.

contort yourself continue to widen their scope of operations with this, their first dedicated reissue, and they ve come in strong. eschewing the grotty industrial tones of many earlier releases, the label have turned their attention to dutch curio muziekkamer, who self-released a small clutch of cassettes at some undisclosed point in the past. the unthinking experimentation contained within these tape jams is shockingly prescient - jagged rhythms, surreal sampling, techno atmospheres and more from a period well before such tropes became common tools for electronic expression. take a trip into the vivid, imaginative and utterly unpredictable world of muziekkamer.

the second release on black wattle comes from sydneys liam ebbs. the ep, a childs guide to groove, is a more dancefloor oreintated offering from the label. breaks, a wonderful sense of groove, spacious pads and a great understanding of melody all feature on this 12inch. it is also liams first time being pressed on wax, he has featured previously on a tape from australian label ken oath records. anywhere that wants it! first release from liam ebbs second release on the label, black wattle

next up for rhythm sections club focused sub-label international black 004 is here and it is bringing the heat - this time from tennessee, usa. mister saturday night and cgi affiliate alex falk delivers a 4 track ep made with one thing in mind the dancefloor. taking influence from the likes chevel, levon, redshape and phase, alex falk achieves a singular vision merging american and european styles of techno. opening with upp, an effortless techno groove with a tight rolling bass line, classic lead stabs that pulsate, twist and turn as the heavy kick punishes the subs. beta comes in next with a serious low end bounce a distorted bass bump pushes the system to the max before being followed up by lower sub all swinging around a fat house kick and tight percussion another club stomper for the serious rigs only. the b side is a proper dub techno workout.

duat (pronounced do-aht) was the realm of the dead in ancient egyptian mythology. the deity osiris was believed to be the lord of the underworld since he personified rebirth and life after death, being the first mummy as depicted in the osiris myth. the underworld was also the resi-dence of various other gods along with osiris. the duat was the region through which the sun god re traveled from west to east each night, and it was where he battled apep, who embodied the primordial chaos which the sun had to defeat in order to rise each morning and bring order back to the earth. it was also the place where people’s souls went after death for judgement, though that was not the full extent of the afterlife. burial chambers formed touching-points be-tween the mundane world and the duat, and the akh, the effectiveness of the dead, could use tombs to travel back and forth from the duat.

more cult edits from inigo vontier, pietnev, dreem lion, and alexi le fan. everyone loves these. no one has them. only edits in circulation requiring a vow of silence and a paid subscription. cannot be stolen, shared, or caned to death. rename the track titles in a random internet cafe for maximum secrecy/exclusivity/emotional well-being. culted002 - blood in, blood out.

when thinking balearic, there is a name that should strike you right away. no, not ibiza itself, but the man responsible for producing and curating some of the lushest sunset music the white island has ever heard steve miller, perhaps most commonly known as afterlife. making a name for himself in the early 2000s by playing monumental events such as glastonbury, headlining cafe del mars 20th anniversary party and reaching the top of the uk charts by remixing another chance from roger sanchez, hes managed a consistency unlike many others in the decade and a half since. releasing standout classic albums such as simplicity two thousand and speck of gold, his music has been released on the premiere labels of the time, such as hed kandi and defected, while also being featured on numerous compilations to date.

attention: the case has a broken corner. ltd 180 copies - incl dl code , this cassette collects some of these stills, or better said freeze frames. freeze frames that become almost landscapes that one can enter or not, listen closely to or use as mere background ambience. wilson went in and untied the knot, yet while investigating the situation, posing more questions. this is as open-ended a release can get, so captiously simple. i met andrew wilson, (aka berko, art wilson, andras), a few months ago in tokyo where we were both to perform on a sort of balearic ambient variety show in the heart of shibuya. at some point andrew was telling me about his interest in youtube videos of truck accidents, animals attacking people and bloopers. with creating one-shot samples of these sort of popular fringe finds he started creating long-form drones of harmonic beauty, without being overtly and subjectively emotional. wilson presented some of these pieces on said night in tokyo, in a dandyesque manner all dressed in white, sitting behind a small restaurant table

within lok recordings’ sixth release, we introduce lokin to you. we’re coming up with something to break boundaries and strengthen the spirit of artistic freedom. -the fall- by the belgian-born berlin-based singer, songwriter and producer cook strummer - aka maxime donnet - is an evocative ode to lost love and forgotten spirituality. channeling the post-punk synth sound of his home country’s cold wave movement of the late 70s and early 80s, donnet has absorbed the sounds of his adopted home in germany, taking that all-pervasive electronic music that is all around him and morphing it into something new. the result is -the fall-. recorded in a cell located in the basement of an old stasi prison (studio k61 in berlin), it’s an album with one eye on the dancefloor, but one that works just as well when the party is over. it’s an album that blends the organic with the synthetic, mixing guitars and synths with post-dubstep flourishes and drum machines. it’s an album about something. the name of the album has been chosen in reference to first single fallen, the idea of falling in life and waking up again. it’s also about the fact that it’s not the fall that kills you. a fall can be graceful. a fall can improve a life perspective and create new paths. it can and does make you strong. the main metaphor in there is one of reincarnation. indeed, it’s the story of a soul negotiating with god to not reincarnate on earth again, but being forced to do it anyways. experience something different!

in ancient lddlm times, blddlm even, belgium could well have been the freaky house and ecstasy center of the world. if only we could remember all the lost hours. but after all, as the brussel saying goes: its friday, tomorrow is tuesday. at lddlm, we try not to reminisce, that was just setting the mood.we are very happy to welcome arthur johnson in our non-fold, a young producer from liege via marseille and la dame noir. aj is amongst those ever mutating artists, his u-turns slowly composing a real personality, and one fitting our contrarian attitude. in a way perfect stranger reminds us of a good 90’s farley/heller remix, not so much camp fire island than almost sweaty late night trancer. we love those tracks that do not fit our ethos a priori but that we can’t stop playing. cosmo vitelli is a long time family friend and he beams up this stranger through the axis into some kind of romantic italo-german anthem. ballada and secretary discordia show a different side of aj, a dub march echoing dif juz and a percussive machine funk number. we sincerely hope aj keeps on straying for the best, his way being our way.

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

sad girl delivers her first ep on mary black. nyx is the personification of the night and was born out of chaos. a shadowy figure like the mysterious sad girl herself. standing at the beginning of creation, nyx mothered aether (brightness), hypnos (sleep) and oizys (pain), being the titles of the three original tracks. keith carnal did a fantastic remix of oizys on the flip and completes this dreamy yet forceful trip from the darkness into the light and back into black

fold edition, 154 s cult 2004 album strike is being re-issued on the producer s own nwaq/ape label on heavyweight 180g vinyl. mixing up ambient, techno and abstract designs into deep, sci-fi influenced soundtracks, it still sounds as fresh and unique today as it did back then, and remains an expensive and in demand record on discogs as well as an important album that has influenced many producers since.

ital foundation came together in the winter of 1977, out of a shared belief in rastafarianism and deep love of reggae music in their home place bermuda. their music tackles global issues of colonialism, poverty, prophecy and redemption. they released only one album in their legendary career, the 1980 release ital foundations vol.1. a tumultous history rought with trial and tribulation resulted in ital foundation being an underground musical movement that saw record sales all over the world while the band languished in obscurity.