after an ep on creme organization off-shoot jericho one as dj plant texture, dona basile now assumes his dona alias for a new ep on the main label. entitled the v.g.p sessions, it features four new cuts from the italian, with three of them being dj pt mixes. up first is a live cut version of energia , a bristling electro track with globular bass and coarse hits. turbulent but full of synth based serenity, it is a fine start. cigarettes (djpt mix) is rugged and broken, with glossy idm synths and corrugated drums all loosely arranged into something prickly and unsettling. the deads at twelve (djpt mix) then gets even more fucked up, with rusty synths and blown out drums making for a dystopian house groove that will likely soundtrack the apocalypse. last but not least, nr. 13 (djpt mix) mixes up detroit synths, wild acid, heavenly chords and chopped up, buried deep vocal samples into something that will fire every synapse in your body. this is outlier stuff from dona that sounds like little else.

in the fourth modern cathedrals release, altstadt echo crafts three original works with a focus on experimentation with broken beat structures and grainy percussive texture, against a backdrop of austere atmospheres. varg contributes a remix that emphasizes the despairing tones of the descent, contrasted with glistening treble percussion and and stumbling bass. to end the release, evigt mörker offers an extended hypnotic version of the track that slowly develops from a functional framework into an atmospheric drift. the thematic aspects of the release follow the development of modern cathedrals as a label, expressing existentialist themes centered around the search for meaning in a life that forbids it. the label art features photographs of the beautiful remains of one of detroits many unused churches

we are seemingly headed towards dark and confusing times. the tension inside of the people is rising so instead of putting more gasoline to the fire and fueling the rage i submit to you these sounds of peace. not black music or white music. not borders or class. just music. it’s time to stop labeling music, just as it is time to stop labeling humans as 1st class and 2nd class citizens. if you can ignore my broken voice and if you could only look past my music’s imperfections, you would feel me instead of hearing me and maybe then you could get a small glimpse of the hope that the people feel when they are at my concerts and understand the idea that many great men and women before me like bob marley and john lennon had, that we are all one. the idea that had brought hope and countless others. the hope that makes them scream: peace forever. (charles x)

entgegen heute gebräuchlicher gepflogenheiten erscheint die wiederveröffentlichung von “the closer you get” mit dem originalsound aus dem jahr 2000, das heißt nicht remastered. dafür wird die platte durch ein zweites vinyl flankiert, das auf der a-seite die dritte (von fünf) peel-sessions enthält, mithin fünf songs, und auf der rückseite zwei single-b-seiten (“get a real tattoo”, “i’m wide open”) sowie den track “oh! dear”, aufgenommen während der ersten peel-session.

unordained, brutal, and led by the rhythm of heavy bass and massive drums, disorder is an unrestrained ep, conceived in an atmosphere of distortion, edging on a certain experimental techno, equivocating between noise music and musique bruitiste. as if, here, techno were a tool of vengeance, a violent revelation with the appearance of redemption, the pieces succeed each other without any glimmer of hope appearing, and the sounds with the abrasive textures come to coil round fast and broken sequences. times are marked on each pulsation, regular and relentless. the frequencies evolve in progressions designed to install a particular tension. in -contact- some voices hidden by the filtering of a radio announce to the stoic listener and the sweaty dancers what they already foreshadowed: communication is blurred, impossible and painful. in a word, modern.

a year after his last outing on the label, metamethod is back with a second ep for nightime drama. the man born simon haynes is a veteran of the scene who has worked under many different aliases and is now back at the techno frontline, creating the same sort of powerful grooves that made him so essential back in the 90s. ‘exoshift’ opens things up with a lurching, low sung beat that rocks back and forth as frazzled synths and rusty frequencies skate about up top. it’s body music that really makes a mark while ‘autofac’ then slips into more of a forward moving groove with prickly percussion and woodpecker hits all driving along a bleak techno landscape. last of all, ‘superlifter’ marries bulky, broken sounding drums with celestial pads that glow white amongst the murk and greyness of the rest for he track. it is atmospheric, grainy techno for serious heads only.

three, floor-minded tracks bind together to form a mesmerizing groove unlike any other. ranging from the bouncy funk of “scandal,” to the hypnotic broken techno of “time,” to the shuffling trip of “dancemine,” this is a true document of an artist unafraid to offer the full spectrum of their musical personality, with an undeniable compulsion to push forward.

new kid felix leifur made quiet a stir with his debut release on dirt crew last year. the icelandic juggernaut comes from the striving reykjavik music scene and is working closely with the lagaffe tales guys on building a new northern house empire. since his debut hes been working hard on creating a more varied vision of his unique lo slung hip hop approach to house music. with this ep he offers six new outings that have one thing in common, very warm and moody sounds ranging from disco through jazz and hip hop. were certain that he will continue to further cement his name in the coming years and were looking forward to working with him on plenty of exciting projects. opening with eyelids, felix delivers a rough, deep and dark house cut with broken beats, warped piano loops and twisted sampling throughout. classy has a smoky jazz feeling, kept tight with clever beat programming while evolving around a catchy sax motif. our personal fav is the title track, in general, a stunning broken beat house jam, smooth and loose, with swirling keys and a funk flavoured bass. the b-side begins with midwinter, a dance floor gem on a straight up junket. its deep, forward moving and bass driven, much like his track feels like that featured on our deep love compilation in 2016. yet another highlight for us is apollo, theres not many records out there that sound quite like this, thoroughly warped and contorted, depraved strings and a hypnotising rhodes arc and strain until the bass drops and it all falls in place psychedelic beauty! he closes with mine, a dope lo fi hip hop beat that casually wraps our ears, an ice cold soul infused piece.

third try records have pulled out all the stops for their second release, the debut ep from parisian producer, s. channel. a collection of six tracks, each with their own personality and all featuring lush and emotional pads, floaty vibes, broken patterns, hard hitting percussion and s. channel’s trademark attention to detail.

armed with his unique delivery, gruff voice, and sharp wit, u.g. is well-equipped to do just as he wishes when he hits the booth. whether on his own or earning critical acclaim as one-half of the cella dwellas, the brooklyn rapper has been a giant amongst the nyc rap underground since 94. and on portals, his long anticipated solo debut, u.g. proves that his formula for crafting excellence has no expiration date.
pressing on transparent, purple splattered vinyl.

limited heavy-weight 12 inch vinyl to 300 copies only. azymuth drummer ivan mamao contis forthcoming self-titled solo project, remixed by west london broken beat pioneer ig culture for a scorching club monster, alongside three future-funk remixes from 22a records family tenderlonious, reginald omas mamode iv and jeen bassa.

after 5 years of throwing parties in leeds, london and across europe, flux inaugurates their record label with a stunning 4-tracker from enigmatic newcomer shedbug. accompanying 3 original tracks are german heavyweights tuff city kids (gerd janson and lauer) on the remix. pressed onto 180g high quality black vinyl (no digital release), this limited run is presented in beautiful cover and label artwork from laura zhang. opening track aftermath is a lo-fi techno ballad that pairs distorted kicks and brittle hats with gliding pads and sparkling synth details. siren, a gawping broken-beat roller, counter-balances by drawing heavily upon pioneering sounds of late-2000s uk bass/dubstep. on the flip tck s retro take on aftermath is an uplifting gust of 90s-inspired euphoria. with tough beats, a touch of acid, and rave-tinged string lines, the remix caters for all peak-time occasions. recovery closes with a tender 7-minute sojourn through hazy dream-states, subtly melancholic, but ultimately a cathartic experience. poignant, effective, and well polished, afterglow delivers a diverse but focused sound. highly emotive beats for the more sensitive dance-floor

eye can see the darkness (in the end of the tunnel) is a shot of light in the dark cavern of a broken heart. blinded by the lights rips apart the heart-string orchestra rather than just pulling on the strings. a love ballad lost in the haze of the mid-summer, faded to blue and repackaged as a gentle and tender winter anthem. sharing the a-side with the lucid dreaming of jeremiah r on the drum-heavy remix.
on the flip, i am not him is a filter-squelching, bass-slapping meander into green haze territory, that finally erupts into a swagger of familiar detroit-channeled drums and steady faded pads. outernet grumbles up the black-hole cosmic radiation with an industrial-tinged number that plunges the depths of deep-space. proper growling and clanging synths to add the right amount of raw, just at the end.

august 2016 saw running back release a first volume of live tracks from redshape, but january 2017 sees the much loved artist return to delsin, his most regard label, for a second offering of the same. this time the ep has one track made in paris, and one in london, and both are filled with the sort of beautifully bleak and lo-fi sounds that have made this man such a standout artist over the years. up first is london, a chugging track that builds in pressurised layers of coarse hi hats, gurgling bass and pinging kick drums. it is a hypnotic groove that teases you as elements drop in and out and hisses of static and broken little guitar riffs add some cheeky funk. on the flip-side, paris is much more playful, with colourful pixelated melodies dancing about the mix, industrial drums working down low and steppy synths fleshing things out. overall it sounds like a future disco for inebriated robots and is one of redshape s more party starting tracks.

a1 --aqua lifeforms- is perhaps the least intense cut on the record, a sort of a slow grower which builds up momentum by layering sounds and pads. a2 -body mover- is exactly what the title tells you. crunchy peak time tune for the dance floor, with shuffling broken beats wrapping around deep chords that hint what s happening on the flip side. b1 -doorway to her- is a nod to the classic deep techno chord-ish approach. well, sort of. the song lets you think that until the first curveball just before the half of the track. after that, it s just deeper than deep. b2 -pulsing hearts- is another well-crafted dance floor cut. the track moves from deep meditative vibe to subtle acid tripping, just to be finished with a proper bass workout. overall, we couldn t think of a better way to mark the 10th barba release.

colored vinyl. the productions of myk derill never missed the point. we are happy to welcome this underground techno leader with his chasing ep. huge support we have with remixes by florian meindl (owner of flash recordings) from berlin who delivered an amazing live remix. you can feel the modular hardware energy in this broken electro version. this vinyl is for the real heads. the b-side starts with no other than luca agnelli (owner of etruria) from italy who just released on big labels like soma and drumcode. we totally fall in love with his banging remix. the b2 is by kaputt co-owner caves who kills it with a hypermelodic hymn for the special moments on the floor. this is 100% kaputt. modern, stylisch and strictly limited. get this wicked 12inch vinyl.

veniceberg collective proudly presents label’s second instalment by 100hz! longstanding uk duo lee renacre and james chapman deliver eclectic and trippy visions of techno and broken beats. b2 track features collaboration by lee renacre and jules giles, formerly known as the junction chaos project.

undefined 005 is made by the legendary s-max. labelhead (together with fym) of the famous freaked and forward electronic musiclabel boogizm started back in 2000. we are more than honored to present him on undefined!
this ep will take you on a freakshow of yorkshire bleeps, wonky basslines and 4/4 approach on house/minimal/broken beats. the tracktitles are as ingenious as the tracks itself.
don’t sleep on this future classic!

eshu records hits release number ten with a new ep from the in-house production collective made up of jocelyn abell, ivano tetelepta and daniel lekatompessy. fraktur features six tracks of stripped back house and techno that are all atmospheric and heady. opener winter track is a smooth and rolling dub techno number that is grainy and economical yet hugely absorbing thanks to its circling synth details and woody drums. creating moods is even more expansive and spacious, with gently swirling pads enveloping a soft, broken rubber kick drum. the title track is another expertly distilled, dry and heady groove with its frayed edges and warm analogue feel, then hello really flips the script with over driven jeff mills kicks and intergalactic synths bring a spooky sci-fi feel to proceedings. yorubaland is then a cosmic ambient interlude with fax tones bleeping and blipping as lazy pads smear out in the background and last of all core comes on strong with more quick and slick intergalactic techno carrying you off to some distant planet. this is another faultless ep from this fine dutch collective. pressed on 180 grams vinyl.

with a constant slew of quality releases jorden hodgetts has not only become in demand internationally, but keeps holding a vital spot on the figure roster. his unyielding tracks as cleric proudly wear their manchester heritage on the sleeve, and this bold ep makes no exception. exploring various angles of the city’s musical lineage, cleric creates a sound scape that seems industrial and yet futuristic. as broken and straight rhythms repeatedly alternate over the course of this record, the mixes implicate both force and elegance, thanks to clever pacing and immaculate sound design. whether it be narrow, bleeping stompers, epic wide-screen breakdowns or intricately assembled percussion - across this fresh and dynamic ep cleric further sharpens his profile, not only revealing his roots but even more importantly his individual vision.

disco inflections and happiness-driven chanting begins this release. off-placed rhythms call one to move. listening and dancing, is what needed. such need is further pursued in a2. listen. move. ‘which of the waltzes’ explores layering of sounds and is driven by shama joseph’s spontaneous vocal improvisation. while the rhythm swings, the vocals and piano maintain the warm harmonies. the final track is a broken rhythm expulsion. snippets of vocals and deeply resonating piano hints to what ‘which of the waltzes’ could have sounded if further experimentation in sonic reductionism would have taken place.

marcel vogels intimate friends label turns to an unknown entity for their next release, giving dear earth no less than a full album to run with as a first outing. that s a strong statement of conviction, and the label are right to be so bold as dear earth shows off the kind of inventive, sample-rich approach that makes your ears prick up in an instant. supposedly hailing from london, this mysterious figure has been trawling through all kinds of ephemera and stewing it into a soulful, meandering body of work that touches on house, downtempo broken beat and more besides

the original track is an industrial and distortion experimental project of the owner label federico amoroso which contain a really metallic and dark sound. positive centre his remix it s a dark walk into industrial noise and distortion audio bites, with ambiental moment and powerfull distroy counter. the first track of b side it s remixed by italian producer plukkk which heavy dominating with relentless attitude and distortion driving kick - drum, with big impact for the dancefloor. the last remix is an collaboration with the japanese producer yuuki sakai which has an original idea to add a lyrical singer in the middle of distortion broken techno beat. the new label started well: arriving the big names of the genre and industrial noise skarn division label founder federico amoroso, a new label that will touch many different genres and musical nuances: techno, industrial, noise, drone, ambient and experimental, a melting pot of sounds joined together by a passion for harsh corners and futuristic electronics. artists who remix the first disc of the founder federico amoroso are positive centre (who played several times in places like berghain and tresor), plukkk and yuuki sakai: every producer knows that long in the field of industrial techno and noise music (just look, to name one, the presence of the same positive centre to the latest editions of the berlin atonal festival, or even yuuki sakai: remixed by oscar mulero .. and so on!)

nostalgic, soulful and, of course, boogie-woogie. thats how belgian dj producer boogie belgique (aka oswald cromheecke) describes the enticing combination of styles and sources from different decades that make up his music. taking vintage inspirations, most notably from swing and jazz eras, and merging them with contemporary beats and textures is the young producers forte. this is pleasingly evident on volta, the latest boogie belgique album for the cold busted label. jungle law gives a glimpse into boogie belgiques sonic palette. tough hip hop beats and funky live guitar follow an intro of jungle ambience as a trumpet presents the melody. soon some swingy big band jazz enters the song in an almost ghostly manner, while the insistent beat keeps the dance floor moving. album opener go slow shows a different side to the coin giving the listener an uptempo broken beat rhythm, some bouncy bass guitar, snippets of string loops, and a lovely, forlorn vocal line that echoes the past. its a beautiful concoction, and boogie belgique delivers on many aspects of this style throughout his eleven track album. volta is a satisfying trip in an aural time machine.

dj support comes from ben ufo, jon k and hodge. semtek returns with his first work since 2012, when he contributed 12inches to world unknown, awkward movements and in plain sight. in the meantime the cambridge-born, bristol-based producer and dj has been hard at work running his label don t be afraid, bringing through talent including mr beatnick and mgun. bad teeth consists of nothing more complicated than two complementary tracks for the dancefloor, inspired by bleep n bass, jungle and two-step. the title track rolls moody synths, metallic stabs and offbeat drums into a rugged uk house joint. jon of worcester twists similar elements around a broken groove, cutting between drum machine and breakbeats. both tracks feature rolling basslines tuned for maximum soundsystem pressure.

third instalment of the unknown entity series, this ep delivers four tracks of science fiction and horror soundtrack inspired techno. the a side is dominated by two floor ready cuts, lurching thumper feart and a devastatingly broken remix by serbian producer scalameriya. side b trips into leftfield territory with sleep deprived creeper peripheral visions. the serbian connection continues with lag delivering an offkilter franticly driving reworking of the original.
support from orde meikle // rivet // mike darkfloor // norman nodge // scalameriya // lag // martyn hare // surit (nx1) james ruskin // sev dah // takaaki itoh // par grindvik // kwartz // markus sukut laurent garnier // roman rubique // hd substance // nihad tule // xhei // patrick seich ryuji takeuchi // sandrien // p.e.a.r.l. // joton // twr72 // ctrls // truss // dave tarrida patrick dsp // patrick walker // ingen // clouds // substance (dj pete) // perc // zenker brothers // forward strategy group // bleaching agent // rod

last year saw casablanca-based cosmo records launch its most ambitious project todate, celebrating five years of cross-cultural collaboration. the three vinyl releasesfeatured producers such as san proper, radiq, pier bucci and dandy jack working with moroccan musicians to create a true fusion between modern electronics and ancient traditions. the purpose of cosmo has always been to find a natural meeting place between thesedistinct musical forms, bringing out the best strengths of each practice through real time spent together in the studio, where each artist can truly understand the other in a shared quest for sonic harmony. as such, this latest release marks a step forward in exploring this idea through a new series entitled cosmo jam. as the title suggests, the focus here is on live improvisation. in late 2014 parisian producers masomenos and vadim svoboda travelled to morocco and set up their equipment at the coda casablanca music center. they were joined by m’hamed el menjra playing bass, abdessamad boussahfa on violin and sanhaji on darbuka, and the ensuing jam sessions between these musicians now make their way on to vinyl. no editing or post-production took place – the music you hear on the record was created entirely in the moment. each track highlights the magic of a different instrument – on “be” menjra’s double bass comes twisting through effects processing and subtle distortion, meeting with a low-slung broken beat groove from the visiting french producers. sanhaji’s thrilling percussive flair on the darbuka flirts perfectly with the crisp programming of drums and bass on the uptempo “kaled” and the more laid-back “petit”. boussahfa’s violin makes for some of the most arresting moments on the release, meeting with intricate minimalist rhythms on “mon” and shining in the heart-rending ambience of “frere”. presented across two 12”s, this collection of six tracks tells a most honest account of how gifted artists from entirely different disciplines can find a common ground and create something truly unique. without any studio trickery to hide behind, this is the concept of cosmo records laid bare, and the results prove it is a concept worth exploring further.

blood debts is the compulsive debut album from years of denial, the alter-face of london-based french musician/producer and dj, jerome tcherneyan.

!! 70% xmas deal !!duskys 17 steps present floor to floor. featuring tracks from velvit, trevino, lo shea, hugo massein and alan fitzpatrick, floor to floor compiles 12 tracks that approach the modern house and techno aesthetic with a uk edge. joining the dots between electronica-leaning sounds, melodic house and warm-up grooves to moody techno, looping tech house tools and broken beats, floor to floor represents a snapshot of current uk house and techno sound worlds all heavily road tested in dusky s dj sets. carefully compiled over a 12 month period, each track combines artistic individuality with dancefloor utility. on the second sampler, uk techno powerhouse alan fitzpatrick delivers a nostalgic nosebleed rave banger in a modern style on where haus?, xl signing hugo massein deals in rolling tech nastiness on restart the sun, lo sheas shuffling, sci-fi beats elevate thousand foot waves while moniker take things deeper on moving.

nice price deal !!! second release on wax for led records, and now is the time for gas vs linuz first ep with a project started as a collaboration between two italian artists: enrico gasperini and lino pugliese. day zero goes darker and deeper: an underneath bass always moving under hypnotic rhythms is shaked by spacey syhnth sounds for an overall >epic< feeling..a track for both evening and morning sessions .. >zuloop< is an un-conventional electronic house track: broken beat loops, live orienteddrums and cutted voice elements are fused with a sunny piano-synth foran out-of-scheme sound.. miguel sar, better knowns as tadeo, is one of the most important artists of the spanish electronic scene and delivers a true bomb with his remix for led002: 808 rhythms and groovin bass mixed with a sensual vocal line turns >day zero< and >zuloop< into a more club-oriented track for a great journey into electronic sound!!

ltd to 100 copies
while he may have been spotted in gentlemen s dub club amongst other festival friendly acts, as xoa nick tyson is going it alone to create globe-trotting sounds that speak to his musicianship and keen instinct for other kinds of grooves. there are in fact additional vocal spots on this ep including anthony joseph and monika liu, but the record is definitely pulled together by tyson s focused, refined vision. -in so- is a notable delight with its skittering beat and laconic guitar lines. watch out for the b side though, where the tracks get appropriate club revisions. byron the aquarius remix particularly stands out, injecting some broken beat bump into -in so-.

new years deal - , fresh from guesting on the debut powell lp sport (xl recordings), and having released on labels such as the tapeworm, entracte, and halcyon veil, dale cornish now presents clap - four rhythmic experiments that explore the mesmeric tones of the digital clap using the ever-popular tr909 clap pre-set. sharing similarities in intention with n.m.os as strict as possible approach, pieces subtly evolve and mutate around the clap to generate motion, tension and action. oolovka takes an unashamedly joyous look at the clap, where melodic repetition whirls and whirls until it takes on a form of mesmerising minimalism – perhaps taking its cues from a modern take on steve reichs ‘music for 18 musicians’ as a backdrop for the clap to playfully roll over and mutate into a sound which is both refreshingly light hearted yet steeped in rhythmic experimentation. cxema takes us a into a tenser, more claustrophobic space where a heads down pulse keeps the body locked until the fog is occasionally broken and the tension momentarily cleared via delayed claps and familiar sonar tones. this vibe continues into isolate with cornish upping the anxiety by using the clap as a foreboding menace. coming across like an inspired soundtrack to a military performance piece the concern appears to revolve around strict precision and strict movement and how the clap can be used to enforce and heighten this functional display. before encore winds things down by stripping things back to the bare minimum for movement – a single effected clap gradually layers and layers itself to create pleasingly odd high tension atmospherics solely through a meticulous process of delicate rhythm and repetition.

bosconi extra virgin has prepared for you two super tasty various artists featuring 11 tracks by 11 new, fresh and promising producers mostly from all around the italian peninsula but not only! -the sweetest- volume 1 begins with the outstanding jazzy midtempo song of austrian producer m.a.r.s -feel the heat- and the deep space, italo soundtrack infected boogie directly from napoli of bop & 291out s -uomo dalle nuvole- , known for their releases on acido records and really swing.b side features instead the chugging raw deep house track (($)) from misterious producer from tuscany def safari and more funky, garagey, soulful vibes and broken beats by the mechanical man from napoli and young artist jts1 from milano.

kintsugi: a japanese technique for repairing broken pottery with veins of gold long time cohorts he/at (aka chris finke) and tom dicicco join forces for the first time to form “kintsugi soundsystem”, a special label & performance project which kicks off with the split “journey to yomi ep”. four special tracks to launch their new imprint , sinister atmospheric techno but not as you may know it , searching deeper and further. rounding off the ep are the first 2 “veins of gold” in the series – locked grooves cut specifically for dj use. fierce loops for use in your warehouses – warning.. club tested and devastating for the adventurous dj.

vinalog’s new ep on relative delivers raging club music with 4 cuts balancing the uk and berlin sound with a masterful touch. the two mixes of “flashback” on the a side provide raw, nasty house with a punchy groove and luscious vocal samples. b side sees two variations of the same motif: “recall 97” has strong uk bass heavy influences with an acid touch and spanish-mumbling vocals, while “redub 97” is a more stripped down version of the latter able to deliver for the dance floor with a more broken-beat rhythmic pattern.

under the tablecloth of steve murphy and die roh first releases, madi grein has recently collaborated with sagats (boss of noho records) for two exciting 90s flavoured ep for housewax and eat more house. being a full time of the riviera and the vape/vulcano projects, he can be considered without doubts a true ambassador of the sound of brenta. “mainly love” is a truly dancefloor ep, raw and old-schoolish. clean drums drive an hypnotic vocal hook on “mantide”,sleaking a visceral dribbling bass. “express yourself”, has been heavily influenced from a short trip to london, as fast broken beats lurk under acid frequencies, soulful vocals and scattered piano fills. “i m feeling hot“ is pure sweat for the dancers. its remix marieu (half of the analogue cops and boss of restoration and enlightenedwax) which closes the record with a reckless remix with strange guitars and mysterious alien samples.

them records welcomes back hiroaki iizuka for the its fifth outing. having supplied the the run as the labels first record, here iizuka doubles its play time and track listing length in his stunning voodoo ep. the extra time offered allows iizuka to flex more of his versatile style. them as a label sets out to eschew a techno norm largely made up of a traditional 4 x 4 sound. having come from a london background, the curating of the label gives a nod to the rave sounds of the capital - especially d&b, garage, breakbeat hardcore and grime. that is to say of course along with its characteristic aesthetic of horror and the gothic.
in iizuka them found a common ground: based in hokkaido, japan, iizuka does not share the same london influences, yet shares their base values and thrust. common themes of his sound involve broken and syncopated beats, and a rave energy. this is what lead him to being the first and prime them stable artist. voodoo ep showcases this breadth of iizuka’s style, from tracks that could easily fit into any grime set, such as primitive acid, to the more melodic tones of floating point, in which hiroaki guides them into previously untrodden ground for the imprint.

in a time of peace and prosperity on phantom planet, three unwanted heroes arrive home to seek justice where there is none to be sought. shunned by modern society, forsh gets a job at the electricity board, red defender snoozes through work at the local news and booze, and bin man finally finds his dream job. as a postman. with no evil to lay waste to, they put their dinner money together to create the worlds greatest record label, boss tracks. using broken dustpans and dance ejay 98, they create what will go down in history as the most seminal and brilliant piece of musical forgery known to merseyside. 4 tracks packed full of pure dance floor steroids for your love-pump, this is interstellar muscle music at its finest, let it reach out grab you by the tenderloins! thank you phantom planet outlaws. once again the world has been changed forever, for the better.

aufgewachsen in london mit jungle, grime und broken beats, ist der jazz-ansatz von yussef dayes und kamaal williams (aka henry wu) geprägt durch den basssound der piratensender, ähnlich wie die us-kollegen robert glasper oder kamasi washington hiphop in ihre musik einfliessen lassen. weitere inspirationen auf dem yussef kamaals debütalbum ist der freiheitliche anything-goes-spirit des 1970 er jazzfunk eines herbie hancock oder mahavishnu orchestra, während ihr pianospiel an thelonious monk und ihr drumprogramming an kaidi tatham angelehnt ist.

-nothing lasts ep- deals 3 tracks of abstract electro/idm, hearkening you back to classics from gescom and early ae. solid breaks and sky-scanning esoteric synthlines sure to elicit a shiver of melancholy and emotive nostalgia. anodyne put a lot of though

son dexter is a talented producer who released two fantastic eps on larry heard s alleviated in the early 2000 s. his influences are really extensive and diverse: deep house, funk, pop, hiphop, jazz, broken beat, rock, t-bone walker, black science orchestra, miles davis, lenny kravitz, al di meola, the intruders...and you can feel that in this eternity ep. when the canadian artist sent them this 4 tracks ep, the downbeat guys could not believe what they was hearing here. 4 colourful and delicate pearls full of nuances, strength and optimism which reminds us that its possible still to find purity and unconditional love for music. house? soul? pop? just music. nothing more, nothing less.

mid november will see retrograde co-founder marlon hoffstadt pair up with paris brightledge for shattered. following a run of releases for his retrograde label and a track featured on the 100 dirt crew compilation berlin based dj and producer marlon hoffstadt continues his upwards trajectory, once again enlisting the services of legendary chicago vocalist paris brightledge who recently collaborated with paranoid london on their paris dub 1 & 2 records. stepping up first is the original mix of shattered with hoffstadt and brightledge delivered a raw, experimental house feel via broken drums breaks, sweeping synth chords and acidic bass chops, whilst paris vocal stylings add a soulful edge to the record.

adelaide duo warren raww present a 12” that ups the energy of their july ep, whilst still delivering on their own brand of melodic, synth-laden house music. this time flanked by comrades arthur miles and freddie norwood, they add to the already high volume of talent currently emanating from australia.
the a side offerings shift between the more low-end driven aspect of warren raww’s production style, with off-kilter bass lines, punchy percussion and contemplative chord progression. the b side strips things back a bit further with a track each from arthur miles and freddie norwood. gliding pads, raw percussion, broken beats and rolling drums all melt together to deliver an essential slab of house music.

avalon emerson’s latest ep, narcissus in retrograde, explores four different styles that shape her distinct voice as a producer and songwriter, from symphonic showstoppers to broken acid. opener “natural impasse“ ferries massive melodic themes through a network of emotive capillaries that’s underpinned by charging drums, while “dystopian daddy“ dons a theatrical flare with costume-changing arpeggiators and digital brass beef that command attention like a stage-hogging space alien diva lip-syncing for new wig money. the b-side takes a more menacing turn with “why does it hurt“, the outright techno achievement of the record, and the snarling closer “groundwater“. ethereal vocals on the former punctuate kicks and growls that sound like they were pulled from a pedal monster’s electric guitar, and on “groundwater“, a crucible of fucked breaks and acid cut a ravine through a bed of off-staccato hats and a sample swamp.

rolling minimalistic groovers from birdsmakingmachine for the ninth instalment of the series. a versatile ep that keeps in line with the bmm trademark sound, while offering a track for each mood, from more dancefoor-oriented club music to stripped down afterparty vibes passing through broken beat influences and eclectic atmospheric soundscapes.

moscow records close 2016 with a fantastic 3-track ep from berlin imports roustam and tolga fidan. this being their first outing together, the pair deliver a high quality, intelligent journey through minimal house and techno. the record opens with brodsky beat, a groovy, dance floor-focused track. lively percussion and tight bass communicate perfectly with the hope-filled lead to build tension throughout. the omega variant on the a2 has a much more abstract feel. broken beats and skippy percussion play back and forth with deep, spacey hooks and a peculiar synth, giving the listener a sense of mystery. finally, growing up is just a phase is a calming 14 minute trip that uses the entirety of the b side to tell a story of reassurance and calm. laid-back rhythms, guitar samples, relaxed vocals and a wandering synth line work together to form the perfect warmup track.

nicetraxuk strides with confidence to its fourth release with some grade a producers on board to confirm the label s position as a trusted outpost for upfront club tackle. moodymanc is on fine form on -where s the story?- dropping an expressive set of drums in a crafty broken beat funk as submerged chords play out and an unnamed source waxes lyrical about stories in house tracks. lil mark meanwhile links up with jcub for -epic 40,- a seriously stripped down club workout that maximizes on finger clicking and moody bass in a flawless demonstration of restraint.

in the lead up to their 5th year as a label music is love celebrate by continuing their infamous va series the lovebox. sticking to the winning formula of a hefty double vinyl package comprising of 8 tracks from 8 top artists, this time they have some familiar people alongside new faces to the label.