ground tactics arises with a transformative release, building bridges between sonic fields. immaterial breath ep raises energy levels by creating peculiar momentums of inner reflection. spanning from idm to conceptual techno, every single element in his sound is hand crafted, transmitting intimate feelings through grainy textures and subtle distortions. immaterial breath projects disorder in construction, inducing a chronic loss of established conditioning, extending the mind to unfamiliar perspectives.

fantastic twins, the solo artist formerly known as the twins, has always carried an air of transmutability - not only in a name creating its own hall of mirrors, but also in a constantly fluctuating sound, from the first spoken word interludes recorded as the truly fantastic dessagne twins from saint-etienne (for the pachanga boys’ infamous “we are really sorry” album) to myth-building solo releases on hippie dance and optimo music, as well as style- bending remixes for la mverte vs capablanca, moscoman and – most recently – fellow hippie dancer rebolledo.

rene lavice’s journey continues with his third lp on formative drum & bass imprint ram records, a label whose history spans across two decades. after being exclusively signed, following his pivotal ‘headlock’ release, the canadian stalwart has remained a centrepiece of ram’s roster and his back catalogue is nothing short of groundbreaking. the same consistency has been administered to his forthcoming ‘far from perfect’ package, whilst building on the foundations of both ‘insidious’ and ‘play with fire’ to present another look into his versatile capabilities. as well as a plethora of taste-making singles and the announcement of his bbc radio 1 residency last year, rene’s career has flourished, alongside the creativity which streams through each one of his records.

“lost tracks vol. 2” contains 4 previously unreleased demos recorded between 1997 and 1999. the duo fused 80’s european new wave/italo disco with 90’s detroit electro acts like le car and dopplereffekt. by utilizing verse-chorus structures, they playfully shook up the loop based hard techno and electro that was popular at the time. their studio set up at the time was a korg ms-20, roland sh-101, tr-606, tr-808, siel dk80, and boss dr-660 drum machine. the songs are direct, spontaneous, seemingly improvised in places. miss kittin sings about falling in love in the new millennium, snuff movies and controlling the unknown trip to death, all in her cheekily derisive french accent. all songs have been transferred from the original dat tapes by the band and remastered for vinyl by george horn at fantasy studios. the vinyl comes housed in a glossy jacket featuring a black and white photo of the duo taken in 1996. each lp includes a postcard with liner notes from miss kittin and the hacker designed by eloise leigh. as miss kittin says of these demos, “we were naive, innocent, adventurous and we didn’t expect anything in return”

delsins reissue arm once again looks to the revered back catalogue of lost trax for a second 12 that picks out the best of the anonymous collectives work. the ep features five cuts taken from two highly sought after eps released on tabernacle records in 2011 and 2012. the eye opens things up with punchy drum programming and the sort of sci-fi effects and synths that immediately take you to a future intergalactic world. its a weighty but emotional opener, while pulp is more twisted and urgent, with warped synth sounds and busy, bristling drums and perc all building pressure throughout. the forest resets the mood with mystic synths and mysterious atmospheres that mix ambient beauty with suggestive skeletal beats. b01 then canes through the cosmos on a detroit electro tip with slithers of synth, swollen pads and crisp hits and dominion rounds things out in hurried fashion. the restless electro drums pound away as prickly snares and cymbals, blurts of machine noise and sweeping pads all wrestle for attention and keep you on your toes. this is high octane electro and techno designed with metallic precision but oozing plenty of human feelings.

original mix, chimes, bells, metal against metal, a distant voice, a premonition , altogether, it s a beautiful darkness, one that comes together in an alien fruition ! sylvain chauveau rmx,, the sun ascends sharply. lying in bed i feel a sense of remorse , i rise with the melody of a violin in some place not so far away , coster escorts the listener from their clicking complacency to a warning for things to come. cristian vogel rmx, a rainspout overflows, drip by drip, on a pile of sheet metal down below, vibrating, building to a crescendo of drops in an otherwise hypnotic sequence of echoes. the manmade feature of this track is stunning, it is industrial, a vacant warehouse of cobalt sound.

redshape stars in another deep tripping, sci-fi odyssey on his imprint for present 16. opening the gate reveals a slow but surely building burner that is classic redshape, ripping the space-time continuum fabric apart at it s spoken word climax narrating of solar winds, cosmic ray particles and the speed of light. heed the track s unmistakable call and take flight on an interplanetary elevator with parched, bone-dry percussion, twisting lines with propulsive bass and growls that rumble underneath, enveloping you in an air cabin of jedi-level sound design prowess. the ride truly begins next with voyager. it s all aboard a throbbing deep low end countered by floating, melancholic sustained chords with twinkling bleeps and fading bloops that light up like the star-studded milky way. frantic hi hats and modulated percussion work keep riders on the edge of their seat through this fantasy space-age joyride at warp speed.

lithuanian based label sodai started its journey in 2016, making it a label still in its infancy but making a big impression. owned by artist gardens of god, who started the label to create his own no limits platform for his experimental sounds and projects. while at the same time a platform to give other artists the chance to also have freedom with art and music. with releases from raxon, few nolder and alex krell under their belt, they can announce the exciting debut from uk producer third son this april. ive been an admirer of gardens of gods music for a long time, when he asked me if i could do something for his imprint, i was more than thrilled! adds joseph. syncopes synths spread far and wide, making this a journey of a track, modulating and panning in and out, pushing and pulling along a percussive drive. his broad musical range can be felt in this mix, with its slightly hypnotic tones. irony has a punctuated low end, which creates a deep and dark groove. the synthetic elements in this track gain in attitude, on top of ambient pads, leading nicely into bach to close out the release. its driving and determined bass makes the backbone of the track, with a modulating hook line, along building and expanding frequency ranges. the whole package makes for a very strong first release from third son, and sodai are excited to be welcoming him to the family.

the new ep by german duo grandbrothers is a collection of remixes and re-interpretations of their standout track bloodflow. the remix by uk producer lone was introduced last autumn but theres brand new tracks to be found here by german techno electronic vanguard christian löffler, everyones favourite new idm producer brainwaltzera and new permanent vacation signing aera grandbrothers are the sum of unique parts: progressive swiss engineer/mechanic/sofware designer lukas vogel and german-turkish pianist erol sarp. their second album open twins sarps piano skills with vogel’s talent for both building the homemade intricate mechanics with which he exploits his partners instrument and also designing its software. sarp works at his ivory keyboard while, from behind his own computer keys, vogel live-samples his partners notes, triggering further effects with the aid of diy electronic apparatus that physically manipulate the pianos strings and body.

the next release on brazil s ever-promising disco steamer gop tun comes from renato cohen. cohen has been an infrequent mainstay of brazilian dance music for a long time now, most recently appearing on kling klong, tronic and 100% pure. his releases may not come around every day, but he makes them count when they do. -dynadisco- is a spaced out slow burner with a looped up groove and simmering pads building towards a powerful, funk-fuelled bass drop. -party jam- takes a lighter approach, keeping the samples sprightly and even sprinkling a little acid magic into the tune. it gives whatever/whatever plenty to be working on their remix, which spreads across the b side in a fit of electro-disco finery.

night defined recordings is glad to present its first full-length album so far: &#536,,erb s „a12 proceedings“. a record made in sparse moments while living between the crooked walls of an old apartment building in bucharest. hand-stamped 180g edition with riso print inlay + download code.

since its launch in 2013, bright sounds has established itself as a label bridging the gap between the dancefloor and more experimental sounds, releasing eps by the likes of shlomo, tilliander, burnt friedman or more recently conforce. on its eleventh release, the label welcomes ben thomas aka bnjmn with “final network” ep, the uk producer based in berlin and releasing on tresor, delsin, counterchange or more recently on his newly founded imprint: tiercel. the ep opens up with “reticuli”, an ambient techno journey into a forest of otherworldly sounds. “neurocity” comes next with its rattling sounds met by disorienting and spooky melodies. on the b-side “cloaked” starts off with bare kick and congos before waves of drones add textures producing an eerie atmosphere. the title track closes this ep, slowly building to create an ecstatic floating mood, leaving you longing for more as it gently fades away.

greenvision is the collaborative brainchild of two esp institute artists, juan ramos and luca trentini aka trent, both longtime fixtures of berlin’s infamous playground known as cocktail d’amore. separately, these two explore their own very personal avenues of expression, putting their time in the trenches and endlessly polishing their works (this makes juan’s third release with the label), but when their efforts overlap we’re gifted a view into their uncanny synergy. juan and trent channel an exorbitant amount of smoke-fueled creativity, building layers upon layers into music so dense that the bulk of their studio time might then be spent navigating and formalizing their output into tangible tracks. greenvison’s collective debut with the esp institute showcases three intense cerebral workouts, banana paradiso, rambutan and the color of maracuja, an array of experiments pulling from all the corners of the duo’s imagination—it is disorienting, cacophonous, introverted and psychedelic, but at the same time playful, melodic, euphoric and undoubtably arresting—guaranteed to induce hallucinations under proper circumstances. we welcome the induction of greenvision to the esp institute, and with us as your guide, we welcome you to accompany on our descent into their abyss. try not to get lost.

lxrc33 is the second installment of the unsung and defeated series. music comes from s s s s, another local act, based in lucerne. five industrial cinematic soundscapes, eerie noises building alarmed state of minds. from most subtle to crushing and pounding. a systematic suspense that transforms itself into a systematic destruction. mixed by robert grimmer at phonetia studio mastered by andrea merlini executive producers cosmo & faber pressed at record industry

austrian imprint luv shack records is opening up yet another chapter in 2018 by welcoming irish house and techno aficionado and misfit resident andrew johnston aka moodtrax and his own-brand of super warm and brooding sound to their stable. the perfect illusion ep opens up with never can get away, a steamy & dreamy cut that sucks you right in to its lair of thick pads and trancy sequences, which are contrasted by a carefully programmed synth bassline and a stomping house beat. the title track immediately evokes early chicago warehouse jam feelings, with bass sequence, detuned chords and classic drum patterns all oozing of old analogue roland machines. the meticulously arranged percussions section and a set of eerie strings and pads make this one definitely stand out from the crowd. running number starts as a no-nonsense house track, carried by a beefy unisono bassline and a 16th note heavy drum pattern, yet it transcends into 80s territory with the help of a deeply emotional chord progression that might just make you forget you re in a club. berlin duo longhair give running number the luvremix treatment, really digging deep into that chord progression and building a melody and synth-bell infused italo-house track around it that should make this years festival crowd weep and rejoice alike.

* there is a way* opens with a soiree of shuffling percussion, which drives it forward throughout. the tune holds its nerve and refuses to cash in, constantly bubbling and building as layer upon layer unfolds almost to breaking point. an exhilarating statement of intent. never looking back. side a comes to a close with * tricks*. it confidently boasts a heavy hitting kick drum, set to shake speakers and alter heartbeats. a relentlessly positive guitar sample and buoyant bassline set the mood of a lively cut, which builds to a pay-off that brims with shimmering brass and crisp hats. a sunshine filled stormer, sure to get even the most cynical city worker moving. drums, drums, drums. as * mistakes* begins we’re swept away by salary boy’s effortless command of groove, before a booming bassline snatches back at our attention. “everyone makes mistakes” is the refrain from the vocal sample. i’d usually agree but our hard hustling, hi-hat wielding hero hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. an evocative piano loop anchors ‘cry’, a tune made to define the early hours. equally adept at touching the heart, as it is at moving the feet. endings are important, and this is as strong as they come.

25 years of distillery. that’s a memory-laden, even historical event for underground and club culture. or let’s just say, culture in general. getting into detail about the impact, this club had for the last quarter-century, would fill a couple pages, so let’s just state the obvious real quick: distillery has witnessed and co-determined socio-cultural change and progress in its past. be it in its hometown leipzig, basically building up the city’s infrastructure for club culture over the years. or be it on national or international scale. it carries a legacy of being one of the longest-serving and one of the most influential clubs in germany. period.

mikkel metal returns to copenhagen’s echocord this may with his new mini lp ‘just enough light’, comprising six originals from the danish artist. copenhagen based producer and dj mikkel metal has been a beacon of light in the danish electronic music scene and further afield for nearly two decades now, with the dub techno imprint from his hometown, echocord, being the predominant home for his output, whilst also releasing material on cologne’s kompakt, tartelet, semantica and avant roots, a telling sign of the quality embodied in his work. here though we see mikkel deliver a mini album concept in the shape of ‘just enough light’ and opener ‘awake’ perfectly sets the tone with emotive, dynamically unfolding atmospherics, tension building bass drones and spiraling dub chords subtly easing us into the project. ‘bregnan’ then stirs in some classing dub-techno tropes with billowing stab sequences, lumpy subs and off beat high hats carrying the hypnotic groove for six and a half minutes. ‘jech’ then strips things back to an almost beatless amalgamation of murky chords and modulating synth whirrs. opening the flip side of the release is ‘include’ which embraces a brighter feel via ethereal pad swells, jazztinged synth melodies and bumpy 909 rhythms before ‘konkin’ edges back into the eerie, brooding aesthetic with bubbling echoes, broken drums and menacing bass swells at its core. ‘restore’ then closes the package on a stripped-back vibe, laying focus on an ever- eveolving singular dub chord to ebb and flow around thunderous subs, kicks and bright hats.

desolats loco dice joins the roster of martinez brothers cuttin headz label this april with slammer, backed with a remix from detroit techno veteran dj t-1000. du&#776,,sseldorfs loco dice has long been one of the most respected figures in contemporary electronic music with releases over the years on leading labels like cocoon, cadenza, ovum and of course his own desolat as well as a heavy touring schedule taking him across the globe year in year out. here though we see dice offering up his new single courtesy of cuttin’ headz, a platform the martinez brothers and associates to deliver high octane, dance floor focused house and techno. the original mix of title track slammer leads with spiralling brass like bass tones, flute licks, shuffled shakers and resonant synth hooks running alongside a bumpy bass line and an amalgamation of heady, processed vocal lines. following is detroits dj t-1000 stepping up on remix duties, stripping back the aesthetic of the original to lay focus on robust rhythms and various vocal refrains from the original whilst chugging bass and tension building atmospherics gradually unfold throughout.

chris weeks has been building up the kingbastard catalogue for a long time now, generally taking a self-reliant approach in the underground electronica scene where cd-r releases reign supreme. hes been a key figure on ambidextrous since the label launched back in 2008, and now he s committed to wax with a range of crunched up leftfield sonics for the machine-loving crowd. anxiety is a melodic cut with a house-minded structure, but theres a lot of production acrobatics and compositional swerves taking place within this framework. scatterbrain is more overtly out there, tapping up the kind of heavily processed sounds that producers like paradroid have championed in the past. data loss strike a heavy blow somewhere between dubstep and electro, and data ctrl ups the tempo for a rabble-rousing exercise in mind-bending machine music

it wouldnt be an overstatement to say that opium is currently the most talked about club north of berlin. vilnius based spot has built its reputation slowly but surely to become one of the brightest lights in the night sky of europe. the club has earned the admiration of local crowd, loyalty of visiting artists and respect of industry insiders by nurturing unique local talent, bringing cutting edge house & techno acts on a weekly bases, building a devoted community and rocking the parties of the highest intensity and unprecedented intimacy.

fires of quidel is the culmination of son swaggas first year as a band, a year spent refining their music, building connections as bandmembers and friends, and finally recording at greenfield studios with analog gear to bring their sound to life. with this album son swagga present themselves to the world and showcase the passion they bring to music as well as the individual talents of the bandmembers.

we welcome the vinyl format after a hiatus to embark into an energy-driven journey, full of potent, cross-genre tracks courtesy of mr. ben cano. ben, which previously collaborated on this label as tenientetuko, builds on the previous album-creating experience and he outdoes himself in multiple ways, keeping the variety of groove encompassing all together with his propelling signature techno ethos. deep snowmass starts the ep in a harsh, mental way to induce rapidly to a dark feeling which leaves you in the void with a malleable conscience that allows your body and soul to float, with the help of an ever-building acidic bass and pulsating percussion. rocky mountain goes to other heights, using a uplifting rhodes chord and effective drum programming to deliver a dreamy wave of full potential. between dub, hitch and tube 8 seal the deal with energetic, acid-infused and sometimes-housey takes from his recent live set, which he manages to reorganize in the track format we currently offer as black pressed acetate.

for anma’s sixth outing we see a coupling of two remarkable talents from either sides of the atlantic, each taking two turns across a side of crisp wax. first up for the us side we have new york based trinidadian deep. personally mentored by chi-town legend ron trent and with his own unique vision of soulful deep house, he has imparted us with two deeply immersive cuts of intense dance floor electricity, laced with his signature percussive club spirituality! for the uk flip, london based will lister is a name to watch out for, a young producer who can boast his first wax release being put out on phonica’s own house label! taking things down a notch on the pitch fader, will has provided two slow-mo jams that reward the attentive listener with his sensuous and detailed production style. building tension meticulously before releasing energy with aplomb and polishing things beautifully with his class jazzy flair. lovingly pressed on 180g vinyl, hand stamped and labelled on a limited run.

an edition of five independent singles in original cover art, unique soul jazz records’ record store day seven-inch box set comprising five fantastic bespoke rare and collectors’ punk singles, all re-mastered and all come in their own separate exact replica original artwork. featuring classic punk rarities from the likes of x_x, the bizarros, hollywood squares and more, all in original stunning artwork! this unique box-set edition is only available as a one-off pressing especially for record store day 2018.

a compilation of classic elvis presley songs on 180 gram vinyl.

following his work with swedish label comorbid records, stockholm native bård ericson aka boerd has signed with anjunadeep to release his latest mini-album, ‘static’. an accomplished musician, bård’s boerd project aims to reflect his own personal emotions and atmosphere. with a deft and delicate approach to composition, his music draws you in whilst shutting out the outside world. cutting his teeth from age 15 in the world of chiptune (composing via the means of 16-bit videogame consoles), bård quickly developed a taste for creating abstract music. and after a handful of eps and live shows across europe, he transitioned focus towards music that he felt better expressed his own place in the world. enter ‘boerd’. with influences ranging from burial, bibio and even aphex twin, the 26-year-old has developed a style that pushes the boundaries of atmospheric electronica with stunning attention to detail. building his sound from samples he records himself, ericson conjures a euphoric mix of subtle soundscapes that simultaneously breathe and play in awe.

first ever vinyl release of this iconic critically acclaimed soul album from 2014 for rsd 2018. this record is one of the most significant and award winning soul albums of the 21st century. the album is presented as a double vinyl in a gatefold sleeve, limited to 750 copies. the album draws on the spirit of donny hathaway and marvin gaye along with influences from stevie wonder and many of the soul and jazz greats, but jarrod has created his own identity. the twelve self-penned songs have meaningful lyrics and a spirituality which is uncommon in contemporary music, making it a future classic. it has been one of the bestselling independent soul albums in the last decade. jarrod lawson has performed many times in the uk supporting the album at many venues including ronnie scott’s, jazz café and at shepherds bush empire as part of the london jazz festival, building up a large fan base. jarrod also recorded a session for gilles peterson’s bbc6 which increased his profile.

patrice bäumel returns to afterlife with two instantly-recognizable, cosmic excursions arranged for big room impact. building on the far-and-wide success of glutes last year, bäumel delivers another singular take on the afterlife sound.

the past few years have seen berlins frag maddin release material on waze & odysseys w&o street tracks, rough recordings and egg londons what came first as well as offering up a remix on roog & dennis quins ep for madhouse where her returns to here for a full ep featuring remixes from fellow berlin based acts black loops and kevin over. taking the lead on the package is the zauberflo&#776,te with its skippy hi-hats, hooky organ licks, hypnotic rhodes melodies and vocal cuts all further fuelled by a snaking sub-bass groove to create a slice of authentic house for one of the leading labels of the genre. black loops turns in a remix of the zauberflo&#776,te next, stripping things back to a deeper, more refined feel with spiraling, filtered elements of the original wandering around swinging 909 drums to create a groove-drive counterpart to the original. focus opens the latter half of the package, the second original from frag maddin which employs chugging square wave bass tones and dynamically evolving drums alongside tension building strings and choppy stabs before keving over closes the package with his gritty take on focus, featuring crunchy drums, dusty chords and cleverly arranged string and key samples.

len faki mixes , transparent vinyl , len faki takes on a couple of classics for 007 of his ongoing special edits series lfrmx, striking a perfect balance between the old and new. first up is a tweaked version of steve stolls 1998 lp-excerpt reciproheat, elegantly edged while carrying the proper weight to move. dj shufflemasters booming housedust release from the same year however has a wacky tack to its groove, its mind-bending qualities yet amplified by faki boiling down the tempo to more current confines. the flipside goes all deep, starring a rework of valentino moras recent space odyssey. building upon the originals lively tribal percussion, the prevailent mystical mood is spliced up, readying the track special moments in an otherwise up-tempo-environment. a gently pulsing edit of ubx127s barabrus eventually puts a meditative and soothing finishing touch to the ep. as with all releases of lf rmx, the proceeds of this record will be forwarded to the berlin organization straßenkinder e.v. to be used in actions against child poverty.

bawrut has had an amazing couple of years. since kicking our label off back in 2015 with the modern acid classic ciquita (12inches of which will now set you back silly money on discogs), the madrid-based producer has gone from strength to strength. last year saw him tear down sets at sonar and farr festivals, drop a feted new ep on hard fist records, and have his music soundtrack numerous adverts for fabric events. other djs have been quick to show their appreciation, and bawrut’s unique appeal can be seen in how far and wide across the spectrum his music has featured. optimo, avalon emerson, patrick topping, jackmaster, artwork, andrew weatherall and many more have all supported heavily. were proud to kickstart bawrut’s 2018 with 4x4, a brand new ep of typically leftfield bangers. these four tracks come on like a whirlwind journey through a bawrut dj set, with something for every time of the night. ghettoscar fuses african chants with burbling acid, building the kind of goodtime dancefloor warmth bawrut is famed for. more cowbell does exactly what you’d expect, giving djs a glorious, cowbell-powered disco bomb that fuses the spirit of incredible bongo band with classic nyc house. i hear voices is a crazy ride, with an expertly cut up vocal sample repurposed into a weird, descending riff that’s quite unlike anything else out there. throw in bawrut’s trademark kitbag of carnival whistles, rattling latin percussion and a creeping acid line that works itself up into a soul-salving joy and youve got a modern classic on your hands. finally, lead track three sounds is probably bawruts biggest moment to date, a peak time jacking techno monster built from the most minimal of elements - drums, claps, a one note bass squelch and a tom drum gone wild. bawrut takes this tom sound and treats it like a 303, pushing far off the rails, working it up and up, twisting it through pitch and frequency like a man possessed, raising its pressure til it tears off the roof. theres no one else making techno quite like it - and you can expect dancefloors to be going crazy to the mania of three sounds throughout 2018 so there you have it - four more missives from the wizard of madrid. play em loud.

hypnotizing nostalgia that dictates the dance floor. with previous releases on rythm section, echovolt and les yeux orange, earth trax & newborn jr. are unapologetically consistent in building a legacy. the maze ep is the fourth collective delivery of the duo, sent off into the world by dopeness galore. while hypnotizing synths dictate the dance floor, it is hard to resist the balearic arrangements of new wave nostalgia. the record elevates through soothingly repetitive ambient dreamscapes, while minimalist entrancement pulls us right back into underground territory. the ep represents a side a. meant for club settings and a more ambient side b. once the vocals on a2 set the tone, we bear witness to what seems to be the true ethos of the maze ep: where theres a will, theres a way

founded in 2015 by dubstep forefather sleeper, crucial recordings has continued to develop and strengthen its undeniable grip on the dubstep world with each release, never failing to act as an unyielding beacon within the scene for unearthing fresh, standard-setting talent. leaping from strength to strength, this highly prolific imprint constantly delivers multifaceted and boundary shattering bass music through ingenious and unprecedented ways. the latest addition to the label’s ever-expanding vision for multifaceted bass music comes from rotterdam-based hebbe, who has truly emerged from the shadows recently through releases on subway recordings, artikal music, duploc and version collective. regarded as the most promising up-and-comer in the dutch dubstep scene, hebbe sports an obscure, sound driven flow that aims to inject diversity and progress into today’s musical output. keeping within a similar spirit, hebbe’s crucial016 boasts two far reaching tracks, “mad hatter” and “galata” that convey trailblazing bassweight through two very different formats. while “mad hatter” cuts through to the core with simplicity and impact, “galata” equally enchants with smokey darkness and trenchlike depth, building upon crucial recordings’ irreplaceable position within the dubstep circuit.

richy ahmed has been steadily building his four thirty two label over the last 12 months, introducing talented artists such as jansons and senzala to the fold. the imprint is fast becoming a go to label for those who like their house music uncomplicated and hype free, ensuring the chicago and detroit house sound burns bright with new music indebted to the roots of the music. after recent releases on seth troxler’s play it say it label, and remixes for london grammar, richy brings the goods back to home on this latest four thirty two release. on cant stop us, chunky stabs incessantly jab at meaty drums, as a female vocal loop rides on an opening filter. the good vibes build to a classic house piano crescendo that marshall jefferson would certainly approve of, as the soaring strings and evolving drums raise the rapturous mood to dizzying heights. on the flip, the percussive disco drums of dials mavis are bolstered by a booming sub bassline whilst deft keys and deep rhodes chords deliver the infectious melody on this bumping jazz ride.

what makes a house tune a unique house tune? secret crunch volume 5 focuses on the basics principles of making house: we are talking about an unique groove, we are talking about the original use of samples and we are talking about a soul thang. secret crunch volume 5 presents four cuts of fresh and undiluted house music. on side a felipe gordon from columbia opens with the cool jazz infused stepper -teusanquilo step-, while ashley stevenson contributes to crunch with his new project the last trip to gandahar. his track -planet music- captivates with earwig vocals and a catchy groove. on the b side vienna s finest jeremiah delivers an exciting acid experience building from the beginning to the end. newcomer gus nobel finishes the ep with -radical science- in style - and yes, it s a crunchy banger.

in their fifth release, dc label partial magic welcomes four friends and producers from the knoxville, tennessee based collective teknox. alex falk opens the record with an upbeat slammer, looping cocky vocal samples over brash, noisy textures sure to please those familiar with his sound. second on the a side, saint thomas ledoux follows with an introspective track perfect for building or releasing dancefloor tension. on the b side, nikki nair brings back the raunch with a cheeky breaks-and-bleeps acid track. dialectic sines closes out the record with an ethereal cut backed by a hypnotic, tropical electro-techno groove.

the ‘matière obscure ep’ is the first in a two-part series, whereby each composition was made using only recordings from one specific material (metal, glass and wood). the process involved taking everyday objects and making them resonate in every way possible, such as striking them with mallets or using a violin bow, and building up a sample library. ‘weld (metal_01)’ kicks off the release with its syncopated percussion and gritty groove before moving into the cavernous ‘molten (glass_01)’ that’s composed of rolling drums and sinister atmospherics. ‘carve (wood_01)’ is a lot bouncier by comparison, with its fidgeting bassline and murky tones until the menacing ‘cast (glass_02)’ concludes the package with machine inspired effects and a cacophony of stabs.

very limited repress. long awaited amazing longplayer by jay bliss! after a few years of releasing quite a bunch of eps on various labels, jay bliss has pulled down the throttle for a while. this doesnt mean that he took time off from the studio, on the contrary, he perfected his signature sounds. spending time to bake his own imprints aswell, its only natural that his first lp will see the light of day on stomping grounds. lush and organic pads, playful textures and attention to details are the building blocks of this introspective work, divided into 6 pieces. in perfect tune with the acoustic aesthetics, max binski creates a clean, yet beatiful peace of artwork. vinyl only.

crafting his own unique sound, we proudly introduce hlz for a debut solo release, the “vectors ep”. first releasing on dispatch as part of need for mirrors (then a duo), hlz returns as a solo artist 5 years on and it has been well worth the wait. as we share a mutual respect for soul driven, hard edged beats, “vectors ep” fuses techno influences and flashes of electro with palpable bass pressure to devastating effect. building each vibe with great care and enjoying the progression without rushing, hlz delivers an accomplished ep, with heavy hitters that maintain the suspense right throughout.

phono ghosts (alias of producer neil scrivin - also behind meatbingo) returns with his long-awaited second album released via brand new imprint fonolith. building upon the cassette-raiding, micro-sampling methodology and varied sound landscape of 2013’s chrome position on skam records, solar dream reel is a journey through summery funk, mangled radio jingles, evocative atmospheres and anthemic edit-stomp, all filtered via the shimmery analogue lens of the compact cassette. a sonic exploration of that borderland between the waking world and sleep - a place everyone has been to but few remember - phono ghosts comes back to reality with a selection of vivid polaroids and cassette memories from his visits to the hypnagogic hinterland of the collective unconscious and presents these pure distilled documents for you on four beautiful sides of vinyl. something may have come back with him...

andreas tilliander released his first album as mokira at the very turn of the millennium on almighty raster noton. 11 years later, the latest mokira album time axis manipulation was issued on ulf erikssons kontra-musik and now it s time to pick up where we left off with chill out . there s an air of happy retrospect and light solemnity surrounding the new album - enhanced by the fact that it marks kontra-musik s 50th release. with chill out , mokira attempts to bring back the dreamlike state from those magical late nights of his youth spent in front of mtv s chill out zone, to go back to his ambient roots using contemporary techniques and perspectives. the result? well, imagine lee scratch perry and klf enjoying an episode of stranger things on a crappy vintage tv after being hard at work burying old tape recordings in perry s tropical garden. imagine them sitting together totally at peace in a big, cosy sofa while a heavy haze is building up in the room, pleasantly affecting the eerie images on the screen. we always knew kontra-musik s 50th release had to be something quite out of the ordinary. as expected, mokira didn t disappoint us one bit. the vinyl lp is accompanied with a download code for a mixed version of the album, containing almost double the amount of tracks. the mixed version makes it easy for the chill out listener to just sit back and let go of reality for a while, just like mokira did 25 years ago in front of his old tv.

aroop roy has been making waves with his unique sounds for the past few years, with a wealth of successful releases and a busy gig schedule at the helm of some of the best clubs around the world. by fusing elements of jazz, afro, latin, funk and soul with the deeper end of house and disco, aroop has forged his own style with eps on revered labels including g.a.m.m, basic fingers, freestyle and lazy days. for his delusions of grandeur debut he pulled out all the stops, delivering three original tracks which further show his diversity as an artist and ability to produce left of centre, quality underground music without losing sight of the dancefloor. things kick off with save our love, a track that’s absolutely brimming with energy thanks to punchy wurlitzer chops, tension-building philly strings, and a rock-solid disco groove. next up we have what i love which sees aroop take an altogether more freaky approach flipping an uptempo rolling break, distorted synth line, cross-rhythm stabs and rasping vocal cuts into an edgy dance floor workout. closing this brilliant ep is the low-slung bump of walk that walk featuring original vocals from oakland, ca based blacktroniks who delivers his flow on top of a bass-heavy slice of deep electro boogie.

label head enzo siragusa teams with ibiza resident nima gorji for the slick foreal ep the original mix (vinyl only) rolls deep, building nicely with a warming pad whilst subtle tripped out sounds flicker throughout the mix. djebali offers up more of a bassline friendly mix on the flip whilst fuse mainstay seb zito dusts it down with a phatt kick drum and ups the phunk on his version.

helena hauff s mighty return to disorder is back with a various artists 12inch packing phasers set to slay. lft is as evil as it gets on flare, dropping the kind of sleazy, bunker-ready, acid inflected electro that darkroom dreams are made of. marc ash has an edgier tone, maximising the distortion but also capitalising on uneasy space in the mix on grimy workout beirut calling. morah sends things in an airy direction on cold water, building up layers of noise but maintaing a strange air of optimism. hauff herself lands the b2 slot with a curious belter that channels the spirit of 90s midi game soundtracks amidst searing arepggios and a bloated kick.

black friday secret studio ft. kink recorded in san francisco, the impromptu incarnation of analog sounds and human voices with kink and friends in studio. alarm call secret studio building at pace, a fury of crashing hats and sirens sound out against the empty backdrop of space.

nuiton is back on exit and has come along with three timeless pieces riding through constantly building rooms of merciless sounds. in -out of prism-, he maintains the mystery surrounding his character, and manifesting his place as a chameleon of today’s electronic music scene.

the second of march’s trio of killer polytechnic youth 45s is a mighty extended piece of slow building berlin school-esque electronica extended over 2 sides of a 33rpm disk, recorded by adam leonard, initially from a batch of 18 tracks recorded at varying times over the last six years.
“entkommen” is his first release for the label here, and both artist and label rather liked the idea of one extended track across two sides of a 45, whereby the listener must flip the disc at a half way point to continue the piece. it struck us as increasingly unusual and works a treat here...
adam has amassed a number of acclaimed releases in varying styles, and across a number of esteemed labels over the years. last year’s full band release “invaderband” being shortlisted for a northern ireland music prize 2017 and was 6music recommended. not to mention previous releases in collaboration with the owl service and p.g six.
his electronic home recordings are all well worth investigating and polytechnic youth proudly releases the first fruits of those sessions right here. a numbered, limited edition vinyl only 7” hand numbered to 250 copies.

der norwegische electro-pop-künstler gundelach hat bereits mit seiner debüt-ep und dem song games feat. ary auf sich aufmerksam gemacht. sein verletzlicher singer/songwriter-style auf soft elektronischem klangteppich lässt vergleiche mit james blake oder jamie woon durchaus zu. das debütalbum -baltus- nahm er zwischen oslo und london mit knut sævik (mungolian jetset), john calvert (ghostpoet, nao) und oyvind mathisen (cezinando, nils bech) auf. erste singleauskopplung ist das wundervolle duck hunting, ein analog elektronisches stück in nordic-noir atmosphäre, eindrucksvoll abgerundet mit gundelachs bon iver-eskem falsetto.