the debut album of these two young lads with baseball hats not only honours and delves into a sound that already peaked some fifteen years ago, it also hones and elevates it, without ever falling into the reynoldsmania trap (please see retromania for further reference) or being old gold retold. and this is all oh-so-clear from the very start: the fine flutes of >when its there< go straight to your heart and they do so without any self-mockery or hipster smiles as much as the gasping 303-sounds, chirping birds and healing dx-like bass sounds a few tracks later do. >salty days< - an allusion not to grim times, but to a certain members adoration for the crystalline mineral - is blessed with a coherence that isnt samey, with tradition that isnt leaden and a feeling that is pure.

hardcore is not a trend but a lifestyle. the genre that once has grown in the netherlands, has also proven to survive in the underground when the hype in the late 90s seemed to be over. the ultimate hardcore collection proves that in this music genre there is still enough development and that the majority of dutch artists are still leading. the ultimate hardcore collection volume 2 compiles the freshest and most important records at the moment on two cd mixes. to make a long story short: for those who find hard not hard enough, this is the cd that you really must have!

walking a strange line between the asylum and the dancefloor, welcome bob chance. yes, this is an album like no other. but then again bob chance isnt like anyone else. put together in 1980, >it s broken< represents bobs creative juices flowing and then possibly overflowing all over the place.

but that the cocoon compilation l is all about love, is beyond debate: the love for electronic dance music, for its complexity and its diversity, the love for this global musical language and last not least the enthusiasm for the well-known and the still non-famous protagonists of this tonal romance that faithfully accompanies us through night and day for more than 30 years now. and thats why l begins with a proper love song: for equilibrio, the berlin residents tale of us.

1 year of total dedication brings forth this massive musical masterpiece... ranging from 155 to 178 bpm with pure energy from the first till the last kickdrumÉ melody meets rawness, instruments & choirs meet mesmerizing leads and kicks.... with brand new tracks like train of thought, automation, ipnotik generation (vs. dj d) and love sucker (feat. mc tha watcher). containing remixes by none other then hellsystem, t-junction & rudeboy, distorted revelation, miosa, rayden & juanma and last but not least hardcore heavyweight angerfist who remixed one of the most well known nitrogenetics tracks: pledge of resistance.... the album is completed by all the best tracks from the past 2 years like: state of the art, the experience and no heroes.

feat. tracks by omar s, joris voorn, lco dice, jay haze, guti, iron curtis.. balance music presents balance 021 mixed by nic fanciulli. the saved records boss delivers a stunningly intricate mix that highlights his ethos as dj and label owner. cd1, entitled simply balance is a subtle and expertly crafted mix that balances a plethora of diverse tracks, often three at a time, to create an expansive but well focused journey. on cd2, nic showcases the sound and ethos of his own saved records with a collection of records exclusive to the imprint. whilst keeping the focus on quality house music, the mix highlights the diversity within the label with a discernable collection of tracks that straddle various styles, atmospheres and tempos Ð many of which will be available exclusively through balance 021.

the reigning champs of instrumental soul are back with the follow up to their funky masterpiece >pure cane sugar<.feat. members of sharon jones and the dap kings

what is this? we actually dont know but it is new and wonderful! as one of the most successful artists in contemporary techno music hendrik weber aka pantha du prince presents his new studio project together with workshops stephan abry: ursprung. after several studio sessions in the cold and charming winter of the swiss alps, abry and weber were driven deeper and deeper into some microcosm of sound to almost cut the edge to the myth. influenced by krautrock, the ambient music of harold budd and early brian eno, avantgarde, and the minimalistic guitar sound of durutti collumn the ursprung project cant resist to make the guitar a main source. coming together with highly futuristic sounds as we know from the researches of pantha du prince. a truly unconventional structure of slowly growing beats hold this universe which came from the cold mountains together. it is not the first time the protagonists behind ursprung worked together. they met some ten years ago in hamburg as the photographer and musician stephan abry worked on his workshop project together with the artist kai althoff. hendrik weber was involved in the band stella and both released on hamburgs legendary ladomat 2000 label. a frequent conversation, exchange of music and some sessions made them work on pantha du prince works. mostly recorded in that white out background of the alps it was clear from the beginning- a unique project will come one day. now ursprung is here and lets us forget time and memory. stephan abry and hendrik weber wonder what is this? we actually dont know at all but it is new and wonderful!

2 x cd in gatefold sleeve for those who want to know the background, it is something like this. i bought an italian drawbar organ module around two years ago. apparently italian organs from that period had a bad reputation but i was so happy with it that it appeared on most of the tracks i had been working on. i thought i had an album together and was supposed to get it mastered on the day after the mastering session for the pinch and shackleton release on honest jons (sometime towards the end of summer 2011)

john lord fonda is somehow a signore of electronic music in france, a free bpm hero. a simple and classy producer who only communicates through music.2012 is a new beginning for our antisocial nerd, with an ep and overall his album supersonique coming out now in france and may worldwide. he started re-producing track in 2005 delivering debaser, his previous album that sold more than 10 000 copies, having some really great feedbacks from so many medias worldwide.between june 2009 and october 2010, he got back in studio improving his production skills, getting the right way of producing for the current market, tracking all his weak point to get better, bigger. from the last years he only kept 2 tracks, brunette tattoo and orchidŽe, concentrating on brand new tracks and influences for all the rest of the album. he came back on stages in 2009 with composite, a live-set project which enabled him to discover upcoming artists and to assimilate all the new techniques.changing several time of tempo, supersonique is containing quite a few pearls, some efficient like brunette tattoo, you originate and orchidŽ. but the album also include some fine and melodic tracks like ÒemilianaÓ or toyboxes (which goes aphex twin electronica style). some ghosts from the classical music also haunt the album such as mozart, getting out (under acid) in whats going on, verdi facing some syncopated drums on sound of a melody or vivaldi on brunette tattoo. a full orchestra seems to drop a tear on orchidŽe.john lord fonda is a dance music warrior, an electro-tech seigneur, a future leader of free french techno. this second album has a huge class, a kind of urgency, full of simplicity, and goes straight to the point.

following a busy year of stylistically varied releases under various guises on his own magic + dreams label, ralph cumbers delivers his first long-player for punch drunk. with a title lifted from the lysergic prose of a brian aldiss novel and grooves informed by the loopier, more martian aspects of chi-town jack and detroit techno-soul, reeling skullways marks a subtle, but highly alluring development in the evolution of cumbers primary recording project.

mohn is likely producing the best music that vangelis never wrote, the lost soundtrack to a kšlsch version of blade runner, a space opera in slow motion conducted by a hypnotized caspar david friedrich in orbital transit. as music it gets extremely close, obscuring the sun, whispering loudly, slowly, and furiously, both a fascinating trip into the interior of an inverted electron- scanning microscope and the meticulous recreation of a mandelbrot fractal, all in album format. whether synthesizers dream of electric sheep, wolfgang voigt and jšrg burger may not be able to say for certain, but as mohn, they seem to have a fairly accurate idea how it might sound.

ernstalbrecht stiebler is the first german composer that based his compositions on minimal techniques. this record is the first part of an edition of his works on the label m=minimal. stiebler, whose first reductionist work extension i was first performed in 1963 clearly showed an opposite position to the serial composers of that time. as a composer stiebler is unfortunately still very unknown, but he has a great reputation as a producer for the german radio

on his debut album the host works in a spacey interzone, using vintage gear to create dramatic panoramas for the headphoned mind. he creates a unique suite of modern impressionistic sonics that tumble and waft in and out of the mix, earthed with strong melodies that take inspiration from net-age genres while never recalling them directly. throughout, he masters all the potentials of vintage synths, drum machines and reverbs, along with guitar and bass to explore a sound that sets him apart from producers working on computers, creating something much more band-like but rich with lively micro-detail.

the new teenage bad girl album is full of energy and obvious hits such as keep up with you (stardust from the 80 s), the rock-orientated black hole, the electro-break of fight night or the dance-house tonton funk. but there are also the synthetic and melancholic eponymous slow backwash, a minimal discoid ballad like heart zero beating (tangerine dream 2.0) or even the hedonistic and poppy hip-hop tune x-girl, the bandÕs next single.

when grammy award winning producer lil louie vega signed me to his renown imprint vega records he assumed the position of executive producer for invocation. with this cam five more masterpieces to include to the already twenty tracks i had created while in belgium and africa. under the guise of louie i was able to fly to the the us and work with some artist that i really looked up to.the album was a succession of blessings after blessings. i received the support from devoted singers, songwriters, musicians, and friends who truly believed in the project and helped me with their contributions. invocation has been a long time coming but i couldnt have asked for a better time. i feel that all the stars are aligned and for the first time people are really going to experience boddhi satva in his truest form

for serious music fans, sxsw in austin is close to heaven on earth. non-stop music of all sorts, plenty of beer & bbq, and for those of us in colder climates, a chance to enjoy some mild weather before spring is fully underway. this year, as a part of our celebration of 27 years of !k7 well be kicking the festivities off with dj sets from two of the recent stars of dj-kicks, photek & apparat.the party will be free and wont require a badge, so come one come all. in addition to the headliners, we also have a several special guests lined up, including artists who appear on photeks mix. were looking forward to starting the week of music off on the right foot with all our friends, and hope to see you there!

whomadewho may lack a question mark after their name but their music will certainly have you asking after them. the copenhagen,denmark trio is difficult to pin down but their music sounds as effortless as it is stylistically and sonically adventurous. having formed in 2003, the genre-bending trio made up of jeppe kjellberg, tomas h¿ffding and tomas barfod honed their skills on stage and in the studio, releasing a series of bestselling records on munich based gomma and topped off by their kompakt released 2011 mini album knee deep.

atlanta, ga. all-girl punk band the coathangers reckless energy from their half-serious roots is every bit as vibrant and rambunctious on their latest album, larceny & old lace. but this time around were hearing a band thats honed their trade and incorporated more stylistic variations. with this broadened artistic horizon, refinement of technique, and ed rawls production allowing every instrument to shine without detracting from the bands natural grit, the coathangers latest offering is easily their best record to date. join the party.

nice price deal !!! kick back, relax, take some time out. strictly chill delivers another side to strictly rhythm. the side you need when theres call for more of a tap, tap, tap than a boom, boom, boom. music for lazy days and holidays. chillout is an established avenue of electronic music now, but before chillout there was ambient, pioneered by the orb and their ilk. the original, little known mix of winks higher state of consciousness is of that era. first made for strictlys deep and slow set in the mid 90s (and previously unreleased for download), it gently ushers in our session, followed by another cult classic in ultra nates 4 hero produced twisted and perennial favourite king of my castle by wamdue project, refreshed in lounge style by tjk and exclusive to this album. we continue in languorous style through the mellow moments of some of our finest producers, from then and now: charles websters magical mix of michel cleis la mezcla, henrik schwarzs beautiful version of code 718s equinox, more from osunlade, ben westbeech, afterlife and dennis ferrer and another exclusive to this release, mood ii swings underground classic do it your way. feel horizontal.

come pre-hashing with gary! the in-between years, echoing from far out, seeking love and peace and happiness but disturbed by what all s around the treasure. it seems that 70 & 71 wasn t all smiles and sunshine paranoia struck deep, and it hit a chord: a pretty, eerie acoustic one.

in the year of the saxophone, santa barbaras gardens & villa give us the flute. and along the way, g&v effectively wipe clear the vaseline from the murky bedroom funk of recent days. g&v bang out instant classics - each crystal clear and immaculate, but no less sweeping or languid. their debut is a youthful exploration of just how opulent and pop starkness can go. it also leaves an impression of california in the way that richard diebenkorns ocean park series or the pool party scene from the graduate both do, always sensed more than stated outright.

decibel outdoor is one of the biggest dutch outdoor festival in harder styles with over 45.000 party people. all styles within the harderstyles galaxy are represented (oldschool, hardstyle, hardcore, raw hardstyle, etc.) on different stages. the three cds of decibel outdoor 2011 will be mixed by the headliners of the festival: 1. psyko punkz for the hardstyle disc, 2. ruthless will deliver a freestyle mix of belgium beats, oldschool and (happy hardcore), and last but not least: 3. endymion is asked to do mix the full hardcore disc. a great souvenir for the ones who visited the festival or all other lovers of harderstyles. don t miss out!

hed kandis world series returns, visiting one of the mediterraneans most vibrant nightlife, fashion and clubbing scenes in the world. hed kandi headline djs, greg myers and sam cannon take you on a musical discovery across two mixed cds, selecting tracks that define the true party atmosphere from the catalonian dancefloor, bringing you the pure sound of one of the most iconic dance capitals of the world. from the city made famous by gaudi, dali, miro and picasso, this release brings you some of the hottest, upfront and cutting edge hits from a-list producers and modern day artists such as dj chus, david penn, copyright, jamie jones, lee foss, waifs & strays, jimpster, stefano noferini to name but a few. as is the case with the world series titles, this release is accompanied with a handy pull-out guide on hed kandiÕs recommended places to visit, eat, sleep and party in barcelona.

40 massive r& b hits inside !!!

deep, dramatic, abstracted d&b from exits most esoteric operator, consequence. test dream is an advanced follow-up to the burial-esque scapes of his 2009 debut, live for never, scanning sci-fi inspired minimal d&b topographies with a filigree attention to detail. ultimately, its not the kind of d&b thatll have you firing shots in the ceiling: its strengths lie in the vivid evocation of dystopian futures and plugged-in, cyber-surreal dream states, conducted with the ability to suspend disbelief and submerge the willing participant in a whole other headspace. that said, there are dancefloor-ready moments like the sinuous, sub-heavy soul sees spirit, but the best moments occur when the dancefloor seems to be receding beneath your feet / sofa, as with the whirring autechre-ian dynamics of magda trench and the majestic loveshell, or the flickering, skeletal remains of marlo.

soundway return once more to the caribbean and are proud to present ifetaya by black truth rhythm band, originally released in 1976. led by the charismatic oluko imo, ifetaya was the only release from the afro-centric trinidadian band and is re-issued here for the first time on cd. whereas most of their peers at the time were looking to the funk of the usa & james brown for inspiration,black truth rhythm band looked to africa, fusing rhythms from africa & the west indies with elements of jazz, funk, calypsoand soul. ifetayo was to be the only release from black truth rhythm band but imo continued his music and love of african rhythms, going onto record with fela kuti in 1988 and later on perform with members of felas egypt 80 band.

jeff mills once again indulges his passion for classic sci-fi with this 2cd re-imagining of the score to harry kleiner s titular 66 flick. it follows his -cyborg 2087- recreation and imaginary soundtracks for -the power- and -the occurence- with a deep voyage of discovery. but unlike the aforementioned, the original film plot - about a team of scientists who re miniaturized and dispatched inside a human body to fix a blood clot - thematic scales are inversed and we re drawn to mills inner, as opposed to outer, space-scapes. the action unfolds across 22 tracks and 2 cds, from bleepin, womb-like viscera and hazardous noise bursts through archetypal rhythm arrangements and fluid programming reflecting the man/machine, organic/synthesized themes of the film and his own alien/human aesthetic. it s wonderful to witness mills maturing as a composer and refining his art to something beyond a soundtrack for dancefloor rituals, but without ever losing his original blueprint, and showing that the line between cinematic imagination and dancefloor functions can be a very fine one.

its been a long time coming but loxy and resounds debut album -burning shadows- has finally arrived on dbridges exit imprint and its a ragga infused tech drum n bass belter. the albums 13 tracks feature eerie sci-fi style atmospheric soundscapes with plenty of menacing dub bass and sparse d n b percussion. stand out tracks are -sin city- with its fear inducing acidic bass line and half time feel (think of it as the perfect music for the chase scene from ridley scotts -alien-), and -conqueror x- with its deep dark repetitive bass line.

austin-based vvv is one of a new wave of garage producers whose music actually feels like an honest mixture of vintage and modern touches, rather than a trend-hopper looking to capitalize on a few dubstepforum fruity loops tutorials. he s an artist who happily mixes and matches signifiers, lacing his productions with subtle streaks of colour and leading them into unexpected detours. over the course of across the sea vvv swings from gleeful todd edwards-style vocal mush (-aisle seat-) to sepalcure-esque house-tinged workouts like -retreated- to more experimental fare. on tracks like -stuck between- or the stumbling punch-drunk jungle of -duration of light-Ñwhere breaks crash through filtered soul samples and cause ripples like dominoesÑhe always keeps the tracks backbone intact while doing some of the weirdest things to bass music youll hear this side of machinedrum. across the sea doesnt have the same visionary outlook as room(s), but it shares that albums embrace of fine-tuned sequencing and development. the tender, reflective moments that occasionally pop up are its best, whether its that memorable opener or the fogged-glass beats of -among the whispers,- which admittedly sounds a little like burial but higher-definition, with high-strung chords recalling netsky more than untrue. the albums closer -all that weve been through- nicely sums up the proceedings, throwing an out-of-context piano on top of another burial-esque beat loaded up with reverb yet still cutting clear as day. its perfectly representative of vvvs aesthetic: his debut album isnt always made up of entirely original ingredients, but like any good chef, he knows how to present it in a way thats irresistibly appetizing.

with a scraggle of noise and feedback zone beginning 26000, ilpo vaeisaenen and dirk dresselhaus continue their angel duo with a work that inhabits its own zone of cryptic anger and contemplation. if anything, a sense of structure destroyed has been the hallmark of both vaeisaenen and mika vainios work away from pan sonic, but 26000 in particular - with angel added and abetted by performers such as oren ambarchi and b.j. nilsen - introduces a sense of unspoken story to the proceedings, a soundtrack to a sci-fi film that emphasizes cosmic horror by implication. the slow roil that -before the rush- settles into, a combination throb and mechanistic growl, both parallels and contrasts the concluding -paradigm shift,- the subtlest of bass rhythms anchoring overlaid drone murk and screeches of noise shaped and controlled like an event horizon reached and held. central piece -dark matter leak- sounds it, deep echoes and distant footsteps and other outer space haunted house noises interspersed with up-front bursts of percussion rattlings and glitches, a robot companion in space rapidly going on the fritz. the overlaid clatter of -in- and similarly frenetic mess of -out- frame said dead center equally excellently.

for three years - that is from the very beginning of absys coming to life - weve been concerned with shaping the profile of our label, concentrating mainly on the originality of sound, thus supporting both native (poland is a country of great potential and to show it is part of our mission), as well as foreign upcoming artists. after some time we can say that the path weve chosen is right.so, mystical deep vol 2 is kind of an essence of absys records and at the same time the twin of its predecessor - mystical deep. we present to you an extrasensory journey into the very centre of human mind. this journey will be mysterious, atmospheric, dubby, futuristic and - of course - set in the core of depth, but still, despite the featured diversity, will also be coherent and consistent. we hope that this compilation of music, associated by beautiful artwork, will be a good mood enhancer - not only in the autumn cloudy and rainy days.

fun, folky and charming oddball music from the short-lived, but often re-broadcast fingerbobs series for the bbc in the early 70s Ð starring hand puppets fingermouse, gulliver the seagull, scampi (who lives on a hand by the sand and the sea), flash the tortoise and canadian folk singer and narrator rick jones Ð whose songs and narration are the heart of this great soundtrack put together by the obscure sound library and soundtrack champion johnny trunk! the music is really sweet, with acoustic guitar, flute and bits of percussion Ð cheery and fun without being cut or cloying, with oddball, post hippie childrens show charm to spare! includes -fingerbobs theme-, -fingermouse theme-, -fingermouse incidental-, -scampis theme-, -seeds-, -enochs wheel 2-, -plasticine-, -shapes-, -little link-, -shiny thing-, -story of the wooden tower-, -fingermouse plays the organ- and more.

deluxe edition - includes previously unreleased tracks...

this is the first part (of four) of the much anticipated reissue series of drexciya s early catalogue, marking 20 years since the release of their first ep deep sea dweller , and 10 years since their final album grava 4 . one of the most influential techno acts ever, and part of the heritage of detroits underground resistance, drexciya explored techno like no-one else before: raw and uncompromising music that reflected the harsh environment of the city where drexciya was conceived, with a mythical approach that only added to their cult appeal. drexciya arguably stands for the darker side of techno and electro, made not only for the club scene, but a further development of the music as an expression and extension of the mind. journey of the deep sea dweller is a near-complete collection of their early works, released in four parts, with all audio remastered from the original master tapes. since the original releases have such a strong character and stand on their own, these reissue can never recreate the magic of those originals. instead, clone have stirred up the catalogue, taking tracks out of their original context, giving the committed fan a fresh experience and the new listener a document that is the best possible introduction to the aquatic world of drexciya.

the album is just a few seconds under an hour long, consists of seventeen tracks and covers every style from wonky reggae through pop-funk, street spitting, straight up hip hop, sung ballads and epic death-disco. it deepens much of what mr manuva has already achieved over a glorious decade of innovation, but also throws in enough new ideas and adventures to last most creative artists a lifetime. we think it is his very best work since run come save me. we re wondering (whisper it) whether it might be his best album ever.

soaring by the bank of la seine, we soak in tipsy chanson and say goodbye to the bleakly cold. la chanteuse de jazz presents you luscious melodies to welcome the coming romantic season. the album first brings you josâ phine bakers j ai deux amours rendered by ranee lee, the winner of juno awards in 2010, with elegant piano to build up the atmosphere of left bank. then, annie royer, the charming bilingual vocalist, with her beautiful voice that brings on images, performs dith piafs hymne l amour and padam. after that, chrstine albert from new york brings you charles trenet s la mer with her cute tone. lavalse des lilas composed by michel legrand, the composer of the umbrellas of cherbourg is rendered by carol welsman, the smooth jazz queen of canada. caroline daly presented c est magnifique, the song composed for can-can by the american composer, cole porter. of course, last but not least, isabelle antena, the popular bossa nova queen in france, gives you her unique version of la pecheresse a la ligne, nous dormirons esemble and melodie to put on a little romance for this spring!

silent dust is the project of uk duo dan blishen (originally from manchester) and andy hobbs (hailing from kent), who produced drum & bass together for years under the respective monikers zyon base and hobzee. their self-titled debut,silent dust,brings their signature d&b sound into a different light, drawing from a wide range of influences - ambient, drum & bass, garage, dub, breakbeat and soundtracks. the result is a collection of deep, bass-laden productions that sound like absolutely nothing else, filled with lush arrangements, an array of found sounds (footsteps, vinyl crackle, sellotape stretching), cinematic vocal samples and glitchy, idiosyncratic drum programming. the album travels through a wide range of emotions and sounds - from the sublime intensity of the giant (equipped with floating operatic samples and tight drum programming) and the dark atmospheric grace of marlowe, to the weighted basslines of the club-suited zero nine zero and the sheer beauty of winter song lined with strings and a reggae-tinted vocal. though its driven by experimentation, this is a d&b record at heart: even the ambient tracks were written at 160-170 bpm. their debut album was originally signed to soul:r, but was pulled at the last minute: the duo bravely opted to start their own label, none60, to release their tour de force.silent dust is a downtempo, atmospheric album that will become an instant favourite for open minds, and for those who seek something new. one of the most unique records to come out of d&b this decade.

andy vazs straight vacationing, his first full-length artist album, since the 2006 release of repetitive moments last forever, registers as less a straight-up collection of dance-floor burners and more of a variety pack that mixes club tracks and full-fledged house songs. listeners hungry for just ordinary 4/4 throw-downs will not entirely get their share of those, but theyll also get a whole lot more on this dynamic and well-rounded set of eight album tracks and that is exploring house music not just as a simple one way street, but give you a very personal view of the music we call house. straight vacationing dives into the genre in all its rich variety: from deep melodic, early chicago influenced acid house, jacking-jedi mind tricks to disco-type grooves and last but not least excursions into bizzaro world, with a vaz typical almost psychedelic experimental-edged sound, its all there.

driver drive faster are a new band from manchester, but you wouldnt necessarily tell. this masterful debut album presents a rich, timeworn sound that exists somewhere between americana and spectral indie rock. its crafted song-writing at its best, hinging on stirring chord sequences and moments of fragile beauty. -a review described us as misfits,- says singer/ guitarist dylan giles. -we took it as a compliment.- named open house and recorded in the shared digs in which the entire band reside, the album was a labour of love begun in late 2009, poured over in 2010 and set for release in 2011. the result is a lush, layered record that slowly draws you into its world. think mercury revs deserters songs for a new generation.

darren cunninghams eagerly awaited new album is an adventurous, ultramodern, thoroughly british affair. determinedly off the map and resistant to pigeonholing, cunningham is an enigmatic and playful figure, citing francis bacon and monet as inspirations alongside theo parrish, anthony shake shakir, daft punk, binary codes and numeral systems, and the avengers. the south londoners acclaimed debut lived up to its name: a series of dreamlike sketches and ideas. for splazsh the fog has lifted, the sounds are less submerged than before, but still sticky and close a signature combination of exuberance and introversion, luminescence and puzzlement. actress has quickly and justly become one of the most respected names in the uks new dance music underground.

gem club is an exclusive society: two people, a piano, and a cello. vocalist christopher barnes sings in a quivering whisper, and these minimal accompaniments assure that their sound never becomes louder than a hush. but the massachusetts duo s debut ep, acid and everything, showed just how much emotional intensity you could pack into compositions so spare, and how much could be suggested with so little. everything on breakers, their first full-length, sounds frozen over: icy, quiet, austere. you know that eerie feeling when you find yourself alone in a huge public place that s usually crowded-- maybe a shopping mall or a playing field- but at that moment is totally empty? this record sounds like a sustained version of that feeling. -i heard the party- juxtaposes echoing piano chords and a general sense of unease (-no one could have told you / your body would fail you-) with the refrain -i heard the partys here- floating across the track like the sound of dried up laughter. the word -party- feels so out of place in a song so pensive and lonely that there s something jarring about the experience. the feeling crops up repeatedly on breakers: a sense of slow-motion detachment, a suggestion that there were signs of life here once, but you ve arrived a couple of hours- or maybe a couple of weeks- too late.

xhins debut album on stroboscopic artefacts,sword,showcases the breath of his vision. as the second full-length release on stroboscopic artefacts, sword stretches the remit of the label s identity ever further. produced and recorded in singapore, xhin plucks sounds from the outer edges of electronic music and fuses them together. xhins approach revels not only in a hybrid sound palette but its also an album desi- gned for multiple contexts. its a record typified by duality. sword harbours electronic music ranges from brutal club sounds to deep and delicate murmurs.

dub trio is back with their fourth and most powerful album to date Ð iv Ð an overwhelming blend of sounds, styles and ideas that come out swinging, and hit harder than ever. can metal coexist with dubs bass heavy riddims? dub trios newest album proves that not only can such incongruities coexist, but that in the right hands they flourish! with iv the band succeeds dramatically at emphasizing the theories, emotions, sounds, and concepts of their current musical exploration. iv finds the members playing multiple instruments, tweaking, turning & torturing knobs, cutting and chopping the audio itself, and shaping the compositions to create their own unique interpretation of dub as an art form.

the sound of the late great fitzcarraldos is like sand between your toes. bittersweet love songs paying homage to otis redding, brian eno, john cale and luther vandross. this is sophisticated melodic luxury music for a generation that has the history of music up their sleeve, but really just want to meditate.

australian pressing of this 2011 collection of rarities and non-album tracks from the queen of modern soul. sharon jones & the dap-kings have developed an international reputation as the #1 group on todays soul scene. soul time is an exploration of the full range of their dynamic sound through 12 songs handpicked by the daptone records gang, each one a precious exclusive. the needle drops on genuine pts. 1 & 2, a supercharged funk arrangement that evokes the late godfather not only with the spirited syncopation of the dap-kings rhythms, but also with the raw power of jones voice. it is performances such as these that have earned her the moniker the female james brown. though it has long been one of their best-selling singles, it makes its album debut here. longer and stronger, written for her 50th birthday, is a deep mid-tempo soul celebration of the strength and determination with which sharon jones has earned her long overdue success. whether youre a lifetime fan, or just getting turned on, sharon jones & the dap-kings have yet again made a record that will blow your mind.