limited edition lp with riso printed insert + cd. bram weijters crazy men is an adventurous take on belgian jazz-rock and fusion from the seventies.the lineup of crazy men includes musicians who play in a wide array of contemporary jazz bands like brzzvll, dans dans, stuff. and internal sun.

limited 2019 repress! tight modern house tracks with that nordic feel from dorisburg as first release on bossmusik! dorisburg, also known as one half of swedens house masters genius of time did a great job. the a side smuts is a rolling, dreamy house track with attitude, while studs on the b side is a bare and bouncing drum jam. reminds a bit of an old chicago drum trax release with drum machines going wild, done in a contemporary version by dorisburg. hot!

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

deena abdelwahed’s first album is shifting the epicenter of contemporary electronic music south: “khonnar“ will be released on november 16, 2018 by infiné.

stemming from a period of reflection and adaption, “of time and actuality” expands imbue’s embrace of fusing contemporary minimal house grooves with original instrumentation, resulting in a multi layered and modern interpretation of electronic music.
the miami-based trio, consisting of maximiliano cortes, ignacio vallejo & eduardo j. alvarez, presents “of time and actuality” as the second vinyl release (“imbue” - feb. 2017) on their eponymous imprint, and third overall (“abstractions” - digital, dec. 2017). after several collaborations receiving notable support, ota features a joint composition with rojid (uvar, algorythmic, why so series?) titled “everybody”.
grey marbled 180 gram vinyl only release, housed in a printed sleeve.

deena abdelwahed’s first album is shifting the epicenter of contemporary electronic music south: “khonnar“ will be released on november 16, 2018 by infiné. this limited edition vinyl includes a poster and an embroidered badge.

wire parasitism ep is inspired by the electronic music which was produced during the end of the 80s and beginning of the 90s by the likes of richard h. kirk, psychic tv, coil, dave campbell or lagowski (to name a few). walid el barbir uses his unique producing & sampling skills to create contemporary and industrial sounding compositions out of found footage like occult documentaries, rave stabs or emax sound-libraries. walid el barbir is a part of the collective les points based in zürich, switzerland. his art/music draws from 90s rave utopias, occultism, progressive & accessible frameworks as showcased at their offspace mikro - a physical room which has no doors and opening times during exhibitions and raves - making an institution available to all social layers.

in a time when jazz music is entering a contemporary renaissance and exciting the ears and minds of new audiences, zombie zombie s Étienne jaumet offers us his unique, idiosyncratic take on the sound with the sprawling “8 regards obliques”, his 3rd solo album with the versatile label

beautiful contemporary african music. deep percussion with great guitar playing and vocal chants on top. driving basslines all over the album. spiritual feel! tip!

hove’s first record on light of other days gets a second pressing. the first pressing was self-distributed and only 150 copies were made. enjoy! hove’s debut ep is full of fuzzy melodies fused with shimmering arpeggios and reduced cosmic beats. produced at the light of other days headquarters in the heart of zurich, hove developed his sound out of various live-jams, which he recorded onto a tascam cassette recorder. these recordings alongside numerous field recordings build the foundation of the ep journey to arendal. influenced by the sound aesthetic of early electronic producers from the 80’s and 90’s, as well as contemporary house, disco or techno, hove’s music always has a certain kind of warmth to it. dusty, shuffling grooves meet woozy guitar chords while crystal clear synth melodies are paired with field recordings of rivers, birds or nocturnal city atmospheres. journey to arendal is out on january 29th, 2016 on light of other days.

first release of the french young producer adrien van de velde aka a strange wedding, meta romance is a three track ep offering a reflexion on slow trance through different modern style of music. powerful beats are melted with hypnotic melodies, epic pads and tribal vocals to give a mystical yet contemporary vision of dance music.

stocker s revenge takes place as a short story inspired in a vampire theme where the author transmits his homeland legacy to a contemporary musical field, sotries and legends of chaste lineage that have inspired musicians and artist for centuries with concerns for the tenebrous chronicles , making different recreations of it with cruelty and vileness as its main element. orlock 101 is a new talent in european scene which inspires his artistic framework in the myth created by bram stocker, this transilvanian artist debuts as producer with the next soil records release.

„spectral decay” is a collection of musical reflections about the paradoxical contemporary state of humankind, whereas its own technological, social, cultural and economical development seems to entrench the possible points of a structura downfall. the narrative of „spectral decay” starts with heavy, mesmerizing industrial vibes. due to the notable sound design techniques of japanese artist tetsumasa, his hefty piece „nex” evolves into a harsh but still amazingly cinematical music sculpture. subsequent mid-tempo composition „onzour shayatini” by meer dynamically follows the dark, experimental path of drone and noisy structures. violent accents smoothly lead to the deconstruction of drum & bass patterns and turn into strident 90s metal riffs. the track progressively penetrates obscure subterranean abysses and becomes a perfect introduction to the next theme by yuji kondo – „hades”. in greek mythology hades was the ancient god of the underground kingdoms, darkness, death and metals. therefore, kondo’s music piece turns into an infernal portrayal of the underworld where tenebrous layers of bass frequencies, raw textures and drexciyan sounds build up an enormous and lasting tension. side b begins with the track „anthropocene” produced by arboretum co-founder – mogano. the whole composition refers to the present geological epoch we live in, characterized by environmental pollutions, depletion of fossil fuels and accelerated urbaniza- tion of the world. it is a deeply conceptual soundscape of a powerful system, that incorporates both – the destructive forces of technology and the infinite energy of the whole universe, that interweave in a devilish dance of post-techno, breakbeat and dub tones. thereafter, ~raw in his piece „poly bios” pictures the interference of human structures in the nature. creating a mosaic from indus- trial and tribal, organic sounds, he tells a mystical story of fear, hope, escape and primeval instincts. the narration concludes with an atmospheric composition of nwrmntc – solo project of ana quiroga from experimental ambient duet lcc. „beyond” is a boundless, spectral reflection on collective human consciousness, where haunting vocals evoke a recon- dite, ineffable pain, leaving the listeners in a profoundly meditative state. laura polan&#769,ska

super deep african / new age / minimalistic / ambient crossover from cabo verde - not the typical record, a beautiful listening experience check! originally conceived as a book of 6 poems that developed into a record released independently in 1986, universo da ilha sits at the cross-section of many different genres. connecting contemporary new age and ambient minimalist movements with traditional west african and cape verdean elements from the past (griot voices, djembe rhythms, melancholic morna), vasco constructed his own universe where, in spite of the isolation of the island at the time, he transcended barriers and created a global record that was ahead of its time vasco used his own synths and drum machines, and with the help of a small group of friends (tey gonçalves on percussion, neney’s amazing griot voice, luis morais on sax and flute), he recorded this not-balearic-but-atlantic ambient odyssey on a 16-channel peavey mixer directly to an akai tape recorder without overdubs.

det ar grymt i norr is a compilation of exclusive tracks by artists reflecting the contemporary swedish underground electronic music scene: alvar, celldod, dissocio modus trans, hjarnkultur, agent side grinder, kinder aus asbest, aemit and yabibo hazurfa (special scandinavian letters not included). the title of the compilation, swedish for it s grim up north describes the atmosphere perfectly - in swedish, grymt also means cool. the gloomy cover was designed by erik soderberg. subtitled swedish synthetic darkness, the music on the album is intense, hard and cold at first listen but boiling with emotions underneath the surface. expect industrial, ebm, coldwave, acid and everything on the spectrum between electro and ambient. thank you for the music.

iraqi band babylon trio from brussels plays an electrified ravey mix of contemporary iraqi and arabic music styles, such as choubi choubi, dabke, maqam and electronic hybrids that put the dancefloor on fire. their debut album “habibi” features songs about their old life in iraq and new life in brussels, belgium, with topics such as separation from loved ones, love, beauty, honour and pure arabic party bangers. this year will mark the power of the contemporary iraqi street sound of babylon trio throughout belgium, europe and beyond.

kawuku sound is the coming together of uk producers contours & cervo and ugandan percussion troupe fonkodelis arkestra. this is the culmination of a month-long creative process that was born out of the nyege nyege affiliated boutiq studio in kawuku, kampala - uganda. the music was written and recorded in this shared residency space, home to musicians and visual artists from all over east africa and beyond, and a hub for kampala s underground electronic music scene. boutiq studio s diy mentality provided the perfect environment for experimentation, allowing the fusion of these disparate sounds. kawuku sound is a reflection of this, merging the hypnotic and trance-inducing percussion of buganda drumming with elements of contemporary electronics and traditional instrumentation. this the first album release to come out on manchester imprint banana hill as they continue to push the boundaries of afro-electronic sounds.

nadanna is extremely proud and excited to present tobias bernstrup’s new album “technophobic”. bernstrup who works both as a visual artist and musician has been touring worldwide since the late 1990s and positioned himself as one of the leading re-inventors of italo disco with his unique mix of italo, synthpop and gothic noir. he has created his own unmistakable stage persona wearing androgynous outfits in shiny latex and heavy make-up. tobias has collaborated with seminal artists such as trans-x, apoptygma berzerk, martial canterel, xeno & oaklander, lebanon hanover, and she past away. “technophobic” contains 10 smashing tracks including the recent single “utopia”, and “metropolis of tomorrow” featuring french dark synth wave artist hante. combining influences from classic synthpop, minimal wave, dark wave in a retro futuristic manner tobias bernstrup has created an album reminiscent of the 80s but in a contemporary context of sound landscape.

&#8203,,&#8203,,introducing paris-based contemporary sculptor and music maker erwan sene joining the exponential unknown precept roster. gathering pieces thought of as little narratives for his debut release, not without a bit french irony around the concept of work, i heard you laughing wavers towards mechanical repetition and something more outdated at times. purposely slowing down the tempo to fit the apparent redundancy of an industrial environment and its steadily running engines. an eroded atmosphere of sorts, analogous to the smokestacks emanating from factory chimneys. accentuating the ambiguity of a wild thought which is hard to grasp. despite its machine-driven aspect, sene primary questions the difficulty to manage one s life stuck in a primitive mindset, making intuitive associations in a grid pattern. carbon copy music for the tangled minds out there, leaving room for nothing but sedated feelings.

it was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now – anthony burgess, a clockwork orange after their lps “ike yard” (also known as “a fact a second” factory america, 1982) and nord (phisteria and desire, 2010) ike yard delivers their last album “rejoy” on noiztank, 2018 as the culmination of their recent years reinvented sound. as the perpetual flag bearers of the cutting-edge post-punk spirit, the nyc- based band shows muscle in a lp fully loaded with abrasive synth pads, scrap metal percussions, and whispered vocals. following the previous criteria of “sacred machine” 2017, it is worth to remark the inclusion of external vocals in the pieces “sister m” and “beyondersay”, which feature yuki osaki and maya. the nine tracks move through different atmospheres, tensions and moods that would perfectly represent a new contemporary soundtrack of the s. kubrick film “a clockwork orange”, a major influence and source of inspiration for the group this time around.

strange alliances holds two striking and contemporary tracks by the tel aviv native – who also has releases out on turbo and life and death - plus remixes by trikk and rebolledo. and so it seems the amsterdam based label has another winner on their hands. with autarkic having an exceptional personality one would expect the same from his music. and this is exactly what you get with strange alliances, as his originality shines through on both tracks. interesting fact is that autarkic used a lot of live instruments and his own vocals on both tracks, adding to the ingenuity of the dgtl 006 release.

new glasgow electro and techno label tremors presents our first vinyl release - aftershocks volume 1, a collection of remixes of tracks from our bandcamp releases. the a1 comes from electro legend dexter, a man who needs no introduction, remixing old boy s tracer. next up is james shinra (analogical force) one of our favourite contemporary electro artists, remixing arctor memory gene. on the b-side we have patrick walker (forward strategy group) remixing arctor s selfish lover into a slamming acid techno banger. rounding it off is relatively unknown hungarian producer david harleydson who has been self-releasing highly impressive electro albums through bandcamp. he has applied his own unique style in a remix of arctor the gulf.

numa crew and killa s army join forces on this banger that will represent the first release of the brand new label numa recordings. the first release of numa recordings is all about a mediterranean and jamaican alliance, an explosive blend of grime and reggae vibes.&#8232, killa s army is a crew from london formed by killa p, irah and long range, one of the most powerful trios in the contemporary uk grime scene, their own original style is distinguished by a -heavy- jamaican dancehall & reggae influence. the italian collective numa crew has developed their unique sound over the years, ranging from dubstep to jungle, through a limitless exploration of the different styles in the wide spectrum of genres in the uk underground scene. in the production of -we nuh tek talk- lies the essence of this musical journey. the main theme of the tune is the legendary motive of courtney melody s ‘ninja mi ninja chorus, adapted to a modern day grime beat. backing the title track is the we nuh tek riddim version by numa crew, the beat and the bassline are simple and heavy at the same time. it will be fire in the dance

surely one of the finest operators in the uk underground, miles atmospheric released his last album under his own name miles sagnia back in 2014, and now he finally returns to the long player format to unfurl his vision of deep, driving techno. this time he s appearing on finale sessions, and it s the perfect home for his thoughtfully sculpted cuts. there are more outwardly mellow moments such as mensura, and the utterly gorgeous-peace but there is also plenty of space afforded to the sharper end of his creative transmissions. elysium is a dense, rippling throwdown that touches on many different aspects of contemporary house and techno, while rise offers up a refreshing variation on the acid house template. once again, miles atmospheric demonstrates why he s such a vital, if sometimes overlooked, force in the uk underground

having firmly established himself as one of the most exciting djs and producers currently working in contemporary electronic music, baltra returns to of paradise with his “can’t explain it” ep, a kaleidoscopic and dazzling journey through the heart and soul of raw and hazy house music. “can’t explain it” comes packaged in a paper sleeve complete with special illustrated artwork and sticker.

the latest release from the rome-based onda records truly is a delight for the senses. helmed by gianluca marcelli aka dj glc, the label kicked off in 2017 courtesy of the exceptional sounds of g.i.m productions’ ‘rising waves’ ep. although following the latter might have been something of a daunting task, onda’s sophomore release is equally enticing, with two originals (one from dj glc and the other from the aforementioned g.i.m productions) backed with stunning remix interpretations by two of the states’ most respected contemporary producers, atlanta’s byron the aquarius and detroit veteran javontte.

the next one is signed by one of my contemporary idols. his zero-f*cks-giving attitude and his aim to move forward make ascion the perfect artist to keep telling this story which two years ago was started to write. it could have been nineteen ninety two or today. it could be acid, techno-trance or even ardcore (you know the score). echoes from belgian new beat and uk’s intelligent dance music resound all along it. call it how you want and no matter when or where. this rave instrument is going to fill many epic warehouse moments. there is no way to escape: welcome to your finest nightmare. - hector oaks, september mmxviii

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

ryo murakami is based on osaka entered the world of music playing piano at an early age, then was devoted to synthesizers and drum machines. his productions contain alternative dance music and classical contemporary music, a combination of atmospheric ambient, noise and drone. his production history had been varied up until his album released on his own imprint depth of decay in 2013 since between releases on bug’s poker flat, the dessous label and the more recent releases on german outlets baud and styrax.

into the light is launching a parallel and limited series with contemporary material from both greek and international artists. first stop is the album postclub prism by the german producer cass. offering ten gorgeous ambient pieces about light and romance. since 2012, niklas rehme-schlüter aka cass. has released albums of varying styles, from the rather organic and loop based ambient pieces on loops & farewell sketches and the red atlantic ep on throne of blood in 2017, influenced by 80s pop sonics, to the more balearic and percussive recordings on the sound of glades together with wolf müller in 2016. on his new record postclub prism cass. explores his affinity to calm and atmospheric ambient music at the threshold to the reverberant sound of club music.

finnish dj and producer otto yliperttula, aka yotto, is a dance music star in the making. championed by some of the genre’s most respected trailblazers and building an army of adoring fans, yotto is primed to join the big leagues with the release of his highly anticipated debut album ‘hyperfall’. yotto’s unique sound blends dark, brooding atmospheres with light, uplifting melodies – deftly hitting the sweet spot between melancholy and euphoria. otto draws inspiration from his childhood favourites the chemical brothers and röyksopp, along with more contemporary influences ranging from eric prydz and m83 to jon hopkins and xxx. having debuted on anjunadeep in early 2015 he quickly caught the ear of bbc radio 1’s pete tong and annie mac, picking up no fewer than 5 ‘essential new tunes’ and 3 ‘hottest records in the world’, along with dj support from the likes of solomun, jamie jones, patrice baumel, adriatique and joris voorn, who signed yotto to his renowned green label. the 13-track debut lp hyperfall is the culmination of three years in the ascendency, and sees yotto continue to carve his own exciting path.

back to the roots: the critically acclaimed and reggae/dub-affined white-label ‘war’ series returns. founded in 2007, the imprint has procured sought-after outings by artists such as j:kenzo, matty g, noah d and roommate among others. breaking eight years of radio silence, the legendary imprint is at it again - 2018 marking the year of the imprint’s fulminant return. in the sonic spotlight: the vital aspects of jamaica’s reggae characteristics coupled with its contemporary dubstep counterpart. exclusive business, as each release is being kept strictly vinyl as well as limited to a single-time pressing of 500 copies. for sound system heads & vinyl collectors alike - be sure to mark the 24th august in your calendar, ’war020’ is about to detonate.

maps is a project by a london-based lithuanian drummer and producer, marijus aleksa. this labour of love is the culmination of many hours spent touring and in-session with some of the greats of londons bubbling contemporary jazz scene, resulting in marijuss first solo project to date. the ep combines elements of jazz, afrobeat and electronic music through free-form jamming and remixing, with movement and the dance floor firmly in mind.

nx1 is the duo consisting of surit and samot, artists both based out of barcelona. formed at the end of 2011, they have devoted themselves to a trademark sonic imprint that moves between heavy memories of classic techno to more mental and psychedelic spaces in contemporary sound design. known globally throughout the club circuit, their live and dj sets meld together disparate styles into a rhythmic and raw, yet emotional performance. nx1 contain futuristic aspects propelling themselves forward, while also taking into consideration and expressing modern challenges. the 3 tracks from their debut ep on bite exemplify this drive.

berlin based electronic mainstay marquis hawkes has announced details of his second lp the marquis of hawkes. the album will be the producers second lp for us, following his critically acclaimed debut social housing for the label, which was released in 2016. entitled the marquis of hawkes, the new album adheres to a specific sound palette whilst still displaying eclecticism across its eight tracks. opening with the beat-less droning ambience of beton theme, the album takes in a variety of themes from across the house music spectrum, from the deep and dubby meditation of instrument of thought to the body jerking rhythms and retro bass stabs of tough love, the introspective mood of the matrix, to the soulful new jersey styled house grooves with a contemporary twist of sunset building through the optimistic joyousness of ‘hope in our hearts before closing with lidells heartfelt and passionate emotional overload on we should be free. first emerging in 2012, after being sought out by glasgow label dixon avenue basement jams, and having previously been heavily involved with the free festival sound-system culture, the london born artists iconic sound has taken shape with the influence of music from cities like chicago, detroit and new york alongside the uks underground house scene. with both depth and clarity of vision, marquis hawkes second album for houndstooth expertly hones a shining hybrid of classic slamming house and grittily soulful optimism, making for a career-defining piece of work.

a.g. returns with all-start cast, featuring the likes of diamond d, lord finesse, alchemist and more. for this album, he’s on his a-game, from beginning to end. touching on topics from the hip hop biz, street tales and political hypocrisy.
the taste of ambrosia is a full meal serving for mature rap devotees who’ve grown tired of contemporary rhymesayer laziness. joined by guests including diamond d, a-bless and thirstin howl iii, a.g. backs up his claim that he is ill enough to paint his own portrait, and illustrates and vision of rap immortality that hardcore heads and fellow legacy mcs alike can worship eternally.
limited edition of 500 copies on black vinyl.

salsoul records present a crate digging anthology of the more electronic, early 80s leaning side of their catalogue an essential collection of early 80 s post disco electronic grooves from the salsoul vaults. primarily a salsa label on it s inception, salsoul delved into numerous styles throughout its existence but this killer selection focuses on the period of time where music entered the 1980 s and studio technology changed. a plethora of funked out, dubbed out electronic funk across 2 discs is what salsoul boogie offers - choice cuts from the likes of skyy, aurra, leroy burgess, civil attack and many more! featured are the full 12inch dance mixes for unlimited dance-floor pleasure. mixes by larry levan, shep pettibone and francois k feature. one cannot underestimate the importance of these tracks on contemporary dance music, but the funk is the most important thing here, important tracks yes but also amazing records to dance to that capture a time in nyc when clubs were place to be, sanctuaries of escapism, hedonism and expression. essential listening right here boogies gonna get ya! curated with the full input and backing of salsoul records and carefully selected to reflect the truly timeless nature of the music contained within. for listening, for dancing, for turning on a party! remastered by optimum mastering. artwork & design by million dollar disco.

techno, disco, italo, electronics, house, library, cosmic and ambient frequencies - these are the bedrocks of the midnight drive ethos and sound. a label shining a light on overlooked or unheralded creations and respectfully reissuing them for the contemporary audience. a label that respects and understands the connection between these disparate and sometimes forgotten forms of musical expression and celebrates them. midnight drive are extremely proud to present this most beautiful and unique of records - makers don t challenge me - a truly idiosyncratic early 70 s electronic oddity that has long been a coveted and highly prized piece of music by obscure music lovers for many years

seth troxlers club focussed label, play it say it, welcomes a master of stripped back and dubbed out tech grooves in the form of seb zito, while fuse boss enzo siragusa steps up to remix. a core part of the world-renowned fuse party crew, zitos distilled productions are perfectly functional, boasting the sorts of subtle charms that make them truly irresistible to legions of dancers. his warm sound has landed on the fuse and infuse labels as well as rawax and kaoz theory. he runs his own seven dials label and is as revered for his resident sets in london and ibiza as he is his studio sounds. the excellent on it opens things up with tightly coiled drums, adorned with bumping kicks that immediately get you moving. a soul infused vocal brings plenty of cool to the track whilst dreamy pads add warmth and depth. a dub is also included in the package for those darker, late night sets. both versions are sure to become club mainstays. remixing is enzo siragusa, the man behind the internationally renowned fuse brand and a driving force in the contemporary house and techno scene. he djs around the world, hosts parties across europe and is known for digging deep. his version is more zoned out thanks to the swirling pads, with the orignals vocal coming at you in a dreamlike fashion, as the knotted bass hammers home the groove. this is an essential release that is sure to go on to big things this summer.

following on from 2017s experimentally-focused ep, nucleus axon finds phantasy regular ghost culture return with an urgent, pristine slice of club euphoria, backed by a standout remix from legowelt. the original version of axon powers ahead with a supremely physical bassline and a ghostly atmosphere that s slathered with atmospheric choral touches, contrasted by punching, powerful drums. each perfectly tuned element weaves a seriously impressive spell of charismatic, contemporary electro. axons original form is then driven underground and transformed into something truly psychedelic at the hands of legendary producer and synth legend, legowelt. coaxing out one of his distinctive acid lines, the hague resident unravels a heady, hazy atmosphere of creeping euphoria amid a spectral, twilight groove.

the long now is a duo featuring richard norris and finnur bjarnason, with special guests. they mix piano, voice, string section and electronics with the sound of the icelandic breeze. the music sits within the post ambient, electronic, contemporary classical genre, with a strong sense of landscape, mood and melody. richard norris one half of the grid, alongside soft cells dave ball, one half of beyond the wizards sleeve with erol alkan… richard norris has a thing about working as a duo.

topia records uncovers the work of alex kassian the kyoto born berlin based producer and dj whose work as opal sunn and al kassian has been turning heads and shifting feet in recent times. over the last decade kassian hosted word of mouth dances in london and berlin where he gained a reputation as one of europe s most promising artists. kassian s recent output has been primarily composing scores for contemporary dance and theatre in berlin, an approach he brings here to this 6 track ep hidden tropics . kassian inspired by other utopia records artists such as lars bartkuhn and vangelis katsoulis delves deeper into his compositional scope for a sound that joins the dots between ambient, world music to spiritual house in parts inspired by his homeland of japan as heard on bells of ukyo and the 80 s sakamoto-esque olson waters . the title track is a breakthrough in contemporary house music, sure to be picked up on by the tastemakers from new york to johannesburg to berlin to amsterdam to tokyo and beyond. cover image of tsuwaono sagimai by makoto furukawa, shimane, japan.

special priced album/lp+insert! post-heretic dracula x chronicles lp draws from contemporary and past cultural references evolving around institutional-critique, occultism and dividualism and manifests those via metatags or sonic compositions. it is nicola kazimirs debut solo album and features 30min full of diverse, rough, evil, melancholic electronic music pressed on to one record.

for russian electronic music, mikhail chekalin is not only a major character, who has affected the scene’s establishment and development, but also a kind of symbolic figure. his music has been praised by many in the west - from journalists and critics of all kinds to frank zappa and karlheinz stockhausen, while in moscow chekalin’s name was excluded from the official cultural agenda for a long time: he was accused of propaganda of foreign pro-western aesthetics and up until the end of the 80’s wasn’t allowed to release his works or travel abroad. this, however, didn’t interfere with him recording dozens of innovative electronic compositions and contributing greatly to the development of unofficial soviet art in general - for example, providing sound design for the famous exhibitions of twenty moscow artists on malaya gruzinskaya or arranging the first audiovisual performances on a specially constructed light organ.
however, just like all great artists, mikhail himself prefers to focus not on personal achievements, but on creativity. i don’t have a biography - only a discography - this quote of the author may become an entry point of sorts into the compilation presented. this archival collection of works recorded within the period from 1978 to 1987 are chekalin’s multigenre experiments ranging from spatial music (in essence, ambient’s precursor) to more contemporary synthesizer and post-symphonic compositions.

autarkic makes up part of an unspoken alliance from telaviv, which is currently altering the state of contemporary house and techno music. heavy dreamer, the artists first, four track outing on life and death, showcases much of what this bold movement is about, all while pushing it forward into progress. ever present tones of kraut and punk rock flow throughout the ep, beginning with some things to keep, a pumping, warehouse floor filler. autarkic steps up to the mic, often re-amping and distorting his vocal delivery, placing it alongside finely programmed keyboard riffs, tough drums and further psychedelia. realistic guru, the trippiest of the lot, is tailor made for an early morning dj tennis afterparty excursion. slowing down the pace on powerhouse, autarkic hints at moments of bauhaus and tones on tails doom and dance pop, while offering up a digital only, stripped down, bonus version. the title track stands as a testament to this new wave of artists, coming from the shores of israels mediterranean coastline. bass, drums and guitar are recorded through bespoke boxes and presented through the lens of modernist club culture.

houston-based “gulf coast soul” band the suffers, led by the powerhouse vocals of kam franklin, is a contemporary version of classic r&b bands earth, wind & fire, kool & the gang, the commodores and others. their critically-acclaimed 2016 debut led to performances on late night with david letterman, the daily show and npr as well as high-profile placements such as queen sugar, honda and kit-kat tv spots. with the release of everything here, their most bold statement yet, the suffers are bound to further endear die-hard fans and make believers of new ones. the vinyl lp is housed in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

in search of the sublime, contemporary electronic musician steve hauschildt has designed grids and panoramas of sound across multiple releases through the rise and dissolution of his former band, emeralds, an american touchstone of 2000s home-recorded psychedelic noise music. consistent with his solo work is hauschildt’s ability to coil his craft in precise, varied, and distinctly physical forms. gently spinning arpeggios converse with post-industrial decay. sonic fibers sway like pendulums from static melancholy to motorik bliss. dissolvi, the artist’s first full-length with ghostly international, engages sublimation from an ontological perspective: by dissociating the self. hauschildt steps out from the singular path, for the first time in a traditional studio, to compose and arrange contributions from friends. as a result, his most collaborative work to date extends a vast, vibrating framework in which to consider the state of being. the vinyl release includes a download code.

waehlscheibe from switzerland has thought of something really special to celebrate release #10 and has created a double vinyl compilation that assembles many of the label s regulars together with a few fresh faces. the prevailing sound between deep and dubby techno and dub house refects the label s long-time dedication to this particular version of electronic music. thus waehlscheibe has established itself as more than an insider s tip for those who cherish grounded quality and timeless sounds. from the dub techno sounds of novio dub tribe, patrizio gabrielli and s&ro via sophisticated dub house from mend, anton kubikov and alessandro crimi to the housey afairs of a.s.cudia and drei farben house the compilation x showcases a fne variety of contemporary house and techno with subtle twists and quite a few sonic surprises.

the subject of music from memorys latest compilation focuses on suso saizs output as part of the group orquesta de las nubes, formed by suso saiz and percussionist pedro estevan when the two met whilst studying a course on techniques of contemporary composition in madrid.