“struggle artist” is the new album from justin c. meyers, the minneapolis-based composer, artist, and head of the sympathy ltd. label. meyers is a unique, underappreciated talent in contemporary electronic music. his greatest strengths are twofold: his compositions have a meticulous structural logic, revealing a hermetic and austere formalism, concurrently, his compositions have a deep, introspective narrativity grounded in his lived experience, evoked with a mature clarity. together, they make meyers one of the most interesting electronic musicians working with cutting-edge sonics today, unlocking their latent powers of metaphor and figuration. his previous album, 2016’s “negative space (1981–2014)”, deals with the onset of chronic illness and near-death experience. its careful, anechoic meditations on the failing body are a resounding achievement, and the album remains a high watermark of acousmatic music in the 21st century. “struggle artist” portrays meyers’ expectations and disappointments arising from making art in his free time. created initially during lunch breaks and in hospital waiting rooms, and finished after being laid off from his job, it catalogues the despondency of the precarious life. if “negative space” was about the fallible body, “struggle artist” is its violent collision with late capitalism.

nice price deal !!! nofitstate is the new label project from simon baker and geddes. having been a hugely successful london based party over the past few years the duo have now branched out to present their take on contemporary house music. the inaugural release kicks off with mr baker in solo mode with the arpy ep, a highly energetic affair with simons sharp production nous in fully effect, arpy 1 features a killer synth lead whilst arpy 2 keeps the vibe deeper, negating the synth in favour of an emphasis on groove. skudge provide the remix on the flip, intertwining elements of the original mixes in their now signature sound.

naif 009 is the second in a series of five eps that are released around the release of the dj-mix-cd also named naif which has its release in april 2018 the second strike comes with two superstrong techno tracks: lean forward is a contribution by nihad tule that wil burn the dancefloors. followed by not now, not yet, a scratchy track from the hands of one half of cassegrain: rhyw. side b heads into trippy territories with a heady, sparse but seductive groove by marco shuttle followed by a track from efdemin in a collaboration with his close friend and fellow konrad sprenger (pan) after more then three years of silence as a producer, efdemin a.k.a phillip sollmann returns with a striking hybrid concept that merges the album format with the continuous dj mix format, presenting completely new material in a seamless manner. the cd-mix, named naïf, officially reinstates his label of the same name and is a sprawling tour of inner space featuring 19 distinct tracks from fellow producers along with an additional ten that feature efdemin himself (either as soloist or collaborator). the release condenses his decade-long dj-ing journey and evolution as a producer into a single potent elixir of contemporary techno. naif consists of completely unreleased material from both himself and valued collaborators, all of which will eventually manifest as ep releases: five on his own naif label and two more on curle.

record kicks celebrates 15 years in the business with a collection full of exclusive new singles on a limited edition double clear vinyl lp.
side by side with similar outfits like daptone, truth and soul, freestyle or timmion, under its motto the explosive sound from today s scene milan-based independent label record kicks has been pitching the contemporary funk & soul scene since day one. with over 200 releases under the belt, rk has released bands from all over the globe and earned the support of vip fans such as kenny dope, jamie cullum, craig charles and not least jay-z, thanks to which the label has recently received a grammy nomination for hov’s use of hannah williams’ late nights and heartbreak as backdrop for his 4:44.

having previously caused a sensation with his releases on labels such as enchufada and naafi, siete catorce delivers four supreme cuts for his hypermedium debut, packed with his futuristic rhythmic craft and his highly hybridised sonic language. agnosia finds the mexicali-based producer joining the dots between cumbia’s seductive syncopations, the entrancing club-driven beats of tribal guarachero and ruidoso&#769,,,,n’s spooky experimentation. merging mexican traditional rhythms and contemporary dance motifs, the ep’s playfulness is further highlighted by imposing basslines, airy synths and eclectic glitches - its occasional sparse atmosphere quickly escalating to reveal some intricate, compulsive drum work. exquisitely intense, agnosia is undoubtedly siete catorce’s tour de force, revealing in every detail the finest textures of an ever-expanding affective continuum.

coming in strong with an update on another classic track, glitterbox recordings presents krystal davis so smooth featuring remixes from kon and yam who? alongside the original and an instrumental. one of the last in a rare breed of dedicated crate-diggers, kons vast knowledge of the heavily swung rhythms of classic disco make him a reverent remixer for this mid-tempo krystal davis disco hit, originally released in 1985 on new york label urban rock records inc. his version amps up the pace, tailoring the record for any discerning contemporary disco set. midnight riot records head yam who? goes blissed out with the synths for an irresistible mix that’s smoother than smooth.

various artists including buttechno, broshuda, garrett david, steven warwick and more... each track was composed with the theme of apophenia in mind (the tendency to perceive connections and meaning between unrelated things), keeping a foot between club and experimental material. this record is a complement to a contemporary exhibition in berlin and a 122 pages book.

word of advice to funk lovers, there is not a minute to lose. get on board of the big hustle’s spaceship. before we take off, let s do a little history. the band was founded in 2014 by bass player and composer sébastien levanneur and its aim is to bring together 70 s old school funk with the hippest actual sound laced with influences spanning from steely dan and headhunters, to snarky puppy and soulive. with mighty horn players, a rock and funky rhythm section, the big hustle s music has a very large variety of soundscapes. the first destination takes us to the washington, d.c. area with “turn up”. the groove is clearly go-go music flavored with the trademark sound of cowbells and of course it reminds us of zapp by the use of the talk box on lead vocals, performed here by saad el garrab. and don t miss out shaun martin (snarky puppy, erykah badu, kirk franklin amongst others) as a very special guest performing the talk box solo! second stop is “a curse, a blessing”. it’s an instrumental very much in the freddie hubbard vein during his cti years. the last leg of the a side ends with an instrumental interlude titled “flying donut”. double tribute to jay dee and flying lotus, the music is a simple hip hop loop based on samples. the b side takes us back into the past with two brilliant covers, involving rod temperton the late great british songwriter who scored some of michael jackson s biggest hits. now the idea for this b side is to do the opposite approach from the a side. taking 70 s and 80 s original music and make them travel into time to 2018. we first land with a heatwave song named “the star of a story” from their 1976 central heating album. track 2 is a herbie hancock song named “gettin to the good part” from his 1982 lite me up lp. this time traveler ep journey ends with an interlude. called “gimme dat”, the song deals with the need of new music, new sound. again, this blend of deep rooted funk laced with a contemporary edge is to be consumed without moderation. and do not forget that e.p. also stands for extended pleasure.

following afrobeat makers vol.1 (sold out), comet is pleased to announce the second volume of the afrobeat makers collection, due for release in june this year: the tony allen’ original afrobeat patterns revisited by few of the best international dj/producers, with among them: doctor l (paris), thiago franca (sao paulo), mps pilot (amsterdam), or gnowee (paris) tony allen has spread afrobeat to the corners of the globe, a perfect synthesis of tradition and sophistication – his various collaborations with great artists from all genres and styles are a truly proof of his openness. doctor l, paris based music producer, is a sound activist going through the musical galaxies, fusioning from 80’s punk rock, to hip-hop, electronica and afrobeat ... in 2000, already on comet records, he brought lagos afrobeat towards the third millennium with the album black voices by tony allen, and even send it to the moon, with his other project, psyco on da bus. since 2002, dj/producer mps pilot (nl) has immersed himself in the cutting-edge tropical bass scene. in every possible direction and slippage between all different genres, mps pilot maps the crosspollination and divergence of contemporary music. he performed on 3 continents, both in remote desert or major festivals. thiago franca is a producer, musician and saxophonist from são paulo arts scene, this year with his power afro-punk trio meta meta, they released for the first time in europe (mais um discos -uk), their debut album metal metal. thiago is meanwhile developping his african rooted solo outfit, sambanzo, and was also in criolo’s touring band for two years, where he met tony allen, which led to two collaborations on the the afrobeat makers and meta meta’ albums.

flux003 lands spring 2018, 180gram limited edition vinyl (no digital) with cover artwork from laura zhang. straight out of coastal bordeaux, laroze is back on flux with another collection of floor-focussed cuts. joining him on remix duties this time is fellow frenchman kosme, who s been making waves with his residency at lyon s esteemed le sucre club alongside the likes of agoria and laurent garnier. following on from flux002, larozes style is typically packed with energy and verve, using the classic us house framework as a launch-pad to bring his sound to contemporary dance-floors across europe.

psyk releases on his own non series imprint for its 30th instalment, showcasing the labels sonic vision of contemporary techno with a perfectly balanced ep.subtly blending thunderous and warm atmospheres with driving rhythms as the unifying structure, the release also includes the track falling which was featured on dvs1s recent fabric mix.

lush re-issue of lorad groups first and only album from 1988... lily presents sul tempo, the first and only album composed by lorad group. a musical rendering of the contemporary work-day, jazzy, minimal, digital.

one of sonic groove s longest standing label artists, realmz returns with an infectious well rounded four cut extended ep entitled “mindfold”. straight out of pittsburgh the steel city capital of the usa realmz has been involved in electronic music since the last decade of the 20th century. growing up on a steadfast diet of industrial/ebm/idm/detroit techno and drum & bass, realmz has taken inspiration from these many underground forms of electronic music. in his signature style, the sci-fi sound design on “mindfold” weaves it s way in an out of bleak futuristic overtones set across a multitude of uniquely written broken beat and 4/4 drum rhythms. this heavily thought provocative & extremely well produced, contemporary industrial techno ep is a must for any aficionado of the genre.

for the past two years, flee has been working on its first issue entitled benga music – a signature genre from kenya. conceived as an attempt to document a kenyan timeless music genre – benga – this issue is also a visual and audial tribute to the heritage of east african music. approaching this musical genre with a new and innovative perspective, the first release of flee features a vinyl compilation and a printed journal. faithful to the local essence of the genre while transcending unproductive nostalgia, the two objects ensure that the vibrant traditional roots of the benga movement interact with a contemporary approach. to make this initiative possible, we joined forces with celebrated kenyan journalists, ondiso madete and emmanuel mwendwa, and collaborated with renowned international specialists such as douglas paterson. this great team work translated into a well-documented manuscript, with exciting articles, exclusive authentic photos of the era and creative present-day illustrations celebrating the genre. accompanying the journal, the record tells a surprising story, starting with the pioneers of benga (daniel owino misiani, george ramogi and the migori superstars) and concluding with the modern respectful re-interpretations of nik weston, jaakko eino kalevi, and africaine 808, blowing the dust of the original scores.

note: import release - limited repress - comes with digital download code and a 16 pages silkscreen printed journal with articles in english and french.

up until now, this dubplate has only been heard in session, a heavy nod to classic jamaican dub, fused with uk steppers and contemporary bass music. grand ancestor is thrilled to offer a limited run 12” to the public, no digital, no repress.

grego after all’s underthesea is back with an ep by the polish artist eltron, who has been a big supporter of the label’s vision since the beginning, headlining its inaugural party and contributing to its podcast series. ‘le volte’ is his first release for the label, including three original cuts and a remix by the canadian producer basic soul unit. eltron is probably best known for his quirky, playful, driving house sound with roots in disco, as illustrated in his productions here. the narrative of ‘le volte’ starts with ‘la prima’, full of anticipation and discovery as we set out to explore a new oceanic territory. once the clock strikes two, we find ourselves in a sub-aquatic discotheque with ‘un’altra’, dancing to the rhythm of classic chords revisited with a contemporary touch. meanwhile, ‘l’ultima’ represents a voyeuristic peek into the world of seductive mermen. finally, when basic soul unit gets his hands on ‘la prima’, he transforms the track with complex drum patterns and whirlwind pads with a sense of empowerment to conquer the mood of any dancefloor.

hefty remix package of “carbone master system” lp pressed on gold-coloured vinyl. veterans and contemporary artists such as and, ascion, cj bolland, hypnoskull, and umwelt have reshaped five different tracks of the infamous album.

transcendentally beautiful, the space ladys music is returning to earth. transmitting messages of peace and harmony, the space lady began her odyssey on the streets of boston in the late 70s, then san francisco ten years later, playing versions of contemporary pop music with an accordion and dressed flamboyantly. following the theft and destruction of her accordion , the space lady invested in a then-new casio keyboard, complete with a phase shifter and headset mic, birthing an otherworldly new dimension to popular song that has captured the imaginations of the underground and its leading exponents ever since.

dj, producer and rex club resident molly presents the third ep for her rdv music imprint, drawing on talent from across her native france, featuring fellow parisian aleqs notal (clek clek boom, sistrum) and 1977, as featured on syncrophone s for those who know imprint. while each side and artist offer their own distinctive flavour, percussive, classy late-night house music is the main course ideal for late nights under dim red lights.aleqs notal pays tribute to the timeless appeal of spinning analogue wax throughout opening track, sweet rotation a simple hymn to the essence of house music, bubbling gently on bright keys and woozy basslines. hands on follows, offering a more nocturnal angle on this enduring aesthetic, reducing the energy but enhancing the atmosphere even further, both on-record and across any packed dancefloor.the more southern sensibility of 1977 brings drumwork to the fore, weaving an exotic, patient tapestry of bubbling, alluring synths and analogue feedback across two confident, percussive jams. while vodoom indulges in tension and intrigue, ep closer jdlf is pure, unwinding pleasure, across which each of 1977s influences and instruments are offered freedom to breathe and evolve.with this installment of emminently classy and supremely confident house, rdv music continues to prove itself as one of the most worthy musical institutions on the contemporary parisian scene.

jocelyn brown should need no introduction at this stage, one of the uss most respected vocalists famed for bringing the gospel edge into contemporary r&b and soul music. brown was the voice behind the celebrated disco and boogie outfit inner life, the focus of this stars of salsoul volume. cutting 2 lps for the label in the early 1980s, inner life came strong with club hit after hit, working with the top producers, mixers, arrangers and studios of the day the group were gaining cult status with their records becoming the taste of the dancefloors at the garage, the loft, the warehouse and everywhere and anywhere else in-between! it s no surprise then, that these records are still coveted by music lovers and djs today, classic status bestowed upon this most soulful of catalogues. featured here are those hits, in their full unedited 12inch glory. listen to the classics as nature intended, you won t regret it. a truly essential package for the die-hard disco aficionado or for those who are exploring this most important movement in dance music for the first time. 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. fully authorised and approved by salsoul records.

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.

“tint” is the first new solo recording from joe talia in over a decade. australian-born but now based in tokyo, talia is known to many listeners as a drummer (frequently collaborating both live and in the studio with artists such as oren ambarchi and jim o’rourke) and as a recording and mixing engineer responsible for dozens of releases across the fields of contemporary experimental music, wayward pop, and jazz. alongside james rushford, he is also responsible for one of the most legendary releases in the kye records catalogue, the creaking electronic morass of “manhunter” (2013).

using a modular system comprised of make noise modules (as well as a prophet 5 synthesizer), kaitlyn aurelia smith created abstractions as a live score for the film of the same name by visual artist harry everett smith. comprised of a single track across the records two sides, abstractions presents a unique experimental release within kaitlyns stellar catalog of contemporary electronic music. this make noise records release was digitally mastered by shawn hatfield at audible odditieshttp://www.audibleoddities.com/ pressed to 12inch clear (140g) vinyl and inserted into a black inner dust sleeve and matte jacket featuring artwork by harry everett smith (comprised of film negatives from abstractions, licensed from the harry smith archives), assembled by sean curtis patrick

with its third release, hundert is diving further into the technological maelstrom that has slowly transformed our perception of reality and what this thing called life is. dj oks private messages poses some crucial questions about how we find, form and maintain relationships in our day in age. fittingly, its sound was forged seemingly everywhere and nowhere at once: classic new york-leaning deep house vibes meet uk-inspired gunshot sounds and the frantic grooves of contemporary outernational club music, balearic feels converge with the slick sound palette of our digital environments. private messages is as immersive as an ever-refreshing newsfeed, but just as emotional and real as the next person checking in on you via imessage. dj ja and dj neins third effort can be as much enjoyed in the sweat-drenched physicality of a crammed club as it may serve as the perfect soundtrack for when you are home alone, connected with the entire world via a dimly-lit interface. these four tracks will touch your heart like a spectre attack would infiltrate the device you are using right now. and you know that it is unpatchable. all hardware problems are.

following two previous appearances on the -contemporary dance- and -quiet eye- compilations the elusive lyubocha makes their first full ep release through black opal. -noblask- opens proceedings and instantly energises with a bass heavy acid jam, sitting on a simple motif and crunching away into the dance.-berzerk- pushes with a slow burning, deep and dubby tech sliced open by red hot hats. -nenavist- proffers a floral counterpoint to the earlier acid, bejewelled back drops host a perfectly wonked 303 line popping off to the horizon. closing track -nikogda- rolls re-pitched kalimba/xylo styles into a ball and jacks it against the wall, hard. simplicity is a powerful tool when used correctly. lyubocha nails a warm, lo-fi techno minimalism on this debut release.

back in the day, french pianist, composer and all-round jazz superstar jean-françois quiévreux, a.k.a. jef gilson, was up there alongside the likes of peers john coltrane, oscar peterson, and sun ra. in a fitting homage to the decades worth of sublime music, and his sad passing away in 2012, french quarter palm unit have released a lively, honest tribute, upbeat and contemporary re-interpretative vision of his legacy

fresh for 2018 the ever pioneering octave one are bringing us some brand new music for the new year. using their much loved random noise generation alias the upcoming release entitled n2 the enfinate , contains a new single as well as a remake of rock my soul in the form of the reborn vocal remix . the first random noise generation release was falling in dub in 1991 and sounding just as fresh 27 years later,‘n2 the enfinate’ is due for release this march. for this single a retro energy has been explored in the title track the enfinate , running parallel to a more contemporary groove and rolling, marauding baseline. the second track on the package, rock my soul (reborn vocal remix) starts with a strong intent and a weighty bassline paving the way for precise and bright chord stabs. the single is taken from the new album endustry, a full body of work encompassing 7 full length cuts, set for release in spring. after touring and making music for decades the spirit and essential energy of the craft is what keeps them eternally inspired to keep creating and touring the globe. once it takes hold of you you cant stop even if you wanted to. say the brothers.

alex.do is best known as part of the dystopian collective, where he works alongside scene leaders such as rødhåd and recondite in pursuing a focused strain of contemporary club music loaded with emotional depth to match its functionality. this attitude comes through in spades on dusted, where do presents a selection of tracks that tap into all four corners of the night.

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.

alongside farfa and roby j, miki the dolphin kicked italy s tuscan techno movement into high-gear during the 1990 s. earning his first residency 38 years ago, the captivating sounds purveyed by miki and his compatriots would go on to influence the entire italian peninsula for the greater part of a decade. miki can still be found fusing elements of his avant-garde past with future-leaning house and techno in his dj sets today, having assembled a cult-following thanks to his sought-after mixtapes, highly-collectable releases and research into the 432hz phenomena.

originally released between 1996 and 1997, the tracks on this phonographic disk have been remastered and re edited with contemporary standards in mind for your listening pleasure and playability.
lead track, apple, incorporates live instrumentation with tough, northern italian rhythms. caterpillar glimmers and undulates across its pristine psychedelic and progressive landscape, sacre graal is a fine slice of timeless, electronic body music. one for those who know.

adesso, the new sublabel of disco segreta, is proud to open his catalogue debuting with the first gino pavan album in 40 years! -absolute- is a full-on contemporary electronic -concept album-, entirely written, composed and played by gino. eight tracks, where gino explores the multiple dimensions of the concept of the absolute, experimenting on guitars, synthesizers, electric sitar and percussions, on a 30 minutes journey into darker territories. with every sound originally crafted by gino in his studio, and a compilation of videos created as a visual companion for each track, -absolute- sheds a light upon the music he always wanted to release, revealing his erudite background as a musician/composer.

the copenhagen based label trtlnck delivers fast paced and functional techno on their fourth v/a vinyl installment. riesenfeld opens the record with ‘auto self’ and ‘white weather’, two groove heavy tracks, while resonant pole takes over the flip-side with ‘eroticism moves’, a more trancelike take on contemporary techno, followed up by modah closing the record with ‘lasue’, a suitable tool for almost any selection. all four tracks are heavily dance floor orientated and bring the sound of the copenhagen club scene on to vinyl.

eomac is back in 2018 with a brand new album. after an intentionally quiet release schedule in 2017 to focus on developing a new label and presenting a monthly show on radar radio, he returns to the album format with the 11-track reconnect. it is his third studio album proper and the first on his burgeoning eotrax imprint. continuing where bedouin trax and temple of the jaguar left off, reconnect moves even further from the contemporary dancefloor and club environment and deep into uncharted territory. drawing influence from traditional irish music, haitian voodoo drumming, the raw old-school jungle of source direct and the abstract rhythms of autechre, eomac has crafted a dense, multi-layered and polyrhythmic exploration of percussion, texture and movement.

vibraphone records continues to deepen its contemporary repertoire by inviting andrew soul into the fold with a vocal contribution from house music legend robert owens. slipping into darkness is a beautifully rendered deep house gem with expressive piano work, rubbery bass synth tones, but in some ways the minimalism of vincent floyd s remix gives owens vocals a chance to take centre stage. as you are is a crooked, broken beat exploration on the fringes of deep house, and owens voice sounds resplendent in the more experimental surroundings before nick anthony simoncino comes on board with a 90s flavoured, darkside remix of the highest order.

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.

legendary australian disco-fiend late nite tuff guy turns up the heat on the equally legendary salsoul records with 3 absolutely stellar reworks of some bonafide classics. somehow, lntg manages to tweak these old-school recordings and injects a thoroughly contemporary edge into them, making them sound brand new. featured here are 3 stone cold salsoul monsters, all respectfully handled and edited with care - first choice s uber-classic doctor love & love having you around (penned by stevie wonder & his then wife syreeta, no less!) and double exposure s anthemic everyman all go under the knife in the best possible way! beautifully mastered and featuring special black & gold salsoul label artwork this special record store day ep will undoubtedly be a collectors item! one for the disco heads right here!

three clean-cut anthems for the studio debut of gabber eleganza, an anticipated new form for the archival and performative project created by alberto guerrini in 2011. now updating the contemporary folklore with his analog grit. try not to get your attention diverted once again. and keep calm under pressure. first volume of the never sleep series. limited edition vinyl. includes dl card.

steve reich’s new album “pulse / quartet”, released on cd and digitally in february, is now available on vinyl as well (with download code included). pulse is performed by international contemporary ensemble (ice), and quartet by colin currie group.

naïf 008 opens a series of five eps that will be released around the release of the dj-mix-cd also named naif which has its release in april 2018 the first strike comes with two blinding techno tracks: running man is a contribution by the gentleman of techno steve bicknell. the other comes from the young swedish producer that goes by the name of kuf and who is part of the arsenik crew. besides that we find two compositions by phillip sollmann himself that show his abstract and experimental approach. while aliasing bells is a texture of sampled tibetan bells tag3 by his side-project autolyse is a jam on a light-sensor-controlled custom-made synth. perfect for layering on top of a mix. after more then three years of silence as a producer, efdemin aka phillip sollmann returns with a striking hybrid concept that merges the album format with the continuous dj mix format, presenting completely new material in a seamless manner. the cd-mix, named naif, officially reinstates his label of the same name and is a sprawling tour of inner space featuring 19 distinct tracks from fellow producers along with an additional ten that feature efdemin himself (either as soloist or collaborator). the release condenses his decade-long dj-ing journey and evolution as a producer into a single potent elixir of contemporary techno. naïf consists of completely unreleased material from both himself and valued collaborators, all of which will eventually manifest as ep releases: five on his own naïf label and two more on curle.

japanese guitarist kazumi watanabe has been a treasure of leftfield music in the far east since the 70s, and jazzy conscious are doing a great service in highlighting the delicate talents of this gifted artist for a new generation. there s a new age lilt to the looped up melodic chime patterns that course through -garuda- as they flirt with watanabe s effervescent playing. kuniyuki then hops on the b side to deliver a contemporary remix of the track that shapes out a brooding, immersive atmosphere populated by earthly drums and looming reverb.

babe roots are a relatively young duo from turin, italy, making a unique brand of atmospheric, techno-infused dubwise. on our radar since their splendid debut 7 inch on rohs! records in early 2016, we are very pleased to invite them into the zamzam fold with two mesmerizing and contrasting tunes. * be still* is a deeply meditative yet driving dub techno trek in classic fashion, featuring rastaman kojo neatness intoning on righteous living, working the land, guarding the tongue, and avoiding babylonian schemes and traps laid by the wicked. maternal bass and shimmering reverbs envelop a heartbeat rhythm of kick, shaker and distant snares for a timeless vibe that shows mastery of the idiom while updating it for contemporary sound systems. * rawness* is an extraordinarily deep 140 journey that opens with rich pads and swirling atmospherics, creating a psychoactive ambience that builds into a steady kick. the full riddim hits and plunges us even deeper with restrained, syncopated drums and percussion. churning bass powers us through the dense, hallucinatory fog as tendrils of electricity probe and zap, and serrated snares cut through the tape haze and studio clouds in the last third. carving out a gorgeous edge between deep dubstep and dub techno, * rawness* hits all the marks and will find a home in a huge range of sets.

detroit duo ataxia offer up their kodak moment ep via visionquest this march, accompanied by an edit from label co-founders shaun reeves and ryan crosson. eric ricker and ted krisko aka ataxia have been at the forefront of the contemporary house and techno scene for some time, racking up releases on some of the leading labels across the globe such as leftroom, nervous, culprit and play it say it, making the duo one of detroits finest exports in recent years. here we see them making their debut on visionquest, the label of fellow detroit natives ryan crosson, shaun reeves and lee curtiss. vhs leads the package with murky synth swells, resonant synth sweeps and fluttering square wave bass tones at its core as shuffled drums carry the ever-evolving hypnotic groove along. the original mix of kodak moment follows, shifting the focus over to snaking bass lines, mind-bending, modulating synth whirrs and dynamic, choppy percussion throughout. reeves & crossons edit of kodak moment then rounds out the release, stripping things back to ethereal atmospherics and shuffled drums whilst subtly stirring in the original’s hooky bass groove as the interpretation unfolds.

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.

the bielefeld based combo „system of ice“ is shaking the dancefloors with their raw and energyloaded analog live sets for a couple of years now. the more we re happy to announce an exclusive limited vinyl edition of their „drift ep“ on nulectric reords. in case of our second vinyl-project, they delivered two synthiebased dancefloor tools which can be played in various speeds and situations. „drive“ and „cream“ are both tooly synthmonsters which are suitable for up- and downtempo purposes. greyscale supports them with an even more clubdriven techno remix as her very first release. while she went forward, tension closes the ep with a contemporary reduced and broken dub edit of „drive“.

the product of a songwriting duo in the rich tradition of tiga/hulkkonen and tiga/mccartney, stay cool marks a return of sorts to the classic tiga sound, which is now the modern tiga & clarian sound. the kinda-underground acid techno grooves and magnanimously biting lyrics paint a picture so contemporary it threatens to make you live in the moment for the rest of your life. what began organically with clarian contributing material and production to tigas 2016 no fantasy required lp has evolved into a contractually-mandated partnership. having already worked with the likes of jamie principle, felix da housecat and guy gerber, the montreal-born musician is no stranger to the hot collab, but was still taken aback by the rigorously enforced freedom he enjoyed during the stay cool sessions. tiga will be the first to tell you he has no ego in the studio, and in my experience that is the absolute truth, says clarian. every idea i have, every part i write, we split the credit right down the middle.

jonny whites art department returns this march with his first solo ep in nearly 3 years, the first of a string of releases planned for 2018. the record features three inventive new tracks, including one produced in association with new york house pioneer toddy terry and vocalist roland clark. in no uncertain terms, this package re-asserts art department as one of contemporary house musics most essential voices.

exit safe mode, a project by the visionary margus lo&#776,,,vve, establishing himself in estonian technoid music, has converged its sonic baggage into the newly released debut album immerse. the spheres created and recorded during 2008-2017 are travelling in ambient landscapes, while deserving to be called genuine contemporary music for its clarity of thought and musical focus. these eight themes are reminiscent of the dubstep-ish flows of lo&#776,,,vves earlier projects l-ow and 1derl& that are giving way to more idiosyncratic lines. the depth of sound manipulations allows one to discover tones of life in the synthetic analog worlds and provides a body-forsaking sideview to the interpretations of stringed instruments. the created sonorous state of immerse serves as an introduction to more rhythmic future affairs of exit safe mode

at the tail-end of 2017, xl recordings reissued jonny ls seminal d&b album sawtooth on vinyl for the first time. a move that further cemented the records game-changer status, dj mag hailed the record as being still the future, while resident advisor said 20 years later, sawtooth still sounds like an outlier. so after showcasing this 20-year-old classic, xl recordings are today releasing a 12inch containing remixes of the most iconic track from the lp, piper. with efforts from peverelist, overmono, powell and zomby, these remixes go some way towards showing the influence jonny ls music still has on a wide range of contemporary electronic artists.

after their stunning debut on art, electro purveyors london modular alliance return as they keep up their unstoppable momentum on the contemporary electronic scene. with a slew of high profile live shows behind and in front of them - lma go from strength to strength as evidenced by this 5 track ep spanning deep, emotive ambience all the way to heavy wobble electro bass. unmissable!!