you can forgive a band who set out to create something even just a little bit different and get it horrendously wrong, but its tough to have sympathy for a band who shy away from the challenge altogether. such was the case with autokratz on their first album, animal, which, apart from a passable opening track, consisted of a series of bland electronic pastiches Ð dance music that conversely made the listener want to sit and wait it out. that didnt stop the hype building around the duo, though, thanks in no small part to the fact that the album was released through in-vogue french label kitsunŽ music. the confusing positivity surrounding the lp suggesting, perhaps, that style overcomes substance once a record company has received the hipster seal of approval.this time around, however, kitsune has stepped aside, with autokratz releasing the follow-up on their own label, bad life. but has the sense of responsibility that surely comes with this step made them re-evaluate their direction? has it inspired them to inject a much-needed shot of creativity into their work? not a hope. if anything, autokratz descend even further into mediocrity on self help for beginners. once again, their best tunes are loaded towards the front of the album, starting with the lead single, -opposite of love. its far from outstanding, helped in no small part by the terribly contrived lyrics, but does possess a catchy synth melody Ð enough to earn it a place on club playlists, at least. its a similar story with -becoming the wraith, which has peter hook on hand to deliver an overtly new order-esque bassline. beyond that, however, the quality dips dramatically. tracks like -the seventh seal and -r.i.s.e. are typical of the selection on offer, underwhelmingly vapid, derivative tunes which show up a disappointing, but not totally unexpected, scarcity of guile on the part of their creators.where autokratz do excel is as producers Ð a quality evident not only in their own work, but also in their remixes for other artists. unfortunately, this only serves to exacerbate their deficiencies on the other side of the control room desk. ultimately it may mean that, having failed to address the shortcomings of their debut, autokratz will be fated to be filed under -also rans in the annals of music history. thats assuming, of course, that someone out there will actually remember them at all.

the ever on point citrus recordings is stepping up for its 5th artist lp. after having released the debut albums of mindscape & jade wich all went on for critical acclaim its time for citrus to get ready for its 3rd artist album. this time its time for the debut album of fourward! hailing straight from lower austria the four men collective fourward started out producing music in early 2007. the boys knew each other for quite a while and shared the love and passion for drumandbass music. for them it was always a main issue not to stick to any particular tiny subgenre only, but to develop a sound of their own. all members have different musical backgrounds which fit together perfectly and provide a great studio vibe. days went by and the boys finished a couple of tunes properly and it wasnt long until austrian drumandbass producer duo body&soul showed interest in their works. also international artists like bbcs very own crissy criss began to support their music giving them airplay on his radio show. as a result of their effort fourward has released quality tunes on labels like subsonik sound, planet funk and fokuz. the year 2010 they experienced the so called breakthrough with releases on nasca recordings and fokuz followed by an epic 12inch for the legendary label virus recordings! the guys definitely didnt stop there and being on the road now broadened their horizon even further. resulting in a series of tunes perfectly fitting together in this cd. diversity and musicallity are keywords for this album. listen from low blow to you and me, quality drum n bass!!

dave.i.d likes to think for himself. always has done. its the reason why his debut album didnt go quite according to his initial plan. he was going to make, to use his own words, >something pretty simple and straightforward<. but then he noticed lots of his friends were discovering new beliefs. some even tried to convert him. >im very open-minded to different beliefs, but i question and see things slightly differently,< he says. without necessarily wanting to, he found himself reflecting on existential questions. >the album is a record of the time that it was made, and thats what was going on in my life at the time. i didnt necessarily want to make the debut album like that. i felt i had to make it<. the cerebral inspiration catapulted him into musics outer rim. he beamed back a dark, dense sometimes confrontational sound, but ultimately compelling sound. but, in the end, it turned out to be a happy accident because the resulting record, called >response< appropriately enough, is mind-bendingly inventive, brilliantly off-kilter and constantly surprising. crucially, the tough sonics are paired with killer melodies: this is deep, heavy music you can hum. the records he was listening to while making >response< help make sense of his singular sound

the beginning of a new era. founded in 2005 by thomas wendel aka don williams the beloved seminal imprint with cult status mojuba is facing the next level with the debut album kawasaki by stereociti from tokyo. when in 2005 the first sounds of mojuba were introduced to the world, people quickly realized that there is something very special going on different to the usual house or techno business É it was something more emotional, more personal, somewhat more deeply rooted! stereociti aka ken sumitani is truly one of japans finest when it comes to uncompromising underground dance music with heart & soul, whether it is the realm of deep house music or the darker moods of detroit techno. you can actually feel that his roots go far back into the early days of electronic club music but never lose sight of the history of soul, funk or dub. his debut kawasaki, named after his hometown, is delivering the quintessence of what is considered as the mojuba sound. being capable of such a musical sense, it was no wonder that the other mojuba family members nick solŽ, sven weisemann and oracy welcomed stereociti very warm. so if you are new to the world of mojuba, please tune in and enjoy the journey! kawasaki is a timeless piece of music, equipped with everything you need for an outstanding album experience. it will take you by the hand from the very first moments and will be there for you second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day until you let it go

in june 2011 dj phono will release his first album on hamburgÕs record label diynamic. Òwelcome to wherever youÕre notÓ is a work of heart, of emotions of awakened, flourishing, and unrequited feelings. itÕs something of a kind that could neither be accomplished within a nights work nor even in a cycle of nights, but only in good time. dj phono and his producer jimi siebels (a different jimi / egoexpress / its records) allowed themselves to take this time, two years, to be precise

each summer, a new raft of dance compilations stake claim to represent the real ibiza. but, if anyone deserves that that accolade, it is josŽ padilla, who first arrived on the white island in 1975 and who has been djling there ever since. for jose it has been always great to experience different music and play around the colours. as jose days if it was grey, id play one way, if it was very bright, id play happy. id play with the mood. those sunsets have become legendary Ð an essential part of the ibiza experience, climaxing in warm applause as the sun finally disappears beneath the waves, and those famous mix tapes evolved into the much-loved cafŽ del mar compilation albums, conceived and compiled by josŽ padilla, which have now sold over 5 million copies around the world.

the glitz have made people smile more than just one time during the last years. who has seen them knows that this is their life - their passion. so it was just a question of time they would honor us with their first long player. because of many releases at ideal, material-series, voltage-musique and pocketgame it is no surprise that this is no common album. the glitz are always different, always peculiar. fabulous remixes by daniel steinberg, nick curly, mihalis safras, kombinat100 and many others on this particular album collection prove this the truth. hugh and small glitz-hits were pimped with reinterpretations. blake baxter delights with a chicago-like smasher and tiny cheerful dub-melodies by soultek alternate with nic fanciulli s technoid grooves. on remixed you find various facets of club music by the glitz. a varied journey through the dance floors of this world. and the voyage has started just now

after experimenting through different electronic dance genres and releasing material in several record labels worldwide, chris nemmo (a.k.a christos panagiotopoulos) presents his second personal album, this time creating a nu-disco/funk amalgamation. the album consists of several different aspects of the scene, employing dirty funky basslines, reminiscent vintage melodies and atmospheric vocals in an effort to simulate a warm analog perception of the disco groove and aesthetics. >the nautilus project< features 12 unreleased tracks of cosmic house, nu disco, funk and pop. once more the production quality is massive, providing great musical soundscapes beautiful for the head and feet as well as plenty of solid grooves to offer djs, and enough personality to make for a completely satisfying home listen.

and now for something completly different... editions mego is suitably chuffed announce a cd reissue of bill orcutts acoustic hardcore blues stormer >a new way to pay old debts<, previously released on palilalia in 2009. for many, one of the highlights of recent years with its unique visionary take of solo guitar playing....

an album of classics. but not as you know them. hands on armada is something different. something refreshingly new and creative, as it points out the art of remixing. and not just that. it also points out the expertise of german mastermind alex m.o.r.p.h..

when it comes to being a man of many talents there are few to equal richard norris. dj, producer, musician, audiovisual artist, a&r man, author and journalist, his is a career of many twists and turns which have always seen him at the forefront of pushing new ideas forward and championing diversity and innovation. as 2010 closes richard is focusing most of his energy based around three projects: beyond the wizards sleeve, the grid and the time and space machine

osunlade is an artist who personifies art. his music as well as his being creates unified melodies manifested with balance, life and wisdom. in 1999 he founded yoruba. recognised as one of the most important dance labels worldwide. in 2001 he released his debut artist album >paradigm< on soul jazz Ð one of the biggest house albums that year. in 2007 he released elements beyond on seminal house label strictly rhythm. he has remixed a broad array of artists including zero 7, jazzy jeff, incognito, 4 hero and maw amongst others. here osunlades finest moments as a respected producer and distinguished remixer are brought together in one dj friendly unmixed package. cd1 begins with arguably osunlade s most well known production, erro s glorious soulful anthem don t change before taking on many of his most respected house productions from many of his different alias , including the likes of nadirah shakoor, atelewo and kb. cd2 is a collection of osunlade s greatest remixers, from the genre busting mix of ben westbeech s so good today , soul central s time after time reel people s in the sun and and jazztronik s dentro mi alma .if anyone were truly deserved the title of house master, it is beyond doubt that osunlade is worthy

mark mcguire operates chiefly as guitarist in the legendary emeralds. however he also has racked up an impressive set of solo releases over the last few years (albeit mainly in small to micro print runs). living with yourself is his new album and we at editions mego hope to meet any demand which may arise from this fine selection of modern crafted guitar tunes. focusing on his family, early friendships and the problems that inevitably develop through years of knowing someone, it takes mcguires sound even further out, and contains some his most accomplished songs to date. the opening track is fine example of mcguires magic technique of taking a lone acoustic guitar then transforming the track into bliss-out electro wash looping off into the distance. and tracks like clouds rolling in and brain storm take off where such mcguire classics as the marfa lights (which incidentally is planned for a future reissue) left off. while connoisseurs of his sound will find all they desire in here, many superb surprises await around every corner. these are songs that cruise, bubble and rise to the top.

arne weinberg aka onmutu mechanicks pres. his first album on echocord. being known for producing deep melodic techno, arnes alias onmutu mechanicks serves as a project for all things abstract and dub-influenced. >nocturne< combines dubtechno and the deep melodic techno that arne is known for. the result is a slightly different take on the genre, ranging from ambientesque soundscapes to dark reverberated and delayed sonic dancefloor affairs and rhythmical experiments in dub. >nocturne< is a statement of pure deepness.

kode9s grasp on the throat of bass music in 2010 is almost unparalleled. his trend setting record label, hyperdub, is in its sixth year of viral contagion, hes become a published author on the theory of sound abuse and sonic frequencies being used as weaponry in his book >sonic warfare< and his production work has mutated from an almost simplistic marriage of beats and sine waves into a fusion of dancefloor ebonics and discordant synths!

already my favorite jazz album of 2010 jose james - perpetual shows a different side to gideon van gelder, the pianist we already know from tracks like touch on brownswoods soul jazz conjurer jose james lp black magic, and championed by the likes of gilles peterson.

we are proud to present >into the great wide yonder<, the second album of anders trentemoeller and the follow up of the highly succesful >the last resort< (2006). just like his debut, which struck a chord with new audiences all around the world, >into the great wide yonder< is a truly remarkable album, offering as much depth and soul as its predecessor, yet sounding ultimately fresh and different.

the album was one of the first to reach a far different audience to the traditional >world music< market and spawned many further projects and labels in its wake. a year later, the >nigeria 70< compilation surfaced on strut and labels like soundway and analog africa would continue to unearth amazing lost gems from the motherland. the album is testament to the determined work of brooker following several research trips, especially to east africa - kenya and zaire!

like hardly any other contemporary dj, catherine britton aka cassy is living at the interfaces between reduction and soul, jazzy deep house and geometrically structured techno. and it comes as no surprise, because being the english-born daughter of a caribbean father and an austrian mother, cassy started at a very early age to develop a sense for artistic aesthetics that draws its special magic from the >in-between< especially. being resident in berlin since 2003, she quickly gained a residence at the panorama bar, worked as a producer with such renowned musicians like ricardo villalobos, luciano, mathew jonson or swayzak and releases her music on labels such as perlon, ostgutton as well as on her own imprint cassy. simply devotion, cassys 2nd mix cd after the highly acclaimed panorama bar 01 compilation is a proof of her love for deep house of a different kind, which has - despite occasional flashes of souly vocals - nothing to do with garage house and handbag factor

2xcd package in gloss double cd sleeve. grab yourself a slice of dnb history. critical sound is the new album from critical music. a album that showcases the diversity and quality of the label. featuring the best of the scenes most exciting producers, both new and established. the album is lovingly packaged in gatefold vinyl and cd formats and is strictly limited to 1000 copies. grab yourself a slice of dnb history. critical music is a uk drum n bass label releasing some of the freshest breaks and beats around. created and nurtured by kasra, the imprint has gone from strength to strength over recent years. 2009 has seen this continuing with massive releases such as the break remix of spectrasouls alibi and sabres glorious original sin. following on from the huge all sounds electric series we bring a new concept. 8 tracks from the hottest producers in drum and bass right now housed in a deluxe gatefold package and a double cd, again in deluxe packaging featuring the 8 tracks from the vinyl on one disc and 11 brand new tracks on the second disc. each track on this album encapsulates all that is great and good about underground drum and bass. from the blissful beat workout of breaks people are different to the blistering tech infused funk of spectrasouls wedgehead. a storming selection of the cream of todays scene. the cd package combines the vinyl tracks with a whole extra disc of fresh material. dubstep champ ramadanman comes with his own brand of stripped down dnb, russian new kid enei brings the future flavour and we are privy to the first ever solo production from label boss kasra with his own track perception. this is the critical sound.

this album finds an alternative, conveying a global positive mood and dancefloor energy. it is an experiment that combines organic sounds with electronic music and features many brazilian jazz and samba musicians, such as the 60 years-old samba-rock legend marku ribas on the track cosmic man, and the wellrespected trombone player bocato, in an unexpected samba-jazz version of pontape. techno producer and long-lasting friend technasia also collaborated closely with renato at the different stages of the production of the album, including mixing and mastering.

martyn needs no introduction and his p-funk inspired melody and bassline provide another entirely fresh take on the deliciously broken rhythms we have come to love from him. we thought it only fitting that we should try and get a different take on lee jones’s ‘aria’ for the project, as it has been the most in demand single from the first 20 releases on aus.

this is a 4 cd collection of different artists that played at the 2nd c.sides festival for independent electronic music and critical media art in jerusalem, a location that raises immediate questions, concerns and complexities. get an impression of innovative music and art with wider perspectives and contexts regarding cluture and society.

alexander robotnick presents different versions and remixes of problems d amour.

13 fresh highlights plus passionate clubmixes from the compost heap.nearly all previously unreleased on cd.incl. 7 unreleased tracks mixed by robag whrume,carl craig and moodyman.

the sender-owner christopher bleckmann and hannes werner are still rockin with their new album >nd4<. the tracks are simply named by different places in their hometown, cologne. but everything but simply is the contents: very special minimalistic sound paired with rocking beats and basslines! masterpiece!