as weekend circuit approach their 20th release, argentinian duo yyyy return for their second full length ep on the label to celebrate this benchmark. the yyyy modus operandi is already familiar to the initiated - expressive, raw techno experimentalism from the outer reaches. carry this blood is a collection of 4 moods and sounds, carved out with emotion soaked ambience, synapse flaring distortion and machine fracturing rhythms. repent , as the title suggests, takes no prisoners, leaving no survivors in it s wake, it is a glimpse into a tear in the time-space continuum where chaos rules. hands towards the giver is epic, glacial, spacial widescreen techno. dramatic and urgent, the soundtrack to a doomed planet collapsing from within. carry this blood bestows an eerie, cold feeling. an atmosphere of regret and loss hangs over it like a thick fog on a hillside, punctuated only by a heartbeat mimicking kick drum offering a human touch. of thrones and comfort snaps us out of the haze, the fog clears and we are faced with the frenzied electronics and thundering kick drum of this most sinister of tracks.

go! finger returns to the vinyl grooves again! and this time showing a more dramatic and darkest side. holland s underground legends das ding and dj overdose, join forces, for the first time, to deliver am/pm. a puzzling split release composed of two pairs of gloomy, sinister and hard to classify gems of the finest west coast electro. absolutely remarkable. a delightful and state of the art chiaoscuro of todays freshest dark electronics

drums of passion was the first album released by babatunde olatunji (1927-2003) in 1960. olatunji was a drummer, social activist and musician, born in ajindo, nigeria. in this album he has recaptured some of his early impressions in his drum beats and giving them new zest. the african drum rhythms are not only musical melodies and songs but also ways of communication. for instance, the first track -akiwowo- was the name of a train conductor who shouted his humorous cry against the fading rhythm of the freight train. -baba jinde- is a dance play and the title track -gin-go-lo-ba- was sampled by many contemporary artists (santana and fatboy slim amongst others) and covered in 1979 by latin jazz/percussionist candido for his disco chart smash -jingo-. drums of passion is mainly a danceable album and often cited as one of the first african albums recorded in (then called) stereophonic sound in the united states in 1960. pressing on 180 gram audiophile vinyl.

ed herbst made his mark by delivering some quality tracks for the past years. now he’s stepping up the game with his very first solo ep entitled interplay

lp theres been an air of hypnagogic mystery surrounding acid tests sublabel avenue 66 from the start. joey andersons oblique, prince-inspired incantation above the cherry moon set the tone for a label thats sound that has found beauty in the furthest recesses of the dance floor, in the murkiest decay of kick drums and rave stabs. fitting then, that the first album on the imprint comes from trux, an artist who has chosen to reveal nearly nothing about themselves. following a cult classic mini-lp for office recordings, orbiter bears out the anonymous producer as a master of liminal, conceptual dance music. orbiters ten tracks have a vaporous, shape-shifting quality, threatening to topple over into full-on kick drum bliss or vanish into ambience. opener, with it, moves from heady ambient rush to skeletal piano, while blinko and roys garage spell out a hazy memoriam for the uk continuum. forlorn pianos ring out amongst the field recordings, excitable toms and jungle bass all softened in the enveloping gauze. orbiter positions trux as an unknown auteur who puts evocative world of tone and echo into dizzying motion, content to watch from the wings. track list with it orbiter blinko roys garage third glow in my world my row odd u agoma

intergraded is a new label started by midland to focus on releasing music by new artists, whether unknown, emerging or established but working under a new name. the first release sees body in the thames, peach, jay and webstarr help inaugurate the label. the idea for the label came about after being sent unreleased music and ideas by a number of artists over the last year. as i plan to focus graded on my own midland solo work for the foreseeable future, and with regraded occupying a different aesthetic plane altogether, the logical step was to start a new label that could help introduce this music to a wider audience. harry agius aka midland

strap yourselves in as post pluto takes flight with french duo, rbdp, on their fresh self-titled ep. the record features four tracks of high altitude cruisers, soaring through the elements of acid, deep house, breaks and dubbed out synths. we depart the troposphere with -acid r-, a mellow and low-end fusion of dubby textures and acidic lines. -like dat- follows, with moody pads, percussive grooves and celestial tones. on the flip, -st san- takes the record into an acidic journey of 303 sequences and saturated 707 drum patterns, with a sublime zero-gravity remix by red ember records bossman ewan jansen.

the first single taken from the forthcoming 3rd album by lay-far! never good enough for you is a deeply intimate and emotionally charged love message, written in collaboration with the acclaimed singer and songwriter stee downes. rough and edgy but equally soulful beat, showcasing heavy influences from hip-hop, broken beat and house, forms a perfect foundation for the heart-felt story of emotional struggle and break-up, delivered by stee downes! autobiographical song for both the songwriter and the producer. the single comes packaged with an instrumental version and a remix. the latter is a slightly more straightforward and politically-correct vision of the song, also produced by lay-far, using roland tr-707 drum machine instead of the gritty chopped drum breaks of the original. last but not least comes the bonus track -blow my mind bottom-heavy banger on the edge of funky breakbeats, bruk and classic electro a 2018 modern fusion ode to b-boying and breaking boundaries! watch out for the second single and the full-length album war is over, coming out later this year!

for 19 years fokuz recordings has been an unbending pillar for quality, soulful drum and bass. it has provided an outlet for some of the scenes most prominent names a home for their music and continues to foster the growth of the next generation of producers. from the elite class of calibre, ai, zero t, and lenzman, to the new school sounds of satl, kasper, macca, and bert h, the soul derivatives lp blends names and generations together creating a magnificent musical showcase. if good music is timeless, then the soul derivatives lp confirms that there is no end in sight for this illustrious dutch label. the soul derivatives lp - fokuz092 - is available in vinyl, cd and digital in march 2018.

when it comes to dedication to drum and bass, industry heavyweight audio is just about as committed as it gets. from his long-standing reign in the scene to his drum and bass tattooed knuckles, audio has always been held in high regard in the genre - and for good reason. now returning to blackout for his new ep, audio gives us a taste of the rat race as he brings us one of his most hard-hitting works yet.
hailing from the uk, audio has immersed himself in the world of drum and bass for the past 15 years, releasing four albums, racking up countless 12 inches and gracing the very best labels in the business (virus, blackout, ram records). his production is clean, sharp, powerful and every bit as impressive as the producer’s own passion when it comes to going the extra mile.
the rat race ep is a slice of explosive, unadulterated drum and bass that packs a punch. in other words, it’s exactly what you can expect when two powerhouses such as blackout and audio re-align.

pmr va002 is the 6th vinyl printed by péché mignon records. as it’s predecessor, the first various artists, the four tracks incorporating the ep are produced by pmr producers and guests. easy morph and wlderz have renewed their involvement on this second edition of péché mignon’s various artist series and have been joined by two new guests : the young producer soul edifice, member of «acid avengers» and founder of the musical group «vernacular orchestra» and a guest star, madben, major member of astropolis and co founder of the duet «trunkline».

these things take time keep it close to home on their 3rd release to wax. the split ep with b. hayes and the enigmatic dj dre debuting what the flora sound truly means.
a1 leaves no further introduction with dance floor stomper with abnormal percussion that keeps it outside the box. following in the shared a side comes b. hayes’s wax debut with ‘inside the outside’ delivering wavey synth line splashing over a relentless electro pattern leaving just enough room for the bright, refreshing female vocal. dre’s ‘215’ kicks off the flip keeping the determined drum vibe present around smooth glittery 808 patterns.
‘flora’ closes out the ep with deep hearty kick blending truthfully under a kinky nonstop bassline moving through each threshold. true to tha philly sound, true to tha flora sound.

after a successful release with church recordings at the start of the year ben hauke returns to his label woop records for a five track ep , first takes. first takes ep combines the sounds of broken beat and house music with a strong nod to 90s hip hop throughout. ben is cementing his own sound and approach to music through his eclectic sampling of jazz records detailed drum sequencing and no nonsense attitude

paal is passionate about hardware - analog drum machines, synths and pedals are tracked through a mixing desk, raw and unedited. imperfections intrinsic to this process are essential to him and give his sound a unique character - warm, organic and, at times, lo-fi and grainy. this can be heard throughout the ep. the voi 011 also marks a shift in cover artwork as voitax departs from the utilitarian, hand-stamped labels of the first releases - german photographer nina roders, has conceptualised a series of her unique photographs for the forthcoming ten-part ep series.

trudge embarks on the tenth expedition into the exotic lands of palm trees and blue skies with the infectiously moody negative spaces ep.
expedition ten features four jams packed of broken drum sequences, dreamy pads and scorching acid basslines.

congratulations to brian “javonntte” garrett, who this year celebrates two decades releasing mind-expanding deep house gold. his first 12&#8243, of 2018 sees him pop up on people of earth, a label that has previously delivered eps from such scene stalwarts as rick wade, patrice scott and kai alce. fittingly, garrett is in a nostalgic mood on opener “way back-, where his deep, dreamy and soul-flecked deep house groove is accompanied by a spoken word vocal reminiscing about the mid 1990s. elsewhere, “zodiac” wraps starbust motifs around a chunky, bass-heavy groove, “house joint” is a bumpin’ box jam rich in sturdy drum machine hits and swirling chords, and “boom house” is a slightly tougher workout that boasts beats worthy of derrick carter or dj sneak.

* hydro returns to commercial suicide with some of his best work after a long stint in the world of professional wrestling. following his departure from wwf, hydro teamed up with fellow heavyweight war for a season of the popular television show gladiators before finally closing the book on their muscle bound dreams and turning their collective hand to deep and techy drum & bass. * collectively hydro and his best mate war have released on labels as diverse as warm communications, critical, symmetry, cia, dispatch, horizons as well as commercial suicide of course. * watch out for the forthcoming hydro album on utopia in 2018. * cained on plate by the best.

modern boogie funk with a classic sound! two songs, two producers, one artist and one legendary rhythm guitarist, this record is clearly inspired by the synthesizer funk of 1983 with a dance floor focus. fueled by a driving bass groove and swinging drum line, body heat delivers a smooth, dance friendly vibe with warm tones and sexy vocals. midnight lover brings a raw sound with an upfront drum groove, fat synth bass line and features expert rhythm guitars by spence, known for his 1983 classic get it on.

massive floatin drum& bass

i cant love you anymore is the first single by hard working soul performer carlton jumel smith recorded with cold diamond & mink, and the man has revealed his middle name just for the occasion. otherwise known simply as carlton j. smith, theres no doubt he has swallowed a large pill of soul since seeing james brown live at the apollo theatre as an 8-year old. smiths timmion debut single sinks him into drum heavy southern flavored deep soul, a style that comes out of him naturally as water from a mountain spring. backing him up on the falsetto parts is pratt, who recently turned some heads with his pratt & moody release lost lost lost on stylart records, and together the two basically nail it. when looking for artists, who just seem to move through time effortlessly with a steady air of confidence, passion and precision, one might pick up the phone and give cjs a call. even though his discography of couple of late 2000s albums and some guest spots in early 90s soulful house 12inches is a bit mysterious, there seems to be not one bit of difficulty to his craft or personality. as a recording artist, i cant love you anymore is a new opening into raw soul territory, and it is just what the world needs today. he laid down an album worth of tracks on his last helsinki visit, and this might be something to look forward to.

phantasm is a new vinyl label and collaboration between amsterdam s sinchi collective and the much-admired night noise outlet, based in geneva. it kicks off with a strong ep from the soviet union aka richard baldwin, including classy remixes from sinchi themselves and in flagranti. baldwin has a signature style that is cinematic and synth heavy and has been formed over the last decade plus. a fine dj, experienced promoter and self-confessed addict of vintage analogue synthesizers and drum machines, richard pulls his influences from early electronica, 80s film-scores, and shades of techno right up to the present day. this track was first written on a cold evening in december 2010 using a roland tr707 and jx8p synth. after collaborating with his songwriting partner the track was given a haunting vocal and released as the disappearance of becky sharp , while the original remained on baldwin s soundcloud and got id requests from all over the world. 7 years later it comes back to life in the form of its original instrumental, with a 2017 rework, plus remixes by sinchi and in flagranti.

lillygood party! is returning with the 3rd instalment of their officially licenced re-edits.
both tracks here are classics dancefloors tunes , nothing rare, just favourite tunes that alex and stéphane played for many years.
on the a side the two tons version is much longer than the original, and remastered for a full effect on the dancefloor. we love this tune so much, we played it a lot already and its still rocking so we thought we share it with you on a fat 12inch for more disco soul gospel pleasure.
the b side is an amazing track from seawind that everybody who is into jazz funk or latin jazz with vocals will dig it. this version is different than the original, we kept only the more dancefloor friendly parts and we extended the beginning and end of the track with only drum rhythmic reprogrammed for mixing easily in your sets with other tunes. please enjoy as much as we do because we love those edits, we love those tunes, we love music we are very happy with this release because its really really good!

mondo groove celebrates italo-disco in fine style delighting us with the most important tunes from the legendary phantom records a ride deep into the world of the label that has not only produced renowned music, but has been acknowledged as a serious influence on modern disco sounds. emerging in the late 70s to early 80s, italo bridged the gap between disco and house, and was a staple of seminal chicago djs like frankie knuckles (who pioneered many of the drum machines and synths that are still in use today). i-robots, a true connoisseur of the genre, hailing from the piedmont area of italy, curated and carefully selected the tracks on this compilation. this eleven track collection features originals and rarities, officially repressed here for the first time, and 2 tracks re-edited by i-robots. the lp comes with the original phantom records logo on the front, scans of original 7-inch and lps covers, as well as photos of the era on the back.

dead man s chest aka alex eveson makes his debut appearance on myor massiv sublabel diamond life alongside head honcho coco bryce. dancehalls seem to be the common denominator on this 12”. and where mr eveson prefers to drop a tab of acid, coco opts for a helping of mandy to work his way through the night. both sides find the respective producers operating at the 160 bpm mark, wading through a hazy mist of sounds reminiscent of clandestine warehouse raves. but whereas dmc utilizes a fairly straightforward, 93 style hardcore drum loop in combination with acidic undertones and atmospherics which clearly reveal his love for the “golden era” of mo wax trip hop, señor bryce s jam is a far more hectic sounding affair, layering a chopped and re-edited apache on top of an already-frantic, percussion- laden break beat, adding even more to the rushy feeling induced by the nervous pads and rave stabs. quality, yet slightly off-kilter hardcore junglist exercises.

new zealand s most prolific j-tek enthusiast dan silk aka worldwide epidemic returns to the myor camp, this time for a solo release on the diamond life sublabel. on “aroha” he finds himself exploring territory slightly removed from his usual 4x4 jungle techno habitat. extended pads, techy synth stabs, sugar coated diva vocals and spot of amen choppage courtesy of label boss coco bryce make for a top notch 7 minute atmospheric d&b junglist excursion. “enterprise” offers everything one might have come to expect from mr. silk: his signature offbeat break programming layered with a 4x4 kick drum, instantly recognizable synth melodies and a healthy dose of pads. hardcore in its most gentle form.

check floorfriendly b1: petre inspirescu remix (aripar, amphia... ),
next up on francis harriss newly-founded record label kingdoms comes something very special from brooklyn-based film composer, songwriter, producer and performer leah lazonick. movimenti della luna doro (movements of the moon of gold translated from italian) is a four-track ep from one of the most exciting musicians and performers around - a beautiful quartet of contemporary classical music with a twist. lazonick is something of a polymath, having composed and conducted orchestral and electronic scores for short films and commercials as well as being a classically-trained pianist. lazonick is also a connoisseur of analog synths and vintage drum machines, and will release a second ep focussing on these passions during the course of 2018. here we are treated to three luscious works for piano and string quartet, written for a one-off performance at studio off interarts, an art gallery in montreal. the piece was performed in a forest-like immersive environment, and was originally called in a forest (a piece in three movements). lazonick performed the piano parts along with a string quartet she had assembled for the performance/recording. lazonick explains: as opposed to most of the other songs/compositions i have written, i have no concrete sentimental story behind writing this piece. the motivation, inspiration and overall idea behind composing it was of a more technical nature, attempting to relay the music in my head at its purest form, without any compromises, by primarily making use of melodic and harmonic dissonances whilst still keeping the content captivating, musical and continuous.

piff records continues to unravel its catalogue by calling on an artist slightly closer to home. cardiff-based harrison bdp adds to his already prolific discography with an ep that spans from mellow dub techno vibrations, all the way up to wide-open, rave-driven acid riffs.
harrison’s a-side revels in a deep pool of soft bubbling synth chords, moulded to the backdrop of tight rolling drum work and occasionally teasing the wider, heavier energies to be found on the flip.
the b side ripples with ricocheting, delay-laden soundscapes, rock-solid drums lines, and nostalgic lead synth lines that make you glad that you’ve caught on to this talented producer early on in his promising career.

rrose and lucy need little introduction as heads of eaux and stroboscopic artefacts (respectively), their influence on the direction of techno in the last five years is undeniable. rather than crafting a style to be imitated, they pursue an approach that welcomes unpredictable results, with the intention of stimulating uncharted areas of the mind through sound and rhythm. the first lotus eaters collaboration appeared on stroboscopic artefacts in 2016. for their follow up on eaux, the pair go deeper into lucy s analog modular forest, searching for those essential elements that will yield alchemical results. inner membrane undulates with ring modulated tones that stretch like liquid metal, patiently building up dancefloor energy with only the barest of percussive elements. on the b side, inverted limb takes a similarly minimal approach, utilizing two tones, a bass drum, and hi-hats to maximum effect. the ep closes with seeds of discontent a swirl of feedback and noise that is both soothing and unsettling, leaving us wondering what will come next

luciano e valerio, giacomo e michele: odeon are the union of two couples of roman brothers who are not easily defined. take the mellow melodies of talk talk and the celestial guitar riffs of cocteau twins bound together with some heavy goblin-inspired bassline and youll be close to picturing odeons signature sound. drawing from ‘70 italian b-movies soundtracks, psychedelic rock and early 80s new wave, and combining analog synths, dreamy guitars, melancholy vocoder and drum machine-driven percussion, odeon put together a debut album that sounds fresh and classic at the same time. ethereal and mesmerizing, galaxies is the perfect soundtrack for a sonic journey through dying stars and forbidden planets.

waxwing pops up on re-fix with a crafty, chopped up soulful house approach that will sit right with fans of max graef and felix lenferink. -can you- is a summery jam with plenty of sliced and diced vocals and romantic sweeps of melody, while -longfunk- gets a cheeky shuffle in the mix with splashy drum hits and nifty rhodes stabs to get bodies popping uncontrollably. -do it for em- gets even twitchier in the edit, using all kinds of heavily funked up samples to create a killer groove. -stand it- takes a more classic new jersey approach without losing that instinct for crafty twirls and curls to spice the mix up.

the title track empty dancefloor combines a thumping kick drum, stuttering hats and mesmeric chords, a combination that prove to be the perfect backing track to a captivating synth solo. its extremely difficult not to find yourself lost in this enchanting track. fracture- is a track where skygaze really showcases his ability to combine broken beat, complex drum patterns with bewitching chords, magical marimbas and a curious bassline. it is a track that really keeps you guessing throughout and one that can really add variety to any dj set.

after the widespread acclaim for shoulders back and july v, leif fires up his 10 inch tio series with another pair of dazzling, future minded cuts for the more inquisitive dancefloor. increasingly he s been moving away from house and techno conventions towards intriguing broken beat variations, and that s apparent in abundance on this new release. bluebird rides on a set of tough but dynamic drum ripples, but the stand-out element is the gorgeous twinkling arpeggio that pirouettes over the top of the beat. number 13 meanwhile takes a moodier, dubbier approach without losing that deft programming, harmonic warmth and crafty rhythmic interplay that has become leifs calling card in recent times.

just like his secrets ep of last year, this latest instalment in detbois catalogue, entitled ‘ice cold, merges elements of drum and bass, jungle, bass music, techno and more in exquisite fashion, quite simply like nobody else has done before. the 3 track ep consists of pure breakbeat pleasure, with ‘blood drops leading the charge, a classy piece that elegantly rolls and seamlessly interchanges through various phases. its without doubt some of detbois most distinguished work yet, and were delighted that its opening the metalheadz account for 2018.

the next chapter in shaw cuts comes from russian duo poima, who celebrate their debut record twin blades of doom – a fierce revenge mission and hunt after the infamous ghost gang. the pursuit opens with triglau , its linear machine groove levelling a fraction of the ghost gang. heads roll on a crimson floor. teaming up with mysterious masked warrior inland, triglau morphs into a hypnotic trip. pushing drum rhythms and swirling pads combine with nasty noise elements, propelling the hunt. the remaining enemy members are already hatching their next evil move. on the way to lu he village where the ghost gang plans its next assault, analogue break-beat punches and swinging percussions weave a menacing tapestry of sound, crushing the bones of rogue creatures in its path. serbian slayer regen arrives in force for the final showdown at qi dou town where the ghost gang plans a huge heist. armed with atmospheric pads and a soaring drum crescendo, his interpretation of bones ends the ghost gang tyranny in one fatal sweep. and the saga goes on...

fausto messina is a veteran dj and producer from treviso, a small town on the plain between the gulf of venice and the alps. fausto has been releasing music for more than 10 years and pica pica is his debut e.p. on cadenza. in the track named pica pica a recurrent evocative voluminous chord is convoyed by a classy powerful kick drum and an organic symphony of fluffy percussions and metallic bonks, with a triumphant layer of dense whistles and shimmering cymbals. the extremely intense vibrant rhythms of idiophono contrast with the gentle reverberating harmonies of an ensemble of struck idiophones, angelically flowing in the background of the track. the smooth magnetic flux of planets ballet concludes the e.p. with high style. this jacky stride over a stack of steamy synthesisers and bubbly bleeps is a golden tune for a quivering late-night dance-floor.

zone look to irish artist and esteemed electro producer defekt aka matthew flanagan for their next ep. over the years this artist has become synonymous with proper techno and electro. his hardware based sound has won him fans all over the world and chief amongst those records is the 2010 mini album he released and which got hammered by legends like dave clarke. working on combat recordings, signal code and electronic explorations amongst others, his rugged drum sounds and modular synth style is textured and real and for that reason always stands out.

for this release metrist delves into a set of carefully constructed and deeply rhythmic but ear-grabbingly idiosyncratic, mixed fidelity dancefloor-geared oddities. the first three tracks are united, in a fashion, by the artist’s skill at programming a series of drum tracks that set a definite tone for the productions. within a quite partisan field of often microscopic generic variety, largely pinned down to the tempo and timbre of electronic drums, here metrist has pursued a tricky-to-define path. the bounce of new jack swing is twisted amongst stripped back polyrhythms, equal parts groove and glitch seasoned by some futuristic acid filters that create a constantly shifting aura of space and textural nuance around the individual drum hits. quite often arrhythmic interjections punctuate these ‘grooves’, be it the sawing bursts of noise and snarled, incoherent vocals on ‘an soaep’, the non-language and playful, bubbling bass surrounding the half time feel of ‘on golden seize’ that builds to something approximating an industrial take on uk funky or the brash sub-wobbles that intrude ‘pantomimer tongue’s juddering knife-scraping-on-a-balloon stutters. ‘caaacel the horze’ closes the record in a less weighty style, with crunchy arpeggios running on a synth that sounds like it’s picking up interference from a radio channel, as snatches of moaned vocals allude to a deeply ambiguous yet chilling narrative behind the music. thudding kicks intrude on the skittish melody but in a non-rhythmic way reminiscent of someone trying desperately to snatch your attention by banging on the adjacent wall. gauzy melodic textures in the background provide a calming counterpoint to the uneasy qualities of the composition

after the widespread acclaim for -shoulders back- and -july v-, leif fires up his 10- tio series with another pair of dazzling, future-minded cuts for the more inquisitive dancefloor. increasingly he s been moving away from house and techno conventions towards intriguing broken beat variations, and that s apparent in abundance on this new release. -bluebird- rides on a set of tough but dynamic drum ripples, but the stand-out element is the gorgeous twinkling arpeggio that pirouettes over the top of the beat. -number 13- meanwhile takes a moodier, dubbier approach without losing that deft programming, harmonic warmth and crafty rhythmic interplay that has become leif s calling card in recent times.

growing bin burst into 2018 with a bang, crash and symbol splash, uniting a premier pair of per-cussion obsessives for a supernatural mission into the heart of the rhythm. dressed in the pitch black of du&#776,,sseldorf stands wolf mu&#776,,ller, master of the tropical drums and seven time salon des amateur breakdance champion. repping cologne and berlin is niklas wandt, germany’s funkiest drummer and a mixed musical artist as adept in experimental jazz as demen- ted euro dance. standing toe to toe in a no holds barred, no drum unstruck groove contest, these two titans will make you swing your pants like a crash bandicoot victory dance... so stretch out and step in to ‚instrumentalmusik von der mitte der world

another root ready to bloom has been found in yann polewka. his opener is a filter laden, vocal drenched affair that holds the ever present rfb groove. all i dooo is next and holds that similar french filter style this one focusing on heavy strings and driving drums. the b side sees up ramp up a gear, luv me baby is looping and relentless. the piano and bass loop is short and repetitive but is constantly changing with filters vocals and interweaving percussion, this one works great on the dance floors. with b2 we see rfb take an unusual path for the label. all around is reminiscent of drum and bass almost liquid vibe with seductive vocals and ramped up tempo.

limbo is the debut album by noch.
a collection of bumping, clicking, winding, loops that dip into noise, ambient, and acid. written during jam sessions with friends and worked on at dusk on a stony beach in headphones, each track is based around a simple loop, sometimes left on repeat to wander in meditation, sometimes building complexity in repetition.

the brilliantly beguiling r-zone series hits release number 20 with another genre defying four track ep by no one knows who. as always, the music looks backwards to go forwards and frantically blends breakbeat, rave, acid, house, electro and techno into wild new forms. the geometry of shadows kicks off with a flurry of pinging kick drums, rushing synths and smeared chords that manage to be physical yet serene at the same time. chrysalis is deep detroit style house with gurgling basslines and warm future soul synths extending off into the cosmos. ship of tears then races through the galaxies as asteroids, shooting sci-fi synths and glassy melodies all fly by in enchanting fashion, acid is buried deep within and the drum programming is busy and direct. the parliament of dreams closes things down with more haunting celestial pads and cold acid lines that are all backed by boom-bap breakbeats. its dance floor euphoria of the highest order once more.

after a six-year hiatus, everyone’s favourite hospital compilation returns. witness the sickness, this is drum & bass, this is ‘sick music 2018’. with 24 brand new tracks, the series that brought the world early stories of netsky, wilkinson, sigma and fred v & grafix is back. the heritage of this series speaks volumes, and sick music 2018 takes the quality to a whole new level. filled to the brim with dangerous dubplates this full spectrum injection is a must have for each and every d+b devotee.

with the sublime sounds of um001 still resonating through the drum & bass world, the bristol based utopia collective build on their impressive debut with an equally stunning second single. another long-time supporter of the utopian cause, survival (exit records/audio tactics/dnaudio) steps up with the hypnotic and enchanting traveller whilst the sect give mako and mutes incendiary >connexion< their unique treatment. dj support: ltj bukem, doc scott, dj marky, fierce, makoto, bailey, loxy, total science, spectrasoul, dj lee, flight, instra:mental, survival, invaderz, squire, insiders and many more

memory distorts itself, reshaping past & future alike.
rosewater ctz’s crush ep exists in the space between fantasy & recollection. its ethereal soundscapes, guitars and driving drum breaks depict a fragile utopia. this 6 track ep alternates ambient and club tracks, weaving together states of absence and presence.

following a red letter release in the form of joe armon-jones & maxwell owin s idiom, yam recordings return with the second installment of their you and music compilation series, this time compiled by yam fam hollick & z lovecraft. kicking things off on the a side is native cruise, a new artist hollick has been working extensively with on no bad days, bringing that signature ‘floaty yet punchy’ sound. it’s a kwaito-esque club jam with pan flutes and percussive loops bringing that energy to the start of the record. will listers sunset over st. petets spire is up next with a hypnotising yet intricate production from the hugely promising talent. will is a dude very much affiliated with yam and, of course, our pals over at balamii radio so it only seemed natural to have him on the record. that melody is a proper ear-worm too! the b side, curated by z lovecraft, is a slightly tougher affair with three tracks representing his taste in soulful sounds and expands on his a&r work for rhythm section international. first up is rouge me&#769,,chaniques prisma ltd a 7-minute psychedelic drum odyssey showcasing the multi instrumentalists many talents and influences, with guitar overdubs and flute ambience taking the dance floor far and beyond. on b2, upcoming break beat talent, lt, takes the helm with gale force. hailing from the peak district, lt makes work of deep vocal pads, 606 touches and a killer bass line. finishing off the compilation is wholemeal musics boy wonder, dear earth, who conjures a charming hip-hop ditty with his delicate assemblage style.

slam and obscure shape & shdw step up for the second wave of radio slave ‘grindhouse’ remixes on rekids this february. one of techno’s most iconic records, ‘grindhouse’ first appeared on radio slave’s ‘no sleep’ series before spawning multiple remixes from dubfire, danton eeprom, terence fixmer and nic fanciulli. kick-started by len faki, last year saw the announcement of a series of remixes with more to come from vatican shadow, markus suckut, lady starlight and special request. complete with relentless kicks, sinister drones and industrial elements, part two is not for the faint-hearted. starting with slam, the soma bosses keep things dark, with rattling top lines and echoing effects resulting in a truly decadent techno floor destroyer. following a remix of radio slave’s ‘vision’ in 2016, obscure shape & shdw’s abilities are held in high regard by the rekids owner and their rework of ‘grindhouse’ reinforces why. complete with a rumbling lowend, metallic melodies and soaring synths, the from another mind founders continue to establish themselves as two of techno’s most exciting names.

boris bunnik is no stranger in the world of electronic music. he released several albums and ep’s under a variety of monikers since 2007 on labels like delsin, shipwrec, frustrated funk and his own transcendent imprint. fauxpas musik welcomes him for a new project called severnaya.
originally hailing from the island of terschelling, the most northern and remote part of the netherlands he now made a piece of music dedicated to this special place. severnaya means north in russian and refers to the bright frozen landscapes of the northern archipels. boris often plays with the influences and elements of ambient in his music. if we have to believe the man himself, polar skies is his most personal sound trajectory to come from his mind. drum programming is scarce and what remains is a lush and profound listening experience floating on scapes and melodies. we clearly hear his roots and intentions represented in the airy, tranquil sound design of this new album project. things sound spacious, and life is at ease in these melancholic compositions. crispy crackling percussions and icey pads place you in the midst of a resonant arctic landscape. you can hear influences drawn from producers like biosphere, pub, brian eno but we also hear more contemporary influences from modern day film composition but most of all we here boris his own signature. the tracks were composed over a couple of years (2015-2017) in a more contemplative mindset. at some point this selection formed a consistent piece of music and as a result you hear his most personal and fragile works to date. fauxpas musik is proud to release this new project in 2018. written and produced by boris bunnik aka conforce at the pasadenaoceanlab studios special thanks to family, friends and fauxpas musik for their support. this release comes in 180g vinyl and a hot foil stamping on the cover. vinyl tastes better...

acid paulis album bld dropped earlier this year and was a superb reminder of martin gretschmanns unique place within the electronic music. breathing musicality and adventurousness into everything that he does, the album covered a number of moods and emotions, from dystopian carnivalesque vibes to moments of high intensity, through to deep melancholia and synth laden ambience. following on from the a remix package, b brings another huge selection of producers into the fray to reinterpret the originals. first up, hamburg hero stimming works over ‘amadou - flipping the original, into a techy bomb. a thick kick underpins a shuffling, off kilter rhythm and beautifully treated melodics. stimmings feel for gently pushing the dancefloor into new places shines through. ‘rené is reworked by roman flügel, the ongaku/klang/playhouse boss whose influence on the european electronic music scene has been immense. always willing to experiment, ‘rené is the perfect canvas - arpeggiated blips and beeps echo primitive electronic explorations by the likes of francis bebey, and a huge subby kick drum take this track into space. alex boman sets to work on ‘jeanne, locking into his signature groovy, tribal approach to working the dancefloor. the swedish producer adds dubby elements, an irresistible percussion track and disruptive, random sounds to the thick, heady mix. dutch wunderkind satori tackles ‘jorge - twisting the original into a psychedelic groover that finds room for backwards vocals, marimba-like melodies, fat basslines and shuffling breakbeats.