the secret gem of space disco vibes, ichisan will be releasing his new ep via kanto records. first track of the ep, megla (the fog) is some sort of an instrument showcase by the slovenian producer, who used his analog synthesizers deftly to accompany the funk-house strumming of his bass and electric guitars, both played by the artist himself. veter (the wind) is a five-minute-long journey into the depths of unique and captivating musical mind of ichisan, daring to be simple yet invoking majestic feelings. third and fourth track of the ep, planica and yassa are more dancefloor oriented tunes that beam with positivity and energy, both have the potential to become anthems of the summer and beyond. arranged, recorder and mixed in ichisans own studio in ljubljana, the ep megla is brimmed with phenomenal beats that would not disappoint even the pickiest ears.

it is said that every generation casts its mind back to a previous era in times of crisis, the resources that will allow us to decode the questions of our moment may lie in the myths of another era. le renard bleu, the new musical and cinematic collaboration between lafawndah and composer midori takada, and filmmakers partel oliva, takes a cross- generational echo as ground zero for recovering a crucial myth for uncertain times: the blue fox. as transmitted by takada, the fox appears in both ancient senegalese and japanese folktales as the trickster archetype, belonging both to the heavens and to the earth, the fox is the agent of chaotic good, shaking the world up when its energy has become stagnant. above all else, the fox is famous for its cunning nature.

following the critically acclaimed debut album from tensal, soma presents a specially commissioned remix ep to compliment the album. a varied collection of artists are prominent on the release with new and established alike, each delivering their own take on tensal’s originals.
uk producer pessimist opens the ep. his unique aesthetic of jungle/drum&bass - come - techno certainly makes its presence felt on the a-side as he delivers a monster of a remix, soaked in dark, brooding textures and broken rhythms. another uk techno export makes his debut on soma as shifted lends his remix skills to the package. pulsating and propulsive, shifted exudes pure energy with his version of santolaya. prolific french producer umwelt closes out the ep with his interpretation of belga. an old skool, electro affair umwelt still retains a melancholic edge to the production.

berlin-based american kevin mchugh aka ambivalent is definitely no stranger to the scene. with r u ok on richie hawtins minus label he landed one of clublands absolute hits of 2007 which can still be found lurking in discerning dj’s record cases today. since 2015 he has been providing high quality tracks on his delft label, and he celebrated his cocoon debut two years ago with the daylights ep. together with dutch clone-producer martijn hoogendijk aka alden tyrell, ambivalent has cooked up another serving of straightforward techno complete with rigorous hi-hats, which will no doubt summon up the uncompromising energy of his berghain sets wherever its played. with its powerful incantation of sequential rave signals, wallfall recalls the best days of jeff mills in the form of ultra-modern detroit-oriented premium techno, while detente lays disconcerting industrial distortion over expansive dubtechno for maximum acceleration. the perfect fix for hot nights of celebration.

mental overdrive, norwegian gran ol wizard of techno, owner of love od communications starts of with “clocked”, a colorful and moody track with a touch of grittyness. thomas urv, ploink label head and one of norwegian techno’s main protagonists, brings a signature raw high energy techno track “6.24 con dao”. per hammar, swedish producer and dj based in berlin, the captain behind dirty hands and 10years labels delivers a steady dubbed hypnotic house track “blank space”. thomas skjaerstad from trysil, norwegian winner of burn residency 2017 finishes the ep with a punchy, dark spaced out techno track titled “space x (sommeroya edit)”.

max essa - lanterns is a brand-new artist album from the japanese based producer & dj and his first release on copenhagens music for dreams label. tranquility, alone in a taxi riding through empty streets, neon fades into sunrise. a refuge from the disorientating energy of the night. the sleeper train to izumo. an okinawan beach at dusk.

super smooth release on nny records full of lush and sensual tracks. on the a side we can listen to nicson (flumo recordings) who delivers an excellent straight to heaven in a deep-house 90s mood, full of energy and class, after him f. vinuesa (solid tapes) approaches lo-fi and acid paths with highlands, a tune that is is capable of transporting you to another dimension. on the b side mateis e. aqir (jungle gym records) presents natural sense, a track that also takes you to a different dimension, this time more oriented to open spaces, in a balearic and new age mood fused with a leftfield touch which is a delight, and to close the compilation we have the great work of i see you in the plants, the new aka by pablo diskko for productions in an ambient techno-dub wave that absorbs you and catches you. a superb and an essential work.

it’s been 10 years since silkie’s debut 12” on deep medi musik in 2008. “impervious”, the title of the lead single, perfectly defines his unique style and energy.

after a ten year long career releasing music with many different labels icicle has taken the logical next step and started his own imprint, entitled entropy music. the name derived from his second album ‘entropy’ still aims to inspire the concept that music behaves as all things do in nature and degrades, falls apart and becomes more chaotic with time. in an effort to confront this, entropy music strives to bring controlled, rolling, technically detailed music, without ever overstepping that line when the process becomes inhuman and cold. on this second release on entropy music icicle teams up with kindred spirit and cousin proxima to deliver a four track collaborative ep. the opening track which also welcomes ben verse to the label, is rolling tech funk pur sang. the weighty and detailed yet simple breathing groove make it a track true to the entropy ethos and ben complements this with his trademark lyrics reminiscent of renegade hardware shows past. on the a2. icicle brings a near wooden stepper with a viscous turbulent low-end, a firm wink to the past, with dust me off. icicle’s track is expertly offset by proxima’s solo offering retrace a peak into futurism boasting an evolved playful groove which takes on board equal measures of jump up and 90’s tech. the ep is rounded up by the title track deep dreaming, where icicle and proxima collaborate once more to bring a slight curve-ball. pianos ring in an eerie musical intro to a dark but sultry track where the energy is second to the atmosphere.

aussteiger is a berlin based german dj / producer. he runs the dub disco label in berlin and dj’s around the world. zusammenkunft is his debut album released on copenhagen’s music for dreams. once upon a time a golden boy came back from the shadows. rumors were told that he once left the big city in a time where the music scene and clubs were dominated by cold music and average beats. he left behind civilisation, living withdrawn in the woody mountains of a covert place. from there on people talked about him as aussteiger. connected to the nature and deeply rooted in the harmonic essence, aussteiger became a part of the great whole. in a full moon illuminated clear night while experimenting with various unique herbs he accidentally found a recipe to create warm and ravishing music. he firmly believes that music is his infinite source to gather strength and positive energy after years of strengthening himself and shaping vibrant sounds aussteiger decided to share his delightful music with the world. he returned from his retreat in order to enchant the music lovers all over the world with his feel good approach and supernatural sounds. coming back to the city, he also co-founded the awesome dub disco label with his buddy serj nosé.

berlin duo local suicide and mexican producer mijo join forces to deliver two stunning original works for the latest installment of roam recordings. edo kai tora is a uptempo main time jam with a nice vocal weaved through driving electronic stylings. ganz falsch has an electro boogie feel with cosmic synths and a fun vocal rhythmically tying it all together.

supporting the ep are two excellent remixes from renowned artists sascha funke and simple symmetry. sascha funke s elegantly dark version creeps in with a hypnotic and captivating energy while simple symmetry moves into party mode with pop sensible guitars and heavy wonkiness perfect for picking up the vibe at any party.

all four tracks are standouts on their own and together form an outstanding versatile ep and excellent addition to the roam recordings catalogue.

for fifteen years traveling in the world of electronic music, this dj & producer has established itself as one of the most emblematic of the techno scene. he remarkably incarnates the freshness of those young artists who know how to sum up a decade of electronic culture, adding their own strength, skills and personal touch to it. the energy of his songs is also appreciated by the names of the techno world, from boys noize to laurent garnier. the latter moreover honored him by playing the key title of this ep at the time warp festival: excelsior, which had so already intrigued the internet users through a video extract of the festival. madben as for him encloses this opus with a sober and powerful remix.

the second release of wataj recordings introduces for the first time mr. tony pianola. a trip inside his conscious and unconscious mind during a night in which dreams, euphoria, lost loves and desires mixed all together give life to luce artificiale. the result is a pure italo-synth style influenced by the attraction for the experimental slow disco sensuality.

david mayer’s career and background is marked by a desire to keep moving and experiencing new perspectives. having finally settled in berlin, the german dj and producer has built up an enviously diverse back catalogue on labels such as connected frontline, objektivity, gruuv, audiomatique and keinemusik. with his first release on acid pauli and nico stojan’s ouie label, mayer brings his trademark groove to the fore once more. ‘the call’ is a mid tempo chugger built around a kick, clap and 808 blip, before a more organic groove develops. the slowed down chants and wigged out synth line take the vibe into afro cosmic territory, without losing the original energy. ‘sooner’ is a little more urgent - a crisp, forward leaning rhythm and a deep, subby bass lead the way, before another frazzled synthesiser takes us on a melodic walkabout. ‘black queen’ is another example of mayer’s slick drum programming, keeping things zesty on the dance floor but with acres of space to lose yourself in.

harlem s legendary disco label queen constance has long been a cult favourite among fans of underground dance music for decades. one of many labels operating under the equally legendary p&p family of imprints queen constance was operated by one peter brown, a truly colossal figure in nyc s music scene, it s catalogue still fascinates music lovers to this day. covering a wide range of styles including gospel, early rap and disco the label s output continually finds it way into the playlists of respected dj s and selectors across the globe. high fidelity will be the first in a series of queen constance rarities to be reissued, an extremely rare and coveted record that can change hands on the second hand market for big big money, avoid those low rent bootlegs that are out there and cop this fully licensed repress. the group s self-titled sole long-player is a fantastic 6 track set of gritty, soulful and uplifting funky disco with a diy edge. not too much is known about the artists themselves, or even when the record was performed, recorded or released but it certainly sounds like a group who knew their craft inside out. the energy is high across the record and the group sound like they re on fire, just check the outrageously funkified magic carpet and you ll see what we mean. amazing. the whole project has that enchanting lo-fi, back-street feel to it in terms of production and the mind boggles as to how such a record would have come off had it been recorded at a motown or any other big studio, but no matter as this release is perfect the way it is, an essential piece of street-level nyc disco straight from the underground.

phonica records welcomes spanish producer extraordinaire pional to it’s main label with the ‘xme / one night stand’ 12”. pional is miguel barros and the madrid based musician has been producing for over a decade. with a string of well received solo releases on hivern discs, permanent vacation, young turks and counter, remixing the likes of the xx, chairlift, the rapture, prins thomas and john talabot (who he also co-wrote the incredible ‘fin’ album ender ‘so will be now...’ with) as well as djing around the world, pional has been keeping very busy indeed. for his phonica release he has produced two versions of two very special tracks. on the a-side, ‘xme’ is a melancholic and uplifting electronic excursion with delicate flourishes of it’s synthesised melody becoming a real ear-worm throughout its six and a half minutes. the slower and more foreboding ‘quiet ceremony’ reinterpretation takes the same melody in a darker direction. on the other side, ‘one night stand’ is a bumping, stripped back and moody club track with ghostly vocals floating above metallic pads rising to a release of energy and emotion. the ‘slow drumapella’ lowers the tempo and alters the feel of the track, reducing its elements to a bare-bones drum track with the vocal, fx and pads eventually coming to the fore.

following on from angophora s beautiful long player, ken oath is back with another full length lp from low flung. friends of the label will note that this is his third release for ken oath, and it s a fittingly mature and expansive statement for a debut lp. perhaps mature is the wrong word here, as all his brilliant ideas are backed up by a sense of whimsy that betrays his playful side. the music strikes a balance between styles and spaces that could perfectly soundtrack moments at home, in the club, and in the liminal spaces between. danny s efforts at writing dance music still contain the idiosyncratic approaches of his ambient works: the deadly deep subs and endless echo spirals on -rising damp- sounds like someone trying to piece together a drum & bass track after an off-hand conversation about the genre. he s transmuted the propulsive energy of jungle into something no less dynamic, full of stops and starts and sonic pressure but flush with space. -tarp climber- is at heart a rollicking digi-dub. the more ambient moments of the lp are equally captivating - the glassy tones of -frozen coat- sound like a space-age ensemble soundtracking a floating lounge on a suite of glass instruments, while -ocean grove- blends field recordings and dreamy synthesizer melodies to create an uncanny sense of place that unroots you from wherever you re listening. there s a heavy emphasis on danny s collaborators as well - the cold emotion duo is reprised on the spacey ‘hills hoist’. closer -bacchus marsh- is a collaboration with prophets, a cross-state ensemble that defy any easy categorisation. the music here flirts with jazz and minimalism but with a dubwise production aesthetic to produce something that recalls khan jamal s visionary -drum dance to the motherland- in spirit and practice, but this whole album sounds as otherworldly and one-of-a-kind as the aforementioned lp.

candi staton’s much-loved disco anthem ‘hallelujah anyway’ gets a house-inflicted remix by italian producer moplen, as well as a previously unreleased frankie knuckles and eric kupper version, on this 7” vinyl gem. italian producer moplen delivers a 90s-house-esque classic vibe mix while production greats frankie and eric pick up the pace with soaring synths and a grooving beat in the fk’s director’s cut soul praise mix. glitterbox presents two must-hear mixes both breathing new energy into this timeless record.

generation next returns with his 6th solo ep on the 7 days entertainment label titled phoenix. the ep opens with the song sundance kid, a tune that carries a high-spirited synth and bass throughout mixed in with a simple kick drum, high hat and snare combo. next up on side a is roseland, a cool, smooth house track from gn. a funky baseline accompanied with a warm piano, some complimentary synth and a clean rhythmic drum kit pattern. on the flip side, the first track is jungle 10.10.15. the recording used at the opening is from a voicemail received on the date 10/10/15. this track is pure memorization. the voice of a woman over a frantic high hat pattern and knocking kick drums. the last song of this 4 song ep is gold scorpion. a simple dance tune with high- energy percussion, piano, and kick drum. this dance floor mover will definitely be a favorite.

5 vinyle in einem pizzakarton!

housemates make their debut on naff with a blinding prog-house anthem conceived last summer at casa di ruffino, montreal. the ultimate dollar bin jumper, soul value shines with the sax magic of regular collaborator emmanuel thibau. remixes by florist and lamusa ii appear on the flip to round out the trip. pure house energy for every dance floor on and off the planet. it just works!

framework recordings is back with a very special, limited run vinyl ep that features five fantastic artists in oliv, o’hana, blurred, fred and ground16, and deep house doesn’t come much finer. first up is the low key oliv, part of the heady party collective bedford crew. his ‘submarine cruise’ is an effortlessly atmospheric dub house track. sandy shakers, balmy pads and an astral lead synth line all ooze underground class. o’hana is another emerging producer with an already well formed sound. his gorgeous ‘lune’ is another prime bit of deep house with analogue kicks and hits, subtle vocal samples and cavernous pads that melt into the horizon.
blurred are a young italian pair from labels like lapsus, safe music and hotfingers and keep up the cultured dub house vibe with more deeply enveloping grooves and dusty hits. the chords here are smeared in the background and sure to find favour with the more intimate dance floors out there. then it’s to impressive new swiss artist fred for ‘mw.’ it’s deep and house-y again, but this time it drives forward on huge kicks, with acid lines and icy hi hats bringing the energy while yawning synths soften the edges. closing out a tasteful package are swiss pair ground16 with ‘3rd street.’ cosmic in nature and with wide open pads, this house groove is another analogue beauty with warmth, smart vocal snippets and dreamscape pads. these are timeless deep house cuts that are deceptively simple and superbly executed.

“running through with the sadness” represents hungry march band’s first full-length studio album in over a decade, and their first pressed to vinyl. the record is an explosion of irreverent energy and a veritable lesson in spastic instrumental dance music. it was meticulously produced over the course of years, indicating a forward step in the evolution of the radical street brass sound.

maksim dark returns to his spiritual home of senso sounds - oliver huntemanns much touted imprint for his tougher, technoid leanings. maksim, born in serov, russia, has created an indelible impression over the course of his young career, and ‘movement is clearly the next step on his road to very great things. ‘attack disco is true to form - a lean, mean and tough to the bone piece of techno with a driving, powerful edge. growling, snarling synths sound like shards of metal ripping through the groove producing an intense vibe. ‘coordinate is a notch more reserved, but builds a killer, hypnotic groove through stripped back elements, before maksims off-kilter sound design provides the trippy topping. the title track ‘movement fits its name - the track bursts with energy and atmosphere, propelled by a thick, tactile rhythm and pitched down, demonic vocal by the man himself.

for our next excursion, we’re off to the library. in search of library records that is - you know the type, the crazy rare records used for soundtracks and such and such. we have a sick selection of synthed-up beats and pieces chopped together by one earl jeffers, making the most out of his international library digging card* (*not a real thing).
for those that don’t know, cardiff’s earl jeffers is one half of darkhouse family, regular family at our sister label, first word, on which they released their debut album “the offering” late last year. earl is a prolific producer in his own right, also releasing over the years under the aliases chesus and metabeats on labels like mcde, fat city and local talk, collaborating with artists like byron the aquarius, action bronson and kamaal williams / henry wu, turning his hand ably to house, hip hop, jungle, jazz and more. all this in addition to running his own label, mélange records.
a dedicated digger and record collector first and foremost, earl has provided us with a quadruple set of heavyweight stuttery sci-fi boom bap. in earl’s words: “this record was mostly inspired by my penchant for the more electronic / synthesized jams, mostly replayed from the original compositions then thrust in to 2028 and beyond….”

seth troxler continues to showcase the work of chicago great k’alexi shelby: after an ep on his other label tuskegee music and a remix for sean miller on this imprint, shelby now steps up to play it say it with a trio of excellent club cuts. k’alexi shelby is one of the windy city’s most venerated heroes. he’s put out six albums and almost 60 eps since the late eighties, all of which have helped evolve and establish the chicago house sound around the world. next to remixing acts like the pet shop boys and derrick may, he runs his own k klassik and 321 labels and remains as vital as ever. the perfectly titled ‘groove with us’ opens up with a cut and paste style, funky disco loops and plenty of filters all bringing the loose house funk. it’s a playful and timeless tune that is designed to blow up the ‘floor and most certainly will thanks to its unbridled energy. the dynamic and driving ‘so chicago’ then slips into a slick house groove, with great percussion, more big string samples lighting up the track and a knotted bassline that keeps you on your toes. suspenseful and explosive, it’s filled with authentic party vibes and a real sense of fun that will ignite any set. last but not least is the excellent ‘black sunday’, which takes uplifting preacher vocals from a church sermon and backs it with gospel singing, an old school baseline and raw energy that will get hands in the air. it’s a definitive piece of authentic house music with real heart and soul. this is an expressive ep of house tracks that embody the instinctive and emotive spirit of the genre to perfection.

“choose life” is both the album apostille chose to make and had to make. he dialled down the clown, built up a new-found confidence in his voice and melody in general and began to feel more at home in the refuge of pop music (with a capital p). as kasparis explains “choose life began as a chronicle of a bad time. many of the songs were written as some sort of catharsis, an escape from a tumultuous couple of years. the album title was intended as ironic at first but as the writing process went on the album began to feel more playful, i was finding revelatory threads in it i hadn t intended. choose life became an imperative.” all the truest pop music speaks to us of escape and through this new album apostille allows its transformative power to fully manifest. it’s an album full of life and energy, as disobedient as it is heroic in its pursuit of liberation.
pressing on translucent red vinyl, comes with download code included.

r&s welcome back highly-revered techno artist benjamin damage with his new double headed single ‘malfunction / binary . ‘montreal’ from his debut r&s ep proved to be one of the label s biggest techno releases of the last few years - the pummelling drums, intense atmosphere and beatuiful melodies are synonymous with the music that has made the label timeless. road tested in benjamin’s heavy artillery live shows across the globe, malfunction / binary pick up where the last ep left off - pistoning rhythms, breakneck beats and monolithic bass, but this time the mood is more reflective and optimistic - skying cloud-like pads offer a dreamy counterpoint. made between london and berlin, following recent live shows at berghain and oval space, benjamin’s wanderlust and restless studio dynamic sees him continually breaking down his gear to travel, “being on tour with all my gear i find it quite easy to work in new places,” he explains. “i like the energy of different cities and it s good to keep moving.” this new ep is announced ahead of a huge, all hardware live show at sonar by night in barcelona. with ‘malfunction/binary’ sure to do the business and an album in progress for r&s scheduled for 2019 it’s going to be an exciting year ahead!

after the launch of her own label, frizner electric, ladymonix takes another step forward with her debut release. the opener & title track bc i want to is a deep and sensual body mover, anchored by empowering vocal samples that make no apologies. . the mood cascades from curiosity into downright permission. know what then takes over with a potent house beat and more strapping vocal cuts. the temper of this track begins liberating and lush, spiraling into a mirage of uplifting sounds for the final 3 minutes. tying the threads of the ep into a final knot is in flight, a soaring track that blends the energy of an evening into the power of the night. charming and eccentric beats run smoothly from takeoff to landing, making for a steadily blissful atmosphere. overall, bc i want to is a divisive house recording that can be admired from the dancefloor & from the bedroom alike.

the canadian duo of gremlinz & jesta present their debut ep for metalheadz, a 4-tracker full of energy, emotion, progression and creativity. all corners are covered with the ethereal atmospherics provided by ‘nessus, the weighty and assertive sounds of ‘departed, the delicate and graceful nature of ‘the drift (which also features rumbleton), and the title track closing the ep administering a dose of funk to the release.

the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, the physical laws and the constants – omniverse. three original tracks from vril plus a remix by his master’s voice. two mysterious identities. scattering sound waves.

limited to 250 copies, next up in tartelet’s limited-edition series is renaissance man n.o.t.e. with “night frames” – a compilation of barrel-aged sounds for the warm nights ahead. n.o.t.e. is a new project by an already established artist who might be of swiss or italian origin, depending on who’s asking. a seasoned sailor of musical waters, he enjoys jazz piano, fine wine and silk linens. though none of that matters. the first release under his new name could be described as a mini concept album where different routes are explored, bringing n.o.t.e.’s musical diversity and capabilities to light. starting with “falsa laudis,” n.o.t.e. takes the listener back to the 80s with clear references to italian boogie and jazz-funk of that era. the track is warm, fat and sparkly, and best enjoyed with a cocktail in hand. following this is the title track “night frames” – a bruk-jazz escapade not shy of elaborate rhodes solos and filthy funk. the b-side opener moves further south: “obaleyako” is fueled by tropical energy, mixing african percussions with soft piano chords. it’s weird, mysterious and red hot! last but not least, n.o.t.e takes on the finest deep house sound with “en route,” where endless layered melodies and percussion form the farewell. this is an ultra limited-edition release of 250 copies (strictly no repress!), written and produced by n.o.t.e. and mixed at panalama studios in copenhagen on the neve 5088 shelford console for good measure. enjoy!

queeste emerges with the nocturnal sounds of haron s wandelaar, an album exploring his long-term interest in music s talent for inducing and affecting dreams, successfully turning listening into an act of transport, leaving you in the midst of falling asleep, at a junction of dislocation, hazily arriving in a liminal world. in wandelaar we hear haron s playful reaction against the confines of dance music, gathering energy from his estrangement from the scene and using it as a means to reorder and interrogate sound. the modest piano takes centre stage, allowing each solo note to becoming fertile and full, suspended and considered, guided by the principles of minimal composers such as john cage and ryuichi sakamoto. haron delicately translates sparse chords into a cinematic narrative of ascension, conjuring up a moony landscape, grey and desolate from afar, intricately detailed on approach. haron s wandelaar is available 6 july 2018 on lp. the vinyl release includes an art print by fallon does, who is also responsible for the graphic design of wandelaar. all tracks written and produced by haron aumaj, mastered by wouter for brandenburg mastering. words by jo kali.

is it balearic? welcome the mellow charms of chris coco and camillo miranda to lay down an unusual paean to a prehistoric love with the truly breezy drifter dinosaur baby. while the tale might be a quirky one, the music is the real deal, all tumbling percussion locked into a slow, head-nodding groove, and this comes through even stronger on the 12inch dub. on the flip, rune lindbaek delivers a remix that fleshes the original out with laconic disco flourihes, and then luke solomons version injects a little housey energy into the make up with his usual flair for off-kilter party fuel.

giant swan are debuting on mannequin records through the death of the machines serie, the dancefloor/experimental oriented side of the label, dedicated to new artists. robin stewart & harry wright team up to create an acerbic marriage of energised, aggressive dance music, quaking bass and hypnotic electronic noise. across a table of machines and pedals, incorporating abused guitar and liberal vocal manipulation, giant swan create a cross-breed of hypnotic bass, industrial percussion and disorientating energy delivered with telepathic intricacy.

a heart from your shadow is the debut collaborative lp from michael beharie (new york) and teddy rankin-parker (chicago). since graduating together from oberlin college, beharie and rankin-parker each veered into markedly different avenues. beharie joined up with the ever-confounding new york ensemble zs (northern spy, the social registry). rankin-parker became an on-demand cellist for his prowess in the work of improvisation and avant-garde music, lending his talents to a wide array of collaborators such as primus, iron & wine, steve reich, and pauline oliveros. rather than jump into stream-of-concious improvisation, beharie and rankin-parker chose to focus the albums themes via intricately composed pieces. a heart from your shadow could be described as protest music, brimming with intense energy, harrowing anxiety, and steadfast optimism. produced by michael beharie, mixed carefully by jim o rourke, mastered by james plotkin and cut to lp at d&m berlin. black virgin vinyl housed in poly-lined inner sleeve in reverse board-printed double-width spine jacket with spot uv finishing. first pressing of 300 copies.

ltd copies, screen printed sleeve by al white & house of traps, this marks the first new vinyl release from echospace detroit this year with all the content lovingly re-mastered in echospace, detroit, usa & cut @ deepgrooves. an unreleased classic from the vaults emerges with newly remastered content from radius s celebrated -obsolete machines- double album & two of the most epic creations featured on the -interpolation tapes- cd series, available for the first time ever on vinyl format. many of the songs featured in this project were initially sent to rod modell & mike schommer shortly after they launched their brilliant deepchord label in 2001. (recorded from 1993-2000) they were incredibly kind in saying it was the best demo they had ever heard and passed it on to octal records for release, sadly, that didn t materialize and since then these masters have been collecting dust in our cassette rack for nearly 20 years now. we ve spent months doing our best to restore the old tapes from our tascam 688, an 8 track cassette recorder purchased and abused since 1992 and to our ears still sounds quite impressive even by modern standards. we ve had nearly every component replaced and re-calibrated to bring this obsolete machine back to life, it s been a truly nostalgic experience re-visiting and redesigning these masters. we truly hope you enjoy reliving these magical times of music, very inspired by all that was happening in those years, there was just something in the air, an undeniable energy, long may it live on..

balance records is happy to release -paul cut- while no stranger to the french scene paul is one of the up and coming dj/producers out of paris. this release finds it roots in jazz (chicago /paris?). a1 starts with some heavy beats, which later combined with the other elements can bring the madness to any dance floor. side , a2 brings another kind of madness which shakes you from inside like heated particles with its jazzy vibes. b2 heats you in a subtly way, when you expecting it the least with background sounds inspired from jazz. and once they suck you in you start to be driven by them, like being stuck in the waves. b1 will draw anyone inner energy with its piano. it s a great track to lead to the end of the night or even closing. for the love birds and the loners on the dance floor. b2 heats you in a subtly way when you expecting it the least with background sounds borrowed from jazz. and once they suck you in you start to be driven by them, like being stuck in the waves.

violet-the color of royalty and majesty, of dreamy and calming consciousness…here translated to a spirited collection of absolute music drivetrain (detroit, usa) – “breathe” derrick thompson engineers another captivating late night soul-bender. a commanding filtered bass groove, dominates melodic chord progressions with accentuating dynamic percussion and spicy vocal support mattimoe-perrine (toledo, usa) – “llucid” nathan mattimoe and todd perrine return with a composition of charismatic rhythm intelligence. as the journey builds, the elements become more intense, evolving to a vocal crescendo of synthesized deepness trecci (paris, france) – “sagami” soiree proudly welcomes trecci and his tribal inspired floor filler. drum manipulation integrates with vocal energy to ultimately dissolve in a hypnotic, quintessential string refrain funtom (zagreb, croatia) – “french connection” another newcomer to soiree, funtom musically animates the essence of high-tech sensuality. an alluring female voice subconsciously unveils a bed of infactuating pads, stabs and inflections

mathias schaffhauser, founder of german label ware records debuts on third ear with a 3 track 12inch. this is big-sky, expansive, driving techno even the beatless version of grad minus 12. mathias schaffhaeusers ware records had a very recognisable sound. it was one of the defining labels of the cologne sound, most associated with kompakt these days. but in the 90s and early 00s, ware was as significant a label, especially for djs. this release is very much a good example of that sound, still sounding fresh and bristling with good energy.

one of the deepest reaching projects from the multifaceted vibraphone stable resurfaces for an extended trip through ambient sonics that marks possibly the most daring departure on the esteemed italian label to date. the harmonious tones undulating throughout sketches from space are instant soothers, taking the odd cue from techno but defiantly beatless and meditative. its a surprising addition to the long and winding vibraphone story, but also feels like one of the strongest steps forward the resurgent label has taken since returning to the fray. just try sinking into lagrangian point l4 and you ll see exactly what we mean.

the mutable nature of our lives leads to a constant pursuit of musical incentives. last month we launched a new series on mindtrip aiming to bring together diverse sounds and musical backgrounds under a mutual project. mutable minds edition ii welcomes the very exceptional work from five of our favorite artists out there. the release opens with our head honcho pfirter and his anti-routine that comes with his trademark modular effect and a well-constructed sequence. sleepwalker belongs to mexicos finest techno export aka fixeer who delivered a pounding track with great energy. on the b-side things are getting deeper and more tripped out yet still powerful and intense with the swedish duo kuf & dold and their track mint. mutual minds ii closes with a familiar name that is none other than jonas kopp who returns to mindtrip with a very interesting piece that comprises a narcotic feeling and space stabs. the final outcome of the second mutable minds edition perfectly describes the musical perspective and ethos on mindtrip. hope you enjoy this trip to the fullest. this is mindtrip!

the third release of weorus comes with four massive tracks perfectly delivered by talented maurice giovannini and remixed by cocoon’s rising star dana ruh. the ep enter with “orange”, a mystically track perfect matched with the label concept of timeless music. dana ruh on a2 gives the perfect energy for a fully crowded dance floor, maintaining the spiritual feeling in the background, just a perfect interpretation. “plasma” for maurice is the tune that truly can make you go on a higher level, the structure, the sound design and feeling are deeply matched together for a nice and warm b1 start. “bunka” ends the ep in a perfect way giving you the need to reloop the entire ep. maurice again hits with a perfect vinyl already supported by ricardo villalobos, rhadoo and many others.

conforce is back on his home label with four more of his richly detailed and hugely atmospheric techno tracks. its his first release on delsin since latest album autonomous back in 2017 and finds him in typical underwater techno territory. celestion kicks things off with smeared pads and rubbery, dubby drums instantly setting a hypnotic groove. the serene ambience makes it feel like youre deep down in the ocean and various deft sonic details drift by the keep things on the move. vessel is another fathom deep track with supple drums undulating on the sea bed as beams of synth light things up from above. theres melancholy in the pads that brings a rueful vibe, while zephyr is more troubled and turbulent thanks to the wet, gurgling synths and darker bass sounds. aerial rounds things out with heavyweight, rumbling kicks and ominous energy that keeps you on edge, despite the presence of beautifully celestial keys. as ever , it all makes for an absorbing trip.

next up on the ever-eclectic xvi records, a shadowy figure steps into the spotlight: enter the mysterious captain over, whose dark yet soulful bruk-infused tracks soundtrack the next stage of their voyage towards the sun. for his debut outing, captain over calls on the abstract vocal stylings of the legendary trim (roll deep, 1800 dinosaur) on opening track sick. showcasing why hes one of the most iconic and forward-thinking mcs to grace the mic, trims dulcet tones twist through a jungle of shuffled beats and subterranean sub-bass, an eerie child-like melody drifting overhead. clack clack and no one ever really flies inhabit a more dancefloor friendly space, their unique syncopation, fierce instrumentation and relentless energy open up the dancefloor for some real get loose moments. on the remix, they hand the controls over to xvi homestay books (following on from the success of his previous feel it in my bones and high praise edits vol 1 releases which won praise from the likes of the black madonna, moodymann, gilles peterson and seven davis jr) books expertly crafts a cosmic footwork jam, full of his trademark soulful chords and eerie midnight saxophone licks. as he prepares to launch his forthcoming ep no-one every really flies into the cosmos captain over is beginning to cement his place as one to watch in the uk underground a sequel ep featuring grime upstart nico lindsay is scheduled for release later in the year, with several more collaborative works in progress.

atangana records’s back with its second release, once again a long-awaited reissue, once again digging into the caribbean music with a classic track from les maxel’s (from guadeloupe), “le retour de toto”. as usual, the remastered tune comes with a remix and a b2 “just” coming with the remixer’s add parts. originally out in 1976, “le retour de toto” on disques debs international is a brilliant dancefloor killer, magnifying the cross-world between zouk and latino music, biguine and calypso. you can hear from the prominent hi-hat all the energy of the dance moves you could improvise on that kind of joint. with a lot of break, wonderful horns and backing vocals, “le retour de toto” will enjoy all the summer dancefloor and airwaves for some time

micro.solchi is the collaboration between paolo mosca and matteo volpato. keep an eye on these guys and their fresh and spontaneous mixture when it comes to breaks, house and electro.

the essential will & ink label continues to keep up the pressure with a new ep from museum aka anton pieete and jeroen liebregts. the pair have released on vital labels like marcel dettmann records and indigo area and make some of the most robust and powerful techno around. their three new tracks here come with a remix from resident label artist yalessa hall. opener silo is an urgent groove with warped and rumbling synth lines and frazzled textures. it s sparse and industrial as it barrels along while the list is much more wild. the drums flail around, the hits are off grid and the energy is restless and rugged. lastly from them, 1500 has punchy drum programming and watery sound effects, sci-fi motifs and a sense of turbulence that will make a real impact in the club. the raw yalessa hall remix flips the list into a freaky house track with smeared synths and big hits making for something incendiary and unhinged.

after a brief time away from releasing music in 2017 to refresh his ears, essential house artist argy is back with a bang in 2018, as this debut ep on play it say it proves. greek dj and producer argy has been a prolific talent over the last decade plus, releasing a variety of sounds under a number of different aliases. his given name has always been reserved for house and techno, which is classically informed but always infused with the sound of the future. it’s come on key labels like bedrock, bpitch, ibadan, and most recently the martinez brothers’ cuttin’ headz imprint, and has spawned four fantastic full lengths. those releases, along with his storytelling dj sets, have made the these days label boss a much loved and ever-present part of the global underground scene. the excellent title track the way of kings opens up the ep with seven standout minutes of surging house. slick, powerful kicks drive it along as expertly crafted synths bring real drama and tension up top. it’s a tasteful bit of hi-tech soul for the peak of the night and is as essential as the title suggests. switching up the mood is the vibrant los animales, which has a busier, afro tinged groove and tribal percussive energy. lithe synths dart about to add dynamism and movement as vocal chants get you on your toes and the whole thing is sure to make a huge impact in the club. last of all, move like a panther featuring the new yorker in berlin, elbee bad, shows another side to argy. it’s a perfectly raw house cut with plenty of jacking chicago spirit. the drums hit hard, the synths are trippy and the snares force you to move. add in a dark bassline and spoken word mantras and you have a real piece of explosive club dynamite. these are three typically inventive and well-executed tracks from argy that are stuffed with original ideas.