lord of the isles four-track “infras” ep, on the barcelona imprint lone romantic, demonstrates macdonald’s continued mastery of tone and timbre, mood and groove. the title track kicks off by intertwining stringed synthtopia with an acidic staccato grounded in a rich low-end pulse. “w5 alpha” continues the all-enveloping warmth of “infras” base layer with a deliciously disparate palate of sounds, driven by a celestial arpeggio and a dusty collage of breaks. the b-side sets the listener loose in a garden of synthetic vines that pierce the long-decay smothering of bass with “q-bit”, a track that maintains equal kinship with the bouncing exploration of a dance floor as with the cool tones and discrete resolutions of an henri rousseau painting. “three times eleven” reads as a tribute to macdonald’s early fascination with john carpenter and vangelis soundtracks, combining emotive synth arpeggios and cyborg vocal washes in a fly-by depiction of an eerie and beautiful sonic landscape.

arktapes whispers in its cuts from the southern american continent. fine spaced out and atmospheric jams, strongly grounded in deadly grooves. a sweeping homage to the roots of our music genre, with a taste for novelty.

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

a year on from luigi tozzi and label head dino sabatinis collaborative manticora ep, outis return with a striking, singular solo work from tozzi. ecate ep sees the roman producer bringing three distinct slices of techno, each with its own set of subtleties and the crystal, adept sound design that defines tozzi’s work. spanning the a-side is ecate. this title track is rolling and hypnotic, with muscular, percussive bass. throughout the track, angelic chords come and go, washing the listener in euphoria. alongside, we hear a disorienting melody, grounded by the lightly swung four to the floor kick that gives this track an infectious groove. the flip opens with leto, which immediately defines itself as a club track with an unbroken but evolving set of percussion and a weighty kick. its around this kick that other elements build. we hear long, ringing, resonant string sounds, and a bell like melody morph and unfold as other percussive components come and go. the track falls away into atmospheric eeriness, which perfectly sets the stage for the eps finale. esperedes swung, panning drums give it a disorienting feeling of otherworldliness from the get go. this is before youre greeted by an alien, slightly dubbed out melody and a hanting backing drone that feels like a reference (perhaps in opposition) to the angelic chords of the eps first track. its on this closing track that tozzis delicate, expert sound design best shines through, and really has to be heard to be understood.

gitanes is olde gods new ep and longest output to date. following a series of singles on the minor planets label, the barcelona duo are up to a 12inch four-tracker on amsterdams atomnation. gitanes brings echoes from spains not-long gone golden club era. its cover depicts an abandoned club from the 90s in a coastal town in the mediterranean, could be anywhere from valencia to barcelona. all four tracks are trippy yet solid-grounded, spacey voices and strings leads all flying up and magically suspended over gross rhythmical foundations. dear cz, a fetiche track, built around a moody casio cz synth stab topped up with acid videogame-like crazyness. gitanes brings entrancing vocals intertwined with more cz pad action. all around is a foggy and paranoid late-night drive, and none of these bitches, a homesick folks walk around tokyos daikanyama area. olde gods are jmii and guillamino

once again we are sending a new release of acoustic signals from the collectively-run kindergarten at berlins east cross. after a techno focus on the last release, this one is a bit more melodic and housey. with “hot lies,” egon elliut contributes a well-crafted house track, newly revised in the “zkb taking the bus version” by one of our current favorite producers, zk bucket. with lots of love for detail, it’s a real pleasure. perel is no stranger to ://about blank. for years she has convinced us with her fantastic live sets, as a dj, she is just as grounded. “opal” sounds exactly like that — a shimmering, contemporary version of disco, an album on dfa is coming soon! our resident jessamine is releasing his first track ever on this mini compilation— rough and warm, with a touch of the 80’s in sound design, “more love later” has become a beautiful, harmonious and melodic love slider—suitable more for the later club hours. more love later!

with jungle, grime (forthcoming), 90s rnb (forthcoming) and even red snapper’s ‘96 classic prince blimey all getting the skrs redux recently, runcometest ep is a time-capsule. 8-bit basslines echo from distant battles with space invaders while sure-footed dub samples glare at sound system history through vaseline smeared lenses. returning to more grounded dubwise sensibilities (by their standards), runcometest builds a bridge between the collective’s 2014 nocorner cassette (rootprinciple) and the recently re-surfaced sci-fi/western clash dancehallshowdown (self-released on ics library recordings last year).

as the head of grounded theory and manhigh, henning baer has since 2009 presented his downcast, experimental interpretation of modern electronic music to wide critical acclaim, establishing his forceful presence on berlin’s scene with immaculate curatorial skills and equally imposing dj abilities. his discography so far, concentrated on adam x’s legendary sonic groove imprint and his own k209 and manhigh imprints, amongst others, keeps step with his formidable reputation and wide-ranging tastes, moving across the spectrum of hard-edged, aggressively modern techno. with ‘shatterproof’, his long-germinating debut album for manhigh, he offers for the first time his unified vision in extended format, a varied exploration into the outer limits of the genre. at its centre a work of dark minimalism, he sets and maintains the pensive tone on ambient pieces like ‘angel dust’, ‘all over’, and ‘mil-std 461’, which foreground the exploratory electronics that maintain their presence throughout. the corroded textures of the sounds, enveloped in decaying reverb, bring life to pieces like ‘never ending’ or ‘bliss’, which sit between rhythmic interludes and the stricter dancefloor material found on the remainder of the album. once he shifts into techno, he does it unremittingly, from the uptempo fury of ‘code buster’ and ‘burning chrome’, whose starkness only heighten the tension, to denser pieces like ‘drama sky’ or closer ‘vermillion red’, where the cavernous impacts of drum hits punch holes through beds of seesawing synthesizers. shatterproof like its title suggests, henning baer’s first album unifies and strengthens the work of an artist whose legacy is already assured.

some might say jordan fields is one of the most criminally underappreciated figures to rise out of chicago in the late 90s, not for people who know what s what though. after a career spanning more than 20 years he has established himself as one of the key figures of the underground. coming out of where everything started, chicago, jordan released records on a handful of key labels like catalyst, track mode, som underground, mood groove, maffia. he did not stop there and today he is still releasing bangers having never lost that magic touch that has kept him firmly grounded on the purest form of the underground, and that, after more than 20 years is pretty much unheard of. when we first contacted jordan we wanted to go back to where it all started, we wanted to be transported to late 90s chicago, to a time where it was all about the dance floor, when tracks meant something more than songs, when purely club-oriented music was the purest form of the underground. to be honest we were not expecting to get exactly what we wanted straight away, he immediately sent us a collection of tools straight out of dat tapes he had, going all the way back to the 90s and early 2000s, so yeah to say that we are excited with this release would be a huge understatement. this is a collection of tools meant for the dancefloor, not reminiscent of some gone by era, these are the real deal, made by a true master, 20 years ago, for the future.

aketi ray are an all-acoustic dub-jazz group, playing original compositions grounded in the instrumental music of post-independence jamaica -ska, rocksteady, reggae, rockers, dub -but drawing inspiration and influence from ethiopian and us jazz, west african percussion traditions, all with the mind set of uk steppas. an outernational sound: kingston to chicago to addis ababa to dakar to london.
the sound of -from ever since- draws on the vibes and heritage of pre-electr(on)ic music, but gives that traditional sound new power through the use of dub techniques of reverb, delay and eq manipulation.

spatial cues is a series of split singles sounding out main(void)’s and kon janson’s shared musical space. operating out of berlin and london, the two artists join forces to showcase their mutual vision of techno music. cues003 explores the darker side of the series with a focus on low frequencies, echoing percussions, and vast spaces, evoking a deep introspective motion. diffracting a manifold of sounds around its massive kick drum, cues003 a builds and releases tension through a dramatic sequence of smooth swells and intense surges. grounded by its captivating groove, cues003 b evolves around the sinister funk of fierce fm bass stabs, leading up to a powerful break that introduces a razor-edged hi-hat.

prepare to be immersed in a shimmering musical universe with this brand new ep by alci. blending wistful vocals with the energetic tempo of captivating repetitive rhythms the irresistible combination of up tempo pace and meditative loops will lift you up and take you away into the dark matter that makes up the cosmic space around us. the vocals then bring us right back to earth assisted by punchy kicks, keeping you (partly) grounded in reality. as a result, * humanized pattern * comes forth as an ep loaded with dreamy, bewitching atmospherics as well as dance floor friendly sounds.

wurzel’s second chapter showcases four mesmerizing tracks from four different well-grounded artists. hypnotic beats, tasty grooves and cosmic melodies merge onto a unique dynamic canvas. mighty weapon to have in the bag.

70% deal , last copies left.... sascha braemer s first record on dirtybird was a very big success gathering support from a wide array of djs. as our very first german artist, we were very happy when he sent over this super hot follow-up ep. true to dirtybird style both tracks on the ep are thematic, but these also show some restraint, not getting too silly or gimmicky with the themes. grounded in heavy funk kick drum grooves, sascha has delivered another set of bombs for sure. the train grows from a simple solid groove to a massive whistling peak, then back to the deep rooted funk. fly flip is a play on bug sounds, bringing a more laid back vibe to the table. both of the tracks are the kind of thing that could be played in any set from techno to deep house which really says a lot for the universal appeal of sascha s solid beats. we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

cues002 continues the series with two dense tracks that fearlessly steer through deep waves of sound, continually rising and falling in timbre and intensity. with its furious drum arrangement gaining momentum, cues002 a takes an unexpected turn as a dazzling pad sound emerges and sets off an unsettling euphoria. grounded by a pounding kick drum, cues002 b meanders through a disembodied soundscape, allowing only a washed out ride cymbal to add a sense of familiarity.

redshape returns to his own label with a retrovisionist release that looks back in time as much as it looks forward to the future. revving up on the a side is shift, a propulsive hurtle to the final frontiers. starting off ominously with just drums, bass and a pollock splatter of toms, the track is soon overrun by an army of relentlessly running basslines, let loose to steer in and out like searching headlights on a dark and endless highway. with a heavier kick, the track shifts into top gear with pensive pads soaring overhead, mesmerising squeaks and his signature attention to percussive detail. on the flip is drive, which switches gears down a notch as an astrospace cruise along intergalactic coastlines - from summery california to shiny coruscant. a rounded pounding beat with heavy sub bass bounces along to a breezy tropical melody and spacious percussive work, before riding off into a cinematic sunset that is as nostalgic as it is hopeful of the c oming dawn. once again on the edge of spatial sound but grounded in analog warmth, redshape has presented a revision of classic record productions that truly punches as it is meant to be felt and heard - on wax. recommended!

abstaxion and kasper bjørke return for their second collaboration on dc salas and abstraxions biologic records imprint. matin + nuit is a 3-track ep out in april. biologic records aim to explore the relationship between organic and analogue, natural and urban. this idea of polarity is addressed here through the themes of morning and night. matin is a ten-minute journey through a glistening landscape. celestial arpeggios and subtle dissonances are grounded by a hypnotic bassline and restrained percussion. ivre (drunk) takes an emotive turn. disorienting acid bass winds its way through mournful harmonies and overcast melodies, held together by a spirited rhythmic pattern. ‘nuit’, naturally, progresses into darker territory. there are familiar elements of disco, but they’ve been mangled to create something far more twisted. drums take the lead, punctuated by assertive bass stabs and ominous chords that howl through cavernous acoustics. matin + nuit explores seemingly familiar themes without the use of cliché, employing a diverse range of sound manipulation techniques to paint vivid imagery.

perm is one of leipzig s most busy producers and performers of electronic music. after releases on shtum, mana all nite, dur, kann and nachtdigital in recent years, holger is more than happy to welcome him with a four-tracker that o ers a deep insight into his vision of timeless techno: airy and yet rmly grounded, with a foggy atmosphere that permeates a vast space of sound. it is trippy and hypnotic but also very bodily and highly energetic. with these qualities it ts very nicely with holger 11 (polo) and 12 (barnt) a perfect closer for this mini triplet series, a concept that has become sort of a trademark for the label.

kevin arnemann and daan kemps taped artifact record label is prepping its first release of 2017. following the labels recently released various artists compilation, the amsterdam based imprint welcomes two pioneers within the icelandic techno scene: ohm & octal industries. ohm earned his stripes through his collaborations with exos in the early 00s, whilst octal industries is a much-respected artist within the idm scene under his ruxpin alias. with the highly dub-influenced maoss ep, the icelandic duo follows up their recent appearance on thors renowned thule records. the four-tracker features highly textured, rhythmical and classic rooted dub techno, showcasing the iconic icelandic aesthetic.

this ep is the product of a wide-spanning collective with high personal standards of artistic expression. with spirited vitality lukas endhardt fills the air with the warmth of hot summer days, and fresh air of dark, beating nights. he shows undeniable skills for stimulating progression, which spirits you away into atmospheric sounds and grounded beats. the remixes on this ep set different moods and emotions in to play, and manage still to form a certain unity throughout the tracks.

havantepe s t.a.o.s.a. ep is the first vinyl release on grounded in humanity s sublabel alienus. expect 4 deep techno tracks with his dubby high quality trademark sound we love him for. this is part 1.... expect some more.

with the musical institution that the guitar constitutes, golden retriever sets out to change its paradigm with very simple means, creating a void between genres and ideas to be in, grinning in its essence yet at times grounded with serious introspective ingredients. with only an iphone as a recording studio, golden retriever has created the ep in a very minimalistic sense, not only when it comes to sheer production elements but also through that instruments chosen to use. having a background in various other scenes, you could say it s a consequence of leftover creativity and exploratory passion that didn t fit in anywhere else at the moment. the sonic palette is naive, luscious and surprisingly thick and sturdy considering the limitations of both instruments and recording equipment used. with unassailable melodies that are equally captivating as ravishing, it seduces you with the same drifter romantics and beautiful scenery as you would find in any classic country song without following the same structure. whenever a string of the guitar is plucked, struck or touched, it invokes feelings of both adventurous joy, but sometimes also the sadness of leaving something behind.

discodromos ever-essential cocktail d amore label launches into action once more with the ear candy of komodo in tow. magic hour manages to work classic piano house tropes into a suitably cosmic headspace that s loaded with reverb and all things trippy, but its relatively grounded compared to the exotic meditation that the backwoods manage to conjure up on their oriental dub of the track. lizard dance channels early trance vibes to great effect in a celebration of early 90s rave mysticism and then sand dunes offers up a bubbling, friendly twist on acid house. using familiar tropes but still maintaining originality, from start to finish this is a classically rooted record with something to say.

alessandro diga, a young talented dutch artist, delivers 3 solid techno tracks for the fifth release on the bergwacht record label. “phaedra” starts with a great bassline and goes into a warm melodic techno track with a lot of emotions, dreamy synths and it goes along with a clear hihat. the track is able to be dreamy and not cheesy at the same time. “sonora” is grounded on a rolling bassline and clear hi-hats as well, it goes over in nice effects with outstanding breaks, but it finds back to the starting rhythms. “dahlia” the hidden b-2 track transmits a deep journey with melancholic feelings.

* 6x 12 inch* vinyl box-set limited to 500 copies + includes the compilation on cd

songs without words, suggestive and emotional transparency and connection, contemplation and departure, meditation and attack: this music fascinates from the very beginning. it has no need to boast or become talkative, but stays true to itself as it casually develops its poignant pulse and lets it grow, and grow. the web of sounds soon begins to radiate from within, it inspires images in ones head, and invites to musing and introspection. against the background of a wide horizon the details of their music join, develop a life of their own, and lift off to collective flights of ideas. this music is an invitation to listen without prejudice, offering a way to get lost in dreams while, at the same time, remaining solidly grounded and completely awake.

leo martera and riccardo sodi present two power tracks equipped with the right measure of steam and chicago house elements. shame feels like a sunrise with the beams of sonic rays atop of a floating, intense drum track. timeless chicago house ! up woman- is deep, grounded and esoteric, bringing the entire essence of night to the mornin.

inmotion music ltd sparks its first release by none other than marco faraone. fresh off his unflinching release schedule in 2015, with poignant releases on drumcode, moon harbor beasone and on edge society, marco’s second release of the year sees him affirming his position as a full-spectrum techno mainstay. with two stunning remixes by argentinas jonas kopp, replace ep showcases a versatile playlist grounded in timeless, raw techno.

over seven years of grounded theory and a clutch of celebrated releases to his name, henning baer has already proven himself one of the finest berlin has to offer. with the launch of his manhigh imprint, he takes the jump to full control of his own output, freed of the constraints of collaborators and outside artistic direction.

** released on vinyl only **!!
in the space of two short years shlømo has quickly established himself alongside the likes of marcelus, bambounou, francois x and the antinote records crew as a key figure in paris’ current techno generation. having established his own taapion records label in 2013 and built a roster around a core of local producers including roman poncet, pvnv and antigone, in addition to enlisting stephen brown, conforce and sterac as remixers for the label’s releases so far. for its fifth release, bright sounds - run by fellow parisian kennedy smith - revisits last year’s rechaïm ep (bsrx003), with a trio of remixers offering their own takes on shlømo’s established deep and expansive sound. first up is the aforementioned 50 weapons artist bambounou, who offers a dynamic groove-based version of the title track that bounces along an elastic kick drum with cut-up fragments of the original’s atmospheric pads providing further impetus. label owner kennedy smith takes on theory is the worst by bringing its dub textures to the for while filling the track’s empty spaces with intricate drum patterns. finally, italian techno pioneer donato dozzy turns grounded queen into a classic dozzy slow-burning techno trip, with his trademark layered sound complimenting the track’s subtle rhythmic backbone.

lastcopies !!! arktapes whispers its papers from the southern hemisphere. his compositions make for fine spaced out and atmospheric jams, strongly grounded in deadly grooves. a sweeping homage to the roots of our music genre, with a taste for novelty.

the new record follows 2013s at the back of beyond, which was warmly received creatively and commercially, and inspired ntjam to perform throughout holland and across europe. that was an album that was a part of me, and that needed to explore my poppy side, she says. im grounded in jazz and soul, and pop. but as a songwriter, i really needed to go through that album to learn how to play the guitar, to see and hear what kind of songs i would write, and also to put the guitar on the palette literally being able to pick the guitar up to write.
the vinyl lp comes housed in gatefold sleeve with download code included.

ripping, raw deep techno from berlin s grounded theory main man.

featured: four bona fide artists, accomplished and historically rooted deeply in the underground. drivetrain (detroit, usa) – take your time…a grove which the dance floor simply cannot deny. derrick thompson unleashes a bewitching bass line atop a relentlessly galvanizing drum track. flavorful female vocal samples raise the energy to maximum capacity. black jack (aberdeen, scotland) – “the earth grid”…moving just a little deeper, the melody of rich chords and pads guide the constant pulsating bass with effeminate whispers chanting through the occasional twisting synth refrain. fbk (columbus, usa) – “his brief moment of clarity”…boosting the tempo just a tad, a herculean debut production which intelligently punches and stabs dynamic waves of rhythmic sound patterns of perpetual electronic motion. rob belleville (soest, netherlands) – brightened horizon…a first offering on soiree records, spontaneously spotlighting late night ambiance. percussions swing to the bounce of the bass riff as the keyboards chime the infectious theme. -rooted and grounded deep-

tangible assets returns with its fourth release in the series by label owner stojche. an outlet that’s given the berlin based producer the freedom to explore and distill his trademark dubbed out detroit fueled productions. asset 04 follows on from three previous releases and opens its account with ‘payback’. a dubbed out affair that’s firmly grounded in a powerful groove. stojche sets about reinforcing his strengths in composing a surgically laden foundation with precision placement of 909 toms, panned snares and staggered kick drums that proceed into razor sharp hats, blooming into subtle delayed pads which are further lifted by emotive and colourful chords. payback’s true charm lies in its ability to capture an honesty and sincerity that’s as captivating as it is transcendent.“tunnel’ continues where ‘payback’ left off and leads in with a booming cavernous kick drum, diving directly deep into a wonderland of mysticism, an effortless trademark that’s clearly evident within all of stojche’s productions. rich swirling pads rise and sit happily beside cleverly programmed melodic keys that tease in out of the mix, directly complementing the main elements of its structure. if anything, ‘sinister alley’ should be further proof of the macedonian born producer’s maturity in exploring the outer worldly and broken beat time signatures. his approach in creating both depth and enchantment is both pragmatic and effective. beautifully deep, undulating and atmospheric. ‘sinister alley’ opens with an airy signal that captivates upon overture. combining quintessential snares, a series of rapid fire hats that are anchored by an analog baseline, he sets about creating hypnotism with layers of atmospheric suspense, while fluttering waves of electronic circuitry waver in the distance. a multitude of pads and textures combine to create an ethereal feel and harmonic cloud to float within. tangible assets 004 is far more than just another chapter in stojche’s musical journey and much more than just another release on his label. it’s further evidence and development in a sound that truly captures the essence of the man behind these tracks. an ethos he’s been exploring for quite some time, catalyzing imagination and furtherance that’s beyond tangible.

nicolas villebrun, half of society of silence and acid square dance, is putting out his first solo album on fragil musique, accurately titled « snare roll lp ». villebrun only needed a couple of recording sessions during a short period of time, to put the whole thing out from a unique set up. although an accomplished musician, tite seems to leave his technical skills aside when crafting his music, embracing all the spontaneity one would expect from a techno producer. listening to the lp, the title starts to make sense. when the snares are not rolling, the smooth basslines take over, strongly dragging bodies towards the dance floor. hungry man, move into hell, a white track, and the amazing the bell glides are among those. basslines curved as a horse s behind, subtly swifting through the air, are playing around with smartly spread out rhythms and textures. tite comes up with nine commonly grounded tracks, but with the necessary talent and sharpness to produce a resolutely fine, homogeneous, and yet diversified techno lp.

the second release on kitjen is yet another dance maxi that is destined to not leave your bag for a long time . the a-side features ondulè a track by our friends tambien from munich. its irresistable groove stretches over 8 minutes, supported by twirling percussions and flickering synth sounds - a piano chord drops every now and then to keep you grounded. until finally, the ends elf-like scats take you away for good. flip sides to find kornèl kovàcs work his remix magic. hear a stripped down version of the original that builds slowly to develop an epic drive with dark melancholic chords and thriving baseline, guaranteed to get some hands in the air at clubs and festivals around the globe. kitjen hopes you enjoy this summer gift

the seventh release on alan fitzpatricks explore, search and discover label. alan fitzpatrick recruits fellow south coast hero, aubrey (ostgut, mosaic, solid groove), to provide the soundtrack on this techno heavy release. backed with a superb remix from berlins henning baer (grounded theory) this is a vinyl only release.

the head of grounded theory berlin returns to sonic groove with his strongest outing on the label to date. henning baer brings forth a rough and tough diverse four cut ep of chunky rhythmatic techno. recording the songs during live jams and using a previously decided pool of hardware this ep has a nice old school vibe. the sound production however is very much in the modern day with its well crafted mix downs. this release has strong mass appeal for the purist techno connoisseur.

2nd part. after a year spent perfecting the sound and style of his latest project, andrea fiorito makes his highly-anticipated return to cynosure recordings with voodoo grooves, the first of a two part ep that fuses funk, dub, and minimal with elements of analog house music straight from the new york city underground. inspired by a recent pilgrimage to south america, voodoo grooves borrows the sounds of the amazon, the flavour of cuban santeria, and the spirit of the rainforest in its warm, grounded basslines and hypnotic loops.

after a year spent perfecting the sound and style of his latest project, andrea fiorito makes his highly-anticipated return to cynosure recordings with voodoo grooves, the first of a two part ep that fuses funk, dub, and minimal with elements of analog house music straight from the new york city underground. inspired by a recent pilgrimage to south america, voodoo grooves borrows the sounds of the amazon, the flavour of cuban santeria, and the spirit of the rainforest in its warm, grounded basslines and hypnotic loops.

200 copies pressed. the fifth instalment of madrids eleve label is here in the form of a new various artists. this new piece of wax brings together a mixture of talented artists, both internationally respected and also newcomers emerged from madrids underground scene. dutch dub techno figure mohlao, known for his releases on meanwhile, field or other heights labels, delivers a lo-fi deep techno number more dancefloor oriented than previous works. well known eleve artist, bule, contributes to this reference with a strong track in line of his previous releases on the label. deep and thick, rooted in 4×4 ambient electronics. spanish berlin resident, wil, sees his debut track on the label, schoenhauser 176. layered ambient techno with the feel of classic dub sound. lastly, co-owner of grounded in humanity label and eleve collective participant, gblanco, makes his debut on the label. his track is the fuzziest, dreamiest and deepest of the compilation, providing the perfect chilling experience.

american intelligence is theos long awaited follow up to sound sculptures vol 1 and its truly sensational. huge tip! on this album theo fuses jazz & soul music with electronic production, making this album sound both futuristic and grounded in the past at the same time. contributions come from marcellus pittman, ideeyah & duminie deporres

gary beck and mark broom teaming up for nothing else than stunning techno. great 4 tracker on the always floor destroying bek audio.

s:vt aka sven von thülen returns to work them records with a house vs techno 12inch bomb! the killer remix comes courtesy of grounded theory lynchpin, mr henning baer.

bright sounds present their third release, from paris-based producer shlømo - owner of kindred spirit label taapion. having made a big impression in late-2013 with taapion s debut release the harvest ep (featuring conforce and stephen brown remixes), shlømo now presents his second full solo ep: rechaïm explores similar sonic textures to those found on taapion and bright sounds releases so far - a richly layered and dense world of dub techno atmospherics with dancefloor versatility. the four tracks all allow for different aspects of shlømo s exemplary production skill to shine through, marking the producer alongside bright sounds owner and fellow parisian as producers and a&r talents to keep close watch of.

sama recordings presents 4 different visions of todays underground dance music and revives certain emotions with a distinct nod towards all things atmospheric and non linear. laminats >lade< is a more darker and melodic piece in the tradition of raw chicago house music. >sulphur dreams< is an uprising ambient dj tool, while >she can see you< is a moody electronica piece with drifting voice samples. >the withdrawal< by maria colors label boss ynk is an ever-changing analog techno monster with a special feeling for sonorical details and rapidly changing drum patterns. grounded and spiraled out, the journey continues.

apartment kickstarts 2014 with a various artists compilation focusing on irish talent from all across the isle. following on from their collaboration as bande apartment in 2013, tr one and new jackson once again appear together on apartment. this time around new jackson remixes tr ones bruising techno beast >viceroy-9c< (the original of which appeared on the last apartment release, a split 12 with phantom planet outlaws), turning it into an emotive, acid-laced breakbeat gem. house duo slowburn, coming off a year that included appearances on lunar disko, appian sounds and grounded in humanity deliver the off-kilter and immersive >riders of the sea<. hints of the work of artists such as drexciya and kassem mosse are combined with their own unique stylings to create an intoxicating, tripped out journey to the deepest recesses of the dancefloor.the cyclist garnered huge praise last year with his >bones in motion< lp on leaving records/stones throw and apartment is excited to deliver his first original material since then. his individual brand of over-driven electronics – >tape throb< – combines distortion with the most delicate of inflections and >crax< surmises this approach perfectly, an uncommonly euphoric slice of wounded electronica. last but by no means least is the superior inferior. after his debut release on belfast’s one electronica label went so far as to be licensed by sven vath to his sound of the 14th season compilation, he returns with the throbbing, rapturous >a bit much confusion<. wave and electro influences carry this bass heavy number towards it’s crescendo of skyscraping synths and skewered monopoly madness.

block rocking, pop locking lonely c and baby prince are at it again with their latest fraiche ep on soul clap records. the troublemaking two-some take us back to 2011. it was a weekend in late august and new york city was practically under martial law. news tickers warned frightened citizens that a hurricane called irene would strike at any minute, flooding most of manhattan and williamsburg where the boys sat gleefully snacking and talking shit inside the world famous marcy hotel. with all airplanes grounded and the trains halted it became clear that lc & bp were going nowhere. it began to rain, the wind picked up and as the skies darkened, nyc declared a state of emergency.