1976 the brothers were an emerging disco soul septet whose blistering arrangements and ferocious playing had earned them a cult following and a major label deal. little did they know that only a few years after the release of brothers theme that it would be a huge record on the dance-floors of nycs paradise garage and chicagos music box with both larry levan and ron hardy hammering the record behind the controls every night. the playing of the group paired with the production prowess of the legendary producer, writer and arranger warren schatz (frankie valli, dolly parton, vickie sue robinson and more) combined to make a fairly heady brew of disco, orchestral overtures and bombast that just ignites. proper disco music in it s purest form, still doing damage today! often sought after by the deepest of disco heads on a white label promo 12inch this rare ep now sees a fully legit reissue, made in conjunction with above board distribution and rca is sourced from their vaults using original materials and remastered and repressed to the highest standard for 2018 and featuring all original 1976 rca label artwork.

2018 repress , a stunning piece of nyc proto-house / electronic disco from vocalist shirley lites mixed by the legendary studio team of nick martinelli & david todd. released in 1983 -heat you up...- is a slamming, heady mixture of drum machines, synths, dub fx & lites powerful, soulful vocals, a record that worked the dancefloors of the paradise garage, the zanzibar, the muzic box & many, many others into a complete frenzy, a true underground disco classic (check that dub mix!) this bonafide dance classic is now here again, re-mastered & re-pressed in conjunction with west end records & still causing a sensation when played almost 30 years after it s original release, essential!

monologues vinyl-only series returns with another four juicy cuts. amsterdam s mischievous melon steps back into his je dàvu guise for a haunting, soul-infused workout on dream of cream , bristol boys lrusse & kraymon pull off a stunner on the colourful, intergalactic house of tropical clown , kerri chandler s madhouse records signings voyeur provide a heady, jazz-licked roller on orchid and monologues regular danvers slows the tempo for the chugging funk of ain t over . something for all the family.

matt karmil, pional, marc piñol and dandara shed a new light on slowciety s previous record: guru. guru remixes opens with a mesmerising and brooding interpretation of the self-titled by matt karmil, recalling the raw textures of the uk-producer s lp. pional s remix comes next with a powerful treatment of elephant, once again proving the dancefloor expertise of the madrid-based producer. he delivers the shamanic experience from the original track and pushes it forward with soaring percussive elements & beats layered on a 90 s-esque emotive pad. marc piñol opens the b-side with a groovy remix of guru, described by the man himself as a 122 bpm after party tool. a heady bassline loop, as well as dry & twisted sounds beefed up by karmil s work on the mastering, lead the remix to a hypnotic ride, pure and efficient. last but not least, swiss producer dandara brings his tribal touch to the sensual -utopia-. a slow melodic dancefloor piece which smoothly closes this third record.

the dark knight of eerily appealing techno - headless horseman - is back with a vengeance. this time, he has chosen to recruit the elektron octatrack, analog rytm, overbridge and machinedrum uw in order to pursue his modern-day arcane craft. his three tracks on this, the latest elektron grammofon release, will have you dancing headless into the heady future.

trevor jacksons second release on his unreleased archive recordings label pre is a heady collection of subterranean minimalist synth jams, blissful technicolour textures, somber distorted drones and expansive cosmic soundscapes. recorded during 2010-2014 with a limited analog vintage hardware set up elka sythex, roland jupiter 6, roland 808, roland chorus echo, bel bd80 delay & tape, these solo recordings were created at unearthly hours as lengthy improvised compositions and cathartic personal experiments. heavily manipulated using classic effects units, harmonic layers slowly evolve, arpeggiated melodies mutate, discordant drum machines and fractured voices merge elegantly into noise. design your dreams is jackson at his best, uncompromising and considered, progressive and unique.

len faki is ready to share another batch of his personal secret weapons, this time giving away three floor-focused edits, starring a pair of russian producers philipp gorbachev and nocow. first up are two takes from gorbachevs recent lp, a throwback into the rave scenes heyday. featuring anthemic synths and even front-row vocals by polina. the catchy album opener gets rigged with a solid fundament and peak time-friendly bpm, while similarly sumptuous cut lazer waltzes through fakis tested and well-proven percussive layers. boasting massive low-end impact on the flip, the hardspace mix of nocows k$$$$ hits a special spot, mixing heavy bass, idm-grade level of detail and ghetto-ish vox into a unique and heady power-blend. as with all releases of lf rmx, the proceeds of this record will be forwarded to the berlin organization straßenkinder e.v. to be used in actions against child poverty.

polysom brazil 180 gram vinyl lp repress import, released in 1969.
heady heady work from the legendary gal costa – caught here right at her early best, smack dab in the middle of the tropicalia years! the album’s one of gal’s legendary collaborations with arranger rogerio duprat – and it’s very much in the spirit of her other incredible session from 1969, but also features some even heavier and more tripped out guitar – in a way that really pushes the psychedelic aspect of the work! the sound here is really amazing – very fuzzy and freaky at times, in ways that make the album one of the most rocking sets of the entire tropicalia scene, but in ways that still hang onto the quirky experimental qualities of work by os mutantes or caetano veloso. gal’s vocals really rip out amazingly at times – light years away from the sweet sound of the late 70s, and more in the frenetic, urgent style you’d expect from the politically-charged scene that spawned the set. caetano veloso and gilberto gil join gal on a great version of -pais tropical-, jards macale guest stars on the classic -empty boat- – and other tracks include -tuareg-, -meu nome e gal-, -pulsars e quasars-, and -cultura e civilizaco-. essential!

proud of this one! our own homegrown mark du mosch on the royal oak. 4 tracks of mark s own brand of house music. deep and heady but still has that uplifting vibe.

clash lion is a mix of three personalities shall ocin, terr and daniel watts. three artists with different musical backgrounds merging forces to create a truly eclectic and open minded label. after the standout success of their debut release from maetrik in september, the labels second helping comes from label co-owner, shall ocin, known for his heavy use of modular synths, analog rhythmboxes and custom-made effects his bounty hunter ep is definitely unique. cicada layers atmospheric modulations, slow pulsating synth work on top of a booming bass drum. dark synth tones resonate to create real exploration of sound. raw, and somewhat ethereal in its composition ‘bounty hunter’ layers frequency patterns in a fresh formation, leading into a heady path of sound texture before its thunderous release with a booming synth riff. the labels mission to achieve eclectic, no boundaries electronic music has been displayed throughout this release from shall, with the final track yummy jam creating an experimental electronica vibe, showing his passion for innovation.

having made his debut on throne of blood as a contributor to moon rock volume 4, cass. returns to the label with a blissed out 12” that builds upon the low-slung atmospheres of his recent output on emotional response and international feel (in collaboration with jan schulte) to create a heady and modern sound influenced by both balearic and 80’s pop sonics without every losing sight of the dance.

pierre bastien is a french legend that has collaborated with artists such as robert wyatt, jac berrocal and jaki liebezeit, to name just a few. he is also very well known for his compositions based on home-made mechanical instruments, designed and constructed by bastien himself. pure diy. using these instruments he would create a heady experimental mix incorporating poetry and some far-out music, all in all very intriguing and original indeed. needless to say when the notion of pierre bastien and versatile records potentially making a project together arose, it was a total honour! throw into the mix esteemed electro-acoustic composer eddie ladoire and now we ve really got something interesting. eddie and pierre met when they appeared on the same concert bill together and they decided to collaborate further with versatile being the platform for the fruits of this particular project. the original version of phantom dance is a beautiful piece where bastien plays a trumpet into some water blended with electronic drums and mellow organs lines, creating an otherworldly, subterranean jazz vibe for the freaks. suzanne kraft, the la native / amsterdam based producer turns the original into some mechanical broken funk vibes while rotterdam s oceanic delivers 2 fresh, reimagined versions. one for for the club with a strong afro beat feel while the other one is a slower affair for the after hours. both mixes bringing something new to the table. a truly original and interesting release from some very talented people, for those with open ears and open minds!

reeko debuts on avian. in recent years, the spanish producer’s name has become synonymous with exquisitely produced, hyper-functional techno variants. releases via pole group and planet rhythm as well as the artist’s own mental disorder outlet have seen juan rico develop a distinctive sound that places elements of noise & ambient within a contemporary techno framework – harnessing a dense, abrasive energy without compromising groove. layers of ethereal pads, filtered noise and feedback fx are compounded into a tight, mono space, pushing back on powerful, propulsive low end – making for a decidedly heady listening experience.

a true balearic classic. one of a handful of records that can comfortably boast this title, elkin & nelson’s 1979 classic jibaro sits in the canon of selections that enlightened the ears of the jet-set and globe trotting music fanatics in the heady and much storied years of the white isle in the 1980’s. the colombian brothers javier and leon marin velez brought their own rustic brand of folksy-rock-psychedelia to the listening public in 1974 with their debut lp angeles y demonios on columbia records. the brothers had relocated to spain, snared a major label deal and ran with it. the first of 3 lps it proved a big hit in later years with adventurous dj’s and selectors. a cult record you might say. of course, this lp featured jibaro in all it’s forms, but it is this 1986 reissue 12” promo pressing with its iconic, distinctive jacket that was the coveted slab sonic adventurers were seeking. fully sanctioned and legitimately remastered from the original sources and packaged in its original columbia promo sleeve jibaro is back on the shelves, still an incredible record that gets pulled by the most discerning selectors across the globe. a true classic, featured here in its long and short versions as per the ’86 release. absolute top-shelf stuff here, essential, must own and classic.

volphonie is the new label of chris honorat, resident and creator of the automatik events at the rex club in paris. with a dark and hypnotic music inviting to night-time voyage and introspection, volphonie is a label that chris wants at his image and in conformity with his techno religion. scan x, a pioneer of electronic live music in europe and laurent garniers sound engineer, provides the first release of the label with the track alien symphony, a piece in the artists purest tradition, a truly sound odyssey revolving around a deviant lead and heady. marcel fengler delivers an aerial remix faithful to the original spirit of the track, but even more hypnotic and captivating. keikari, one of the most promising artists among the new generation of french producers, imposes us his brutal and uncompromising version, while electric rescue, the most prolific french activist through his label skryptom, takes us to the rave with a mental techno that only him owns the secret.

seattle artist, and from 0-1 co-owner sone, issues his debut vinyl ep, auroras. aptly titled, this ep embodies the characteristic ethereal nature of these light formations seen in the far northern and southern hemispheres. deep heady atmospheres, and constant driving rhythmic motion perfectly embody the artists vision. australis opens the ep with hypnotic rhythms and enigmatic textures. milkplant continues the theme while ratcheting up the energy level, and injecting a touch of grit. borealis brings the funk with undeniable groove and tracky percussive power serving as a great dj tool. uk artist operator (aka rich jones) turns the focus with heavy driving force, and an organic, acidic chug.

final volume in the ‘walk.man’ mix series. a 4 track of burners and disco thuds. ‘cloud break’ bolts out the blocks with deadly bongo drums and heady vocal whilst ‘don’t you? opens it out on the breakdown with xxxy. ‘magnolia is looped up phaser disco distilled. finished with the glacial ‘ur salvation’

seattle artist, and from 0-1 co-owner sone, issues his debut vinyl ep, auroras. aptly titled, this ep embodies the characteristic ethereal nature of these light formations seen in the far northern and southern hemispheres. deep heady atmospheres, and constant driving rhythmic motion perfectly embody the artists vision. australis opens the ep with hypnotic rhythms and enigmatic textures. milkplant continues the theme while ratcheting up the energy level, and injecting a touch of grit. borealis brings the funk with undeniable groove and tracky percussive power serving as a great dj tool. uk artist operator (aka rich jones) turns the focus with heavy driving force, and an organic, acidic chug.

ambient shoegaze duo aris kindt launch the new kingdoms imprint with their second album, swann and odette. picking up where their first record (2015Æs floods) leaves off, swann and odette is an evolutionary leap forward for the duo. the sonic palette is deeper, the grooves more sparse and the melodies are given more room to seep deep within a mix so expansive it feels almost tactile. this is heady, opulent stuff. the album is immaculately produced and cunningly arranged to sidestep easy classification while not sacrificing accessibility and authentic feeling. aris kindt is the collaborative project of gabe hedrick and francis harris (scissor and thread). harris has previously released the albums leland (2012) and minutes of sleep (2014), both of which have been lauded ôfor (their) extensive use of live instruments, a contrasting feature to his work done beforeö (last.fm, 2016). building on this approach, hedrick adds his own sonic signature in effects-laden layers of electric guitar and modular synthesizer. collectively, the album swells and reverberates to create a seamless interplay of synths and instrumentation cast loose from their origins and awash in oceanic delay.

jules etienne has been skirting around labels such as apersonal music for a few years, but here makes a strong statement with a new record for cocktail d amore. triangle des bermudas is a swinging yet cosmically inclined jam powered by warm synth arpeggios, which regular collaborator massimiliano pagliara then nudges up into crafty deep house territory. cuban omlette is a delicate affair that interweaves pattering percussion and nagging synth lines to make a particularly heady brew before johns job finishes the record off with a richly layered drum track that should have djs across the board getting tricky in the mix.

we are back, we are licentious, we are rough and ready with studio 89 s second release... ready to spread into a clubhouse near you. a sizzling charge of hot and heady lust. sexy beats for you fancy freaks. we are your ship master, cruise with us into the depths of your dreams.

excise records 2nd vinyl release is a celebration of both northern and southern californian techno. oaklands milkplant has been making heady dancefloor bombs for 2 decades, and los angeles icon developer jumps in with a beautiful retro-hypnotic remix of far star. milkplants dust cloud is a 10 minute epic build with dreamy synth work shattered complex metallic percussion and anchored by a shockingly weighty bassline. the original far star is a wild romp with psyched out synth arps and relentless spit-fire hi hats.

chicago’s carington pierre, also known as lanzo, has bestowed evidence of his cosmic hip hop beatology to the cold busted label in the form of a new album, omnipotent. previously recording for blvnt records and the natural selection label, lanzo specializes in a style of experimental hip hop that draws from boom-bap, soulful downtempo, and atmospheres that lean toward the celestial. lanzo and his trusty mpc 1000 have been actively producing since 2008 and omnipotent confrms his upward trajectory, presenting ffteen tasty sonic morsels that groove in a confdent but abstract fashion. highlights include “comfort zone” which envelopes a swinging rhythm in dreamy strings, distant voices, and rolling bass, and the odd but appealing “gutter balls”, featuring some deliciously drunken synths. there’s also the melancholy quiet storm of “colours”, “against the wall” and its heavily processed beat magic, and the loping sci-f jazz of “between friends”. omnipotent is a heady listen, displaying textures and swirls that accentuate the sturdiness of its drum beats. lanzo has provided a distinctive soundtrack that’s ready-made for day blazing or night groovin’.

uwe schmidt has long been recognized as one of electronic musics most respected and versatile artists. a man of many talents, projects and identities including atom heart and senor coconut, uwes playfully ironic and acid- tinged atom tm moniker is perhaps the identity that most speaks to the new york dancefloors where the bunker makes its home. several atom tm releases are much-loved bunker classics and with the future nights 12inch uwe offers a heady experiment in what happens when a track takes you so far inside your own head that you’re in danger of losing your way back. . the a side is comprised of two fuzzy vocal techno tracks that are as fun to listen to as they will be to subject to some heavy tweaking in the hands of a capable dj. the b side, chemistry is particularly versatile and crazy-making with elements of darker techno stirred into a disorientingly stereophonic maelstrom that’s guaranteed to cause a dancefloor to lose its moorings until the only thing keeping reality from splintering is the tracks dry academic vocal reassuring us that its all just chemistry

for over 40 years orchestre poly rythmo de cotonou has combined traditional beninese music with soul, funk, afrobeat, rhumba and cuban rhythms to create this infectious soundà hailing from benin, west africa, orchestre poly rythmo de cotonou has been churning out incendiary afro grooves since 1966. on bosq meets poly rythmo uptown, bosq tastefully reworks 4 of orchestre poly rythmo s legendary recordings. as a die-hard fan, bosq took a subtle approach to the project. according to him orchestre poly rythmo has been a strong influence on his work and he wanted to be respectful to the original tracks. bosq focused on making the tracks dj friendly by beefing up the low end, rearranging and stretching parts out, and adding in extra percussion and a drum machine. the result is a 4-track ep of bumpy afro disco, psychedelic funk, frenzied afrobeat, and sunny soulful grooves. based in medellin, colombia, bosq has released a collection of music on ubiquity records, soul clap records, fania records, razor-n-tape, and more. since 2015, sol power sound, out of washington, dc has released deep sounds inspired by rhythms and traditions from around the globe. the label s output includes afro-latin stompers, re-edits of lost disco grooves, heady percussive tech workouts, and other sonic treats. four stone-cold classic orchestre poly rythmo de cotonou tracks re-shaped by bosq for the dancefloor today..

a seriously jittery slab of hardcore raver material, this is perhaps fpl s most robust roast yet: filtered thru the heady history of classic 90’s hardcore techno and peak time trance euphorias, caffeine’s tracks showcase a viciously deft arrangement sensibility, utilizing a revolving door of precisely cut breaks, bubbly, effervescent pads and synth melodies, creamy sub-bass and loads of crispy vocal signifiers, imagine if the rza had listened to lots of orbital and early trance records and made this after liquid swords and you’re almost there.

roman producer (and a force behind minimalrome label) valerio lombardozzi known as heinrich dressel returns to barba with a second release for our label, titled -the styx swamp-. heinrich has a unique way of combining classic techno and electro sounds with elements from the beloved drexcyan universe and john carpenter leitmotifs, and making them come together in a manner that both moves your body and pushes your mind beyond the point of awareness. as with the previous record, -lurking underwater-, here he pulls off the move with the same efficiency and without sounding like he s repeating himself. -gray slope-, -sailing the nether waterways- and -the styx swamp- are all quite moody and deep, rich with sound and thick with vibe. however, the tracks feel equally at home in 4 am techno situation and a heady afterhours affair. he truly is a master of crafting hybrids whose influences get so flawlessly embedded that it s hard to point them out. if that s not enough, -the styx swamp- got a treatment by nigel rogers aka perseus traxx, a multi-faceted producer and a mighty live act performer. nigel stayed respectful to the original but made the original s bouncy groove into something more direct and reduced, while retaining the same feel conditioned by lead synth s hypnotic quality. we re known to give a little bit of extra love to our releases so (as all before) this one s pressed onto a heavy duty 180 gram vinyl and beautifully packaged in an original artwork by emaemaema.

young adults return to the fold with another gem from the polish underground. having bubbled up in the polo house scene for the last couple years, 2017 finds richu m stepping into the forefront for his debut outing donor goes to hawaii . rhythm-centric, but varied in approach, the 6-tracker traverses swirling techno, heady thumpers, muddy beatscapes and throwback boom bap. simultaneously airy and off-kilter, the release shows a breadth of approach that is not easily pigeonholed, but feels vaguely familiar. opener round soundtracks a laser tag pursuit scene with swayed synths, chattering percussion, and pitch-shift vocal echoes. the title track donor goes to hawaii takes a dilla bounce kit to the beach and gets the vibraphone and organ all sandy. jazzy piano loops and squelchy synths stack wobbly layers high like jenga blocks on aquarian mummies . pistaccio gets subterranean with infectious skittered patterning and a proper bump to boot. picking up the pace, melting dolphins is a funky floor filler. finale landskates blisses out with floating pads and a meditative drumroll.

since releasing his last album on hypercolour in february 2016 (æyou existÆ), dmx krew has not for one moment rested on laurels, releasing two further lps on the ekster and abstract form labels, as well as eps and singles for central processing unit, shipwrec, revoke and more. continuing to remain faithful to the roots of electro, idm and the deeper shades of techno, and without compromise, dmx krew cranks out emotive and brain scrambling electronica at a mighty rate, and never disappoints. æstrange directionsÆ is album number 21 from dmx krew, and lands once more on hypercolour, the british label that continues to make heady waves in the music scene with genre shifting releases from the like of matthew herbert, luke vibert, gary gritness, the cyclist, outboxx and a sagittariun in the last 12 months alone. youÆll know what kind of ride you are in for from the first few bars of album opener æsnowy blueÆ, hypnotizing bass and spatial keys float over dusty micro breaks, produced with an infectious aesthetic that continues over the long playerÆs fifty-five minute tenure. experimental and expansive joints such as æodd chillÆ and æstrange directionsÆ sit comfortably alongside funkier techno jams such as æthin hypeÆ and æzero sumÆ, whilst the melancholic synth sensibilities of tracks like æhip hopelessÆ and æaxial mode beatÆ catches dmx krew on fine form.

stefan schwander aka harmonious thelonious is definitely not a newcomer. he has been around for a long time and has already released lots of amazingly varied music on labels such as emotional response, italic, meakusma and diskant. he’s also an integral part of the infamous duesseldorf / salon des amateurs axis that is an obvious hotbed of talent. he describes his style as -american minimalism vs. african drumming vs. european sequencing-, a heady mixture which is clearly evident on this ep though with a definite middle eastern twist. here at versatile hq we were introduced to this clutch of tracks by one of the members of acid arab and we were totally blown away. stefan has a very unique production style, fusing all of the above elements with a hint of gamelan, a dash of tweaked fm synthesis type sounds with a dose of warm ambience and finally his own singular touch on the mix. we are very happy to present you these 4 tracks to you, an essential ep from one of european music s true originals.

schwefelgelb return to fleisch with den umgekehrten atem. this 4 track document offers sid and eddy s latest gems in the pursuit of the perfect beat. propulsive and heady, den umgekehrten atem renders the glass and dust of early digital and wavetable synthesis with narcotic definition. fragments of rgb split conga and drone swarm around this body hybrid of techno and ebm, created with the sole purpose of stirring neural cocktails in the minds of listeners from detroit to berlin. currently one of the best live electronic acts on the planet, extensive touring across the globe in support of an unfaltering stream of releases has made 2017 an incredible time for schwefelgelb so far. with a record of such energy and clarity of vision as this, it doesn t seem like stopping any time soon. / incl mp3 code

berlin producer troy gunner marks a new step in an ascendant career with the introduction of his very own imprint. simply titled ‘gunner’, this project will be predominantly vinyl-focused and will act as a platform for his own productions as well selected peers. it kicks off with 3 of his own tracks - all of which carrying a chilly quality whilst bearing troy s distinctive blend of stiff drums, heady atmospheres and muscular low end. support from resident advisor, dj mag, mixmag, zenker brothers, moxie, hodge, mickey pearce, xxxy, mj cole, john osborn, brendon moeller, carl craig, ivan smagghe, woz, christian martin, claude vonstroke, gorgon city, groove armada, tensnake, james zabiela, richy ahmed, my nu leng, altered natives, danny tenaglia, horse meat disco, huxley, phaeleh, gene farris, eddie temple-morris, shadow child + many more.

imagine a collab between cabaret voltaire and eric copeland mixed by the scientist and you’ll start to enter the sphere of robin asselman. all spectrums explored. the off kilter dub waltz of ’16-16’ stutters into view with a heavy and heady rolling dread, whilst inaudible vocal snippets and flatlining synth lines echo and enforce a melee of repetition and danger. ‘fitness talk’ perhaps best showcases assel’s interest in dubwise production techniques, and his ability to soak up a palette of sound and turn it into something truly his own. soft familiar bass pads provide the backbone here for all out sample mayhem, a space where recognisable dub effects and sonars vibe alongside absolutely unsettling outer samples of jarring vocals and inaudible upset, purposefully mixed to jolt ears into unfamiliar territories. being the nephew of dj marcelle, this experimental approach and inspiring concept of pushing samples to the absolute limits of their origin to create a new unexplored path is clearly something that has been fed down from marcelle to robin throughout his youth....

politics of dancing records welcomes one of england most valued deep house producers, nail, who has done releases for classic, diy, robsoul or mosaic, and berlin s much sought after duo, cab drivers on the remix duty. the asterales ep, is a strong deep house number with two cuts, dub me 2 and u gotta be there, and a remix of dub me 2 by cab drivers. on the a side, dub me 2 is an effective loopy teched-out killer, filled with funk and heady vocals. a groovy peak time winner. u gotta be there is a solid deep house track, with intoxicating stabs and tremendous rhythms. on the b side, cab drivers serve us a refined and powerful remix. a mighty interpretation for an essential release.

floorplan delivers two excellent reinterpretations of radio slave ‘feel the same’, the title track from the rekids founder’s forthcoming album. made up of former underground resistance member robert hood and his daughter lyric, the detroit duo needs little introduction and last year saw the release of their illustrious album ‘victorious’ on hood’s m-plant. the first remix of ‘feel the same’ extends to eight minutes long and is a journey, incorporating echoing chords, intricate percussion and a medley of esoteric effects whilst cackling laughter ebbs in and out of the mix. meanwhile, the flip sees a more up front interpretation with its heady hook, rolling drums and energetic claps.

south london ordnance debuts on parachute. the british producer marks his first release of 2017 with parallel window, a four track ep featuring three wrought-iron originals and remix from token & blueprint affiliate, sigha. driven and direct, the music marries rolling low end with high energy drum machine percussion and wide angle highs - for the most part eschewing anxious, heads-down austerity in favour of a more uplifting, trancelike approach - spread across multiple bpms. despite the heady, crushed finish - shifts in tone are subtle, developing over prolonged periods, with careful modulation drawing sounds in and out of the sonic hinterland sporadically to create a comfortable atmospheric balance between peak-time dance-floor urgency and hazy mid-set moments. on his remix, sigha hones in on this sentiment - lifting the caustic lead bassline from parallel window and augmenting it with trademark cavernous low end, skittering highs & a rolling lead arp to create a hypnotic, half-time dirge.

making a splash with rs019 is a newcomer called mallard. discovered by bradley after being front and centre for almost every rs dance since 2016, the south london based producer and multi-instrumentalist makes a serious first impression with his debut ep ‘verte’.
currently studying jazz double-bass at trinity school of music, mallard’s productions demonstrate a keen ear for groove with a level of musicality rarely heard in electronic productions. at just 20 years old, he has already developed a unique sound palette and prodigious production style set to make him a name we will only hear more of in the years to come.
this ep, at once varied in tone and tempo is held together by a strong sonic identity and an overarching artistic vision: from the morphing polyrhythmic percussion of ‘surface’ to the shifting, heady pattern of ‘aquitaine’ via the psychedelic breaks of ‘untitled’ we are taken on quite the trip.

zeb wayne returns with a majestic and scintillating song titled ‘wulfman’, featuring a trio of top tier remixers including alva noto, calibre and radio slave. following the release of ‘float’ on rekids last year, ‘wulfman’ is a beautiful song that demonstrates how musically versed wayne is as a producer, blending a serene vocal by ziwi, with intricate sounds to create a truly beautiful song from start to finish. alva noto, who composed the film score for the revenant alongside ryuichi sakamoto, as well as being the co-founder of esteemed minimal imprint raster noton, is the first of three heavyweight remixers. the renowned german producer employs his signature elements of grit, static and glitch resulting in an inimitable melancholic cut. well respected for traversing numerous electronic music sub-genres, as evident in his recent album on craig richards’ the nothing special, calibre ups the energy in his remix using sultry synths, syncopated percussion and mesmerising effects. concluding the colossal package, rekids founder radio slave creates a club-ready reinterpretation of his own, complete with fine-tuned kicks, looped vocals and a heady bassline.

primitive trust is the coming together of two experienced musical minds. in one corner is will saul of the influential aus music empire, and in the other is tom mangan, aka tee mango, the producer who started millionhands record and clothing label. the pair met many moons ago and reconnected recently at a festival in morocco. they bonded over music, lunch and shared family travails - and as they both now live in somerset decided a little local studio collaboration seemed all but essential. between them, these consumate country gentlemen have seen plenty a musical styles come and go, so decided their best route forward would be to make music to please themselves. to that end, they holed themselves up in tee mangos woodshed studio with the following ground rules: they would make music only with the gear they had (mpc 2000, ableton, roland 101, juno, fender rhodes, various fx pedals) they would trust their instincts and go with first feelings they would embrace the joy of randomness if in doubt they would ask what would carl do? with that, you have the simple but effective mo of primitive trust. these sessions have resulted in a series of three eps to be released over the course of four months. each ep will feature 2 or 3 original tracks and one fresh remix, with unique artwork and an illustration by all-around visual auteur geoff mcfetridge. using the building blocks of house, and classic techno primitive trust can do zoned out and romantic, as much as driving and heady, but with an ease that comes from experience, years in the making. while tipping their proverbial hats to the past they also look to the future with their sound, mixing samples, wigged out synthwork and propulsive rhythms to create something honest and heartfelt that will stand the test of time

!! vinyl only !! four originals from the italian artist. turins rills has been steadily gaining a strong following over the decade with his tracks being played the likes of ar:pi:ars raresh, daniel bell, dyed soundorom and cassy, and finding a home on imprints such as 8bit, in haus wax and esperanza. here we see rills join the roster of visionquests vinyl only offshoot label, special editions, following material from jorge savoretti, konrad black and quilla. zorlak opens the package and sets the tone of raw and dubby via murky atmospherics, swirling chord sequences and a swinging rhythmic drive, yoda follows and retains a similarly swung drum groove whilst introducing spaced out, unfolding pads across the composition. stranger freaks kicks off the b-side of the release, stripping things back to bumpy drums, heady resonant synth swells and hypnotic tension buildings drones before paper beatz rounds out the package with smooth deep pads, modulating synth stabs and shuffling hats.

memoryman aka uovo gives us some deep-disco vibes with rolling rhythmic beds and hip shaking grooves. wound music delivers it in 12inch, with three original tracks (b1 originally released on defected records) with heady 90s remix by voodoo effect. the shark will bite you with his sound!

nyako is our 7th vinyl release here at otc and it s a big one. south african producer behr created nyako together with makadem during a santuri safari session at sondeka festival in kenya. the e.p is 4 cuts that build in brilliance from the original which has extremely broad appeal. indian producer daisho delivers a straight ahead 4 x 4 house groover, south-london production duo modified man swing their analogue machines into action for a heady synth adventure, which is just a bit broken. berlin-based duo of dirk leyers and dj nomad (hans reuschl) are the ideal pairing to merge technology and tradition together as africaine808 bring up the rear with a balearic sensation to round off the ep. makadem is a talented musician and vibrant performing artist from kenya. he s a figurehead of the benga scene in nairobi. his stage presence and powerful vocal delivery, had him likened to the legendary fela kuti. makadem innovates by bringing traditional african instrumentation, story telling and contemporary production methods together.

vinyl only! giant records new release is a limited edition, hand stamped and numbered run, limited to 150 copies. comes from ettore angrisani aka highest sound levels who hails from naples - italy. two killer cuts here from ettore. first cut is - colours of underground - some late night heady vibes here that has all the hallmark s of those great italian deep house classics that have gone before. colors of underground - comes with a remix from grant dell. a nice stripped down dubby groove with dark atmospheric stabs and great use of ettore s tripped out keys. the second cut - sub-remote concept world - see s ettore take us on a dark twisted journey into a druggy spoken word - jam - with a sub bass that will shake many a dancefloor. sub remote world - comes with a sweet remix from sascha dive. sascha s mix lightens the mood and brings a nice subtle house vibe to the track with emotive keys - strings and an infectious peak time bass-line.

brightons boutique house label black key recordskicks off 2017 with a fantastic ep from label newcomer cinthie. cinthie is a well established force in berlin: as well as being a resident at key spots ipse and humboldthain club-where she spins heady vinyl only sets-she runs three much loved labels and collectives in beste modus, unison wax and beste freunde. as such, she is a true leader of the underground house scene who also runs a studio complex in berlin, and so is very much at the heart of the house conversation. kicking things off is the excellent house rhythms , a rugged, bass driven, deep house cut with flabby drums and snares and icy hi hats all sounding informed by classic deep house greats like ron trent. warm, soul infused pads emanate from the core and the whole unhurried affair really sucks you in with its cosy and romantic atmosphere. the second splendid offering is liberty, a much rawerand direct cut designed for peak time sets. again it is riddled with jazzy chords that have real soul, but the drums are exposed and banging and the whole thing barrels along at a sweat inducing pace. this is a typically classy offering from both artist and label that kicks off 2017 in real style.

valencias alex font welcomes romanias sepp to acme for the first instalment of mis hermanos rumanos for an intricate split vinyl release limited to 250 copies. acme boss alex font has been producing nuanced house music for over a decade, cultivating a signature style that blends funk, jazz, latin, and techno whilst fine-tuning his skills as a club dj throughout europe for years. meanwhile, uvar and catren founder sepp, who s one of the most influential producers of the new romania minimal-techno scene, has kept equally busy creating and curating quality minimal, including appearances on apotek studio and ada kaleh romania, not to mention an album on uvar. first up, sepps cantecul fusului combines rolling grooves with hypnotic atmospherics before alex font s murph injects a visceral low-end bounce alongside slithering percussion. next, font keeps the reigns with mambo 3, a heady dance-floor number riddled with crunchy drums and a dusty aesthetic before listen to me closes the ep with the eerie phrase just listen to me echoed among crackling ambience for a meditative finishing touch

wake up! 009 catches steevio in a lonesome mood. over three tracks the freerotation co-founder cruises through weightless negative space, sketching out contours against a backdrop of deep shadows and warm, melancholic pads. * machlud* opens like a mission statement, sorrowful and barely-there, before moving to the more nervous lounging of * forgotten futures.* on the b-side * green therapy* picks up the pace, bouncing with a lightly kinetic swing. luis remix wrings some raw pathos from the originals immaculate depths. yet it remains of a piece with the source material, rounding out an ep of heady, ephemeral moments.

while she may be based in berlin now, shanti celeste has deep roots within idle hands. from working behind the counter when the shop first opened to playing the label parties and co-running the neighbouring brstl label, shanti s contributions to the bristol house music scene have been ever-increasing as she has grown as an artist. having put out our her second ever 12inch,days like this, back in 2014, it gives us great pleasure to welcome her back as an internationally respected producer with a relentless gig schedule and a rich back catalogue of warm, heartfelt dance music that kicks where it counts. shanti s stylistic palette may have broadened over the past four years, but she s also retained a natural, unpretentious quality in her tracks that can span all manner of grooves and tempos. make time certainly chimes with her earliest house productions, but it s also offset by a wistful, meditative maturity. swooping pads, distant vocal threads and delicate fragments of breakbeat flirting in an aqueous soundscape whatever city shes based in now, this is surely deep house infused with a quintessential bristol ruffness. -thoughts- meanwhile speaks more to the artistic development shanti has undergone over the past few years, bearing the influence of melodic techno, electro and broken beat while striking a unique chord in the process. it s a hypnotic, alluring track that eschews basic dancefloor demands in favour of a more intimate headspace shaped out by snaking, polyrhythmic synth lines. both make time and thoughts stretch out over extended running times all the better for losing yourself in the heady atmosphere shanti has created on her very welcome return to idle hands.

for their third release clandestino step into the light themselves to present two original cuts. here, shades of classic chicago and detroit complement a modern production aimed at discerning dance-floors. another horizon has a heady late-eighties feel ascending sunrise chords and gentle keys swell organically giving way to a burbling 303 line.

after a smooth debut on kyoku records, copenhagen-based dorsi plantar joins team better listen for a four track ep of bright, heady grooves. the a-side leans more on the afro-latin and jazzy side of things, while the flip dives deep into disco. fans of blr s previous outings and the likes of other imprints such as sleazy beats black ops will not be disappointed. dj support: fouk thatmanmonkz mike w (kolour ltd) sleazy beats soundsystem tilman kian t lee dearn (secret reels) osmose ponty mython kyoku records replika closed paradise