monday off is a vinyl only record label from brooklyn, new york, founded by mary yuzovskaya. its ethos is to showcase artists that explore techno s hypnotic side, specifically where trippy and dark music goes deep yet dynamic. for the third release, nyc/berlin/washington dc transplant arthur kimskii dives in with a heady trio of his productions. title track -verbal variance- slowly unfurls with a myriad of textures and sounds to both confuse and delight the senses, while -swan an ocean for you- takes on similar terrain albeit kicked up a notch and warmer in tone. -basement moves- is an emotive and partially beat-less affair steeped in layers of noise, and moff favorite stephanie sykes strips the a-side down for a sinister and chugging remix.

following some now cult releases on mutli culti, turbo recordings (with the much-acclaimed “mz”) and his recent lp “lotos land” on japanese imprint endless flight, our favourite east-berlin born child sascha funke is finally coming up with an ep on hippie dance’s sister label your and your hippie friends. “i guess more than one of you have noticed my obsession with sascha funke’s music over the past years since it is an essential part in my dj sets. after the pause he gave his solo work to put his attention into his amazing band project saschienne together with julienne dessagne (aka fantastic twins, also his partner in life), he came back with a really cool ep on kompakt records which i played over and over and left me wanting for more. being close friends gave me the luxury of having access to his material before other people and when i would visit the coolest couple in berlin, sascha would always play me his new tunes in the car while rolling through the city. every time i would ask for those tracks to play them and in the club, people that i would play with would often ask who was behind them, as it happened with tiga one night in cologne, and eventually led to sascha’s music being released on turbo recordings and multi culti the following months. now i finally got the chance and honour to release a sascha funke ep on our own humble label... acatenango. like every time, it all started with me visiting berlin, sascha playing his new material while cruising around on board of his german car, me getting in trance while listening to it, asking for it and playing it right away in my next sets. three super cool tracks, all very different from each other but somehow connected with the inimitable funke touch. powerful yet elegant, hypnotic yet fun, brutal yet sophisticated. sascha funke... he’s a hippie and he’s a friend.” rebolledo

mid june will see the launch of echocord sub-label echo echo with the ‘dream observer’ ep from grad_u. copenhagen’s echocord is a dub techno imprint with a history dating back fifteen years and a back catalogue featuring material from genre defining artists like deepchord, fluxion, sven weisemann, pole and grad_u who launches the new off shoot imprint echo.
the release opens with ‘jacob’s dream’, fifteen minutes of release date: subtly modulating synth glitches, ethereal synth drones, sweeping atmospherics and dubby echoes creating a hypnotic, ever-unfolding composition.
‘observing the night sky’ then follows on the flip side with thunderous kick drums, rumbling low-end pulses, wandering dub chords and bubbling glitches all subtly nuanced throughout the tracks ten-minute duration.

for intercontinental dance organizations (ido) third release, astrometric effect ep, sees the labels founder valentino mora collaborating for the first time with experimental japanese musician yoshitake expe. the ep comprises of 2 hypnotic house tracks with tribal percussions created through live improvisation between the pair and a third track, an effective dub version by valentino mora.

rebirth return for the second in their ltd series. argy opens up the e.p. with an atmospheric arp laden stomper enriched by the magical vocals of blue jay. acid pauli then take on remixing modular projects leaving, coupling glitchy vocal loops and pulsating synths together with a hypnotic groove to create a trippy minimal roller. closing out the e.p. tiger & woods add their trademark touch to lele sacchis dreaming wont do, focusing the track around the exuberant piano melodies whilst manipulating the vocal sample into a percussive snare element to give a distinctive feel to the remix. killer work as always from the rebirth crew.

vinyl 12- + 2 side a4 paper insert (what is cozmico? - an open letter by noema) did you ever wonder: what is this slow psychedelic dance music, mixing ethnic elements, krautrock, house and techno...? it s cozmico! and noema delivers three stunning new remixes for your next magic carpet ride! the ep kicks off with the spiced up cosmic classic jourouadou , where a driving middle eastern rhythm, arabic lyrics and a rolling bass lay the foundation for an ecstatic dance party, until a hypnotic synth leads you the way up to the tunisian night sky. 
flip the record and it s zeluf that hits you with a psychedelic-rock groove on b1, unfolding arabesque chanting, oud lines and a marimba like synth during the journey. on b2 you will find the underwater fireplace dub of gaye su akyol s dunya kaleska , upheaved from the depths of the bosphorus. this remix of the turkish singer-songwriter is a masterfully crafted journey with unforeseen twists and turns, mingling her band with sounds of trains and bonfire.

ditongo is telling tales through samples and loops in these two tracks. divided into two chapters each (spot the ghost-marker on the vinyl), he digs deep into samba for the first time with “berimbau”, giving the leading role to a hypnotic organ, while the second track “you know nothing” goes back to funk, dominated by a fat bassline.

k15 returns to wotnot after more killer releases on eglo & wild oats, a collaboration with henry wu, and remixes for nubya garcia, colm k (on tiffs joints) and wotnot s own william florelle, not to mention the beautiful record earlier this year under his culross close alias. we re all creative but somehow, being creative has become a class within itself, often defined and measured by the whims of popular culture and monetary gain, which leads us to devalue what we create if we are not successful by those metrics. we are all creative, we all use our experience, talent and feeling to shape and we should be glad we create anything. this ep holds onto this mantra tightly throughout, reflecting both the meditative and joyful effects of unimpeded creativity. the title track begins with k15s signature introspection, deep washes of jazz-inflected textures before exploding into a rapturous syncopated synth groove. b1 communion explores the spiritual angle with a devotional piano cadence over bouncing drum pattern, with interlocking bass and synth rhythms adding to the hypnotic mood. wrapping up the release is a warm, deep-soak hip hop instrumental titled you re alive (theres still time), a message to self but also a beacon of hope to those who have maybe not created as much as they would have liked, or have strayed from the path the intended to take.

benedikt frey returns to live at robert johnson with three hypnotic cuts.

blocaus series is proud to present “alpha wave”, their second various artists compilation includes 4 tracks of different varieties of great raw pounding techno that stretches from melodic / hypnotic trips to industrial bangers along with great grooves and soundscapes featuring the well respected kangding ray as well as some of the most talented producers from the new french generation absl, raar and rubarb. a strong team that brings the solid vibe together in the 5th record of the label.

coloured vinyl ... navigate between dreamlike electronica, hypnotic ambient and melodic techno

sagmen third release featured greg pidcock and andre salmon who combine to deliver ‘you got it’ ep with four dark house cuts plus two digital only mixes. uk producer greg pidcock’s nomadic tendencies have fostered a strong connection with his music which has seen releases on esteemed labels like hot creations, get physical, culprit, saved, not to mention founding his montreal-based imprint flora. meanwhile, andre salmon’s extensive knowledge of music production has earnt him releases on the likes of repopulate mars, leftroom, hottrax, suara, before founding sagmen alongside aert prog. ‘you got it’ delivers a heavyweight kick and sharp percussive rhythms that lay the foundation for haunting arpeggios and an intoxicating vocal hook before ‘loco’ provides grooved drum patterns, a powerful bass melody and an array of intriguing synthesiser transitions, with epic vocals effects . “tfss’ offers up warped vocal samples and mesmerising motifs on top of a pulsating low-end whilst “esto es montanita’ hits hard with crunching drum sounds, enticing filter sweeps and hypnotic samples. two digital only ‘black mixes’ conclude the package, with the first reinterpretation of ‘loco’ setting an ominous tone until the alternative version of ‘tfss’ follows with a rumbling bass, crisp percussion and dubbed out vocal licks.

a1- o.xander with paaliaq provides a subtle and analog house track. percussive drums, 4 to the floor kick, slow acid bass-line, shy and hypnotic notes create a perfect club track . a2 - dome zero by sunn boo is a melancholic and hypnotic house track. the subtle but really deep bass-line perfects the track. b1 - maintain illusions by the paris based producer raär, is a journey to the unknown. harsh acid line, bumpy and jerky kicks, brillant hi-hats and hammering snare make you stagger. b2 - engaging proxima-b by the berlin based artist ahi is spatial track. no drums, only pads, textures and fx to make you dive into an oppressive, heavy but beautiful journey.

fresh off the new album we welcome the arrival of a limited l.b dub corp single. opening proceedings, see the light unveils a soulful and vocal driven side to the l.b.dub corp sound, whilst we are going home switches up the aesthetic and movesinto duskier, percussion driven territories. last up, slater punctuates the ep with the intricate, snaking sonics of calling the spirit, harnessing slick, skipping hats and a hypnotic, ever-evolving lead line.june welcomes the arrival of a limited l.b dub corp single. opening proceedings, see the light unveils a soulful and vocal driven side to the l.b.dub corp sound, whilst we are going home switches up the aesthetic and moves into duskier, percussion driven territories. last up, slater punctuates the ep with the intricate, snaking sonics of calling the spirit, harnessing slick, skipping hats and a hypnotic, ever-evolving lead line.

bell towers is finally back with a new record for public possession. ikea hack origi-nally produced for the runway, was too good not to explore further. once again perfectly showcasing bt s abillity to transform emotions into melodies, bridging gaps between various musical influences the revisited and extendend ver-sions presented here, will leave you with two choices: chillout & dance mix. in ad-dition the material was handed over to baba stiltz, who delivered his very own more minimalistic, extremly hypnotic take on the ikea hack.

dmt aka dorian paic, markus fix and tobi neumann dig a little deeper on their next offering. -ride- does exactly what it says on the tin, taking you on a nine-minute journey that starts with an extended build-up, offering a tantalising glimpse of what s to come. from then on, house chords and dub elements abound, complemented throughout by beguiling melodic lines, hypnotic vocal samples, effects and some smooth filter action. this co-production from three tech house specialists harmonises perfectly, creating a well-rounded, homogeneous track that leaves you craving for more! born in berlin but living the life in mannheim, fabe is the next insider tip on cocoon worth keeping an eye on. already shaking up clubs around the world, he s also part of the cocoon ibiza line up this year! however he s not only turning heads as a dj, his productions also work on an extremely high level featuring a unique sound signature. his cocoon recordings track -last shot for bob- creaks, growls, clatters, squeaks and knocks in all directions creating an incredibly cool and, above all, groovy sound. it s electronic noise-funk served up in the best techno and house fashion, that drags you onto the dance floor and drenches you in pleasure.

following his impressive remix for mark broom, label boss luca agnelli is back in full force on etruria with his new raveolution ep. with its 90s flavour kicking things off and its powerful 909 groove, raveolution opens the release in style. forget it heightens the rave atmosphere with its continual rolling stabs and a sultry vocals sample. no gravity takes us to the dark side, with its relentless groove and deep chord sequence creating an unforgettable hook. luca closes the ep with shimmer, a fresh and hypnotic tool of peak-time bpm perfection.

3 track ep of uneasy psychedelic dub tinged grooves from yoshinori hayashi. a hypnotic cry for a late night chicken takeaway kicks off with a 13 minute a side with three tracks knotted together as one. its opening composition leads to a groove 4 minutes in before closing with a whirling bass crescendo. backed with two more conventional tracks the layered dub of 759 and closing out with the punk funk stylings of 9828.

original mix, chimes, bells, metal against metal, a distant voice, a premonition , altogether, it s a beautiful darkness, one that comes together in an alien fruition ! sylvain chauveau rmx,, the sun ascends sharply. lying in bed i feel a sense of remorse , i rise with the melody of a violin in some place not so far away , coster escorts the listener from their clicking complacency to a warning for things to come. cristian vogel rmx, a rainspout overflows, drip by drip, on a pile of sheet metal down below, vibrating, building to a crescendo of drops in an otherwise hypnotic sequence of echoes. the manmade feature of this track is stunning, it is industrial, a vacant warehouse of cobalt sound.

after an excellent 12inch on rosten label sstrom drops his first full length otider, which is by far the most diverse offering of the project encompassing elements of different genres and putting them in woolen and dense sonic textures. otider could be loosely translated as un-times or non-times. it positions the tracks out of specific context and rather represents them as some rediscovered artifacts relating to personal experiences of the artist. otider slightly distances sstrom from techno label as the compositions elegantly drift between lush transparency and thick grooves of outsider/lo-fi house as in kronofobi or svvaren or sensitive, yet subtly monolith and mellow techno on damm and i huvudet. in modernisten we can even trace echoes of coldwave/synth aesthetics with melancholic guitars sweeping over hypnotic rhythmic patterns, while closer sov nu introduces something which reminds a darker form of garage music with light synthpads constantly surfacing among raw mechanical beats. all the tracks were created over a relatively long period between 2010 and 2017 by employing the process where he let his hands work automatically without interference from his head. this freedom could be felt across the release, which juggles with different musical forms so lightly and organically, but at the same time maintains a coherent vision, which illustrates the vast scope and diversity of the artist.

180gr vinyl. (john morales, al kent remix) john morales massive m&m main mix of step into my life ft. arthur verocai, gets a reissue on this new 12inch alongside a brand new remix of the two of us from million dollar disco boss al kent,who highlights the hypnotic backing vocals of brazilian psych-folk master mauricio maestro, for an emotionally charged balearic anthem, complete with heavy dub mix.

(incl. dl card) agents of time are proud to present ordinary cosmic dance, the new ep on their own obscura imprint. over three tracks the bari based trio brandish hypnotic, looping melodies in techno structures with subtle trance references.

lithuanian based label sodai started its journey in 2016, making it a label still in its infancy but making a big impression. owned by artist gardens of god, who started the label to create his own no limits platform for his experimental sounds and projects. while at the same time a platform to give other artists the chance to also have freedom with art and music. with releases from raxon, few nolder and alex krell under their belt, they can announce the exciting debut from uk producer third son this april. ive been an admirer of gardens of gods music for a long time, when he asked me if i could do something for his imprint, i was more than thrilled! adds joseph. syncopes synths spread far and wide, making this a journey of a track, modulating and panning in and out, pushing and pulling along a percussive drive. his broad musical range can be felt in this mix, with its slightly hypnotic tones. irony has a punctuated low end, which creates a deep and dark groove. the synthetic elements in this track gain in attitude, on top of ambient pads, leading nicely into bach to close out the release. its driving and determined bass makes the backbone of the track, with a modulating hook line, along building and expanding frequency ranges. the whole package makes for a very strong first release from third son, and sodai are excited to be welcoming him to the family.

apollo proudly presents the return of sw, joined by partner svn for a sublime 6 track ep. sws lush sound design and hypnotic arrangements of 2017s the album had hearts and minds swooning following its license from sued to apollo. its balmy glory won over pitchfork (deeply expressive debut album 8/10), rolling stone (best electronic albums 2017) and xlr8r (best releases 2017) amongst many others. one year later, sw and svn have gone into the studio, together to make some original music specifically for apollo. the results are the 6 tracks on this ep, they share in a typically taciturn statement. taking inspiration from the iconic house and techno of the mid / late 90s - sw and svn combine dreamy melodies and mesmeric grooves with unfussy, focussed minimalism, their beguiling, modern take on classic sounds and rhythms remains thrillingly unique and elusive. while sw and svn are more comfortable out of the limelight, this 6 track ep for apollo once again proves that they are rightly worthy of the hype that swirls around them.

for ‘disco club’ (1978) i worked with a drummer making loops that were adjusted, to create the hypnotic groove that is so special. despite the fact that it was all recorded in a professional studio (in a suburb of paris) i find this a very ‘artisan’ disk because it was all done using equipment that we now consider “home studio”. my producer, jacky giordano and i chose to use nicknames for the credits: he would be ‘joachim sherylee’ and i would be ‘junior claristidge’. as for black devil, that was the end result of this change: an extension of me, a new character. - bernard fevre, 2015

one can imagine, listening to kontravoid’s latest release, an alternate reality in which the cold-war played out to the background of drum machines and spectrographs, sinister audio technology manipulating a hidden frequency of the world’s unfoldings. cameron findlay returns to his masked alias for the first kontravoid release since his debut self-titled album, years in the studio reap their rewards as the production on ‘undone’ effortlessly cuts its way through hypnotic dance floor compositions.

for the 4th imprint of the label, baltazar delivers 3 hypnotic minimal tracks

vinyl only. 180gr. transparent new imprint from berlin. hypnotic minimal techno grooves from the usual suspects.

with the split ep, the fourth release of their own label rapid eye movement, memorial home and vii circle head the way with two original cuts both and sign another stunning dark and hypnotic techno odyssey with a strong emotional pattern.

2017 saw cesar merveille & ryan crosson deliver their second long player in the shape of cerulean, drawing on their modern classical, jazz, ambient and abstract influences to create yet another unique listen featuring collaborations with a classical pianist, trumpet, guitar and double bass players. here we see those original parts eschewed into something entirely fresh from friends and close associates of the duo. leading on the release is cadenza boss lucianos sous le sol interpretation of arp, which twists and turns through the hypnotic chimes and emotive piano chords of the original whilst stirring in luciens signature modulating and intricately evolving rhythmic style. following is a collaborative rework from new yorks phil moffa and seth troxler which employs ethereal synth drones and stuttering vocal cuts alongside a bumpy percussive drive and pulsating subs. perlons bruno pronsato steps up next to remix even tides, delivering his typically raw and emotive style via glitched out, mind-bending percussion, elongated bass drones and cleverly reshaped cuts of the originals cinematic elements. l.as clovis then closes the package with his remix of nordic bummers, employing shuffled hats, lumpy subs and crunchy claps at its core whilst horn swells and aiy atmospherics ebb and flow throughout.

james solace first ep on callisto. 3 organic house tracks . hypnotic.

klangkeller records, recognized for modular sound experiments, catchy beats and percussive rhythms, has done it again with audiokerns third release a personal way ep. the ep delves into experimental, abstract and electronica grounds. audiokerns sounds are stimulated by the external world and their atmosphere, with a drop of the basic essence of electronic dance music. these 8 tracks are certainly a confirmation of it. uncanny valleys live drum is fresh and magnetic alongside dissimilar jingles and swishes which positively balance. wired system is abstract, with a dark added vocal at the end which brands it as a powerful track. differently, under the same sun is entirely melodic, with beautiful dreamy waves that genuinely make you touch the sun. it continues with the night of glory. its duskier moodier vibrations and a few words add an exciting and dark temper that still fits purely within the ep. element of trance and hypnotic place are all about bringing the listener into another dimension. it alienates and hypnotizes you from reality through the quantity of small alterations and sub kicks within the sound. to conclude, dont forget the animals is mysteriously percussive, its like different animal roars assorted together, its gorgeously confusing.

excise is a vinyl-focused label based out of san francisco, california. each release pairs a regional californian techno artist and a local visual artist, thus serving as a platform to fuse the two local creative scenes. its first release features label co-owner muon with 3 hypnotic raw analog tracks. many of these tracks received heavy play time in the san francisco underground, and now are seeing a broader release for the first time.

after last year’s “tribal trouble”, french duo nummer strike back on their own nummer music label with “deep obsessions”, a three track excursion through early breakbeat ambiences and hypnotic soundscapes

get in the car, we re goin to the cirque du freque, starring normal ones, deepchord, and lost lake. a journey from the murky depths to the boogie caves, from your pals at make mistakes. on the a side, deepchord crafts a driving, shifting, wall of noise. melodic stabs and resonant fuzz coat a pulsing beat and bass. hypnotic and divine, deepchord s take on the original is a potent, psychedelic tool for the late night warehouse dance floor. the original shines bright, a playful groove with an undercurrent of menace. with that sweet, sweet growling bass, and tip-a-tap percs, skittering all about, cirque du freque brings the dirty heat. cirque du freque carries an old school vibe, with modern sensibilities, a memorable jam for sweaty frantic, nights. every time the label features lost lake, he delivers an original, compelling dance floor jam, while retaining a warm, familial vibe. you ll know it when you hear it, as lost lake s pure electro funk works its way through your soul. one of those tracks you drop down into to relieve some pressure in the room, a deep sigh of release in preparation for the next round. as always, make mistakes brings high quality and varied content to the table. cirque du freque is another versatile, high quality record, that any dj can stick in their crate knowing it ll find a way to fill a special moment in any nigh

memento s steadfast head-honcho idirss d is back on his own label with -shams-, a maxi-single with two cuts of pure sonic bliss, finely embellished with soul and dedication for his personal d.i.b series. “shams” is an overwhelming dancefloor tune that expands on a flangered sequence, crackling arpeggios, an uplifting galactic pad, shredded male hooks and finally an esoteric slice of a female lyric. “piramide” is a fast technotic ride over an hypnotic tribal chant. a fat saturated bass drum and crispy claps open the way to an highly resonant synthetic lead that spins around itself over and over again, submerging and resurfacing with furious snares and rapid hi-hats. the two sides of the record entirely disclose idriss sharpened club sense and his superb taste for graceful arrangements.

azzur owner, melokolektiv returns on galaktika with his first solo vinyl ep on the imprint where are you earth? a side brings three amazing original tracks to the table made of synthetic melodies, spacey beat and acid basslines. control the night and how to be drawn will, with no doubt, pleased the dancefloor while where are you earth presents something deeper and melancholic. on the b side, we are happy to welcome two of our all time favorite producers. first, langenberg, who offers us a sublime reinterpretation in the line of his deep and organic releases on liebedetail, drumpoet community and poker flat. then, uk legend mark e who delivers a functional, raw and hypnotic reinterpretation. definitely something which will please djs. timeless!

the next offering on crosstown rebels comes from italian trio pastaboys, who gift us with a rhythmic and hypnotic three-parter. they invite the inimitable rebolledo to take on remix duties to complete this package. the ep is a trance-inducing affair. the trio lure us in with opener kolo kolo. its funky rhythm sets a precedent as its trance-inducing power builds layer upon layer into an intoxicating and hypnotic groove. abbassa is up next. heavy on the bass, with a sensuality that is palpable. the african vocal adds a tribal touch before the track tumbles into a crescendo of urgent synths. rebolledos version of abbassa is a more cosmic affair, staying true to his psychedelic inclinations and with an added a bass guitar groove. pastaboys have been releasing music since the dawn of the new millenium. they’ve showcased their tasteful and highly refined productions on imprints such as 83 west and defected. releases such as born again, body resonance, limit, hozho, deep musique prove that their music is timeless and that dance music is still a matter of groove and soul.

limited edition black vinyl 300 copies...
ryuji takeuchi provides instruments of discipline with an ep of noisy, hypnotic tracks, ranging from giddy, stomping, left-field techno to melancholic ambience, the ep’s title ‘one’s sentiment’ provides a thoughtful angle to this at times cacophonous collection, for while they are bristling with noise there is something contemplative about the pieces, expressed in a way that suggests more than one thought trying to take life at the same moment, ryuji finds space for conflicting voices both spatially and in terms of mood, the first three tracks, ‘ambivalence’, ‘sadness’ & ‘sorrow’ crawl with competing elements, synth lines drool over and meld with throbbing kick patterns, anxiety & excitement are tightly wound in focus as tracks build and develop, leaving the listener to navigate these abstract planes, intoxicated, while the final track ‘regret’ is a compelling piece of noisy, ambient minimalism that allows for an austere pause after the eruption of the initial works. it becomes evident that ryuji’s journey as a producer, through periods of hard-techno, deep-minimalism and the more abrasive ventures on huehelix, has created a powerful and nuanced voice that is fully on display in ‘one’s sentiment’.

the dundee label has produced their first vinyl release which contains hypnotic-electro tracks on both sides. side-a comes from the french-duo, crossmods who have supplied three guaranteed dance floor- fillers with a snappy electronic feel throughout. on the flip-side, edmundy and j wax have taken care of supplying two equally intricate melodic electro tracks to put the dundee electro-scene on the ma

following up on melodymathics’ latest 12”, demuir’s vibe is back on a limited 10” with a rather unique track called “howz your body?”. on the flipside label boss melodymann delivers the track “disco switch” and 4 groovy, hypnotic loops. the straightforward house sound of the record exudes funky and sexy beats that are consistently recognized and sought by artists and dance music fans around the world.

its been a year and a half since we last saw la fleur grace watergate records with a proper ep, having been featured on remix duties for sashas trigonometry and her contribution femton to the celebrated 15 years compilation. so her brand new outbreaker ep arrives just in time to curb any impatience you might have waiting for her signature blend of house and techno aesthetics fused with modern production techniques that sets her apart from her peers. la fleur kicks things off with a wild heaving bass line and crisp, distinctive organic claps on ‘devils sigh setting the tone for the hypnotic groove that soon turns into a high energy burner of explosive bursts and an incredibly unique lead guaranteeing an absolute hit. it only gets better when one of the hottest acts on the scene, tuff city kids, lend their talents for a remix and turn devils sigh into an analog heavy, future-retro banger thats as different as it is the same as the original, creating a perfect alternative to the already killer original. wrapping things up, la fleur takes it a little slower and deeper with outbreaker by utilizing lush organic percussion and washed out guitars to build a tune that will be the anthem for early mornings, open airs and beach sessions alike. we couldnt be happier to have the first lady of watergate back at the controls and we think you will agree.

unterton kicks off 2018 sideways with three tracks of high-octane electronics by mark. 0-160 bpm in 15 minutes. previous eps for a colourful storm had a conceptual focus: the destructive effects of tech start-ups on berlin’s cultural landscape. sound-wise, they paired frenetic, experimental d‘n’b with musique concrète. on his unterton debut, mark continues further down a path of dark and psychedelic beat science. at times tranquil and hypnotic, other times charging forward between cracked whips and whiplash left-turns. “comedy is the dog that walks out of the room when you call its name.”

in a nutshell: mellow floating braindance, electro, quirky and wonky techno beyond standard schemes. a1 we start with sane - the hangover. this tune is made for quirkier techno sets. it is a funky wonky techno tune mocking around with a whistling lead synth on top of a tripped out beat. a2 next one is chordata - silent singer. electrobeats mark the rhythm for this progressive adventure into space. electro in the good old detroit or dutch fashion. a3 jochen heym is also featured twice on it. after his ep -sononaut- this time he brings a mellow braindance electro tune: floating soul b1 in addition b1 contains a remix of the cling clang ambient tune of the stonedwave005 => chip tronic transforms the ambient piece into a hectical electro tune. b2 b2 is the final tune. chip tronic - frequency modulated metallic wide hypnotic screaming leads are being carved into the listeners brain while being distrted and modulated by any means available. the number 18 implies => dark techno rhythms for wonky minds who love it more distorted.

spanish techno artist aiken is back on his own timeline label with another ep that offers up four more of his evocative takes on the genre. it comes after previous outings on non series and semantica and is his label’s first release since 2016. “basic principles” is up first and mesmerises with a pulsing lead synth line that forever changes shape. pummelling drums power along below and add up to a disorientating and hypnotic overall effect. “theory” is deeper and more rubbery, with manic synths and pads all racing along and pilling on the pressure while “midline” is right out fo the jeff mills playbook with its molten sci-fi synths journeying through outer space. clean, crips drums are upright and taught and get you on your toes, then “restriction” closes things out in superb minimalist fashion. this ep covers plenty of ground, and all of it is utterly compelling.

relentless apparel wax never misses a beat and is back at it with aplwax003, the 3rd chapter of the saga. the release is made up of 3 tracks, 3 distinct parts of the same engine, 3 proper dance floor bangers. the ep kicks off with a compelling broken-jazzy beat, with its groovy breakdown and reprises and its funky vocals its that one track youll need to shazam on the spot. the 2nd tune will have you right away when youll hear those tribal rhythmics and hypnotic vocals that drive it till the end while the 3rd is the typical one youd call a peak time track.

around 6 months after the success of the first lateral fragments vinyl, pjotr g & dubiosity return for part two. they continue where they left off, serving some deep, melodic vibes on tabula rasa and outage. with turmoil, the duo takes a bit of a different approach. the warm synths make way for some more hypnotic, raw vibes. petter b delivers a truly grand remix for turmoil, which is as fitting to lateral fragments as it is to your sets.

mikkel metal returns to copenhagen’s echocord this may with his new mini lp ‘just enough light’, comprising six originals from the danish artist. copenhagen based producer and dj mikkel metal has been a beacon of light in the danish electronic music scene and further afield for nearly two decades now, with the dub techno imprint from his hometown, echocord, being the predominant home for his output, whilst also releasing material on cologne’s kompakt, tartelet, semantica and avant roots, a telling sign of the quality embodied in his work. here though we see mikkel deliver a mini album concept in the shape of ‘just enough light’ and opener ‘awake’ perfectly sets the tone with emotive, dynamically unfolding atmospherics, tension building bass drones and spiraling dub chords subtly easing us into the project. ‘bregnan’ then stirs in some classing dub-techno tropes with billowing stab sequences, lumpy subs and off beat high hats carrying the hypnotic groove for six and a half minutes. ‘jech’ then strips things back to an almost beatless amalgamation of murky chords and modulating synth whirrs. opening the flip side of the release is ‘include’ which embraces a brighter feel via ethereal pad swells, jazztinged synth melodies and bumpy 909 rhythms before ‘konkin’ edges back into the eerie, brooding aesthetic with bubbling echoes, broken drums and menacing bass swells at its core. ‘restore’ then closes the package on a stripped-back vibe, laying focus on an ever- eveolving singular dub chord to ebb and flow around thunderous subs, kicks and bright hats.

the italian dj and producer viels is the perfect example of a promising artist who has earned his stripes in the scene. his first contribution to dynamic reflection was a single track on a va two years ago, then a solo ep on the nursery last year and now it s time for his first well-earned vinyl called distrophism. although his sound has matured over the years, he has never compromised as far as his straight forward sound goes. circular, the a1, is the best possible example of that. the continuous drive keeps it going for well over seven minutes, without ever becoming superficial or dull. the b-side extends to other sides of his musical spectrum by making use of more drone-like, hypnotic elements. beside these three convincing originals, spanish heavyweight svreca jumps in for a remix of circular, completing the variance of styles. needless to say, this new release, proves that viels as an artist and this ep in particular, are forces to be reckoned with.