charlie ahearn s 1983 film wild style holds a place in both music and cinematic history as one of the first examples of a hip-hop film. since its original release it has been widely praised for its hybrid approach as both a narrative musical and a documentary, and as a time capsule of sorts into the culture of hip-hop during its infancy in the 1980s.

huge collection of 100 rare breakbeats / drum loops sourced from rare records found across the planet. ready to chop, loop and layer, international breaks 606 is ideal for producers and djs alike. whether you’re looking for unique sounds or simply want more variety than the usual over-sampled breaks, this sound library is a must have. worth its weight in gold!

ltd collectors pink vinyl ed

u-roy was a true reggae pioneer, dubbed the originator for good reason. bursting onto the jamaican scene in the early 1970s, he pioneered the vocal approach called “toasting,” which in addition to bringing jamaican music into a new era, was also heavily influential on an american vocal style also in its infancy: rapping. following up the record store day 2017 release of u-roy’s classic dread in a babylon, traffic entertainment group now brings us a very welcome reissue of the vocalist’s 1976 full-length (and fourth) album, natty rebel, which has been out of print for more than 30 years. produced by tony robinson (known for his work with big youth, lloyd parks, the gladiators and many more), the album’s 11 cuts range from bouncier and sometimes even disco-tinged grooves – “have mercy,” “go there natty” and the album lead-off, “babylon burning” – to the classic roots stepping that drew fans to the legendary jamaican vocalist over his long career – including “so jay jah say” and “natty kung fu.” at its core, this is a deep journey into the heart of rasta living, spoken by one of jamaica’s most underrated dub and roots legends, and it’s one of the strongest full-lengths in his expansive catalog. whether you are experiencing u-roy for the first time, or replacing your decades-old original lp, diving into this reissue of natty rebel is one hell of a way to spend an afternoon. or, if you’re not careful, a week or two.

jiaolong and now again team up for this special limited 12- featuring the daphni edit of luther davis group s disco classic you can be a star fresh from its inclusion on daphni s fabriclive 93 mix and heard in the dj sets of daphni and his friends at festivals all over this summer. the evergreen original is included in all it s glory on the b side. the 12- comes housed in a gorgeous hand screened sleeve by tazelaar stevenson

after a fashionably long hiatus between drinks, melbourne’s animals dancing returns with its third release, this time from boroondara’s tornado wallace. strap yourself in and feel the g’s.

raoul k is known for blending the sounds of real westafrican instruments and modern electronic clubsounds into one mesmerizing soundscape. this time, he takes a new approach: the original mix is produced without the use of any electronic instrument. just pure african sounds, chopped and melted together into one groovy slice of contemporary clubmusic. this is the first release in a series celebrating the tenth year of baobab music… which will lead to a new raoul k album. electronics aren’t completely left out. the blending, however, was left to the remixers this time: irfan adds a good measure of energy in his mix, setting up some analog synths with raoul’s beats. watch out for the break… kaito delivers a very dreamy remix which seems to lose its kickdrum but does not lose its groove. dance into the sunrise. choose vinyl, please

dream diary is a label operating out of brixton that has previously featured the likes of afriqua, tom gillieron and richie littler on its roster, and now it s the turn of the head honcho oslo roma to serve up some more of that subversive four-to-the-floor business. mars water- is an infectious minimal roller with bass that wraps itself around your cerebellum and pulls you in deeper, while -bubbles- does the same but without any drums to buffet it along. how good is the party is a more experimental affair that deals with off kilter rhythmic fragments and spaced out textures, leaving ep closer twotet to drop a more immediate slice of electro on the situation.

shanghai based, altieri second release on slow motion and it is an absolute belter. an insane mix of acid and middle eastern influences that punches its way to the cerebral cortex and takes no prisoners. sure to any drive any discerning dance floor into overdrive, spazio terra is backed up with a peak-time remix from the man that always can fabrizio mammarella.

lossless music’s leftfield sublabel exkursions is back with its second vinyl release. exkur002 features the incredible talent of james morton aka concealed identity. after hearing james’ 12” on narratives soul intent tracked james and proposed james remix “no answers” which is did in amazing style. james also offered up a stunning brand new solo track called “zahir”, a 7 minute journey into cinematic 170bpm. soul intent finishes up the 12” with a 140bpm garage/bass music monster called “tribes” via odyssia alias.

fort romeaus second outing for running back is another exercise in dance floor synthesis. starting where its predecessor saku left us with the green shimmer of a fairlight, emulators you might have guessed it greets us with the grey realism of an e-mu ii. purchased first by none other than stevie wonder, immortalised in ferris buellers ode to absenteeism and the original loon sampler, there is nothing this machine cannot do for you the same goes for fort romeau. his disco-informed, trance-induced tracks that usually end on a high note, are elevated by ambient soundscapes that end with a bang and sugarcoat your warm-up slots, while bird-heavy bonus beats that stand up on their own or help you out in the mix. nice like a stick of liquo-rice.

following on a trio of successes with established talent, for our fourth release manhigh takes an excursion to lesser-known regions with experimentalist desroi. previously known from eps on his eponymous imprint and total black the german newcomer quickly caught our attention. beginning with the opener, ‘indifferent’, we are introduced to his heavily sculpted, hypnotic sound world, where a rolling, repeating rhythmic framework is echoed in the higher registers with heavily-filtered delay loops, and a melodic lead line taken deeply into dub provides both a centerpiece and the basis for many other elements. another relatively new talent currently rising quickly to wider notice, phase fatale’s relaunch of ‘indifferent’ stays resolutely in his own world, a grinding, banging amalgamation of distortion, punishing in its resolve and propelled by mutated elements of the desroi’s original piece. his idea of ‘apathy’ invokes entirely more aggressive emotions than the word’s conventional usage, tightly winding bleeps around a rigid sequence kept in motion by constant effects and sporadic drum hits, which then transforms at is halfway point with the entrance of harder kicks driven by an open hat. ‘sopor’ induces trance states more than it does sleep, sophisticated applications of delay effects and patient acid combine for a deep, inward-looking hypnotic state with momentary shifts in rhythm and color evoking the ephemeral nature of dreams.

* the production duo behind the rave-new world sounds of turbo mitzi and big slug (feat. riko dan) have been busy in the studio recently and return to form with 2 killer cuts designed to shock out the dancefloor. * ’control’ picks up the tempo from the duos previous cuts, rolling at 140 beats per minute, in it’s apocalyptic form. powerful pads create the tension before sub-heavy kicks and cybernetic snares come pounding and chopping in, building up the mood before a radioactively charged reese-bassline emerges, rising to the surface, unleashing its terror. this is a stone-cold banger. * strobe light’ returns to the more familiar 128bpm tempo that the pair have previously worked with. taking a quite unique approach, ‘strobe light’ builds evermore, moving into the light, layering percussion up as an intoxicating drone of swirling strings swells and swells - entrancing and empowering in equal measures. this is a highly versatile dj tool that also makes for an engrossing listen from start to finish. refined dancefloor ear candy. dj support: mary ann-hobbs. modeselector, daniel avery.

ksmisk drop three atmospheric techno cuts for their second release on norwayís ploink. made up of truls kvam and robin crafoord, the scandinavian duo are well known under their trulz & robin moniker and have released on the likes of prins thomasí labels full pupp and rett i fletta, not to mention their own imprints cymasonic and cymawax. ëmagmaí is a deep and mesmerising production that continues to evolve as more elements are incorporated, blending crunchy kicks with serene pads and otherworldly effects. ëlavaí is a dark and suspenseful number in comparison, establishing a raw hook and ominous nuances at its base whilst sci-fi inspired synths cut in and out of the mix. finally, an ebbing beatless track titled ëtuyaí generates a melancholic aesthetic to conclude the release.

cosmin trg is back on sportiv with two tracks of stark, angular beauty. afterburn harks back to 90s era techno of the hyperkinetic variety, in the vein of regis s seminal gymnastics . the obssessive vocal mantra adds to its hypnotic, frantic rhythm. electra on the flip is on a trance-inducing mission, with it s cavernous 808 kick driving a tribal groove, carried by a pulsating bassline and eerie percussion. sportiv is a dexterous white label operation that brings you heavy-weight rhythmic performances from the world of techno athletics.

stephen mahoney contagion ( lee holman remix ) , in his typical but distinctive way, lee holman re works contagion with futuristic and forward thinking outlook. it swerves and modulates for its entirety, it s a peak time affair that grooves in lee s distinctive flair. stephen mahoney contagion, unstoppable broken beat with intense hi hats that give way to acidic lines, a sure fire peak time track. stephen mahoney craft, a groover that combines hovering hi hats with an unstoppable groove. its simplistic as it is effective. modulation and claps combine to deliver a heavy hitting cut. stephen mahoney rosettes, acidic lines deliver a trancey cut. its minimalistic form hovers and glides to deliver a suspenseful track that ignites and modulates across its duration. a slow burner, hypnotic in approach.

osf is happy and proud to announce a new 12-inch by its founder, nur jaber. the label was conceived by the staub resident as her very own creative platform, a place for her to not just release uncompromising music, but also to print poems, letters and in the case of this record, even direct a video. based in berlin, the young producer who was born in beirut remains very attached to her roots. this background partially explains why she can be inspired by tragic events happening regularly in the middle east - making brave statements in the mostly apolitical electronic music environment. the past years have seen nur embrace a career as a music producer, seeing her slowly and steadily become an original new voice in the techno landscape. this ep showcases nur s ability to create and combine daunting atmospherics and frantic paces. it is dark and twisted, with its vocals and screams, but always driving. weapons of mass destruction is meant for banging crazy dance floors, but it is also personal and almost cathartic, especially in the current political situation surrounding all of us. the artwork, as always, is put together by osf family members the beholder and beauty&machines.

we are very happy to have the italian duo ksoul & muteoscillator back on our release roster this time with a full ep. last releasing an ep back in 2013, an ep on dekmantel titled soul hell. ksoul & muteoscillator featured on a mini comp on uzuri back in 2010, titled from chicago turin amsterdam & dublin with love ep with a blistering track titled take 1

resonance is the debut 12inch by the duo golden mean. a beat stripped down to its essence, while a voice and strips of melody become textures wrapped around it. hazy, sensual, hypnotic. lose yourself in the dark. lose yourself in the sound...

we at finale sessions are excited to have french producer anaxander and finale sessions owner michael zucker together for this deep house jewel ! we start with anaxander and his track stabs of love one of the best tracks on the ep with drums from another planet and its stabing chords the permiate the dance floor ! and wicked hi hats that shread through this massive track. then we move to anaxander s other track heart to heart which gives this record a sense of deepness with it s percussions and its rythmatic keys then we move to michael zuckers first track greator is he another jem off this massive ep and we start with the melodic keys and pads that give this track a very persusive sound and a very potent late night dance floor killer top to bottom. last but not least we have michael zuckers missing you this one is a floor stomper for sure with hard kicking drums and its filtering keys and its punch love dub sound which gives this record the hardness to stand its ground.

it goes without saying that space has always been central to techno – both in terms of its cosmic and futuristic trajectory, as well as in the spatial dimensions of sonic elements. etapp kyle’s first full ostgut ton ep release sees the ukrainian-born, berlin- based berghain resident emphasizing the connection between the two, while avoiding techno’s overt intergalactic clichés. by partially linking to his continuum ep (unterton, 2016), the results are four tracks of pristine, sci-fi minimalism, propelled by ambient synths and percussive explosions in distant skies – more utopian than dystopian. opener “alpha” establishes the cosmic theme from the get go, with chord swells and a whirring, phasing spacewind panning across the stereo image. while a subdued kickdrum gets things started, it’s the rhythmic interplay between dynamic high-hats and halled-out rimshots that guide the track through space. from there, “quantum” on a2 strips the voyage down to a glowing, unwavering arpeggiated synth line, interspersed with twisted, high-pitched bells and updated 909- esque snare patters.

stamp records paris continues quietly on its path... we are proud to introduce the new release 2 tracks from french producers, 2 tracks from japanese producers. it’s new!

revered swedish producer sebastian mullaert releases his first exclusive vinyl on default position after the huge success of his remix to vedanta in 2014. sebastian first made his name as one half of the acclaimed duos minilogue and son kite, but in recent times focuses on his solo career, which sees him appearing at clubs and festivals all over the world and releasing on some of the industry s most respected labels and imprints. samunnati is a brand new double vinyl ep featuring four original mixes from mulleart, with remixes from fellow swedish duo johanna knutson & hans berg, belgium s danieli and label founder joseph s. joyce. its genesis lies in a melody recorded live on sebastian s roland sh101 which has been resampled and processed in many different ways, offering several contrasting mixes to suit many different tastes and styles.

it’s been 3 years since the last basic soul unit ep on lab.our and the label co-head is back to top form! loose, melodic and funky, the toronto producer stretches his legs across 4 tracks in this kaleidoscopic gem of an ep. on a1 is ‘behavoural issue’, a frenetic, crunchy and off-kilter number that will have you contorted in distortion with all arms and legs on the dancefloor. ‘rising over the east’ marches in next, a deep jacking head trip to the orient opium den with its endless arpeggiators. on the b-side, the heavy broken club banger ‘propulses’ harkens back to the glory rave days without mimicry. a basic soul unit interpretation with his undeniable footprint in the mix. ‘my heart skips’ turns the dial down several notches into deeper house terrain. the soulful ride begins as an easy cruise before deftly lurching into an odd rhythmic fractal workout that the producer has become known for. sealing an untouchable reputation in the world of broken soulful lo-fi techno, basic soul unit casts an even wider net to captivate audiences with this must-have ep.

iury lech is a transdisciplinary artist of ukrainian origin part of the few pioneers in the spanish electronic and digital audio-visual scene that began to develop during the 80s. his open and unclassifiable style made of eerie sonic atmospheres, arrhythmic structures and dense textures create hypnotic ambiance and a new way to conceive experimentalism. wrongly described as new age music at that time, musica para el fin de los cantos is a stunning and deeply emotive ambient work, that stares down at the eternal enigma, giving a glimpse of iury lech s classical music of the future. iury recorded this blissful masterpiece in his barcelona s studio in 1989. it was then published in 1990 by the unique spanish label hyades arts. its 2017 and its time to unearth this magical piece of vibrating chords to please your sensitive yet hungry ears. sit back and enjoy the meditative state.

first time reissue of the very first dub lp released in nyc, 1975! part of the genesis of the jah life label! first time reissue of kaya dub from 1975, noted as the first ever proper dub lp pressed and released in new york city. the eponymous lp is among the first set of releases on the kaya label. this imprint was the first to showcase the partnership of percy chin and hyman jah life wright as producers and cornerstones of the burgeoning nyc reggae scene of the day. though these tracks originate from jamaica thru a connection with pat jah lloyd francis and have also been released elsewhere, this is none the less a killer selection of dubs from tubby s and randys. in sound and visuals, kaya dub serves as a fantastic snapshot of the music and vibes of roots reggae in the mid 70s, among the best dub lp s of its time.

official re-issue of bermudian disco record! 1000 copies initial pressing. big tip! in 1981, bermudian band paradise recorded sizzlin hot, a flawless album of original material in the disco, boogie and aor style. producer, writer and pianist grant williams formed several bands before becoming the fourth member of paradise, alongside bassist wincy woolridge, drummer ronnie lopes and singer june ventzos whose voice commands the album. for five years, the group regularly performed in hotels before hitting the local z.b.m. studios to record their sole album. sizzlin hot is inspired by the sound of earth, wind & fire. the album delivers several blistering tracks that could have been huge club anthems if the record had been promoted outside of bermuda. since bermuda is a fairly remote island, its no wonder that paradise remains virtually unknown to this day. it is all the more reason why this album stands-out and has universal appeal though it was only ever intended as a local thing as grant williams says.

preservation records in collaboration with big dipp present the breezy and soulful estrelar album by marcos valle, the first ever vinyl reissue since its original release on som livre in 1983! arranged by the brazilian boogie and soul legend lincoln olivetti. killer coverart, with a fantasic 8 page booklet based on an interview with marcos valle, written by allen thayer

brand new legacy and deluxe collectors editions. to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its release. contains 3xcds, dvd, 2lp, book etc

album of the week (mixmag), album of the week (the independent), the drive soundtrack with a rocket up its arse. (dj mag) - just three of the reactions to john bs latest >light speed< album from earlier in the year, a neon-soaked journey into one of the most epic drum & bass lps of recent times.
now the title track is about to be unleashed with a package of remixes that go beyond the norm, ready to hit all corners very hard indeed. for johns most ambitious single release yet, some of the most exciting young producers from around the world have been drawn in to offer their take on the uplifting stadium anthem >light speed< featuring the vocal talents of nsg.
from the totally re-worked club house mix through to hyper-boiled drum & bass smashers and electroid dubstep, no holds have been barred and if hi-rolling drumstep is what you are after, johns even got that too. a massive dynamite release from one of electronic musics most flamboyant figureheads.

official re-issue of danish electronic music from 1974! vinyl lp comes with booklet and limited to 500 copies - no repress. frederiksberg records announces the first re-issue of stoned which is exclusively licensed from the artist and has been carefully restored from the original master tapes. it comes with a booklet of liner notes by thomas knak. stoned by gunner møller pedersen is a pioneering partly-electronic composition from denmark. gunner believes that its musically out of category. it was created for a slide show with focus on sculptures by the late american photographer stuart fox. gunner self-released the record in minuscule numbers in 1974. the music on stoned has an original and meditative quality which transcends time and should appeal to today’s music lovers with a taste for something different.

los angeles based natan h and malta based artist owen jay return as gauss with their first ep of 2017. entitled resonator it offers more deep music with an electronic soul and is their fifth ep for their cultured label gauss ltd. the title track opens things up with a crunchy and impactful mix of weighty dub drums and spangled techno chords. it s a heavy track that builds in momentum and is sure to mangle minds with its skewed stabs and wiry electronics. shifted is a more fierce techno track with urgency in the kicks and a sense of anger in the coarse little snare explosions. more gurgling synths add weight and this one is a real stomper as a result. cutting ever more loose, odyssey is a mix of idm sound design, soulful synth smears and percolating electro tinged drums that are slick and futuristic. least squares completes this techno picture with spitting hits and claps, underwater chords and acidic sonar pulses that soothe the mind. this is an expansive ep that marks an exciting evolution in gauss s sound.

see double, the london based imprint headed by luca cazal and brigante, returns for its fifth outing, a three track ep from boris werner titled badabing badaboum. a club-ready package and staple of werner s recent sets, sd005 once again proves this amsterdam locals deep knowledge and understanding of how to move a dance floor. played by seth troxler and richy ahmed amongst others and tried and tested by both label boss cazal and werner on dc10s terrace throughout this summer, title track badabing badaboum is a bonafide club smasher. leading the charge with a hypnotic bell riff alongside a chugging 4/4 pulse, werner keeps a driving pace as sluggish and evolving low end theory enters the fray. a deftly constructed, energy filled arrangement progresses before indiscernible, tribal vocal chants take the fore, trading blows with a modulating acid bassline. on the flip werner delivers you snooze you looze, a tech-infused cut adorned with rolling subs, clinical percussion and a head-snapping rhythm. phased synthesis and dissonant sample work pushes the track into uncharted trippy territory, as processed vox stabs and crisp hi-hat patterns maintain momentum, leading to a deeply musical breakdown that offers a truly dynamic shift in mood. closing the ep is whooos in control, a lesson in atmosphere and groove, which sees spaced-out synths interplay with automated stabs. ethereal pads and warped fx float atop werners swung drum programming creating that perfect roller for those early morning moments. sd005 will be available soon in both digital and physical formats.

part ii - operated under extreme psychosis, performed live in the dead of night at the studio of the hague s pirate radio tonka , these two records contain an apocalyptic selection of the very darkest moments of its maker, an anglo-french bruxellois driftwood expat washed ashore on the west holland wasteland just to get even more lost in its empty shadow chessboard grid of luscious ghost town smoke screen structures built on nothing but loose sand, to get even more entangled in its reef-like vortex of the fleetwood parkland dune estates artifice of ugly evergreen high-tech verdure of rose and thorn , oh, yes, its many, many flowers sans mercee , red and white carnation, asphodel, or fleur de lys and fleur du mal , all awaiting, lurking gentle softness of the flesh, perfumed for luring prey, yet strikingly hard-wired through the courtly appearance and the troubling foliage of the count s many hidden pleasures, his many secret palace garden hedges, his royal seal concealed behind, oh, yes, its many, many spines, all hiding midst the ticket, like cloak and dagger, that poisoned slip of tongue, or poisoned tip of blade, and all s so easy to slip away and disappear into the vine and creeper, to make one trip and fall in smear of mud or was it blood?

this is my best album for sure, says todd. we cant be exactly sure on that one, all three albums from todd bodine have been great. forms however, is perhaps the most complex and mature album that the berlin producer and dj has accomplished to date. and its also out with us! todd has worked at full speed over the last six months to bring us this fine piece of work. as a dj playing around the world and as a producer in the highest ranks of consistency, todd bodine has constantly developed as an artist. releases and remixes on respected labels, and collaborations with various artists have made him an internationally popular electronic musician. in 2007 he finally began to perform as a live act, and what club would better fit todds new live premiere than the panorama bar in berlin!? todd shows with forms, his innate knowledge of the two sides of electronic dance music. this is a meeting of peaktime euphoria with the relaxing bliss of the hazy morning light. a meeting of hypnotic natural rhythms and driving cut-up sounds. todd can impress you with dancefloor bombs and also with his sophisticated sound visions. the sound of detroit would probably be the best comparison.

the house band of bunny ‘striker’ lee was formed in the mid-1970s by some of jamaica’s most prominent and musically expressive session players. the shifting core line-up spun off from the soul syndicate and thus typically featured earl ‘chinna’ smith and tony chin on guitar and bernard ‘touter’ harvey on organ. carlton ‘santa’ was the main drummer, but carlton barrett of the wailers band and ‘benbow’ creary were sometimes featured. most crucially, on bass, aston ‘family man’ barrett shifted to fully fullwood (and occasionally, earl ‘bagga’ walker), until robbie shakespeare took over, becoming the bandleader. the band was responsible for the popular ‘flying cymbal’ style that took jamaica by storm, and you can hear it in abundance on this killer dub set from 1975, its excellent cuts of cornell campbell and johnnie clarke material mixed at king tubby’s studio - a must for all serious fans of dub.

feat. 11 previously unreleased recordings

after the three-track time enough at last, antigone returns with ostinato for token75. as a project, the record is thematically accurate, adhering to its titles suggestion on both sides. the tracks play with layering techniques, gradually building a spectrum of sound around their respective persistent motifs. antigone shifts these insistent base elements, allowing them the foreground before masking within a blend of carefully processed and organic-sounding details.

london head aroop roy takes on brazilian rhythms for the 4th time on gamm and its quite possibly the best one yet. the working formula, simple but yet very well crafted to work both in clubs and for home listening. first off we get -flecha de foga- that uses a rare nazare pereira samba track as the foundation but with loads of added chords, beats and production details. on the flip todo mundo tem amor marries a driving analogue bassline to an amped up version of another sul americano classic - blazing !

coeo are toy tonics lead artists and they dont joke! technically perfect on a level that most producers start to get jealous. musically filled up with so much knowledge about the history of disco and house that its no wonder that big names like kenny dope, borrowed identity and tensnake are huge fans. and their styleà? its a pure hedonistic discoish attitude that combines the funk driven eclecticism of today, the curiosity of young music cats who always want to be ahead and a sense of quality in music that we miss in so many of todays house music productions. in fact its 2017 and a lot is changing in the house scene. the old melancholic deep house now is quite dead - while most deep house charts are filled up with sample based funk house. coeo are regularly on the top of the several deep house charts, and there is a reason: their tracks have that kind of new, nasty, sexualised vibe that gets more inspired from the late 1990ies french touch house or early masters at work production. from jazz djs and dj sets of wildstyle djs like harvey or the idjut boys. its not any more about the old schematic ketamine deep house that always sounds the same (and makes your feet fall asleep.) listen to flesh world! its black music basically. its booty sound. disco for sure. this track gets you riding on a trip. play it one time and youll play it every time. and: check the percussion jam remix by toy tonics head kapote.

nyc stalwart and international superstar jacques renault joins brooklyn cohorts for a 4 track ep of superior edit stylings! on the a side cold blooded sources a classic, focusing on a hypnotic and rhythmic pattern for a solid 6 minutes before exploding into exuberant soul, while get down is a loose and greasy funk stomper. on the flip, dream machine is disco sampled perfection, chopped and sliced with evident love. finally, that sound takes us home with its thunderous drums, slap bass, and a tasteful peppering of soulful vocals.

lumièreslanuit is glad to introduce to you to capacitance (llnoff002), second release of its off series by brazilian music composer tala.

senso sounds collects together two of the key tracks from bossman oliver huntemann’s new propaganda album for this 12 inch release. senso has established itself as a key label in the techno scene and huntemanns ear for quality remains as sharp as ever. rotlicht is a precision-honed instrument of techno weaponry - hard as nails and featuring epic and mind-bending breakdowns. additionally the egyptian dj and producer raxon reworks the track into a deep and solid groover with plenty of attitude. ‘poltergeist’ is a journey into huntemann’s feel for sound design and space in a club context, beguiling with its seeming simplicity, before hitting home with shifting, evolving grooves and haunting synth blasts. the young russian maksim dark adds his own interpretation of poltergeist to the release, edging up the darkness a little more and producing a growling, tough techno workout that will go over big on a lot of floors this year.

pablo cahn is a talented producer hailing from and currently residing in bogota, colombia. “soul rain” is his third release on cadenza, and it comes with a massive remix by the spanish don paco osuna. the original mix of pablo is a long attractive dance floor tune textured by an overwhelming bass line and a deluge of vocal grains that shapes a large number of fills and break downs all over the track. as the journey go further, a complex twist of harmonies and resonances arise from the rhythmic grounds, shining over a blissful body of beats. paco osuna’s remix recap all the rhythmic elements and shrink the vocal drizzle maintaining their relevance to the building of the track. the bare inter-twin of its relentless bass line and its stinging hi-hats works out a magnificent outbreak of the dense original tissue of chords.

# twin bang # is mirko loko third album, the first own on his own label comet traxx, and proudly host collaboration with detroit techno legend derrick may, philadelphia singer ursula rucker and the french/italian duo moody preachers.
comet traxx is the new label of swiss prolific producer mirko loko, best known for his musical output on cadenza, visionquest and memento records. this new imprint is focused on cosmic grooves, with the aim to release quality timeless material. the first release on the label is the stunning -twin bang- album by the label honchos, mirko loko, delivering a modern sophisticated record with a very classic feeling, rich of collaborations with heavyweight musicians as derrick may and ursula rucker. for the next chapters of these astral tales, we can expect a spontaneous organic blend of electronic genres joined with a galactic touch: releases are not going to come only by mirko himself, but from interesting newcomers, as well as veterans as guido schneider who is in scheduled on the second catalogue number.

first ep of the label lowlife cartel. dissociative tones, texture of the sound and atmosphere sought here, more than melody. no boundary in genre but same sonic ethos. the two sides of the ep includes two tracks ambient/downtempo fitting with patient listening. three other, lofi tracks, and more efficient to play into clubs. face a starts with -nerve splicing- by telekommunist, also known as wpx7, face covered and steps muffled through a deadening blizzard of tape saturation and white noisey envelops that find a balance between deepening the sense of immersion and a retained groove. -kairu- by a. latif, affiliated to the experimental and elusive russian label john s kingdom. an arsenal of textures are employed, surrounded all the time by different kind of breeths carving out a growingly satisfying contrast between the shivery charm of its melodic line and the roughness of its elements. a rough diamond. face b, -kfs-, by vslds (present on the next cousin carl release, after kinway and voyd) is a delusional and abstract piece of lofi hip hop. setting skittish drums and heavily altered rapper vox sample, smothered against a grey-ish canvas of blurry, washed-out pads. this feels both playful and unhealthy. -gotta go fast-, by paul santangelo (venetian causeway), is marked with the very personal style of this artist who does his way across the ever effervescent lofi techno scene. the round, drag-shed bass, fits with an introspective melody and atmosphere. -every man has a woman who loves him-, by loophie (raw russians), surprises the listener at the end of the disc with a lofi house track sampled from john lennon, very effective in club. the czech lofi house videomaker moskalus edited a video of it on his youtube channel. 5 artists to follow.

in what might be something of an unexpected reissue move, early rave belter -sweetness & light- from australian duo itch-e & scratch-e gets a fresh airing for the 21st century no less than 25 years after it first landed in a hailstorm of bright melodic lines and raucous tempo. in its original form -sweetness & light- is everything you could possibly want from an early trance stormer, all plush layers of harmony reaching an emotional crescendo over an irrepressibly bouncy beat. the -for life- remix meanwhile flips the script with a blissed out, chord-heavy version that slows the pace right down, possibly for the original fans of the tune who need things a little slower now.

utter presents rgbpm, trevor jackson s four piece audio-visual work originally commissioned for a live performance at the optronica festival in 2007, on london s imax, the biggest screen in the uk. optronica, programmed by addictive tv/cinefeel in collaboration with the british film institute, held its second festival over five consecutive days at the imax, ica and bfi southbank in march 2007. a showcase of the most exciting talent working in visual music, optronica s 2007 event was a platform for live performances, talks, screenings and workshops from the likes of fennesz, peter greenaway and ryoichi kurokawa. jackson s piece took over six months to develop and yet was performed only once. on march 14th the premier of rgbpm opened the festival in spectacular fashion, jackson performing the music live with its accompanying hd visuals generated in real time using custom-built software created especially by weirdcore. a powerful multi-sensory experience, the event remains one of the defining moments of jackson s lengthy career. the visuals consist of abstract shapes synchronised perfectly to jackson’s soundtrack. choreographed to represent musical elements within each track, they explore the relationship between melody, colour, rhythm and form. the diverse soundtrack combines magical motorik experiments, demented acidic jams, melodic subterranean techno and dark discordant electronic soundscapes. it s a timeless selection of music that holds its own to this day. a decade on from rgbpm s lone airing, utter is proud to release all four parts together for the first time as a special 12- package, mastered and cut by helmut erler at d&m and housed in a sleeve designed by jackson himself.

the story of the great roots reggae harmony trio black uhuru is one defined by many unexpected twists and turns. in its best known form, led by michael rose and with founding member duckie simpson and the black american female vocalist, puma jones, the group would enjoy the greatest popularity of any act in the wake of bob marley’s untimely death in 1981, but the origins of the group lay in the turbulent waterhouse district during the mid-1970s. duckie first formed the group as uhuru, the swahili word for unity, with garth dennis as lead singer and don carlos to join him in harmony, after cutting an adaptation of the impressions’ “romancing to the folk song” at dynamics, “time is on our side” at randy’s for clive chin, and “slow coach” for raymond “benno” anderson, dennis drifted into the wailing souls and don carlos went solo, leading duckie to recruit rising waterhouse vocalist michael “tony” rose as lead singer, and errol nelson from the jays for harmony. their debut album, love crisis, was produced, voiced and mixed at king tubby’s studio by prince jammy and remains and outstanding example of jammy’s roots reggae production phase. the song “hard ground” vamps on a similar theme to marley’s “talking blues”: rose sings of a life of everyday hardship, with destitution and homelessness the pervading factors. on the extended dub portion and dub the instrumental cuts that follow the alternate vocal take of this enthralling 12-inch ep, you can hear the non-standard instrumentation that helps make the work so innovative, with winston wright’s harpsichord melody emphasising the hopelessness of rose’s emotive lyrics, the commanding rhythm and understated bass and guitar from robbie shakespeare and chinna smith completing the picture.