while attempting and failing to apprehend the shadowy figure known as max abysmal during a frenzied chase through the underground amsterdam arts establishment het skatecafe, we recovered a boxed reel of quarter-inch tape. intelligent assets have confirmed that this contains musical recordings of the type used to pass on coded messages to the safe trip organisation. the first recording we have titled donna, dont stop. we include it with this message so you can perform your own anaylsis. note the use of a rising and falling electronic motif capable of inducing a trance-like state in those untrained in listening to electronic music this potent and emotive. sutekhs mirage, the second coded composition, is bolder and warmer in tone, making use of dazzlingly colourful melodic patterns and passages of percussion that reference polyrhythms. do not be fooled by the surface beauty of this recording: it is capable of inducing hallucinations and irregular heartbeats, and therefore could be very dangerous in the wrong hands.

d marc cantus 2017 lp the lodge was a high point for the ever prolific us producer, not to mention a jewel in altered moods many pronged crown. now the label are revisiting one of the album highlights, s.e.g, giving the punchy chicago house jam another pressing before handing the reins over to a strong cast of remixers. the one and only larry heard plunges -s.e.g- into gorgeous, mystical realms of deep house spirituality like only he can, while altered moods boss malcom moore injects a different kind of spaced out energy to the track. then chicago skyway finishes the package off with a distinctive version that reaches for a light and airy headspace while keeping the drums punchy and effective.

ilija rudman is certainly a prolific artist, regularly appearing on labels like is it balearic? and running his own imogen label to ensure he s always got an outlet for the classically informed grooves he does so well. paradigma is his third studio album, and it finds the croatian producer exploring all manner of moods both day time and nocturnal. at one moment you might be wistfully cruising down the sultry boulevards of temptations trial, only to cosy up with the comely tones of creamfields or the vibrant chords ofelastica. by and large it s a downtempo affair for private reflection, steeped in 80s glamour and produced with a crystalline perfection to add that all-important glint to your life.

real house music created by the founder of house music frankie knuckles for wbmx. real house music created by the founder of house music frankie knuckles for wbmx june 25, 1986. (a & b). back in august 2017, jerome derradji received a call by one of chicagos most renowned record dealer. it went like this: hey jerome, ive got all these reel to reel tapes of chicago house stuff. you want to take a look?” less than 24 hours later, more than 160 reels were purchased and safely hauled back to the still music office and jerome got to work. in fact, these reels - that were lost for more than 20 years - contain some incredible stuff that we’ll be releasing in the years to come but right now it’s time to jack! around 50 of these tapes are dj mixes that were broadcasted on wgci and wbmx in the mid to late eighties mostly with the hot mix 5. so jerome decided to start a series of cassettes titled jack to share the absolute greatness of these mixes (and to raise enough funds to finance the transfer and licensing of the more crazy stuff that’s in the stack of reels) here is our first series with mixes from frankie knuckles, steve “silk” hurley, chicago mystery - devastating daryl and a few unknown mixes that were too essential to skip. these mixes were played on the radio only once and were lost until today. this series is an absolute window back to the heydays of chicago house music. all the mixes were professionally transferred and remastered to the best of our abilities.

jerome derradji received a call by one of chicago’s most renowned record dealer. it went like this: hey jerome, ive got all these reel to reel tapes of chicago house stuff. you want to take a look? less than 24 hours later, more than 160 reels were purchased and safely hauled back to the still music office and jerome got to work. in fact, these reels - that were lost for more than 20 years - contain some incredible stuff that we’ll be releasing in the years to come but right now it’s time to jack! around 50 of these tapes are dj mixes that were broadcasted on wgci and wbmx in the mid to late eighties mostly with the hot mix 5. so jerome decided to start a series of cassettes titled jack to share the absolute greatness of these mixes (and to raise enough funds to finance the transfer and licensing of the more crazy stuff that’s in the stack of reels) here is our first series with mixes from frankie knuckles, steve “silk” hurley, chicago mystery - devastating daryl and a few unknown mixes that were too essential to skip. these mixes were played on the radio only once and were lost until today. this series is an absolute window back to the heydays of chicago house music. all the mixes were professionally transferred and remastered to the best of our abilities.

jerome derradji received a call by one of chicagos most renowned record dealer. it went like this: hey jerome, ive got all these reel to reel tapes of chicago house stuff. you want to take a look? less than 24 hours later, more than 160 reels were purchased and safely hauled back to the still music office and jerome got to work. in fact, these reels - that were lost for more than 20 years - contain some incredible stuff that we’ll be releasing in the years to come but right now its time to jack! around 50 of these tapes are dj mixes that were broadcasted on wgci and wbmx in the mid to late eighties mostly with the hot mix 5. so jerome decided to start a series of cassettes titled jack to share the absolute greatness of these mixes (and to raise enough funds to finance the transfer and licensing of the more crazy stuff thats in the stack of reels) here is our first series with mixes from frankie knuckles, steve silk hurley, chicago mystery - devastating daryl and a few unknown mixes that were too essential to skip. these mixes were played on the radio only once and were lost until today. this series is an absolute window back to the heydays of chicago house music. all the mixes were professionally transferred and remastered to the best of our abilities

jerome derradji received a call by one of chicago’s most renowned record dealer. it went like this: hey jerome, i’ve got all these reel to reel tapes of chicago house stuff. you want to take a look? less than 24 hours later, more than 160 reels were purchased and safely hauled back to the still music office and jerome got to work. in fact, these reels - that were lost for more than 20 years - contain some incredible stuff that we’ll be releasing in the years to come but right now its time to jack! around 50 of these tapes are dj mixes that were broadcasted on wgci and wbmx in the mid to late eighties mostly with the hot mix 5. so jerome decided to start a series of cassettes titled jack to share the absolute greatness of these mixes (and to raise enough funds to finance the transfer and licensing of the more crazy stuff thats in the stack of reels) here is our first series with mixes from frankie knuckles, steve silk hurley, chicago mystery - devastating daryl and a few unknown mixes that were too essential to skip. these mixes were played on the radio only once and were lost until today. this series is an absolute window back to the heydays of chicago house music. all the mixes were professionally transferred and remastered to the best of our abilities.

a compilation of classic elvis presley songs on 180 gram vinyl.

diese lp enthält eines der besten alben des bb king: the blues (1958), die ursprünglich zu beginn seiner karriere veröffentlicht wurde. ergänzt mit vier bonustracks aus der gleichen zeit. limitierte pressung auf 180 gramm vinyl.

the soundtrack as heard in the 2-part documentary, featuring 18 definitive hits, powerful performances and rare alternate versions. comes as double vinyl in gatefold with download code included.

2023 repress - pablos eye is the science of studio pressure, when engineer becomes artist. appropriating left and right as well as front and back, pablos eye uses the mixing desk to examine and exhaust the possibilities of moments. pablos eye is a record of that examination and exhaustion, but it is also a record of its own inner space. by means of depth placement, psychoacoustics and spatial fug, pablo’s eye is experienced in the deeper reaches of the body, bypassing the conscious part of the mind entirely. . pablos eye is the turning of recorded music inside out to show its seams. it interrogates a song, stripping down the body of the song to reveal its bones. pablo’s eye is in the interstices of music, it plugs the gaps, fills the holes. pablo’s eye seeks out the concealed mechanisms, it is a songs hidden agenda. for this compilation, it was decided to present the softer air-beatings of pablos eye. more than anything, pablos eye is a temporary atmosphere, like a taste or a dream.

mihigh steps up for tlr006 and in mihighs true fashion brings his usual dark flavour to trapped ldn. mihigh is known for his head bending, dark, trippy erie minimal style and he has once again delivered with this evil 2 track ep. mirrors is a mix of driving minimal and dark atmospheric sounds which gives you a great after party style of track but could also be blended into a maintime set. mutual contemplation is our personal favourite which can be used as both a tool, a warm up track or an after party track. its crazy trippy leading synth keeps you entertained throughout the whole track and sounds like it was created to mess up anyones mind while at a party. we are super happy to have mihigh in the trapped family as he has been one of our favourites at various festivals we have seen him

kris baha is fast becoming one of the most essential operators in the deviant disco underbelly of berlin s scene, despite having landed in the city relatively recently. baha s credentials with labels like power station and parties in melbourne are all that you need to know, and now this release on the ever mighty cocktail d amore seals the deal. baha has never sounded more confident, pinging deviant synths around nasty drum bite and channeling the gods of industrial darkness to make some rugged body music for the darker kind of dancefloor. the experimental, non-party tracks are just as wild, dealing in all manner of uncompromising noise to further bahas journey to the upper realms of sonic mud slingers

dutty audio releases #31, 26 & 12 allbundled up for one special price!

180gr pressing , the now legendary abbey road version of “the isness” was the originally conceived version before last minute wholesale changes resulted in new tracks, different mixes and/or edits appearing in a wholly different order for the commercial release of “the isness” in 2002. the abbey road version had been initially promo’d to ecstatic reviews, receiving an unprecedented 6/5 stars from mixmag “it’s like a beam of white light from heaven”.

ns-20 features two of our favourite cuts from levons recent album. please note like ns-18 & ns-19, this a limited pressing.

2018 reissue / smooth and sensual disco cuts. rebellious lover of an ageless disco, l’impératrice returns from a long journey. with her rhythmic voice and soft, wave-like, inflections, she has come back to tell us the tale of a sonata. in a sensual and continuous glide, the sonate pacifique ep offers a smooth transition from the first tracks, candid and young, towards more cinematographic grounds.

get on down proudly presents another top-notch vinyl reissue, from their long-running series of collaborations with james brown’s famed 70s funk label people records. as the 1970s wore on, the classic funk sounds that had defined james brown’s backing band, the j.b.’s, gave way to the rise of disco music. fred wesley and his collective of musicians couldn’t resist the chance to make their mark, releasing “hustle with speed” in 1975, with charles bobbit and don love producing, and the godfather himself, james brown co-writing and providing arrangements. “hustle with speed” didn’t cross over like the band had hoped it would, but it was nonetheless remarkable album, featuring the j.b.’s signature funky style married with disco to exciting effect. all the while there’s still plenty to be had for the funk die-hard, from the brass blow-out jam “here we come, here we go, here we are”, to the trombone-heavy “all aboard the funky soul train”, to the powerhouse opening salvo that is “(it’s not the express) it’s the jbs monaurail”. songs from “hustle with speed” would take on lives of their own decades after the album’s release, through sampled appearances in tracks by jay-z, nas, eric b. & rakim, ultramagnetic mcs, epmd, and many more.

the pendletons return with their latest ep, funk forever, a jazz flavored boogie affair with soul inspired song-writing that evokes old school vibes while still staying fresh and current. horn lines, yamaha dx7 keys and snapping hip hop inspired drum programming topped by sweet singing with heartfelt themes, the group carves out a bold new sound on these 5 solid tracks. featuring elive, potatohead people and ishtar. the pendletons are a long-standing boogie-funk and modern soul project of e da boss (of myron and e on stone s throw) and trailer limon. the group emerged with their very first release in 2010, a 7inch inch of coming down/waiting on you on the slept on record label, which set the tone for the group to emerge it instantly became a cult classic receiving constant play at nights like sweater funk and funkmosphere, and fetching for serious sums among collectors. most recently, in 2016, they released the ep gotta get out. the title track caught the ear of renowned dj gilles peterson, who liked it enough to release it on his brownswood bubbler compilation. in 2018 the group is hitting the ground running with a brand new ep out this spring, and a full-length album to follow later later in the year on the renowned bastard jazz label. now armed with a horn section, a vast array of accomplished jazz and funk contributors, and a knack for quality song-writing, the pendletons sound has shaped into something fresh and unique, setting it apart from the legions of imitators.

“yuxtaposición” is a recently unearthed treasure recorded by a tight italian trio in miami during the early seventies. until now, this music has only been heard in office backgrounds, tv commercials and movie soundtracks. but the perseverance of an admirer brought about its first-ever release on the italian schema label. imagine hearing a 1972-era cal tjader quartet without cal tjader and you get an idea of what to expect. it’s slightly latin, lightly funky and truly enjoyable. “yuxtaposición” offers enough to interest a jazz listener. but the sounds heard in these 35 minutes are really better appreciated as mood music. lead man, cabildo, composer of all ten tunes here, has a knack for writing jazzy little hooks that launch his tasty, well-crafted keyboard solos. often alternating fender rhodes and piano within the same song, his playing maintains a hypnotic command that recalls bob james’ cti style. electric bassist bobby fares and percussionist max ronnie make subtle, supportive contributions that serve only to enhance cabildo’s sound. there’s a funny thing about yuxtaposición too. it’s kind of like developing an addiction. you may not pay much attention to it at first. but before you know it, you’re hooked. you need to hear it to be satisfied. a very nice surprise.

jonah sharp & dj spun pair up as the loose control band to drop a punk-inspired single on rekids with remixes from label founder radio slave and shut boss ryan james ford. having released a large body of work as spacetime continuum (astralwerks) or alongside david moufang as reagenz (workshop), not to mention significant collaborations with the likes of terence mckenna, haruomi hosono and bill laswell, jonah sharp is unquestionably a highly respected producer. his seminal label reflective played an important role in the experimental ambient and techno scene during the ‘90s, whilst as a remixer he’s worked with music by nine inch nails, meat beat manifesto and matthew herbert. meanwhile, jason drummond has long been a commanding force within new yorks electronic music scene, such as running his prestigious warm up music series or his all night rong parties with regulars like dj harvey. hes also been djing and producing as dj spun for two decades, appearing on golf channel recordings as well as his own illustrious imprint rong music, which used to release music collaboratively with dfa. i dont understand sees a raw and uncompromising side to both artists as they layer a cacophony of murky bass, twisted melodies and mind-bending bleeps whilst drummonds turbulent vocals bellow throughout the mix. staying faithful to the original, radio slaves remix incorporates a heady rhythm with its rolling beat as screeching effects join a moody bassline. moving into techno territory, ryan james fords akihabara remix features rattling percussion and crystalline synths whilst his hope remix is built on an intricate drum sequence as soaring pads and echoing keys contrast with the originals piercing vocal.

magnetik north is live drum electronics. drum performances are fed through processors, samplers and sequencers to produce layers of rhythmic patterns that interact with each other. other instruments are melted into different textures so that only the harmonic content remains. this is a new project from ian tregoning, engineer and producer for artists as diverse as yello and fela kuti. now working with jaki liebezeit, the legendary drummer from can, to add his endless evolving rhythms. jaki s in a world of his own as he balances technical brilliance with subtle restraint. recording started in the summer 2006 in an old jazz studio in the south of ko&#776,,,,ln. jaki arrived with a minimal drum kit including customised cymbals, a snare and a huge gretsch floor-tom from the can days. all of jaki s performances are complete takes with no drop-ins, loops or edits. the backing tracks for evolver were recorded without using key changes. each song features one key which is held continuously while other instruments and effects are blended with the key. drums (also tuned to the same key) were added last which is another unusual technique. as jaki says they re often overlooked as tuned instruments in their own right . the finished results are a minimal blend of industrial and classical. like listening to a raga in an earthquake.

2018 repress - standard cover ... us born and meanwhile in berlin residing kevin mchugh aka ambivalent presents his cocoon recordings single debut. ambivalence seems to the be the musical direction here. daylights is a sheer technomonster, musclepacked and full of dark detroit flavour but the used vocal samples and the harmonic synthstrings cant hide the magic touch of daylights. although the massive techno bassline is the star of this track we are sure it will find its way into the sets of many house djs, too. in contrast to that “swung out” appears way more like pure techno and cannot be filed as house at all. we are hypnotized by the shuffled rim shots and hi hats and ambivalent drives this one straight through the dub universe. techno is the destination and the dark vibe of swung out makes it a perfect after hour weapon.

chevel gives the prism-pushers at mumdance & logos’ different circles their first album release with always yours, a slanted new take on the ‘weightless’ paradigm, floating somewhere between headspaces associated with the styles of lee gamble, actress and logos. paradoxically the longest and yet most minimalistic release on different circles to date, always yours says its piece in succinct yet expansive terms, rendering precisely tooled rhythms and technoid motifs in acres of suspenseful emulated space in a way that connects the brutally efficient dynamic of late ‘90s tech-step with a raster noton-like appreciation of pointillist reduction.in that imagined space chevel moves like a soviet gymnast or prototype robot fluidly executing a demanding routine full of intricate, rigid steps. from the ambient airlock of one evening in july he pulls off the aerobic mid-air rolige of the call, which comes off like a syncopated sleeparchive workout, before twysting into the knotted quasi-step of bulletand stepping into hyperspace on arp 2600. another ambient interlude warming bath returns the lp to balmier states, before the jagged pulse of data recovery pulls back into the dance like a virulent alva noto piece, and dem drums pitch to the rave’s darker side, but ultimately the lushly self-explanatory underwater and always yours keep the lp hovering around the edge of ecstasy and the abyss with a grasp of heady, day-after feelings known to ravers the world over.•the first artist release on logos and mumdance’s different circles•floating in ‘weightless’ space between lee gamble, logos, actress and alva noto•vinyl master + cut by matt colton at alchemy.•cover photo by yusuke yamatani. design + layout by our place

this is a homage to childhood years spent in the scottish highlands. to mountain biking in fort william. to nights out in glasgow and edinburgh. to the scene and the people. to cha deoch-slaint, i gun a traghadh. its no health if the glass is not emptied. this is alex warrens little nod to scotland. disco halal is delighted to add another genius dancefloor master to the family, kiwi. pine marten opens the ep up, contemplative and majestic, like highlanders preparing for battle. following up, daubentens bat is a bonafide disco halal anthem with indigenous vocals and psychedelic woodwinds. to close the ep, kiwi reworks pine marten into a peak time, italo-infused roller. the highlanders drop their swords, head to panorama bar and jig with reckless abandon.

organic analogue broadens its remit on this killer boogie inflected diversion from italian producer croza. where the label has been often associated with deeper techno and electro, it sounds right at home exploring the moog bass licks and snappy drum programming that pours like a fine wine out of every track. night heat is the perfect lead track, all steamy synth throb and funky guitar licks, while feel turns up the pressure with a proto house burner that would have set the paradise garage alight. also look out for a rare appearance from ad bourke, who cruises on to the record to deliver a blissed out version of night heat for the smokiest of sundown situations.

groove odyssey records are truly excited to release the debut album from our very own paris cesvette entitled celestial (my journey among stars). paris cesvette’s celestial (my journey among stars) is the audio memoirs of a producer and musician that from the very start has always been amongst great musical company. a creative soul, born into a home where music was the currency, her inquisitive nature and desire for knowledge had her studying her father’s record collection, embracing her mother’s passion for music and then, what happened after that, is what we hear today. her vision of combining the sounds she lived for, with the music inside of her is finally represented in one physical work. each song on celestial reflects a moment in paris’ journey and every artist sings each song with a greater purpose. on listening you will realise that every song was tailor-made for each star. paris believes that you get an artist at their best when you let them be the true artist they are. “my role as the producer and the visionary is that it’s my job to make their sound become our sound and among all of us we are like stars in a constellation, together we make one and that s what makes this celestial, my journey among stars complete.”

pets boot down the doors of 2018 with this generous five track version excursion. five of the label bosss most distinctive and decorated tracks from recent years get the treatment from five fittingly big names, this is how its going to go down… the one and only roman flügel takes the lead with a wonked-out trip down ‘basic colour theory lane. with a sly switch on the kicks and full emphasis on the alien encounter feels, his trippy take on ‘dont sets the perfect creative benchmark for whats to follow. dig deeper for a bumping, stripped back warm and jacking twist of ‘its happening by the currently unavoidable rutilance founder dj steaw while counter records pional breaks down their recent jolt of euphoria ‘rave history and rebuilds it into a slinkier, house affair, repurposing every spine-tingle and skin-ripple greg and voitek coded into the original. deeper again were treated to an exceptional twist of their green velvet collaboration ‘keep on as lawler injects a springy, molten momentum to the elements with a salubriously loopy machine funk feel. finally, for good measure, jonathan kasper wraps up their 2016 spiritual trip ‘elixir with a new sense of conga-riddled, bass-licked momentum. still reaching the highs when you least expect it to, the pay-off keeps giving and giving. a little like this whole ep

last spotted on correspondants fourth annual collection, jennifer cardini and noura labbani return to yovavs majestic slice of cold wave theatre running wave and develop its universe on their ever-bubbling dischi autunno imprint. still as epic and dramatic as it ever was, its narrative is now galvanised by a typically dynamic edit from gerd janson (who also remixed yovavs last single on correspondant), three originals and one remix. railroad is an animated chip-like adventure with layers of leads cleverly interlaced around the lolloping lofi kicks file detective plays the consummate creeper as a slinky metallic beat suddenly melts into a sleazy, sneaky lead that keeps peeping over its shoulder space work closes the show on a cosmic high with such a strong emotional pull it could make sabres of paradise blush while brassica add crucial footnotes with uptempo breakbeat remix so elastic and euphoric it could flex a bicep or two. stunning, immersive and truly singular no one is doing it like yovav right now.

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

2018 reissue on vinyl (originally released on sarah records /uk). >youve got to listen to this band, youll really like them, i know. a colourful storm presents the first-time vinyl issue of one of the true treasures of modern pop music: blueboys the bank of england. the group of paul stewart, keith girdler, cath close, ian gardner and james neville are sarah records royalty alongside the field mice, heavenly, the wake and the orchids, and this is the final recording from arguably the most beautiful, afflicted band of 90s indie-pop and diy. mastered from the original recording tapes with assistance<

matt flanagan has been making music as defekt, ess and tinfoil for the past few years, so who better to put out the debut release on first cut? we decided early on that there was no point in repeating his admittedly fine back catalogue, so matt went off one evening and did a 30-minute live jam on his machines. there was no real plan, but between us, we picked the three best bits, which you now own. then we had to come up with a name. initially, we toyed with the idea of calling it ‘fekt’ but then decided that only a local audience would appreciate the joke and that it wouldn’t travel well. octal step then emerged as the clear favourite. we sealed the deal to release ‘toner head’ over a cup of takeaway coffee on a bench in the stephen’s green cente in dublin. and why is gunter walraff on the other side of this sheet? well, he seems like a cool guy. plus he’s german and has a moustache - what’s there not to like about that?

“world building” is a blissful and introspective mission into melancholy that wanders over terrain both familiar and unknown. bright and sparse melodies shimmer over icy landscapes, hewn with a careful composition and attention to the most minute detail. ghostly voices swell into symphonic chorus while an analogue rhythm section keeps an almost human-like groove. arguably his most complete work to date, “world building” is a satisfying listening experience with a strong narrative - an auditory tale of an epic journey with warmth and depth from one of europe’s most exciting producers. pressing on green marbled double vinyl.

repress , originally pressed in 2013 this 12” sat undiscovered for a good year , until vol 2 came out and people found it, then started charging silly money on discogs. this really raw piece of vinyl features just the owners of tone dropout records - sweeney and dawl. trk 1 from dawl is a pounding pulsating rhythmic banger with bleeps gliding through the track with the help of sharp snares and claps, real atmospheric track. then next comes strange world with all its space aged laser bleeps and busy bass line running through like a freight train, as always sounds moving and changing throughout the track both these are bleep tastic, paying much homage to our heroes from the warp days. boom check it then on side b sween comes in with a totally different track, another atmospheric track with military style snares and a moving acid line going in and out over the moody baseline and rising synths. an all round complete e.p kicking off our tone dropout sound, breaks ,bleeps, acid and boomy busy baselines and synths.

by day he guides lasers into position using precision equipment, at night he crafts raw house music. welcome to the unusual world of reflection port assembly. we got to know one another through a few brief, slurred encounters in the smoking area during the fabled forza italo night or at the aptly named gary’s gang. pretty soon it was clear that he had impeccable taste, like that record that featured coil and ice t. one sunny friday afternoon in june, he tore himself away from guiding the lasers and we met up in the city centre. the light breeze did nothing to dissuade the office workers from gathering outside the pub for sneaky post-work pints. surrounded a sea of grey and blue business attire, we agreed to make ‘retribution’ the second release on first cut. featuring three cuts, it spans house, electro, boogie and even some detroit techno influences. but ’retribution’ is more than the sum of these parts. unlike his precision-based day job it’s rough and imperfect, flawed but warm, messy and charming - like a snapshot of every day life in dublin.

bawrut has had an amazing couple of years. since kicking our label off back in 2015 with the modern acid classic ciquita (12inches of which will now set you back silly money on discogs), the madrid-based producer has gone from strength to strength. last year saw him tear down sets at sonar and farr festivals, drop a feted new ep on hard fist records, and have his music soundtrack numerous adverts for fabric events. other djs have been quick to show their appreciation, and bawrut’s unique appeal can be seen in how far and wide across the spectrum his music has featured. optimo, avalon emerson, patrick topping, jackmaster, artwork, andrew weatherall and many more have all supported heavily. were proud to kickstart bawrut’s 2018 with 4x4, a brand new ep of typically leftfield bangers. these four tracks come on like a whirlwind journey through a bawrut dj set, with something for every time of the night. ghettoscar fuses african chants with burbling acid, building the kind of goodtime dancefloor warmth bawrut is famed for. more cowbell does exactly what you’d expect, giving djs a glorious, cowbell-powered disco bomb that fuses the spirit of incredible bongo band with classic nyc house. i hear voices is a crazy ride, with an expertly cut up vocal sample repurposed into a weird, descending riff that’s quite unlike anything else out there. throw in bawrut’s trademark kitbag of carnival whistles, rattling latin percussion and a creeping acid line that works itself up into a soul-salving joy and youve got a modern classic on your hands. finally, lead track three sounds is probably bawruts biggest moment to date, a peak time jacking techno monster built from the most minimal of elements - drums, claps, a one note bass squelch and a tom drum gone wild. bawrut takes this tom sound and treats it like a 303, pushing far off the rails, working it up and up, twisting it through pitch and frequency like a man possessed, raising its pressure til it tears off the roof. theres no one else making techno quite like it - and you can expect dancefloors to be going crazy to the mania of three sounds throughout 2018 so there you have it - four more missives from the wizard of madrid. play em loud.

but already my desire and my will were being turned like a wheel, all at one speed, by the love which moves the sun and the other stars.

reaching its 15th release, amphia sees the return of cezar lazar’s double ep, intuitively called “archetypes”. known for his innovative approach both behind the decks and productions, cezar’s creative alter-ego enacts a variable puzzle with hard-edged sonic pieces laid out over five tracks, each with their own distinct acoustic palette. side a holds “equtime”. this side-long track envelops a stripped-down melody with perforated rhythmical pads, fleshed out with disconnected threads of vocals. side b is dedicated entirely to “badgervox”. displaying a weighty bass section alongside the shuffled percussion work, its intricate melody is integrated smoothly creating a unique soundscape. “thicken court” holds the first half of side c. sharp in its composition, it holds an assorted percussion ensemble and a collection of fizzy waveforms. they complement a thunder-like bass protagonist that holds the center stage. we continue with “boe dark”, where textures and sharp tones grow in layers upon layers creating tension. the apex is reached when modular timbres are hindered by sparse piano patterns, completing this electro-acoustic scenery. on the flipside, “wedmar” holds the key to our puzzle with its accurate four-to-the-floor feat. with a series of programmed overlapping organ vibes, the sound feels both piercing and intense, creating a sort of sensory impairment. “archetypes” displays cezar lazar s gentle subtleties and fluency in different dialects of idm.
(text by: bianca iulia)

next cocoon floor bomb! cocoon recordings is back with a bang after the winter break, cranking up the pressure once again. what s more, we re seriously pleased that we ve managed to land johannes volk for the new season. johannes has been making us smile with his productions for more than 12 years and considering his 2006 debut appeared on jeff mills axis label, it s easy to guess which direction his cocoon release is going. there are no dreamy minimal sounds or deep house trips this time round, instead you ll find headstrong techno pumping out of the speakers. tears & walls drives forward relentlessly with its meaty kick and metallic open hi-hats setting the pace. energetic and demanding throughout, johannes volk certainly takes no prisoners! -a little story about time and space- follows in its footsteps although the mood here is notably more detroit, taking us back to productions on cult labels like red planet, metroplex or the axis records sound. volk layers the track with more prominent harmonies and hypnotic arpeggios, giving it a subtle yet highly effective trance touch. the warm analog strings in the middle section underline this emotional impact and make a little story about time and space a guaranteed sunrise song for the upcoming spring and summer season, heartwarming and dance floor friendly in equal measures!

record comes in translucent red vinyl, full colour sleeve and printed innersleeve. limited edition a series of songs written and destroyed . . . self-cannibalized productions spit back out in abnormal silhouettes . . . the originals shredded apart into discreet motifs— miniature rhythmic patterns, collections of melodic runs . . . selected moments of recordings from maxwell sterling (double bass) and peter evans (trumpet) introduced as ‘probiotics’ . . . freeform ideas set to feed off of the original productions like bacterial organisms . . . creating new ‘growths’ . . . mutating and congealing into foreign forms.

to those familiar with the output of cologne-based imprint firm from back in the early ‘00s, the name of geiger, alias nass, shall undoubtedly ring a bell. herald of an hedonistic melange of funk-soaked electro pop and guitar-riddled synth music, sitting somewhere close to acts like ween and junior boys, alexander geiger is about to break a eight-year hiatus with the drop of his debut album under the newly-founded moniker of fahrland. a release that both encompasses a healthy dose of the discoid tropes from the firm era but also aspires to split with a segment of it, geared towards exploring further undisclosed fringes of his shape-shifting sound universe, ‘mixtape vol.1’ is the fruit of a decisive move from the sleepless berlin to the peaceful countryside landscapes of fahrland – a lushly forested area near potsdam which you’ll have understood played an essential role in geiger’s longed-for return. the vinyl lp includes a download code.

to those familiar with the output of cologne-based imprint firm from back in the early ‘00s, the name of geiger, alias nass, shall undoubtedly ring a bell. herald of an hedonistic melange of funk-soaked electro pop and guitar-riddled synth music, sitting somewhere close to acts like ween and junior boys, alexander geiger is about to break a eight-year hiatus with the drop of his debut album under the newly-founded moniker of fahrland. a release that both encompasses a healthy dose of the discoid tropes from the firm era but also aspires to split with a segment of it, geared towards exploring further undisclosed fringes of his shape-shifting sound universe, ‘mixtape vol.1’ is the fruit of a decisive move from the sleepless berlin to the peaceful countryside landscapes of fahrland – a lushly forested area near potsdam which you’ll have understood played an essential role in geiger’s longed-for return. this limited edition bundle includes the vinyl lp plus mc and download code.

fourth installment of gentrified love

limitierte edition auf gelbem doppel-vinyl. nach einem „beat-tape“, einer von den kritikern gelobter ep und unzähligen ausverkauften shows vor begeisterten fans erscheint mit „geography“ nun endlich das debut-album des nachwuchs-talents auf dessen eigenem label „beyond the groove“ und wartet mit gastbeiträgen von weiteren loyle carner, poppy ajudha, de la soul und goldlink auf. blue-eyed-soul für freunde von mayer hawthorne oder jordan rakei.

standard edition auf schwarzem doppel-vinyl. nach einem „beat-tape“, einer von den kritikern gelobter ep und unzähligen ausverkauften shows vor begeisterten fans erscheint mit „geography“ nun endlich das debut-album des nachwuchs-talents auf dessen eigenem label „beyond the groove“ und wartet mit gastbeiträgen von weiteren loyle carner, poppy ajudha, de la soul und goldlink auf. blue-eyed-soul für freunde von mayer hawthorne oder jordan rakei.

soulquencies is a perfect harmony of deconstructed soundsystem music. beautifully rebuilt with ambient textures, it hints towards grime and steppers while all the time melodious, musical and underpinned with bass weight. it perfectly transcends from clean and heavenly harmonies to bass pressure and grit – icy to warm in a masterful way. this is the first full length album on scrub a dub and we couldn’t be prouder of this piece of music, which is equally at home on a hi-fi or a soundsystem. soulquencies is the brand new album from the artist aquarius, a classically trained musician from tokyo who cut his teeth in the music industry in glasgow in the early noughties. he hosted some of the city’s frst dubstep nights bringing artists like silkie and goth trad, and taking small basement sessions into the bigger clubs, supporting mala at the art school. he played at some of the frst outlook festival parties and was a trusted tour engineer for mungo’s hi fi soundsystem, before returning to tokyo where he distilled his experiences and musical vision into this project.

it sounds ridiculous to state that this is efdemins best release so far on curle, when you realise thats the artist that brought us classics like acid bells and america... but the whole ep truly is amazing from start to finish. all tracks feature efdemins brand new second mix-album called naïf.

after the sublime triple 12inch re-issue of the sonar bases 4-10 album on deeptrax records, it s now time for the second installment in the sonar base transmissions series: the album dark matter . all 6 tracks were produced by frank de groodt around 2004/2005 and were only released in the inner circle, never released on vinyl. this mini lp still sounds as fresh as it was produced 13 years ago, experimental on the drums and synths. when listening to sonic discharge and velvet sky of sonar 6 , the link with drexciya is easily made. sonar base takes you further into outer space territory with the dark sounds of polygone suffering and the title track dark matter there is the clear idm feel of tracks like meet you at tower 3 on sonar 7 . dark matter is a hypothetical type of matter distinct from baryonic matter (ordinary matter such as protons and neutrons), neutrinos and dark energy. dark matter has never been directly observed, however, its existence would explain a number of otherwise puzzling astronomical observations the mini lp is limited to 400 black versions and 100 on limited edition purple marbled vinyl, pressed by deepgrooves and fully remastered by thee j johanz. you know the drill!!

just as groovence 001 had come down for landing after a successful mission in the far reaches of spaced out house, the french label will be launching 002 just in time to keep the success going with another incredible ep. the label began with a various artist release which contained slamming house from big names like luvless, tour maubourg and more that was a joy ride through the reaches of house. the 002 release features artists who have been hitting home runs consistently with their production style. embezzlement society, mangabey & cody currie all bring forth a unique sound to this va release as sounds of hip-hop scratches, house high hats, smooth vocal samples and rhythmic 4x4 kicks clamp you down and get you ready for another tour out into the far reaches of space. groovence secures another powerful release that somehow combines a variety of unique sounds from different artists, yet still retains a wholesome overall vibe. in stores soon ! ! ! !