rawax proudly welcomes system of survival to the family! distortion under control is the debut ep of the italian duo aka pietro de lisi & alessandro carpentieri. future-retro at it s best!

the ‘matière obscure ep’ is the first in a two-part series, whereby each composition was made using only recordings from one specific material (metal, glass and wood). the process involved taking everyday objects and making them resonate in every way possible, such as striking them with mallets or using a violin bow, and building up a sample library. ‘weld (metal_01)’ kicks off the release with its syncopated percussion and gritty groove before moving into the cavernous ‘molten (glass_01)’ that’s composed of rolling drums and sinister atmospherics. ‘carve (wood_01)’ is a lot bouncier by comparison, with its fidgeting bassline and murky tones until the menacing ‘cast (glass_02)’ concludes the package with machine inspired effects and a cacophony of stabs.

inspired by belgiums retro house music, ilario liburni delivers two original dancefloor weapons.

the canadian producer has built an impressive discography in recent years with a stream of quality releases via labels such as clone s royal oak imprint, spring theory, lone s magicwire and most recently his -hope you re well- ep on ninja tune s technicolour imprint. pitchfork were quick to acknowledge his unique production style and innate ability to balance the openness and experimental qualities of the back room and the hooks and sonics of the main room describing previous single is it dry? as -a rarity: peak-time techno that won t rot your brain or insult your intelligence, with appeal from the basement to the big leagues-. following recent excursions channeling the big room sound, he returns with a sleeker, more refined ep. -for this record i pushed myself to keep things more minimal than usual, in a relative sense.- he explains. -focusing on repetition in melody, rhythm and harmony, putting a lot of trust in my initial ideas and letting them play out. it was harder to stop than to add more.- the resulting five tracks span upbeat opener napoletana - -a rough and ready duet between a mfb 522 drum machine and juno 106-, through the swirling improvised piano loops of last day - recorded in an hour just before he packed up his gear at the studio of fellow montreal residents braids and moved it all home, to the bumpy 2-step of less and less .

a staple of the los angeles house and techno scene, alexandre mouracade’s much developed cv speaks volumes as for the consistency and impact of the man’s contribution to the city of angels’ nightlife for the past two decades. founder of the seminal making shapes party as well as a knowledgeable techno and disco head, this versatile all-rounder eventually established as a full-fledged producer in the past years, releasing solo under his real name and the alias of sonns, and alongside fellow partner in crime travis kirschbaum as split secs on their own machine limited outlet.

taking melodies from various sources, the artist built the record with a common orientation contrasted by various asperities for each track. merging electronic strengths with complex aspects of original instruments, the record might be taken as a contrast that would satisfy both dancers and musical seekers with the objective to keep the mr godot risin.

famous for their matching, colourful suits and always-happy smiles, beyaz kelebekler (white butterflies) were a mixed-gender turkish band very popular during the 70s. they released one album plus numerous 45s in turkey and other countries like holland and italy. in 1976 during the last day of their european tour, just after one gig in cologne, beyaz kelebekler visited a studio of a friend which was still in construction. they decided to record a few songs, just for fun and for testing the new studio equipment. it was a very basic, one take recording, using an 8-channel mixer, a few mics and a reel-to reel tape machine. the result was an amazing example of anatolian psych-funk, featuring wah-fuzz guitar, flute, heavy drums, joyous male / female vocals. unreleased until now, here is the first ever release of these surprising recordings, rescued from the only surviving cassette tape.

with fractal s analogue assassin ep, dubliner dave hayden (alias roguefrequency) delivers four acid/techno bangers openly displaying industrial influences. jerked off sturdy analog gear, the solid 808, 909, 4/4 rythmics is skirmished by cavelike 303 acidic patterns. rearguard consists of sunless modular synths and gritty atmospheric drones. as a certificate of choice, the release has already been supported by dj s such as unwelt, errorbeauty & and. like always on kromatones, it s limited to 300 copies pressed on 140gr. 12- vinyls coming coloured, this time with transparent blue. so, obivously we got here some rather stealth yet smashing tactical cruise sonic machine!

yeelen is a brand new project forged in the heart of a forgotten past. joe drive, of lux rec fame, and maurizio martinucci aka tez aka pragma have joined forces to sculpt, in their own words, -sonic constructions that transcend the canons of electronic music.- a bold statement, but then again this is a pretty bold ep. -techno tribalism and ritualistic soundscapes- are the bedrock from which this partnership cultivate their sound. figures and forms of a bygone time are conjured through intoxicating drum patterns, lost lands of dense jungle and windswept hills summoned through loops and samples to ensnare and entrance. polytheism explored through the prism of a polyphonic synth, mysticism born from machine drums, -ethnosonology of the future.-

giorgio gordano and giorgio dolce originally produced kkk back in 1983, and the track was taken into the hearts of the blossoming balearic scene hovering around dj alfredo at amnesia. its as gentle and sweet natured as italo disco can be, and of course it makes perfect sense that best records would dig it out of the archives and give it the shiny new reissue it deserves. the club mix of kkk is a feast of simple, charming programmed melodies and crisp drum machine rhythms with the innocence of the early 80s in its heart. the dub mix and bonus beats on the flip are handy for the technical djs out there, but the club mix is where it s at for the lovers.

after gunnar haslam inaugurated kalvanic languages with his deep-minded techno styles, now it s up to supposed newcomer bill westerby to follow up with another round of elevated machine learning. k-stream was a smart choice for the lead track, bubbling along on a warm acid line and shuffling a wealth of dubby processing around in the middle distance. down a back alley in cholon is a slightly more wound up affair with a bleepy lead and a firmer jack powering the drums, but the end results are actually more meditative than that description might have you believe. caye de crabe is a more overtly tripped out affair with polyrhythmic phrases weaving in and out of each other while westerby lets rip on the parameter tweaks in a fine display of machine wielding prowess.

central to the israeli club scene, deepa & biri have long been defying expectations even within a community they helped construct. serving as resident djs, activists and bookers for tel avivs legendary barzilay club, the pair helped build a transcendent club scene. hugely influential artists such as robert hood, derrick may, rødhad, ben klock and moritz von oswald passed through the club, enjoying legendary crowds and what they could surely sense was a genuine air of anarchy, rebellion and unadulterated rave pleasure. as the duo held down dozens of parties with dozens of djs, there was no ‘eureka moment for their emerging sound, just a steady stream of brilliant, inspiring electronic music, much of which left an indelible imprint on the pair. now based in berlin, for deepa & biri, things are much the same, even if the landscape and the city is different. always rooted in the fertile ground between machines and emotion, on their second full-length lp, ‘dominance, the duo demonstrate their unique grasp of the sensitive, unfolding relationship between man and machine. steadfast in their insistence never to remain in one lane in terms of their sound, ‘dominance flawlessly segues between forcefulness and weightlessness. from beginning to end, this is not a record afraid to show its teeth with an uncompromising, instantly recognisable techno palette that kicks the foundations of any sound system with menace, anger and determination, particularly on tracks such as the dense ‘voltage and pulsing throughout the more industrial flourishes of ‘ecole de nancy and ‘seeking solace.

b-stock - plastic cover is broken - music = mint .... 3 years on, and after their first critically acclaimed album on versatile, five steps (aka jonathan fitoussi and clemens hourrière), who have been likened to the godfathers of the synthesizer genre (think suzanne cianni, françois bayle or morton subotnik and you re almost there!) are back with espaces timbrés a brand new episode in their exploration of the legendary modular synthesizer - the buchla, specially crafted for versatile records. after 2 years of tireless work, ever pushing and furthering their musical research, fitoussi and hourrière reveal to us new territories, textures, sounds and feelings to explore with the help of the equally legendary i:cube on mixing duties to add even more sonic reflections and mixing desk wizardry. this one s a hyper-jump into the future made possible through a machine from the past, giving birth to those most captivating of electronic mantras... dive in, the water s warm!

weaving the old with the new.
exploring the known and the unknown.
time is just irrelevant,
it’s the journey that matters
stories are forever...
mystery repeats!

genii’s debut ep on feines tier. we are more than happy to present four tracks by the man from amsterdam who’s also responsible for countless dutch party and festival happenings as well as the productions for electronic live band dialoque. artwork by daniel hageman.

xen & yovav return to malka tuti in 2018 with full thrust and eyes to the future. after being responsible for the first 2 releases on the label, this time the enigmatic singer and the influential producer collaborate and deliver 2 original songs. hayom etmol is a 100% good vibe diy post-punkish poppy song with a flowing synthetic bass line, balearic guitar riffs and dreamy vocals. the b-side, shavit, is a vocal led song, with a repetitive guitar bassline and, trip guitar riffs and a minimalistic drum machine. low fi in its production shavit feels as if it has been dug out of an abandoned 80s record store in the outskirts of glasgow or amsterdam, with a strong cold wave feel to it. this 7” will be the first in a series of more diy approach to electronic music, song writing and production. some exciting names on the bill so hold on to your chairs... hayom etmol’s artwork design was made as always by morey talmor, with a printed inner sleeve designed by the israeli artist kobi swissa and a special silkscreened outer pvc sleeve.

part 2 of the eargasmic acid comp starts with the smooth clear remedy by chicagodeep. its followed by tres amigos from secret studio & chicago skyway. on the flip, melt is a relentless, dark acid track by newcomers heuristics. b2 is a drum/acid machine workout by dcook on litmus test.

dark entries editions is proud to reissue ghost town the 1984 debut 12inch single by mono band from italy. the project was conceived by producer rene d herin and massimo fantinatiti aka fantenax. they teamed up with songwriter and guitarist luigi venegoni aka svengile who had previously worked with progressive and jazz-rock bands arti & mestieri and venegoni & co. as well as cosmic disco group stratosferic band. treading the lines between italo disco and the darker side of new wave, the trio crafted a mysterious sound. melancholic arpeggiators, a throbbing baseline, stuttering samples, and the classic linn drum machine run throughout the track. vocals were handled by an uncredited carlo rossi who raps about a ghost town filled with fear. when female vocalist elena sansonetti begins to softly whisper the chorus one might get goose bumps. the trio were joined in the studio by dj mike aka michele paolino of make up/mike up, dj moody, fabrice bellini of art fine and producer miceli. the song was recorded in a few days at dynamo sound studio in turin and originally released on the popular discomagic records. this reissue includes the original vocal version, backed with a longer dubbed out instrumental ?ghost version? on the b-side. all songs have been remastered for vinyl by george horn at fantasy studios in berkeley. the 12inch is housed in an exact replica of the original sleeve with an astrological photo the planets orbiting the sun. each copy also includes a 2-sided postcard.

the new mic label launches with some previously unreleased and unheard material from uk diy jazz funk maverick, mike collins, or more the brains behind that spacey loft classic, rude movements as sun palace. mic presents a small archive of collins material (recorded around and after the time of rude movements) and reveals the more experimental side of collins production. five tracks that explore early, proto-house music, electro and fascinating drum machine observation. essential issue!

the 1st of 3 eps that make up will long’s new album “long trax 2”. as much as is said of our current times being new lows, where things have changed for the worse and we’re unsure of the future, it’s worth returning to study the past to understand how steadily low we remain. “nothing’s changed”, says a younger barack obama in a sample for the opening track. “long trax 2” is the second album from will long after his 2016 “long trax” debut on comatonse recordings. the album presents as an ongoing criticism of cultural stasis, conveyed via minimal synthesizers, sampler, and rhythm machine. dancefloors are widely perceived by the masses as safe zones, but few can imagine how to apply notions of safety and equality to other aspects of society. we shouldn’t need clubs to hide from our fears and differences in the outside world. looking ahead, we should look not so optimistically upon what we have accomplished, but with urgency and empathy upon what we haven’t.

the 2nd of 3 eps that make up will long’s new album “long trax 2”. as much as is said of our current times being new lows, where things have changed for the worse and we’re unsure of the future, it’s worth returning to study the past to understand how steadily low we remain. “nothing’s changed”, says a younger barack obama in a sample for the opening track. “long trax 2” is the second album from will long after his 2016 “long trax” debut on comatonse recordings. the album presents as an ongoing criticism of cultural stasis, conveyed via minimal synthesizers, sampler, and rhythm machine. dancefloors are widely perceived by the masses as safe zones, but few can imagine how to apply notions of safety and equality to other aspects of society. we shouldn’t need clubs to hide from our fears and differences in the outside world. looking ahead, we should look not so optimistically upon what we have accomplished, but with urgency and empathy upon what we haven’t.

the 3rd of 3 eps that make up will long’s new album “long trax 2”. as much as is said of our current times being new lows, where things have changed for the worse and we’re unsure of the future, it’s worth returning to study the past to understand how steadily low we remain. “nothing’s changed”, says a younger barack obama in a sample for the opening track. “long trax 2” is the second album from will long after his 2016 “long trax” debut on comatonse recordings. the album presents as an ongoing criticism of cultural stasis, conveyed via minimal synthesizers, sampler, and rhythm machine. dancefloors are widely perceived by the masses as safe zones, but few can imagine how to apply notions of safety and equality to other aspects of society. we shouldn’t need clubs to hide from our fears and differences in the outside world. looking ahead, we should look not so optimistically upon what we have accomplished, but with urgency and empathy upon what we haven’t.

nick anthony simoncino is synonymous with the revival of italian house music over the past five years or so, and so it feels right for him to be delivering this album to vibraphone. of course, simoncino has more than enough skills (and hardware) to make something truly special, and that s apparent from the opening strains of -mystic adventures- onwards. there s a sense of urgency and mystery woven into tracks like -righteous rule-, where haunting leads wobble over sizzling drum machines, and the overall mood is redolent of 80s soundtracks mixed with the uneasy side of chicago house music. maintaining a punchy finish throughout and constantly reaching for the spooky side of machine soul, simoncino has more than delivered for the legendary italian label.

burning rose and pelvis records meet in the middle to dish up dormir, a two piece machine from melbourne, australia featuring morgan wright (formerly of melbourne hardcore act imprisoned) and harry maslen (formerly of postblue). two tracks of blacked out vocal electronics originally released on cassette are now brought to the floor with remixes by leo james (canyons, berceuse heroique) and cop envy (opal tapes, templar sound). cover art by misha hollenbach (p.a.m.) squares the corners on this all australian slab of sound.

after a track, a tape and an ep released on acid waxa, opal tapes and dream ticket, respectively, binary digit logically sees his first lp, 38000 summer hits, released on stochastic releases.
this new album comprises 6 tracks of edm: emotional dance music. they were made and recorded during the hot summers of 2016 and 2017. everything you need then is freshness and coolness and this is exactly what they are giving. they combine the overall positivity of the summer and the melancholy caused by the insistence of the heat, of the light, of the endless nights. they were played directly from the machine to a 1/4’’ tape, which explains their very natural and direct development. 303-like bass, gnarly hi-hats, heavy kicks and digital licks are still to be expected here.

sonic groove records presents the advent of a new strain of contemporary techno for 2018 and advancing electronic music culture further into the future with this release. this is a document of the convergence and alliance of two distinct artistic visions, that of veteran and pioneer thomas p heckmann under his drax moniker and current dedicated activist blush response. the results of this cutting edge collaboration are pure dance floor revelations of the infectious and mind expanding kind. four cryptic transmissions initiating a sequence of combined sonic dna output. this is an interpretation of techno rooted in radical experimentation and upgraded to the next level with compelling innovation. side a initiates the drama with mysterious analog machine signals of both purist and experimental dark techno that are composed of elements crafted at the molecular level. side b continues with intensity delivering more of the combined audio expression of the artists. the intense coded communication weaves through in waves of perfectly balanced synthesis that is reinforced with heavy percussion and complex intertwined and engaging rhythms. a new key to other dimensions in sound. essential

straight out of underground paris and right onto pinkman s broken dreams arrives myn. the public systems label boss follows up a debut track on his own label with a poem about gloom, desolation and anger written in native machine language for the rotterdam imprint. the a stanza describes a mental outburst with punchy lines written in raw percussion and disconcerting 303 work. following a line break, the b stanza changes the meter from 4/4 to pummelling broken beat in a piece about power and dominance titled black rose . the violent poetry concludes with yet more deathly rhythms and spine-chilling verses in core collapse .

a vinyl debut of a great serbian label cmok (centar muzic, omladinske kulture), which is quite known by a narrow circle of professionals and great sound lovers. this release has got a total urbanism in the sound that undoubtedly will be a big joy to drop on some good party with friends.

mixes from matthus raman & petar dundov! elektronik by mark strain is a track that draws from the english idm tradition, a dreamy and dynamic electronic track, defined by an analog drum machine and a captivating and smooth bassline. matthus raman remixes elektronik by mark strain, keeping the same dreamy and magic atmosphere of the original track, but putting the track into orbit, in the gravitational free space. destination mars and beyond. the refined remix of elektronik by techno master petar dundov is an ecstatic hymn for life, a perfect track for the most sophisticated dance-floors shining at the crack of dawn.

known for a series of stunning releases for the likes of one records, earlydub and laate, yamen & eda are a france-based duo whose music regularly perks the ears of some of the scene s most respected names. their latest release arrives courtesy of their own recently launched label, maison mere - and is the sort of intriguing release that s sure to cement their reputation for polished grooves amongst discerning heads.

four tracks of ny-flavoured boogie and house goodness - quality is the key word from copenhagen based music for dreams and here is another home run. willie graff splits his year between dj residencies in new york and ibiza. in this new outing with studio partner darren eboli, the influence is, as the title suggests, clearly ny-based. over only four tracks, the pair manage to craft a stunningly comprehensive exploration of the essential elements of dance music. opening track -love flight- staggers into a lush string-driven groove that recalls the glory of metro area meets wally badarou vibes. minimal yet playful, it lounges somewhere in the depths of the house tradition, calling on familiar sounds while throwing in odd details along the way (harmonicas?). it takes both skill, devotion and a sense of humor to pull this track off, making for a strong opening. -moon tan- lingers on a metallic hook that drags you into a plethora of percussion followed by a rubbery soft baseline. dubby key work would suggest this was a new wave band jamming at compass point, while the icy chill of the xylophone transports you into 80s italo territory. -second sun- pulls out the bag of boogie tricks, relying on a firm but humble baseline and smattering drum machine claps. nile rodgers-style guitar licks guide us onwards into a well-orchestrated jam that builds up and breaks down with perfect timing while dreamy chords reach for the sky. -first light- keeps the groove tight while dipping over towards more balearic temperatures. steeped in a watery atmosphere and gentle organic percussion, it focuses in on a trance-inducing arpeggio that lulls you in to the swaying badarou-style synth swirls that intercept it.

do you remember groove la chord? well, we dive into similar rave territories with johannes albert and his generators. some might call it peak time stormer. endless arps warped into nasty basslines is what we manage on minilogue. yeah its kind of a tribute to a silver machine. please wait for the break, though. calming things down with a skit of ambient. well, 2018, bring it on!

nyc native eric maltz has been a professional producer and pianist for more than 20 years. after landing on the techno scene in 2017 with the double vinyl “ns-17” ep on levon vincent’s novel sound, eric maltz releases his first single on his own label flower myth. opening on the title track , a bruising slice of machine techno, the live touch of the new-york producer stands out throughout “pathway”. on “ah-shu-de-ohu”, paranoid chimes swirl out of focus while chopped up vocals command attention. free floating chords glide through a meditative soundscape on closer “line through”. flower myth will release 4 more singles from eric maltz throughout 2018, one of them a collaboration with cristina valentina, the powerful voice from “we have power” (ns17). having recently signed with uzuri booking and artist management, eric will soon be bringing his singular live techno to his home-base city of berlin and other major cities across europe and the world.

robin ball has been on a roll of late, flaunting his wares on the memory box label amongst others. he makes a second outing on groovepressure with four tracks of dynamic, inventive machine jams touching on synthwave influences and a healthy dose of electro. there s atmosphere loaded into each of these forthright, roughly hewn workouts, not least on the eerie, trancey synth strings on mr mumble. the b side features the steadiest material in the shape of two versions of satin that tap into the housier end of ball s output.

irst release for the imago series of the label black chrysalis archives. all tracks by matter, exept the track b1, written~~and produced by matter and r²p.~~matter is fabrizio matrone aka heidseck. after releasing several records produced by labels such as the ukrainian~~kvitnu, le petit machiniste (germany) and soviet media kontrol (us), matter joins the black chrysalis archives (italy)~~family, with this 4 track work, named dangerous vision, for the bca imago series.~~the record winds through a scratchy and dirty taste of capturing electronic music. r²p (retina.it, ruhig and prg/m)~~precious collaboration fuses to the work. the track b1 (the preserving machine) in fact is part of a ten hand take at sy6~~studio. impregnated by a more minimalistic and essential approach to think about techno, this track gives to b side a~~particular deep clubbing techno flavour of european tradition.

malmö s own sune fills in for better listen s tenth release, continuing a run of sweet scandinavian finds for the label. the butter love ep is a true reflection of the crime city man s sound jovial, dusty disco and soul samples adorned by heady drum machine programming.

a leftfield haven, happy at home on the fringe where boundaries blur and textures intertwine. it was only a matter of time before jennifer cardini and noura labbanis dischi autunno imprint featured the bewitching sounds of mehmet aslan. following outstanding documents from dollkraut and the magic ray, berlin-based swiss-turk mehmet makes his label debut with four singular works of art. alysha takes the lead 22nd century desert funk with sand storm atmospheres, mushroom clouds of slide guitar and a hefty dose of blues, it sets us perfectly for the rest of the ep. elsewhere were sucked deep inside the dream machine in slo-mo as beasts lollops and thumps with warped insistency, we have the stately swampy cosmic stomps and trippy breakdown surprise of exotica before a collaboration with uk kindred spirit jonny rock closes the show with a sense-blurring psychedelic tagine of interlaced hooks and the tangiest riff this side of istanbul. beguiling business as always from dischi autunno.

traveling through these eighteen ambient cosmic tracks from true heirs of library music, you ll expand the surrounding space. limited to 300 copies.

this initial release on the new futurepast label marks davy’s first output as a producer, crystallizing his endeavours in the studio and bearing witness to his long-standing experiments in electronic music. built between london and berlin over the last four years, the long now lays down the blueprints for following ventures on the label: using old and new gear to create unique, obscure soundscapes both outside of memory and away from nostalgic projections of lost futures. in a timeless and precise collaboration, davy has brought together two historical figures for this release: 1990s r&s records associate david morley mixed the tracks, while simon davey of the exchange lent his renownedmastering skills to the project. temporality, time travel and perception are key concepts for davy, and not only in the ep’s title. the four stripped-down tracks move forwards, sidewards and backwards in a bid to get us lost – not in space but in what time might sound like should we be swimming through it. mysterious and ageless synths mesh with the beats of an unnamed drum machine under davy’s control. we move through a non-linear story told by three distinct forward-thinking techno titles: no memories planned, circular weeks and causal loop. finally, the titular ambient track pans out cinematically over the images left in our heads: an invitation to begin it all again in the long now...

bxl002 is the second release of the artist-run brussels based label bxl. this second release by simon halsberghe features the dark discoïd black tape mass on the a-side. while the title refers to the tape delay echo s used in the production, it s the groove pushed forward by the pulsing bass line and the clap that give it that distinct dark disco vibe. on the b-side machine wailing sounds like an incessant siren. the rest of the elements in the track all push and pull around this hypnotic siren, giving it context and power. the last track, grey over white takes the hypnosis deeper with a deep fizzy bass line, resonant drone and crisp hihats. at the end of the track additional percussive elements puncture the drone to give way to a polyrhythmic work out.

the ecstatic sounds of a fruit machine spewing out winnings or a computer game bleeping a player upwards to the next level chirp and bleep all over ‘true beauty (and other things), a jubilant and chaotic tape from philadelphia’s nah aka michul kuun. his first release under new alias michul kuun, the seven track album lurches between church bells, angsty video game chimes and battered drums (kunn pummelled drums in punk band 1994! in the past). there are flashes of mutated house and techno (“threes, threes, threes” and “written house”) as panicky, stammery rhythm structures are built up, battered down then kicked around. “taking station” seems like it’s going to be the most mellow, almost melodic jam, then rounds off with a solid minute of air horn, before exiting on what sounds like a motorbike through a swooshing traffic for jittery finisher, “follow thruu”. - claire sawers, for wire magazine

the third installment from barcelona’s nitsa club record label digs into uncharted territories. if the first release was a strong and balanced mixture between ebm and minimal techno and the second one paid a heartfelt and honest homage to detroit electronic heroes, sau poler’s ‘orchestron’ decides to draw a line between emotional melodies and techno rhythms while keeping a strong peak time momentum. young producer from badalona who already released on labels like atomnation, modern obscure music and lo recordings, sau knows how to build a banger with soul without being too cheesy. with an insane pulsating baseline, some high pitched synth swirls and a crispy rhythm that resembles a krautrock drum machine, ‘orchestron’ will be played a lot during the next months.
on the b-side there’s a remix from estrato aurora. 50% of lontano, legendary electronic band during the early 00’s in valencia, jaime romero takes away the cheerful playful disco that made him famous to a psychedelic and obsessive deep techno.

frame of mind is back with a re-issue of another unknown gem from the early 90 s. uk production team dave campbell and viv beeton are most known for their uk techno, rave and bleep classics as ubik. it is under the alias of timenet they released an obscure white label in limited quantities in 1992. this untitled and one-off 3-tracker remained fairly unknown up until today. it shows quite a different side of their stunning production talents. dishwasher is a rough drum machine work out topped with a wild bleepy sh101 synthline a la mr fingers. dx moods is a spaced out techno tune combining mysterious pads and crazy dx-100 programming. with on the move the uk pioneers come closest to their ubik sound: mad uk techno with a hint of rave. a previously unreleased and stripped down version of this track is included as well.

on opulence s second release the label welcomes grammy nominated artist james teej with his the only constant ep. inspired by his budding years djing, james revisits his early house influences and delivers two powerful cuts of disco infused grooves laced with an overall contemporary touch. the first track the only constant is change is a highly infectious dance floor number reminiscent of classic filtered disco house, arranged with a patient and contemporary restraint. the tracks hypnotic and repetitive nature draws the listener in, and keeps the attention throughout with subtle changes that slowly grow to a tasteful and rewarding climax. on remix duties opulence has invited apollonias house music legend dan ghenacia who delivers a slick deep house rework that keeps the vibes intact of the original with the french artist s signature groovy machine touch. already road tested over the summer at dc10, dan s remix helps bring the original to a place closer to the clubs dance floor. the 3rd and final song is life goes on, a grooving disco infused classic deep house cut that features no regular plays greg paulus on trumpet. the song perfectly blends the sounds of yesterday with a modern touch and feel, and provides an uplifting soundtrack for any dance floor, especially those magic moments outdoors on the beach. once again, james continues to show his passion and diversity in his music with this expertly crafted ep that will surely be a welcomed addition to any house lover s record collection.

the four-tracker features dense techno with individual moods. “revelation” is a downbeat lurching machine-giant with repeat climaxes. “concussion” is broken and feverish, with sculpted layers of pressure. the momentum of “locust” drives on the edge of an untravelled path and cannot rest. the final track “gravity” is subtle and snarling, with a slowly ascending melody, scraping against future and past.

having recently appeared on bosconi records and altzmusica, daisuke kondo is a producer on the rise at present. this outing on vibraphone adds fuel to that particular fire with four distinctive cuts that push to the outer edges of house music without losing sight of the groove. -hold on to love- is, on the surface, an upbeat, disco-infused house jam, but there s a certain trippy approach kondo takes in the processing department that edges the music into a different head space. -life- meanwhile gets gritty and bass heavy at one end of the frequency range, and airy and melodic at the other. -feelin blue- gets even dustier and scratchier with its sample treatment, and then -fallen star- lays down some unflinching machine beats with wonky, distant piano licks.

as weekend circuit approach their 20th release, argentinian duo yyyy return for their second full length ep on the label to celebrate this benchmark. the yyyy modus operandi is already familiar to the initiated - expressive, raw techno experimentalism from the outer reaches. carry this blood is a collection of 4 moods and sounds, carved out with emotion soaked ambience, synapse flaring distortion and machine fracturing rhythms. repent , as the title suggests, takes no prisoners, leaving no survivors in it s wake, it is a glimpse into a tear in the time-space continuum where chaos rules. hands towards the giver is epic, glacial, spacial widescreen techno. dramatic and urgent, the soundtrack to a doomed planet collapsing from within. carry this blood bestows an eerie, cold feeling. an atmosphere of regret and loss hangs over it like a thick fog on a hillside, punctuated only by a heartbeat mimicking kick drum offering a human touch. of thrones and comfort snaps us out of the haze, the fog clears and we are faced with the frenzied electronics and thundering kick drum of this most sinister of tracks.

figure jams enters the next round, setting up a pairing between two hardware-loving, no-frills techno-purists. both artists build on vibrant, machine-made roughness, yet each leaving their uniquely flavored footprint. kicking things off is eindhovens albert van abbe, whose wide-open soundscapes and searching synths evoke an emotional impact that goes far beyond mere tools, able to equally move and sooth even the fiercest of late-night lovers. low-key producer sp-x appears on the flipside, ready to get lost deep within layers of hypnotic loops. searing percussion, rumbling bass and dubby synths engage in complex conversation, subtly swelling and swaying but always keeping the groove ever so tight.

correspondant welcome berlin duo hinode having established themselves with a string of well received cuts on their own science fiction imprint, they were spotted by chance by label boss jennifer cardini on a recent record-shopping jaunt. with a raw, no-rules sense of machine funk running through everything they create, theyre the perfect match for correspondant and make their label debut with four numerical delights…i lights the analog fire with raw sleaze and off-beat mischief. unkempt and wily, it sets the tone for the entire ep: ii writhes snake-like with its slinky kicks and purring textures, iii slurs with bass groans and shakes with paranoid, alien melodies while iv closes with much more of a tunnelling, sense-blurring experience. total machine harmony, unbounded synthetic creativity, made to mix and wholly outer-planetary… hinode and correspondant are a match made in the stars.