it has become a tradition for the maghreban to make records commemorating the passing of cats he knew and loved. one of these tracks is for martha.one of the tracks someone said sounded like too many pots and pans. the other one he made using elka x705 organ sounds. it s a shame that these tracks together make for such a tepid, middling, unremarkable record. not his best work by any stretch. perhaps there is different music around the corner.

steppas records presents alpha steppa’s ‘3rd kingdom’ in dub! currently championed by a range of soundsystems and djs from across the bass music spectrum, from roots veterans channel one soundsystem and the legendary jah shaka soundsystem to uk steppers pioneers iration steppas and dubstep household names such as v.i.v.e.k, caspa & rusko.

in recent years the clamour for the funkier side of aor, blue eyed soul, funky rock or any other description you d care to imagine has reached heightened places. the hardest diggers have been endlessly searching for breezy, soulful and rock-infused r&b gems hidden away in the recesses of the major and independent label archives. miamis cat records one such independent, and an off shoot of the hugely successful tk disco empire had made its mark since the early 70s with stellar sides from little beaver, george & gwen mccrae, raw soul express and many more

2018 repress with tripple gatefold cover + unique time stamp + double sided 12inch inlay . >raw as fuck autistic star trek 1987- misty forests- x-files,- detroit unicorn futurism made on cheap ass digital & analog crap synthesizers recorded in a ragtag bedroom studio on a teac vhx cassettedeck in dolby c with an unintelligible yet soulfull vivacity< legowelt

first release on trevor jacksons new unreleased archive recordings label pre- is a timeless collection of twisted techno, militant ebm and filthy electro produced by jackson himself and featuring vocals from douglas (nitzer ebb) mcarthy & chloe from c.a.r. originally produced in 2003 as a playgroup side project, pinklunch made its debut with a demo track on a dj hell international deejay gigolo compilation, tracks also appeared on compilations for the exclusive parisian department store collette and the berlin club f.u.n. the album lay in hibernation for nearly 15 years, gathering digital dust, rediscovered in 2014 trevor lovingly re-edited and remastered the original mixes as well as getting guest vocalists douglas mcarthy from nitzer ebb and chloe from c.a.r to appear on two tracks.

the unknown duo raw joints steps up for the second release on the eponymous label. a four-track ep made of raw analogue elements, banging snares and smothie pads, accompanied by elements of jacking and house infused grooves.

nothing like an edit is from an obscure acid jazz track that made its rounds in the underground disco scene in chicago. played by veterans like sadar, lee collins & ron trent at clubs like slicks & the b-side café. don t cha wanna get down is a rare groove monster chopped from a funk 45 and kicks off with tights drums, bass licks and crazy synths coupled with some sick brass stabs and a touch of vocals that keeps it all in check and make you wanna get down, get down. played by: rahaan, theo parrish, ron trent, marcellus pittman, jamie 3:26, kai alce , zernell & soul clap.

having only made spotted appearances in the past, icy ambient techno artist winter in june makes a fine first outing on vinyl with a press of his ep eternal lovers. it s prime silent season material, using massive slabs of reverb and a foreboding sense of space as his main weapons while rolling out bleak machine matter that sounds as though it were blown across the tundra. about life & death is particularly moving with its heart monitor bleeps and forlorn strings, while the party is elsewhere is a telling trip into the coldest of coldwave.

owl has previously been spotted on labels such as anekoic, circular limited and planet rhythm, but he made quite an impression with the digital release of his blackstone ep on silent season. now the label have done the right thing and cut the release to vinyl, giving ambient belters such as fragment the chance to sit beside none quieter gems like solar wind on wax. there are whispers of rhythm to be found tucked away in blowing the light, while innominate horizon imparts a little warmth with its tender chords, making this a record rich in variation as much as subtlety.

musically and emotionally, superpitcher’s third full-length studio album, the golden ravedays is a one sound autobiography that exhibits the skill, feeling and style that the artist has honed over a period of twenty years, musically, and forty-plus- years, emotionally. and full-length it is: the golden ravedays is an epic album of 24 longer than usual tracks that was released in january 2017 and is stretching over 12 respective chapter albums during a one-year period. the 12th and final edition of the golden ravedays album will be released on record label hippie dance in december 2017. side a is the ballad of late night skanking. true to the soul of skanking this track is weaving its delicate elements between the rise and fall of a monumental wave that teasingly never breaks. the main melody so seduces and hypnotizes that before you know it you’re a wide-eyed cobra waving away in a basket. standing ovation! hands in the air! he made it! the very last track of superpitchers epic golden ravedays odyssey is a jovial spree, a hullabaloo of merrymaking, the perfect celebration of the beginning to end of this heroic album. punky reggae party is a fantastic collision of festive sounds, beats and voices that bring us undecipherable messages and everything else that is far beyond nice, nice, nice. encore! encore!

>i wanted to capture all the weird and wonderful things that i imagine would be trapped inside the head of an old texan with his back against the wall in a coffee shop in new york city.<mutado pintado last october from mixhell, joe goddard (hot chip) and mutado pintado (paranoid london), brazil, london and the usa came a great mix of unexpected sounds. dropping via delayed records, the crocodile boots ep offered a cacophony of musical elements and spoken word thats myriad intricacies made it one of the most sonically intriguing releases of 2016. the title track crocodile boots, a funny, funky poem about daily life, politics and miscommunications, has received a special remix and accompanying visual from close friends and confidants, soulwax.

kidnap kid’s birds that fly label got off to a flying start with his ow&#8203,,,,,,n release,‘ moments’ feat leo stannard picking up over two million plays and shaking up the spotify / hype machine charts. next up on the imprint is rising uk star apple&#8203,,,,,,bottom with &#8203,,,,,,‘the ride’ ep, an artist that draws many parallels to kidnap kid’s own early career as he barely has made his way out of his teens but already caught the ear of some of the most sought-after labels and radio establishment. annie mac can’t get enough of him and his releases on kerri chandler’s madtech, zed bias’ biasonic and uk powerhouse black butter records have coined him one of the future figureheads of dance music. applebottom has come to be considered a beatmaker able to transverse genres with that rarest of production talents: the consistent ability to make a straight-up club banger, which makes him the perfect follow up for birds that fly. “‘theride’ was quite a diff&#8203,,,,,,erent piece of music for me, ’he explained of the track, ‘i had been thinking about where i d want to release it and i was pretty stuck. but shortly after i d finished it kidnap kid’s first ep on birds that fly came out, and straight away i felt a connection with the sound and a lot of the music i’ve been making recently. it already feels like it has a clear and distinctive sound forming and i can t wait for my music to be part of that.” applebottom hails from the musical mecca of bristol but shares a pioneering view of its style and output. “&#8203,,,,,,i think a lot of people have just gotten too comfortable making the same sounding dance music - and for me that kind of defeats the point, there’s so much variety in it. i feel that particularly for my generation anyway, we’re a lot younger as producers and it’s kind of our job to be that next generation that produces that next sound. we should be striving to make something new and different and build our own vision of what it should be.

its not always about super rares, we got to cover those lp tracks as well. how this never made it onto a 45 ill never know. michael henderson s brilliant let love enter has always been an underground classic and is about to get a fire lit under it once again, simply the finest brazilian influenced soul jazz fusion. michael s bass playing, vocals and production are all over modern american black music, having played for miles davis. norman connors, marvin gaye, stevie wonder to name just a few, his influence is huge right through the industry as well being a million selling artist himself. you can still here his bass sampled in many a hip-hop track to this day.

multi track version take the original song to whole new level of mixes that we wish came out back in 1980! unreleased version of sky here s to you part 1 & 2. taking back to the old days when labels released part 1 & 2 on 45s of recording artists. here s to you, stripped down to the bone. sounds like a lost demo mix thats been sitting on 1 inch reel for over 35 years but originally made for larry levan & ron hardy to drop in their marathon djs sets

new cool collective s fifteenth album electric monkey sessions refers to the sound studio in amsterdam where the recordings were made. they have drawn inspiration from senegalese orchestra baobab, as well as psychedelic cumbia, cape town, italian cinema and many major jazz heroes. electric monkey sessions also features two unique tracks recorded at a beach-side studio in dakar with local musicians the band met on one of their many international adventures.
pressing on 180 gram audiophile vinyl with download code included.

following a series of standout releases on stateside imprint, astral plane, e.m.m.a returns to coyote records for the first time proper with new 12-, mindmaze / pumpkin emoji . having first provided a remix on spokes inaugural ep ( green eyes ) for the label back in 2015, e.m.m.a has since kick-started her angel food radio show on nts alongside aimee cliff, and also established producer girls — a nationwide workshop initiative aimed at helping aspiring women get into music production. on mindmaze , described by e.m.m.a. herself as medieval funky and originally made as a special for mumdance on rinse fm, she pokes fun at the club, going in sample-heavy and re-fixing anthemic windows 95-era melodies over a stampeding, heavyset 4x4 beat. -this tune is a homage to the encarta 95 cd rom-, she explains. on the flip meanwhile, pumpkin emoji references the glossy, crystalline textures and lo-slung 808 bass of early e.m.m.a. gems like 2014 s light years , a potent reminder of why she remains one of the uk s most innovative and quietly rebellious club producers. tracklist: 1. mindmaze, 2. pumpkin emoji.

louis guilliaume rotterdam-techno explorer on born free with a three tracker. electronic funk made with his best friend, akai.

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

the reality is a relative concept, and our life is made up of fantasy and illusion. our music is the key of our thoughts, and our sound can help us to discover it. nothing is real express our vision in a period where information is false and manipulated most of the time. alberto iovine and alessandro fumagalli aka modular project announce the launch of their new label, in partnership with rebirth records. born and raised between como and milan, alberto and alessandro quickly shared their love for electronic music and the great passion for vintage synths and drum machines. they started to produce together in 2012 and released on labels like off, moodmusic and perpetualis music before joining rebirth in 2017 with their remix of the blond:ish classic wizard of love. the label s third release is a special ep from modular project. alphaville is an hypnotic journey through shades of indie electronica, new wave and their signature sounds, while another glimpse is a beautiful emotional slow workout. the package comes with two strong remixes from nuno dos santos and fairmont. amsterdam dj and producer nuno dos santos reworked alphaville adding a darker and trippy touch, while jake fairley aka fairmont, key force in the canadian electronic music scene, gave another glimpse a beautiful deeper and atmospheric appeal. a strong third release for nothing is real.

in early 2017, the young australians from parcels may have only released a couple of tracks and yet they are already being compared to »humanized daft punk who would decide to jam along with steely dan and frank ocean.«
the self-produced hideout ep was created over two years. what remains in early 2017 is a unified piece, an ep that is essentially pop but which shines in a unique, exciting and down right groovy light. as a first completed release from parcels, the hideout ep covers a lot of ground.
tracks range from driving electro thumps to softer pop taps. but what is clear in the end is that parcels bring a unique brand of pop music and deliver it with infectious and emotive dance: »already the musicians have made a statement with their harmonious feel-good funk-pop.« (the 405)

the 12th chapter on eerie records is a 2 tracker by label owner marco shuttle himself. with the return to a more groovy and floor-friendly take than the abstract sound of his recently released lp the release maintains nonetheless the classic signiture deep landscapy approach the artist has made us used to with his production. tribal rhythmics, 808 grooves, underlayed pads and some slightly middle eastern reminiscent sonic elements make it for a record that although still on the leffield side, is 100% techno. anyone who loved sing like a bird will probably find this one very appealing. a very classic marco shuttle one indeed!

chicago godfather mike dunn presents a new album thats fuelled by a pumping heart of pure house and a body of powerful analogue muscle. my house from all angle is a record destined to fully reinstate this already respected figure at the upper echelon. despite releasing countless classics like face the nation, god made me phunky, let it be house and personal problem, plus plenty more underground gems under pseudonyms like qx-1, the jass man, the phunky people and the md connection this is mike s first longplayer since 1990. the album title represents the different styles of mike’s large and long-standing catalogue that’s beloved of both diggers and djs alike. a master of deep stroboscopic acid, booty jackers, hip house and groovy us house/garage all are represented within.

native new yorker son of sound aka henry maldonado returns to delusions of grandeur with another fine ep including two floor-friendly originals plus a stripped back remix from aroop roy. for those too young to have been buying records in the early 90’s henry was a key figure, involved in seminal releases on strictly rhythm as house 2 house, maxi records as deja vu and maw records as rhythm section. to say this guy has history is something of an understatement having made an important contribution to the first wave of deep house with productions dating right back to ’91. more recently he has created magic for jus ed’s underground quality, classic, razor n tape and local talk as well as establishing his own district30 imprint.

richard sadface was born during a midsummers nightmare on a rooftop in cologne. he did not become the fiddler on the roof because since his birth he suffered from severe fear of heights. richard sadface lead a lonely life. never did he become the dream of someone else. instead, the thought of him made others turn uncomfortably in their sleep. never could he claim to be the eyes or the mask of another. the others all looked away. richard sadface was a sad man. richard sadface by god. music by superpitcher.

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

&#8232,,,,r&s welcome techno icon benjamin damage to the fold with his new montreal ep. one of most acclaimed young techno artists in recent times, benjamin damage is a perfect addition to the r&s roster.
as the first artist modeselektor signed to their hugely influential 50 weapons imprint, damage deployed his trademark heavy artillery beats over bold, blistering riffs and haunting, emotive melodies to devastating effect.
with the closing of 50 weapons, r&s offers a new home. his unique ability to deliver dancefloor destroying mayhem, dark atmospheres and richly textured melodies perfectly encompasses the music that has made the label timeless.

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

limited to 300 copies. rising talent aleks joins jeremiah r, hvl, dj guy and mnlth in the organic analogue realm of spiritual sonic exploration. the amsterdam-based producer has already made a name for himself in the past few years with his penchant for sci-fi imagery and impeccable hardware jams, hence he feels like a natural fit for oa. this double lp release provides the chance to hear some of the breadth in aleks productions, from ambient submersions to detroitian techno and sharp edged 303 resonance that skirts the divide between jacking club material and emotional content.

future times is feeling super blessed to announce a reissue 12inch featuring two hard to-find cuts by john selway and his seltav project with andrea taverna. a side shimmerdown has been a rare grip for a long time on the original csm wax, due to its status as one of the finest rhodes-soaked, late-into-the function cuts ever made. spqr, on the flip, is a massive house tune. heavyweight action on both sides for the deejays. both tunes remastered by dietrich schoenemann at complete. yes!

introducing a new label, with a direction, we proudly present dispatch blueprints, returning for the second release with kid drama and the one and only skeptical.
bringing the deeper sound to the forefront, it made natural sense to welcome back label stalwart skeptical, whose sub centered sound has remained an inspiration since his dispatch debut in 2010 and subsequent output on labels like exit, r&s and soul:r.
when combined with the eclecticism of kid drama, it makes for a stunning fusion, developing the blueprints foundation and delving further into the lower frequencies.
setting the path for our new imprint in the best way, with some of our very favourite artists, we are proud to showcase both skeptical & kid drama on dispatch blueprints.

180 gram brazilian polysom re-issue of the polydor original.
one of the hardest rocking albums ever cut by os mutantes – a record that’s got a slightly ironic take on rock and roll styles of the time – still performed with the sense of drama and humor that always made the band so great! rita lee and arnaldo baptista are still in the group at this point, and they’re working amidst a heavy wave of guitars that echo out with a bit of keyboards and some rhythms that are chunky enough to almost be called funky at times, but sweet and dreamy at others – all produced with a flanged-out finish that makes the whole thing sound great!

savas pascalidis releases heavy new ep brain waves on atrophic society savas pascalidis is an artist who needs little in the way of introduction. having a career that spans the last 25 years, and releases on a staggering number of great labels (gigolo records, kurbel, non series, mote evolver, stockholm ltd, children of tommorow, skudge, figure and many more), were proud to welcome savas to the atrophic society family. brain waves sees further exploration of the techno that defines savas’ sound. savage, grooving and dripping in nuance, all four cuts on this ep will set the night on fire. distant dreams is a tunnelling beast that twists and turns over itself with insistent percussive slaps and grooving bass, underpinning a driving synth line that stacks up to create a furious ep opener. there were no parts to work from to make a remix with, so in a total class move echologist drops a cover mix of the b1 track resonate, though it could be said that it’s inspired by all the original tracks on the ep. he strips it back to the bare necessities and propels it forward in true echologist style. the original of resonate is noisey and blustery as the title would suggest, hissing and bleeping over a mid range bassline that tastefully peaks and troughs for the length of the journey. finally, rounding out the ep in total class, subminimal crescendo’s with layers of noise and delay over a funk-fuelled rhythm. all four tracks on this forward thinking ep for atrophic society are essential machine-made music and an outstanding addition to savas body of work.

the pieces were created as structured improvisations using a monophonic synth (primarily) along with a yamaha dx7 (borrowed from a friend) and possibly a guitar. recording was made on an older otari mx5050 1/2 8 track. mixing was done on a tascam m-50 console and a revox a77 1/4 machine. i recall the project happened in two bursts: i did half of it in september 85, then i finished up and edited the album together in december 85. i dont really recall making copies for anyone. i think i played it for a dozen people and that was it. just forgot about it. i remember jeff ament from pearl jam (green river back then) came by while i had it playing on my home stereo. he asked what it was and said he liked it. surprised me a little. with regard to overall aesthetic: i like the sound of machinery, but i enjoy the fragility of human error and human instinct. i like to put things into motion then climb aboard and drive. i can’t play an instrument (in the classical sense) for the life of me, so i’ve always just played things that are mostly choice rather than a convolution of style and technique. i guess you call that the brian eno school of rock.

“don’t stay still” is the debut ep of trim records in amsterdam. we chose amsterdam because we believe in the vibe of this fantastic city and the growing underground culture. the label comes from the passion for music, vinyls, and freedom to have fun dancing around the world from raves from 1990 to today. the 180 grams vinyl ep is made up of 4 minimal-size tek-house tracks. our first artist is tijn, a great music and sound professional from uk. proprietary of label house wax and deep edition, with recent label releases as: memora, bodyparts, isgud and many more... ep s remix has been entrusted to the rising star of bucharest romania funk e following up some great releases like raum ... musik, adult only and kurbitz.

the german-southafrican franchise rise music takes its second turn with one of the label heads hyenah in charge. the proper mixture of joburg vibes with the hypnotic elements of modern club music creates a new sound which moves us all. bafana bafana! kristian

bakk returns to the valley with sfv acid, cruising at extra low altitude. three tracks with a fine grind and a pinch of acid made in the hot california sun. comes with artwork made by sfv acid in collaboration with bakk stamp society.

acid fourniture is a journey into the darker recesses of ceephax s acidic mind. simple 303 lines pulsate alongside sinister chords and detuned synths. berlin trip is a classic acid 4 to the floor track along the lines of flow coma by 808 state. alligatored is a tight 808/303 groove made for the dancefloor. the zone is a slower more introspective acid, conjuring up lost warehouses and derelict minds. alien beacon takes a more electro acid slant, inspired by sinister lights in the sky and paranoia.

does this need an explanation? my two favourite dj sides from stark reality catalog, for say brother i fixed the eq and made it a bit more club friendly also editing the crazy tripped out ending out which maybe controversial but always freaked the dance floor out so i cut that out to gain some extra volume and bass. on the flip we got bustin out of doors which has always been a favourite warm-up record again without the random ending. to make it extra cute i used the o.g hoagy carmichael’s music shop illustration. 500 only, no repress.

carmen villain & jenny hval’s borders has gotten wonderful remix treatment from our favorite klare lewis. also biopshere has done a rare remix of red desert. both remixes are out now on limited edition 12” (only 300 made, and no repress).

forriner is lee forster and oli worriner.
i made music together with lee for years (alongside mick rolfe) as last waltz. he also worked as lizards with james hadfield (james released solo for me me me 02), oli worriner, is a talented young northerner who’s already making a great name for his solo output, both under his own name and his traela alias, as well his label “tunnyl recordings”.
i’m really flattered that they’ve let me release their first full solo release, and i love how they’ve brought out each others deeper and more emotive sides in these 2 tracks. shit robot is a hero of mine. i basically wore out the grooves on a bunch of his dfa stuff from just over 10 years ago, and i’ve avidly bought everything he’s released since. i met him this summer for the first time when we shared the bill at a festival, and was so happy to find that he’s also lovely guy in real life. they say you should never meet your heroes, but i don’t subscribe to that as this meeting led to not one, but two fantastic remixes for me me me 08. the originals are a bright mix of melodically analogue left leaning house, while the remixes zero-in on a punchier dancefloor vibe, with an epic version goodnight, as well a more heads down disco dub.
so yeah, links within links, and keeping it northeastern again i guess.

after his latest releases on madhouse records, no fit state & truesoul - kevin over made four raw & authentic cuts for our next roughltd008. enjoy!

a few years ago we have been visited by a ufo, -dig it, understand it- has been made right after that encounter, gigi masin and william djoko provided 2 amazing remixes, something u would probably hear in a club inside an interstellar station, even though we don t know if they have turntables out there...

roberto aglieri is a noted italian flutist and composer, and his 1987 album ragapadani stands as one of his finest achievements. archeo recordings are ever hip to the finest treasures hidden away in the folds of esoteric music, italian or otherwise, and have done a great service in reissuing the album so that it might reach a wider audience. on this limited white marble edition of the album, aglieri s flute sounds haunting and evocative over the range of delicate synth treatments, largely orbiting the minimal realm but with a naive charm that makes the music wholly accessible at the same time. soothing, thoughtfully crafted music for tender times.

> it felt like a long wait for us, but finally we can present the first artist on our label xxx, jack pattern<. with great honor we introduce to you this collective consists of three producers who live and breath deep in the heart of switzerland. they delivered four diverse and atmospheric stellar dance floor tracks with serious hints to the late 80s. this first vinyl only release on xxx, will be accompanied with custom made artwork by patrick van vliet. patrick s work has evolved from pop surrealistic, psychedelic imagery to a dutch social realism. he incorporates social annoyances and public degeneration from day to day life in his images. these images seem familiar but alienate. alienation by disrupting the familiar with uncanny elements and deviant colors. a perfect mix for this release. xxx is a new label that combines music, art and club nights curated by shmlss. every artist they invite has the freedom to fill in the x.

for the second release piramide landed with a va mini compilation including the debut of the mysterious hawaiian chips. xinner opens the scene with a mind-blowing synth journey that makes you lose concept of space and time. autre follows and hooks you up with a hypnotic house beat bringing you in a dance floor dreamy mood. finally hawaiian chips brings you back in the golden age with a proper electro banger made as your favourite 90s idol would have done it. to conclude xinner does the honour and closes the ep with two must have dance floor filler.

one-of-a-kind acid tunes made by two scientists. boston 168 are back on andre kronerts odd even with a new masterpiece. phenomena consists of two eps. each one contains 4 flowing and breathing tracks for the world of acidicted humans. sergio and vincenzo got their own handwriting if it comes to techno and acid, new gravity spaces and sound blackholes. outstanding coverprint, shrinked and dj friendly 140g pressing. mastering and cut by cgb at dubplates and mastering. artwork by markus suckut and cover picture by salar kheradpejouh. manufactured by matter of fact.

vinyl only, alex took his first musical steps by studying piano and guitar at the young age of 6. his fascination for the more outlandish, experimental side of each instrument corrupted his lessons and sent him down a modular synths and tape loop composition wormhole. years later alex resurfaced, got himself clean and, through connections made while spending time as a vocal audience member (and sometimes uninvited participant) at lyman woodard, phil ranelin, and other tribe- and motown-linked gigs in cass corridor during the mid-1970s, spent time as a session musician for earth wind and fire, chic, and prince. it was only toward the mid-90s he found himself enthralled by the techno and house sounds of detroit and chicago so he went into the woodshed and came out firing electronic salvos.

the penultimate release on optimo trax (at least for now) comes from tel aviv’s mighty kalbata. i was already a big fan and was so delighted when he got in touch to see if i would be interested in releasing something by him. unusually for optimo trax this is one track in 3 versions but each version is so different that often i play them all in one dj set. originally there were two versions but as kalbata is a renowned master of dub (check out the documentary online about him recording in jamaica), i gently persuaded him to do a no-holds-barred dub mix too which appears here as enkuan pt 3. a few words about the record from kalbata – i went to ethiopia in the beginning of 2017 to record musicians. the most memorable one was mulugeta teshome who plays the washint flute on this record. it’s a traditional ethiopian flute made out of wood, and mulugeta came to the studio carrying a whole bag of them, each one in a different key. we chose the scale and started the recording session. i ended up taking the tracks a lot further with the three cuts on the record but really it all started that day, in a small studio shack in addis ababa.

it s always an event when jacob korn fires up his custom-made studio set up to create another exciting house record. in fact, ep3 is a tasteful four-tracker that more than lives up on its two predecessors. -the happening- builds on funky drum patterns before rising into a break that feels like taking a bucket full of water to the chest. another burning dance floor affair is -holiday- with its percussion-driven beats and heavy staccato style synths, in all its caribbean glory. -goodbye- is driven by an irresistible sample and string combination while -thru the eyes- is riding on a cheerful drum foundation and killer sample. dancefloor heaven. as she did for ep1 and ep2 the new record is again illustrated by anna jaszpataki from dresden.