grow label returns with its ninth offering, an ep of four choice original works, each a very deep and specific imagination alive with detail. the artist creator this time is plantae who offers his first vinyl ep and it is altogether a refreshingly original experience. plantaes tracks are characterised by momentous baselines underlying layer upon layer of organic texture and intricate primal percussion, which come together for a sound quite otherworldly. descriptive in nature and so filled with peculiarity *tigshameran* is an album and experience hard to grasp, but this is one of its charms, and its originality will keep you coming back, time and again discovering new moments of intrigue. a very respectable debut record from plantae!

policy returns to argot with a mature and joyful record entitled the disconekt ep. this time around the new york-based producer integrates an array of organic sounds into his refined palette, adding further depth to meticulously written tunes. plucked guitars pop out of the cinematic * we are connected* rotund floor tom beats set the pace for charmingly interwoven melodies on * moleskine* and closer * his meaningful breath* is flügel-esque in its zig-zagging synth leads and deliberate pace. the records varied, confident nature makes it a pleasure to enjoy at home and then pop in your bag for that nights dj gig

youth isn’t usually associated with wisdom, or depth or complexity for that matter. most 22 year-olds are still figuring out how a washing machine works but in the case of howes (the solo project of manchester-based john howes) he’s making electronic music that is operating on innovative and experimental levels one might expect from a hardened career musician hitting their stride. having released a more house-oriented 12” on melodic a couple of years ago, his debut album proper is a record that is as expressive as it is cohesive. it’s a release that floats between nocturnal stillness and insomniac driven intensity. the shift, howes says, “comes from the forced and narrow nature of a lot of electronic music. most modern electronic music to me is too safe in terms of ambition, sound design and intention.”
the limited edition 180g heavyweight vinyl includes a download code and comes housed in reverse board outer sleeve and black inner bag.

mind melting techno from xosar on her new new label gyrocyre!!! -when people on our planet hold built up psychic tensions under the skin, the energy gestates in a womb-like growth until it s ready to burst through the flesh manifest as a creature called a gyrocyre. many people opt out of ever letting the beast emerge, happy to function at levels they can predict without having to face the challenge brought on by the gyrocyre. it grows heavy and bloated with untapped potential. those who embrace the change slice through the flesh and let it out. it fuses with the host, covering his or her skin like a mask. depending on the nature of their heart, it gives them tools to save or destroy the world. we invite you to embrace the change and let your gyrocyre out.

with the eleventh installment in the saft series in place, the label has already celebrated their landmark tenth release. for the new record, the label has some adventurous sampling going on by the likes of ian blevins and ny*ak.

italian melody makers modular project reveal their debut ep, a nature-dubbed and organic five track effort merging tech house and electronica. the endeavor kicks off with the nostalgy laden yet upbeat leaf, whose steady bassline gives leeway to a dreamy developing, synth lined harmony. aptly entitled into the woods, the second track goes into deep territory via distorted synths, a wave-reminiscent element that remains its central focus til the very last sequence. the woodlandish journey fully unfolds at the third track, a contrastingly darker ...

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i ve been inspired by the seasons, sounds of nature, the stars and the phases of the moon. observing these elements helps me realize that i am such a small piece of this universe. with all this in mind i began producing a 4 season album series.
we start off with hokkori shiyo - which in japanese means *smoking a joint together with friends*. this is an organically composed production which synchronizes with the elements.
my father recorded his own natural frequency and you can hear his defining voice during this track, combined with the frogs from a lake.

veleno viola is proud to present the 2nd release by italian artist mace. as economic complexity is boosting the financial industry, constantly increasing the demand for financial services, human perception of value changes and so do our reactions and our feelings. i asked myself whether nowadays we are witnessing a financialization of emotions. splendore finanziario wants to reflect on the correlation between human nature and the financial system, considering the intensity and the way in which they re changing and giving a sonourous vision of their future developments pink vinyl jacked in gloss printed sleeve.

when i was 10 years old my father took me to a flea market in a very small city up north in sweden, pitea. there was a little bit of everything being sold there: ski equipment, comics, porcelain figurines and vinyl. it was there and then i came across autobahn by kraftwerk. the thing is, we didn t have a turntable at the house we stayed in, on those cold winter weeks so i had to wait until we came back home to give the record a proper spin. in my mind i played it several times and i thought it was amazing. i imagined it was music from the future. what i thought when i heard it for real? didn t like it at all. the very same feeling i imagined autobahn would sound like is the one i get after listening to ishi vu s debut on omena. these five tracks, you could call it an album if you like, are playful, quirky, dreamy and very addictive. like finding a new friend you know you want to keep for a very long time.

kompromissloser harter ehrlicher techno....

iib next release comes from french duo baptiste & pierre. 2 tracks of warm tropical goodness. virage is a deep mellow afro tinged tropical workout. muted guitar hook and nature sounds conjuring up far flung deserted beaches. ruf dug beefs it up a touch and moves it indoors giving it a more afterhours feel. the second track has the same evocative feel as virage with added atmospheric pads and a bouncy melody. like a closing track on an 80s road movie. full of emotion. italian maestro deep 88 creates a truly authentic slice of early ninetoes deep dreamy house. perfectly wrapping the original in warm analogue drums. another quality release from iib.

marvijn gayes tribute album to the great nat king cole, originally released in 1965, back on 180 gram vinyl with download code included.

brooklyn based producer shows off his knack for rich grooves, & melodies that are intoxicating in nature. the drive, & atmosphere are what led deepblak’s aybee to his work, & these ingredients on display as they speak to the head, & the feet.

jacques renault delivers two rare and fiery original tracks for his second release on esteemed us label public release, complete with remixes from velvet season & the hearts of gold plus a force of nature remix.

original motion picture soundtrack. 12 new compositions by gesaffelstein. pressed on two 180gram heavyweight vinyl. screenprinted gold on black gatefold & inner sleeves. musical score art print on x-ray paper. limited to 1000 copies worldwide

moscow label grow continues in fine creative form, seemingly not sticking to a motive or trend but rather concentrating on the strength of character within the music it releases. for the labels eighth release the artist is berlin based the marx trukker, who over the last 10 years has been developing his very distinct sound and recent output on labels like pluie/noir, the untold stories, and most recently noorden, have all been especially impressive. now on grow comes the 4 track vinyl * heavens crackling*, from the title one is expecting something awesome, and the album does not disappoint, right from the off, the first track: * a time well spent*, begins with celestial tones ringing out and the performance develops with great synth work, enlightened and very enlivening, spring is in step and something is beginning. the record continues at such a level throughout, overflowing with rich tones, warmth, and raw sounding percussion. in the second track, * all the boating still a tide to go*, deep warm bass and strings reverberate, as if amidst a hot harbours summer, then the ethereal synths return as magical breezes of cooling wind on a june day. on the bside comes the title track * heavens crackling*, the tone has cooled, there is an autumnal vibe, extended tones of an eerie but reassuring nature provide the ground, from under which a molten bass flows playfully. the final track, * i do anything but its so cold*, as the title would suggest, again time has passed, gone are the warm relaxed echoes of the the opening tracks, winter has come, and a strong percussive energy becomes the driving force of an especially deep and more introverted last track. in heavens crackling there is an uncanny understanding of time passing and representation of being, its present in the patience and performance within every track, and the effect of the album, which seems, like the seasons, to naturally come full circle, is for the listener indeed to experience a time well spent. top marks for the marx trukker!

london based bad passion project, aka chris stoker (ess o ess) and andy bainbridge (machete savane), finally unveil their new record label, not an animal records? for their first release, they present an ep from friend and frequent collaborator man power (correspondant, hivern discs), featuring 2 original productions, as well as stellar remixes from the backwoods aka dj kent (force of nature) & ess o ess.?

2015 has been a huge year for dj-kicks, marking both 20 years of the series as well as our 50th release. but far from slowing down, we’re already looking ahead to another incredible mix from one of our favorite artists. over the past decade, seth troxler has become a visionary and authentic voice in dance music, his jovial personality cutting through the noise and continually playing by his own rules. growing up between detroit and chicago, his musical education carries enviable credentials, with his stepdad a local radio personality who championed the early sounds of house music. true to troxler’s character, the mix has a whimsical nature and a thoughtful and timeless narrative, bearing a tenacious episode for the dj-kicks series that gives a true insight into the man behind the well-preened moustache and cowboy antics.
the double vinyl with 8 unmixed tracks includes the dj-mix on cd.

dynarec started making music in 1994. his productions, influenced by drexciya and dopplereffekt, are a mix of deep atmospheric pads and leads with – cool to very heavy – drums.his first releases on delsin in 2003 and 2004 were picked up by dj’s such as laurent garnier and dave clarke. after some more records on nature and kondi, he started his own « vaporwave » label in 2005, four records were released to date. he is able to fill in some very emotional and melodic workout that makes you wonder, how is he able to do that? playing piano since he was 6 years old could be an answer to his performing skills. apart from delsin, nature and kondi, he has also released on southern outpost, electrix and lately, on keith tucker’s puzzlebox label (us) and on cultivated electronics (uk). dynarec also releases music under the names of speakwave and chris kalera. he has performed worldwide, including festivals such as the famous stereolize, in paris, and the amsterdam dance event, amongst others.

for more than a thousand days and nights, nico stojan tapped away at what is now before us as ‘twisted manners’ - his debut album telling stories in sound that are both electronic in nature and human in touch. each organic sounding track on the release, including their neighbouring interludes, graze on the moments, people and cultures which have encompassed the albums journey and brought it forward to what it is today. these inspirations have merged from moody mornings in foreign lands (‘blue hour’) to his love affair with the elements of jazz (‘tortured paper’), to the breezy ways of the pacific island people he connects with so much (‘maori girl’). these diverse cultures and the passing musicians who have importantly contributed to the essence of the album have built strong yet invisible strings with a myriad of voices and instruments which weave throughout the music giving us a piece of work that is both textured in flavour and rich in motive. twisted manners is a clean example of this - house music whose soft open spaces and gentle beats sway easily through analog sounds coming from string quartets, saxophonists and double bass players to name a few. these collaborations and stojan’s guiding ear will walk you right into the dreamy spaces and faraway places of his travels without you breaking a sweat. seasoned with moments stolen under the fading light of day, long trips into the beautiful nothingness of his eclectic surroundings and respect for electronic music that is both timeless and sincere, ursl records is delighted to present stojan s debut album, ‘twisted manners’.

mouse on the keys are mixing diverse elements of contemporary music to one big experience.

bepotel lands their most recent ep on their own label, and aptly title it * startup label 1* . a 12 inch comprised of three disorienting techno tracks, minimal in nature yet inviting in its elaboration.

james ross is a guitarist and composer living in brooklyn, n.y. originally from pittsburgh, pa., he has studied guitar at the university of pittsburgh and the mannes college of music in new york city. he has studied sitar with pandit krishna bhatt, and north indian classical music and composition with la monte young and marian zazeela. a composer in a variety of genres, james has written music for orchestral and chamber ensembles, as well as solo music for the guitar and the zhongruan (a type of chinese lute). he has also performed and recorded electronic and improvised music. recent performances as a composer and performer on the electric guitar, laptop and other instruments include sets at the bell house, at the small beast at the delancey with percussionist joseph benzola, a performance with kyle bobby dunn at issue project room, at pianos with richard lainhart, at glasslands gallery with michael vincent waller, at goodbye blue monday with david beardsley, providing live music for katherine liberovskaya and ursula scherrer’s optosonic tea series at diapason gallery in brooklyn, with video artist alex carpenter at the tank in manhattan, and at damrosch park at lincoln center as part of the guitar ensemble for rhys chatham’s “a crimson grail.” a recording of the -crimson grail- performance was released on nonesuch records on sept. 14, 2010. as a classical guitarist, james has performed as a soloist and ensemble player throughout the northeastern united states. he received a solo recitalist fellowship in 1992 from the pennsylvania council on the arts and won the 1993 mannes college of music concerto competition, resulting in a performance of joaquin rodrigo’s “fantasia para gentilhombre,” at symphony space in new york city.

constantly turning around itself, the winding melody of vertere turns outward and inward at the same time, bringing the listener on a journey outward while mirroring a simultaneous labyrinthine journey inward. like the word itself, vertere, with its roots in the latin word verto (which itself takes its roots in the earlier sanskrit word, vartayati) it signifies the very nature of change itself. it means both to turn and reflect inward and yet also move forward — a call to action for setting in motion new things. a paradox at first glance but also perhaps a surprisingly accurate description of the destructive and reconstructive nature of creation. an apt metaphor for this bright new collaboration between established life and death artists mind against and the new artist project of federico maccherone, aka somne. on remix duties, when you have an artist of the caliber of tobias freund, you don t need to ask for anything more and with his outstanding remix of vertere he very clearly shows why. this long time mainstay of the electronic music scene has managed to stay not just relevant but on the cutting edge longer than most with respected releases on some of the most seminal imprints to be putting out music in the world of underground dance music. with vertere he takes what s already top quality material and somehow manages to turn it inward and in his own unique way elevate it to another level entirely. with a relentless beat and a sonic force that is hard to describe with mere words the tobias. remix of vertere comes out of the gate like a runaway machine rapturously drunk on its own self awareness. it marches ever forward, full of fervor, and will surely be driving dance floors both large and small to the euphoric edge of the ecstatic state.

echologist and vohkinne go head to head in the latest release for atrophic society. utilising a library of field recordings the two captured in their respective back yards. they ve crafted a sonic pallet using only those sounds, which serves to give a tangible cohesion across the ep as well as provide something a little different from the norm. each track captures a unique set of machine sounds and turns them into brooding, heady, atmospheric techno. a thousand cuts and scythe serve as heavy hitters, whereas nature control and broad swathe to the far side bring a dark mood seething with anticipation.

parisian artist nautil is a music student specialising in acoustics, signal processing, and informatics. his debut single, canopée, utilises analog synths, sampling and personal recordings to emphasize the geometrics of nature and music. on the a-side the lead track, canopée, is a cavernous, pulsing, low-frequency techno colossus destined to hypnotise dark warehouse spaces. on the reverse galdae is a propulsive tecnoid tweaker while mue is designed for head rolling after hours with mesmeric synth drones suspended over a brain melting sub-bass pulse.

‘streetlight soul’ is the inaugural release on new imprint gnosis. this four track ep is the fifth myriadd record, following 12-s for crème organization, pinkman and signals. the past decade has seen releases from the artist under a variety of pseudonyms including acid phreex (djax-up-beats), mantra (bunker, abstract acid, solar one music) and monofonix (iwari, cataclyst). across the ep, myriadd remoulds the template of vintage chicago house, acid and deep house into his vision of modern house music. opening with midnight obsession , working a dark hypnotic bassline into an endless groove of crisp jacking drums and soul stirring melody, all primed for maximum effect at 4am when lost in the smoke and strobes. visions of love is driven by a juno bassline, a classic palette of tumbling, infectiously funky drums, warm, enveloping synth atmospherics and elevated by lush, celestial string work which comes off like some fantasy mr fingers + virgo psychedelic jam. the ep’s titular track goes deeper into the night with 909 claps, off-kilter snare hits, melancholy synth and ethereal melodies that ascend and dissolve into neon clouds. closer back to nature is a trip into blissed out, tropical house sounding like a lost balearic classic re-tweaked for the 21st century..

while music in its definitive nature fills both space and time, creating environments in which we live and breathe, these miniature dramaturgies string together to become the screenplay to ones existence. sometimes chosen, and often times forced, these sounds influence the subconscious and designate emotions. purposely flowing fluently through a spectrum ranging from theatrical to rapturous tensions that mingle through the night. cio d or s cinematic compilation for semantica explores another side of techno, a niche home to cio where each intricate sound takes a risk for the sake of progression.

capturing the spirit of the season, when the electronic music community leaves its darkened rooms and heads back to nature, feathered sun are here with the perfect accompaniment.

“footwork”—the very word indicates a movement of the feet that is “work” (as in an effort to achieve). its joyous social party nature sits within a lineage of african american history that includes the infamous soul train dance tunnel and hip hop dance circles. however, as footwork continues to become more popular, we should not forget that at its essence it is a highly evolved battle form. this is the central theme one feels listening to the stunning “fingers, bank pads & shoe prints,” the second album from rp boo, the man credited with inventing the footwork genre with a 1997 track “baby come on” (recently re-released on the planet mu ep “classics vol. 1”).

the -i love vinyl - open air- has established itself in the beautiful thuringian north and attracts more and more vinyl fans every year. this is due not only to the familiar, nature-loving atmosphere between fields, meadows and forests on the southern slopes of the kyffhaeuser mountains, but also due to the attention to detail when it comes to decoration, line-up and most important the sound. since 2009 ‘i love vinyl’ attracts international celebrities like monika kruse, panpot, dj hell, mousse t., karotte, andhim, alle farben, oliver koletzki, tiefschwarz, modeselektor, tobi neumann, mathias kaden, daniel stefanik, thomas schumacher, blawan, dapayk & padberg, douglas greed and jake the rapper. the official compilation for i love vinyl open air in 2015 hosts three of this years main artists wankelmut, bebetta and markus suckut. all tracks on this 12inch are first time exclusive vinyl cuts.

angelo spencers third album is his most danceable work so far! written and recorded in chambery, france, in the heart of the alps (where he grew up) over the course of a week in february 2014. with the help of old friends and amazing musicians luc detraz (imperial tiger orchestra) and karol skonitcki (super fedor), love in the morning is a short, precise, and undeniably groovy love affair! with repurposed autotune and raw, uncompressed sound recorded by djan (the man behind the larsen records sound), the album is minimal yet so full.

for centuries, young wild boars have been denied of their right to gather freely and fall in love. their military based rituals were designated to reinforce twisted ethical principles in the minds of the followers and were the only social interaction allowed. a group of young infidels finally stopped fighting the urge and created a new ritual based on dancing, called lambada. this spiritual journey awoke the suppressed spirit of the wild boar and revealed the sincerely beautiful nature of this noble animal. sadly, lambada soon became known as the forbidden dance and all its partakers were persecuted. to this day, lambada remains an underground ritual and the legalize lambada crew is on a quest to revive it by throwing disco parties and pressing undercover vinyl. true infidels in the likes of riccio and mikeburns are sending us the first manifest!

in wonderful thuringia in eastern germany (nearby gotha) a group of culture-enthusiasts run a 3-day festival every summer off the beaten festival track and far away from pr hustle and bust- le out in the woods. at this cucuma festival art and culture is played out in an utopian athmosphere that reminds of a peace- ful island. artists and audience sense a common party-vibe while being embedded in a scenic nature, that is attended by passion for detail. these individuate the festival to an intimate experience, one cant encounter anywhere else

lakehead returns to nabla for a second release by evolving his rendition of unearthly ambient pads with a tasty three track ep. two parts testimonial, one part interpretation, this record emulates ‘90’s groovy techno with modern melancholic keys tantalizingly hovering over fog drenched surfaces. the a-side sees us start with ‘1991,’ an assertively murky tune that immediately intoxicates with the introduction of keys that manage to invigorate and remain melancholic. following bewitching synth work, a throbbing energetic bass line pieces this number together while releasing suppressed emotion. a true anthem! on the flipside, nabla welcomes zaphod salmon to the fore with a well-taken, minimalist approach in remixing ‘1991’. by sparingly using snippets of hi-hats, claps and snares, zaphod creates formidable tension in an onrushing build up. this mixture of harmonic sounds sensibly reintroduces key elements of the original in a sensation shrouded in suffocating haze. ‚workout trax’ maintains the straight-faced groovy vibe with intermittent bleeps and filthy cymbal work whose jacking undercurrent will keep your feet moving. with its rhythmic nature beat, ‚workout trax’ represents machine funk at its finest. like the moon the strength of its gravitational pull will create a powerful tide swiping unsuspecting subject towards the dancefloor, whetting your appetite by precisely ending when the hypnotic swirl begins to form

a storming debut e.p from the persian prince, kasra v. a 21 year old from tehran who hit the shores of london four years ago armed with a bag of his uncle s boogie & disco and a taste in music belying his years. a residency at love fever has seen him holding his own with the likes of young marco, jonny rock, dj nature, and a radio show on the prodigious nts has seen him showcasing his tasted amongst the most listened on the station. learning his craft over the last 3 years on his trusty mpc2000, battery of fm keyboards and midi synced drum machines, his debut ep comes with a synth infused sound and a nod to 80s sleazy late night b movies.

nice price deal !!! after a year of silence, the mosso imprint returns with a new record charged with perfectly crafted percussions, hypnotic basses and the unmistakable mosso rhythms. 2014 was a calm and introspective year for alejandro, who spent the most part of it writing a soon to see the light album and a series of singles for 2015. ! the catalogue 006 is a blunt call to your feet and basic impulses. it awakens your deepest nomad nature and puts you in movement for the next adventure. ! the a side opens the record and immediately pushes you into the water flow of the dobagan river from where it takes its name. meandering melodies carried by rolling waves, so vigorous that it feels impossible to escape, driving you until the very end of the stream. a sound journey thru north argentinian landscapes. ! formosa on the b side, pulls you against the tide in a slower but not less seductive manner. a laid-back pace of precisely tailored congas opens up the way to a drifting pad filled with tension, slowly swallowing you into an unknown territory. it feels exotic and unexplored, yet so undeniably pleasant.

benedikt frey heads this latest offering from the batti batti label, teaming up with jonas.san for -girl from venus-, which pair the former s signature raw drums with the latter s outtakes of muted trumpet. complementing this, batti batti s own owen jay & melchior sultana lay down a typically deep atmospheric houser with a few twists and hidden melodies in the shape of title track tribal roots and the 12inch is further embellished by productions from debutant lars behrenroth and mexican duo romeo c & alhan g who have previously been featured on a digital batti batti release.

marking its 11th release, leicester-based label city fly welcome philpot regular tim toh to its already impressive roster spanning dj nature, fred p, andres, medlar and basic soul unit. the berlin artist is also renowned for his works on the likes of ornaments music, delusions of grandeur and mild pitch, and his idiosyncratic vision of electronic music is one shared with the discerning minds behind city fly. ‘endlessly’ is a track that melds interlinking rhythms with vocal snippets before easing in to a beautiful rhodes sequence containing all the hallmarks of an absolute floor filler. ‘everything’ then features the beautiful vocals of ranavalona to engineer a track dripping with pure soul, making way for a remix from thatmanmonkz that focuses on rhythm whilst boiling the piece down to a slice of timeless house. finally ‘expectations’ is a number exhibiting toh’s avant-garde approach to music production whilst still focusing squarely on the dancefloor.

nights are coming and going and faces appear and vanish, great plans are made and rarely held up to. while that is the mode that keeps the machine running, from time to time something greater can evolve out this fast paced spare time profession. that is to say, it is a great pleasure to smooth the way for our dear friend * kleintierschaukel* and his * blue elephant*. a rare species whose origins are found in * motomia* (a1), that odd place where sticky clocks tick faster than time passes. still all confusion is lost in the calm whispering of * juliette*(a2), a harmony of strange confidence. despite all its apparent harmlessness, it needs the soothing voice of our all beloved le- onie to let its vast figure withdraw to the rivers and show the gentle nature of this * unterwassermann* (b1). back in his element all notches are smoothed out and movements unite in a rythmic flow. this is not a documentary, this is the blue elephant: * tv ende* (b2).

after 4 years, lowroller comes back on future sickness with his renewed vision of crossbreed. in this latest installment, hardcore and drum & bass stand in perfect balance creating unexpected combinations. despite the dark nature of this release, it already received support from both underground and mainstream deejays like evil activities, hellsystem, negative a, ruffneck, miss k8 and more. with *heartless machine* and *dreams of violence* lowroller pushed his sonics to the limit alternating disturbing atmospheres with insane dance floor drops, engaging with the crowd in brutal mosh pits. if you are looking for a shot of sickness look no further, we have your fix.

brainchild of two passionate and likeminded artists, a sacred geometry was born as a platform to illustrate techno as a narrative, forgoing the strictly dancefloor nature of the medium. influences from noise, ambient and new wave coupled with their graphic identity play a crucial role in how the music is perceived, as the journey continues with each new cover art.

kombination research is proud to be back on the vinyl plateau with this *industrial ep*, featuring label boss cisco ferreira / the advent & partner in crime ricardo rodrigues / industrialyzer with these 3 power techno tracks. industrial & force field have already been performed at clubs & road tested at festivals, like awakenings (nl), techno flash (sp) & nature one (de) with huge crowds response. the advent is going back to the old formula with 2 techno tracks. 1 more pick time & 2nd more deep techno, and finally a 3rd electro track. 100% techno guaranteed!

hailing from berlin, but spiritually from chi-town, snuff crew are back in your area with some freshly served up basement goodies once again. following on from basement jams #1, from all the way back in 2011, the boys bring us tracks with the same playful nature as before but, dare i say it, they go even harder this time. stalwart fans of the first release can stop reading now because it will almost certainly be a blind-buy for you, four tracks obviously engineered for use in the club, whether its the massive kick in ‘what it is’ or the ravey acid lead in ‘88cents’. the jams on the b-side may do the most damage. ‘remember’ holds absolutely nothing back, with its arpeggiated bassline lead and crisper than crisp 909 drum programming. analog is a term that gets bandied about all the time nowadays, ever since so many young producers became enamoured with tape compression and hiss delay plug-ins. i know snuff crew are real analog guys though, in sound and mentality, so hearing basement jams #2 for the first time had me so excited once again.

run harder vol. 1 is the first installment in the run harder series. a various artists concept that will represent different cities across the globe. the first effort is a trans-atlantic affair. two great american metropoles and two european cities are connected through a slice of black gold.

this four track ep kicks off with cladistic mutation , a sparse underwater soundtrack with only the gentlest suggestion of rhythm, lots of reverb and tiny little details that float by like micro-bacterial debris. m2 is a more beat driven dub track but is still way below the surface: the kicks are smooth and hunched over, the chords are smeared out in all directions and the atmosphere is lo-fi and grainy. on the flip, grain gets even more energetic, with firm techno kick drums setting a stern tempo as all sorts of aqueous details and spacious effec ts peppe r the groove. there s a heavenly nature to the pads and an industrial texture to the percussion that makes this a cerebral but physical affair from start to finish. lastly, neurowaves closes things down in blissfully dubbed out and horizontal fashion, with large sweeping pads, tweaked filters and evocative little details all placing you firmly under water.

all bets are off with the third vinyl sampler from themas strength in numbers compilation, as the wide-reaching nature of the nyc label truly reveals itself with four varied and striking diversions into critical house music. pressing on translucent, neon green coloured vinyl.