sascha borchardt aka monoloc is a dystopic atmospheres fanatic that has dedicated his life to the dance floor from an early age. the frankfurt-born artistÕs raw yet sleek take on techno and ambient has evolved to characterise his own musical style in his productions. monolocÕs sound is a mixture between techno, dub and ambient, nurturing a tone that is driving, groovy and low-slung, but with greater emotional range. he acquires most of his inspiration from old movies and likes to work mostly with field recordings in his productions. Ôthe untold wayÕ on dystopian is his second album, following his first in 2012, and shows a notably matured development in the artistÕs style.

Ôjoy is bbfs fourth album and the first one to be truly vocalist-focused and song-centric. with the help of canadian poet-singer beaver sheppard who played an prominent role the composition, bbf explore what the band-members describe as Ôpost-religious themes, such as struggling to find joy in times of uncertainty and instability. this makes it without any doubt bbfs Ônietzsche album. following on from their latest album Ômiami (2013) bbf keeps moving away from the dark mood of their early releases and the image of a Ôclassical new music ensemble to resemble more closely an Ôexperimental rock band. with much more grit and growl than before, they draw upon genres and styles that are not conventionally associated with joy: krautrock, punk, drumnbass, indie rock, new wave, and pretty much every other Ô-wave from the 80s. with each track offering a contrasting combination of styles and genres, bff succeed in devoting a whole album to a single feeling without making it either monotone or clichŽ. instead, they build on euphoria to expand and enrich electronic musics emotional range

based on the eponymous play by brothers and author/performer team tobi and mike mŸller at schauspielhaus zŸrich, swiss experimental documentary film a1 traverses through time and space along switzerlandÕs first and most elongated highway structure. rich in archival sources, it sheds light on the costs and benefits of rapid movement: social, migratory and ecological patterns, economic and military designs that are mostly not immediately obvious to the casual motorist. stefan goldmannÕs soundtrack engages the filmÕs multi-layered aesthetics full on, providing a dazzling array of short compositions. profoundly synthetic in production, this free-wheeling phantasmagoria of peculiar, yet intensely likeable miniatures branches off into all directions Ð from minimalistic to overflowing, calm to banging, nightmarish to soothing. the visual patina of historic documents is playfully mirrored in intense distortion and noise artifacts, bound into rhythmic units and melodies formed of ghost notes. finding ever new ways of mining his techno background to yield surprising new forms and ideas, stefan goldmann has proven his abilities in a dazzling range of projects over the past years. works for dance, ensembles, an opera and various object-based creations made him a natural choice for the job of finding a refreshing way of linking sound and image. on its own, the music holds up by putting the listener on a high-velocity road trip of the curious mind.

das duo essaie pas, jŸngst untergekommen bei dfa records, veršffentlicht sein neues album demain est une autre nuit. hinter essaie pas verbergen sich die in montreal lebende marie davidson und ihr musikalischer kompagnon pierre guerineau. die geschichte hinter dem neuen album ist geprŠgt durch einen neuanfang. als die band von ihrer ersten europa-tour zurŸck nach montreal kam, mussten die beiden erfahren, dass ihr proberaum und studio einer schnellen gentrifizierung zum opfer gefallen waren, auch ihre wohnung verloren sie nach einem streit mit dem vermieter. einen neuanfang konnten essaie pas in den industriehallen von le filles electriques wagen, einem veranstalter fŸr verschiedene kŸnstlerische events. this environment influenced our music, sagt pierre. the sounds are more clear and open, the production has more depth, on a full frequency range. die musik von essaie pas lŠsst sich schwer in ein genre zwŠngen, vielmehr ist es ein grenzŸbertritt zwischen verschiedenen sounds.

like a discoverer, this project is a collection of underground producers from naples, well known as one of the most prolific city in the electronic/dance scene over the last 20 years. it s an overview of a wide range of electronic atmospheres, which include: techno-spacial, future-beats, acid, minimal, etc. with talented artists such as: dez (etichetta nera), spire (random numbers), dario caruson (logo rec.), slaker (urban distortions), and many other. positive feedback by: g-man (lfo), danilo vigorito (orion music), markantonio (analytic trail), roberto figus (etichettanera), giancarlo lanza (making you dance rec.), maurizio vitiello (smile it music), salvo buonocore (polluted rec.).

the upbeat dancefloor-ready tracks are imbued with colors and emotional range.

it seems that there is an overabundance of artists today who have reached a level of success from their work, but very few of them come close to the level of output and range as butch. equal parts producer extraordinaire, dj, gentleman, and comedian, butch has everything deserving of a star in todays dance music arena. which is why, we here at watergate are extremely pleased to present him as next in line for our watergate mix series

der detroiter techno- und minimal-innovator robert hood schaut zurŸck auf 20 jahre seines labels m-plant und prŠsentiert eine triple-cd mit prŠgenden klassikern (cd1), jŸngeren exkursionen in house-, funk-, soul- und disco-gefilde (cd2), sowie neuen, veršffentlichten re-edits und remixes (cd3). 33 erstklassige tracks, ungemixt. detroit techno for those who know!

the light fantastic is a dancefloor orientated club album with a range of influences like Ð deep house, vintage synthesizers, classic boogie, disco, chicago jack, acid house, and even a dash of full-throttle rave revivalism.

jk soul had a new vision for his new album take me higher. he wanted to show the world his wide range of production skills and his capability of moving through the different styles of electronic music with class. not a lover of sticking to any stylistic niche to mark his territory. electronic music was always his playground so now house, dubstep, drum & bass, together with touches of reggae and soul are equal parts in his new creations all of which are there to enrich his unique and famous hip hop based beats and soul influenced trip hop trademarks. lala pumpkins voice moves the listener far away, across the european borders and in the west side of the atlantic, sounding so fresh and full of emotion but at the same time strong and certain of the capabilities that carries like a funk diva.

for fans of early warp records, first genberation detroit electro and techno, feat. bonus remix by kassem mosse

digitalism has lovingly created a mix for !k7s legendary dj-kicks series. for these two young germans, jens moelle and ismail tŸfekci, joining the ranks of contributors to the series was nothing short of a dream come true. twelve years ago, the duo met as two record store workers in hamburg, admiringly selling the dj-kicks series to their customers, and appreciating the dexterity of the mixes and range of artists who assembled each mix. their favourite contributions include tigas mix (his mix was the essence of edgy and cold electro-techno.), the playgroup mix (more really playful stuff.) and erlend oyes mix (cause he sung over a lot of stuff and had some favorites like jŸrgen paape and the collaboration with morgan geist.

compiled by dj shamane, the leaders of the scene with over 140 minutes 1st class goa style

adam gibbons (lack of afro) has amassed an extensive and varied body of work. from his own recordings, featuring his multi instrumental skills, to producing, dj-ing and of course, remixing tracks by a huge range of different artists.

the new dub elements party program lp showcases the broad range of the drum & bass spectrum that dub elements has in store. from straight-up party tracks to hardcore influenced drum & bass and even some good old fashioned techy rollers. its all there.

rough trade shops annual report on the music that passed over the shops counters during 2011 has arrived in the form of a double cd, comprising of 42 tracks and full colour sleevenotes entitled rough trade shops:counter culture 11. the tracks chosen were either a favourite with our customers, a big seller on the shop floor or a recommendation by a member of the rough trade staff.the top ten of the rough trade shops annual chart features heavily as you would expect and this year we have tracks from josh t. pearson, kurt vile, nicolas jaar, zomby, veronica falls, john maus, white hills and the head and the heart from that list, giving you an idea of the diverse range of styles present.the collection begins with a set of ten beautifully crafted works from pearson, vile and the head and the heart alongside mara carlyle, lanterns on the lake, the decemberists, drive-by truckers, king creosote & jon hopkins, richmond fontaine and still corners.

from the word go, >its all true< has a spring in its step as opening track >itchy fingers< features lofty bpms in a range never explored on record by the group before and then, just as suddenly, the band shift gears to the sparse, brooding >playtime<. from the confident stomp of >you ll improve me< and the sophisticated pop of >a truly happy ending< to the epic album closer of >banana ripple<, >its all true< is by far the junior boys most accomplished album to date.

silent dust is the project of uk duo dan blishen (originally from manchester) and andy hobbs (hailing from kent), who produced drum & bass together for years under the respective monikers zyon base and hobzee. their self-titled debut,silent dust,brings their signature d&b sound into a different light, drawing from a wide range of influences - ambient, drum & bass, garage, dub, breakbeat and soundtracks. the result is a collection of deep, bass-laden productions that sound like absolutely nothing else, filled with lush arrangements, an array of found sounds (footsteps, vinyl crackle, sellotape stretching), cinematic vocal samples and glitchy, idiosyncratic drum programming. the album travels through a wide range of emotions and sounds - from the sublime intensity of the giant (equipped with floating operatic samples and tight drum programming) and the dark atmospheric grace of marlowe, to the weighted basslines of the club-suited zero nine zero and the sheer beauty of winter song lined with strings and a reggae-tinted vocal. though its driven by experimentation, this is a d&b record at heart: even the ambient tracks were written at 160-170 bpm. their debut album was originally signed to soul:r, but was pulled at the last minute: the duo bravely opted to start their own label, none60, to release their tour de force.silent dust is a downtempo, atmospheric album that will become an instant favourite for open minds, and for those who seek something new. one of the most unique records to come out of d&b this decade.

> they made us do it< contains pure analogue, dirty and sophisticated dance music, with a wide range of influences: from chicago house to german psychedelic krautrock, from skweee to minimal techno, from ambient to bass, from the first collaboration with their free-jazz daddy on saxophone up to collaborations with modern classical musicians. file under: konfusion! >they made us do it< Ð it makes for a challenging listen both at home and in a club!

mindtrick records proudly presents the new album by hollands favourite hardcore artist charly linch. after two previous releases on the label he is now ready to drop his full length. on filthy pleasures charly linch combines the fierce sound of uk-hardcore with the harder elements of drum n bass and gives it his truly unique spin. he doesnt shy away from using old-school rave samples and ridiculously filtered gabba-kicks, without it becoming comical or cliched. on this album he found the perfect balance between creating an album that is banging on the dance floor, yet intriguing enough to be listened to in the comfort of your own home. this releases offers a wide range of genres for those seeking out where harder music is going, ..it could do with some more cowbell!

hot on the heels of the wildly enigmatic debut from wu lyf, bristol-based guitar band zun zun egui continue the british avant-garde scenes fascination with indecipherable lyrics on their first offering, katang. with tracks performed in english, french, japanese, and creole alongside several mutterings which appear to be from an entirely made-up language, its impossible for anyone, bar the most accomplished of multi-linguists, to understand what their self-described -free-range rock music- is about.

australian pressing of this 2011 collection of rarities and non-album tracks from the queen of modern soul. sharon jones & the dap-kings have developed an international reputation as the #1 group on todays soul scene. soul time is an exploration of the full range of their dynamic sound through 12 songs handpicked by the daptone records gang, each one a precious exclusive. the needle drops on genuine pts. 1 & 2, a supercharged funk arrangement that evokes the late godfather not only with the spirited syncopation of the dap-kings rhythms, but also with the raw power of jones voice. it is performances such as these that have earned her the moniker the female james brown. though it has long been one of their best-selling singles, it makes its album debut here. longer and stronger, written for her 50th birthday, is a deep mid-tempo soul celebration of the strength and determination with which sharon jones has earned her long overdue success. whether youre a lifetime fan, or just getting turned on, sharon jones & the dap-kings have yet again made a record that will blow your mind.

a really well done compilation Ð the first of what looks to be a great label from dakar! this well researched, fully annotated collection brings together rare work by idrissa diop Ð a great range of early 70s material done before his relocation to france, lots of it with a great blend of senegalese and cuban elements! the rhythms are wonderful Ð really spinning out in these hypnotic ways, and often encouraging a bit of descarga-like jamming from the musicians, especially on the longer tracks Ð and the full notes in the set really helps put the music in context. titles include -caridad-, -kaele-, -massani cisse-, -fonkale garape-, -gueth-, -yaye boye-, -cintorita-, and -dioubo-.

yuri mendez jr. has an amazing gift for composing good songs. he arranges them and records them brilliantly, and then groups them together on an album in an unpredictable yet cohesive way (his last album had 22 tracks. this one only has 8). uri mŽndez jr. is a true artisan in the best sense of the word. this is pajaro sunrises third album, and although the essentials havenÕt changed (good songs, great songs), the rest has certainly evolved. yuris voice sounds more and more emphatic, and with an extensive register full of nuances, he sings a story in every song. in doing this, he covers a stunning vocal range that dazzles from the first listen. yuri has been playing together with the same fantastic band for some time now. with them, he has rehearsed the tracks (many of which they were already playing in concerts), and then gone into the studio where almost everything was recorded with everyone playing live. the benefits of having a group that has already travelled together, as well as shared stages and life experiences are evident. and, if this disc breathes anything, its travel, highways, and familiar stories stolen from faraway places that also feel nearby. its a grandiose yet intimate album that thrills and grows with each listen.

boundary-pushing, thrilling, unique: psychedelic horseshit blaze with a vitality reminiscent of fatcat alumni animal collective and black dice in those bands early, wildly creative incipience. laced marks a forward stylistic shift for the band, delivering a coherent set of bustling, hookladen, melted outsider pop songs. keeping a step ahead of the lo-fi scene they christened -shitgaze-, theyve drawn on a broad range of influences instead of the xeroxed anorexia of many of their peers, have ruffled feathers by critically speaking out, and carved out caustic, humorous social commentary.

while the major inspirations behind >surface to surface< - basic channel, detroit, warp - are clear, audisio s refined, unhurried sound is also entirely its own. by looking back, audision are simultaneously pushing things forward, quietly, gently, and in their own time. its the sound of high-end, deep frequency techno at its very finest

whether it be blues, rock >n< roll, jazz or doo- wop -all these songs have an irresistible charm, guaranteed to make that christmas party swing. they range from guitar instrumentals (les paul - >jingle bells<), through to the hawaiian influenced