since efficient space excavated andy rantzens mind-bending will i dream? the rest of the world has become better acquainted with the darker & dubbier side of one of australias rave superstars. were excited to present a selection of tracks from andys incredibly diverse oeuvre, 6 songs that sit somewhere between 80s digital reggae, 90s rave and the horizon of our accelerating future. lifting the veil speeds up snappy drum programming and a thundering bassline to breakneck speeds, pitting them against sombre chords and strings, perfectly capturing the reflective headspace of a night drive through babylon. cosmic vibrations harks back to the development of fully computerised rhythms emanating from jammy and tubbys waterhouse studios, by way of erskineville. in the same vein, bedtime for boo boo sees andy joined on the boards by sydney dub technician sheriff lindo, creating a dynamic digi-dub number that is sure to come alive on any soundsystem worth its weight - a heady showcase for two of australia’s finest reggae talents. flip the disc to find move it, the most concentrated dose of the jungle vibes that permeate the ep. rantzen channels the headrush sonics, breakneck drums and euphoria of d n bs heydey, nailing the red-eyed early am atmosphere of a sydney warehouse ca. 95 - and its just as likely to cap off the night of many a secret inner west location to come. magic lantern marries a dreamy synthesizer melody with a wicked, subby bassline. if there was a dancehall scene in ferngully, this wouldve been the soundtrack, with enough low end to really rattle the treetops. on closer dub generator, a slightly-creepy mechanized voice urges you to “leave your worries at the door come and join your friends upon the floor - an introduction to the dancefloor or an induction into some sinister cult? whatever the message, the dub chords and massive bassline lull you into the headspace where these words take hold. all songs recorded at masking tapes, liquid blue and 1/66 enmore rd, 1997-2000.

super deep african / new age / minimalistic / ambient crossover from cabo verde - not the typical record, a beautiful listening experience check! originally conceived as a book of 6 poems that developed into a record released independently in 1986, universo da ilha sits at the cross-section of many different genres. connecting contemporary new age and ambient minimalist movements with traditional west african and cape verdean elements from the past (griot voices, djembe rhythms, melancholic morna), vasco constructed his own universe where, in spite of the isolation of the island at the time, he transcended barriers and created a global record that was ahead of its time vasco used his own synths and drum machines, and with the help of a small group of friends (tey gonçalves on percussion, neney’s amazing griot voice, luis morais on sax and flute), he recorded this not-balearic-but-atlantic ambient odyssey on a 16-channel peavey mixer directly to an akai tape recorder without overdubs.

180g vinyl lp (incl. download code) due for an autumn release on far out recordings, rasif sees amaro freitas take a deserved step onto the world stage. from the afro-brazilian maracatu born on the sugar plantations of slavery, to the high intensity carnival rhythms of frevo and baião, amaro s heavily percussive approach to jazz is as indebted to these pernambuco traditions as it is to coltrane, parker and monk.

compilation of the works by mj lallo, weird harmonizing mantras layered with drummachine rhythms. very psychedelic compositions where she uses her voice to create all kinds of sound(scapes)

limited ddition of 750 individually numbered copies on orange 180 gram vinyl.
one of the founding figures of the jamaican music industry, arthur duke reid produced many of the classics of the ska, rock steady and early reggae eras. and when, in the mid-1970s, dub music took hold, he was able to call upon one of the most talented soundmen in the business, errol brown. utilising some of reid’s most memorable rhythms, performed by the producer’s legendary session crew, tommy mccook & the supersonics, brown created some of the finest dub mixes of the period, a dozen of which were gathered on treasure dub vol. 1, one of the most acclaimed collections from the golden age of reggae.

limited ddition of 750 individually numbered copies on orange 180 gram vinyl.
following the success of the first treasure dub album, a second volume was hastily assembled. repeating the formula of the previous collection, the set featured 12 hard and heavy dub tracks that utilised some of duke reid’s most celebrated rock steady and reggae rhythms. as with volume 1, the musicianship from tommy mccook & the supersonics and mixing skills of ace treasure isle studio sound engineer, errol brown combined to create one of the finest dub lps of the mid-1970s.

2lp , full sleeve, as always with hell yeah, the next release comes from an artist label boss marco fell utterly in love with before forming a close musical relationship. his name is calm, and this summer he releases his eighth studio album, by your side. it is an effortlessly evocative long player and magical ten track trip into soothing sonic waters, glistening harmonies and horizontal rhythms. calm is legendary japanese artist fukagawa kiyotaka, someone who has been making deep house, ambient and downtempo grooves since the late nighties, and always teasing spine tingling emotions out of his machines. his last album—2015 s from my window—cast a real spell on marco and encouraged him to reach out. the pair eventually hooked up in tokyo and found real musical kinship while playing records together.

as far as i know is the new project by electronic music veteran eduardo de la calle. under this new moniker, eduardo is exploring the roots of detroit electro whilst sticking to his signature sound of trippy melodies and rhythms, which we were able to experience through so many quality releases over the last decades. this first ep by as far as i know, which also includes a collaboration with nathan surreal on b2 (fact speak itself), takes us on a trip back to the future and deep into the realm of sci-fi related electro, idm, and techno. pressed on 180g hand-stamped quality wax.

superlimitierte vinyl-auflage des cyndi lauper-covers “girls just wanna have fun” der chromatics aus 2015, das für einen werbespot der modeforma mango mit den models kate moss und cara delevingue verwendet wurde und ansonsten nur digital erschien. klares 180g vinyl.

livity sound continues to be one of the most innovative labels of its era with another essential release, this time in the form of a debut long player from forest drive west. this extended 2 x 12” and digital release, apparitions lands in october 2018 and is a fascinating further development of the producer s intricate fusions of techno, dub and jungle. * the acclaimed uk artist has released two eps on the label before now, as well as on its sister label dnuos ytivil and the likes of hidden hawaii, appian sound, and london drum & bass outlet rupture. little is known about the london based producer but in just a couple of years he has established his own unique blend of complex rhythms and tactile sound design, distilling a rich history of uk musical influences into fresh new forms. * this record continues in that tradition with a mix of sparse rhythm tracks that contrast heavy weight drum programming with rich and deft sound design. from menacing and mysterious, to cinematic and hypnotic, it makes for a compelling and immersive experience. apparitions is a landmark release for one of the uk s most exciting new producers.

after a seven year hiatus, sam grawe aka hatchback returns with his third album for lo recordings, ‘year of the dragon’. the final installment in his ‘california cosmic sound series trilogy, following ‘colors of the sun’ and ‘zeus & apollo’, ‘year of the dragon’ continues grawe’s personal exploration of the vast horizons of electronica, prog-rock, balearic rhythms and new age atmospheres.
the vinyl lp is housed in a gatefold sleeve and includes a code for free download of the full album with 2 bonus tracks.

rq’s debut lp for blu mar ten music, ‘solid ground’, occupies a darkly dreamlike hinterland, located somewhere between the retro-futurism of photek and alice coltrane’s jazz psychedelia. fragmented, distant beats, rippling modal patterns and restrained astral basslines provide rhythmic and harmonic anchors to a constellation of timbres and textures.

limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on orange 180 gram vinyl.
the jamaican sonia pottinger was once called “the most important jamaican woman involved in music business”. dancing down orange street is a collection of some of her famous productions for different artists. the album captures the moment when rocksteady transformed into reggae by speeding up a little and moving towards a more jerky and less smooth musical palette. famous singers as delano stewart and ken boothe are present on the album with multiple tracks. the vocal trio the melodians (known for their hit “rivers of babylon”) provide a couple of beautifull songs. even after all those years (released for the first time in 1969) the compilation remains a treasure of showcasing some of the finest songs produced by sonia. sonia pottinger was married to music producer lyndon pottinger and started to record musicians in 1996. during the late 60’s she produced songs for joe white, the melodians and toots & the maytals.

a much in demand reissue of two of nyc born-and-bred, pal joeys, classics from his joint label with reynald deschamps, loop dloop. first up, party time which harnesses that 90s nyc underground house energy with a rawness that was to emanate through many of pal joeys subsequent productions. scalpel in hand, joey expertly crafted this sample laden groover, his trademark stuttering, off-kilter rhythms, loops and fills keeping listeners on their toes throughout, never knowing how the next phrase might unfold. on the flip, raw love utilises a seminal disco classic as its main sample source, looping it in a way only pal joeys mind knows how, adding percussive hits and extra effects to create an innovative, animated and exhilaratingly rhythmic dancefloor bomb. both tracks are perfect examples of the simplicity and seeming effortlessness that pal joey maintains in his productions, adhering to the mantra that less is more but with a resonating rawness that touches deep down in the soul.

k.a.c.z.m.a.r.e.k”, from the title to the sounds, is intended to be a more personal project for paul ritch – indelibly closer to the confluences of sounds that he hears embodying the spirit of kaczmarek. he drives the mind’s eye deep into the inner-ear with the album’s spacious opening tracks, only to leave your head bobbing with the extraterrestrial rhythms that emerge as the main body of the album. moody and foreboding, loaded with the scattered, staccato and broken beats, more ovular than linear in composition and ranging from vaporous-ambience to hyperventilating grooves, the nine tracks on this album defy categorisation. the “k.a.c.z.m.a.r.e.k” album will give the listener a deep well to return to. the vinyl release will be a fittingly rare issue – only 100 numbered copies are going out, while digital releases will run parallel. keeping with the dark and cryptic theme of the first releases russian artist, sasha sime, is back for his third kczmrk cover design

omni music returns with a brand new vinyl release, featuring 4 more choice cuts of deep music. the ep starts out with bad twin, whose members will be well known to any omni fans and any oldskool heads. they launch the ep with a classic summer-sounding breakbeat trip down memory lane with beautiful rhodes, delicious harmonics and crisp breakbeats. continuing the ep we feature the amazing talents of the drumkilla with an new edit of his omni classic event horizon a string-laden epic amen voyage to the stars. side b starts with the atmospheric kings pariah teaming up with label owner eschaton to produce a stripped down and hypnotic head-nodder swimming with celestial pads and space-age bliss. finishing the ep we have the always magnificent rainforest who also teams up with eschaton to continue the journey into deep space with an at times frenetic, but always intelligent, collage of amen rhythms, pounding basslines and otherworldly atmospherics.

masked, mythical, and bass! few words are needed when superlative entities collide. dengue dengue dengue are the peruvian duo known for raising a tropical storm. their electronic psychedelia and bass flows from their roots in lima, peru upstream to global dancefloors. the duo are constant in their evolution, exploring rhythms and sounds native to peru and from the world over. their focus is in recreating them in electronic form, mixing the old with the new

the modern master of subliminal deep house is back with a new album. galcher lustwerk has rightly earned a sterling reputation for his understated, always entrancing approach to 4/4 grooves. after last year s dark bliss lp and recent diversions via his road hog alias, he s offering up eight heavy-lidded cuts to suit the smokers as much as the dancers. get blissed out in the sax-licked delights of skits like -blue lotus- or lock into the mellow raps and steady-ticking rhythms of see you when i see you 200% galcher goes down smooth from start to finish, like all good albums should.

new from the ever discerning nous camp comes ayln s rehtomep, a 25 minute exploration of the kind of unrelenting machine music for which both artist and label have come to prominenc. side a is a journey through sparse syncopated rhythms, industrial noise motifs and the kind of buzz and hum that the heroes of the second wave of techno music championed, culminating in the ep s title track rehtom which is an exercise in analogue techno mastery. side b s delivery is subtly more dulcet, kicking off with digital memories, which has a more classical techno structure than anything that came before, building intricate melodies into an otherwise taut and tightly woven electronic landscape while the closing impulsive sheit is a gentle downbeat number, exploring the space within the music and creating an atmospheric ambient discourse to outro the heady charge of the ep as a whole.

lp + download. as prodigies of the new wave of belgian jazz, mdciii effortlessly marry the virtuosity and free spirit of jazz to influences from the other end of the musical spectrum: from tribal rhythms and roots to far out electronics.

our brand new series systematic soundscapes is for fans of club music made with highgrade and original synth sounds and without many times used vocal or sound sound samples. all tracks come along with fresh and unheard vibes. for the first volume which was compiled by marc romboy, sascha braemer celebrates his label debut with the moving butterflies, followed by high energy rhythms by spirit catcher from belgium who have already produced many tracks on the label. roy rosenfeld contributes distorted reality, which is in the best tradition of his music released on kx and systematic, straight, powerful and touching. and also thyladomid has his debut with devils dance, musical stuff as we know it from the label.

the latest on lobster theremin white label comes from the canadian-based british up and comer dust-e-1. coming hot on the heels of his dust in the dance ep on collect-call records, dust-e-1 offers up more of his signature sun-drenched, percussive jungle workouts. on his latest offering the lost dustplates ep, dust-e-1 layers wistful dub motifs atop propulsive breakbeats and driving subs. fuzzed out, hard hitting drum and bass breaks are scattered throughout, fused perfectly onto hard steppin riffs and shifting rhythms evoking early 90s london days and deep-in-the-dance warehouse nights.

cadans continues an incredibly strong run of releases with curved, his first drop for ben sims on-point hardgroove imprint. previous output for clone basement series as well as darko essers wolfskuil and balans as well as a collaboration with randomer for tasha s neighbourhood imprint have quickly established cadans (dutchman-in-london, jeroen snik) rep. on curved we re treated to yet more of the rising star s strident and sometimes disorientating rhythms. creep and dank open the ep with blistering purpose - all distorted 909 kicks and and hazy memories of strobes on seething dance floors. the title track kicks off the b-side with an aptly undulating and enjoyably unsettling slant to its main riff while the ep wraps up with chant a brilliantly effective drum-machine and vocal/horn sample workout.

noamm is the electronic equivalent of a honed switchblade. with surgical precision the bass agenda alumnus incises keys, cuts chords, pierces percussion and razors through rhythms. it is this slicing sound that the greek artist brings to his debut 12 for shipwrec. seven tracks of machined melodies and frigid fire make up psychoanalysis. the ep is brimming with calculated fury and clinical rage. from the coursing cruelty of ruhestimmung and the menacing dance macabre to the future world coldness of das schwarze korps, noamm is direct and straight to the point with his hard hitting style and no-nonsense approach. few respites are to be found on this 12, into the abyss of changing subconsious being the only refuge from the arctic winds and audio blasts that scour this record. frosted ferocity from start to finish from this exciting musician.

re-issue of the 1978 dub classic from errol brown & the revolutionaries. dub like it used to be from the high note and gay feet labels. a selection of rocking rhythms from the revolutionaries masterminded by jamaica’s finest female record producer, mrs sonia pottinger, and mixed by duke reid’s nephew, errol brown, chief engineer at the legendary treasure isle studio.

nice price deal !!! xglare (all caps), is jessee egan, a brooklyn-based producer, sound designer and multimedia artist. she has released music under multiple aliases since 2011, most notably on ay japan. her latest incarnation, xglare, balances warped sound design, unearthly atmospheres and experimental rhythms that reject genre boundaries. representing brooklyn in full force on the debut record, “morph ep,” xglare yields incredibly heavy atmospheres. this is a mature record showing patience, design and a thoughtfulness sorely lacking in much of the electronic music scene. beats and dance elements take center stage alongside impossibly powerful, almost elemental transitions. track 1, lymph sets the tone with an updated halcyon rave sound. imagine standing in a field in the countryside at an illegal rave at 6 in the morning as the sun is rising, wind blowing in the air. track 2 fossa feat ariadne, an opera trained singer, immediately submits you to whisper shouting, a highlight of the album. in between more dance floor-oriented tracks, spore and plexus, sit two sound design gems, title track morph with its pounding rhythmic charges and vast reverberated rooms, and ganglia, which reminds of early do you know-era squarepusher. a well-rounded ep showing off the many talents of xglare also comes housed in beautiful artwork designed by egan herself.

inner river delivers a self-titled debut 2lp which is a 10-track journey of beautiful ambient, downtempo rhythms and otherworldly atmospheres. this mysterious dreamworld sounds complex, emotive, mystic and elegant. its a personal story that remains interesting until the very end.

for over 18 years, spectral sound, the dance music imprint of ghostly international, has thrived at the forefront of techno and house. it has been a source of support for numerous djs and producers during that time, from matthew dear and benoit & sergio to avalon emerson and hieroglyphic being. now, spectral brings the past alongside the present with its latest release, a compilation that offers a vibrant cross-section of the current moment in underground dance music. despite the wide-ranging selections on spectral 139, a throughline of classic style and infectious energy emerges from the up-and-coming and established artists alike. rising talents such as minimal violence, russell e.l. butler, and earth trax x newborn jr. bring unique perspectives to their hardware-centric productions. veteran producers bring their own edge as well: d marc cantu blows the roof off with the outsized funk of regularly people, and nigil caenaans januarys end, a low-key detroit classic from the late 90s, closes spectral 139 with a whirlwind of manic rhythms and sedate synths. gunnar haslam opens the tracklist with his acidic mindbender, versione antica. and ghostly regulars like tadd mullinix, who drops a lush jtc remix of his new x-altera alias, and matrixxman, who collaborates with riccardo limiti on the cavernous inferno, tie everything back to the label s roots. the double 12 compilation, as well as each individual single, features original work by los angeles-based artist nina hartmann. her designs have appeared on releases from labels such as ascetic house and big love, and the pieces for spectral 139 continue to develop her cryptic aesthetic. the marriage of hartmanns striking, high-contrast symbols with such bold dance music speaks to a collection that aims to stand out.

considered by many as -the motown of salsa,- fania records is probably the most transcendental label in the history of latin music. by bringing together the eclectic vision of dominican bandleader johnny pacheco with the business savvy of impresario jerry masucci, fania created a sound: the apex of tropical music, combined with the swing of big band jazz and the gritty vibe of american r&b. the label provided an artistic heaven for a young generation of musicians who were inspired to experiment with new musical formats. the albums recorded by willie colón, héctor lavoe, rubén blades and eddie palmieri from the early 70s to the mid- 80s went beyond the parameters of so-called -salsa- - taking latin music to unsuspected levels of sophistication. when you think latin soul you relate to a mélange of r&b and mambo rhythms intermixed culturally by and for the youth of america. it was 1974, and a brash youngster by the name of ralfi pagan walked into the offices of fania records and demanded to be heard. fania president jerry masucci allowed ralfi that opportunity, and ralfi auditioned for jerry right there in his office. it took only a few moments for masucci to realize that he was in the company of his newest recording artist, he put ralfi in touch with recording director, johnny pacheco, who hurried him into the recording studio for ralfi’s first fania recording session.

channeling that classic playful braindance feel of early afx, u-ziq and fellow acid-connoissuer luke vibert, pearl river sound (real name roberto semeraro) has quietly builded up his own profile in the last 5 years with releases on r&s recordss own meda fury, further records, seagrave and x-kalay. not another average idm/breakbeat throwback tough: here prs delivers train with no name, a 6-tracker of razor-like rephlexian science, taking inspiration from his ambivalent work with laptop & old hardware machines, yet, the magic lays down in arrangements and spaces, builded around jacking bassline swings and detuned, lush pads all melted together in powerful u-turn rhythms and genius sampling, from the moody opener elek41 to the demented vocals of cccc2 and mr continue or the straight-up acid of mono sequencer bass. occasional walls of white noise and distorted tones emerge in train 2, possibly his most tense track ever but also one that reveals new sonic solutions for a forthcoming full length that should see the light anytime next year on the label. sharing the same sensibility of fellow roman institutions like lory d or leo anibaldi to keep the acid legacy of the city alive, mixed up is proud to start a new beginning with this release. full sleeved and cut at 45.

deep listening, spatial imagery and floating introspection evoked by genres of ambient and electronica to enhance the immersive journey with rhythms of dub, bits of breakbeats plus erratic frequency rumbles and machine noises.

with sincere excitement co&#769,,,meme is now delivering katerinas very first ep to planet earth: just when you thought it was over. katerina from helsinki - finland via sofia - bulgaria is a passionate music lover, a skillful dj, an imaginative music maker and an emotional and hyper sensitive artist. she produces music that is essential and timeless, tracks that feel necessary in your life once they have entered it. katerina has already contributed to the ever growing, always radical and forward thinking catalogue of the co&#769,,,meme music collective, with tracks on the compilations solidarity forever vol. 1 and 3. she also hosts a show on radio co&#769,,,meme called radio emotsiya, in which she generously shares her broad musical knowledge and her very particular musical obsessions, for instance her steady – and in our opinion very understandable - veneration of dj quik. and yes, her music breathes the emotionality of hip hop, the sensitivity of well placed, swinging beats, and that steady survival mode, that essential melancholy in dance music: where melodies tell about love and longing, and rhythms help you to keep going on.just when you thought it was over, here we go again, its another day on planet emotsiya, from where katerina sends us reports about her adventures, always sided by her already legendary white cat nopo

rezonal proudly presents its second release, delivered by the mysterious eastern renaissance. this 5-track ep combines deep grooves and relentless rhythms to push the listening experience past the regular, club oriented sound. five thematic tracks melt together as one consistent work. eastern renaissance presents his credo, which is disturbing, crude, dark and tense, but has beauty hidden deep within.

for the 5th in the ele records catalogue esteemed producer cottam brings two killer edits to the table. the a side sees a joyous disco rework, extending and expanding elements to really hone in on that exuberant bassline and string section. flip it over and jigsaw delivers a dusty mixture of afro rhythms and stirring spoken words to entrance any audience it s set before.

tech-droppers fronts a coil of six acidic, harmonizing, well programmed, whizzing and straight to the bone dance punchers. the string of snappy snares, rainy cymbals, steps of cuts & drops, as well as the sequenced balance of high flying chords, rolling rhythms and solidly sectioned stabs keeps all tracks absolutely straight to the point.

la rioja in spain may not be thought of as a hotbed of avant garde techno and electronica, but psychoskunk has been quietly issuing an uncompromising salvo of proudly underground releases since as far back as 2004. error etica, an alias from label boss victor martinez, is at the controls for this tenth vinyl release on the label, and he s sounding as proudly left of centre as ever. diatonic scale locks into an insistent groove, but the real magic of the track lies in the grubby notes punching their way around the drums, capped off with artful distortion that gives a wonderful bite to the production. tetratonic scale keeps things fuzzy but blows the rhythms wide open for a more poised, patient kind of techno incantation. r2pis remix of the track meanwhile clamps it back in order with a stern beat and a slow-release minimalism guiding the evolution of the track.

jack roland pulls apart the control mechanisms of the club environment and the way this living and breathing installation can be a tool of elevation or suppression. using club sounds as instruments for this idea, control / applications is a split release born out of amsterdam s warehouse scene, fusing together electro matrix rhythms, idm, with warped hums and breaks used by dancers and performers heading up the rave. with a track on our future works iii comp last year, this is his debut record on the label: a release challenging superstructures buried among the sweat particles of the floor.

a musical partnership forged at the beginning of the millennium, ajit steyns and kate mcgill have developed a well defined and unmistakable sound as the untouchables. tribal rhythms drenched in dub, with characteristic nods to the breaks and rave stabs era of late 90’s dnb, their music has been an integral component of the darker half-time sound that has become more prevalent within dnb over the past 5 years. tempering the menace of their atmospherics with distinctive low-slung bass lines has made their music essential to dj’s championing this sound.
grey marbled double vinyl release.

a musical partnership forged at the beginning of the millennium, ajit steyns and kate mcgill have developed a well defined and unmistakable sound as the untouchables. tribal rhythms drenched in dub, with characteristic nods to the breaks and rave stabs era of late 90’s dnb, their music has been an integral component of the darker half-time sound that has become more prevalent within dnb over the past 5 years. tempering the menace of their atmospherics with distinctive low-slung bass lines has made their music essential to dj’s championing this sound.
black double vinyl release.

italian legend francesco farfa debuts on memento with “synchronicity 13”, with remix honours and duties left to m.r.e.u.x. and the analogue cops. farfa s long-lasting original track is a dancefloor skyrocket designed with skilful craftmanship. the humonguos drums and the driving bass line stockpile the explosive potential of a synthetic flock of sound, eventually becoming unwordly bloops pierced by evocative strings. the analogue cops rework the evocative potential of the original with a raw jacking grab in their “dance of the condor remix”, anchoring a biting kick drum and an highly corrosive acid bass. finally, m.r.e.u.x delivers his “green trip mix”, a very effective minimalistic reinterpretation, built on pounding rhythms and hypnotic sequences.

short attention, a new mexican record label, appears for the first time in the vinyl world, with a solid release in charge of chicagodeep co-owner of perpetual rhythms a respected record label from chicago illinois, putting mexico in the radar of underground music.

berlin based electronic mainstay marquis hawkes has announced details of his second lp the marquis of hawkes. the album will be the producers second lp for us, following his critically acclaimed debut social housing for the label, which was released in 2016. entitled the marquis of hawkes, the new album adheres to a specific sound palette whilst still displaying eclecticism across its eight tracks. opening with the beat-less droning ambience of beton theme, the album takes in a variety of themes from across the house music spectrum, from the deep and dubby meditation of instrument of thought to the body jerking rhythms and retro bass stabs of tough love, the introspective mood of the matrix, to the soulful new jersey styled house grooves with a contemporary twist of sunset building through the optimistic joyousness of ‘hope in our hearts before closing with lidells heartfelt and passionate emotional overload on we should be free. first emerging in 2012, after being sought out by glasgow label dixon avenue basement jams, and having previously been heavily involved with the free festival sound-system culture, the london born artists iconic sound has taken shape with the influence of music from cities like chicago, detroit and new york alongside the uks underground house scene. with both depth and clarity of vision, marquis hawkes second album for houndstooth expertly hones a shining hybrid of classic slamming house and grittily soulful optimism, making for a career-defining piece of work.

new yorks avision makes his debut on ben sims hardgroove imprint with culture, an ep comprising four memorable and kinetic techno cuts and including an edit from sims himself. having previously cropped up on mark brooms beard man imprint, avision (real name anthony cardinale) has a knack for turning in gritty grooves that draw on earthy, discoid constructs and thats exactly what we have here with culture. from the eponymous opener throughout, staccato stabs characterise and propel the tracks in different ways whether via rolling, almost-there disco loops, gleefully abrasive call and response rhythms or, in the case of sims edit of jux, nifty vocal sample interplay. true to hardgroove form, culture is a release crafted for the dancefloor and delivers with exacting precision.

recorded in novalima s home studio in lima, their album “karimba” (hot iron used to mark the cattle, as well as the slaves) takes novalima music into new levels, introducing both new sounds and traditional rhythms like the panalivio, zamacueca, ingá and tondero, while maintaining their distinctive afro and dub sound. their reputation at home allowed them to work with two of the top traditional musicians in the city in what would be their last recorded performance: vocalists pepe vasquez, rosita guzman, and sofia buitron as well as guitarists roberto arguedas and felix casaverde (former guitarist of chabuca granda), in addition to members of the live band.

raised on the best of popular and underground dance music of the 70s and 80s, partner has created an outlet to pay homage to the finest hooks and loops from around the world, seamlessly repurposing them for the dancefloor. first up, a-side track patu launches headfirst into an off-kilter bollywood infused dancefloor curveball punchy drums, melodic vocals and vintage instrumentation, save your weirdest shapes for this one. on the flip, my people gives an injection of latin heat triumphant, horns and an unrelenting rhythms section throw this into full carnival spirit. just in time for the summer. since relocating to london from brighton, things have been taking shape for partner music. last year saw a debut festival slot at dimensions festival, plus a handful of great support from the likes ofmount kimbie, dan shake and san proper. with some exciting releases lined up throughout 2018, its looking like a promising year for the budding producer. with this release high praise continue to build their status as a label to keep an eye on, with their party series and clothing line steadily growing in popularity.

cold busted’s acclaimed iwymi series makes the jump to vinyl with a four song iwymi intnl 7” (it’s what you make it international)” focusing on japanese beatmakers. curated by es-k and vitamin d, the single aims to expose a quartet of worthy producers from the land of the rising sun to turntables worldwide. en tokyo’s pigeondust launches the wax with his smooth and sexy “bboy blue,” filled with glistening keys and guitar chops over intricate rhythms. the lilting “inheritance” comes next via utsunomiya’s axion117 (collective resonance), easing the listener into a quiet storm mentality. the mesmerizing vibes continue as tokyobased beat-slinger bugseed drops the dreamy “mindless” straight to the platter. tajima hal (hermit city recordings) closes out the single in style with “all day,” featuring cut-up beats, looped guitar and vocals, and an otherworldly flavor. the iwymi intnl: japan 7” is a prime sampler of the innovative sounds coming from japan’s instrumental hip-hop scene.

london s release/sustain imprint returns this may with the a says hello ep from detroit s alton miller, chaos in the cbd step in on remix duties. detroit s alton miller has been in the game for the past three decades coming up alongside luminaries derrick may, chez damier and the late frankie knuckles and releasing material on the likes of peacefrog, moodymann s mahogany music, theo parrish sound signature and clone amongst others. suffice to say, miller stands as an extremely important figure in the history of authentic, soul-drenched house music. title-track a says hello opens the package and as expected we re treated to an elegant slice of house infused with a flawless musicality as multi-layered synth chords, pads and swells intertwine alongside dusty drum samples. cool but so... follows, embracing an acid-jazz feel with broken, organic rhythms, sweeping pads and warm chord progressions throughout. mule musiq artists chaos in the cbd step up to rework cool but so... next, adding their own spin to things via warbling rhodes licks, bright chord sequences, a wandering bass line and an insistent organic drum groove. below the underdog then rounds out the package perfectly with gritty bass hits, tension building synth swells and a rugged, bumpy drum groove.

crazy 12 track library music style album on this ace italian label. all based around bumping live rhythms triggering an obscure japanese drum synth module recorded in 2018. it was november 2017 when i received a call from an old friend, hi fabrizio, i found a rare japanese drum machine, you should come and see it before i put this on ebay. i went to check it out and immediately realized it had more potential than just drum sounds generation, it was able to produce quirky and creepy sounds if triggered by any sound source. so i bought it and brought in the studio, where me and alex were laying down new beats and ideas. it took just three days of jams to get the skeleton of this record done: i programmed the module to receive alex s drum hits and the device started creating synth lines, almost as it was speaking its own language.i ve found a soul in this machine, and i wanted to bring it to life in these tracks, a mix of arranged compositions and improvised jams. no root keys, no grids, no clicks, everything came out in an instinctive and natural way as far as we know it s the first time this synthesizer/drum machine is been used in this improper and new way.

forgoing traditional melody and song-writing, eskers distinctive sound focuses on the interplay between noise, texture and rhythm. voitax is happy to present her stunning debut ep, which was assembled from various recording sessions over the past two years. formerly a drummer and guitarist in various bands in melbournes noise scene, the influence of her past is evident in this record - a combination of processed guitar, mangled samples and bizarre, ghostly synthesis form a deep and complex sonic space. the effect of almost a decade in berlin is just as clearly heard in the eps thumping techno pulse. wielded with a drummers feel for timing and meter, phasing rhythms, crunching lo-fi percussion and thundering kicks provide a solid backbone. having become absorbed in techno culture, this is her contribution.