it is time to turn on the strobe lights and the fog machines! exploration and johannes volk return with *the awakened guardians*. the title track on the a side sends you on a 7 minutes long journey, filled with a merciless bass, heavy dubs and a sinister atmosphere. the b side starts with *arcane*, beginning with a simple groove and evolving into a complex synth monster. last but not least we have *indestructible*, the track builds on subtle hi-hats, snare staccatos and a massive bass.
pressing on black vinyl.

it is time to turn on the strobe lights and the fog machines! exploration and johannes volk return with *the awakened guardians*. the title track on the a side sends you on a 7 minutes long journey, filled with a merciless bass, heavy dubs and a sinister atmosphere. the b side starts with *arcane*, beginning with a simple groove and evolving into a complex synth monster. last but not least we have *indestructible*, the track builds on subtle hi-hats, snare staccatos and a massive bass.
pressing on translucent dark green, smokey marbled vinyl.

nous #4 is here and is possibly the most resoundingly mercurial release to come out of the fledging stable thus far, featuring 5 moody, tracky cuts by berlins enigmatic spoiled drama. the show stealer comes courtesy of nys patricia who takes the lead tracks disembodied vocal sample and proceeds to intertwine it around an at once sinister yet beatific piece of atmospheric po-mo techno.

rsvd kicks off with this blue knife ep by its main korova. blow out track reflects the full mentality of the label and comes with a thrilling tension stepping aside a bursting obscure dark progression and sinister heavy beats. alien blood is and ufo-like deadly bassline invasion drawing a dark strong hurting texture. deep waters original mix is a playful floor-killer techno jacking track. tsunami rocking upon and over the surface. its iys remix is fine rich and dry both mental dark stomping and odd hard hitting one: simple unique. a new excellent proof for the italian duo made by fusaroli and filardo.

the launch of this russian imprint in fine style, with two intricate, beautiful, house groovers. a journey in four variations, chemin tracks through hills and valleys with striking vision and fullness, propulsive yet restrained. premature takes a slower, deeper approach, packing its energy into a stomping bassline, whilst subtle melodies and relentless, bubbling sound course through, beaching us in a place both sinister and tranquil.

this is second instalment of the hot natured remix project. part two features nic fancuill’s tech-driven barnstormer of a remix of benediction! hot on its heels is luca c & brigantes dirty disco-tinged cosmic-house beast of a remix of alternate state. on the b side citizen goes to work transforming *take you there* into brooding deep maelstrom of a mix, dark and sinister. finally tom shorterz tweaks out the original of reverse skydiving into techy dark groove affair that completes this great remix package.

raw pulsating and sinister nordic monotone electronix recorded in 1993 by frak released on borft as cassette, and now 20 years later finally on vinyl thanks to ideal records from sweden. analogue to analogue.

a strong, dark-tinged techno ep from labels owner ascion. starts with the mesmerizing sci-fi techno of the cybernetic drama culminates with xatatonic state, an oldschool fashioned hymn. evocative idm melodies of inhibitor, approaching to the powerful and sinister bells of san gennaro.

title track mira will be sure to make dancefloors move effortlessly with its euphoric, house-inspired synth stabs and throbbing bass progressions. last years impressive debut is set to be eclipsed by the forthcoming mira ep and welterweight is one reason why. boldly contagious,welterweights undeniable bounce is brought to life via sinister bass and humanized by the yearning vocals of baio, before the chorus makes for an all round hands in the air moment as an array of blissful synths and warped melodies take over.

pareto park presents the first collaboration between george lanham and david meiser with the pair serving up a blend of abrasive modern techno and classic influences. the opener distress sets the tone and grabs the listener from the start with its moody vocals punctuating a sinister beat. lanham s cabot cove syndrome hits hard with a growling synth lead, pushed forward by a building siren. whilst rising entropy and co operation 1 both reveal the duo s mills influences, yet aimed at modern club play. a strong ep with the vinyl release featuring 4 additional locked grooves.

last known trajectory proudly presents inkamera, the solo project of the multi-talented victoria lukas, who of course you may well be familiar with from her previous work as zerkalo, performing alongside the legendary gerald donald. here, the first inkamera release demonstrates victoria’s clear understanding of what constitutes a solid and balanced musical project – ‘superpartners (photon photino) ‘ and ‘&#1089,,,&#1084,,,&#1077,,,&#1088,,,&#1090,,,&#1100,,, &#1085,,,&#1077,,, &#1089,,,&#1091,,,&#1097,,,&#1077,,,&#1089,,,&#1090,,,&#1074,,,&#1091,,,&#1077,,,&#1090,,, (death doesn’t exist) ‘ are both pacey, electro drivers with a distinct european feel, the former being quite upbeat, while the latter rendering a slightly darker more sinister air. ‘i can speak’ provides a volatile contrast with its crazy, freestyle electro beats and rhythms, whilst both ‘human terms’ and ‘potentia’ showcase victoria’s quite distinctive, totally unmistakable, seductively hypnotic vocal to a backdrop of gorgeous electronics. a superb solo debut from lukas – let us hope that there are many more to follow.

cool new release with sick jtc acid remix on minimal rome records! polysick has the honour to have the 25th release of the label, with two tracks for the mrx-patiendum est series. from the mysterious hypnotic visions of digital native (planet mu) and the proustian reverie of daydream (audiomer), polysick moves towards an obscure and sinister dancefloor with a 12 that hosts on the b-side a whirling acid remix by jtc.

promising new label delivering hot hydraulic post-jack beating madness for both body and soul. many do house today ... few are fresh ... check!

nick lapiens debut release as metropolis garnered little attention when it materialized last year. a skeptical yet dedicated network of underground heads built up a subterranean buzz that has yet to spread into the daylight. that initial transmission was thick with the raw analogue flavors that have become ever-present in dance floor fare recently—but his is a sound that is dedicated to the emotive, narrative aspects of electronic music rather than simple fetishization or passing curiosity in the days of yore. this, his second release as metropolis, shows a more focused and patient hand at work. the titular track on the a side is a deep, psychedelic groover. melodies, textures and sequences undulate and intertwine within a lightless atmosphere guided by lapien with optimum restraint. equally pensive and gorgeous, the flood serves as a machine’s beat-less foil on the reverse. made up of little more than feedback and two slow, echo laden arpeggiated sequences, this is reminiscent of jean michel jarre’s more sinister moments: a brilliant paradox of economy and indulgence. expect to hear more from lapien here at sequencias. he has many more dark corners left unexplored.

londons powell works with opposites, in a way that is delightfully disconcerting. his tracks, on the surface, seem relatively uniform - but listen closer, or at punishing volume, and they teem with detail: wiry guitars, sinister yelps, synth figures that fizz like bubbles through sparkling water. across two eps in 2012 for his own diagonal label and one for death of rave in 2013, he has established himself as one of the uks most unique electronic musicians.

hidden gets back to basics in a dark techno, no frills, in-your-face kind of a way with hamburgs felix lorusso throwing the hammer down on his debut ep. expansive rolling techno goodness with sinister bass heavy drums drenched in sweat, geared towards those making special late-night memories. also included are remixes from rising techno names octave and couch lock to round out another very strong release hidden recordings.

a set of minimal synth recordings, captured live with in-studio performance. these pieces are a tribute to the golden era of electronic music that mainly emerged in europe between 1978-1984 and is often described as minimal electronics, synthpop, synthwave etc. sinister melodies, shadows and frost making up a haunting, dystopian sonic environment. drum machines driving step sequencers and mono-synths, hand played polyphonic synthesizers, all enveloped by the industrial sound of the spring reverb. he only feels night within.

amoss bring a fresh take on nitris survivors, delving into new depths to deliver an injection of sinister overtones and sound manipulation that the duo have become known for. snappy drums, live hi-hats and a bassline of boulder-like proportions.
laser gun: another fresh original cut from the brazilian, nitri delivering a ridiculously deep, sub laden track. with an almost liquid like atmosphere this track shifts and surprises with its simple yet effective combination of bass and percussion.

dj dijital and dj maaco team up for a smash collaboration of electro funk. sinister aliens are in the studio making dope basslines for us ... we didnt do the work they did!

diamond version craft music that is somehow simultaneously futuristic and archaic. on the surface, its static effervescence and mechanistic precision evoke the march of technology and the sinister detachment of late capitalist society. but it affects listeners on a more instinctive level, interfacing directly with the nervous system and rendering the polyphonic chatter of the bodys impulses crisp and cold. there is something oddly permanent about they rhythms they unearth, as though theyare simply tapping into a deeper pulse that has always been present within their circuitry. diamond version is a collaborative project between two of the most groundbreaking, experimental and forward thinking operators in modern music, olaf bender and carsten nicolai. as joint heads of the berlin-based label raster-noton and with solo projects alva noto (nicolai) and byetone (bender), for over a decade they have been releasing work that spectacularly blurs the lines between the visceral and the conceptual, bridging the gap between gallery and dancefloor. diamond version release the latest instalment in their series of eps leading up to an album in summer 2013.

mr. g continues his legacy with a hard hitting 12 inch which entirely covers the broad spectrum of true house music. while the a1 track starts out a little sinister it still evolves into a lush ambiance. this sourishly vibe changes continue throughout the release. another top notch mr.g effort which shouldnt be missed.

amongst the mortals with its syncopated rhythm and eerie background sounds takes you on a slow walk among the mortals for sure and is nothing for the faint hearted. daughters of the everfire is yet another sinister track from valanx and with its hard bass sound beating the rhythm it takes you on a trip to the dark side. daughters of the everfire (yves de mey remix) is a strong rhythmic track were yves has pulled out all his skills of the hat to rearrange valanx original version.

meet stabber, aka stafano tartaglini from laquila, italy. after doing nice work with luckybeard records, here stabber graces vinyl for the first time on halo cyan.
his huh! ep is tittilating yet terrifying, a collection of razor-sharp club tracks that bring the party as much as they terrorize it. title track huh! begins with a smattering of innocuous hi-hats and claves that quickly give way to a thick fog of giallo-style paranoia. voices grab your attention, leaving you to look over your shoulder before being overtaken by a wave of sinister, gleaming melodies riding twisty, mechanically precise breaks.

ascs brand new imprint, diode, kicks off with 3 techno tracks. full of vibrance and the usual production nuances we have come to expect from asc over the years. solenoid is the lead track and gets straight down to business with no messing about. heavy kicks, keys laden with fx, and snappy percussion make this a firm floor tune. on the flip, we have the moody and sinister release, which flirts with darkness, and backing it up is the essential carrier. 3 standout tunes from a name synonymous with quality electronic music.

all tracks written & produced by ark (guillaume erroyer) and pit spector (pierre deniel) 4-track package from exciting new duo ark & pit spector. made up of brothers ark, the parisian known for his pioneering releases on perlon and karat, and pit spector, an up and coming producer, they join forces on their debut ep for eclectic label hold youth. true to the hold youth ethos the ep calls on a number of different influences, from the smooth, funk-led vibes on tournsoul, to the techno-inspired sounds of seuils remix of the nuts. ark & pit spector explore all that is sexy and hypnotic through the subtle but effective all green, while more down-tempo the nuts is verging on 80s-esque wonky-pop. seuil steps up for his take on the latter and delivers a dark, murky and all together sinister version of the original, adding a pulsating bassline to compliment the stripped back edit of the vocal. forward-thinking and open-minded sounds, old futur is another worthy addition to the hold youth catalogue.

part one of the double lp with full-on dark ambient and sinister soundscapes...

part two of the double lp with full-on dark ambient and sinister soundscapes...

repitch returns with a strong 3-tracker ep from the high-acclaimed british duo and, enhanced by a remix that comes from semantica s boss svreca. the release starts with a catchy techno track that got its strength in an endearing melody and a reassuring breath-alike sound that bring us positive vibes. in the a2, svreca puts the a1 track into a black tunnel. claustrophobic atmospheres, blind and disorienting sounds with a circular attitude that you ll not see the end. on the flip, the b1 would be the pick for those who want to destroy a dancefloor. straight and distorted beats are followed by sinister whistles, pressing and complex hi-hats layers culminating in a punishing melody.

chairlift present takes on several cuts from acclaimed second album >something< by some of their favorite producers, showcasing how their songs can easily be adapted for the club. appropriately titled the 6.15amix, spanish equipo fantástico john talabot and pional turn >i belong in your arms< into a balearica-infused club-closer. a nifty piano line and seductive rhythm take the song on a late night (or rather early morning) trip to the beach, while carolines voice is being warped into something from outer space. photek takes the same track to a whole different place with his powerful jungle interpretation. martyn respects both the pace and rhythm of sidewalk safari, yet exchanges the clean production for a rather more cosmic beat, incorporating many of his signature touches to compliment the sinister >i m gonna hunt you down< lyric. dan careys dub mix of >sidewalk safari< shows a more playful side, while arguably the most intriguing remix of the package is the fields take on >met before<, recalling his early work it is so warped and layered you may struggle to imagine the original minus the smallest of hints.

super-limited exclusive three track vinyl sampler ep from the upcoming l.i.e.s. >american noise< 2xcd compilation! this sampler expands upon three completely styles reflective of the diverse l.i.e.s. catalog to date. torn hawk pulverizing the entire a-side with his most unclassifiable material to date, marcos cabral returning to the label with a sinister 110 bpm techno track, and delroy edwards doing a blown-out barneys workout. a strong finish to the year.

for now is the second ep by brooklyn duo beacon, five songs that continue the bands exploration of the dark spaces under the surface of human relationships. as with the bands debut ep no body, for now is a record that conceals a great deal of depth beneath a melodic veneer— again, there is a stark contrast between thomas mullarneys honeyed vocals and the words he is singing, although this time the mood is perhaps less sinister and more reflective.

raw, sinister and apocalyptic techno from this unidentified being called talismann. droning subs and hypnotic rhythms, sounding like some dark rite from a time between ancient and future. recommended!!

ideal audios latest offering is served up by remain & electric rescue.erma finds the duo in sinister form.their mysterious machine opens with a broken beat before its thumping kick-drum breaks through and powered by a rocky electrified bass riff marches on through two huge breakdowns. marc houles remix unleashes a snarling bassline and spritely melody before the snare roll announces the the arrival of the synth line.

whilst most of us would associate the productions of butch with his effortlessly flowing, melodic and uplifting style, perfect music for the summer floors and terraces.... of late, the turkish born producer has been channeling back into his tougher and dare we say it, more butch techno sounds. having bathed us in the gorgeous tones of previous hits such as >papillon< and >eyes wide open<, butchs latest work for quartz music sees him expanding further on his recent chemically inspired cecille release >lsd 25<, by serving up a large helping of acid on, >303<. sinister and deadly, the creeping corrosive cut is perfect soundtrack for those dark strobe lit moments. >soul leaves body< sees on the polar opposite side of our trip as the blissed out beats of the tabla and strains of the sitar sweep us away an ethereal bed of sound.

michael ozone, the character whos just dropped his debut offering for the esp institute this july, is back with a remixed version of his jungle-tuff >perfect systems ep<. on side a, steve summers (a name thats been up in your face over the last year, and one of the key figures in our cousins l.i.e.s. camp) has taken perfect systems for an imperfect ride, jacking it up as expected while keeping the somewhat sinister mood of the original. on the flip, young marco (who has become quite a resident at the esp institute) strips down hetrotopia to its core, letting you realize how a well-programmed track can maintain its melodic and hypnotic sense, even when all thats left is percussion.

2012 will be a year for new faces on the boe release schedule and first up is professor inc., a producer from paris who has taken inspiration from the masters of the early dub house and techno sounds, incorporating samples borrowed from the days of floppy-disk sharing to create fresh new soundscapes with a very modern feel. he delivers a 4 track ep of stripped back house with complex peripheral textures and effects, from the evolving strings and moving sub bass of path illumination and vtm beos tribute to the sinister echoes and delayed drums of elements combined and essence dub.

dark robot electro on side a by q-chip, reminiscent of old dopplereffekt, and sinister film noir soundtrack electroscape music on side b by cestrian.

following last years acclaimed curse of soft rocks album, were invited to revisit said masterpiece from an alternative entry — a robust compilation of remixes. each track is wildly re-contextualized leaving us with a beautifully obtuse yet complimentary rendering. personnel employed vary in style and technique drastically, but such is the ethos of soft rocks, and furthermore the esp institute. at the end of the day, we implore you to shut up and listen. on this 12inch (the second of 3 surrounding the revenge of soft rocks remix album) esp mainstays cos/mes deliver a deep and sensual yet sinister take on little lights, and side b reveals an upbeat dubbed out version of wicker man by zurichs own lexx (running back, permanent vacation, leng) good lord this is quite a piece of wax!

grey series, an offshot of the already well established m_rec ltd., aims at celebrating the reclusiveness of techno, its core ideas, its attitudes and its most recent mutations. traditions that while remaining, have allowed todays artists to conceive uncompromising and exciting sounds. its first release sees juho kahilainen explore dark and glacial territories. epilogue is the end of the darkest set, with its sinister piano moving slowly on a set of digital sounds meant to shut off any source of light.we heard it coming enhances stripped down techno with echoes of what seems to be field recordings from an unexplored locations.rotko dims the light down with its flirty, crepuscular details. acid and irresistible, its a trip that carries you on and on.the less we try takes a dramatic turn, where a beat that pays tribute to acid sounds encounter a martial soundwave and its tense and dooming melody. grey series is dedicated to everyone who lives techno today, who recognizes that theres a whole array of possibilities to explore, away from whatever the dancefloor requires.

2methyl (aka 2methylbulbe1ol) is an up and coming 26 year old audio heavyweight from the east of france. at first a fan of post-hardcore, grindcore and noise rock, his discovery of venetian snares and xanopticon opened new boundaries for him to explore, resulting in his own distinctive, crushing sound. he uses music as a form of narrative, leading dance floors through intriguing cyberpunk, industrial soundscapes. 2methyl s releases to date include 2 ep s on rotator s ruff recordings imprint, and another one on komodo dragon records. he shared stage with eight frozen module, niveau zero, sinister souls, counterstrike, reso, dope d.o.d, luke viber, shitmat.with his new ep on overclockheadz rec., 2methylbulbe1ol dives deeper into his approach of dubstep,a blend of metallic heaviness, mechanic pianos dull melancholia and the humming of sub-bass reminiscing the hyper technological sounds of neuro-funk. 3 dystopian visions of an hyperspace haunted by fantasies of civilization, 3 requiems for mankind sung by orphan automatons. to complete the whole, a stripped-out version of golem by hecq, a mastering by angelos liaros (mobthrow), splendidly-sleeved by the old accomplice okiko.

what is techno is the first single to be taken from techlegend in the makin florian meindls long awaited debut album waves (1-12)inch, due for release soon on his very own flash recordings. what is it techno? what is house? good question and its the doubt that drives you on the dancefloor. florians original is perfectly crafted deep groovy tech. a delicate melody belies the raw power, generated here by the growling bass and drum line. ramping up the filth factor and still riding high from the release of their second city ep are boys noizes, shadow dancer. matching detroit synths with sinister bubbling acid the manchester duo create a beast of a mix that also displays an equal amount of beauty.

foul & sunk, the swiss-german house-imprint based in freiburg and zurich, rings the bells for round 4 with the eriswil ep by jagged, a spunky release that blushes your cheeks like a strong sip of bernese apple brandy. and bern is the code word that sheds light on the origin of jagged: behind the name hide three veterans of the swiss house music scene - the djs and producers benfay, jay sanders and zukie173, who emerge from the vicinity of the now discontinued freestyle label a few among others, whose founder was zukie173. as jagged, they are releasing house music built upon hard-hitting drums, sinister bass lines and soul-drenched instrumentation for over four years by now. they debuted on quintessentials with hello kool nice in 2008, and didnt lose their gritty energy since then. now, theyre back on foul & sunk with eriswil, a deep rolling, dark monster that also gets a remix-treatment by the abstract eye

a.paul is well known for delivering ferm dancefloor orientated techno. surely he wont dissapoint on this naked lunch 12inch. dark and edgy drums combined with sqeeuky yet sinister atmospheres. essential underground techno.

room 315 step up to the fledgling kinfolk imprint for three tasty psyche-edit numbers, opener >the eon men< sets the standard with its robust bass pulse driving a slow beat forward on a flurry of digitised synth solo and live guitar action, whilst >night on the shore< begins as a sinister number with lurching bass, but soon opens itself up with its solitary guitar line and floating synth pads which recall the end credits to an 80s thriller, all driven along with minimal 808 percussion. on the flip, edit masters soft rocks provide their own version of >the eon men<, taking the grizzled quality of the original and creating their own minimal wave inspired reworking, with a brittle bassline joined by shady echoes of dub music in its cavernous backdrop and savage low end.

next up on frustrated funks limited vinyl series is italian producer and visual artist federico leocata. this young producers sound aesthetics can easily be compared with dataphysix style of production with its snappy, minimal and dark characteristics (who knows what their real connection might be). but when looking a bit further federico manages to create a world of its own where unpleasant, obscure and sinister sounding tracks bring you in a dark imaginary world of ropes, burning leather and foggy torture chambers. this is the second ff release in this series of limited hand numbered and hand stamped colored vinyl 12s.first come first serve.

valanx is the new project of arne weinberg. after deciding to stop releasing under his own name, the project is focusing on his new-found passion for electronic music beyond the techno productions he is best known for. this first album is the result of liberation and recovered inspiration in the studio, and the ability to express musical experimentation without boundaries. this is how arne weinberg sounds in 2012. valanx stands for edgy, dark, sinister and thoughtful electronic music without limiting rules such as club compatibility, crowdpleasing or certain expected structures, tempos or sounds that confine most of todays musical genres. everything is possible, expect the unexpected. 300 limited lp copies - no digital distribution.

quadrant delivers a tremendous release on the citrus imprint. sinister stringlines changing into ripping basses. of course the percussion game on this one is tight.

the third and final part of the n.t.a. triptych by versalife! another amazing ep with 4 tracks that are like the night. dark, sinister and intense! electro/techno tracks as we like em!

after the initial punch by wormskull it is now the duty of sinister souls, balkansky, machine code and lone wolf to keep your nose bleeding!