with spring well and truly in the air and party season in step, mosaic records boss steve o sullivan launches mosaic s 38th release - joining forces with fellow londoner frazer campbell for a new studio collaboration. not content with letting the dust settle from his recent work alongside ricardo villalobos, o sullivan has stayed a little closer to his london home to work with frazer campbell for this latest tag team effort. a dextrous hand in the mix and producer in his own right, campbell has a passion for all things that sit on the deeper end of the house, techno and electronica spectrum. in his own words, thought emoting music is central to his mission having launched open recordings and elliot project records last year: a worthy sparring partner indeed. since the start of the year, the pair had their heads down focusing on finding a happy medium between deeply swung grooves and the airy influences of detroit - shaking out an interesting trio of tracks for their label debut. far from treading the obvious path, the main event a1 hypnotonic revels in a lighter touch as metronomic beat programming cycles endlessly to a held set of notes. off-kilter bass pulses, warped out vocals and effect splashes all intersect to keep the energy input constant as they capture one of those less frenzied moments where the very notion of time seems to hold still. make no mistake, this is a slow burn vibe. head to the flipside b1 soultonic to plunge yourself straight into hip twitching mode when the lights go down. a deep chord, syncopated hats and deftly tweaked synths echo as a full dose of shuffle inflicts its move. simple yet so effective, this track will not let you down. winding things back up a touch, the tougher edge of alleyway funk pushes the feeling on thanks to a thumping kick and a deft nod towards uk garage. met with a soft glisten of a rhodes piano and tweakish melody, the pair round things off in a boyant mood - fans of soul capsule and schatrax will no doubt agree. repeat play of this ep is recommended as its all the more rewarding for it.

axter and barnett, creators and founding members of four313, now have a second four313 release and this time out the dynamic duo unleashes a well-rounded, four track vinyl ep. side a has two songs produced by blake baxter with a1 being a detroit house styled tune titled “agape”, featuring blake s classic, soft-spoken word style. a2 is a party starter, big room, dance-floor filler appropriately titled “let s get it started”. side b has two tracks produced by thomas barnett with b1 aptly titled -mandela effect”, this is a detroit techno styled track with barnett s signature bassline sound. b2 is titled “magnetofunk” & has a vintage feel that uniquely transforms into a modern day, prime-time groove, a must have for djs. blake and thomas are setting their sights on touring as the dj unit -four313- in the fall of 2017 with the theme & tour name, “reconstruction”. their concept is one which supports new artists and incorporates them into future four313 releases, four313 s purpose is to come together as artists, to reconstruct their past, present, and future while building a new beginning.

tape / cassette incl dl code, ltd to 100!
hippie priest returns to argot to release his second album, see it through. having made great strides at dialing in his production and strengthening his songwriting since the release of gaia variants in 2016, the young champaign-based producer focuses his sophomore longplayer around a narrative approach. see it through is a day in the life of a lioness, says hippie priest, beginning with the soft ambience of waking up in the morning, leading up to an intense hunt in the middle, and into evening revelry and eventual slumber. the albums 11 tracks cover a large stretch of sonic ground to tell this story. its glowing opener, umbrella keeper gives way to widescreen stompers thorn and quicksand that clear the way for more contemplative moments like crystal or cherry blossom. one cant help but imagine a dramatic hunt while listening to are you okay? or carnivorous displays on desire. even tender scenes are possible with closers tanuki and tired lioness, gorgeous movements in which hippie priests melodic profficiencies shine brightest. second album from the up-and-coming young producer from central illinois.

my third week in amsterdam i found my way to a small speakeasy tucked away amongst a labyrinth of cobbled alleyways. a doorman waved me inside, a knowing smile twisted around the half-smoked blunt hanging from his lips. i made my way down crooked, narrow stairs into a dimly lit room full of patrons nodding in the haze, feet tapping in time as they smiled and sipped at green-tinged cocktails. the soft sound of glasses clinking amongst murmured conversation served to accentuate the flaw in the scene before me, there was no music. realising i d paused in the entrance long enough to draw a few amused looks from the tables nearest me, i regained my composure and headed towards the bar, pondering the mystery before me. i reached the counter as the barman was mixing a cocktail and waited, but before i could order the man turned and placed a glass in front of me, the same half smile on his lips the doorman had shown me as he nodded at a specials board listing a pistachio sour. it sounded good so i took it to an empty seat and returned to my examination of the bizarre room. as i sat down a grinning girl next to me offered a toke on her joint, and as the no indoor-smoking law was clearly being ignored here i gratefully took a careless draw. as my coughing subsided i took a deep gulp of my drink, and suddenly music flooded my ears. my jaw dropped as i raised my head to see a guy on stage mesmerising the crowd with chill beats, house music permeating the formerly silent bar. the girl with the joint smiled at my amazement. his name s sune she told me, welcome to 8 till late.

the 2nd album from kings of leon, originally released in 2004 on double 10 inch vinyl, is back on 180 gram double 12 inch, housed in a gatefold sleeve

here at plastique recordings we have pressed up some very limited promos of 2 dance floor cuts of the collaboration between legendary synth outfit soft cell’s dave ball with hifi sean jamming out an electro nyc danceteria style number ultratheque a homage to glasgow’s first ever laser disco day version & night version both exclusive to this vinyl.

-grandi successi- is a project by angelo sindaco and maurizio carli moretti with guests like raime drummer valentina magaletti, soft moon matteo vallicelli, impro-avant combo starfuckers, jonathan clancy (singer of his clancyness) plus contemporary artist

grandi successi is a project by angelo sindaco and maurizio carli moretti with guests like raime drummer valentina magaletti, soft moon matteo vallicelli, impro-avant combo starfuckers, jonathan clancy (singer of his clancyness) plus contemporary artist claudio corsello and writer-performer emidio clementi. angelo sindaco started producing electronic industrial music on tape in the mid 80 and dark techno during the nineties, releasing albums for acv, minus habens, eukatech and more. he has been the first techno dj in bologna (italy) at link club sharing decks with underground resistance, aphex twin, theo parrish and many others. maurizio carli moretti started djing in 1981 opening for killing joke and contorsions acts and then performing in clubs and art galleries mixing dark wave and electronic music.

grandi successi is a project by angelo sindaco and maurizio carli moretti with guests like raime drummer valentina magaletti, soft moon matteo vallicelli, impro-avant combo starfuckers, jonathan clancy (singer of his clancyness) plus contemporary artist claudio corsello and writer-performer emidio clementi. angelo sindaco started producing electronic industrial music on tape in the mid 80 and dark techno during the nineties, releasing albums for acv, minus habens, eukatech and more. he has been the first techno dj in bologna (italy) at link club sharing decks with underground resistance, aphex twin, theo parrish and many others. maurizio carli moretti started djing in 1981 opening for killing joke and contorsions acts and then performing in clubs and art galleries mixing dark wave and electronic music

eat x changers comes back to you with our new release, introducing young and gifted canadian producer ferness. matthew joined the beat x crew following what has become a classical path to the producers of the labels. after joining the forum in 2015, he shared a collab with frakktale on speed luanda which got our attention with its deep, broken and melodic structure. today we can proudly introduce you to his first release - internet/dreams/deception – which will take you in a soft and beautiful daydream tinted with a 80 s grain. you ll be guided all along of this trip by a strong and powerful rhythmic, full of house, broken beats & bass influence. beat x changers at its best

2017 reissue , 180 gr pressing
james murphys latest styling comes with a valley of trombone-punctuated jazzy disco, funky soft rock and more bass-lead probing punk-electro

time for a little neck bulging, slimy skin hip-slinking summer fun as a true craftsman steps from the studio shadows: jay shepheard, who’s back with a track that’s so infectious if you licked its back you’d trip for weeks. prepare yourselves for ‘bullfrogging’: wry funk, warmth and humanised technoid soul. taking a vocal texture then processing, harmonising and splicing the spawn out of it, jay’s precision balance of electronic hustle and anthromorphised action has all the hallmarks for a summer anthem. ‘early doors’ follows suit and there’s a massive clue in the title… soft-focused, warm, rolling and laced with textured chimes, it’s definitely tailored for those key transitions between warm-up and second gear. deep, trippy but coded with a hookiness that grabs rather than soothes, once again it’s classic shepheard but with a revitalised 2017 twist. hey, he didn’t lock himself away in the studio for twelve months for nothing, right? neither did jay’s long-time friend and neighbour mark henning, a man who hasn’t taken on a remix since the early 2010s. his return to the remix game is as poignant and powerful as jay’s return to releases as he removes around 70 percent of the frog and maximises the bullishness of the elements, creating a relentless tribal slammer of a version that still retains the warmth and soul of jay’s original. two returns to action, three killer tracks, one label you can always count on as your friend and no frogs harmed during the whole process. we’re pulling out some serious stops here.

number 2 of three kicks off with the menacing sounds of anastasia vtorova’s (machine woman) 8 minute iron curtain, meandyou co founder herron (sam lewis) made on appearance on the first jheri tracks comp and is back with the percussive stop start vibes of yusmita. sias returns to the fold with his brand of post punk techno on brickfields with sbot & soft stone completing the set.

synthetic is a track from iib debutant kimopots. sythetic is a deep grooving house cut. eastern elements and soft arps melting with subtle technoy acid vibes. dreamy. ilija rudman brings out the analogue hardware and adds a boogieesque bassline keeping the deepness. finally robot 84 pumps it up a touch with a nod towards italian house sounds of the early 90s. 3 great versions

hot on the heels of his cold outing earlier this month, bristol bewitcher batu makes his debut on hessle and marks their first release of their 10th year of business. timing is everything -marius ripples with an insistent broken drum pattern that s coded with latent funk and dubspace while of court creates even more room between the drums while maintaining the techno pressure. -noseme- flips for a more subaquatic session where the beats adopt a more relentless rolling formation while the groove develops more of a dubby sensation. finally dont brings us back up the surface with a soft beatless thrust. play safely.

elephant moon proudly welcomes one of our good friends from barcelona, sonodab.
sonold is the starting point for this four-track ep. there’s a distinct air of mystery looming over this minimal workout. the globulous bassline bounces along supporting by clapping beats with an eerie tone that prevails throughout.
this is followed by more alluring atmospherics on ‘aporia’, a track that has an elastic b-line and every once in a while an enchanting melody drifts in, switching up the vibe turning things a little more dreamlike.
turn the record and prepare to embark on a ‘random night’. this is sonodab turning up the energy levels and taking you on a trip into another dimension to close out the ep ‘elecmann’, plays out like an ode to the good old electro days, slightly reminicent of juan atkins’ early work as model500. like the rest of the tracks on this release, sonodab adds soft pads in places to change the mood and keep things moving.

former half of the defunct pitch & hold duo under the banner of which he operated from 2006 to 2011, simon halsberghe steps up on brussels’ very own vlek with his debut solo ep as simon hold. first heard on vlek s 2016 mix for resident advisor as they were appointed label of the month by the high­ranking platform last autumn, maqam bruxelloise reflects the wide­angle beauty and compelling diversity of the belgian capital and its throbbing heart, a city at the confluence of cultures and languages. across a finely­layered interplay of synthetic modulations and intricate polyrhythms, hold lays out a riveting kaleidoscope of pattern­welded textures and prismatic synth motifs played and arranged accordingly to a contemporary interpretation of the traditional arabic maqam system of improvisation the track draws its title from. an ode to brussels all­embracing effervescence. translating as -soft drone- or -pleasant noise-, the gritty dhajij doux then welcomes you into a more disquieting, bipolar audio scenario that evokes the reality of living -in a sometimes difficult and hostile city-. a curiously matching negative of the opener, in this that it taps into the same generous and plural matrix universe as main source of inspiration, but eventually opens on a more nuanced outcome, here hold clearly shows a further abrasive facet of his work: harsh and vibrant, the track may be replete with a lead­heavy amalgam of sizzling bass and jagged drumwork thrown into the furnace, light and hope still manage threading their way through dark clouds and turbulence, slowly but surely turning this rough­hewn stone into a truly haunting gem.

never underestimate a quiet guy. soft spoken and well-mannered alexander pletnev moved 3 years ago from the russian city of st. petersburg to the lithuanian capital of vilnius. that has been more than enough time for him to make the city his own. a co-founder of a hip barber’s shop that also hosts an improvised vinyl second hand corner, not to mention a cozy little bar where he can be found serving a quirky selection of beers, alex soon embraced influences filtered through the local nightlife institution ‘opium club’. his production powerhouse pletnev explores darker territories and far-out music lands untouched by his bright and melodic creative alter ego - ponty mython. the st. bones ep follows his well received and strongly selling offerings on meda fury and bahnsteig23. the ep’s two tracks, of contrasting mood and tempo, are accompanied by two top drawer remixes from the japanese tailor of sound and taste ryota opp and on-the-rise fellow st. petersburg producer and selector, inga mauer.

celebrating capitol record’s 75th anniversary with another fine classic - mc hammer’s 1990 album “please hammer don’t hurt ’em”.

echocord returns late june with a new release, joel alter under his jor-el alias, entitled ‘tilted reality’ and comprising three originals from the swedish artist. currently based in copenhagen, sweden born producer and dj joel alter is a name synonymous with the contemporary techno scene on both his home turf and across the globe, his back catalogue to date features a long player for the uncanny valley imprint, solo ep’s for d’julz’ bass culture, sweatshop and collaborative works for kontra musik alongside henrik johnsson amongst much more. this time round though we see alter return under his jor-el guise under which he first started releasing material on dj hell’s internation deejay gigolo imprint. up first is title-track ‘tilted reality’ laid out over seven minutes with a slowly unfolding dynamic feel, encompassing spiraling atmospherics, distorted rhythms and blooming stab- sequences. ‘elevation’ follows and takes a more direct groove-driven approach via straight four-four percussion and hooky bass chops, whilst tension building pads and fluttering dub echoes gradually build around the foundation. ‘solitude’ closes out the package deliving into deeper realms with soft ethereal dub chords, acid tinged leads and emotive strings.

nice price deal !!! titanium is back with a brandnew release! titan103 is a great ep from austrians producer christopher groove who has his first solo release on philipp straubs label titanium. this ep already had a great impact on the market as felix da housecat licenced maximal mnml for his recent global underground compilation milan which was a great success wordwide. maximal mnml is a deep techno tune with soft percussions and a great bassline that makes everybody move. the second track b.o.w. is a real techno bomb with a huge break and succeeded on many dancefloors around the globe, not only due to heavy support from carl cox. to complete the ep philipp straub asked his friend danilo vigorito for a remix and danilo delivered one of his rare and beloved tunes. danilo, who is one of the main protegees of italian techno, formed maximal mnml into a little bit darker structure with a unique atmosphere. all in all a great ep!

a1 the mating dance theme a rush of unavoidable infatuation. the first step of pair-bonding. b1 soft & gentle like her lips rough like daddy playing the piano, sipping on japanese whisky. b2 truth or dare in vivid 70s colors. b3 wood-paneled rooms, cuban cigar smoke, drab tweed suits and jasmine serving that fine remy martin cognac.

new years deal - a1 - luc marianni - six synthetic suites (anno stamm remix) berlin producer anstam’s remix of six synthetic suites is quite a trip. the producer has crafted a dubbed-out version, almost sub aquatic in its sound design, structured around a murky but driving techno beat on which he layers marianni’s sounds. exotic instruments, unusual timbres, daring melodies and even slapped bass: the contrast between these sounds and stamm’s grayscale groove is powerful. a2 vril - synthetic suite giegling artist vril uses samples from marianni’s six synthetic suites released in 1986 to produce this lovely slab of dub techno. carefully crafted, this track is all about soft edges, with a kind of blurry and hazy vibe that permeates it. a sense of motion is conveyed by the sparse but efficient rhythmic section, with chords and melodic elements giving the impression of floating. with much more contrast and complexity than it might seem at first listen, this is beyond your usual dub techno cut. b1 luc marianni - six synthetic suites (margaret dygas remix) also based in berlin, margaret dygas’ own remix of six synthetic suites is a deconstructed affair, built around a half step groove, ready to be used creatively in dj sets. somewhere between an ambient excursion and a more rhythmic jam, the producer uses a sparse palette of hallucinogenic, dizzying sounds with a dash of eerie darkness that gives this version a melancholic, unsettling nature. words by edouard isar.

next up on hell yeah is -the most balearic record i have ever released- according to label boss & it comes from japan s disco don max essa which features a four part track, themes from the hood, the cad, & the lovely, on one side of vinyl, and two more on the flip. essa was born matthew bruce and the uk artist has now been releasing his blissed out beats on labels like feel music, electric minds, bear funk and is it balearic? recording for a decade. a prolific producer whose big hits like panorama suite/uptown vibration (is it balearic?) from 2010 have long been in the hell yeah boss s record bag, essa first approached the label with a bunch of tracks. a good correspondence alchemy ensued and together the artist and label decided to put out the most timeless 12inch possible. the exquisitely ambitious themes from the hood, the cad, & the lovely is almost 12 minutes of serene ambient synth work that is like a soundtrack to a hot summer s day. heavenly chords sound just like a breathy female vocal and as they come and go, one finger piano tinkles add real emotional beauty and gentle twinkles shimmer in the distance. half way through lazy drums propel things along at a loveably lethargic pace and immediately place you on the beach. on the flip, saguaro is just as organic and beautiful, but has tumbling drums, wooden hits and soft claps as well as essa s magical synth work all bathing your soul in warm rays. b2 buran chime is perfectly horizontal and expansive, with tinkling triangles, angelic chords and scattered hits and harpsichord sounds all radiating effusively. this is timeless music that will calm busy minds now and forever.

baaz from berlin gives us further insight into his diverse musical interests with his two (for you) ep on office. as the title suggests the talented producer splits his musical activity into two genres on this record: one is deep and moody techno with a knack for strong sub bass and soft pads. and the other one is striking ambient with a wonderful appreciation of moving melodies and mellow chords combined with touching vocal parts. what is remarkable how well these four carefully building tracks go together and how effortless they further underline baaz artistic vision of reduced and understated electronic music which unfolds slowly but emphatically. a respectable new record which is well worth opening yourself to

public release’s lucky thirteen and second release of 2017 is by another kindred spirit newcomer to the label, earth boys, a brooklyn-based duo that’s all dreamy keys, soft pads, peace frogs, throwback vibes, and deftly futuristic house rhythms, though not necessarily in that order. with trail mix, mike sherburn and julian duron have built four gloriously friendly, oddball house cuts— cheeky, choppy vocal samples juxtaposed against schmaltzy piano licks and punchy tribal rhythms rubbing against smooth bass figurations. their ironic sense of humor intersects with precisely crafted productions in a way that underscores both, making the ep a brilliant concoction of bouncy, energetic dance music that teases the genre as much as it revels in it. if that messes with your head, just shut down your left brain, drop the needle, take a big ol’ rip, and see where a microdose of earth boys will take you.

bella union is thrilled to release will stratton’s album rosewood almanac, the american’s debut for the label. it’s a work of fragile magic, a hypnotic combination of beautifully breathy voice and exquisite lyrical imagery, gorgeous melodies and similarly soft-spun instrumentation, centred on his thrumming acoustic guitar and the verdant presence of velvet strings.
the vinyl release includes a download code.

blow ya… blow… blow ya… i m gonna… for their second release and first reissue, kalahari oyster cult pay tribute to a highly influential label of the 90s: music station. over five versions of blow it up, tapp brings the ghetto back in the house and the vibe is second to none. classic!

as owner and curator of the exotic dance records label , j. albert has released a steady handful of projects on his brooklyn based imprint , as well as showcasing new music from deejay xanax and person of interest . add to that, recent releases on the 1080p label and black opal, and j. albert is fast making a mark on the scene for his raw and undiluted deep fusion of house, techno and jazzy vibes. his debut ep for hypercolour opens up with dont hide it a bumpin and jazzy flavoured house cut, resplendent with rolling snare drums and warm stabs, a sampled double bass riff and choppy vocal refrains xtra sauce is another stellar house track, fans of the ron trent/prescription chicago sound will instantly find an affection here with the rolling drums and soft keys, all pushed along at an energetic pace, whilst vista finds j. albert in more playful mode, carving out a 10 minute jackin underground house vibe that cuts raw and hypnotising.

recorded in a single session at berlin s golden retriever studios on june 18, 2016, nonland combines atmospheric, looping guitar with textural, polyrhythmic percussion. having played together live only once previously, these sessions were entirely spontaneous and improvisational, intuitive and expressive...

in 2017, the finnish jazz scene seems to bubble with talent. one of the most prominent players in this mix is by definition, trumpeter jukka eskola. after over a decade of adventures in different spaces of jazz – from the dance floor burn of the five corners quintet to the raw expressive modes of mikko innanen’s small big band, jimi tenor’s cosmic jazz and his own prime cti styled solo recordings – eskola takes things back to bare basics. and as usual, when it’s done right, it’s the best thing out there.

vinyl only.

nice ambient sounds

luciano nitri has been locked away working on his debut album for horizons music. the sampler is a glimpse of what is to come, with 3 shining vocal tracks, each have the power to be the lead track in their own right. ‘circles’ is funk infused bassline, coupled with lucy kitchen’s haunting vocal this track is the perfect tease and intro for the album. visonobi takes no prisoners, with his heavyweight vocals laid on a sparse nitri beat. ‘homage’ is the calling card to throw some darkness on this single. the final track shows nitri’s liquid flex, soft vocals the track takes us on a journey, and yes this journey for nitri has just begun. circles the album is out soon!

holding hands is blasting off with a bang of cosmic proportions, featuring two cuts from desert sound colony’s dance floor alter ego ‘dsc’. far reaching, as its name suggests, takes inspiration from the deep well of our musical past. drum & bass, jungle, breaks, house and hardcore are all present. that being said, this is not just a revival record. these sounds combined take your mind out of the past and place it firmly in a previously unimagined future. hard as nails to begin with, the track eventually builds to a glorious rapture. too hard is deep like the mariana trench and made for dance floor meditation. kicks rock you back and forth as a soft canvas of pads drapes itself over your mind. space is the place people, space is the place. both tracks are produced and sculpted for the club. they want big sound systems and dark rooms. close your eyes, hold hands and experience transcendental space flight…

it all started with a book, as these things often do: an english anthology of metaphysical poetry from the 17th century, to be exact. which may not sound like the sexiest option on the shelves, but hear us out. the gentleman plowing through those weathered pages happened to be micha&#322,,,,, jacaszek, the polish composer who’s spun dramatic shades of darkness and light into gold for more than a decade now. an absolute master of melancholy, from the trickle-down electronics of treny to the vapor-trailed verses of its looming spiritual cousin kwiaty.
the vinyl release includes a downloadcode.

brainwaltzera debuts on film. the anonymous producer, whose work has has already received online approval from legendary british idm auteur aphex twin, offers up an extended ep for the berlin based imprint. in 2015 a soundcloud profile under the name user18081971 - now identified as belonging to richard d. james, commented on curious brainwaltzera upload quilat spring 1 outtake. the move prompted speculation as to who exactly is behind the music. exquisitely produced and executed in such fine fashion so as to decry pure imitation - there’s plenty to theorise here. regardless of their true creator - which will undoubtedly remain a secret for the time being, the compositions on film006 are of similarly high calibre. varied in approach and marrying both electronic & acoustic elements with ease, the six tracks that comprise the record range from yearning ambient segues and dreamy down tempo grooves to otherworldly krautrock and more direct, dance floor fare - but remain bound tight as a cohesive and functional body of work by a glorious, arcane musicality. whether weaving soft electronic tones in and amongst snappy breaks or detuned drum-machine strikes, the artist’s ear for acoustic harmony is perhaps the pervading theme across the six tracks that make up the aecoba ep, marking it out as an excellent addition to the film labels growing catalogue

incl somebody to love ! surrealistic pillow, as the name implies, is one soft ridden, slightly mad piece of psychedelic san francisco folk rock. from its percussive intro of -she has funny cars- to the thumping mystique of -plastic fantastic lover- and the worldwide hit -white rabbit-, this album s one heaven of a trip alright! one of the essential albums of the 60s.

two salacious sample heavy edits ready for the floor. soft and delicious dj goodies. what a lovely way to burn. give me the diamonds. uh. xx

after sending out these tracks last summer and getting great reactions from djs and dancers alike, hell yeah is pleased to finally officially release virtuoso musician verdo s little blue ep, complete with a remix from lauer. fully remastered for vinyl, the likes of lexx, chris coco, soft rocks, leo mas and many more have all be playing these tunes with great results.

bondage-music head honchos pornbugs prep the labels next release for early april comprising three original tracks and a remix from mihai popoviciu. since 2006, german duo pornbugs have been pushing their minimal yet ambitious dance floor orientated house music through clubs across the globe, with their label bondage-music acting as a catalyst for forward thinking music. bondage-music also works as an outlet for other talented producers including romania’s mihai popoviciu and inmotion music signee markus homm to further develop their sound. fresh from a string of early 2017 digital releases from frink and sous sol, april sees bondage-music’s first vinyl offering of the year, kick started with the subtle and melodic cut “when you are gone“, which takes a deep groove and laces it with a plethora of soft synths and atmospherics. mihai popoviciu then reworks “when you are gone“ into a different entity, rewiring a headier groove into the track with raw-defined hats, building further tension with tight synth stabs and ethereal pads. vinyl only track “innocent“ then takes tribal tinged percussion to new depths, fuelling it with booming kicks and flourishing chords, further intensified by swirling vocals. a pure dub aesthetic then shines through “maritza“, as saturated drums and a rumbling low end provide the skeleton for swelling synths to meander alongside spiritual vocals, closing out the package.

jacques bon motions through the day’s early energy dawning light. true to the record’s title, bon composed the four tracks for his debut ep on beats in space records in the morning sun, reflecting and refracting the colors of daybreak from his compositions. burning spheres aside, bon draws inspiration from his past in paris, where he slung records at daphonics and started the label, smallville with pantha du prince, and his current life in hamburg, where he frequently helms the legendary decks at golden pudel. both cities and their scenes offer crucial cues for bon’s productions across dawning light and past releases for smallville and mule musiq. beginning with licks from his juno 106, filtered through the glide of a tb303 and foundational fits of his roland drum arsenal, bon embraces simplicity in setup to allow for maximum melody. opening track “island” assembles the palette of dawning light, infusing the ep with a warm glow. “we are” twinkles like the first blinks of awakening, dusting away night’s sleep with golden beams trickled onto tangled bed sheets. “aurora” evokes the first rush of the refreshed energy, shaking off yesterday and centering the mind, body, and soul to power through the hours. the record’s title track bounces with youthful optimism, a fitting end for the four-tracker’s mission of morning praise. each 12&#8243,,, on beats in space records features original artwork in considerate and serial form. andrew kuo’s prismatic painting holds dawning light in good polychromatic company, the geometric colors soft-coded entry point for bon’s music.

the most innocent among us suffer greatly when the rich and arrogant act with belligerence. so too, the fallout of current conflict obscures the lesson from history. we strive to elevate our thinking beyond the level at which it currently resides. the process of learning is painful. featuring two tracks from the mind of label boss vohkinne, and remixes from dj spider and ground loop, as007 resides in a contemplative place. the music is reflective of where we find ourselves in life.

techy , but 90s inspired deep house analog style

aus welcome back label favourite shenoda for his third release on the label, burn backed with a remix from juxta position. previous releases on hypercolour & electric minds have seen shenoda firmly on the ascent but its in his recent outings on aus that his bold, rugged club music has really reached its zenith. burn follows suit with its predecessors with its power being rooted in seismic, analogue drums that are balanced against soft, allaying melodies. the muscular vista then rolls out punching stabs and tight, shuffling drums before label mate marquis hawkes dusts off his juxta position alias and delivers a pacey and forthright take on burn. melodies are softly mangled and given a spectral quality that recalls his mazury on dvs1’s mistress wrapping another solid addition to the catalogue as the aus music family continue to deliver the goods.

catz n dogz continue to roll out their pets sub label step recordings and follow up a slew of soulheavy dance records from baltra, reno wurzbacher and the analog roland orchestra with a solo ep from fellow polish producer universo. with previous appearances on transatlantyk, the auspicious newcomer slots neatly into the step catalogue in presenting his ‘underworld’ ep: a package of softly glowing lo-fi that fans of baltras recent sophia ep on step will relish. underworld then unfolds at a steady, hypnotic pace as moody, interlocking chords and paired up with a gentle spoken vocal that work together to create a poignant, eyes-down mood. icy strings and a trippy spoken are introduced before kora buta follows up with some warm, swooning sample work. sleeper is next up as distant, meandering thumb pianos and rainy textures colour the tracks fuzzy drums while a glassy, legowelt-esque pad glides overhead.frequenza kicks things off a soft, sizzling pad sent ducking under a rock-hard kick drum.

this is a vinyl reissue of the first release of stephen bishop’s basic house moniker, originally release as a tape in 2012. through his music, and his label opal tapes, bishop has been one of the most significant definers of leftfield dance music over the past years. his background in diy punk and noise is easily identified in his approach to both sound production, general aesthetics, and overall attitude.
“i’m not a heaven man” is characterized by a poetic and tape hissed melancholy, sensibly combined with a lo-fi experimental character rendering it a deeply personal take on contemporary electronic music. slow pulsations of sequenced drones combined with noise with strong emphasis on atmosphere make “i’m not a heaven man” an exquisitve piece of ambient sound design.
limited to 300 copies on white double vinyl with download code included.

soaked in jazzy late night grooves, blissed out piano chords and glistening beats, it’s another essential release from a label that’s quickly rising to prominence.
following on from the soul-drenched disco excursions of ross from friends’ debut ep, newcomer rgl’s ‘1 thing’ ep spans 3 dusty deep house cuts built from the ground up to do the dance-floor damage. rgl is the moniker of tokyo based producer rigly chang, who’s also part of the tokyo based cosmopolyphonic collective. his affinity for intimate dance music brings soft textures and moods that stretch into the listener, bringing a new kind of warmth to the club.

london/lisbon label release/sustain start the year as they mean to go on. presenting a 4 track various artists 12’’ titled _nightfall and other stories_. the record is comprised of 4 artists the label regard as legends of that deeper dance floor sound. opening proceedings on a1 is *dekmantel* mainstay *vakula*. a regular at the release/sustain ‘conclave’ parties and part of the rs family his offering, _809,_ is a percussive drum tool trip of a track, with sporadic raw percussion shooting shining across a positively minimalist backing. for a2, we see italian stalwart of underground dance music, *l.i.e.s* & *crème organization* regular, *simoncino*. obscure sample work, and a repeating line ‘i can use a friend’, twist and turn over rugged, thumping, functional drums and bass. simoncino at his best! furthering the quality of this standout 12’’ is chicago house music pioneer, and *dance mania* alumini *vincent floyd*. rich in melody and familiar classic house sounds, reggie’s soft jacking house sound bring a silky smooth, north american touch to a previously rugged, european 12 slab of wax. rounding things off we have *clone*, *prime numbers* & *deep explorer* badman, *reggie dokes*. a cut riddled with percussive and quirky undertones enjoy!