pete tong presents ibiza classics - performed by the heritage orchestra, conducted by jules buckley. the biggest ibiza moments like you’ve never heard them before.
double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with download code included.

* friske joins the dust audio revolution in the form of the destruction ep . the assassin comes with 3 tracks of pure undiluted drum & bass cuts. fresh of the back of his critically acclaimed metalheadz ep he doesn’t slow down with the clinical drums and unrelenting bass… seek this out now, if not it will defiantly search you out, lock on to its target and cause destruction. * the ep’s title track “destruction” rolls from start to finish with clever intricate bass play that sneaks, weaves and hisses like a cobra snake. the almighty drop hits you and the vocal snippet “destruction” aptly describes what this killer is going to do on many a dancefloor, this rib cage rattler is designed to sit in any dj’s selection who wants to boost intensity and create a certain mood. * on the flip friske drops “artikal” into the equation. this vibing half stepping chunk of goodness has all the classic friske trademarks, atmospheric intro, little vocal’s that have been twisted into different territories. the bass and mid ranges juxtaposition for space but work in tandem for the common good.

cold recordings is very proud to include berlin based producer phon.o as part of it’s growing roster by means of this immaculate ep. across the 3 tracks, phon.o demonstrates his ability to combine uk- bass influences with techno sensibilities, ultimately crafting cutting edge music for the dancefloor.
‘clu5t3r’ opens the ep with a swinging 132bpm rhythm that sits somewhere in between classic uk-funky and a cracking shed/heads high techno anthem. the repeating riff that circles and cycles, sweeps through the frequency spectrum, energising and purposeful. versatile and effective, this is a track to come back to time and time again.
flip the plate and there’s another couple of gems. ‘v3r5u5’ continues on from where ‘clu5t3r’ left off, progressing the mood into a more ethereal space, building layers of pads and texture as the track developes, rising and ramping up, before pulling back and dropping into a rolling rhythm. closing up the ep is ‘h4ndcuff3d’, which takes the mood into a more dramatic backdrop. chilling pads swell up from the ground like mist in a graveyard, while the broken rhythm sets pace, creating a moody ambiance for those moments when you want to take a dancefloor into mystical, other-worldly territories. dramatic and energising!

having only made spotted appearances in the past, icy ambient techno artist winter in june makes a fine first outing on vinyl with a press of his ep eternal lovers. it s prime silent season material, using massive slabs of reverb and a foreboding sense of space as his main weapons while rolling out bleak machine matter that sounds as though it were blown across the tundra. about life & death is particularly moving with its heart monitor bleeps and forlorn strings, while the party is elsewhere is a telling trip into the coldest of coldwave.

bordello a parigi has just returned from a fruitful expedition to russia to secure a four tracker from st petersburg synthesizer playboy kito jempere. super sax sounds is a rich and varied expression from an artist who has explored a spread of sounds during his career. the a-side is the product of one diverse machine, the yamaha qy-70. -bueller s dance- gets the show on the road with latin showband flare. the opener brims with cruising notes, crisp claps and smooth bass, a track guaranteed to put a smile on any face. moods change with the tear stained chords of -space commercial-, a superbly subtle work of joy and heartbreak. a colder wind permeates the flip as a cinematic and sinister element enters. toms and snares support the descending bars of -atmosphere-, a track where tropical dreams cloud into despair. those dreams are purged by -tomohawk-, a dark prowler who stalks with a maniacal glint and menacing intent. an audio feast care of kito jempere.

banoffee pies records land their 5th edition to their original series with bp005, another interesting curation hosting the likes of liem and eddie ness of the lehult imprint, along with unknown gem and latest label affiliate to bpr, acs - presenting an intriguing journey into the midst of space pulling from a tropical roller coaster a side into analog acid jams on the b. again, always, and forever, let the music do the talking. for the lovers and the dancers. banoffee x

brilliant 70s material by antonio carlos jobim – one of his key sets from the middle part of the decade that had the composer really deepening his approach to both singing and songwriting – moving past some of the more instrumental modes that he was using at the start of the decade! there’s a richness to the songs that goes way past simple bossa styles – and the lyrical brilliance shows that jobim hardly ever needed a poet or co-writer to help him hit the heights – as he really wins us over with his words as much as his music. claus ogerman produced, and gives things the right balance between fullness and space in the charts – which allows both a great focus on antonio’s vocal style – expressive, but very down to earth – and a few nice solos on fender rhodes too! titles include -saudade do brasil-, -correnteza-, -boto-, -ligia-, -valse-, -arquitetura de morar-, and -o homem-.

southern italian sociologist, dj and electronic music producer simone gatto is about to release his second album, heaven inside your frequencies, in december 2017.
gatto’s second album represents a complete excursus of his personal and professional paths, into which he combines music, words, studies, researches and experiments. along with the album, split in two parts and to be released on both his labels out-er and pregnant void, the artist is also releasing his first essay, named as the album, the latter offers a theoretical and practical analysis on the use of sounds and frequencies in diverse areas of interest, dedicating space to music therapy and primordial techniques as well as their application in the current digital and virtual era.
both the album and the essay result from gatto’s personal experiences as well as his ten-year’s artistic career: the love of his motherland and his parents, the first approach to clubs, the studies about the potentiality of frequencies, the electroacoustic experimentation and last but not least, the aesthetic sonorous research.

with jungle, grime (forthcoming), 90s rnb (forthcoming) and even red snapper’s ‘96 classic prince blimey all getting the skrs redux recently, runcometest ep is a time-capsule. 8-bit basslines echo from distant battles with space invaders while sure-footed dub samples glare at sound system history through vaseline smeared lenses. returning to more grounded dubwise sensibilities (by their standards), runcometest builds a bridge between the collective’s 2014 nocorner cassette (rootprinciple) and the recently re-surfaced sci-fi/western clash dancehallshowdown (self-released on ics library recordings last year).

remastered 2017 version of the 2002 thump mix with a new version on the flip, played with band and the addition of live instruments.. the legendary german house label needs (not wants) returns after a long hiatus with a new release on the exclusive gold edition that is set up for revisiting their own classics to upgrade them with brand new versions and re-interpretations. walkin thru circles - originally produced by lars & marek bartkuhn - has always been a favourite for many of their fans. the original thump mix is a constantly building mover that is based on a massive beat, hypnotic soundscapes and highly energetic chord hooks, ready for taking off to outer space. for the full expansion lars has gone back to the studio to recompose and re-record the whole thing over again, combining the skills of some excellent session musicians with lots of live instruments, drum & percussion and vocals all played and sung by the producer himself. the result is a complex, epic and fearless jazzfunk odyssey, both musically expansive and heavily grooving at the same time.

having already earned his balearic stripes some time ago, as one of the resident djs at we love. at space in ibiza, ian blevins has since relocated to berlin, and has been immersing himself in the esoteric vibes of the city. on the strength of his latest ep on futureboogie, this is clearly a good thing, as the round trip ep is laden with the deep magical vibes that have also shaped his recent releases on labels like banoffe pies, not an animal records, blind jacks journey and esp institute. on round trip, an abundance of driving, arpeggiated synthesizers weave around sparse yet sturdy drumbeats, as thick pads rise and fall in dramatic fashion. panthera krause (permanent vacation/riotvan/lobster theremin) is on board for the remix of round trip, re-shaping the original into a merry, space organ led, tribal dance, with a splash of garage house vibes that soon become immersed in its own synth heaven, its a cracking remix from the leipzig based producer. on rolands rat, blevins keeps things tight with soaring strings, organ stabs a strolling bassline for a quality jam, whilst can you count my dream? is a dense, and cinematic slab of transcendental dance, an almost claustrophobic atmosphere only intensifies the drama and delivers the heat that seals this superb ep from blevins.

ever capitalizing on aerodynamic tactics, anthony linell s latest ep, layers of reality, presents three tracks that exceed gravitational force with the slickest of manoeuvres. tersely fluctuating and resoundingly austere, the ep has its moments of breezy volatility that punctuates the mesmeric rhythmic cycles to sweeping effect.

drumcode returns with its 6th installment of the internationally celebrated a-sides series. renowned for fostering a shared space between industry tastemakers and rising talent alike, the careful curation that goes into each volume is a fine example of why beyer s brand continues to go from strength to strength. techno titan adam beyer has grown drumcode into a force to be reckoned with, the label has become synonymous with forward-thinking, functional techno and even after 20 years, drumcode continues to find new boundaries to push, and ways to solidify its legacy as the world s number one techno label.

drumcode returns with its 6th installment of the internationally celebrated a-sides series. renowned for fostering a shared space between industry tastemakers and rising talent alike, the careful curation that goes into each volume is a fine example of why beyer s brand continues to go from strength to strength. techno titan adam beyer has grown drumcode into a force to be reckoned with, the label has become synonymous with forward-thinking, functional techno and even after 20 years, drumcode continues to find new boundaries to push, and ways to solidify its legacy as the world s number one techno label.

the debut album from fast-rising moscow based producer harry light will celebrate robot ranch s 10th release and anniversary, with the range of atmospheric out of space audio structures and analogue deep house/techno flavors there s a lot of things to discover inside. -coaster- delivers stripped back deep techno grooves while trainspotting explores the functional delights of minimalistic sound. -chapter i draw the dub techno dancing realms and nights before finishing the first vinyl with deep atmospheric vibes. unpacking second vinyl you ll find dilemma more dark but very functional dancefloor heater with deeper roller friday night affair on the same side. the lp headliner northern lights brings in with the raw techno palette heavily influenced by its garage sub bass. acid-house dancefloor tool and secret weapon right moment unleash the vinyl number two. happily, there is much to find and listen on the third vinyl. uk rain delivers dusty, sample-heavy deep house groover with touch of garage hooks, while strong iv holds the melody and dubby chords in more classical way filling the mood with beauty and immersed in thought. amayak drives you fastly into jacking-house dancefloor groover which will leave you there without hope for salvation. the last but not least headswing gets you into the hypnotic voodoo thrill or maybe as an act: you discover yourself in center of pbar dancefloor diving into the depth.

in a time when everybody gets a virtual stage to speak out about anybody at anytime, sharing moments in dark places together with people known and unknown while completely immersing into the music seems to be a valuable anchor. a (hopefully) phone-free and algorithm-free space with no need for judgments and justifications builds the realm for a respectful togetherness. night defined recordings provides a soundtrack for those precious hours by putting together two thoughtful dub tracks by fred kreeger, each of them reinterpreted in a very different approach by fellow berliners pablo mateo and ron wilson. enjoy this beautiful piece of limited hand-stamped wax!

tr one return with 4 very different tracks recorded in one take at their studio in the irish southeast. a month has passed uses a dubbed out aesthetic merging influences from uk bass and detroit using shimmering melodic progression. the boutique of never ending dreams works towards a synth laden dreamlike peak. the printer duly merges playful chicago drums with an organic chord structure to create a head nodding funk. finishing the ep is road to the sea , a pensive sway of dubby sonics masked in a fog of reverb. tr one are an established name in the irish electronic music community and are known for their energetic and engaging performances as djs. they have received critical acclaim for the raw soulful productions from their studio in hometown carlow, ireland. they have gained respect for their ability to deftly move between the lines of genres with a strong sense of adventure and connection with detroit/chicago/dublin machine soul. from this they have released music on lunar disko, apartment and fine art recordings, with the strains of the us midwest never far from sonic influence. they have worked in a range of styles from old movie soundtrack disco with new jackson to punishing techno sharing wax space with the phantom planet outlaws.

new born label, rowle is ready to take you on a space trip around the universe. new life forms, new experiences, and of course a new sound coming from other planets. comes with great full cover artwork

rube goldberg series begins. we have selected some of the finest talent from across the globe for our first release.
volume one delivers four unrelenting groovers, individually flavoured, each artist brings something fresh to this overall consistent collection of tracks. intricately complex in their creation, yet ultimately these tracks perform a simple task, much like the machines of the late r. goldberg.

future music from new kanada s frontman adam marshall. sometimes its hard to categorize certain tracks and these ones are from outa space. it reminds me a lot of the time when we all discovered the first playhouse records from isolee, losoul and soylent green. magic moments which at first listen maybe not seem to work on the dancefloor because they are too challenging, but if you find the right moment they gonna work wonder…tip!

“i’m not at all sorry, now that he’s dead,
he took my cheese and ate it in my stead,
he’s punished by fate - god, you’ve avenged me.”
- aesop
“the fox and the raven” is the maiden release for denise rabe’s self titled label, conceived to be the channel thru which her personal, unfiltered, haunting sound will find it’s body and voice.
exemplifying this with the 3 cuts on “the fox and the raven”: driven, hypnotic, techno with a chasing sense of urgency, balanced with eeire lamenting melodies, perfectly fitting the tales of lore chosen to illustrate each release like a volume in an odyssey.
concluding this chapter, a limited pressing of 300 reproductions serigraphed, embossed and scented, echoing how like fables, music, occupies a tangible moment in the listeners life and space.

a prison of predictions is the first lp from the ownlife label (excepting seld series, focused in pressing back gems from two decades ago) and also by the person behind it. leiras.
on it, the producer showcases a compendium featuring the characteristic sound of the platform, pushing ahead cyclical techno together with tracks that evoke the persistence of remembrance. echoing the preterit sound of sandwell district and renewed sound formulas from almost two decades of uk electronica. ambient brush strokes outline soundscapes surrounded by analogue sounds that share space with more direct and snappy songs. a scape on the frenetic side of electronica with an idm-leaning end closes the equation.
substantiating his versatility as a producer with the label’s previous 10 titles and undoubtedly confirmed on this record, leiras offers a consequent closing for the first stage of ownlife, which finishes on this point in order to look for new sound structures for the next transmissions.
this lp has been created in berlin during the last months using mixed recording techniques with the purpose of conceiving a narrative thread that gives coherence to the release, without doubt an inflection point in leiras’ discography.

after solemnly closing out the spc-series in 2016, jeroen search hands in his second ep of the year for figure. carrying his signature style, these tunes embody the live-recording feel he is known for, perfectly executed and arranged in clean-cut layers. both tracks on the a-side feature big and beefy beats, their generous sub-range creating ample space for the juxtaposing elements to effectively slice through, whether it be the penetrating bleeps of deduced or the piercing rides on interval. things get bumpy on the flip when the rugged but undeniable groove of steady pulse firmly stands its ground against repeated onslaughts of flailing percussion. the jolty rhythms and tinkling loops of endless circles may seem like it being the odd one out, but unexpectedly merge into an intricate mesh of sounds, making for a most memorable closer to this jam-packed ep.

reeko debuts on avian. in recent years, the spanish producer’s name has become synonymous with exquisitely produced, hyper-functional techno variants. releases via pole group and planet rhythm as well as the artist’s own mental disorder outlet have seen juan rico develop a distinctive sound that places elements of noise & ambient within a contemporary techno framework – harnessing a dense, abrasive energy without compromising groove. layers of ethereal pads, filtered noise and feedback fx are compounded into a tight, mono space, pushing back on powerful, propulsive low end – making for a decidedly heady listening experience.

four tracks of stunning french disco in a wide range of styles: from 80 s afrobeat to underground canadian cosmic groove, here is another bullet from the parisian gang!
a1/ guehi jean pantalon s craqué guéhi jean is a key figure of ivorian music and many of his records mixing funk, jazz and afrobeat are sought after nowadays. having left africa in order to make it in france, he recorded this digital afrobeat hit in paris, then went back to his native country where he died in 2012. despite his talent, guéhi jean didn t get the recognition he deserved.
a2/ michel conte & cie s magoshan a disco anthem composed for quebec cultists wearing flares, or the main theme from an obscure series? anyway it is time to acclaim magoshan s pulsing come back on the dancefloor!
b1/ jean-michel gascuel s dominus this french composer who collaborated with pierre schaeffer was also a great lyricist working for the likes of vivian vee or suzy andrews, and a fashion designer. with its latin touch, this track is a little ufo standing out of the rest of his french productions, so let us be blessed by dominus domine dominarum.
b2/michel robidoux les planètes this track by composer michel robidoux featured on a kidisk with a book called -visitons les planètes avec goldorak- and was released in canada in 1980. this incredible space jam was chosen as a macaroon for this new ep – our tribute to an amazing composer who wrote more than 325 songs and even collaborated with leonard cohen.

after a 10 year silence, the frequencies of radio mars are back on the line with a mini lp from the enigmatic the observer. the release features 6 tracks serving up a space journey oscillating between cinematic interludes, irresistible electro rhythm bass lines, and cosmic arpeggios. you will feel like you are traveling through an unexplored landscape, lost far and away, deep in the galaxy.

solar one music is back with their >strange tales from the future< series. vol.3 this time on vinyl. feat. the great artists luke eargoggle/johan inkinen (stilleben, lunar disko), kan3da (stilleben, transient force), oestral (som, black montanas)) and weltwirtschaft (dominance electricity, kommando 6). intense stuff for your journey to deep space!

oshana returns to partisan with an immaculate transmission that fuses tough techno rhythms with head-twisting psychedelia. she s on devastating form on this record, rolling out cosmically-inclined arpeggios, sci-fi fx sweeps, heavy pulsing pads and tones and crisp, unrelenting dancefloor rhythms.

helmed by a crew of ex-pats in hong kong craving the musical stimulation of their birthplaces, homesick is a celebration of the nostalgia and passion at the root of all musical experience, as channeled through seriously on-point disco edits. after choice turns from general ludd, marquis hawkes and others, this various artists 12inch brings back former guests in an implied fashion for more of that worldly, adventurous boogie business. apocalypse now simmers with unresolved tension, tart drums and gnarled synth lines, while african temperament lets the percussion tumble in a cavernous space. summer madness is a simmering, drum led version of kc flightt s classic, and then gik gwong zung pings the record off into cosmic synth disco territory for a perfect finishing move.

for the second release piramide landed with a va mini compilation including the debut of the mysterious hawaiian chips. xinner opens the scene with a mind-blowing synth journey that makes you lose concept of space and time. autre follows and hooks you up with a hypnotic house beat bringing you in a dance floor dreamy mood. finally hawaiian chips brings you back in the golden age with a proper electro banger made as your favourite 90s idol would have done it. to conclude xinner does the honour and closes the ep with two must have dance floor filler.

new sci fi xicano (santiago salazar/ur/planet e) & defend:r (ricardo miranda/rush hour/sju/vega) collaborate on the new episode 3 ep release. santiagos the longing & aqua net & creepers are 2 detroit funk jams. ricardo drops porican in space & polysynthetic movements. out on major people.

baltimores pj dorsey has traversed a lifelong journey delving into psychoactive music which can alter ones cognitive and conscious state. he harnesses his experiences to create music as tarotplane. using guitar, effects and processing he produces time suspending soundscapes - immersive music for merging the mind and body. . 358 oblique is the follow up to first which was released on aguirre records in 2015. find yourself adrift in the lapping waters of a slow unraveling sea of sound, a spectral vortex of shimmering tones and discrete samples guide the listener into an aural abyss, while plangent six-string melodies offer glimpses into a sanctifying sensory space. the two exploration provide an evocative journey through a psychedelic continuum and beyond.

(simple symmetry remix) wisely opting to retain much of the feel of the original, sasha and sergey have instead gently pushed the tempo, toughened up the drums with a new focus on the original track s percussive elements and addeda greater depth of space, providing even more room to lose yourself on the dancefloor amongst the tracks eerie synths and wordless chants.

the ocean is closed is a collaboration of music ensemble zeitkratzer with performance group she she pop.
play – according to the cultural historian johan huizinga – is a free activity carried out within certain fixed boundaries in time and space according to voluntary, but necessarily binding rules. it has no goal outside itself and is accompanied by a feeling of excitement and joy. it creates social alliances that for their part often surround themselves in a secret or set themselves off from the everyday world by means of disguise.
in the ocean is closed the “modern composition super group” (the wire) zeitkratzer and the performance collective she she pop observe each other across the limits of their own categories. they look in fascination at their “exotic“ colleagues. outside eyes and ears are interested in different things, ask the right wrong questions, misunderstand the agreements and breach basic laws.
she she pop and zeitkratzer play a concert: secret, order and ocean. they celebrate music and play per se.

previously unreleased album recorded live in rome, 1977. mastered from the original tapes. 180 gram double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with cd format as bonus.

if you are wondering what the artist wanted to tell you by choosing this title, we will give you a small hint: it’s a cynical statement on something that for sure every party promoter has experienced at some point. the rest, we will leave up to your imagination… in real life, there’s no mercy – neither is when it comes to the sound of this new snork release by syntax error. the four new tracks with meaningful names are not only a social criticism and another artistic processing of the current development of the techno scene, but also a classic syntax error: rough, tricky and good to groove. each track stands on its own, telling another story. “collateral cosmopolitan” is a straight forward piece with a highly memorable beat talking about the uniformity that is creeping in the waiting lines of more and more techno clubs. “i wear my grandpa’s glasses” presents a totally dodgy sound, which might be a little oldschool and even a little irritating – just like some fashion items you encounter on today’s big city streets. “no fog is no solution” is a tight song that definitely needs some good fog and a harsh strobe. and finally, the last track sounds like a futuristic fairy tale from outer space looking on the world as if it is a “society bathysphere”.

jun kitamura most known by his capricious label started a music event space knock in koenji tokyo. koenji is famous for giving unique music and art culture. now knock starts its own label. the labels first release is debut ep by yoshinori sakaguchi s project helios trismegistus. jun kitamura also gives a remix.

casino times continue on their crusade into the speakers of earth s hottest dancing spots with the fourth edition of the casino edits series. for the a-side, the duo encapsulate the energy that has made the previous records in the series so memorable this time by taking the cosmic sounds of a space disco favourite and reconstructing it into a punchy, euphoric, electronic symphony. the b-side sees the bpm s drop and the concepts become more left-of-centre. the b1, a cut-up uk grunge head nodder, features gritty guitars, a sludgy bassline and a pulsating synth lead. whilst on the b2, a well-loved italo essential is reincarnated as a dramatic piece of sequenced bliss.

unsurprisingly, richard galling, does indeed hail from milwaukee, having released disco inspired jams since about 2012. with his stuff getting plays on the likes of beats in space, he got his name out early. his latest offering is this single that features two original tracks and some remixes too. 303? features the eponymous bass machine all over this deep, arpeggio-heavy tech-disco jam, organ swaps the 303 for a classic robin s-style house organ, and prophet adds some big room bass. also included is a prophet version of clear water, a real late 80s, shep pettibone-style, latin house joint. luke solomons body edit, is absolut dancefloor heat !!

7 track 2lp - ukrainian producer vakula, whose name is linked to the early days of arma, re-emerges with techno game. ukrainian producer vakula, whose name is linked to the early days of arma, re-emerges with techno game. the double vinyl features seven confidently-carved tracks that reflect vakulas current exploration of techno landscapes. as the cover suggests, it is a game. the author does little to nothing to explain the rules, throwing the listener into an elegantly structured space that feels alarmingly material. featuring artwork by juli kozyr

the second offering from deep sea frequency comes from valencia born pépe, and is an all-encompassing space age electro trip to the cosmos and back.

a sacred geometry return with an impeccable ep channeling warmth in tense surroundings, employing ambient and organic techno as the vehicle for their ongoing narrative. the fourth release on the berlin based duo’s own imprint adds percussive shades to the vein of the chapters before it, and marches steadily towards a meditative state, levitating gently through ethereal space.

nexus is the first collaborative record by yes-guitarist steve howe and his son - the late great virgil howe (little barrie, fsols amorphous androgynous). an instrumental, cinematic record fusing brilliant guitar play, wonderful keys and dynamic, moody grooves.
pressing on 180 gram vinyl, cd-copy of the full album included.

2014 anthology of classics & rarities curated by longest serving member & current arkestra leader, marshall allen. newly mastered from the original tapes.

the copenhagen based pop wonders blaue blume return with a new ep - sobs. the band formed around 6 years ago in a provincial danish town, drawn to each others love for rich, playful music. blaue blume (blue flower) is the epitome of a romantic band, their songs are brimming with love and yearning. now ‘sobs, the follow up to their ‘syzygy album in 2015, continues to build their reputation as a best kept secret, about to find a whole new audience of devotees. all four tracks for the ep were recorded in late 2016 in a three story villa, formerly owned by a religious cult. the band used the weird space away from the city to create a framework for the lyrics and the music. the band explains: blaue blume has been our band for about 6 years. in a bigger provincial town we started playing right out of highschool. at the moment we live in copenhagen and every day we play, write and work on sounds. its sort of become a life project. in our heads we make music that is playful, rich in detail and popish or somewhat smiling. for some beautifully inexplicable reason we ended up doing music together. in a way it seems sacred or at least meaningful. macabre is a happy song about being afraid of dying. some of us find that even the best life can be lonely sometimes. we found it interesting to address this taboo within the frame of a song that people could potentially dance or sing along to.

following a run of local transmissions from a sagittariun, crump, rob smith and atki2, idle hands turns its attention to berlin and the straight-up, no-nonsense techno thrust of johanna knutsson and hans berg. both respected artists and djs in their own right, the pair have been turning out 12inches together for the free spirit society, klasse and crime city disco over the past few years, but most importantly they ve been steering the excellent ufo station recordings as a vessel for their punchy, primal techno tracks. the sound on this ep taps into the pure form of stern, dark dancefloor tackle favoured at idle hands – no extraneous filler, plenty of space in the mix, but equally built with warmth and personality rather than monochrome functionality. if you need further proof, just look to the fact the ep is named after a swedish soap opera from the 90s. the bleeps and bass tones that pulse through -taggen- are so finely crafted they need not skip and dance around the arrangement. the melodic interplay on -klimax- is subtle but ultimately uplifting and optimistic where so much techno concerns itself with oppressive gloom. -bimbo- finds the pair embracing a more psychedelic approach, but even here the modulating effects processes are kept within certain boundaries so as to not dilute the impact on the floor. after all, this is music to dance to, to be felt over a large system (where possible). moving from leftfield bass excursions to minimalist 2-step, uk techno and now onto this much more continental sound, themälarviken ep continues to widen the range of idle hands musical tastes without losing sight of the complete picture.

smooth deep space techno four track ep with detroit inspired sounds. the ep kicks off with -last nite- - a beautiful and melodic techno track, revolving around a hypnotizing lead. -new beginnings- meanwhile is a deep and mysterious affair, magically combining soulful techno with more experimental leftfield sounds. the b-side starts with -track 13-, a finely crafted groover that grows into a melodic gem with an old-school detroit flavour to it. the ep ends with the deep yet euphoric -so far-, perfect for those early morning dj-sets. offering a perfect combination of deepness and driving energy, the ep is a versatile release guaranteed to get the dance floor moving. an impressive vinyl debut by lioness and a must have for all heads interested in deep, soulful and intelligent techno.

shimza, real name ashley raphala, is one of south africas brightest young talents. ascendent, his 4 tracks debut e.p. on cadenza reveals solid production skills and an innate instinct for peak-time bangers. the opening track, congo congo is a dark ride over abysmal tom-tom drums, lively percussions and a gloomy bass lead, ignited dramatically by an ensemble of wide synthetic stabs and chords. in its dub- mix, the drums and the percussion become lighter without diminishing its dynamic tension. the overall weight of the leads and the stabs is reduced, leaving more space to its intense piano and string chords and swinging sub bass. shimza - secret melodies starts with an obscure bass line, but the intense twist of fractioned rolls and arpeggios bring an ascending piano progression that quickly blooms into an uplifting symphony. selector is a deeper cut that keeps the gaze on the dancefloor: the incessant hand clapping and a cloud of low frequencies bumps unexpectedly drag its hypnotic harmonies into a breath-taking drop.

the debut dub syndicate set from 1982, pre-dating the involvement of mainstay style scott. this features various members of creation rebel and african head charge turning out a wild dub set, with hard-hitting rhythms and fx-mutated melodies phasing in and out of the mix . recorded quickly with track titles cheekily poking fun at the contemporary series by the scientist which pitted him against various b-movie foes. the tunes themselves however are deadly serious, with version excursions on some classic on-u vocal cuts such as “bedward the flying preacher” and “across the red sea”, and a continuing commitment by producer adrian sherwood to take his love of reggae and filter it through his exploratory and uniquely english approach. re-cut at dubplates & mastering in berlin. includes download card with bonus track and sleevenotes by steve barker (on the wire)