dropping just three eps between 1982 and 1987, takenoko were a true enigma in the heady rush of french new wave. this group from bordeaux hit all the right notes, fusing choppy indie instrumentation with punchy synth lines and angular vocals - in a parallel universe they could have been huge. emotional rescue have done the right thing in bringing together their three eps for this definitive introduction to a rare and righteous slice of underground arcana. whether it s the breezy pop stylings of -elle a tokyo- or the slow, stomping funk of -trans amor express,- takenoko are a joy to listen to for any new wave devote

following a killer acid-piano house 12inch and contributing a test pressing-certified new-disco chug to a split release with tuff city kids (both) on terre des pommes in 2014, the working elite further refine their ability to soundtrack festivities with rockman / born again. while rockman conveys an understatedly cinematic mood with repeated imitation string cycles over crisp electro foundations, born again presents a new wave / rave endurance test, summoning perspiration from dedicated day-dancers with its metronomic hammer of a beat overlaid with motivating synth-lines like marching toys. on the flip, saap and lauer (tuff city kids) provide inventive interpretations of these tunes, reshaping rockman into a stomping, flashing-lights electro jam while born again gets a delightfully multi-dimensional digi-dub treatment complete with acid-reggae breakdown over a 4/4 house beat.

continuing the samurai music 10 year anniversary celebrations, decade (phase 2) is a further collection of tracks that map out our distinctive approach to 170 / drum and bass in 2018. commencing with a searing slow burn from ancestral voices, phase 2 features a rare 170 track from asc, a dubbed out contribution from calibre, refreshing beat pattern sorcery from sam kdc and lemna and a crucial collection of half step floor freshness from label staples - homemade weapons, the untouchables, torn, last life, and artilect. shiken hanzo and antagonist make their first samurai music appearances in memorable fashion, while es.tereo makes a return on the cusp of launching his own label. presenting advanced angles on a familiar framework, decade (phase 2) is an entree to the next decade of samurai music.

seth troxlers definitive dance floor label play it say it has a real coup for their next single: a collaborative track from trendsetting and globally renowned brothers nic fanciulli and mark fanciulli, one that is likely to become an anthem for the months ahead. the high impact star is the sort of big, muscular main room tune that blows crowds away. built around barreling drums and rubbery bass, the track is brought to life with a classic vocal sample from rose royces 1978 hit wishing on a star that truly sets the whole thing on fire. creeping synth sounds add another edge to things and the results are sure to sweep up even the biggest of dance floors. the superb dub version has even more focus on the monstrous drums and allows the synths to breath that bit more for extra euphoric effects. this is a brilliant pairing and it s no surprise the prominent brothers come up with some real house heat here.

m/n is a wide range of colorful electronic music taking their influences from uk 90s ambient/electronica period. in shadows of labels like gpr, new electronica (italia), irdial discs. find old and less known artists like derek carr, carl finlow, simon crab. united in a 2x12inch compilation ltd to 200 copies.

heavy flowing dubmonster by the mighty merv. amazing release! after releases on 3rd wave black, taped artifact and ranges the danish duo merv delivers the next result of one of their studio sessions. the three tracks on the >performer ep< combine all the classic elements of detroit, dub, housy drums and techno feeling and mark the fourth mouche release. an absolutely must-have ep for the dark dancing floors and a very bold and versatile attempt by the masters.

psp-dancer : the name says it all. this song is about electronic music between past and present, hyper funky, a glitter ball full with memories between flared pants and hedonism and yet straight forward for the year 2018. that s no surprise as for decades it would have been hard to imagine the rhine-main house and techno scene without frankfurt bedrocks pauli steinbach, sascha dive and patrick kunkel, not least because of their cocoon affinity. patrick kunkel and pauli steinbach take out the acid disco hammer full with endorphine acceleration towards dance floor. deep vibes recordingsimpresarios sascha dive and pauli steinbach form a disco reverb mix with a house-like depth between wild pitch and balearics, with kinky disco elements shimmering through again and again. try to take it high

after 5 years of silence, dadub are summoning their magic spell on bas006 , rituals of resistance makes use of tribal drums, ghostly echoing samples taken from the collective consciousness. emotive techno in it s dubbiest prime evokes scenes of territories uncharted by global repression. dadub present their very own vision of techno politics. not shy to tap into a glitch, familiar sounds emerge from a well orchestrated chaos. an acutely bass driven sense for rhythm combines with the inevitable esoteric beauty of hand-crafted italian techno. this is the sound track for all those who yearn for an inner revolution.

the northern soul’s classiest rarities series has showcased high quality soul dance records from the 60s to the early 70s, beloved of collectors and dancers who have had their fill of the “top 500”.

produced by tommy ‘tnt’ brenneck, love in the wind features a number of the players that have helped define the daptone sound including members of the dap-kings, charles bradley, and the menahan street band. and, at the heart of the record, there are the four schaldas: three talented brothers and the father who taught his boys group harmonies on the stoop of their staten island home growing up.
the vinyl lp comes with download code included.

vinyl only. for this fifth episode, mancini invited three talented producers friends janeret, michael james and swoy to remix the track of their choice in the previous mncn releases. top quality!

christian smith and john selway, make a powerful collab team. the two legendary producers are back with the second instalment of their count zero ep. 3 original tracks delivery on all levels, whether it s the bellowing synths in delirium, the modulating bass found in royal movement or the rippling groove closing out the ep in virtual light

marshstepper are the most radical incarnation of ascetic house, the collective and publishing house based in the desert city of tempe, arizona. marshstepper’s dark electronic ritualism is performative, violent, unusual, shocking, unpredictable and raw. during their berlin atonal show in 2016, they were joined by drew mcdowall, jonas römnberg and juan mendez.

berlin producer kevin de vries has emerged as one of the capitals most hotly tipped newcomers since his track eternity appeared on adam beyer’s drumcode label in 2016. besides such luminaries as beyer, sven väth and richie hawtin, tale of us have also recognised his talent, paying de vries the compliment of featuring his track path to immortality on their fabric 97 cd this year. if thats not enough theyve also given kevin a place of honour on their very own afterlife label compilation in the form of magoa. which brings us to the matter in hand. de vries debut for cocoon is characterised by significantly higher levels of impulsive energy without ever losing sight of his instinctive feel for harmony.

an all-time rave classic gets the gerd janson re-loving as he works his magic on the 1992 anthem dont go. 26 years on from it s first release, gerd takes the tempo down a notch laying out that all too familiar drum break, instantly recognisable piano line and julie mcdermott s timeless vocals. his subtle touches and added weight, behind a pounding kick, are sure to set any dancefloor alight. about as euphoric as they get - if this doesn t do the business then god help us all. on the b side, belfast s ejeca flips don t go into a heavy-hitting, rave tinged, techno bomb. his inventive sampling turns the synth stabs and vocals on their heads, making them almost indistinguishable, but no less impactful, from the original. it s over four and a half minutes till the iconic chord progression is heard in it s initial form, before ejeca throws it back into a rapid fire, industrial thumper. lastly, gerd serves up a vip dub mix echoing claps and synth lines into the stratosphere, whilst leaving the vocals at bay, save a short cry of don t go from julie towards the end of the track, allowing those anthemic elements to do the talking. a modern touch on an all-time classic from gerd with a complete reinterpretation from ejeca, this is a heavyweight release and one thats already being played by the biggest and the best out there.

only few artists have managed to develop their own distinct style to such perfection as abe, while remaining almost entirely unknown to the public ear. he dwells in minimal music, abstract structure and well-crafted melancholia. -peasants sought instead- itself is heavily influenced by modern classical music, modal jazz and world music and is at times demanding, while remaining slightly subdued. style-wise it can be seen as ambient, though abe doesn t feel completely at home in this genre, because of its emphasis on atmosphere rather than structure. recorded at abe s home in rotterdam, it is his strongest work to date and already highly appreciated by some of the most exquisit selectors around.

killer unreleased mid 70s blue eyed soul/aor between the sessions at wishborne sound studios, the session musicians terry woodford, clayton ivey, muscle shoals horns among others, got down to record some of the finest funky soul and aor. they took the name mirage, aiming for stardom. unfortunately no album was ever released and many tracks went on the shelves in the studio. over 40 years later, preservation records are releasing two of their finest tracks on an exculsive 7inch. only 500 pressed

soul dynamite pull no punches with the follow-up to their first release and go straight for the jugular with some vintage mr lif fire a 45 splitting mr lifs seven-and-a-half minute return of the b-boy into parts 1 and 2 one on each side. thats not quite as weird as it sounds for on lifs critically acclaimed debut full-length from 02, i, phantom, the el-p produced return of the b-boy features a fade and then a complete change of beat change for the epic third verse. the first half is dark, space-funky boom-bap while the second half is er even darker, and a bit faster, space-funky boom-bap. either side though, you’ll be able to revel in such a-grade lyrical excoriation of race relations in the states as, theyre defacing masterpieces, just to blast to pieces/ what’s dope and hope that wed accept a wacker thesis. jesus! black vinyl.

slices of life celebrates the 10th release with a two-part vinyl compilation: sol10.1 and sol10.2! for the 10th release label owner barbara preisinger is gathering seven unreleased tracks on two seperate 12inches, by previous slices of life artists as well by producers who have a relationship to the label through frindship, events and personal support. each track presents the personal unique style of its producer, but all have a feeling for warm sounding organic house grooves in common, what slices of life stands for since the beginnings in 2009. on the first 12inch, sol10.1 the mole, baaz and john tejada excite us with an extension of their previous slices of life repertoire with 3 further timeless pieces of house music: trippy and soulful (come on kid), deep and percussive (fitzy), minimal and playful (how i used to). dana ruh celebrates her debut at slices of life with out of ada20: an upbuilding sunrise track carried by a driving beat and thrilling string lines. november 9th 2018 the 2nd part, sol10.2 will follow with exclusive tracks by dj deep, cab drivers und oscar schubaq.

this album is a collaboration between labels kontra-musik and kess kill. what would have become of d.a.f. if they had been signed to trojan instead of mute back in the day add a good pinch of absurdism and social realism in the vein of prized film director roy andersson and vanligt folk might just be the answer. the gothenburg groups name can be translated to common people and they make use of primitive electronics, drums and skewed vocals - ranging from harsh social commentary to the purely nonsensical - to create their own take on body music. hambo is the name of a traditional swedish folk dance that was highly popular among the common people at the turn of the last century. with this album, vanligt folk juxtaposes the working class dance phenomena of hambo with modern day rave culture. this is done in the most blasphemous manner thinkable, as is the way of vanligt folk. concepts like nationalism, race and tradition are all treated with the same merry lack of reverence. the only thing that needs to be respected is the dance and those who take part in it, whether accompanied by accordions or drum machines. or both.

since 2010, buyepongo has led a steadily growing los angeles underground movement that combines the vast influence of traditional tropical sounds with the streetwise edges of the latin american diaspora. much like their name implies (translation: to cause a ruckus), their hybrid style is focused on the celebration, an infectious, energetic vibe that is universally and rhythmically connected. it ll get your feet moving, and much like many of the records from the golden age of cumbia, these two offerings demonstrate an updated and adapted reverence for the roots that is truly distinct to their own unique place and time. for the group s latest single, that place, the sprawling latinx scene east of los angeles, met head on with the east coast hot pot of brooklyn. recorded and produced in collaboration with names you can trust during the band s serendipitous 2017 trip to nyc, this new release takes two of buyepongo s most fan-favored and party-tested original songs, two that had yet to be recorded, and combines them with the nyct forty-five ethos: a stripped-down, warm analog recording that perfectly captures buye s live, bring-the-ruckus style in the room as it happened. por la vida romps over the a-side, a modern-day classic in the making whose lyrics (how beautiful is life, always full of surprises) compliment a sunny, easy-going house party vibe, while miri on the flip evolves from a loping, almost reggae groove into a transcendent journey through caribbean feel-good sounds.

for its 9th release, discobar picks 4 tracks of previous releases and asks close producers and friends to remix them. we invite then dead rail, monkey nenufar, vlad caia and tokyo ghost to mingle with the discobar family and give us their own interpretation of our music.

millennium techno and big room trance reinterpreted by herrrouine & gomorra. two swiss artists debuting their first record together on their own label.

yasha is 28 year old joe gillick, who grew up immersed in the sounds of ukg & grime on the streets of south london. he founded orphan. in 2015 with his friends sage redman and billy meddleton. the three began throwing bi-monthly parties in deptford, their aim was to feature the unsung heroes, the seminal artists that weren’t often regulars in the crowded london club circuit. cutting his chops djing alongside the likes of tim goldsworthy (dfa, mo’ wax, unkle), dave okumu (the invisible, jessie ware), the golden filter (optimo), mica levi (micachu) and more, joe fed his keen sensibility for club grooves. cut to 2018 and joe finds himself a seattleite.

catch recordings return with their 13th release, this time from dj najaora. hes an emerging talent from the ever growing techno region in georgia who s mature, fully formed sound is showcased here across three innovative left-field techno & electro tracks. the excellent night dreamers takes the a1 spot. its an analogue electro cut throughout. with forceful broken drums accompanied by electric lead lines that provide a powerful energy for the dance floor. space call is a more cerebral and less dance floor affair that has you day dreaming amongst the meandering pads and classic detroit electro vibes. a soft acid line runs throughout, while the whole cuts creates nostalgia of old warp records last of all simulaq which takes the b-side has wide and vast rubber kicks alongside booming bass. making this side a merge of bass and electro. trippy stabs and dark energy pervades the whole thing, making it track for the late hours. while 13 is an unlucky number for some, this certainly doesn t seem to be the case for catch recordings.

vinyl only! this may be the first release on alternate facts but if you look deeper you’ll find the culprits have been lurking amongst london’s underground for a while now. dexter kane and thoma bulwer have been solo-navigating the circuit for some time, however the past year has seen them converge to throw a string of successful clandestine events across the capital under the same name.the fact that the pair are both producers and sound engineers in their own right shines through on this well crafted 4 tracker. 300 copies.

duas cidades is a defining moment in the group’s career, one that catches them perfecting their genre-defying sonic mix. the single “playsom” was included on the fifa 2016 soundtrack and the video now has over 2 million plays. the album also features the hit and fan favorite “lucro: descomprimindo”. pressing on 180 gram vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

following hivers excellent ep, let recordings again welcomes american dj and producer jon hester to their imprint. currently based in berlin but with previous spells in chicago and minneapolis, he returns to the label for a second ep following 2017s communication ep, and other outings on the likes of rekids and dystopian. his adventurous drum programming and high speed techno style kicks things off with radiance, a manically melodic track that takes you on an energetic trip. impermanence is a deeper, more cinematic piece that features rueful pads but still a driving drum line, then stratospheric has huge, hammering kick drums and squelchy synth sounds as well as dancing keys that bring warmth, groove, and soul. last of all, this high class excursion is completed with horizon, delivering barreling drum patterns and edgy pads that trap you in suspense as it races on. all four tracks deliver a high impact techno sound that very much looks to the future.

tropical disco records are back with their fifth release of the year, bringing you four killer edits from the tropical disco volt. moodena introduces volume 5 in fine style, mustering another spellbinding composition with gils groove. sounding as swagged out as ever, its evident form & flair comes naturally to the artist. td comrades moodena & sartorial present their first collaboration on turn it up, neatly entwining their distinct styles, rolling basslines, cascading guitars and sultry sax. the result is a piece of pure energy, its hard not to do exactly what the track tells you. the disco wizard, sartorial continues his ever growing solo output with 6 million, a righteous slab of soulful dance music that can make a dancefloor bang, as well as weep. feel the heat rolls effortlessly with a lush vocal that melts the loins and lays out a sonic smorgasboard of what epitomises tropical disco records - soul!

boogie café enlist the expertise of goshawk & erik rico to provide the goodness for the next instalment in their boogie café black series. the home e.p. houses four versions of the title track with side a serving up a piano vibe mix, alongside a dub mix for good measure. the vibe mix layers a bassy, bumping piano line & erik s rnb flavoured vocals behind a shuffling beat before a soulful flute line takes centre stage. on a slightly different tip the dub mix drops the flute in favour of echoed out stabs for a sparser and tougher aesthetic, readymade for the dancefloor. flip it over and the percussion vibe mix adds in some choice congas and bongos, combined with sustained organ-style synths and jazzy piano chords, creating a more summertime soul style to the track. the fourth and final dub mix sees goshawk use erik s vocals in short but sweet snippets, adding extra atmosphere to the track but allowing the piano and percussion to lead the way.

over the years moton has become synonymous with releasing great quality edits from a range of amazing producers. their 43rd release is no different offering up two glorious edits ready made for the dancefloor. cuffari (make the world larger than me) on the a side is four and a half minutes of luscious, soulful, string laden goodness, entrancing you with those dreamy vocals. trust us, she s right when she says the melody echoes in my mind this one will be stuck in your head for days! flip it over and marcel vogel, under his em vee alias channels the happy-go-lucky nyc discotheque days through dancing (jumbo). with an all too infectious guitar and bass riff, coupled with cosmic synth pops and perfectly layered vocal chants its sure fire, peak time disco gold.

with the disco revival firmly set at full steam quantize recordings felt it was the right time to dig in & rework what is widely regarded as one of the biggest anthems from the disco era - loleatta holloway’s “love sensation”. often imitated, & much sampled they had to be firmly on their game with this and boy did they hit it hard now blessed with the talent of susu bobien on lead vocals (and the equally talented tasha larae on bvs!) alongside a full horn section, “love sensation” is back once more and ready to do damage to a whole new generation of dance floors! the much sought after accapella is also included on this release, the only format you’ll ever be able to get this on!

2lp. an exciting blend of electronics, rock and ambient passages, the belgian trio have gained prominence of late with their futuristic propulsions and has led to their music being described as mogwai meets kraftwerk.

after their first appearance on curle via naïf, the mix compiled by efdemin earlier this year, aubrey & simone gatto now deliver their debut ep for the label.this might be aubrey & simone gattos debut ep on curle, but they already appeared earlier this year on naïf , the mix compiled by efdemin with nothing but exclusive tracks. they liked our approach, we liked their tracks, sometimes its simple like that. its techno, in various disguises

incl human machine remix, for the first release, tau001, the adana twins introduce a duo under the name innellea , believed to be one of the biggest up-and-coming talents in the scene right now. heavily influenced by percussion sounds, this inaugural ep successfully launches with thematic cohesion and into a realm of what they believe tribal infused techno should really sound like. recruiting the help of human machine to remix lead track nautilus , having already gained significant support from the adana twins, who play almost all of their releases in their dj sets. the rich, contrasting tastes of the sicilian four-piece shine through, staying true to one simple rule – make people dance.

*** check b2: !!! *** bath-come-london party purveyors, origins, take to channelling some of their creativity into the creation of their own origins label. at the helm for the debut release is bristolian up-and-comer tommosini. having heard move d unleash the beauty of another dimension at freerotation last year, origins knew they had to find out who the mastermind behind this deep house gem was and the rest, they say, is history. another dimension transports you through the galaxies via a combination of dreamy pads, crisp percussion, full-bodied bass and those sensual deep tinged vocals. future classic in the making. the a2 i dont stop carries on the u.s flavoured deep house with a vocal house track that wouldn t be out of place coming from the shores of chicago masterfully intertwining a bumping bassline, soft organs and those introspective, luscious vocals. flip it over and you re treated to two interpretations of another dimension. first up fellow bristol bass badboy, hodge, serves up a signature remix, chopping the vocals and layering them behind a pounding kick and machine gun percussion to give that bass heavy flavour hes become so well known for. deadbeat steps up to close out the ep with a heavyweight techno rework of the original, complete with hypnotic bleeps, phased hats, and intermittent sub bass goodness, all tied together with a driving kick to give a real industrial feel to the remix.

rich oddie (orphx) and dave foster (huren/teste) return under their punk/industrial/scum electronics moniker o/h. these 5 tracks are an amalgamtion of dense, yet somehow stripped down heavy industrial punk electronic madness. open filter feedback drenched ms-20 and punishing 909 beats crash head-on throughout with foster s jello biafra-esce vocals through a meat-grinder stylings fight with a ranting homeless man as he raids your uncles s 80s porn vhs collection. controlled chaos written recorded and put to tape as modern society falls apart in front of our eyes. absolutely what the world needs right now (according to us).

apollo welcomes ambient legend bvdub aka san franciscan brock van wey for a new album drowning in daylight .
van wey debuts on apollo with his stunning new album drowning in daylight, exploring cavernous soundscapes on a grand canvas that throb with a delicate intimacy. a stalwart dj and promoter of the halcyon 90s san francisco rave scene, van wey fled to china in the early 2000s to escape the curdling of his musical dreams as the scene became more commercial. since his return he s been incredibly prolific in his creation, etching out peerless ambient works that have captivated listeners with their delicate melody and fascinating textures through releases for the likes of echospace, kompakt and styrax - 2018 s a different definition of love marks his 30th bvdub album to date. classically trained in piano and violin as a child, van wey s symphonic approach to ambience is truly remarkable, epic in it s scale with each of it s 4 tracks clocking in around the 20 minute mark, drowning in daylight envelops the listener in swathes of nostalgic pads and nested layers of distortion, strings and haunted voices. drowning in daylight could well be van wey s crowning achievement to date and a testament to the power of instrumental abstract music to emotionally engulf the listener.

having previously released some rare solo material from ende shneafliet member hanjo erkamp aka dr. c. stein, artificial dance is now serving up something special from the cult dutch minimal wave band’s lesser-known side project, king ende shneafliet. adding king to their name in honour of original dub maestro king tubby, king ende shneafliet produced far more experimental and out-there material than their better-known big brother. they released their first cassette, dimension mix chapter i in 1981 via cult label trumpett, with batches of follow-up material trickling out on various obscure tapes and later cd-rs up to the year 2000. artificial dances first dip into the dimension mix archives a second vinyl volume will follow later in the year features selections from chapter ii (1999), which was originally recorded between 1981 and ’88. the magical, mind-altering music is raw, lo-fi, spaced-out and forward-thinking, combining effects-laden, sample-heavy sound collages and reverberating ambient soundscapes with pulsating proto-electro jams, moody minimal wave instrumentals and kosmiche-influenced throw-downs. it effectively joins the dots between early-80s, diy electronic exploration and dub soundsystem culture.

randommindstate is back with the second vinyl of their random edits series. the second part contains 5 bumping tracks made by 5 different talents. from an uplifting disco edit by ray kandinski and another george feely banger to a warm late-night-deep-house-tale told by ayer fijen: a record made to hit the dancefloor at any time. limited to 300 copies. don’t sleep

like a bright winged bird! with coquettish grin sirisins rave their path through nowadays unwinding roads of harmonious seductiveness and hardcore narcism. but as whimsy and changeable their personality may seem, they are probably just as confused as everyone else. their weapon of choice resembles a powerful energy source that luminously sparkles between the rising abysses of the universe. this may not be the rear window to all satisfaction, but open it, and you might fly high to the friendly sky.

australian group retiree return to rhythm section intl in 2018 with a new record house or home. the musical project of matt crowley, tori holleman and marco vella retiree have steadily congealed their broad influences into a unique emulsion of strongly rhythmic and emotional music. from two releases, theyve been described as pared back 1980s comfort pop for all occasions, having a whole lot of criss-crossing rhythm containing swirling synth flourishes, languid wistful vocals and strutting drum machines. the albums songs explore the theme of house or home and what that means in present day australia for different people. they journey from an aboriginal tent embassy on the south coast of new south wales, a retirement village, a one room flat in ringwood and a sleepless 17 hour stop over in malaysia.

following hard on the heels of bbe delving into the archives of detroit’s strata records and delivering their widely acclaimed and hugely in-demand exploration of j-jazz, comes another crate digger’s delight- ralph thomas’ ‘eastern standard time’, which dropped the usa back in in 1980, on the obscure zebra jazz imprint.

the sixth release from solkyss is a real smorgasbord with influences from all over sweden. edvin wikner, head chef and local marathon dancer, serves us an original production accompanied by a collaboration with malmo-based per hammer. trauma tribe celebrates their shared love of extended morning sets—a passion ultimately manifested at emmabodafestivalen two years ago when they broke swedens record of the longest dj set to date, playing for 24 hours straight. the original kai saa comes with an outstanding remix from no other than arkajo.

cassegrain announce collaborative ep. the berlin based duo of alex tsiridis & hüseyin evirgen will release new work recorded alongside dj nobu, tensal & lady starlight via their own arcing seas imprint in september. leaning towards the more heady, high octane end of the genre - the three track ep showcases the duos natural affinity for collaboration, maintaining evirgen & tsiridis characteristic finish and atten-tion to detail, whilst providing ample space for the guests to properly colour the work. ct01, alongside tensal, marries caustic drones with a potent lead sequence to produce a perfect peak time roller, whilst cn01, with dj nobu, riffs on a more melodic, stepping approach - maintaining that same rousing energy, but with a more psychedelic bent. cls01, the duos collaboration with la-dy starlight comes in at almost 11 minutes, an ambient techno journey that warps and shifts organi-cally across its extended run time - complete with beat-less intro and multiple segues that work to bind the piece and its different sections into one, cohesive narrative. effective and impeccably produced - but with a keen ear for new & exciting sonics within the genre - this first collaborative outing proves an enviable addition to the duos already impressive discogra-phy.

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

wow, how time flies. i can’t believe i am putting out record number five already. this release comes from star of the future adam pits. i have known adam for a long time as he was a few years below me at school and then proceeded to go to uni in leeds like i did. he is from the same crew as breaka, and there must be something in the water up there because these guys and the rest of their mates are producing the best shit in town right now. it is a privilege to put out adam’s first piece of wax because these two tunes are dynamite from start to finish. all three 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...

‘neverending story’ opens with ‘a dimension reflected’ and its introductory mixture of keys and beats. the beat is built upon piece by piece, while slippery synths fill in the upper registers. the second track, ‘planet texture’, opens with a blossoming pad which is soon joined by a steady kick and some bouncing synths. before long an adventurous bassline joins in and puts the track into full groove mode. there’s a twinkling synth floating above it all, sometimes present, sometimes not, making you wonder if you’re really hearing it at all. next up is the first track on the b-side, ‘old problems’. filled with little samples and microsounds, the track uses its beat to push through heady and sometimes disorientating array of colours that swirl across the track. a wide synth enters affairs a third of the way in and helps push the track out onto the dancefloor. ‘neverending story’ comes next, featuring a skittering beat and atmospherics that seem to come from far away. a low bassline pops in and out of the track here and there, while pondersome some keys complete the mood. the ep closes with ‘algorithm’, another scrambled, unpredictable track. the track opens with a rainbow of keys and synths, darting between your ears in their affected manner. an almost glitchy ambient track, it brings to a calm close a fantastic release.

inits music has the rare quality of transforming bleakness into a soothing experience. in the duos new ep, wildcard, this mechanism is more intense than ever. and that might be because of the particular circumstances that surrounded its inception. two years ago, nadia dalo and benedikt frey decided to move from darmstadt to berlin. adjusting to a rough area of a big city when coming from a quiet town necessarily brings a change of perspective. for nadia and benedikt, that meant experiencing the city life as outsiders while trying to figure out what they wanted from it.wildcard is the sonic result of this process, and proof that changes always bring growth. recorded in their new home studio during winter, the six tracks on the ep are as haunting as their previous lp for hivern, but with a rawer approach and enhanced power. take cover and solver, an approximation to the kind of moody psych-techno they display in their live-shows and two of the most dance floor oriented tracks init have recorded to date. but its the title track which best expresses the mindset of this work. with its skeletal rattle and undulating synths, wildcard feels as desolate as a berlin street in a winter night, but possesses the kind of focus that turns uncertainty into hope. in a similar way, cuts such as copycat or half baked perfectly capture the sort of estrangement -daunting yet hopeful- that comes when moving into a new place, with its slow tempos mirroring the cautious pace of a foreigner and the intoxicated atmospheres calmly distilling the essence of a new environment. nadia and benedikt describe this new habitat as small kids on big bikes, eating dry instant noodles, playing with whats to find on the streets, static aircraft traffic closely over our heads and constant running engines. listening to the music that arose from it, its obvious that, once again, they&# 39,ve been able to overturn apparently hostile elements into a place were youd want to stay forever