increasing access to new studio technology resulted in this splicing of dub reggae dna with cut-and-paste sampledelia. anticipating the later work of labels such as def jux, wordsound and anticon, this 1985 album paired crack jamaican session musicians such as the roots radics’ drummer style scott (by this point the instrumental leader of dub syndicate) and the congos’ ashanti roy with public image limited’s jah wobble and keith levene, not to mention the restless mixing desk boundary-pushing of producer and de facto member adrian sherwood. a more reggaefied take on the industrial funk sherwood was making with tackhead during the same period, lovers of digidub, outernational sounds and even the wilder reaches of 80s hip-hop will find much to get lost in here

honey butter launches in a flurry of feel good deep house from lesser known producers with a keen ear for straight up groovers. swales kicks the record off with the melancholic tones of pushin away, while ari bald sidles in with the wistful sample chops of hot 2 cold. sabie blanc takes things to even dreamier heights on the b-side with the harp-embellished romanticism of musique d ascenseur, and then eben rees finishes the party off with some seriously funky licks on dirty dishes. all in all, it s a formidable salvo of likeminded deep house jams that should work its way into the bags of all manner of soulfully-minded spinners.

awb is back on the spaceship. he delivers this time 4 original tracks from deep techno to electronica. berlin based producer pris (known for his amazing work on shifted’s avian) is giving his effective vision of kinetic lullaby on the side b.

distant images is d.k.s fourth release on antinote and we can say quite safely that dang khoa chau fueled a few identifiable obsessions over the years for those familiar with his work, it probably wont feel like uncharted territory when they’ll hear a somehow well-known guitar in the background of the title-track.

for the 108th installment in the ever expanding planet rhythm catalog, a various artists effort has been planned with some of the label’s usuals and some exciting names we have had our eye on for a while now. for the a-side, arts label owner emmanual brings his much appreciated e100 to vinyl. previously released digitally through his own imprint, this cut has been sought after for a while now. second up is eindhoven native albert van abbe. albert has been making a lot of waves for a long time now and we’re very glad to welcome him to the prruk family. more to ignore 04 is a funked out piece of machine music that will definitely turn some heads. the b side is opening with elyas the hangman. the mysteryman that gained some infamy through his releases on modularz and olympian delivers a cutting edge techno work-out. closing down this va 12” is mendy. returning to prruk for the 2nd time, mendy has come up with elevation which is a chordy techno theme for peak hours.

as the head of grounded theory and manhigh, henning baer has since 2009 presented his downcast, experimental interpretation of modern electronic music to wide critical acclaim, establishing his forceful presence on berlin’s scene with immaculate curatorial skills and equally imposing dj abilities. his discography so far, concentrated on adam x’s legendary sonic groove imprint and his own k209 and manhigh imprints, amongst others, keeps step with his formidable reputation and wide-ranging tastes, moving across the spectrum of hard-edged, aggressively modern techno. with ‘shatterproof’, his long-germinating debut album for manhigh, he offers for the first time his unified vision in extended format, a varied exploration into the outer limits of the genre. at its centre a work of dark minimalism, he sets and maintains the pensive tone on ambient pieces like ‘angel dust’, ‘all over’, and ‘mil-std 461’, which foreground the exploratory electronics that maintain their presence throughout. the corroded textures of the sounds, enveloped in decaying reverb, bring life to pieces like ‘never ending’ or ‘bliss’, which sit between rhythmic interludes and the stricter dancefloor material found on the remainder of the album. once he shifts into techno, he does it unremittingly, from the uptempo fury of ‘code buster’ and ‘burning chrome’, whose starkness only heighten the tension, to denser pieces like ‘drama sky’ or closer ‘vermillion red’, where the cavernous impacts of drum hits punch holes through beds of seesawing synthesizers. shatterproof like its title suggests, henning baer’s first album unifies and strengthens the work of an artist whose legacy is already assured.

special deal! eduardo de la calle presents his new brand, the monogram systems. the new and fresh 12inch will be the first reference catalog number on the monogram series. four new solid techno scifi tools especially made for vinyl dj lovers and dancefloor killers. this time eduardo has left his imagination, leaving stereotypes and minimalist alucinations to focus on a more technical mode and puristic style in terms of music production. the whole ep is a musical journey based on a concept >modern tools for the current time we are living< and its defining itself. with a science fiction touch that remembers the earlie work of luke slater, these 4 songs certainly have a peculiar and internal energy with quantum touches that will be the choice of many current djs, worldwide. without any doubt a very special and sosphisticated work.

new york native caiazzo releases the devotion on his and p.leone s e-missions imprint featuring three dusky techno tracks and a remix from white material co-founder young male. much like p.leone, caiazzo s debut release (entitled the dredge ) landed on work them records, spencer parker s label that s featured names such as radio slave, rodhad, dj richard and ryan elliot. launching e-missions earlier this year, the pair continue their high quality output by following up two releases from p.leone with three uncompromising original cuts from caiazzo himself. rolling percussion drives 917 (sportmixxx) whilst intoxicating drones operate throughout, making way for lifeform with its layers of thick synthesised sounds that build on top of a relentless drum composition with subtle but effective transitions. godbody offers a stripped back approach to techno with an intricate percussive composition that allows a deep low-end and a hypnotic perc to take control. finally, white material label boss young male provides his take on godbody where bass hits combine with haunting atmospheres and warped rhythms, closing the release with style.

this is the third volume of random numbers split series. a cross-section of the italian experimental scene in 5 volumes. each artist is assigned to one side of a c50 tape, in which express his music without compromises. volume 3 is entrusted to somec and von tesla. somec gives us 20 minutes of raw recordings of a mythical machine, a buchla 208, which stops its technology to the 70s. all recorded live with the aid of a computer. in less technical terms, napolis work can be summarized in a handful of eccentric hallucinations – pretentious recreations for quirky programmers – polished fiction. nwh2o is a long journey through interstellar landscapes and claustrophobic extraterrestrial rhythms, transmissions from other times and places. von tesla presents a more romantic vision of his world, divided into a triptych, touch / enter / flesh. dreaming representation of a meeting, where the romantic tones are obfuscated by a drop of lsd, which changes the colors, shapes and volumes. a slow movement toward the transformation of the body, an approach to transhumanism that mingles technology in the body, a genesis of tetzuo (the man of steel / tetzuo shima) of the years 10.

volume number four of random numbers split series is released. a cross section of the best italian experimental artists, released in 5 volumes. each artist has been given the space of a single side c50 cassette, in which they could express their music freely, without compromise. volume 2 is entrusted to healing force project and massimo carozzi. this volume is dedicated to complex textures and mental voyages, soundscapes and rhythmic illusions. healing force project describes his work whit this words: “this session is my own and personal view of a hypothetical live that i would propose. made for the “embrace” series on sequencias (label from brooklyn), my goal was to start from an industrial groove with a sharp and rough step at the same time. during the listening, the primary elements gradually fade away, giving way to jazzy and broken rhythms structures. many samples, especially sax and trumpet, create sick textures and an apparent state of perpetual mental trip. “ massimo carozzi’s side consists of seventeen sound miniatures composed and assembled from recordings made between 2010 and 2016 in various parts of europe using a small portable modular system and a digital recorder. credits: mastered by francesco brini at spectrum mastering & vinyl artwork by emanuele luppino c+p 2017 random numbers

four triangles focuses on sharing music from upcoming producers whose talents are limitless, but have never before shared their work with the world.
asok’s label is at it again on this third release, showcasing five tracks from brighton-based charles green, best known as one of the resident djs at one of the city’s most lauded clubs, patterns. by tapping into his understanding of dancefloor dynamics and a lifelong passion for machine music, green has delivered a debut that’s as assured as it is thrilling.

the third artist album on omena is here, for the dreamers by saine. an effortless blend of crisp beat-work and delicate textures, the album feels equally suited for playing out loud or for those hazy summer night headphone marathons. album artwork by rickard ljungdahl eklund label artwork by ivo kiusalaas (bildansvarig) mastering by andreas saag

since jim coles took on the mantle of om unit, the english producer has sought to challenge himself and his audience by going beyond the confines of genres and styles he has so far explored. in the process he has found success by striving for more feeling, for a more human and daring electronic music. this journey continues with ‘self’, coles’ third album as om unit and a true follow-up to his 2013 debut ‘threads’.
‘self’ captures coles in a period of growth, change, and experimentation. inspired by personal psychological and emotional healing work, and a vision of the self as an egg — which coles later on discovered is a jungian archetype — the album blends dubwise, bass-heavy music with the space of experimental ambient compositions and the daring imagination of a cold wave science fiction soundtrack.
the first om unit album on coles’ own cosmic bridge label, ‘self’ offers new forms amid familiar touches. stripping away what people might expect, coles deconstructed and reimagined his work so far as a challenge to himself and, in turn, to his fans.

perihelion’ starts off with rattling minimal synths before engaging basslines join crystalline melodies to generate an otherworldly aesthetic.
filtering effects and crashing cymbals then forge ‘morty’ as cosmic pads work underneath, making way for ‘a wormhole in the 4th wall’ and its vibrant foundation of organic drums and futuristic elements.

bringing electronic music to the physical realm, genre-bending drummer ian chang is set to release his debut ep spiritual leader this september. an acclaimed drumming virtuoso known for his work in son lux and landlady, chang uses his kit to control and manipulate samples resulting in a seamless synthesis of raw performative intensity and sophisticated sound design.
the vinyl release includes a download code.

seven years into its celebrated journey, life and death assembles its third and most adventurous compilation to date - displaced soundtracks. for the first instalment in a new series, dj tennis has given free rein to some of his most trusted contemporaries, enabling many of todays most respected dance music producers to display their hidden talents as composers. gathering music from a long-aborted film, the collection stands as another bastion of life and deaths perpetual evolution. duncan gray embraces dissonance, black merlin, appleblim and artefakt go interstellar and fango channels post-punk squat music. hades rocket showcases the expertly-sequenced synth work that has graced simian mobile discos illustrious career, while redshape revisits all the right sides of 80s wave and library music. danny daze and synth-savant kink embrace non-standard tempi with great success, while axel boman delivers sitar-laced gospelhouse without a bass drum. elsewhere, your favourite producers favourite producer, stimming, teams up with pianist lambert and the pair learn to fly. inspired and challenging, life and death ventures into their eighth year confidently, constantly evolving without compromise.

brand new glastonbury production duo speakman sound team up with frankie forman for the palliative psychedelic dance stylings of latest single warm. warm follows the breakneck success of debut single in flight which became a top viral track on spotify while being touted by key tastemakers including 6music’s lauren laverne, radio x’s john kennedy, soho radio’s eddie temple morris and radio 1’s huw stephens, monki and phil taggart. the latter commendations led to the brothers being offered a slot on the bbc introducing stage at glastonbury for a ram-packed homecoming. brothers todd and guy, the duo behind speakman sound, spent their childhood in the glastonbury area immersed in music through their father, a guitarist in psych-rock scene including bands such as hawkwind. growing into adolescence against a backdrop of rave culture in somerset shaped the psychedelic tinged future bass sound they create in their studio in north london today. warm is a sonic embrace, a trip into the uterine comforts of music. a rolling kick drum structures it, ostensibly four-on-the-floor, but with syncopated fibrillations, the sound of a heart skipping a beat. with frankie forman’s brilliant, mantra-like vocal and tobie tripp’s sweeping strings, warm reminds us of the comfort we find in music. enveloping in its beauty, it’s the latest majestic entry into speakman sound’s unique and beatific body of work. that the speakman brothers are producers in their own right should come as no surprise. having received a start-up grant for a studio in cricklewood, they have built an artistic hub from scratch and are surrounded by a creative coterie of young musicians and talented artists practicing across film and music in north london where they hold regular late-night jams and parties.

autumns is the solo project of christian donaghey from derry, northern ireland. following several releases on downwards and clan destine and hot on the heels of his debut lp, »suffocating brothers«, the »dyslexia tracks« ep sees autumns deliver 5 tracks and 38 minutes of brutal beauty. aligning itself closely to his recent live performances – where snares (and belts) crack like whips and synthesizers »wriggle like a fucking eel« – »dyslexia tracks« completes autumns journey from his post-punk beginnings to producing some of the tautest and toughest electronic music we’ve heard in some time.
alongside progressive appearances on cult labels donaghey’s restless work ethic has seen him share stages in europe and the us with the kvb, lust for youth, beak, silent servant & dva damas.

from portland’s burgeoning music scene comes a creative statement in the form of “tease”, the full length collaborative album by singer/songwriter blossom and producer hot16. meticulously thought out in every detail, “tease” shows the work of two sophisticated artists making their mark with an expertly written, performed, and produced lp that will undoubtedly find its way into your home and heart.
what started as a single guest feature quickly transformed into a full 8-song joint venture when it became instantly clear that the two artists brought out the best in each other. blossom’s poetic lyrics and emotive tones meld effortlessly around hot16’s unique production. strong, black, and imbued with magic, blossom shows depth & feeling in every note while hot16’s soulful tracks work as the perfect backdrops for her beautiful odes to identity, empowerment, love, and its accompanying heartache.
with a multitude of styles reflected on the album, each song can rightfully stand on its own. however, “tease” is best understood within the context of the whole, as genres are allowed to meld together and a its larger narrative unfolds.
take note, as the album is both a sonic world unto itself, as well as only a tease of what’s to come.
the vinyl release includes a download code.

tropical discos first vinyl outing serves up 4 stellar disco reworks tailor made for dancefloors worldwide. upfront support: house fm / mi-soul support djs

after a little more than three years since the beginning of the label, tensal returns with a very strong new double work. it contains eight tracks in which he defines the new evolution of his sound without losing too much sight of his roots.

infinite density – the new album by the berlin based, cuban-american artist blush response – is a fantastical exploration into the depths of industrial and ebm techno in collaboration with techno frontman adam x’s infamous imprint, sonic groove. influenced by the progressive noise of autechre, front line assembly and skinny puppy the producer has previously released with aufnahme +wiedergabe and ant-zen, as well as getting his hands dirty with programming work for the industrial pioneers fear factory, rhys fulber as well as latin pop singer cristian castro. infinite destiny takes a firm grip on situationally influenced content, pulling every corner of berlin into its belly for a challenging and unique sound – a sound that’s able to maintain functionality whilst simultaneously exposing loose wires of wild flangers and disturbed sampling. these erratic waves are expressed through the productions infinite density, aum shinrikyo, survivor guilt and dead still air, showcasing the most alien meta-bodies of blush’s sound. as an appropriation on contemporary acidic sound, the sonic motions of serpentine and tryptamine delve into explorations within the acid genre. rhys fulber’s string contribution on painkiller initiates a whirlwind rhetoric of distortion. panic stricken, no solace and tessellate focus on strong industrial pads that carry the density of each track whilst infinite dread’s ebm back bone hits hard with heavy arpeggiation. crucial to its form, the album showcases new experimental sound that repurposes algorithms of today’s dancefloor dogma. blush response exposes these paradigms through mutated build-ups and drops. however, his innovative “modular synth heavy” sound design obscures the flow in a way that permeates the concrete arenas his productions are designed for – in true berlin style.

to give end to his alter ego mariano marcial aka -deep mariano- gives us its latest album. a story filled with syncopated rhythms, elegant passages between techno and microhouse abstract sounds. this work completes in a collaboration with exequiel, artist of san pablo, and a rmx with a solid groove with futurist low funk bass of federico molinari.

spezial offer!!! form and function’s second release comes by the hand of a. brehme. over the years the brussels based artist has build a solid reputation as a dj through both frequent appearances as well as curating his own nights at fuse club in brussels. this alongside being a coresident together with peter van hoesen at technoon and playing in clubs such as de school, grelle forelle, suicide circus and more. after years of silent but devoted work in the studio a. brehme is ready to release his debut ep consisting of four powerful cuts that perfectly reflect the sound and mindset he gained his reputation with.

on the a-side things start of with “inityiat” which simply can be seen as a distorted form of “initiation”. starting of hypnotic, the track slowly progresses adding a plethora of subtle percussive elements. an ethnic and mysterious chanting complements the latter throughout the sonic voyageand caters for a promising start. part two of the a-side, “hata isler”, takes off where “inityiat” ended, but amplified in strength. subliminal voices manipulated harmoniously into the pads are mixed with sophisticated alternations of snares and hats. the result: a perfect continuation of the spirit the first track. side b commences with “insan”, a title that serves the track right. straight forward, upgrading the tempo of the previous tracks into a drive that’s impossible to resist. the maelstrom of drones and soundscapes on a layer of thundering sounds, induce a new stage of sonic hypnosis, until it gradually phases out into silence. “tzotzil” on the other hand is a skillfuly crafted tooltrack that’s build around a glooming and reverbing baseline.

breaking his silence after twenty years, sebastian snoeck a.k.a sebastian s. will be the second member of belgian collective “bwp experiments” to release on the basic moves imprint. he has handed over two previously unpublished tracks made under the moniker caustic 14. after listening to “personal space invader” in 1997, carl craig asked sebastian s. to produce new material for his own label, planet e. “message in a box” and “rising star” were therefore made as a response to this request. however, due to a political transatlantic rift the tracks never saw the light of day and have since been stored on dat tapes, hidden away from the general public’s ears. if i had to describe sebastian’s output, i’d say it is most importantly energetic, positive, and groovy. it bears the mark of a certain nostalgia, shying away from the blind celebration of both futurism and experimentation in order to reach intemporality. this attempt to exist outside of time gives his productions a certain character and in my opinion his music has come to embody something i like to call “space opera techno”. sebastian s has succeeded where many before him have failed: by avoiding copycat tactics and simplified approaches to production he managed to create a singular identity. the tracks are recognisable after the first few seconds – and that’s what makes his work so unique!

it does not happen that often any more that unreleased music from 40 years ago surfaces. even more unlikely it is that the songs put on tape are such treasures. the voltags were right at the forefront of the local washington dc new wave/punk scene of the late 1970s. influenced by kraftwerk, gary numan, the clash, and the b-52 s, they have released only one 45rpm single during their existence. but during the time span of not even 18 months, they had recorded enough material for an entire album - but the songs remained in the can. this is the story of the voltags, a short-lived band which could have become famous and mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned music legends of that era if their songs had been released back in the day. dive in and enjoy the sound of the voltags, it is truly special. we here at perfect toy are thrilled to be label to finally release their work and we sincerely hope that they are finally getting the appreciation they so richly deserve.

it does not happen that often any more that unreleased music from 40 years ago surfaces. even more unlikely it is that the songs put on tape are such treasures. the voltags were right at the forefront of the local washington dc new wave/punk scene of the late 1970s. influenced by kraftwerk, gary numan, the clash, and the b-52 s, they have released only one 45rpm single during their existence. but during the time span of not even 18 months, they had recorded enough material for an entire album but the songs remained in the can. this is the story of the voltags, a short-lived band which could have become famous and mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned music legends of that era if their songs had been released back in the day. dive in and enjoy the sound of the voltags, it is truly special. we here at perfect toy are thrilled to be label to finally release their work and we sincerely hope that they are finally getting the appreciation they so richly deserve

recorded in new york’s avatar studios in may 2017 and produced by manfred eicher, blue maqams brings tunisian oud master anouar brahem together with three brilliant improvisers. for anouar brahem and dave holland the album marks a reunion: they first collaborated 20 years ago on the very widely-acclaimed thimar album. brahem meets jack dejohnette for the first time here, but holland and dejohnette have been frequent musical partners over the last half-century beginning with ground-breaking work with miles davis – their collaborations are legendary. british pianist django bates also rises superbly to the challenge of brahem’s compositions. and anouar in turn is inspired to some of his most outgoing playing. blue maqams is a highlight of ecm’s autumn season.
180 gram double vinyl release.

left ear are re-introducing another ten lost tracks from nicholas georgieff and virgil work, st louis basement electronics duo workdub. the release spans material from 1989-95 and includes recordings from their sole lp and both cassette albums. workdubs music hardly fits into a vacuum and some might even say it’s otherworldly. tracks like reach for the stars and lunar module reflect dreams of space-age exploration, all the while their investigation into drum machines, synthesizers, samples matched with their organic live instrumentation work to create a unique atmospheric dubbed out sound.

hybrid techno tracks full of tension on time to express number 30, presented by label founder peter van hoesen. the belgian producer takes up the opportunity to expand upon his previous work on the coast to coast ep. no longer exclusively restricted to straight 4/4 rhythms, van hoesen s music investigates hybrid, broken grooves infused with a clear sense of spatial sonic awareness. this is made clear with the first two tracks, towards manifestation and fox tactics. on the second half of the ep van hoesen launches two solid techno cuts, shifting from dense bassline work (concrete varition) to percussive, shuffling grooves (fox tactics). as with all previous time to express outings a specific i ching hexagram was chosen to accompany this release. hexagram #10 ( treading upon the tail of the tiger ) refers to advancement with care and ways of respectful progress. the title of the ep is a direct reference to the first line of this intriguing hexagram. nine at the beginning will be released on vinyl and digital formats on october 23rd 2017. a specially designed t-shirt will be made available at the same time, interpreting hexagram #10 through its design.

hot on the heels of the smash release from superlover, mother recordings welcome back simion to the label with his the rhythm ep. simion presents two cuts of upfront house music that are prime for the dancefloor. first up is title-track, the rhythm , a nod to the 90s chicago sound with jacking drums and a sensual female vocal. backed up by a funk-fuelled bassline and a lush piano breakdown that lead into a deep house groove. the b-side feeling good is true to its title. tight percussion, chopped vocals and a catchy synth line all come together in a fluttering climax. this one is sure to leave any dancefloor shaking.

the next release on the london based snare tapes delivers an insatiable five track solo ep from the currently on fire and incredibly talented duckett. the freerotation regular displays the full palette of his jarring percussive sounds, blissfully melancholic synth work and a sprinkle of his tougher side.

valby003 sees louf return, fusing heavier club elements with sentimental synth work. ‘if i was’ is a pummelling drum track, laced with synths that rise and fall gently, providing a fleeting moment of warm autumnal euphoria.
on the flip side we have ‘outside my house’. robotic, vibrating vocals challenge its listener to question the levels of emotion that a technological being can possess. delicate, tender house music.
prepare your heartstrings & welcome back louf!

senales, spanish for signals, is the new work and debut at femur by rafa m. espinosa, aka geistform. it depicts a round trip to the darkest side, the sullen and dismal side of our sonic concept. the four tracks, which make up this 12- range from odes to smacking electro beat, obsessive mid-tempos, old industrial echoes and sinister and unsettling atmospheres.

londons chocky joins the dessous recordings label and shares four tracks of sublime house music on steve bugs imprint. self knowledge is a deep, techy roller clocking it at nearly 10 mins plenty of space to expand into its full potential the groove grows ever more hypnotic and engaging as the track unfolds. next up is ‘a reefa - a non too subtle reference to a certain herb that might have inspired this loose yet highly funky deep house jam. casa de estrela changes the vibe up with a more direct and jacking track even though it would work at prime time, chockys feel for space and drama make sure the track will be heard in many diverse surrounding and sets this year.

niall mannion aka mano le tough is set to release his first record on pampa entitled ahsure. the 3 track ep sees the irish producer showcase his unique ability to combine dance floor rhythms with visceral vocal based songs. the result of which is a piece of work that will find a comfortable home in a variety of settings. while this method has become the hallmark of manos discography, ahsure feels like some of his most honest and accomplished work to date.

say what you wanna say, but you have to give strahil velchev this: the manÆs a powerhouse. recording and playing live under the kink alias, he went on to become one of finest purveyorÆs of funk in techno and house. what it is, by definition, ainÆt exactly clear. and that is the beauty of it. kinkÆs music is unifying in the best possible way. channeling the spirit and feeling of a time where it didnÆt really matter who the faces behind the music were, kink plays with the elements of genres and sub-genres as if the future of it all is still wide-open. at the same time it could be accused of retro-fetishism, as much as the pope himself is infallible. the pure need to recreate moments, feelings and experience - rather than carbon copies of existing designs - was what started kinkÆs production work. hailing from bulgaria, it was nearly impossible to get your hands on all the records and music that fed into a system of raves, clubs and record shops that seemed far away from sofia, and financially it might as well have meant another galaxy. wanting to dj without having access to the tracks that spun the carousel meant that you had to create them yourselves. so, here we go with a private bootlegger gone public mastermind and one of the loudest voices in house, techno and beyond. from kinkÆs early productions with neville watson to his smash-hit for ovum, a cerebral album for macro, tons of remixes & tracks and his mind-bending live act, playground seems to take all that into a blender. simultaneously a sound-summary, the harvest of a field of ideas, and the exhibition of an artist in his prime, it also works as a sort of kink dictionary: avant-garde soundscapes stand next to boisterous bangers, classic club tracks and peak time emotions

swiss pair domo are back on their own framework label with another fine ep featuring two fresh and inventive cuts.
this well established swiss duo have already served up the first two eps on this label proving they have a sound that mixes up classic detroit and berlin sounds with their own vivid imaginations and a love of tech house. they also work as live performers who focus on spontaneity, and that certainly shows here.

“i’ve said it before, but dancehall and its influence on uk music has been a massive inspiration for me, going way back to hearing chris goldfinger on radio 1 playing music that was like nothing else i’d heard before. i love that fundamental rhythmic pattern, and i love how within the same world you can have some tunes that are built around the sweetest melodies and harmonies, and others that are built around super-tuff minimal drums and crazy squeeks and bleeps.
when it came time to build another ep for critical, i decided to link up with my good friend and long-time collaborator rider shafique, who has a much deeper knowledge of this music than me, and together create something that references both old and new dancehall, while still being playable in the kinds of sets i ve become known for. there’s no halftime and no chopped-up jungle breaks here - we wanted to make something really focussed and even disciplined - and hopefully we’ve succeeded.
big shouts to the vocal collaborators - super hyped to work with stush on a tune, irah came through with the righteous fire, and tiffanie malvo absolutely bodied her beat - but ultimate biggups have to go to rider. this wasn’t a project where i made the beats and rider voiced them - for pretty much every tune, we worked and reworked the riddims together. we’re both stoked on the results, and it seems like people in the dance feel the same way.” - sam binga

next up on asking for trouble after selling out the album and re-pressing comes a four track remix ep for radioactive man’s luxury sky garden album. life-time friend of radioactive man and control tower partner dexorcist aka simon brown is first up to deliver his take on ‘sonic portal’ on the a side. his style has always been uncompromising and as a music lover and dj he s been a major influence on tenniswood’s style and taste for a long time. dexorcist turns in a detroit influenced banger which goes deep. ben pest then follows with his own take of the same track. a member of funk band pest, purveyor of wonky techno, music tech teacher and hardware enthusiast ben has also released on jerome hill’s don t’ label, i love acid and horror boogie to name a few. his take on ‘sonic portal’ is as genre bending and weighted as you’d expect. over on the b side pain struck stanley dumb remix ‘blast furnace’ - a fast and furious electro track which was released as a digital bonus to the album. they work it into a breakneck speed techno number. taste the amphetamine! completing the package biggabush (aka glyn bush) brings his dub influence to the mix. bush of rockers hi-fi connected with radioactive man during a mastering session asking to do the mix after hearing the record. the results are impressive and provide a welcome tempo and vibe change to the ep with its deep and dubby elements.

when it comes to living legends in the texas and latin music pantheon, few have been at it longer and are more revered by their fans and peers than soul vocalist and mexican-american songwriter and bandleader sunny ozuna. he became a star right out of high school in the late ‘50s and hasn’t looked back in the six decades since.
among countless other honors and notable achievements, sunny was the first latino artist to appear on dick clark’s “american bandstand” (in 1963). songs like “put me in jail,” “talk to me,” “should i take you home,” “my dream” and “smile now, cry later” still bring crowds to their feet throughout the southwest and california and around the world at “oldies” and “lowrider soul” events. and after releasing dozens of albums since the mid-1960s (in spanish and english), sunny still keeps a busy schedule and loves performing as much as he did as a teenager. his classic 45s regularly change hands for hundreds of dollars among collectors around the world, affirming his timeless appeal.
this new compilation on brooklyn’s acclaimed big crown label is a lovingly curated selection of songs from the years 1966 to 1972. all compositions were originally released on sunny’s key-loc label, formed after his national star had been established, so he could have control of his own musical destiny. with sunny hits – a mix of originals and some great covers thrown in mr. brown eyed soul is an excellent celebration of sunny’s amazing body of work, and a perfect introduction for newcomers.
produced in full collaboration and cooperation with ozuna himself, the cd and lp packaging includes liner notes by texas music scholar and archivist ramon hernandez, and features dozens of rare photos provided by sunny himself.
vinyl lp in gatefold sleeve including download code.

this record is a collaborative between marq spekt and experimental, proto-new wave musician gary wilson (stones throw). it’s rare that you get the opportunity to work with the actual artist rather than just sampling his records. gary opened his vaults and provided sample soundscapes. some of these instrumentals date back to 1973 and may have been heard before. others may not. the ending result is a pure creative expression and meshes hip-hop, psychedelic, jazz and funk. soak up the vibrations and enjoy!
this is the kind of idea that makes you enjoy the fringes of rap more than what’s in the spotlight. with that said, “broken mazes” sounds weirder on paper than it does in the headphones. gary wilson is an awesomely strange dude with some outré music under his belt, but for this project spekt wisely sticks with the more accessible sides of wilson’s catalog. it’s all breezy jazz-funk with some vague psychedelic touches for extra oomph, a wide-open feld for spekt to run his free-flowing bars. the result is relaxed and enjoyable, if at times a bit unfocused – kinda like a good open-ended improv session by a talented jazz band.

girlfriends and other machines is another distinctive work by mostly undiscovered berlin based artist rhytch displaying his unique dirty and soulful sound. the 6 track ep varies from edgy deep house to weirdo krautrock reminding one of the genreroots, while sounding like a legit fresh reinterpretation. the artists voice being revealed on most of the tracks is giving the listener a glimpse of who he is and adds some character traits to infamous rhytch. the ep gets completed by an outstanding marbod remix, which is going to make people snap with its flickering distorted 909 hats woven into one of his typical psychedelic housepads creating an irresistible groove and atmosphere. the ep being released on berlin underground imprint lofile records is a nice prospect of what is to expect of further releases and obviously a wise choice for label and artist which share the same hobbies - drinking and smoking.

home recorded above a lawyers office and next door to a brothel, the retrospective is lead by the earth shattering digi stepper rock steady. originally intended for an abandoned dub album, rock steady and fantasy dub were saved from the cutting room floor by australian cd-only compilations on creative vibes and vital collective clan analogue, while green river was never released. now demanding wider appreciation, the dubs finally find union with green man’s new york hip hop/dancehall style, lifted from his second solo album the blue hour vol. 3: deep blue. humbly excelling in all electronic forms, rantzen helped guide techno-rave duo itch-e & scratch-e through the 90s with paul mac. winning the inaugural best dance release category at the 1995 aria awards, mac thanked all of sydneys ecstasy dealers, without whom this award would not be possible, while rantzen stayed at home. the two would also operate incognito as boo boo & mace and screensaver, often collaborating on looney dubs with sheriff lindo - the master of seismic shocks down under. rantzens earliest work stretches back to pelican daughters, an ensemble who proliferated industrial-leaning ambient and tape loop experiments

to make it true and organic was the main purpose when german producer filou started his work for nova 118 ep. both original tracks, radon and scandium represent the path of techno with house influences. the tracks are rich in details and short fills which makes this a truly outstanding record. as this isn’t enough filou presents two versions of -radon- and -scandium- demonstrating where techno and house can take you. as the original concentrates on a percussive rhythm, samuel l. session’s version is arranged more classically -- a deep chord, a clear beat, accentuated hi-hats and claps. the -justin berkovi remix- carefully-placed sounds building the track into a dynamic and hypnotic whole. the percussiveness here is more profound, shaping the track in a completely different way. already massive plays by a bunch of dj-s incl. villalobos.

after twenty years at the center of the electronic scene, the enigma that is chlo? still stands. while chloe has long transcended her image as the dj behind legendary club night pulp, headlining the rex as well as clubs and festivals throughout europe, endless revisions represents yet another deviation from rigid genre classification, deepening the often-linear perspectives on current music. a rich and multi- faceted work, the artistas captivating third album drifts from one mystery to the other, harkening back to philosopher theodor w. adornoas maxim: the task of art today is to bring chaos into order.

rotterdam based duo arkvs release “oppression” ep through the prruk black series. the result is an exciting package of futuristic techno sounds and searing drums. the duo has managed to find a perfectly executed trip throughout the different sides of arkvs. while the general tone is darkish throughout, there are some uplifting atmospheres and hints of hope to be found in this package. while the title track is a thumping piece of dancefloor techno, the cinematic voyage “our deepest fear” is a stand-out production of adventurous electronics. on the b-side we find “chose to defy”, which is a tough work of dark techno and the somewhat more mellow “nonviolence” on which an intrusive bassline is combined with some beautiful synth sounds.

s-file is back with his second record in this year. broken and shelter is his new double a side record. shelter is a monster tune with a catchy old skool vox hook, that guaranteed work on the dance floor. ben sims played them early in his nts live show and also the baron of techno, dave clarke played the track as opener in his tomorrowland 2017 set. he sayed also in his white noise show: this is a weapon for all festivals. the second track on the record is a catchy broken beats tune with a catchy chord hook. we hope that you are as much excited as we are about his new record!

moscow based multi-talent impish presents the hush lp, his latest album project that will be released through all quality physical electronic music outlets around the world october 20. working through labels such as program, c.i.a. and his own fast rising occulti music imprint impish is quickly establishing a name for himself in the global drum & bass scene. in a world that consumes more and more music in a superficial way impish manages to take a halt on the hush lp with timeless songwriting, arrangement and production inspired by live music and drum work. from effortlessly rolling tracks such as can’t feel and shadows towards more introspective vibes on changing colours and the lp’s title track a common thread runs clearly throughout the album: the aim for perfection, true craftmanship and a drive to combine to high-quality beats and breaks with musical elements. to aid the budding artist in spreading his ethos uk based female vocalist kate wild and irish drum & bass producer zero t feature on the album for vocal appearances and remix work.