glasgow based imprint flatpack traxx returns with a no nonsense 4 track ep made for the dance floor. collaboration from 2 of the uk s brightest new talents dissonance and intact. both of whom play an integral role within london based collective surface music. dissonance an anglo/italian producer was exposed to strong musical influences having relocated to the uk at an early age. his recent productions are a voyage of exploration, recording for the likes of spains oblack label and 2651 records alongside los pastores and the willers brothers respectively.

austere make a welcome with a various artists four tracker. featuring four varied cuts ranging from techno tinged house to bass heavy beatdown! life recorder kicks things off in his own unique style which never disappoints. next up is arnheim, a newcomer with a very mature sounding jazzy house number. gradul lashton takes things back into house territory with an infectious 303 laden groove. finally, fat dog comes and drops the tempo and the bottom end with a sublime track to finish.

laak return on austere with four cuts, only available on vinyl as usual. laak are on point with the opening track unbalanced, an intensely gritty track. there is also a remix of an archive laak track by dj spider who completely dismantles the original to create a dark menacing remix. the b side kicks off with mental & emotional which continues the theme along with the more laid back track, the rituals. overall an ep that will not disappoint fans of the label.

expect the usual heads down, subterranean business! side a contains probably the most dance floor friendly track that laak have produced, always true, with a solid bass line and 303 subtleties to get going. the second mix of it adds some classic chords to great effect. flipside is for the underground heads, with a lush brooding track called mixed messages and a slo-mo burner amor meus closing the ep. only available on vinyl as usual.

limited to 300 copies. available only on vinyl.
for the fourth ep on austere, irelands slowburn are welcomed into the fold. having impressed us with releases on uzuri and elektrosouls this ep will not disappoint fans of the label to kick things off we have the the hustle which sounds like something that prescription forgot to release back in the day! next up is broken document which delivers lovely warm analogue chords and pads interlaced with an 808 groove. the b-side starts off with do it using various samples to great effect to culminate in a unique deep house sound. finishing things off in much the same territory is from another angle which again brings the warm chords and pads, but also brings to the table some really delicate synth lines to create a surreal effect.

the third ep from laak on austere is very much in the same vein as the labels ethos – raw, profound underground house music! with the past releases on austere getting props from players such as jus ed, keith worthy, steven tang, anton zap, malcolm moore (altered moods), deep space orchestra, homepark, pjotr (ethereal sound), area/m50 (wave) and dj spider, this ep will not disappoint the heads so dont sleep on this!

300 copies, vinyl only, authentic, raw, underground. the second offering from laak on their austere imprint is another defined four tracker. >back of beyond< kicks things off, a sincere heads down jam combining latin percussion elements with a killer bass line and warm chords. the second track, >dont ever leave< is a heartfelt lament on the feeling of loss, slowing the tempo down, this one is deep! on the flip, >cosmic causeway< offers something a little different although keeping with the warm pads, this time the use of a spaced out trumpet keeps things flowing. the remaining track >cantankerous emotions< is a little different as regards to the beats, but loses none of the soul and profoundness of the other tracks. only for the underground soldiers!

austere can mean >lacking trivial decoration< and >not extravagant< which is exactly what the ethos behind this esoteric new label is about - raw, real and underground. the first ep from laak (pronounced >lock<) is true to the roots of house music. warm pads, discreet analog melodies and vintage drum patterns. along the way giving a huge nod to chicago, detroit and the forefathers of the genre. already receiving support from jus ed on his underground quality radio show and quite a few other players, dont sleep!

ici d’ailleurs presents the 7th album from chapelier fou. the vinyl release includes a download code.

highly synergistic split from eleh/caterina barbieri featuring two sides of similar audio dimensions. these two electronic sound poems slowly unfurl rich timbre and harmonics with an austere stillness that is, somehow, ever-changing. it hardly matters whose side is whose.

best effort records jumps out of the box with their inaugural release ’number one’ - a selection of tracks that celebrate friends making music together. cold emotion are danny wild and rory stenning. the duo explore improvised club music using various keyboards and modular synthesisers. “toast” is a track taken from an extensive live recording session from 2015. accidental cv messages create unexpected cyclic baseline patterns while keyboard melodies float freely above jacking modular beats. the result is an imperfect, inspired club jam ready for any occasion. -cantao- pitches things down from the hypnotic frenzy of -toast- to offer a unique hybrid between computerized dub, subaquatic g-funk and triphop ambiance. canadian content! -manipulate me- is a collaboration between ivy barkakati and phran. the stark, alienated quality of ivy s spoken vocals & dark subject matter sounds even more claustrophobic and sinister backed up by the duo s frigid machine-funk, which is more in the spirit austere & icy 80s coldwave than modern house music. metric systems are a duo from somewhere in australia. the fathoms-deep -adaptation dub”, recored in 2009, is reminiscent of australia s after-hour dub technicians sheriff lindo or andy rantzen. look out for a full lp later in the year

“struggle artist” is the new album from justin c. meyers, the minneapolis-based composer, artist, and head of the sympathy ltd. label. meyers is a unique, underappreciated talent in contemporary electronic music. his greatest strengths are twofold: his compositions have a meticulous structural logic, revealing a hermetic and austere formalism, concurrently, his compositions have a deep, introspective narrativity grounded in his lived experience, evoked with a mature clarity. together, they make meyers one of the most interesting electronic musicians working with cutting-edge sonics today, unlocking their latent powers of metaphor and figuration. his previous album, 2016’s “negative space (1981–2014)”, deals with the onset of chronic illness and near-death experience. its careful, anechoic meditations on the failing body are a resounding achievement, and the album remains a high watermark of acousmatic music in the 21st century. “struggle artist” portrays meyers’ expectations and disappointments arising from making art in his free time. created initially during lunch breaks and in hospital waiting rooms, and finished after being laid off from his job, it catalogues the despondency of the precarious life. if “negative space” was about the fallible body, “struggle artist” is its violent collision with late capitalism.

limited edition black vinyl 300 copies...
ryuji takeuchi provides instruments of discipline with an ep of noisy, hypnotic tracks, ranging from giddy, stomping, left-field techno to melancholic ambience, the ep’s title ‘one’s sentiment’ provides a thoughtful angle to this at times cacophonous collection, for while they are bristling with noise there is something contemplative about the pieces, expressed in a way that suggests more than one thought trying to take life at the same moment, ryuji finds space for conflicting voices both spatially and in terms of mood, the first three tracks, ‘ambivalence’, ‘sadness’ & ‘sorrow’ crawl with competing elements, synth lines drool over and meld with throbbing kick patterns, anxiety & excitement are tightly wound in focus as tracks build and develop, leaving the listener to navigate these abstract planes, intoxicated, while the final track ‘regret’ is a compelling piece of noisy, ambient minimalism that allows for an austere pause after the eruption of the initial works. it becomes evident that ryuji’s journey as a producer, through periods of hard-techno, deep-minimalism and the more abrasive ventures on huehelix, has created a powerful and nuanced voice that is fully on display in ‘one’s sentiment’.

our resident fugal returns to secondnature with his parallels ep: four versatile tracks of powerful rhythms and diverse moods. the korean-american artist from seattle picks up from the austere, dense, textural themes of his debut ep -oil panes- and expands them into colorful, adventurous territory. early support from: peter van hoesen, eric cloutier, aurora halal, acronym, luke slater, inland, dj rolando, shifted, artefakt, developer, and many more.

austere factory techno with a distinct gallic swagger.

asc is a perfect fit for silent season, favouring as he does greyscale melodic content and a cerebral approach to mutant techno. cerulean is a fine opening gambit on this 12inch, all crooked kick patterns and micro bleeps calling out into nothing, while dimension 1010 maintains the austere approach with a slow swell of melancholic ambience over a meditative rhythm. enchanted is no less restrained, but there s a subtle shard of light in the murmuring pad that lingers in the background. that s well and truly dealt with on the bleak beatdown molniya, which pings bleakest techno into a black hole of sound, which is of course a wonderful thing to behold.

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.

this is the fifth release on eye teeth, the techno sublabel of interdimensional transmissions, by it compatriot alstadt echo. alstadt echo effortlessly blends the avant garde with industrial techno influences into his own deeply austere sound, with grainy textures contrasting perfectly against his broken beat structures. the influences are clear, he has even been honored by one - with multiple tunes included on regis the boys are here mix tape. alstadt echo also runs his own detroit imprint known as modern cathedrals, an ode to the concept of cathedrals of sound, the place where this music belongs.

in the fourth modern cathedrals release, altstadt echo crafts three original works with a focus on experimentation with broken beat structures and grainy percussive texture, against a backdrop of austere atmospheres. varg contributes a remix that emphasizes the despairing tones of the descent, contrasted with glistening treble percussion and and stumbling bass. to end the release, evigt mörker offers an extended hypnotic version of the track that slowly develops from a functional framework into an atmospheric drift. the thematic aspects of the release follow the development of modern cathedrals as a label, expressing existentialist themes centered around the search for meaning in a life that forbids it. the label art features photographs of the beautiful remains of one of detroits many unused churches

stÄrkers 2nd ep scorched delivers raw, pulsating rhythmic progressions all masterfully connected to deep ambient drones. the berlin-montreal based duo of frederic arbour (cyclic law) and martin dumais (aun) deliver haunting industrial rhythms and brooding atmospherics, drawing from an austere palette of abstract sonorities.

stunning debut from london based artist forest drive west for livity sound. * system revolves around an irresistible deep and tripping pneumatic broken drum groove, propelling the track through ten tense minutes of foggy atmospherics. * show them is similarly immersive but this time with nods to the densely smoked out uk dancefloors of 2004, austere and hypnotic.

legendary, killer roots. an austere, implacable, heavier-than-lead one-away, with a severe dub. even their bass bins shall tremble and be in anguish.

stark, austere, cheap components techno-not-techno released in collab with paid reach aka kassem mosse.

with the first monasterio release, the team behind the moscow clubbing institution has aimed to recreate the atmosphere that has made the club such an important part of the russian techno movement. each track from the compilation strives to represent a dimension of the club’s style, starting with powerful opener the chamber. oliver deutschmann, a close friend of monasterio, references the main room of the club and takes us on an anthemic ride full of organs and sonic spectrum requisitioning buzz. the mutating and pulsating groove of russian resident unbalance follows, bringing forth a change in the atmosphere and the hypnotic synths and austere percussion work of young ukrainian talent recid take the listener to the prime hours of the party. danish dj/producer anastasia kristensen overtakes by ways of air in a high-speed modular chase, bringing the night to a close and leaving us with high hopes for our next journey through the corridors and chambers of the temple of techno.
supported by: ben sims, slam, laurent garnier, adam beyer, truncate, jonas kopp, ilario alicante, paco osuna, gel abril, ctrls, pfirter, xhin, regen, roman lindau, antonio de angelis, lee holman, abstract division, juho kusti, krenzlin, felix lorusso, david att...

the first release from the contrast-wax sister label, no more to roam, shifts the focus towards the real soulful elements of house music, the debut here comes from north-east based neil bilton aka fatdog, starting life as an independent record store owner in middlesbrough, fatdog has made a tidy progression into production, with releases on laaks austere recordings & his own imprint fatdog records now fatdog opens the running for no more to roam with a 3 track ep of down-tempo, laid back house music, layered with subtle synth lines, chord progressions and vocals throughout.

lost soul enterprises offers the debut solo release by blacklauren. a shadowy figure in new yorks techno landscape and one half of the warehouse dj duo the long count, here he offers up a suite of four floor-ready cuts. rhythmically austere and hauntingly atmospheric, each track follows its own complex logic of interlocking parts, giving the illusion of being both static and in constant churning motion.

the specter ep is another installment of viadrina s broad interest in contemporary club aesthetics. blob is a vibrant house jam, while specter moves towards darker, trancey sounds. different but marked with duo s significant production skills the ep sums up 5 years of their career very, very well. it comes with two interesting remixes, one from kixnare - a real soulful producer and the other from enigmatic and austere venice calypso

amr prepares its 28th release, -our ways- by birmingham, uk producers laak (of austere recordings). the release features four deep, melodic house tracks for your listening pleasure.

words spoken in another land and in another time echo through mikaels record. before the light of morning shines over his world he sings songs without words, madrigals for the petulant synths and austere drums, in an effort to stall out the first rays of the sun for just one more moment.

more fresh & effective techno tools from blue hour. limited clear vinyl with insert and poly sleeve... in quick succession after his debut ep, blue hour continues to deliver raw & effective techno on his self-titled imprint. the second release >axis motive< pushes the next instalment forward into slightly austere, jacking territory.

mit dem ehemaligen alexisonfire-frontmann wade macneil haben gallows einen großartigen nachfolger rekrutiert. gemeinsam veröffentlichen sie am 07.09.2012 das erste studioalbum in neuer besetzung - das insgesamt dritte full-length album. in wade macneil hat die band einen ausgezeichneten ersatz gefunden, denn seine live-performance gilt als legendär. das im september erscheinende album >gallows< belegt, dass die fünf weiterhin einzigartig in ausdruck und kraftvoller dynamik sind. vom ersten moment an waren gallows eine ungewöhnliche band für die britische rockszene. 2005 ist die hertfordshire crew aus der britischen untergrund punk-szene entstanden. ihre einflüsse kamen stets vom amerikanischen hardcore - refused, at the drive-in, jr ewing - die für den brachialen und typisch tobenden sound einer unzufriedenen jugend stehen. das album erscheint auf ihrem eigenen label venn records, aufgenommen im sommer 2012 in watford von thomas mitchener und steve sears. inklusive code für freien mp3-download des albums.

komisch welcomes another new artist to its fold for its last release of 2011.p.god aka paolo dioguardi hails from naples in italy. still in his 20s, he makes music that belies his youth and neptune iv sounds like the work of a veteran producer. lead track approaching an ocean planet sees grainy, dense beats and hypntoic bleeps take the lead, but hovering above the arrangement, tethered to the reverberated, doubled up claps, are ghostly, eerie chords. the title track adopts a similar approach, with bursts of metallic percussion underscoring spacey pads as p.god drops a droning, tunneling rhythm track. finally, geometric shadows on iced surfaces sees the young producer opt for a deeper approach. this time the chords envelop a purring groove, but the same sense of understated menace is still audible thanks to the austere hats and bleak subsonic bass. capturing jeff millss estoeric side and the hypnotic magic of sleeparchive, neptune iv is a real techno journey!

with the upcoming release of her debut ep warn-u, tri angle is extremely excited to introduce ayshay. born in senegal, raised in kuwait and now living in new york city, fatima al qadiri is the producer and vocalist behind ayshay. fuelled by her fascination with the sacred songs of islam warn-u is a homage and reinterpretation of the sounds that have haunted al qadiri since she was a child. constructed entirely out of her own vocals, which she filtered and layered upon one another warn-u is al qadiris attempt to reconfigure the concept of sacred music as inspiring divine love and divine fear. even in her adoption of the name ayshay, a flippant term which means whatever in arabic, fatima al qadiri seeks to distance the austere values inherent in worship music from her own interpretation of the latter.

canadian electro mainstay lowfish, lets loose a preview of his forthcoming >hypersensitivity< full-length. lowfish is gregory de rocher, and barring last years >memories…< album, a compilation of vintage archive recordings, this double-a-side 7 inch is actually the first new lowfish release since 2008. while his last 2 albums could best be described as serene and clinical, electro at its most austere, lowfishs return to suction records, the label he co-runs with solvent, also marks a return to a more melancholic electropop sound.

vezelay is 30 year old matthieu le berre who is from clermont-ferrand in france and this six track e.p. of short dreamlike electropop is his debut release.
the >lyre e.p.< simply and beautifully mixes stripped down simple pop structures with a dreamlike quality featuring matthieus soft falsetto singing. the feeling is quite lo-fi and hazy and with repeated listens reveals an austere depth and complexity.

clandestine techno/house imprint, meanwhile records reveals a one-off opus from two highly respected techno producers, niels luinenberg (delta funktionen) and samuel van dijk (mohlao). the deeply mystical >inward content< session represents the leuwarden sound of their native north holland (also former home to another master of hypnotic repetition ((of the graphic type)), m.c. escher) with an elegant, classically informed and deeply refined brand of 4/4 also identified on celebrated 12inches for ann aimee and delsin. the albums six tracks use an economical production palette, but we wouldnt call them minimal. the emphasis is on subtly monotone melodic shades, from the rippling black masses of bass which power each track, to the bluest hued pads and unfathomably expansive atmospheres which lend them their spectral grace. listening to this album is almost a mystical experience, like hearing the results of a seance conducted in low-lit surroundings calling upon the spirits of basic channel, convextion and the black dog circa 1995. >inward content< took over two years to assemble and techno connoisseurs can clearly discern why. recommended!

following the success of his debut ep, komisch is delighted to put out the next instalment from sp-x. like his first release, the three tracks on field lines never end capture the essence of contemporary techno - austere and functional, yet deeply resonating. field construction starts with crackle of a broken power cable accompanying brittle percussion and a juggernaut rhythm, before dank filters, distorted riffs and a combination of doubled up claps and hissing hats bring the track to an irresistibly dark climax. internalize follows a similar path, but straight away sp-x plots a more ominous course, with a muffled filter making way for jarring riffs, a grubby acid line and killer claps. last but certainly not least, flux is constructed using dense rhythms, deadweight, iron bar beats and a howling siren riff that sounds like it came from beyond. all the while, sp-xs rasping, firing percussion weaves in and out. these are deadly effective techno tracks, streamlined for use on big speakers - but dont take our word for it, try them out yourselves!

punch drunk broadcasts two transmissions direct from the murky depths of the bristol underground. debut 12 inch from respected underground stalwart superisk conjures shaolin indebted psychedelic visions of pathways through austere times. mensah turns up the heat on the flipside, reimagining the originals melodics & infecting them with his signature robust high energy funk.

wings - another doubletracker from andrei zakharov aka an-2 on his own theomatic. this record as well as the previous >diva< is performed in diptych concept which means that both tracks have common elements and build perspectives to the same idea but from different points of view. slow, hardstepping and austere fatal version vs. light and bright vital version. musically both tracks is a versatile combination where funk and disco organically intergate the techno elements... support from sasse & c-rock

gem club is an exclusive society: two people, a piano, and a cello. vocalist christopher barnes sings in a quivering whisper, and these minimal accompaniments assure that their sound never becomes louder than a hush. but the massachusetts duo s debut ep, acid and everything, showed just how much emotional intensity you could pack into compositions so spare, and how much could be suggested with so little. everything on breakers, their first full-length, sounds frozen over: icy, quiet, austere. you know that eerie feeling when you find yourself alone in a huge public place that s usually crowded-- maybe a shopping mall or a playing field- but at that moment is totally empty? this record sounds like a sustained version of that feeling. -i heard the party- juxtaposes echoing piano chords and a general sense of unease (-no one could have told you / your body would fail you-) with the refrain -i heard the partys here- floating across the track like the sound of dried up laughter. the word -party- feels so out of place in a song so pensive and lonely that there s something jarring about the experience. the feeling crops up repeatedly on breakers: a sense of slow-motion detachment, a suggestion that there were signs of life here once, but you ve arrived a couple of hours- or maybe a couple of weeks- too late.