banana hill is a london-based party helmed by cervo, and it s built a sterling reputation for embracing all manner of global grooves. now the party is spreading its wings by starting a record label that kicks off in fine style with the sound of multi-instrumentalist majid bakkas, a moroccan musician with many strings to his bow. both tracks on this 12- have been given a delicate shove in the direction of the dancefloor thanks to cervo, who pitches his kicks and claps just right to make for utterly natural sounding party fodder of the highest order.

acid paulis second album ‘bld dropped earlier this year to a rapturous reception. martin gretschmanns trippy opus took in various stops around the musical spectrum, yet remained committed to quality dance-floor tracks that refuse to follow any particular rule book. this collection of remixes of the albums a side (hence the name) only adds to that achievement - bringing yet more new flavours and takes from some of the most exciting names in the underground. ‘abbebe gets a rework from sainte vie who brings his trademark ‘multicultural electro sound to the albums opener, and produces an ecstatic mid-paced groover for the heads. oceanvs orientalis drops a similarly exciting rerub, finding new angles and dimensions to the track ‘baris. tel avivs red axes turn up the psychedelica for the duos amazing dissection of ‘ayam - deep sounds immersed in acidic tones and tight-yet-wonky arrangements. lastly ‘majid gets the treatment from label co-head nico stojan who produces a sleek and spacy remix that will delight the early morning ravers.

it s all going on for cervo at the moment. having just launched the banana hill label with an excellent record from majid bekkas (that he also did an edit for), the uk-based producer has now been snapped up by marcel vogels lumberjacks in hell label to drop more of his worldly edit science. on rhythm leads the charge with confidence on the a-side, using a bubbling, afro-infused disco-funk source and making it lean and mean for the floor. there s a distinctly nigerian lilt to the guitars that cluck away through dancing dream, but it s accompanied by bright chiming chords and a solid beat that will stand up to any contemporary house jam. banku is even more explicitly modern, although still layered up with gorgeous vocals and percussion from africa

acid pauli is a name synonymous with certain aesthetic towards electronic music culture - both a part of the unhooked generation of that grew up experiencing his revelatory sets at places like bar 25 and fusion, and yet deeply rooted in musicality and adventurousness. bld, the second full album from martin gretschmann, (aka acid pauli), builds on his already impressive back catalogue which spans back to 2005, and includes a debut album released on nicolas jaar’s clown and sunset. over the course of the eight tracks here, gretschmann explores some of the many facets that have made him one of the most trusted artists in his field. released on his own (and nico stojan’s) label ouïe - the album is the perfect expression of the imprint’s commitment to diverse, exciting sounds, freed of the conventions of traditional club music. the album covers a number of moods and emotions, from dystopian carnivalesque vibes to moments of high intensity, through to deep melancholia and synth laden ambience. gretschmann’s well documented love of the sampler shines throughout - tracks are textured and colored with different hues from his extensive sound palette, whether it’s a part of his more psychedelic moments, or concentrated on his innate knowledge of dancefloor dynamics. as such bld sits together as a complete piece of music - to be relished just as much by blissed out home listeners as the left-field dancers.

we are back in the hauptstadt (berlin capital) with the fifth installment of the * stil vor talent berlin* compilation series, which brings forth a group of old and new faces, who exclusively contributed unreleased tracks, gathered under the umbrella of one of berlins most iconic spots. frankfurter tor is the gateway to one of our favourite districts: good old friedrichshain. loud, left and a little dirty, it houses some of the cityÕs best clubs, markets and musicians, oliver koletzki included. its two towers stand as metaphorical guards to an area that has plenty to offer and asks for little in return, instantly making it feel like home. as always, music is the common denominator and oliver koletzki delivers the perfect soundtrack with this new release, while chrisse kunst renders the visuals.