sound like: toto, steely dan, donald fagen, chicago, bill champlin, sting, david foster, michael mcdonald, eagles, doobie brothers, john mayer

dark by design and steely are up for some rumble in the club - and when they rumble, they do it their style - hardstyle!

love makes the world go around. ÒtwoÓ, the second album by the soul session, is full of love. ralph kiefer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer from south germany embarks on a stylistically diverse journey into soul, jazz, funk and world music. being a highly respected session musician in the jazz as well as the crossover scene, kiefer made a serious impact in 2011 with ÒoneÓ, the first soul session album. ÒoneÓ was built on a solid backbeat of soul, hip hop and funk, while ÒtwoÓ now takes a step further into a spiritual and eclectic dimension. ÒquantraversaÓ featuring the voice of las vegas based neo-soul queen georgia anne muldrow is the mind- blowing opener of this album, a truly deep and intense rhythmic statement. quantraversa is a word which you will not find in any dictionary, but that is not the point, says ralph kiefer. Òthis album is a journey to the inner self. the recording process was like meditation. i often started with a loop, or an idea for a melody. it evolved from there and i simply let it happen. when i involved the lyricists and vocalists, my drafts sometimes took a completely different paths and ended in something unexpected and beautifully new.Ó

porter brook debuts on trule with an ep bringing together deep, rugged techno with deftly programmed, steely uk breaks, intricate sound design, and shimmering pads.

debut album from norwegian/american fusion project solstein. solstein is a project that melds the groovier side of fusion with elements of prog and funk. featuring members from steely dan, white willow, the opium cartel, toto.

music from other wolrds!

love makes the world go around. “two”, the second album by the soul session, is full of love. ralph kiefer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer from south germany embarks on a stylistically diverse journey into soul, jazz, funk and world music. being a highly respected session musician in the jazz as well as the crossover scene, kiefer made a serious impact in 2011 with “one”, the first soul session album. “one” was built on a solid backbeat of soul, hip hop and funk, while “two” now takes a step further into a spiritual and eclectic dimension. “quantraversa” featuring the voice of las vegas based neo-soul queen georgia anne muldrow is the mind- blowing opener of this album, a truly deep and intense rhythmic statement. quantraversa is a word which you will not find in any dictionary, but that is not the point, says ralph kiefer. “this album is a journey to the inner self. the recording process was like meditation. i often started with a loop, or an idea for a melody. it evolved from there and i simply let it happen. when i involved the lyricists and vocalists, my drafts sometimes took a completely different paths and ended in something unexpected and beautifully new.” the double vinyl is housed in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

following previous appearances on station shiva and discos pandemicos, estrato aurora makes his first appearance on bliq with some advanced deep techno immersions that match the profile of the label perfectly. ursus dolinensis takes a slow ride into submission, placing all the emphasis on the low end and using subtle background frequencies to shape out the atmosphere. lunanosorex takes a particularly tripped out approach to electro, while glyphodon adds a little industrial bite into the machine funk framework without losing that steely atmosphere that makes the whole ep so appealing. leonids remix of ursus dolnensis is the perfect complementary addition to the ep the dolly and sistrum artist adds his own rugged deep techno machinations to the track to deadly, understated effect.

hot on the heels of their debut collaborative ep, ‘exosphere’ - which picked up plays from violet, tone dropout’s dawl, jacques renault and timothy clerkin among many others - corporeal face and bufobufo are back with new trax that distil their love of electro, hardcore and acid into a lethal compound. lead cut ‘bleep inside’ mixes old school b-boy breaks with a steely sheffield bassline, ‘genome’ is a swung out excursion into sub-heavy acid house, sydney beat machine jensen interceptor turns ‘bleep inside’ into a percolating electro killer, and ‘molecular cloud’ is the explosive 140bpm meeting pointwhere warehouse rave and electro collide.

fresh from starting his own label insult to injury, timothy clerkin returns to ransom note records with the knife edge heart ep. three tracks of stirring techno for dark basements and warm hearts. timothy is a very interesting man, but hes also the sort of person whod rather let his music do the talking, so well move on swiftly. the mvp here is knife edge heart, an unabashed pop song whose shimmering exterior is cut through with flashes of steely darkness. frequent collaborator natalie reiss’ glacial voice is held at the perfect level of remove, while timothy allows his love of shoegaze to blossom with a guitar line that seems to extend like a ladder to the stars. with you bridges timothys opposing impulses, balancing sparkling synths and a celestial vocal sample with churning low-end, while divisive is paranoid warehouse techno at its very best. with his debut solo album out soon on phantasy, gabe gurnsey of factory floor stops by for a lurching, seasick remix of knife edge heart that sounds like the onset of the robot apocalypse weve all been promised for so long. after cutting his teeth as one half of eskimo twins, timothy launched his solo career in 2014 under the now-retired heretic moniker. hes since released on labels including throne of blood, hard fist and days of being wild. timothys last release on rsn was the serenade ep, which brought us plenty of special moments last year - most memorably andrew weatherall closing out his houghton quarry set with execute. heres to many more this summer and beyond.

deep, rootical lovers b/w thirteen minutes of blissed-out disco reggae (w/ download code)
deep, rootical lovers, darkly seething with one-step-at-a-time hurt and steely, vengeful self-esteem. hypnotic, stripped and desolate, with implacable drums and bass, dubwise from the start, the production is classic, unmistakable wackies, featuring fabian cooke’s scattered, abrupt organ stabs and minimal guitar-work, ras menelik’s masterful nyabinghi drumming, and harmonic commiseration by sugar minott and the love joys (with a strangled sob at intervals). over six minutes, the extended mix is different to the love power lp, and the additional dub, released here for the first time, is unmissable for its extra rawness and dubbed-out emptiness. plus thirteen minutes of blissed-out disco reggae on the flip: two contrasting dubs of the giorgio moroder/irene cara/flashdance cut from love power, both previously unreleased and a bit sick.

fur coat join joseph capriatis redimension label with an ep of melodic, dancefloor power. the duo explore steely techno in five warehouse-ready tracks which unfold over extended run times. the eerie synth line, wall-shaking kick drums and vocal sample of repeat set the tone. mercury retrograd continues with a heavy, eyes-down pulse before cygnus soars into an epic crescendo. messenger of god provide tough dancefloor weapons to complete a slick ep that shows fur coat to be masters of their sound.

emile facey (plant43) has been at the forefront of electronic for more than twelve years. during that time the british producer has released on a host of seminal labels, expanding his style and sound in new directions. although plant43 is typically classified as a purveyor of electro, behind those driving rhythms and steely percussion a tenderness has always been present, an emotion expressed in lilting melodies and complex harmonies. it is these melodies and harmonies that come into focus on plant43s debut ambient album. on from deep streams is a rich and textured tapestry of synth work, a soundtrack that organically unfurls from nightime woodland walks and city stargazing to mindful solitude. the eight tracks offer the listener a calming journey into stillness, an excursion through gentle audio currents and a moment to pause and take in an inspiring vista of sound. recorded over the space of 3 months, this album gives the quiet, the subtle and the sometimes underappreciated centre stage whilst casting light on yet another side of emile faceys ever-evolving musi

word of advice to funk lovers, there is not a minute to lose. get on board of the big hustle’s spaceship. before we take off, let s do a little history. the band was founded in 2014 by bass player and composer sébastien levanneur and its aim is to bring together 70 s old school funk with the hippest actual sound laced with influences spanning from steely dan and headhunters, to snarky puppy and soulive. with mighty horn players, a rock and funky rhythm section, the big hustle s music has a very large variety of soundscapes. the first destination takes us to the washington, d.c. area with “turn up”. the groove is clearly go-go music flavored with the trademark sound of cowbells and of course it reminds us of zapp by the use of the talk box on lead vocals, performed here by saad el garrab. and don t miss out shaun martin (snarky puppy, erykah badu, kirk franklin amongst others) as a very special guest performing the talk box solo! second stop is “a curse, a blessing”. it’s an instrumental very much in the freddie hubbard vein during his cti years. the last leg of the a side ends with an instrumental interlude titled “flying donut”. double tribute to jay dee and flying lotus, the music is a simple hip hop loop based on samples. the b side takes us back into the past with two brilliant covers, involving rod temperton the late great british songwriter who scored some of michael jackson s biggest hits. now the idea for this b side is to do the opposite approach from the a side. taking 70 s and 80 s original music and make them travel into time to 2018. we first land with a heatwave song named “the star of a story” from their 1976 central heating album. track 2 is a herbie hancock song named “gettin to the good part” from his 1982 lite me up lp. this time traveler ep journey ends with an interlude. called “gimme dat”, the song deals with the need of new music, new sound. again, this blend of deep rooted funk laced with a contemporary edge is to be consumed without moderation. and do not forget that e.p. also stands for extended pleasure.

this ill little 10- release from ukokos got two reworks (not edits) that flips a classic steely dan track and a rare polish jazz-funk gem from krystyna pronko. watcha got twists steely dan into a fierce breakbeat nugget with a strong dance floor appeal while saison blends eu jazz-funk and funked up electronic layers that sparks memories of old school carl craig productions. just wait for the disco breakdown... bad ass!

the resurgence of icelandic techno continues with the latest release on ae recordings, seeing bjarnar jonsson returning to his long standing ohm project alongside emergent talent kvadrant. the pair were last seen on kvadarant s kontakt label, and their production partnership is clearly still yielding quality, dubbed out techno in the finest scandinavian tradition. even if all the tracks are built with a steely techno focus to them, the synth work and sound design scattered throughout the tracks elevates this to a higher level, not least on the bubbling geisers of signal processing that course through the middle of grip.

after an almost instant sell out last time around, london label tone dropout return for vol. 5 of their series of 12-s. an acid washed ep drawing from the ranks of their ever growing family, each of the four tracks celebrates the timeless appeal of the silver boxed 303 after the rain by label regulars the he-men opens with the soothing patter of raindrops, a hypnotic acid line rising from the deluge to morph into a moody house ride drenched in its own outbursts of spectral sound. dawl is also back on home turf with asylum , following a repress of his sought after solo ep for pareidolia recordings. less about seeking refuge than losing your mind it motors along with steely intent, darkly funky bleeps, throbbing acid and industrial percussion embracing the twin legacies of sheffield and detroit. italian dj and producer robbenspierre launched tone dropout s digital offshoot with a full ep last year and makes his vinyl debut for the label with quarta vanitas . bubbling breakbeat house, a trancey euphoric lead and swirling ethereal vocals take you deep into the thick smoke and laser light of the 4am dance floor. in the wake of an appearance on tone dropout vol.4, corporeal face returns with another rave induced vision. trapped on one, the rushing warehouse breakbeats and bass of permo erupt into waves of acid, fractured vocals and serotonin-depleted synths adding a dark edge to the ecstasy.

official limited edition reissue of asso s italo masterpiece from 1983. featuring -do it again-, a killer balearic disco-style cover of the steely dan classic. on the flip side you get the wonderful boogie jazz-funker -don t stop-, a track which is pure blissed-out dancefloor heaven and deservedly became a loft and garage classic as well as receiving heavy rotation on both the cosmic and balearic scenes. with the coolest of laid-back jazzy piano grooves underpinned with driving funky squelching bass and superb syncopated drums.

east man is a new project from anthoney hart and its material predates his previous work as basic rhythm. his unique take on grime reduces the sound to its steely fundamentals, bringing in influences from dancehall, drum and bass and techno to gird the voices of the mcs he works with. his own name for this hardcore continuum mongrel is hi tek.
anthoney struck a friendship with the academic and theorist paul gilroy, who wrote the album introduction below, after starting personal research on representations of working class and mixed race families. he asked paul for some help after coming across his work via stuart hall, paul’s mentor. their discussions and friendship developed, and it dawned on anthoney that his research and the east man album had some synergy, so he asked paul to write a piece conveying that.

a gust of leftfield electronics, stark electro and deep-techno blows in from the industrial docklands of helsinki. liberate yourself from confirmative, nondescript sounds with the steely attitude of the hietalahti liberation front. e&#769,,,bor combines the essence of raw machinery, abandoned materials and brooding liquid in a mind-expansive debut for the label.

hugh ‘redman’ james is one of the greatest jamaican music producers of the late 1980s. raised in a musical household in the west kingston slum of hannah town, with his mother a sound system selector, redman gained his initial schooling in the music business from none other than king tubby, the legendary sound system owner and dub mixer that was responsible for voicing and mixing some of the greatest reggae of all time. after being immersed in sound system culture during his youth in the 1960s and 70s, redman began sitting in on sessions at king tubby’s studio, but migrated to hartford, connecticut in 1978 in search of steady employment. returning to jamaica a few years later, he established a popular sound system in kingston and began producing music with king tubby’s assistance in 1985, working with the roots radics during a time of great uncertainty in jamaican music, as the new dancehall style came to prominence, early work featured gregory isaacs, sugar minott and frankie paul, as well as rising stars such as little john and horace martin. then, following the computerisation of dancehall, redman began producing some of the most popular music of the day, crafting durable and complex rhythms with a broad team of players that included steely and clevie, augmented by members of the browne bunch and other players. redman helped establish a number of total unknowns in this era, including carl meeks, dave bailey and wayne palmer, and became a serious contender for king jammy’s crown. but the producer was ultimately frustrated by the dramatic changes to sweep jamaican music in the early 1990s, and subsequently retreated from the music industry redman international dancehall 1985-1989 compiles the best work from his glory days, with half of the twelve vocal tracks coming complete with corresponding dub versions.

following swayzak’s gestures of a sycophant, the third release on beatnik boulevard sees the return of appleblim after he launched the label in style with the conch shell motives ep. this time the berlin-based producer is working alongside long-time collaborator and fellow bristol bassweight alumni komon – the duo have turned out eps for aus music and apple pips in the past, but this 12” represents the first new material from them since 2014. the heads-down, meditative lilt of appleblim & komon’s bristol past looms in the shadows on this ep, but it’s shot through with a steely, modernist dance floor bite and high-end sound design. know yourself pivots around crafty, 2-step kinked drums but there’s plenty of space afforded to atmospheric synth surges that plunge the track into a mood-altering headspace just to the left of the conventional dance floor

northsouth hit their second release with a crisp selection of minimalist dancefloor gems from two rising talents. christian jay has been previously spotted on idle hands, and he delivers another example of his knack for sleek and skippy garage reductions with enclave and faculties, matching icy textures with punchy bass honed for maximum dancefloor impact. bilal meanwhile takes an electro approach on command station before twitching things up masterfully on ejecta while maintaining the steely finish that binds this split 12inch together.

nereid appears out of the techno mists on the newly minted warped core label shrouded in mystery, with subtle monochrome head twisters to match. umea leads the charge on the a side with an ethereal trip into dubby soundscapes filled out with plentiful reverb and pattering rhythms to snake straight into your cerebellum. operator has an instructive bass throb carrying it along, although it imparts a similar steely aesthetic to the opening track. neptune is no slouch either, using nagging mid-range percussion and eerie bleeps to spell out stern, functional techno of the deepest kind.

in early 2017, the young australians from parcels may have only released a couple of tracks and yet they are already being compared to »humanized daft punk who would decide to jam along with steely dan and frank ocean.«
the self-produced hideout ep was created over two years. what remains in early 2017 is a unified piece, an ep that is essentially pop but which shines in a unique, exciting and down right groovy light. as a first completed release from parcels, the hideout ep covers a lot of ground.
tracks range from driving electro thumps to softer pop taps. but what is clear in the end is that parcels bring a unique brand of pop music and deliver it with infectious and emotive dance: »already the musicians have made a statement with their harmonious feel-good funk-pop.« (the 405)

betinos records proudly presents its third release: an ep by the very sharp collective the big hustle. the band founded in 2014 by bass player and composer sébastien levanneur, brings together 70’s old school funk with the hippest actual sound with influences spanning from steely dan to snarky puppy, from mandrill to lettuce and from herbie hancock (manchild era) to soulive.

pink fluid is not an italian edm duo by the same name but the new band of jon tye & pete fowler who form the core of seahawks! as ransom note once called it: a partnership born of a psychedelic guide to monsterism island - the soundtrack to pete s illustrations, toys and figures - cemented by gigs playing records by boston, steely dan and fleetwood mac at the big chill bar, fuelled by a passion for vintage music-making machines, and given a name after a weekend spent in sailors outfits at bestival. from tracks synthesised around aor samples, seahawks now record pretty much as a full band - which includes members of hot chip and the horrors. so, what happened to pink fluid… ? jon: the first pink fluid release pipe dreams’ is coming up on prins thomas horizontal mambo imprint, we don’t know when but we know it will be beautiful when it does… and it does now! pipe dreams is an 8 track, 32 minute mini album of sheer, almost translucent, beauty. mambo hq 26.7. 2017 horisontal mambo is a new sublabel by full pupp /oslo

cult duo rework are next up on my favorite robot with a five track ep that shows off their brilliantly inventive house and tech style. the production outfit of daniel varga, michael kuebler deal in left of centre and freaky house with a mischievous afterparty slant. they have been active for more than a decade now and have credits on great labels like visionquest, items & things, meant and the institution that is playhouse. the brilliantly sleazy “talk it off” opens things up with popping drums, playful lyrics and a steely sound that is designed for wonky basement parties. “valencia” goes deeper with warm drums and synths surging along next to an elastic groove that is propped up by energetic and incendiary chord stabs. it’s a subtle but high impact track that will raise the energy levels on any floor. “think about you” has vocals coated in echo and delay and trippy synths that are lively and off kilter. it makes for a track that is brilliantly loose and undulating and cannot fail to get under your skin. final track “attractive” heads in a much more techno direction with surging drums and hypnotic slithering synths that burrow deep into your brain and seep into the night. it is trance inducing for sure, and shows another side to this accomplished outfit. this is a versatile ep stuffed with killer cuts for many different moments in the night, and each is as standout as the next.

ltd repress !! this special one off collaboration sees young gun native berliner prodigy max graef, coupled with globe trotter fantastic man aka mic newman. with mic living in max s broom cupboard for a few vodka soaked weeks in berlin this autumn, there was a beautiful inevitability that some music would outcome. the lead track -soothe me- is no noodly shrinking violet, but a grade 10-cross-genre-dance-floor-destroyer which andy snapped up for label on first listen. clearly taking it s inspiration from the rhodes and sample drenched sound signature detroit label and adding in live instrumentation, tape effects, for a track rich in steely dan sensibility, coupled with a sub bass and twisted lead line dragging us into a new year. the b-side relaxin at the flip is a raw slab of analogue goodness, flying 606 high hats, a tough kick drum and simple elements driving the track forwards, best heard 8am in a dark corner of a club.

2x12 inch lp+mp3!too slow to disco volume 3 - this is bottled sunshine! die meisten songs auf dieser äusserst erfolgreichen compilation reihe mögen die charts verpasst haben, können aber problemlos herzen brechen. killer-tunes, geschrieben und gespielt von völlig übertalentierten musikern, die später in ihrem leben oftmals den einen oder anderen welthit für andere musiker schrieben und sich etliche grammys in die tasche stecken konnten. alle zutaten, die den too slow to disco volumes 1, 2 und der the ladies edition so viele fans von berlin bis new york, von barcelona bis bottrop beschert haben, sind wieder am start für eine weitere runde fast tanzbarer opulenz. dj supermarkt schüttet auch auf tstd3 wieder ein füllhorn von vergessenen obskuritäten und kostbaren schätzen aus, die dem erfolgreichen konzept folgen: all killer, no filler. mit dabei sind u.a. cornelius bumpus (ex-steely dan), larry carlton (ebenso ex-steely dan), dwight druick (mit dem ersten französische track), billy mernit (der erste brite auf der compilation) sowie grateful dead (!!!), bob welch und lee ritenour. der sommer kann kommen!

fresh from the success of their ‘past / present / future’ release, we march on, with berlin-based italian christopher ledger the man responsible for their label’s 41st release. the ‘percezione and retrospettiva’ ep sees ledger in flying form, as he props up with two dexterous, thoughtfully executed records that speak volume of his ability to craft atmospheric sounds. opening up the release is the sounds of ‘retrospettiva 2’, a future leaning techno jam that again wonderfully fits the brouqade aesthetic. clearly indebted to sci-fi spheres, this one is very much cut from a detroit cloth, with a steely finesse that lurks from the get go. a track that brings the listener on an endless journey, it comes some deep harmonic vibes. all things told, this is an ep of various contrasting sounds, ledger’s debut for brouqade is a stunning example of what can happen when producers think outside the box. the b side consists of ‘percezione attiva’. harmonic, blissful tones abound throughout, made all the more meaningful by a slew of gentle, melancholic piano chords that really pull on the heartstrings. a light and hazy experimental piece, the track forces parallels with other masters of suspense. culminating with a more traditional 4/4 vibe, this unusual turn only enhances the producer’s standing as a man willing to take risks.

time waits for no man, but venerable new york emcee and producer roc marci remains a rare exception to the rule. enchanting listeners with his dexterous lyricism, methodically soulful beats, and steely persona on releases like 2010 s critically-acclaimed marcberg, and his revered 2012 effort, reloaded, the pride of hempstead, long island emerges from the shadows after a three-year hiatus with the equally spellbinding rosebudd s revenge. this is the rapper s fourth studio album. aside from appearances on landmark releases, including de la soul s grammy-nominated and the anonymous nobody, and ka s days with dr. yen lo, roc marci s presence has been scarce, making rosebudd s revenge one of the more anticipated hip-hop releases of 2017.

pavel ludin returns to poker flat wax with a gripping four-tracker showcasing his myriad of talents. born and raised in eastern siberia, pavel iudin found his way to the underground scenes of moscow and saint petersburg where he firmly established his credentials. the probe ep finds him at the height of his powers, serving up some serious burners. ‘probe 2&#8242,,,, is a throbbing, deep roller with shimmering synths and a shuffling, evolving groove - one for keeping the floor on lock whatever the situation. ‘halo’ has more classic feel to it, clearly a nod to the chicago masters of the 90s, but maintaining a tough and fresh feel that is all ludin’s own. half way though, things really open up into thick, swingy vibe via a killer bassline and snappy percussion. ‘probe 3&#8242,,,, is more acidic outing - although never resorting to the iconic 303, the track is a lysergic journey into dubbed out tech-house. closing out the ep is ‘groundlevel’ - a driving, loopy groover that uses ludin’s feel for atmosphere and tension to the max. the whole ep exudes a steely-eyed mastery of the studio and the dance floor - making pavel iudin one to watch over the next months.

further adventures into the maverick, musical universe of quinn lamont luke - this time on his own, new label, el triangulo quinn s an amazing talent (as evidenced on his recent ep for ears favourites aficionado), with a shining career under his bing ji ling alias, as well as numerous acclaimed solo and band based side projects (paqua on claremont56, coppa, the phenomenal handclap band etc) different aspirations ploughs a familiar funk/rock furrow to his other distinctive output, elevating things (in the cosmic mix on the a) to breezy yacht-rockin steely dan channeling heights. a radio edit bakes down the hooks into a delicious bitesize piece, while woodstock is a sublime version of the joni mitchell classic limited run on these - don t snooze !

rome native marco piovesan is a dj’s producer. his driving style, pristine sound quality and nuanced tones makes his techno of the variety that draws bodies to the dance floor, and keeps them there. 2013 was his breakout year which saw releases land on gynoid audio, m_rec ltd.. that same year piovesan launched his own enterprise, h.omevvork recordings, as a haven for richly emotive techno music imbued in ‘90s spirit. to date it’s three ep’s have been remixed by luminaries such as giorgio gigli, daub and m_rec ltd’s sadly departed chief max_m. piovesan joined the key roster soon after as part of a split ep with another (then) up-and-comer, hector oaks. his two works, “black paranoid 7” and “black paranoid 10”, were clean, steely dj fodder underscored with a dark energy that made both of them potent club weapons. now piovesan returns with four cuts of surging, remorseless marching material design to tear up strobe-lit basements and big room halls alike. for djs who take no prisoners, who enjoy calling on the old techno ghosts too.

resplendent in its simplicity, forever is the sound of emika boiled down to her steely essence. gated vocal snippets and haunting synth arpeggios give a nod to early-90s proto-trance, the arps filtering in and out of focus in tense fashion before unfolding into a dreamy melodic progression ‘never’ treads similar ground but takes a more direct approach, the tension building consistently in layers as more arpeggiated synths gently modulate in hypnotic fashion shimmering, icy sounds create a haunting, slow-burning atmosphere before the rhythm switches up for the latter half of the track, layers of gated white noise further punctuating the groove. emika deftly utilises each element for maximum effect, allowing each to breathe and shine by way of slick production and clever arrangement.

new york coterie sheik ‘n’ beik line up the next 12” in a string of successful releases including legowelt & xosar under their now defunct xamiga guise, jeffrey scott and label owner rechulski. enlisted for their 7th record is the japan based mister saturday night and 1080p affiliate keita sano. with a strong affinity to analogue sound and old school audio processing, sano renders personal mind-maps in his work - eclectic and off-kilter productions shot-through with warmth and propelled by potent drums. his latest offering for sheik ‘n’ beik is one fans old and new will relish: a series of 4 warped excursions showcasing sano’s refined and idiosyncratic studio techniques. ‘bypass motion’ kicks things off with a fizzing 909 and a loose-limbed bass pattern set churning under brisk, steely atmospheres. dense in the low-end, ‘child’s play’ then follows up with a hard-nosed groove carried by horror-movie sweeps and distant computerised vocals.

was wäre die welt ohne singende pop-pianisten? man denke nur an billy joel. oder an stevie wonder. ja, und was wäre die welt ohne jazz?! man denke etwa an lady day oder john coltrane. oder die nächste steuererklärung. na, und was wäre die popmusik ohne krokodile?! man denke an prince. oder an donald fagen. na, und was wäre dieser text ohne albrecht schrader, den wundervollen pop-pianisten aus der hansestadt hamburg, der aber schon seit einigen jahren in der domstadt köln wohnt. leben in der großstadt, so der titel seiner kommenden ep spannt mühelos den bogen von steely dan über prefab sprout bis erobique und palmingers „songs for joy-. die stimme sitzt, die finger fließen und die seele tanzt. das oben drauf auch noch große pop-poesie geschrieben steht, kann man nur noch als absoluten glücksfall deuten: -das problem am kalenderspruch ist der kalender und nicht der spruch-, singt schrader in „pathos im alltag-. bevor man sich in diesem text in solchen sprüchen verirrt, bloß um die luxuriöse Ästhetik dieser musik zubeschrieben, bleibt am ende nur die dringende empfehlung diesen künstler doch einmal aus zu checken, wie man szene-deutsch zu sagen pflegt. up + coming dieser typ! keine frage...

whilst its neighbour has always taken the plaudits on the party front the steely city of sheffield has its own house history, with much of it residing in the warm buzzing darkness of the studio. its here that we find our latest robsoul rookie. a fresh name for the label, but a producer who is far from new to the game. tommy vicari jnr’s first release was pressed to the black gold and released back in 2004. since then there have been sporadic outings, but the last two years have seen a reinvigorated tommy roll out over ten new releases and play a huge part in putting sheffield s house music firmly back on the map. threshold of eternity sees tommy drop the northern grit to replace it with shimmering warmth and sunshine vibes across all four tracks. fidgeting rhythms, chopped samples and groove-heavy beats and bass are spliced together to create an essential feel-good release.

south london ordnance returns to aery metals with a quartet of rolling club cuts. the british artist ties up italo and industrial references with trademark steely percussion and warping atmospherics. exercises in razor edged tool techno trade blows with more submerged, rhythmic recordings and finnish outsiders femme en fourrure return to the label for a new collaboration.

vinyl only release, born and raised in constanta, home of the legendary la mania club, sepp was influenced by electronic music’s finest sound from an early age. step by step he rose from the ranks not only to become his city’s most beloved dj but also a la mania resident. production followed quickly and quickly came a few releases for uvar, body parts or andromeda. now it’s time for a new challenge and it appears sepp is here to serve. catren is the name, sepp is the game ! sepp’s work is usually a bit minimalistic and super organic and this ep is no different. crampei de balad starts a little broken an creepy only to develop into a super casual dance track. with the kick in comes the synth that will only be eclipsed by the occasional vocals. dance !
glass din stele is the serious one. the steely organic feel present in so many of his works is on. dark strings, piano, ample reverbed spaces and a super groove come together into a ultra deep track that echoes the artist’s fundamental influences. petre inspirescu and ricardo villalobos, probably, if we have to guess.

karousel is the new alias from irish producer gavin herlihy. forged in the fires of house and determined by a steely dedication to timeless deep dancefloor theory, the alias begins life on one of the uk s most trusted vinyl labels, illusion recordings. gavin started learning to produce in 2005 and less than a year in scored one of the tracks of the year in 2006 with machine a homework, a techno opus hailed by laurent garnier and dj hell as one of the tracks of the year. over the next few years a move to berlin lead to gigs at clubs like panorama bar, fabric and later circo loco while his productions took root in a variety of different genres and big labels. karousel is the expression of gavins house leanings rooted in the sampling of dusty old jazz and disco records and the use of hardware.

!organism make a carefully selected foray into the vinyl market with their next ep. the revered irregular synth is the man behind the fresh originals and is an italian producer with a worldwide fan base. he has released on this label before now to great acclaim, as well as on loose records and many more, and has a steely and singular style.