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| £5.25  | | Last time we heard from Giuliano Lomonte, back in June 2020, he was working in cahoots with like-minded pal and fellow Berlin resident Alexis Carbrera. Here he makes his first appearance on Half Baked Records, in the process delivering his first solo single since 2019. The standout is arguably A-side 'Activator', a tactile, tech-tinged dancefloor roller in which spoken word snippets and fluttering electronic motifs cluster around a typically chunky and shuffling groove. The Italian producer opts for a deeper and more hypnotic vibe on the deep house/tech-house fusion of 'Control Center', before reaching for starry electronics, bubbly synth-bass and loose-limbed late '90s style tech-house beats on 'Secret House'. | |
| £6.99 | | Artificial DRM debuted earlier this year with a cassette release on Semantica, which announced the arrival of a new player in the European deep techno game. Rubbing shoulders with artists like Artefakt, Aphelion and Korridor, this smart and swift follow-up on Alpengluhen delivers on the promise of that first tape with five pristine plungers to take you 20,000 leagues under. The vast, swooping clouds of ambience on 'Alp02' tell you all you need to know about how deep Artificial DRM is prepared to get, but there's plenty of formal structure in the drums to keep you steadfast in the mix. From lightly pattering meditations to crisp and surefooted workouts, this record delivers as a listening experience as well as a dancing one. | |
| £5.49 | | Back in 2014, Chez Damier dropped two mixes of 'Speechless' on Popcorn Records, paying tribute to fabled Parisian nightspot Rex Club in the process. Now the Prescription legend brings the cut back to life for Adeen, and there's a whole cast of other big hitters involved as well this time. First up, Nicholas remixes 'Speechless' and goes in heavy on a Rhodes hook, while Damier himself doffs his cap to Berlin's house mecca on the fluttering, guitar-laced 'Panorama Bar mix'. Camille Migas creates something limber, expressive and sparkling for more reflective moments. On the flip, more high-grade remixes from Jef K and DG complete the package for some of the finest house music money can buy. | |
| £16.99 | | Dr Atmo and Mick Chillage have plenty of ambient accomplishments behind them. Atmo is a veteran of the German electronica scene, with a discography deeply bedded into Pete Namlook's imperious Fax universe and boasting collaborations with the likes of David Moufang and Ramin Naghashian. Dublin's Mick Chillage meanwhile has released swathes of material on labels like ...txt as well as via his own channels. This likely pairing find common ground in languorous, sweeping synth lines that roam free over extended run times. In many ways, this release on A Strangely Isolated Place feels like a natural extension of what both artists were doing on Fax when it was still operational, so if you're a fan of that classic ambient techno sound, this release has exactly what you're looking for. | |
| £6.99 | | The connection between Dr. Atmo and Mick Chillage goes back to one of the finest labels to ever grace this planet, FAX records. Many will remember the defining collective for their deep, extended excursions into the far-reaches of ambient mysticism - a style that is still revered to this day. Ruhleben sees a welcome return for Dr. Atmo who, after appearing on some of the very first FAX releases under his own name and different guises throughout its tenure, has been somewhat elusive of late with side-steps into other genres. Now, partnering with another FAX alumni and a foundational figure within today's ambient music genre, Mick Chillage, the pair have returned to their roots and a defining style of ambient music. | |
| £16.99 | | James Bernard has a long and winding history in electronic music production. His story is intertwined with that of seminal UK techno and IDM label Rising High, where he released much of his early 90s work under his own name and as Influx. He's released intermittently ever since, cropping up on various labels and in 2019 linking up with A Strangely Isolated Place. His strain of synapse tickling ambient, electronica and techno sits well on the label - so much so he's now been drafted in for a two volume archive dig which may just introduce a whole new crowd to the mighty fine talents of a true techno believer. Unreleased Works: Volume 1 flies under the banner of Acid Dreams, but don't be fooled - this is a varied affair that uses the 303 sparingly in favour of a handsome assortment of plush synth voices bent to all manner of sonic duties. | |
| £16.99 | | James Bernard has a long and winding history in electronic music production. His story is intertwined with that of seminal UK techno and IDM label Rising High, where he released much of his early 90s work under his own name and as Influx. He's released intermittently ever since, cropping up on various labels and in 2019 linking up with A Strangely Isolated Place. His strain of synapse tickling ambient, electronica and techno sits well on the label - so much so he's now been drafted in for a two volume archive dig which may just introduce a whole new crowd to the mighty fine talents of a true techno believer. Unreleased Works: Volume 2 sees another 10 exquisite synth reveries spill out over extended run times with a preference for the chill-out room. | |
| £6.25 | | Design Default first emerged back in 2018 with a release on Fragil Musique - the vivid, finely sculpted ambient LP Dawn Chorus. Now they're back with a new album, this time on New York label Club Night Club (who put out the excellent Herron Lowflow EP. The vibe is decidedly different, dealing in punchy electronica workouts with ample sonic manipulation and high production values. 'Lyrids' has enough brute force and deft dynamics to snap your head clean off, in the club or elsewhere, while 'Quarantids' teases between lush ambience and gravelly future-tech beats. 'Geminids' ramps up the industrial strength drum hits and nudges the tempo in kind, but still the artful programming and visceral mixing prowess is on full display - something Significant Other steps up to on their remix too. | |
| £5.99 | | Chicago house producer Colin Johnson is often spotted working alongside Garrett David on their Night Sea Journey label, but here he's stepping out on his own for a sublime deep house trip on Courtesy Of Balance. The record opens up with the misty delights of 'Moment', which unfurls like smoke thanks to some particularly dreamy pads, while a slight and subtle beat carries the groove of the track. 'Empty Trains' is a little more forthright, but it's still a resolutely deep cut for the warm up or stretch out part of the session. 'Above The Barn' is the sprightly stepper of the bunch with its acidic synth hooks and bouncy, lightly swung beat. | |
| £5.99 | | Scott Hallam has been an acid devotee since the early days, and he's largely put out his music on his own Axia label. While most of that is digital-only, now Cartulis have picked up on the considerable talents of this hardware lifer and presented five of his finest works on wax. The vibe veers tremendously, touching on dark and sinewy dungeon acid, boxy electro workouts, strangely psychedelic hardcore and plenty more besides. Hallam's style feels betrothed to the outboard approach - it's all synths and drum machines to these ears, and its immediacy is a big part of the charm. That, and the playful personality he works into those wigged out acid lines and pinging FX. | |
| £5.25 | | Iner's house and disco edit label comes back for a third round of dazzlingly bright and breezy party fodder that needs consuming while the summer months are here. There's just no stopping the happy-clappy vibes of 'Trip Of Happiness', which opens up Iner's own side of this split 12". A cheery chord progression that feels like a throwback to seaside light entertainment and every rose-tinted fairground trip of your childhood, strapped to a smart-stepping house beat. Iner also offers up 'White Nights In St Petersburg', which turns to a vocal chant and frames it with a peak time house workout to get hands aloft. Saint Paul takes on the B side with the soul-soaked uplift of 'A Natural High', while 'Joie De Vivre' keeps things funky without slouching on the house beat. High grade party weapons for people who like to have fun. | |
| £6.59 | | Odopt have been responsible for some serious, sinewy heaters on labels like Born Free, 777 and Discos Capablanca. That should give you some idea of the kind of sonic sphere they operate in - rugged hardware house with a wavey bite and a playful instinct. It makes total sense then to see them sidle up to [Emotional] Especial with this four-tracker of surefooted deviant dance. 'A14' opens up proceedings on an ominous bassline and plenty of mechanical grind, while 'Keylat' jacks things up a smidge while resolutely wallowing in the muck of Odopt's studio practices. 'Sample Commerce Shot' is the catchiest cut on the record, riding a slinky beat and featuring a powerful lead hook that sounds beamed in from somewhere in a distant galaxy. 'Holy Motor$' finishes the record off on another brooding, death disco groover, bringing things full circle with the nocturnal offerings of 'A14'. | |
| £6.19 | | Matthew Dexter has been waist deep in electronic music, and techno in particular, for years, mainly as the DJ behind a club night called Space Division. Behind the scenes he was also learning the ropes as a producer, with this EP on Eya marking his debut vinyl release. It's a gorgeously retro-futurist affair, with Dexter utilising synthesizer settings and machine drums that recall techno's sci-fi roots, as well as its many mutations over the last 35 years. Check first the faintly foreboding and slightly ghostly 'Desolation of Kind', where flashes of TB-303 and an 'LFO'-esque bass sound catch the ear, before turning your attention to EBM-influenced opener 'AES'. Elsewhere, 'Barlow's Lens' is an undeniably intergalactic affair, while 'Gene's Paranoia' is a gently bleeping roller. | |
| £6.19 | | Lisbon's Jorge Caiado is a relentlessly productive figure in the contemporary deep and tech house scene, rolling out grade A material on labels like Balance, Groovement and Carpets & Snares. After dropping his impeccable Time & Space album last year, now Caiado has invited a stellar cast of club cats to step up with a fine spread of remixes. On the A side, 'Nasha's Groove' gets two versions. The first from Steve O'Sullivan keeps things tightly clipped and tracky, with a warm chord pulsing through the centre. Then Brawther's version takes things a little deeper, giving his dub ample space to truly roam free and take you under. Dyed Soundorom brings a slinky, techy vibe to 'Try To Breathe', and then John Thomas rounds things off by making 'Magic Carpet' into a clattering, quirky micro house workout much like you'd expect from the Logistic mainstay. | |
| £9.69 | | Italo-disco classic alert! Recorded and released in 1983, 'Cybernetic Love' was the first of a string of Italo-era club hits from the late Salvatore Cusano AKA Casco - an undeniably the most impactful and timeless. On the A-side you'll find the original mixes: a sweet vocal version featuring lyrics seemingly about falling in love with a robot, and an instrumental tale in which Cusano and his collaborators' dreamy chords, sparkling synthesizer melodies, funky electro bass and unfussy machine drums come to the fore. Over on the flip you'll find a new remix from Danilo Braca. He wisely retains the feel of the original, adding a few clonking electronic bleeps and a more chugging groove, whilst retaining the sparkling melodies and immersive chords. | |
| £10.99 | | REPRESS ALERT: Carl Finlow is something of a cult hero in the British electronic underground, having turned his hand to many aliases and styles without pandering to hype, and that's surely why the discerning For Those That Knoe label have deemed him worthy of a showcase release. His works as Silicon Scally are a particular highlight, channeling the seediest streams of Detroit electro and injecting a little of that UK verve and swagger into the mix, with invariably stunning results. Watch out for the seductive bite of "Dark Matter" and the dystopian funk of "Deep Dissolve", but in truth every selection on this choice double pack is worthy of some serious platter time. | |
| £5.39 | | Alan Dixon launches his brand new label Love Attack, the Multi Periodic Oscillations EP being a three tracker from Man Power at his curious techno best. Deep, dark and dubby, not to mention suitable for 3am needs everywhere, it opens with 'Cepheid Variable Part 1', 11 minutes of twists and turns, revolving around a hypnotic groove. Its baby brother 'Part 2' keeps the vibes intact before 'Applegate Mechanism' closes the EP in a straight up dancefloor fashion. Keep your eyes on Love Attack, with many more releases lined up for the next year. | |
| £5.39 | | Christian AB is making low key waves with a self-steered angle on hardware house and techno which packs plenty of personality into the time-honoured tradition of box jamming. Four years since the last exemplary 12" on London In Transmission, AB is back with another grip of charismatic club cuts. 'Mind Wipe' is the logical choice for the A side, riding a warm and fluid monosynth bass hook, classic boxy 707 drums and eerie pads to inject a little spooky mystery into the dancefloor. 'Our Mission' is a more adventurous track which dusts up the drums good a proper and lays the psychedelic textures on heavy, but not at the expense of the beat of course. 'Praying For Better Days' is a rousing finale, using some anthemic organ chords as the lead hook for an uptempo jacker par excellence. | |
| £8.75 | | The legendary Plant43 has his much loved and quick to sell out December 2020 EP Storm Control reissued in limited quantities here. The three tracks are electro perfection right from the off. The title cut 'Storm Control' is all glassy lines and slick boom bap, with celestial pads and plenty of spaced out signifiers. 'Hydraulic Machines' gets a little more pensive and roomy, with room to let the lush chord progressions really sink in while a knotted bass and drum combo carries on below. 'Sparks In The Grey Light' then slows things down yet further, with star gazing melodies and pixelated chords bring a future retro feel over a mournful baseline. | |
| £24.99 | | SIT, short for Sideways Invisibility Theory, is the collaborative project of Vlad Caia and Cristi Cons. As two scene leaders of the Romanian minimal phenomenon, both artists have proven over many years to have a unique vision for creativity and fresh approaches in what can be a homogenised scene. Of their many achievements, on their Amphia label as much as elsewhere, this album on Sushitech stands as one of their finest moments. As with all the best Romanian minimal, it's also still hotly in demand, making it a welcome addition to Sushitech's 15th anniversary pressing marathon. From dub tech laced rollers to gossamer-light trippers, this is the classiest end of the minimal tech house game from two artists with the vision to push things a little bit further. | |
| £20.49 | | REPRESS ALERT LIMITED 180 GRAM VINYL!: Sushitech toast 15 years with a plush new edition of one of the label's classic albums. Delano Smith hit a high watermark with An Odyssey when he first dropped it in 2012, and it still sounds utterly flawless as a shining example of Detroit house. From the slinky funk of 'Survival' to the minimalist dub inflections of 'Trust In Someone', this is the positively classy end of the club music spectrum. At all times a sturdy rhythm section carries the tune, whether it be the shuffling hats of 'Midnight Hours' or the shimmering jack of 'No Turning Back', but the real prize here is the seductive mood Smith weaves throughout all 11 tracks. Looped up and hypnotic, but with each piece telling its own unique story, this is a masterclass in deepest house music. | |
| £8.29 | | Mariano Mateljan enters his 11th year of releasing left of centre minimal with a new one on thisisnegentropy.com that shows off his considerable vision. The title track is all playful bass, clipped kicks and slow slung bass funk that really pumps. Then there is the dark, more straight ahead and menacing sound of 'Benefactor' before the dubbed out loops of 'Subterran' with their alien sound sources and razor sharp hi hats. 'DBLR' closes down with a delicate melodic touch perfect for those druggy back room after hours. | |
| £5.25 | | Belarus' Sergey Abramov, aka Funkyjaws, revives his Manwoman alias to produce a classy EP of deep house that speaks to his experience in the studio. "Pub Which Plays A Disco" is a catchy, funked-up affair that still manages to keep things cool and restrained at the same time. The Roland Nights mix of "It's Just" takes a slightly more uptempo approach without losing the overall deep vibe, while another of Abramov's original, "Love Song", locks into a raw, live feeling and rolls with it. There's also a track from Eddie Matos on this 12", remixed by Rune Lindbaek and Frisvold and turned into a shimmering, disco-licked immersion heater. | |
| £5.50 | | David Agrella has been active in the scene for a long time, but his releases have been scattered and sought out by those with their fingers truly on the pulse. Now though, he's minting his own Agrellomatica label with this accomplished EP, which leads in with the dynamic sci-fi swing of 'Transition'. The original mix has enough chops for the club, but the 'Floor mix' makes things crystal clear with a sizzling electro-mnml drive to propel the trippy synths forwards. 'Third Floor' takes things even more linear, locking on to a steady 4/4 and tweaking out some trance-tinted patterns for deep immersion. 'The Puppets Are Back' completes the set with a dreamy excursion through broken beat and minimal pastures for those who enjoy the likes of Binh and Nicolas Lutz. | |
| £5.25 | | Alien Recordings has decided to launch a new sub-label, Alien Imprints, which it says has been created to, "showcase various artists from around the globe". Fittingly, the new offering's debut release - a collection of electro-breaks themed excursions from newcomers and rising stars - is called First Impressions. It seems right and proper then that Juno Laser Machine's EP opener is a starting, ear-catching slab of raw, angular and spacey, acid-powered electro/breaks fusion, while the cut that follows, Marocs Coya and Cosmonaut's 'Ultimatum', is a deeper and hazier, but no less impactful, peak-time electro workout. Elsewhere, Paddy Thorne's 'Coll' is a pleasingly bubbly, intergalactic affair rich in deep bass, enveloping chords and metallic percussion hits, while Peshka's 'Spacecraft' is a deep, rumbling, sample-laden treat. | |
| £6.19 | | Italian duo HUMA are comprised of Alberto Lincetto and Stefano Cosi, and they make their debut appearance on Angis Music with this beautifully crafted slice of contemporary nu jazz and neo soul, packaged on a perfect formed 7". 'Moon Crab' is an instrumental, boogie-tinted cut which rides an easy drum machine groove as the vessel for some seriously smooth synth flexing. "Absence" is a dual-vocal trip into mellow, piano-led reflection that should appeal to fans of Jill Scott et al, stirring up that smoky, melancholy feeling that the best soul music achieves. Keep an eye on this duo, because on the back of this stellar single there's surely some great music to come. | |
| £6.89 | | Following swiftly up from the smooth soul inflections of HUMA, Angis Music deliver another sureshot from Tryezz. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jonathan Fowlkes builds on years immersed in production and performance to deliver this pristine slab of machine soul. For those who want to hear the soul, funk and boogie roots in their electronic music, this record has exactly what you need. 'Terrains No.1' sports an electro framework and dreamy synth strokes oozing sophistication and funk in equal measure. 'Terrains No.2' skips along in a more sprightly fashion, shuffling in all the right places, while 'Terrains No.3' leans in on a firmer house groove. 'Terrains No.4' rounds the EP out on another immaculately crafted groove, maintaining the rich chord structures and glistening synth tones that make this whole EP so damn satisfying. | |
| £5.25 | | From Robsoul and Tsuba to Is It Balearic? and Futureboogie, Craig Bratley can be many things depending on who's releasing his music. He launches the Automatism label in a flurry of cosmic disco finery with "Ursa Minor", a synth-rich escapade that could make Cerrone feel a little giddy on its course to the stars. "Exotic Matter" slows things right down and ramps up the rock drums to create a noirish soundtrack vibe. "Exquisite Corpse (Zero Gravity Mix)" changes tact once more with some plaintive piano tinkering over subtle arpeggios, and "Running To Paradise" slides down into a smooth Balearic groove that rounds out this wonderfully diverse EP. | |
| £6.19 | | Following killer releases from lesser-known talents like Aristidez, Colossio and Thomass Jackson, Mexico's premier modern disco label Calypso commence a new project that sees them celebrating some of their favourite cities around the world. The journey starts in Tel Aviv, where a range of underground producers present the kind of freaky disco-not-disco sounds that get dancefloors frisky the world over these days. Niv Ast keeps things simmering and sensuous on "Rainey Heart," while Rina gets locked into a dense chug of sweaty sonics and solid rhythms. Naduve has a slower, percussion-led groove rolling on "Hex Mex" that will inject spice into any adventurous warm-up, and Middle Sky Boom finishes the record off with the tense and teasing "Marble Arch". | |
| £5.39 | | After a relatively quiet 2020 due to the pesky pandemic, production pair Club Of Jacks have fired-up their self-titled label for the first time in 2021. As you'd expect, the four tracks offered up by the London-based twosome are as weighty and UK garage-inspired as the rest of the records in their slowly expanding discography. Opener 'Panther Dub' - a sort of riff of 187 Lockdown's 'Gunman' with added bleeps, synth-sax action and breathy female vocal samples - is punchy and potent, while 'Mind Games' is sunny, summery and joyful thanks to an attractive mix of organ lines, piano stabs and dewy-eyed vocal samples. Elsewhere, 'Real Good' is a sweet speed garage roller with fierce sub-bass, while 'U GT DWN' joins the dots between 4/4 UKG and sunrise-ready deep house. | |
| £7.69 | | Lowless commence the "Confluence" compilation series in fine style with some subliminal trips through the deep techno landscape, guided by four accomplished travelers. Dycide's "Raijin" opens up the record with a brooding piece heavily tipped towards the low end and tastefully minimal in its execution. Daniel[i] has a little more bite in the rhythmic dynamics of "A Moment Of Confidence" while maintaining the subterranean mood of the release. Cyspe takes things slow and spacious on "Morning Revelations", a beautifully hazy rendition of the distant end of the dance, and Atomic Moog drops a more pronounced groove and spooked out pads over the aptly titled "Floating Motion" to round the record off nicely. | |
| £5.25 | | Crayon take another trip into the realm of deep house with this split 12" from a range of talented individuals. D'Funk takes a little lick from Roy Ayers on "Follow Me" and frames the sample in spooky keys carried along by a sturdy four-to-the-floor thump. Adam Collins and Mark Ambrose get a bit freakier on "Modern Moule", using all kinds of oddball sounds to whip up a decidedly off-kilter mood. D'Funk's "Break For Jungle" takes a few cues from the hardcore continuum, and places them in the context of an uptempo house workout, and then Mark Ambrose completes the set with the amped up old-skool techno energy of "Machine Man". | |
| £6.25 | | Eddie Fowlkes is back on his Detroit Wax label with more forthright jams that show off his distinctive approach to techno. As one of the originators of the sound, it's only logical he knows how to do this stuff properly. "Route 88" is a seductive, muscular piece with bold lead lines and a constant, driving rhythm section, while "Pass The Butter" takes a deeper route without losing the finely balanced and rich arrangement approach that his sound is built on. This is fully realised, classily executed Motor City machine soul from a man who helped define the culture. | |
| £6.09 | | REPRESS ALERT: After appearing on Helena Hauff's Return To Disorder with the fiercely infectious "It's Alive!" 12", L.F.T. lands on Eye For An Eye with more gutter-bound sonics from the grungiest corners of the electro scene. There's as much noirish seduction as gnarly distortion going on throughout this deadly record, from the soundtrack steer of "Atomic Enigma" to the brittle minimal wave delights of the title track. Super punky and lo-fi in all the right places, this 12" once again confirms L.F.T. is one of the strongest voices dealing in DIY electro from the darkside. | |
| £6.39 | | 20/20 Vision's intrepid explorations beyond the ionosphere continue apace with the latest gaseous exchange in their Exit Planet Earth series, once again welcoming a stellar hit list of electro operators onto spacebound wax. First up is label mainstay Carl Finlow, who once again exercises his considerable production prowess with a lithe and limber body popper, while Plant43 takes things stripped and sinister with the deliciously dark 'Forcefield Deactivation'. Mr Ho and Xiaolin team up for the spacious techno thumper 'No Change To How I Feel', and Alfred completes the set with twinkling delights of 'Galaxy Quest'. | |
| £5.50 | | Anders Midtgaard is one of the leading proponents of the Balearic vibe in Denmark, alongside the likes of Kenneth Bager and Mike Salta. He inaugurates the Fantastic label with this beautiful summer groover, leading in with a plush remix from Italian maestro Luca Moplen. It's a feistier affair than Midtgaard's ever-so-slightly hazy original version, but both retain the core chord sequence that makes this such a heart-rending beauty of a track. The B side opens up with said original mix before Salta is then drafted in for a remix that leaves the disco locomotion behind for a breezier samba groove over which to play some delightfully warbling keys. | |
| £5.79 | | Swedish outliers Frak have been on rampant form recently, channelling their 30-plus years of machine battering into material that stands up to demands of the contemporary scene with ease. "Starter Pack" is a muscular workout with a choice selection of gnarly synth lines, while "Congestion" has some wiggly filter sweeping and the off-kilter acid freakery you'd expect from the Scandinavian techno heroes. "Bruhn Agitation" takes things slower and meaner, leading you into a dungeon of deviant techno delights. Totally workable and yet still undeniably different, Frak continue to be a treasure for those who like their machine music rugged and raw. | |
| £5.25 | | Half Baked return with a serious heater from Arno, who explores all kinds of crafty twists on the garage and electro resurgences with one eye on the minimal scene. This is hardly minimal music though - 'Why Does The Lion Get Lost In The Jungle?!' rattles through pan pot percussion and twitchy breakstep rhythm formations while nagging synth lines and plenty of sub flex make for an especially naughty club wrecker. 'No Car, Big Garage' brings a little machine funk into the mix with some killer DX7 organ bass for good measure. 'He Displays Nothing But...' takes things in a more housey direction with some crisp 909 claps and a vivid, trippy backdrop of vocal samples and nimble synth lines. Classy, inventive dance music for the freaky people. | |
| £8.49 | | Phonopsia's new Horse Category label serves up a new EP from former Sud Electronic resident Headless Horseman that is actually 15 years old. The music on it was written in 2006 during a period of "intense focus and renewed energy." The tunes are now published for the first time ever and give a perfect example of what the artist and label are all about - house and techno fusions with still futuristic sounding intentions. 'Lumina' kicks off with tightly coiled kicks and manic melodies raining down from above, while 'Jacked' slows the drums and ups the freakiness with some trippy synth patterns and glistening melodic details. 'Luna' is bright and cosmic then 'Jacqued' closes with some pensive downtempo house. | |
| £5.39 | | Jaunt continue their 10 year celebrations with another strong cast of remixers taking their vision of techno even further out from the point of origin. Markus Suckut is up first, remixing AWOL with a blissful, almost Balearic leaning version that places piano chords front and centre. BNJMN takes on Artefakt's "Wanderings", digging it into the undergrowth for a gritty but submerged beatdown. Aubrey brings a little of his wildstyle charm to Luke Hess' "TDY", all bouncing drums, raining acid and delightfully wonky chords. Then Tripeo rounds things off with a boisterous take on Deep'a & Biri's "Pilgrim", using clattering drums and evocative atmospherics to create an epic trip. | |
| £5.69 | | The last we heard from Kinfolk was on the excellent "Mirage" by Kalidasa, but now the adventurous and chug-friendly label is back with this killer EP from Alterleo. "Cabriodelic" will have hips swinging at an easy tempo, not least thanks to the nagging throb of the bassline and the swaying drums shaking over the top of the track. "On The Way" takes things in a freakier direction, using ample samples and channeling a little industrial noir, while "Tour De L'afrique" focuses on craftily programmed drums and captivating melodic subtleties. "In Sands" finishes the set with a wigged out acid-trance rumination that should appeal to those who love the sound of European freak-beats before dance music got compartmentalized. | |
| £5.39 | | It's been a while since we last heard from Kinfolk, but the broad-sweeping label with cosmic chuggery in its bones is back with this powerful dose from Ess O Ess and Saulrichards. "Totem" is an epic track that rolls around in the muck somewhere between shoegaze extravagance, post-rock heaviness and psyched-out electronics. The "Swamp Crawl" version of the track keeps the guitars bedded deep within the mix, but there's space for more expressive synth work. Hardway Brothers take the track on a similarly rockist journey, but take their time building up to a climax. Otologic wrap things up with a deadly dub that will have low tempo trippers rubbing their hands with delight. | |
| £11.99 | | Try as he might, Ray Mang can't hide behind an anagram as he drops this, his first LP in 10 years breaking in new imprint Keeps Going. While he's regularly dropping dancefloor gold in the disco-edit sphere, this record gives our man the chance to explore some more expansive sounds without losing that all important sense of groove. Take the dusty deep south boogie of "Revolver" or the shuffling, subliminal jazz funk delights of "Doh!" - these are jams that reach far beyond obvious dancefloor genres but they're rich in groove. As the saying goes, buy the ticket, take the ride and let Any Gram take you somewhere new. | |
| £5.25 | | After a great first release from NonniMal, Icelandic label Lahar is back with a new drop from Den Nard Husher, who was also recently spotted on US label Strobelight Network. The project is a collaboration between Octal Industries and Vector, and finds the pair conjuring up a limber strain of techno with industrial tones and textures but a more springy execution that makes it sound undeniably fresh. "Vector" is especially strong in this regard, while "Februar" juggles a smart array of wriggling rhythmic elements to create a highly technical club track with sound design and FX to get synapses firing all over the joint. | |
| £8.19 | | New label LDF clearly understands the need to make a big first impression, because this soul-flecked single from Angel-A and producer Rahaan - one of Chicago's true underground heroes - is a very impressive debut. Rahaan's A-side "Original Mix" is rhythmically tough and crunchy - think weighty drum machine kicks and snares - but also warm and woozy, with Angel-A's superb vocal rising above rich electric piano chords and jazzy synthesizer flourishes. Over on side B Karizma takes over, offering up a "Kaytronik Truth Dub" that wraps hypnotic, mangled electric piano notes, analogue bass and tech-tinged flourishes around a wonderfully locked-in but percussively lively rhythm track. It's very different to the original but exceptionally deep and floor-friendly. | |
| £6.69 | | Mysticisms is back with more of that freaky floor fare to get ID spotters looking worriedly at their Shazams while the real party people get on down. Persian originally dropped the absolute bomb that is 'Feel Da Vibe' back in 2011 on Existence Is Resistance in a hailstorm of samples and some lairy garage bass wobble under a swung house beat. It's high time the mighty test press power of Persian hit a few more platters, and the track's sounding stellar 10 years on. Brother Nebula does a stellar job of hazing the track out with warbling pads pitched for the spooky but sexy hour. 'Silver Spaceships' was originally out in 2001 as a white label, capturing the energy of breakstep mixed with the airy synth platitudes of finest deep techno and electro. Alphonse offers up a remix which wigs the track out as a weightless wonder with ample subs and scattered breaks for the patient ravers. | |
| £5.50 | | Poland is slowly becoming something of a house music hotspot, thanks in part to the efforts of high-profile artists such as Catz N Dogz and long-serving scene veterans such as Martin Mamzer AKA Aphreme. The latter is in fine form on 'Beyond The Stars', which marks the vinyl debut of his previously digital-only Octave Moods imprint. In its original form, the track is a wonderfully expansive, warming and tactile slab of deep house perfection in which Genevieve's sweet lead vocals (and occasional spoken word interjections from Mamzer) rise above an attractive mixture of old school deep house beats, spacey Moog bass, starry chords and twinkling melodies. Glenn Underground excels on his flipside remix, offering a tighter groove, heavier analogue bass, even more spacey synths and a dreamier mood. | |
| £12.99 | | The cheeky aesthetic of Ping Discs shouldn't fool you - the sonics inside are nothing to be trifled with. Just ask Roy of the Ravers, who shares a similar spirit of tongue-in-cheek rave nostalgia framing stunning hardware house and techno to Ping Discs founder Myoptik. The pair trade tracks and titters back and forth, moving from one advanced acid bomb to the next via some hilarious segues, giving you a hell of a lot of bang for your buck. Just listen to 'Roy Of The Ravers Acid' and you'll feel like the whole world around you is dripping in lysergic 303 fluid. Remixing each other as well as offering up original tracks, the fusion between artists here is incredibly fluid, making this an amazingly cohesive album for those who want the most inventive acid on the market. | |
| £6.50 | | In a bid to make the first release on their freshly minted Philoxenia label stand out, Neu Verboten and Luigi Di Venere have turned to the invaluable experience of Steve Marie, a Paris-based Corsican producer known for his heady blends of techno, EBM and trance. It's a smart move, because Ho! hits home hard from the word go. Marie first offers some retro-futurist flavour in the shape of the bass-heavy, 1990 bleep and breaks style weight of the acid-flecked title track, before combining his EBM and neo-trance fascinations on the chiming and creepy 'Devil Inside'. He retains the deep bass and razor-sharp TB-303 motifs on laidback and angular electro number 'Romanee Conti', before puffing his chest out on trance-inducing, faintly foreboding late-night throb-job 'Trancia'. | |
| £5.89 | | There's very little information to go on regarding this Power XIII release, but let the music be your guide. There's a distinctly gothic 1980s flavour to the music - it pumps hard but it's more concerned with texture and atmosphere than modern techno dynamics. The sleaze of the synth coursing through the A side should be enough to get any dark room heaving, while the wound up rhythmic tension of the flip will dig its claws into supple grey matter and inspire a macabre kind of dancefloor transcendence - perfect for those who like a sinister edge to their night out. | |
| £5.59 | | Back to some of the original roots of the Plastik People label with a new single from Alfredo Norese ft. Aquilla Fearon & Matteo Esposito with remixes from label boss Marc Cotterell, Shaka & Groove Boys Project. Deep Soulful house & Garage on this fantastic release. | |
| £5.89 | | Italian crew Unknown Collective come correct on this latest Purism joint as they drop some seriously bumping deep house heat to get bodies popping with approval. "Nodi" is the consummate A side jam, all exuberant energy and rock solid functionality, just like a DJs best friend should be. "Virgo" is, on the surface, a slinkier affair, but don't be fooled as there's some serious weight in that bassline which will absolutely rock on a proper soundsystem. "Arya" is the dreamier cut on the record - the groove is still solid, but there's a dreamy tone to the pad hovering in the background and the track is sprinkled with all kinds of extra sonic delights to toy with your mind at the hazy end of the dance. | |
| £9.99 | | Plastik People are back with more of that garage house goodness, celebrating the uplifting sound of Alfredo Norese with Aquilla Fearon's gorgeous vocals and the joyous vibes of Matteo Esposito. Marc Cotterell really makes the track sing with his lead mix, leaning in on the emotive qualities in the music while retaining a certain depth and groove. The original meanwhile comes on strong like a crossover soul hit in the making, and then Shaka offers up a subtly club-aligned edit which keeps the source material thoroughly intact. Groove Boys complete the set with a more jacked up version which thumps in the low end for when you want to make sure the place is jumping. | |
| £5.39 | | After a sterling run of releases from Magnus Asberg and Ted Amber, Romana hit record number five with a various artists drop which sees them widening their scope without losing the focus on sleek minimal tech house. Ted Amber sets the tone to ensure the release sits naturally in the label's arc to date, whipping up the lithe and bubbling 'Little Rain' which keeps the beat slender and lets the wiggy synth do the talking. Johnny D then steps up with the outstanding, shimmering after hours dream 'Cakitos'. Magnus Asberg brings something a little spicier to the table with 'Waveform', revelling in edgy feedback flex and twitchy bleep to create a killer club cut, and then Jay Tripwire takes on 'Waveform' and adds a smokescreen to the track to lend it to the far flung end of the dance. | |
| £14.75 | | Social Joy records is very pleased to present Burkina Azza's debut Album "Wari bo" a musical tale that covers every aspect of Burkina Azza's values and world view. The album takes us to the very soul of Burkina Faso, giving us a taste of the deep connection of the artists to the beauty and culture of this country.
The Burkinabe collective, from Nayerina in the Djibasso region, was born from a lineage of Balafonist and Percussionist musicians called "The Griots", often referred to as a "living archive of the people's traditions". "Wari bo" was Produced in January 2020 on the brink of the coronavirus pandemic in Ouagadougou after Label owner Guilhem Monin discovered an outstanding street performance via the African Drumming Facebook group. Two years later, this release is the result of a friendship and love of music that connects two continents and travels across borders, space and time. | |
| £5.75 | | Although rarely spoken about in hushed tones, Peter Adshead AKA Baby Ford is one of British house and techno's true pioneers. As many readers will know, he spent the first decade of his career exploring acid house and rave, before switching to a deeper and more minimalistic techno and tech-house sound towards the end of the '90s. It's in that period that BFORD14, which is finally being reissued, first appeared in stores. Intoxicating, bass-heavy and entrancing, the EP's many highlights include the hissing hypnotism of 'Serpentine Tale', the deep bass, melancholic synthesiser chords and crunchy drums of 'Night D3 Died', and the spacey, deep techno warmth of deliciously hazy closing cut 'The Introducer'. | |
| £6.79 | | Save The Books launched in October 2020 with a release from Russian producers DJ Snils and Every Korner, and now they're back with this sureshot from TX. 'No Bio' is a spellbinding track that ranks amongst the finest electro drops of the year, plumbing some serious depths thanks to a warm and cosy pad tone while keeping the rhythmic elements fresh and engaging. 'Decent' taps into a particular thread of electro that favours a more expressive sound palette beyond the rote 808 hits commonly used elsewhere, calling to mind the clubbier end of Ultramarine in the process. 'Waves of Enceladus' is the consummate B2, cooling things down to explore a more mellow dimension of the TX sound with sparkling results. | |
| £11.49 | | Underground Berlin outpost Sushitech is a go-to for fans of grainy, lo-fi but deep and hypnotic house tracks that veer towards techno but never quite make the full jump. After a clear up in the warehouse this Eric Miller album Flora has turned up and still sounds as vital as the day it first arrived. The five takes all roll deep, with dubby undercurrents, a decade smattering of percussion and heady vibes for days long. Each one goes but issues the time to draw you in to a state of hypnosis you will never want to leave. | |
| £6.75 | | Sushitech continue to celebrate the depth and breadth of their catalogue with another 15th anniversary reissue in the form of this surefooted two-tracker from Delano Smith and Norm Talley. This is the sweet spot where Detroit house and Detroit techno intertwine, leading in with the dreamy haze and steady trucking groove of 'Constellation'. 'Detroit 2-Step' has a spicier demeanour which artfully merges sultry sax with an ear-snagging riff which sounds organic and metallic all at once. Again, the groove is locked down and impossible to shake off course, making this heady club tackle for those who want to season their set with some of the finest rollers in the game. | |
| £5.79 | | The West Loop Chicago crew are back at it again with more of that sultry finery, neatly packed onto a Vong45 7" and with their eyes set squarely on the lounge. The main version of 'Daylight' is a blissful treat, all languid Rhodes and low slung funk which doffs its cap to Roy Ayers on its mystical voyage to the outer reaches. On the flip, we get treated to an 88 BPM mono version of the track if you need even more of that vintage flavour, coming on like a deep cover 70s cut with a sound that pours out of the speakers like melted butter. Spread it on your toast and take yourself away to somewhere sunny, whatever the weather. | |
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