Cerca:3 heads

Bursting through the vapour trails of previous Solar Phenomena pilot Antonio Ruscito, London's Roberto is invited to the take the controls of the forward-thrusting new label's third adventure.

With turbine pads raising hairs at 20 paces, opening track 'Into The Blue' is an alluring statement. Adorned with breathing atmospherics and stately kicks, it builds perfectly on Roberto's previous work both on his own highly respected label Fossil Archives and other eminent imprints such as Emmanuel's Arts and Dehnert's Fachwerk as a fusion of contrasts and shades.

'DX Waves' takes us up a gear as it heads nose-first into a techno vortex. Relentless, driving and hypnotic, there's a pneumatic funk to the drums while the riff ripples and stimulates with a warmth and fluidity that instantly recalls the legacy of Motor City while remaining plotted to a path of its own.

This sense of unbridled drive and energy continues on Roberto's final original of the EP: 'Chord Recall'. Here the drums take more of a central position on the stage as the warped, melting tones and textures wrap themselves around the punctuated kicks and occasional deep-splash cymbals. Laced with a deep sense of space and a bewildering sensation of an unknown destination, it s another innovative voyage for Solar Phenomena that's brought home with an exciting revision conclusion from the one and only Peverelist.

A Bristol beat explorer who needs no introduction, Peverelist's take on 'Chord Recall' takes off where his recent album 'Tessellations' left us at the start of the summer. With his loose broken drum signature, Peverelist provides space for Roberto's original textured elements to take place at the centre of the stage and roam and evolve freely and hypnotically. A fitting end to another exceptional and innovative exploration, both Roberto's originals and Peverelist's remix set us up eagerly for the next Solar Phenomena chapter

This November will see Elia Perrone launch his new Jun'Ai imprint with his very own 'Flowers' EP, accompanied by a remix from Romanian minimal powerhouse Vid.

Tuscan producer and DJ Elia Perrone has long been one of the most respected figures in Italy's underground electronic music scene having co-founded the Klang Club in Arezzo which has seen him play alongside the likes of Simoncino, Juju & Jordash and Move D. Amongst this Elia, alongside brother and production partner heads up Unclear Records which plays host to their collaborative works as Easy To Remember as well as material from the likes of Baby Ford, Roman Fluegel, Christopher Rau and Dandy Jack amongst others.

Here though we see Elia turning a new chapter with the launch of his Jun'Ai imprint and taking the lead on the inaugural release is 'Flowers', a mind-altering slice of micro house fueled by pops, whirrs, clicks and sample cuts while fluttering atmospherics and bright string plucks ebb and flow throughout the murky depths of the composition. Vid aka Egal 3 steps up on remix duties to follow, delivering a straight edged take on things via crunchy organic percussion, billowing echoes of the original's atmospherics and a robust sub driven bass line.

Opening the flip side is 'Rain Smell', a slow brooding, hypnotic number employing dynamic string licks, modulating synth drones and bumpy 4/4 drums before 'Moshishi' closes out the package with airy ethereal textures, glitched out off-kilter percussion and rumbling low end tones.

The Remixs:
Pointsman - we dont know who he is but he provide a deep big room monster.
Tripmastaz - Probably the only funky Russian you will ever meet. The only Russian artist with releases on Cocoon, Minus, Desolat, Cadenza. The only Russian artist with 4 vinyl labels. Hes funky housey remix is the most faithful of the four.
bpmf - Schmer label head provides a grimey and noisey big bottom Soviet style jam.
Steve Stoll - NYC Acid legend made a hard banging acid tracer.

In 1996 Serotonin label heads Selway and Szostek went to Moscow to perform at the invitation of Magazine. Synapse performed at the Waterclub' and met the legendary DJ Compass Vrubell. They went to his studio' where he had perfected the art of making entire tracks out patterns on the Yamaha DX-5. Szostek brought a DAT of these jams back to NYC and Schmer-003 DJ RX-5 A Taste for Crap' was released as a small run white label in 97. The run sold out and disappeared to be forgotten forever...

Until 2016 Szostek casually mentions its existence to Techno Uber-Nerd Nina Kraviz who just had to have it for her Fabric 91' CD. So DJ RX-5 was back from the ash heap of history and Schmer got a NEW release from him on Schmer07.

Then Schmer got the word out far and wide that they'd like a remix EP for two of the originals: Compass provided stems because like a miracle he still had the patterns after 20 years. Heeding the call were Pointsman, Tripmastaz, Steve Stoll and Schmer's own BPMF. So this is what you get: A Taste for Remix'. It will leave your lips wanting more, for sure!

* Cold Recordings is very proud to include Berlin based producer PHON.O as part of it's growing roster by means of this immaculate EP. Across the 3 tracks, PHON.O demonstrates his ability to combine UK- bass influences with techno sensibilities, ultimately crafting cutting edge music for the dancefloor.

* 'CLU5T3R' opens the EP with a swinging 132bpm rhythm that sits somewhere in between classic UK-Funky and a cracking Shed/Heads High techno anthem. The repeating riff that circles and cycles, sweeps through the frequency spectrum, energising and purposeful. Versatile and effective, this is a track to come back to time and time again.

* Flip the plate and there's another couple of gems. 'V3R5U5' continues on from where 'CLU5T3R' left off, progressing the mood into a more ethereal space, building layers of pads and texture as the track developes, rising and ramping up, before pulling back and dropping into a rolling rhythm. Closing up the EP is 'H4NDCUFF3D', which takes the mood into a more dramatic backdrop. Chilling pads swell up from the ground like mist in a graveyard, while the broken rhythm sets pace, creating a moody ambiance for those moments when you want to take a dancefloor into mystical, other-worldly territories. Dramatic and energising!

he Copenhagen based pop wonders Blaue Blume return with a new EP - 'Sobs'. The band formed around 6 years ago in a provincial Danish town, drawn to each other's love for rich, playful music. Blaue Blume (blue flower) is the epitome of a romantic band, their songs are brimming with love and yearning. Now 'Sobs', the follow up to their 'Syzygy' album in 2015, continues to build their reputation as a best kept secret, about to find a whole new audience of devotees. All four tracks for the EP were recorded in late 2016 in a three story villa, formerly owned by a religious cult. The band used the weird space away from the city to create a framework for the lyrics and the music. The band explains: 'Blaue Blume has been our band for about 6 years. In a bigger provincial town we started playing right out of highschool. At the moment we live in Copenhagen and every day we play, write and work on sounds. It's sort of become a life project. In our heads we make music that is playful, rich in detail and popish or somewhat smiling. For some beautifully inexplicable reason we ended up doing music together. In a way it seems sacred or at least meaningful. Macabre is a happy song about being afraid of dying. Some of us find that even the best life can be lonely sometimes. We found it interesting to address this taboo within the frame of a song that people could potentially dance or sing along to.

4 pumped up jams for djs to take control - don't hold back, just let go and feel the n·r·gee. Early support by Eduardo De La Calle, Jennifer Cardini, Andrew Claristidge, Gilb'r, Daniel Kyo, Photonz, Angel Molina... Points of interests - Only for the headstrong tripping on strictly undeground massive hits. - For fans of techno, warehouse, (old school) breaks and bleeps. - Pure reel-2-real analog recording and extra loud mastering by F.Stader at MMM. - Features 6 eternal loops and bonus samples for extended dj pleasure. - 121th release from renowned Swiss Mental Groove Records est. 1989 (Dj Rush, Eduardo De La Calle, Sun Araw, Miss Kittin, Luciano, Brodinski, Donato Dozzy,...), also home of Musique Pour La Danse (Olivier Abbeloos, Frankie Bones, Orlando Voorn, Nate Krafft, Dirk De Saever, Todd Sines...) and We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want (Midori Takada, Michel Legrand, Kenji Kawai, John Carpenter...).

For the 108th installment in the ever expanding planet rhythm catalog, a various artists effort has been planned with some of the label's usuals and some exciting names we have had our eye on for a while now. For the A-side, ARTS label owner Emmanual brings his much appreciated E100 to vinyl. Previously released digitally through his own imprint, this cut has been sought after for a while now. Second up is Eindhoven native Albert Van Abbe. Albert has been making a lot of waves for a long time now and we're very glad to welcome him to the PRRUK family. More to Ignore 04 is a funked out piece of machine music that will definitely turn some heads. The B side is opening with Elyas' The Hangman. The mysteryman that gained some infamy through his releases on Modularz and Olympian delivers a cutting edge Techno work-out. Closing down this VA 12'' is Mendy. Returning to PRRUK for the 2nd time, Mendy has come up with ''Elevation'' which is a chordy techno theme for peak hours.

Rick Lenoir and Larry Thompson aka Black Traxx dropped several volumes of their own brand of chopped up Disco sampling, deeper side of House. From 1991 through to 1994 the Black Traxx EP's were showing up in record stores, obviously giving respectful nods to other Chicago DJ's and producers the tracks included on the EP's contained a DIY spirit and rawness that were key ingredients. Lenoir, with the technical assistance of Gary 'Jackmaster' Wallace has revisited these classic releases for 2017 and the pair have turned in some special, exclusive extended versions of some of the highlights from the series.

Kicking off the first Black Traxx sampler is 'Climaxx', a stripped back, slow burning acid cut with more than a similarity to 'French Kiss' complete with ultra slowed down section in the middle. Far from a copycat, 'Climaxx' is it's own beast, a truly atmospheric track that tweaks in all the right places! 'Doctor's Housecall' is up next, a cut-up of Disco burner 'Doctor Love', a Chicago staple for sure. This is a brand new extended version of this jam, serious heat on this one, you all know the sample by now! Undoubtedly a nod to the legendary Ron Hardy and his mythical Muzic Box club, this one hits the spot.

On side-B we get a new version of 'Your Mind Is So Crazy' lifted off Volume III, this one's a pumping, breakbeat laced party starter. Vocal samples, synths and swinging drums all collide to form a real peak-time monster of a track, pure 90's style runnings! 'Retrospace' is the last track on sampler 1, it's a melding of Chicago House, breakbeat and bleeps. If you dig the sounds that emanated from Sheffield way back when, or the you're into the early hardcore sound pre-Jungle then this is the cut for you. Fast paced and funky, 'Retrospace' is a real hidden gem of a track, featured here in it's original form lifted from volume II.

This reissue has been realised with the full involvement of Rick Lenoir and Gary Wallace and is 100% legit! All exclusive extended edits have been made by Rick and Gary specifically for this release. Don't snooze, this one deserves a spot in any self respecting House heads record bag or DJ set, classic material made available again for 2017 - You can't stop it!

Since making their debut on the imprint in 2013 with 'Blue Aconite', the Italian duo Hiver has since released two more EPs on Curle; 'Same Mistake Twice' in 2015 and 'Soundescence' last year. Since the release of the latter mentioned EP, Hiver have been busy behind the booth, performing in the UK, China, Germany, Holland and, of course, in Italy, where they still hold a residency at DUDE Club. Kicking off the EP is 'Elipse', a stunning four-minute track that nods to avant-garde artists such as Wolfgang Voigt's GAS alias or Brian Eno, as the pair gradually weaves several layers of shining, atmospheric tones before slowly fading into the background. Title-named track 'Air Castles' follows, with the tight selection of drums combined with the ebb and flow of soaring synths creating a melodic style of techno that has become synonymous with their name. Next is 'Aleutine', a song that similarly blends Hiver's characteristically ethereal, hazy synths alongside more vibrant analogue bleeps to great effect. These delicate synths are later given the chance to gleam as the track comes to a close.Closing this excellent four-track EP is deep-groover 'Leisure', seeing Hiver up the tempo through their clever use of percussive elements, sharp synths and headstrong drums.

An addendum horrificata to the fantastic LP, Haex-Hrll AKA DJ Overdose returns from the nether regions of space with a louder dancefloor cut of sleeper hit 'North Of Warren' accompanied by witchy and dread filled extras. Remixes are provided by label heads Antoni Maiovvi who takes Test Tube Babies from the 'Further From The Truth' LP into tripped out waters and Vercetti Technicolor, who reimagines 'North Of Warren' for blood-soaked 90s Hollywood vampires. Brand new master by Brassica! Art by Eric A. Lee.

Music From Memory's final 12" for 2017 is a reissue of Dub Oven's self released, and sadly one-off, 1983 EP 'Skin N Bones'.
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Pioneers in the Post Punk Industrial and New Wave scene in 1980's San Francisco, Gary Miles (Voice Farm) and Blaise Smith (Minimal Man), met at San Francisco's notorious 181 Club in December of 1982. This straight/same sex/swing-both-ways late night dive bar was tucked away in one of the city's most risky, drug riddled neighbourhoods. Stationed near the SF Museum of modern Art it attracted a wild audience of local patrons, aspiring young artists and music heads. In the thick of all this the duo felt impartial to a lot what was going on musically and set out to produce electronic music that could break through the "somewhat exhausted post disco sound that was then competing in the local San Francisco clubs". Enlisting soul vocalist Celeste Miller, the duo were also inspired by Lee 'Scratch' Perry / Upsetters dub tracks being produced in Jamaica and created a unique breed of avant guard hybrid New Wave/Electronic Funk.

With it's influences seemingly as much rooted in the past and the present as it was focused on the future, Dub Oven formed a distinct, mystical approach to music intended for the dance floor. All three tracks on this 12" embody a signature groove and an inventive synthesized abstraction to express a languishing urban unsettledness and spiritual awareness. Recorded at L7 Studios in San Francisco with the assistance of the the studio's in house producer Marco Perry (who currently now works with Bjork) the record was unfortunately overlooked by A&R at several major and even local labels and was finally self-released in very limited quantities. Utilising analog electronics and instrumentation, the record draws on elements of dub, new wave, soul and funk to create a sound that is uncategorizable and one that was perhaps simply too forward thinking for it's time.

Awake at an undefined hour. Floating between the realm of dreams and open awareness. Accept it — you're a headspace passenger. Talking to a machine is a thrill for a moment or two. You want to go out, need to get lost. It's still yet all under the surface ... but you know it's going to happen, eventually. What you need to do is: return to the same old place. What you think is:

I hope the roof flies off, and I get sucked up into space.

This is the debut album by Berlin-based musician and futurist Andre´ Uhl. Crackling noise, moody arpeggios, and haunting melodies tell tales of the hazy past, moving into the twilight of the future. Each of the 13 songs is a dark and cinematic piece on it's own - altogether combined a compelling story, here for the listener to explore.

The album is available digitally and on vinyl in a limited edition of 300 copies, including a booklet of 13 short stories by different writers like the Czech visual artist and poet Katarina Hruskova, Berlin-based subcultural magickian Daniel Jones, and the British novelist Chris Brownsword - each story inspired by one of the 13 songs. I hope the roof flies off, and I get sucked up into space is the first trueness presented by Neofakt, a new label for audio, text and visual art.

Despite his low profile, Ken Karter might be one of Berlin's most influential artists in the techno scene. Karter is known as a mastering engineer for the seminal M_REC LTD, however his own productions have gone largely unnoticed until his 2015 EP on Stroboscopic Artefact's Monad series. His EP turned heads and gained him well-deserved attention. Two years later, his follow-up EP on Escapism exemplifies his focus on quality over quantity. His passion for mathematical formulas combined with his intricate knowledge of sound created an outstanding record set to satisfy both fans of experimental and dancefloor techno.

Wonderwheel is happy to welcome in Montreal based producer & don dada Poirier for his first release on the label, the "Be Alright" EP. Moving away from the traditional dancehall, dub and soca sounds he's become known for, Poirier delivers a 4 track of Afro-House influenced dancefloor firestarters. "Sowia" heads to South East Africa with it's floating guitar hooks, big bassline, and vocals in Portugese from Canadian-Moçambican singer Samito. "Ginobili" goes into deeper territory with four to the floor drums, heavily chopped percussion, and a hypnotizing distorted Mbira line, while "Camera" continues the tropical vibe with a nod to Semba with it's driving guitar lines, staccato synth lines and thumping drums. "Antilles Trax" rounds it out as the extended instrumental version of "Sowia".

Brazilian mid tempo boogie double header. We've been playing these two out for the last couple of years and they are firm favourites.
'E Novamente Mas Que Nada' is the opening track from Reseda's 1979 album on Som Livre. An ultra catchy vocal hook, boogie guitars and synths lead into a piano and cuica breakdown and horns to finish. One of the finest in the genre in our
opinion.
'Ginga' is taken from Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti's self-titled
masterpiece, reissued on Mr Bongo. Arguably the most immediate and club friendly track from the album, it always turns heads. Another premium example of Brazilian boogie from the masters of the sound and producers for the likes of Rita Lee, Erasmo Carlos, Don Beto, Marcos Valle, Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Sandra Sa, Painel de Controle and many more.



 

Da'saa - The Haunting Sound of Yemenite Israeli Funk 1974-1982

Fortuna Records deliver a stellar compilation of real-life magic created by immigrants from Yemen, in Tel Aviv, from the mid seventies to the early eighties. Ranging from extremely rare to previously unreleased, these tracks are a result of a unique scene which blended funk, soul, jazz & disco with traditional Yemenite rhythms & sounds.

It cannot get more obscure than this! Fortuna heads: Look out for an unreleased Tsvia Abarbanel from 1969!!! Glorious gatefold LP with a 14 page booklet telling the fascinating story of this movement, for the very first time!

We got Cuthead on Rat Life Number 12. You probably know this guy. He is respected worldwide for his one of a kind House and Hip-Hop productions. Lately he said, he got a bit bored with all the soulful jazzy sampling, the groovy shuffles and the catchy hooklines. So, he decided to do something a little different for Rat Life Records. Well, thank you Sir! Happy to present these five variations of banging sounds!

ick Lenoir and Larry Thompson aka Black Traxx dropped several volumes of their own brand of chopped up Disco sampling, deeper side of House. From 1991 through to 1994 the Black Traxx EP's were showing up in record stores, obviously giving respectful nods to other Chicago DJ's and producers the tracks included on the EP's contained a DIY spirit and rawness that were key ingredients. Lenoir, with the technical assistance of Gary 'Jackmaster' Wallace has revisited these classic releases for 2017 and the pair have turned in some special, exclusive extended versions of some of the highlights from the series.
This, the second sampler of Black Traxx cuts culled from the various volumes picks up nicely where part 1 left us off. If it's that raw, deep, basement Chicago House sound you're after then these guys have you covered. Kicking off with the 1993 remix of 'Dreamin' which is a sublime late night organ driven groover, this one ticks all the boxes if you dig that NY / NJ Garage sound, but with a Chi-town twist! 'Soul' is up next, lifted from 1993's 'The Soul Package' collection. A stripped back, vocal led jam steeped in atmosphere. This one is for the dancers for sure, no nonsense House music for heads and hips.
Flip it over and the B-side opens with 'Shake', a tough, gritty, percolating banger with a tribal-esque edge. This one's a weapon and almost fits into that Baltimore / Chicago 'ghetto House' mould. A proper club track, no prisoners taken. This one has been gently extended by Rick and Gary for maximum club pressure! EP finisher 'Party' is a much more subdued groove giving a respectful nod to the JB's with that infamous 'Paaaarty' chant. No frills in the best possible way this one's another solid club groove, pure food for hungry turntables and sound-systems. All of the tracks included on these samplers have been carefully selected, arranged, edited and extended for precisely these reasons!
This reissue has been realised with the full involvement of Rick Lenoir and Gary Wallace and is 100% legit! All exclusive extended edits have been made by Rick and Gary specifically for this release. Don't snooze, this one deserves a spot in any self respecting House heads record bag or DJ set, classic material made available again for 2017 - You can't stop it!

'Exit Entrance' is the DFA debut for Kohei Matsunaga aka NHK yx Koyxen.

Kohei has been making / releasing music since 1997 and has recorded for such iconic labels as Mille Plateaux, Important, Pan & Diagonal.

His latest recordings explore intricate drum programming, lush melodies & sparkling arrangements. Touchstones include the legendary 'Clicks & Cuts' compilations from the 1990's as well as Aphex Twin & Autechre. RA called his music bombastic techno funk....unpredictable but rarely disappointing'.

'Exit Entrance' is a collection of new songs that snap and flicker unlike anything Kohei has done in the past. There is a clarity and beauty to these tracks that bursts out of the speakers in a three dimensional way, matching the 3D glasses that the artist wears during all his live performances. The elegant arrangements and crisp drum breaks match the concise song titles - Kohei foregoes the typical impenetrable track names made up of numbers and shorthand, and opts for a more direct emotional sincerity through the sonic themes of the record. Not all the music here falls into the same exact formula.

As the album heads towards a close, after several tracks of harmonious beauty, we get 'Outset (for Mika Vainio)', a sombre hushed techno tune, dedicated to his late friend and musical collaborator, who unexpectedly passed away earlier this year as the record was being completed. What follows after this track is perhaps the real catharsis, as 'Dented' ominously kicks off with acidic stabs and rolls into a tumultuous dirge of gritty techno.

In this regard, 'Exit Entrance' can play out like a life cycle, a mini opera of birth and beauty, of sorrow and mourning.

It is one of the most direct and honest records Kohei has ever made, and DFA is beyond proud to present this work from such an esteemed creative force in the electronic avant-garde world of music.

For fans of Aphex Twin, Actress, Zomby, Kraftwerk, Four Tet.

Serotonin Records, the little neuron that could, returns with a compilation of futuristic electronic funk.

'It's What We Live For: Volume 1' is the first in a series of compilations sharing our vision of tomorrow and/or the sound of the day after yesterday... Serotonin has always been what we've lived for, now we'll try and make sure it's what you live for too.

John Selway takes us 'Solar Sailing' on a tour of classic Serotonin themes set in the deep space between our ears. Of course it sounds like Selway, but it's the unique sound of Selway on Serotonin.

Alex Cortex has been making electro for years and Serotonin is excited to finally catch up with him. His contribution 'Proxy' is a deep, fat and brain chemistry-altering groove.

Synapse, the duo consisting of label heads John Selway and Jason 'bpmf' Szostek, reach into their archives to deliver 'Payback'. What was the debt Well, that was already paid back with another track so we can share this golden slice of the electro dream with you.

TCMF with isti.f can transform your body with laser beams and bass. 'We Are The Almost People' is just weird enough to rock you out of your seat so you can get up and jam.

Pointsman and bpmf each deliver a loop so that the Serotonin never runs out.

Watch out for more releases soon, including a full Synapse EP and some old friends doing new tricks.

Serotonin, It's what you we live for...

After making waves a few years back via his Potatohead People project (with AstroLogical) and co-producing Illa J's critically acclaimed self titled LP, Vancouver based playboy & producer Nick Wisdom steps out from behind the boards to deliver his first solo release for Bastard Jazz.

The "Intimate Strangers" EP mines deep into Nick's proclivities for disco, hip-hop, and house flavours. "Good Times" kicks things off with a snapping four on the floor, deep Rhodes chords and a rollicking bassline and vocals courtesy of Mr. Wisdom himself. "Feelin' Alright" heads into outerspace disco territory with cosmic synths, walking bass, and sultry vocals courtesy of Reva Devito (HW&W, Kaytranada). On the flipside "Don't Tell" brings in some 80s boogie vibes with downlow vocals from San Francisco's K-Maxx, while "Rock The Cash Bar" is an instrumental party rocking hip-hop jam sounding like a modern day Showbiz & AG.

One for the heads! A rare female vocal double header, starting with Dalila's 1968 gem 'Canto Chorando' originally released on a sort after 'compacto' 45 on Copacabana.
On the flip - a Copacabana 7' release in the form of Neyde Alexandre's 1971 song 'Perplexidade', with a fantastic break intro, horn stabs and lush vocals. One of our favourite Brazil 45's.



 

An Australian classic rereleased for the first time ever. Born in 1993 when euphoria was still cool Sweetness and Light is the original rave anthem. Dreamy and breakbeaty this has aged like your best bottle of wine. Brought to you by icons of the scene Itch-E & Scratch-E AKA Paul Mac and Andy Rantzen, between them they have remixed the likes of INXS, Severed Heads, LCD Soundsystem, Kylie Minogue, The Presets and Sia.
In 1994 it came 21st in Triple J's Hottest 100 followed by the honours of an ARIA award for Best Dance Release in 1995. In his infamous acceptance speech Paul Mac announced "We'd like to thank all of Sydney's ecstasy dealers, without whom this award would not be possible".
On the b-side we have Motorik's newest festival act For Life remixing Sweetness into 21st century tempos. Perfect to break between your house and techno this 130bpm heavy hitter blew off the dust from the original to shine again.
Brought to you by your favourite party techno label Motorik who cares more about concept then a budget, this is an opportunity which couldn't be passed down. Sweetness and Light represented warehouse culture in the 90s, it was the resistance to authority, the acceptance of all and the beginning of underground dance music as we know it today.

The first time I heard of Mattes Schwarz, someone called him 'Stecken-Mattes'. Stecken was a defining, if almost secret, Cologne dance music venue of the 2000s and early 2010s, a minuscule basement without curfew and seemingly any other restrictions, where the up to twelve hour long DJ-sets felt like a tightly knit circle of friends just playing records to each other: The selectors from the night before and the one after reliably sitting right in front of the just over one meter long stretch of the bar that formed its booth, never missing out on a chance to see their mates play, heads nodding and hands clapping through the smoke-filled air, until someone started to sing along, and eventually everyone got up for a few hours of moves on the 15 square meter dancefloor, on a grey Wednesday or Saturday morning at 7 or just as well 10 am.
Mattes Schwarz started DJing in 1982 at age twelve, inspired by, as many West-German kids, the GI-DJs of the roller skating rinks around US army bases. While he got heavily involved in Cologne's BMX scene of the 90s, he never really stopped, and during the main years of being known as Stecken-Mattes and playing there each Friday night, he coincidently lived in Magazine record's homebase, North- Eastern Cologne's old harbour.
One day after Stecken's closure had sent restructuring ripples through the city - I imagine him getting up in the morning and taking a deep breath - he decided to send Magazine a few tracks.
'I Don't Know' is Mattes Schwarz' first release.

New York's P. Leone is back with the second release on his newly launched E-MISSIONS imprint featuring Work Them Records founder Spencer Parker on remix duties.Born and raised in Brooklyn, where he discovered the legendary Storm Rave parties run by Frankie Bones and Adam X, P. Leone cut his teeth DJing in the Lower East side of Manhattan before making techno himself. Before long the producer dropped his first two releases on Work Them Records, joining a roster spanning Radio Slave, Spencer Parker, Young Male, Anetha and Physical Therapy. E-MISSIONS was then launched in early 2017, acting as a platform for co-founders P. Leone and CAIAZZO with more exciting artists soon to be announced.'Discipline Signals' is dark and robust from start to finish, with 'Functions of Discipline 1' inaugurating the package with resonating kicks, trippy elements and industrial synths. 'Functions of Discipline 2' follows a similar aesthetic but heads into a deeper direction with its cavernous atmospherics and glitch inspired effects, making way for 'Laced' with its sinister drones and tantalising melodies. Spencer Parker then remixes 'Laced', concluding matters with rugged drums, energetic hi-hats and a rumbling low-end.

REPRESSED !!
Frak are Björn Isgren, Johan Sturesson and Jan Svensson, a trio of synthesizer lovers from Sweden. The band was formed when Svensson and Isgren's older sisters were best friends and they introduced their little brothers to each other. Inspired by Severed Heads, DAF, Human League, Devo, Skinny Puppy, the boys began collecting analog equipment and started Studio Styrka. While the band were still in their early teens they released the first FRAK cassette album in 1987 on their own record label Börft.

Almost 30 years later, FRAK continue to release their bizarre brand of Scandinavian techno with their debut release on Dark Entries. 'Sudden Haircut' was recorded in 2015, a ten-minute brooding, heavy hitting acid attack full of 808 drum claps aimed at the dance floor. The three remaining songs come from a studio tape the band found in their archives named 'FRAK "After The Silence" 2001-2010' 'Synthgök' and 'Synthfrilla' were recorded in 2010 and originally released on the 'Börft' EP by Sex Tag Mania in 2012. Utilizing a 808, 303, 101 and MS-10, both are supreme cuts of electro leaning acid techno that perfectly fit the sweatiest moments of any club land experience. The deliciously rugged final track 'First Glimt I Ögat' is a vintage unreleased Frak song from 2001 recorded one month before the track 'Second Coming' (later released as B1 on 'Börft' EP).

All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Designer Eloise Leigh has created a playful DIY jacket based on a mysterious black and white photo of the band in their classic tin foil masks. Each copy comes with a black and white postcard featuring a distorted back stage photo of FRAK in their teens. 'Forget all you know about Swedish electronic music, this is Börft crew, the core underground of "söta bror's" techno history - here represented by Frak - a full out techno acid punch.' Juno Records

Klanken are two Belgian brothers. Klanken by name Klanken by nature. 'Vier' is motorik. Highway engine sounds over rumbling bass. 'Vijf' kicks. LFO gone Benelux. These two tracks are the sound of New Beat reinvented from its Belgian home. Metallic machine sound for dancefloors and heads. Sleeve design by Ill Studio, Paris.

Production powerhouse Mefjus and Critical label boss Kasra team up for their much anticipated debut single release. A single that swoops from heads down warehouse atmosphere to raw funk. Featured in the sets of Noisia, Camo & Krooked and more.
Released on limited edition 12" vinyl and download.

3 overlooked jams on one 12" single, excavated from the deepest realms of the TK Disco vaults. Remastered, represented and brought back into focus for 2017's DJ bags and dance-floors. Side A sees Wizzdom's 1980 boogie jam 'Free bass' kicking off proceedings. A P-funk-ish, low slung jam indeed, it has everything you'd want including some Furious Five esque shouts of 'Free-Bass!' weaving in and out of the mix. This one is a true heads cut, one for the diggers! Over on side B we get Jimmy 'Bo' Horne's slamming 'Is it in' - a stomping piece of Disco-funk that in the right hands will cause maximum damage. Also, Jimmy's mildly double-entendre lyrics are hugely entertaining! Following up we have a cut from Herman Kelly & Life, 'A refreshing love' was an LP only release and is some serious downtempo Latin tinged soul super soaked in Miami sunshine! All in all, 3 majorly overlooked gems nestled away in the TK archive now brought back into the light. As usual, these TK represses are always done in the proper manner. 100% legit re-edits, from the archive, remastered and released in conjunction with Henry Stone Music / TK Disco - Miami FL.

First Word Records are very proud to present a heavyweight EP in collaboration with seminal groove collective, CoOp: 'Selectors Assemble'.

It's been almost two decades since a bunch of music makers, bored of the genre constraints of their time, began toying with time signature and syncopation to birth what is now known as broken beat. Summer 2017, the 'Selectors Assemble' EP is in our laps and we have a fitting reminder and long-overdue renaissance of one of London's most valuable musical movements.

IG Culture and Alex Phountzi were integral to this movement, the focal point being the CoOp club night, which ran predominantly on the famed floors of Plastic People, up until 2007. CoOp remerged late in 2015 as a Boiler Room session, in which the originators linked effortlessly with new school players such as K15 and Alex Nut. The following day, a session was inspired between an assortment of artists, and the seeds were planted for the 'Selectors Assemble'.

Here we have the first offering. The steady-paced roller of 'Gangz' (IG & Seiji), the dutty wine-ready getdown of Henry Wu's 'Substance', the heads-down low-end theory of '2nd Intention', the dominant soundclash call-out of the 'Spartan Riddim', riding out with the garage-flecked jam 'Can't Hold It', also featuring Sonar's Ghost (Domu). Five tracks deeply rooted in groove and as beautifully diverse as Bruk ever was.

Pressed up lovingly onto 140g vinyl, this release is accompanied with a fully-printed insert, featuring an extensive piece on the history of Bruk, written by Andwot (Touching Bass), classic photography by Sarah Ginn, and full-colour artwork by Mitchy Bwoy, a legendary artist to the original scene in his own right. This is an essential artefact for followers of the sound, new and old.

First Word prides itself on its ethos of musical diversity, and we're ecstatic to welcome aboard the CoOp foundation to the stable. A crew of British dance music pioneers, sound-system legends, and now-school heavyweights, this is but a taste of what's to come. Lead by the don IG Culture, the family spirit has quickly formed, the selectors have assembled.

The stage has been set for bruk's second wind. Be ready.

A A1 | Henry Wu - Substance (IG Culture & Alex Phountzi Remix)

While the resurgent Vibraphone may be known for its silky smooth deep house confections, the Italian label also has other interests guiding its musical policy. The seemingly unknown KNLB steps up to prove this on Initialize by serving up a rich and engrossing broth of tracks loaded with depth and detail. "Second Wind" takes on a slow breakbeat trip with lingering piano sprinkled on top, while "Apollo" comes on like a warm and energised twist on dub techno motion. "Initialize" heads for a more introverted kind of house, which Minimono then infect with a bouncy energy on their remix.

The latest VINYL ONLY entry on Infuse finds 'Karousel' stepping up for production duties. 'Outback' is first a tripped out female vocal imbuing the track with a distinctly hypnotic vibe for those late night sessions that's already seen label head Enzo Siragusa drop it on Amnesia's Terrace to great effect.
'Jungle Heat' ups the energy with a raw house groove whilst 'Coastin' heads up the flip with a deeper melodic groove before label favourite Seb Zito takes on 'Outback', harnessing London's underground with breakbeats and a steppers' b-line.

For nearly a decade, Raíz and Subversive have distributed their vision of dance music on various labels including Historia y Violencia, Electric Deluxe, Construct Reform, Droid Recordings and their own imprint, VRV. Three years into the VRV project, the label heads have decided it is time to expand the roster and showcase artists on a similar plane, producers they know can speak to the sound. The chosen interpreters on this release include DJ Hyperactive, Santiago Salazar and Voiski.
Before Voiski's well-deserved attention from work on Dement3d, L.I.E.S., and Delsin, he and Subversive had a chance meeting in the bars of Paris in search of the same musical ideals. As they formed a lasting bond, it was a natural choice for Voiski to be tapped on the shoulder for remix duties on Subversive's 'Chainbreaker.' This epic take on the original showcases the similar musical visions that can be shared across oceans, where the music's place of origin is less important than the destination it delivers.Santiago Salazar brings his Latin/Midwest sound that's been found on labels such as UR, Rush Hour, H&V, and Ican. The Underground Resistance veteran invokes Detroit-inspired pads and dubby chords that speak techno's language of the future.DJ Hyperactive is a Chicago acid legend who found himself reinvigorated in the 2000s to take up the DJ/producer torch in conjunction with the Droid crew. His early support of the original 'Telomere' made him the perfect candidate for this remix, which tracks a straight forward, bass-grounded groove, met with the producer's own subtle swing sensibilities.

After what can only be described as a storming start to their label, Luke Hazell, Ben Murphy and Elliott Owen continue the exciting evolution of their brand Music Related with their first vinyl release and it's nothing short of sublime.
This spring, Music Related makes its bold entrance into the ever growing vinyl market with a heavy dose of minimal and house cuts in the form of a 4 track Various Artists, EP. MRRV001 drafts in the talents of Salva Stigler & Dubquest, Pat Ondebaak, Duky and Manuel De Lorenzi, and it's easy to see why as these 4 artist each bring a unique flavour to this well rounded minimal infused record.
The listener is welcomed on the A side by Salva Stigler & Dubquest - 'Dead Men Tell No Tales', which teases dark techno elements with a rolling progressive baseline. Definitely a track for the later hours, this dance floor weapon is sure to send heads tripping with the dark eerie vocals taunting the equally as impressive clicky percussion.
A2 takes a more laid back approach from A1 as Pat Ondebaak's track Matter offers up a low slung dubbed out groove with a sprinkling of crisp skippy high hats and a highly seductive mix of low and high percussion elements setting deep in the mix.
As we flip the record, Deep Tech records head honcho Duky brings an absolute club banger in the form of 'It Takes One'. Built around an old school drum break this hypnotic hard hitting track seduces you with its repetitive vocal stabs only to find yourself slapped hard in the face with the powerful 4 or 5 note synth line. Built for the big systems this high impact track is a certified party starter!
Closing of proceedings we have Manuel De Lorenzi's slightly more house oriented 'Whole Night'. This deep groove conveys a sweet mix of bouncy baseline, heavily swung hats and rides with a spaced out mix of filtered chord stabs and pads. Manuel's warm up vibe really rounds off what is a brilliant entry into the vinyl market for Music Related.

Vibronics having been running things on the UK/European Dub scene for around 20 years with a massive following, a string of albums and singles for their own Scoops label and Zion Train's Universal Egg in-print as well as touring extensively worldwide.
`Crisis' - dating from 1999 - is an uplifting stepper featuring melodica player Vitamin M and has never been released before in any format until now which will satisfy the hordes of vinyl-hungry dub-heads.

"New from the west London revivalists - Bearface Records return with an off-kilter house offering.The San Jose EP opens with it's namesake - a raw and rollicking percussive house workout for those heads down, late night moments On the flip is a hazy, sliding Roy Ayers based groove with Brazilian inflections and a gorgeous clipped french-house rhythm track underpinning it." off-kilter house offering. The San Jose EP opens with it's namesake - a raw and rollicking percussive house workout for those heads down, late night moments On the flip is a hazy, sliding Roy Ayers based groove with Brazilian inflections and a gorgeous clipped french-house rhythm track underpinning it." Records return with an off-kilter house offering.

Support so far:
Voyeur, Kito Jempere, Moodymanc, Tronik Youth, Mr. Top Hat & Alfie, Joris Voorn, Carl Craig, Ponchartrain, Joseph Capriati..

While the story of Jah Wobble, from post-punk bassist to Tube driver to world music explorer is well documented, the fact he founded his own label, Lago Records, at the age of just 23 years old has oft been overlooked. Lago Records was set up by John "Wobble" Wardle soon after his acrimonious departure from college friend John Lydon's Public Image Ltd band at the end of the recording of the Metal Box sessions. Although still young, Wobble had already experienced a music career most would dream of and was experienced enough and singular in his thinking that while now working with both Island and Virgin Records, he did not want to be constrained by the traditional label / artist format and release schedule. With a mindful of music ideas and working with a group of friends and musicians, Lago allowed Wobble to express his wider musical interests that now forms it's own unique document in time. This release takes a collection of songs from the 6 EPs released on the label between 1981 and 1985 and captures some of his best ever music, covering a wide palette including dub, jazz, spoken word and even some pop sensibilities, all held together by his instantly discernable bass rumble. The driving post-punk-dub of Invaders Of The Heart is clear a link to the PiL years, while the psychedelic nature of Long Long Way and Fading offer long, drug-induced meditations. Nocturnal and East take this further with long-form instrumental experiments, before both Voodoo and the now highly sought after Blowout take in (Balearic) pop touches that the mid-80s were beginning to encapsulate. Packaged with DJs in mind as much as for the "Heads", the Lago Years double pack is a revelation to those who thought they knew the Jah Wobble sound and offers a perfect framing of a unique musical journey.

Brian Kage returns on Michigander with the, 'Best Kept Secret EP.' Kage once again provides three deeply emotional dance tracks filled with his signature warmth that immediately draw connections between personal memories and Michigan's natural splendor. Best Kept Secret starts the record off with tones of hypnotic bells that cascade down from within minor chords that hypnotize the listener until they are met with swelling strings to tie the infectious grooves to intelligent vintage percussion. Lush vocals continue building into an atmosphere of nostalgia and eventually gives way to that moment of intimacy that can only be felt outdoors while exploring with a person they love. Lost on Old Free-soil Road features a detuned analog synth-line that winds up and down over a bed of spooky night-time forest field-recordings which are encompassed by a jackin' 909 beat . Suddenly, juno stabs straight from the 80's pierce through sending the syncopated grooves back the direction they came from taking dancers along for the joyful ride. Cruise Control on US-31 rounds out the record with an infectious blend of pitched wooden toms, warm mid-range bass, deep 303 lines, and a smoky pad straight from a vintage rhodes. All these elements help keep the composition positive & relaxing, while expertly conjuring the feeling of sun on your face. This tune is the perfect tool for any DJ interested in luring day-partiers to a space where they can't resist bobbing their heads and enjoying their summer outside.

Aficionado enjoyed a storming start to 2017, serving up a pair of sell out EPs from either end of the Balearic shoreline - now they're back with one more for Good Measure.
Teaming up with the Mancunian fashion house for a second season, this sonic selection pack is softer than velvet, smoother than silk and more durable than Moonboots' P.E. kit.
Pour yourself a spritz, slip into something stylish and bask in the brilliance of 'Good MeasurePt.2' Bird song blends into synth swell as 'Ottimismo' shakes our hand, pulling back a deckchair and inviting us to relax and recline with its simmering percussion, swaying bassline and delicate fretwork.
London's Simon Peter is the man behind the music, following a gorgeous 12" on Claremont 56 with another sun kissed soother perfect for a coastal drive, morning swim or lazy siesta.
We take a small step towards the fiesta on the A2, rolling our shoulders and nodding our heads to the infectious rhythms of Simon Cotter's 'Pianta Road'.Though the claves, woodblocks and guiro may dart like dragonflies over a midsummer drum pattern, the Australian conjures a calming breeze via Casiotone keys, spheric bass and sublime strings.
If that weren't enough to make your ice cube melt, the exquisite cascade of well-tinkled ivories could bring a tear to a glass eye and a smile to a cliff-face.The sultry sounds continue on the B1 as France's Murena charters a yacht from Saint Tropez to Es Canar, cutting through the dazzling azure with 'Un Prueba De Amor'. DX7 chimes and digital pan pipes glisten in the spray while a lilting groove rises from the deep, picking up snatches of distant conversations and the rise of tidal sine waves as it goes.
Drifting, dreamy and more debonair than Boardman's cravat, this is as Balearic as it gets. From here we go sublime, waltzing beyond the sunset to the baroque soul of B&B's 'Read Me'.
Waves crash and strings screech, a roaring storm kept at bay by warm double bass, pizzicato melody and spirit lifting poetry. Hints of hip hop and dub colour the immersive groove, while those neo-classical flourishes favour the cinematic diversions of PCO or Monsieur Tellier. Officially Aficionado.

"SUCIO is a series of weekly parties, which take place at the Goethe University of Frankfurt/ Main since 2010. The idea to start a record label under the same name is as old as the event itself. SUCIO is also a platform for local DJs, artists and music lovers. With this record we want to offer these people a medium.

A1 - Phonk D opens the release with a great hybrid of Disco Edit & Housebanger. The raw and funky loop heads up to the peak which exposes the sample source more and more.
A2 - After a joint gig at the SUCIO Homebase ‚Café KOZ', Jacob Stoy & Le Rubrique recorded their experiences in a session. The result is a classic Deephouse track that reflects the evening with all its facets and emotions.
B1 - The young live artist Dan Bay is adding an experimental piece that connects House with Bass Music. The low frequencies and the dreamy melody drive the listener into absolute trance and melancholy.
B2 - This dark Downtempo Edit reminds you of early 1990s smoky folk evenings in New York. Raw & dirty, he rolls down everything that gets in his way."