Customs & Faces News

Circus Operandi is the project of Donatas Chipak and Tumosa, two figures of the Vilnius electronic music scene, and residents at legendary clubs Opium (RIP) and Gallery 1986, where Ivan Smagghe & Niv Arzi (who jointly run Customs & Faces) met them countless times at countless hours. We’re not keen at describing the music we release at C & F, no need for pigeonholing ourselves but this EP completely ticked our boxes : electro, techno and everything in between, punch and deepness included.

Blah Blah has been played in every Ivan Smagghe set for the last 6 months and picked up by, amongst others, Shonky and Francesco Del Garda. Some kind of hit rambling about ordering a pizza is quite something. Fantast and Hints are slightly moodier pieces of emotional 4/4 electro while Denter subtly hits at non-cheesy trance. Expect much more from these two very soon.

Starting in 2021 the critically acclaimed Next Wave Acid Punx series has seen Luca Venezia, aka Curses, celebrate the music that has shaped both his life and career. Across the first two compilations Luca took us from the industrial and post-punk sounds of the late 70s,through the emergence of EBM, new beat and freestyle in the 1980s and onto the music he both makes and plays himself in clubs today. Bringing the series to a close Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS sees the Berlin-based musician and DJ return full circle, this time exploring the sounds that first initiated him into Brooklyn's rave scene and the music that, in some way, continues to embody its eclectic spirit today.

Spread across three 2LPs and 3CDs Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS captures a moment whose influence can still be heard reverberating around clubland today. With the nascent rave scene obliterating boundaries, this was a moment where the darker, harder industrial electronic sounds of the mid 1980s were crashing headfirst into the ecstatic wave that was washing over clubland creating thrilling juxtapositions. Whether in the clubs and warehouses of New York, London, Frankfurt, Valencia and beyond, electronic music would never be the same again as countless new genres we take for granted today were born from the chaos and energy that had been unleashed.

Featuring 46 hard-to-find, new and exclusive tracks, Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS both documents that fertile period and shows how, despite rumours to the contrary, that early anarchic spirit can still be found today. From the Detroit Techno of Model 500 to Nitzer Ebb's EBM and the proto-Trance of Age of Love and onto brand new tracks from some of today's best producers such as Zaatar, Italo Deviance and Leona Jacewska, this compilation closes out a series that has to date revelled in exploring the darker corners of clubland in uplifting style.

This is Chapter 3.







[f] B2. Javi Redondo - HALT [Process]

Anthea’s PILLZ imprint returns with its ninth release, welcoming Argentinian producer Dani Labb for the ‘It’s Tayme’ EP. Across four tracks, Labb combines detailed sound design with rave-ready energy, moving between modern electro textures and flashes of 80s club nostalgia while keeping a strong focus on the dance floor.

From the smoky, late-night drive of the title track to the playful lift of ‘Te Gane’, the deeper groove of ‘Cosmoclub’ and the hazy broken rhythms of ‘Cuchillo’, the EP delivers versatile club material with character and momentum throughout.

2026 Repress
Fellow long time in the disco trench dweller his graciousness Dimitri of Paris kindly offered us employment on a remix for him as his friend Malik, after doing said job we asked if we could impose a tariff of releasing our unused mixes, because he’s a super nice guy he complied with our art of the deal for art….Welcome to another EDM banger from BTD.

Collecting Orders For 2026 Repress

Few labels do minimal as well as Trelik and in terms of artists, Edwards is also as good as they come right now. This perfect pairing opens up with the deeply alluring 'Time' with its woozy pads and smeared chords over warm and rubbery drums. It's a hypnagogic affair then 'Vacuum Tube' has a more menacing air thanks to the wispy and unsettling synth details and clunky hooks. 'Watch Out' brings a more spangled and rubbery rhythm that has colourful details peeling off the beats and last of all, 'Stream' ups the ante with some thudding deep house and widescreen ambient synth work.

Ekkel guides Earth Dog to The Destination, a four-pronged psychedelic clinic in the finest Nordic electronic tradition.

Co-founder of Norway’s Ute collective, celebrated Oslo-based producer and DJ Ekkel revels in prog naturalis. Previous releases as Alvar and Shadowmages, his duo with S.O.N.S., perfected this tripped-out sound with a heavy emphasis on melody. Following last year’s celebrated appearance at an Earth Dog rave in Brooklyn, he returns to grace the crew’s fourteenth release with The Destination.

Opener Questions About Mindcontrol awakens the discordant synapses, an entanglement of melodies and rhythm with a certain progressive attitude. Home Or In A Dream (Miami Morning Mix) properly ascends with trance-like wonder and ecstatic lucidity, before So Quiet returns to dusk with a tek-no throb and acidic bite. Destination G concludes with a nocturnal shimmer, an unrelenting groove caught in its own hypnosis ‘til the finale.

This first new volume of edits from Big Baba finds Elado digging with intent rather than on a purely nostalgic tip. Fresh off his Razor-N-Tape run, he opens the series by rewiring rare global grooves for contemporary club floors. The EP moves fast and wide as Bollywood disco mutates into techno on 'Disko Disko!', while Yeah Yeah flips obscure 80s Thai boogie-funk into something elastic and punchy. 'EL SOL' slides in as a proto-house warm-up weapon, patient but charged. Then there's 'YOR YOR', a joyous Bukharian disco edit that feels almost mythical in its rarity. Colourful and confident, and full of heat.

You can always rely on Burnski and his many labels to keep DJs and dancers well-oiled with plenty of fresh house and garage tackle in various different guises. Constant Black keeps it stripped back with this new one from Rotterdam resident Fabio Santos. 'Midnight Protocol' is an ice-cold stepper, and 'Duster' gets more sleazy and raw with a heavy house foundation. There's wub-wub filth underpinning the garage shuffler 'Breather', old school ragga vibes on 'Request To All Junglist' and 'Conspiracy' is a light-footed hot-stepper with mutant energy. An absolute no-brainer that will become a go-to for months to come.

The first outing of Ferg’s solo trip is here. Titled Buds Bloom, this well-rounded project delivers a smooth listening experience whilst only scratching the surface of his blossoming sound. Enjoy four tracks that plant the seeds for what’s to come.

Forest Drive West returns to Mantis with a double pack of crooked, finely chiseled rhythms and porous, tactile atmospherics. Hovering comfortably between the distinct energies of drum & bass and techno, Joe Baker has helped define the creative upsurge in crossover tempos and tones with a practice that focuses on mood and presence rather than genre tropes. His first releases appeared 10 years ago on influential labels like Livity Sound, Rupture and Hidden Hawaii. He reconvenes on Mantis after delivering the first release for the Delsin series back in 2020. The scope across these eight new tracks is steeped in Baker's trademark restraint and subtlety, but equally he explores a broad scope of energies and tempos. From ambient, spacious downtempo and slow-motion, heavily dubbed drum mantras through to crisp, techy drum funk and dancehall-coded swagger, the range within the distinctive Forest Drive West sound is more versatile than ever. It's a range cemented further by the guest appearances on the album, as Patrick Russell comes on board for snarling, D&B-coded workout 'Uromastyx' and DB1 lends his chops to mesmerising closing breakbeat trip 'Planes'. Exquisite sound design with a mysterious streak binds these various approaches together. With club impact matched by spatial immensity, Mantis 1920 furthers the surefooted, intentional sound Baker has been shaping out as Forest Drive West for the past decade.

Hedonistic club music from the mysterious Glasgow Sound System. Incredible productions from an artist that has appeared from the ether to bless our dancefloors with otherworldly and atmospheric tracks. Varied productions overspilling with excess and emotion. This record is split into 2 phases; the first comprised of 3 club-focussed tracks for dark rooms with a red light, the second phase are 2 downtempo trips to mellow the comedown. Welcome to the club, Glasgow Sound System – what a debut.

This is a highly limited pressing, please order your desired quantity and we’ll see what we can supply.

We are pleased to be back with the talented Groof, the experienced producer from Madrid’s legendary electronic music scene, who is responsible for our eighth release and his debut on Kontralamakina.

We welcome you to “Simulation.” This EP/LP consists of a collection of 5 tracks that explore repetition and dynamism, with structures generated by various noise sources and algorithmic sequencing with a raw and forceful sound. It consists of excellently stomping techno rawness exercises.

Plus 1 remix by the techno legend Oscar Mulero Remix; Outstanding mind bending tools, Expertly careful Drone treatments, Stunning, deep, atmospheric but energetic Techno voyage.

Discoweey launched back in February with a collection of label head Hotmood's hottest digital tunes making their way to wax for the first time. Now he is back with a second collection of worldly hits that collide Latin, disco, funk and soul into colourful and hooky grooves perfect for outdoor dancing under the sun or the stars. 'Por Que Me Dejaste' is a global groove with Spanish vocals flair, 'Dancing Is The Only Way' is a smoother disco-house blend and 'My Love Is 4U' is a soul-drenched and feel-good retro number before 'Hot Beat' closes with jazzy and cosmic synth expressiveness and timeless house drums for all the magical feels.

2026 Repress

Repress of Simon Copleston a.k.a Iteration X’s debut EP delivered for Evasive Records in 2003. ’Timecheck’ and ‘Liquid Logic’ are 2 slabs of firing tech-house straight out of South London. Simon worked from his own studio and also Online Studios in Croydon. Simon sadly passed away in 2014 and we wanted to make this well sought after release available again so that his musical legacy lives on.

''Next Moov Records continue with a 10'' release of the highly reccomended reworks by NYC's DJ Erv with Classic Vybes and Mystery.''

Dungeon Meat and SlapFunk sit right at the vanguard when it comes to house music that truly kicks. It's deep but driving and never too much of a slave to tradition. This is a second collaborative outing that welcomes emerging producers to submit tunes for the chance to feature. Khun goes first with 'Prince,' a delightfully well-swung sound with subtle synth tones and room for the atmosphere to land. Nay Barr's 'Kidnapped' is a more hunched over slammer with a firmer groove, while Patrizio Scope's 'Terdiek8' gets more loose with squirming FX and liquid bass. Yugwan's 'Fungeondunk' is a razor-sharp garage, tech and house fusion to get the floor sweating.

Fresh wax from Lance Desardi, on his own Legwork imprint.

The Gods Must Be Angry comprises 3 tracks that have been doing the rounds with some of the heaviest-of-the-heavy house DJs, available for the first time on vinyl. We’ve combined these into one release and added a new track - What I Know - as a vinyl-only exclusive. Across all four tracks there’s a balanced mix of headiness and body-jerking funk.

Voltage Desire is a five-track EP from Lazer Man moving between raw tension and subtle warmth.

Side A opens with "Woman's Need", an electro house cut built around a rock-inflected bassline and guitar tones that carry a dusty, wide-open edge. "Reactivation" follows with a deeper, more hypnotic approach: pitched-down vocals loop and drift over chords that keep pulling you further in. Side A closes with "Sunris Techy", the most groove-driven of the three, a funky bassline locked in dialogue with shifting synthlines and samples.

Side B shifts into collaborative territory. "Sweet Tide", produced under the Wave Catchers alias with Baldov, is a nostalgic track that will awaken past memories and feelings. The record closes with "Idée Discousu", a co-production with Koffi that blends synthpop with a spooky edge and a story told through vocoder.

After years of shaping his sound, Makz steps forward with his debut EP. No big statements, just four tracks that speak for themselves.

On the A side, Clubmate sets things in motion with a steady drive. Execution Style follows up with heavy drums and a rolling bassline that keeps pushing forward.

On the flip, Ferro brings his own take on Clubmate. His DDC Tornado remix pulls the track into a deeper, more hypnotic space, made for those later hours.

B2, 926813, is a small nod to The Set Crew. Light in name, but the track itself carries real weight.

No gimmicks, no extras. Just honest house music, built for the floor.

All tracks written & produced by Manuel Fischer

Mixing, engineering and mastering by Matthias Millhoff at Embeat Studios Berlin
Artwork by Skala Design, Guillermo Lucena & Jahn Koutrios

James Ruskin's Blueprint Records continue the 30th anniversary with another label stalwart as Mark Broom returns with his new EP, "Reality Check".



Mark Broom is a renowned British techno DJ and music producer whose career spans over three decades. Throughout his career, Broom has released over 150 singles, showcasing his versatility across various sub-genres of electronic music. He has collaborated with esteemed record labels such as Defected, Rekids, Warp, Ifach, M-Plant, Cocoon, Glitterbox and his own Beard Man (launched in 2009).



In addition to his solo projects, Broom has engaged in numerous collaborations. He partnered with James Ruskin to form The Fear Ratio, exploring experimental sounds that blend elements of hip-hop, IDM and techno with four albums (to date) on Skam Records, Tresor and of course, Blueprint. Another highlight has been their "Ruskin & Broom" EPs which have peppered the label's roster.Now based in Norfolk (England), Broom continues to be a driving force in the techno scene.



His work has been described as ranging from "club-ready techno and house to left-field electro, downtempo and IDM" highlighting his adaptability and broad musical range.? Returning to his driving Techno roots, his "Reality Check" EP is an essential release for fans of both Broom and Blueprint.

Mark Funk and Danny Cruz's Cruise Music label continues to offer-up the best of its digital-first EPs via the popular Vinyl Jams sampler series. There's a real sun-splashed, dancing-on-the-terrace feel to much of the music contained on this 14th volume in the series. Mark Funk steps up first with the loopy, filter-rich disco-house release of 'Never Never', which rises and falls in all the right places in search of hands-aloft action, before Makito drops the vibraphone solo-laden deep house-meets-garage-house flex of 'Heavy Vibes' (think Masters at Work collaborating with Roy Ayers and you're close), Over on side B, Danny Cruz serves up 'Sugar', a tooled-up, house-style re-edit of a joyous disco gem, while Filth & Smell's 'Panama Sweet Spot' is an electric piano and sax-loop-fired slab of thickset house funkiness.

Seven years after the haunting resonance of Voids, electronic pioneer Martyn returns to the album format with Music For Existing. Arriving on 15 May 2026, the record is more than a collection of tracks; it is a profound exploration of what it means to remain devoted to a craft in an era of relentless noise.

The album’s announcement is heralded by the lead single "Heavy Sound." The track serves as the perfect bridge between Martyn’s past and present - a masterclass in tension and release that previews the album’s dialogue between the producer, the musicians, and the audience. We live inside a culture that has prioritised and monetised restlessness. The modern apparatus runs on the continuous production of "next," driven by algorithms that value novelty over depth.

Music For Existing serves as a love letter to the communal act of making music - something that is both healing and inherently defiant. For Martyn, a musician often finds solace in musical conversation with others; in the moment we press record, we simply exist together. This record is an invitation to build human infrastructure around what we love, leaning into the fluid nature of community and seeing exactly where the music takes us when we choose to listen.

The album is a sprawling, "off-the-grid" tapestry that echoes Martyn’s profound appreciation for jazz - free, instinctive, and bursting in every sonic direction. This collection features an expansive cast of collaborators, including Duval Timothy, Dan Only, Lucinda Chua, and Mark Cisneros. The record is further elevated by the contributions of jazz talents Mischa Porte and Cees Bruinsma, alongside the evocative words of writer and poet Musa Okwonga.

While the acoustic textures and improvisational spirit of this record may feel like a departure, they represent a homecoming. Jazz has always been ingrained in Martyn’s work; even in his most stripped-back club tracks, the DNA of swing, syncopation, and free-form structure was always present, if not always visible.

Music For Existing marks the beginning of an exciting journey that will continue from the studio to the stage, celebrating the radical act of existing in the moment.

down2present the fifth release.
d2e005: matthias’ beat of blades

three deep cuts by the one at the helm, which without doubt will throw you into a whirl.

Several years after the release of ‘Metamorphosis’ (with Sid Hille), Multicast Dynamics (Samuel van Dijk) reemerges on Astral Industries with ‘Circles’ - an enchanting two-part work venturing into deep unconscious realms. Sonic landscapes unfold in a sequence of hidden spaces and intimate revelations, featuring detailed sound design and rich thematic content.

Circle One initiates the process, opening gently with glassy drones and the patter of distant voices. A faint light shimmers through swirling pools of liquid memories and melting forms. The atmosphere builds, and everything is engulfed in the act of transfiguration. 

Passing through the threshold, Circle Two traverses further into cavernous territories. Boundless drifting soon becomes a gravitational pull toward something deeper. Submitted to the powerful undercurrent, incoming primordial pulsations signal a quest that reaches its fated culmination. 

Perhaps the revelation of something long-lost, entering the Circle eludes to that which on the surface remains hidden, yet its rediscovery inevitable.

The amount of quality music Burnski has produced, A&Red and released in recent years is off the charts. His labels are some of the most played in the underground right now, but that hasn't stopped him from starting another one here with Silhouette. Mundy is a new name to us, but has some serious chops on display here with six stylish cuts that explore the intersection of garage, tech and minimal. The synths are silky and the vocal samples are expertly placed to give each groove real character. 'Real Love' is deep and r&b tinged, 'Find You' has a dark low end and 'The Middle' is all about the filthy bass. Pure heaters.

Adventures for curious minds – new label Braintickle launches with Conversations in Dreams, a four-track EP from Amsterdam based duo Naone & denial. Naone opens the A side with “Midnight Caller” – a low-end driven cut with tight percussion and sharp hats, peppered with undulating gurgles and mutating synths. A2 is a deeper affair, carried by growling bass, choppy beats and wiggy, tripped-out samples. On the flip, denial serves up the rolling, bleeping and tribal-infused “Avoid the Voices”, where glitched-out sci-fi vocals meet tumbling drums. Finally, the shadowy, stripped-back echoes of “Silent Smoke” close out this classy, multifaceted package.

Needlewreckordz drops a heavyweight 7" for hip-hop and funk lovers with a great collision of source materials, making for sharp edits with undeniable groove. Opener 'Doin It (In The Park)' features a classic refrain from a Detroit jazz great, but layered over a funky groove that never quits. On the flip, 'Madness' slows the tempo with a more deep cut and rolling groove that brings slick r&b vocals that tug at the heart while bumping kicks and hip-hop fragments further flesh out the fun. Plenty of familiar touches dropped into irresistible grooves make this a gem for party-starting sessions.

oma totem returns to Hivern Discs with the second EP in the exercicis ritmics series, volum 2. the EP features five tracks plus two digital bonus tracks, offering an extended deep dive into percussion, exploring accelerated and even more intricate rhythms. available as a limited edition with an outer sleeve printed at l'Anacronica, as well as a standard edition including an inner sleeve and inlay. artwork by juns castella mastered by dubplates mastering distributed via clone

Pearl River Sound emerges on Elektorni with a four-tracker of break-beats, bleepy emotion and downtempo acid.

Planar Traits adds to the Spectral Bounce catalog with SPEC08: Distance EP. Since 2021 the Stockholm-based artist’s creations have combined evocative soundscapes with dancefloor functionality. Here he steps up with four hydrographic cuts spanning the groove-led, the mysterious and the cerebral.

Beginning the expedition with the type of psychedelic and lithe tech-house for which Spectral Bounce is known, the A-side is glistening with aquatic shimmer. “Variations in Hue” and “Distance” are club cuts embellished with mystical melodies and sonar pulses, both propelled by chunky drums and driving sub frequencies.

The B-side goes deeper, revealing a more contemplative zone in which soft echoes of Detroit (“Bloom”) are spliced with 1990s Artificial Intelligence sensibilities (“Never-ending Light”). A perfect soundtrack for living room transcendence, as much as pelagic immersion.

SPEC08 — Dive in!

Credits:
Words by Cameron Leaf
Art by Susanne Janssen
Mastering & Cut by Analogcut

Prince De Takicardie takes the reins at Opia for our 19th release, channeling a heady mix of polished trance and shimmering prog through his deep dancefloor excursions into all things euphoric. Bass lines twist and roll to ground the EP in a strong sense of pace and momentum while hazy pads and arpeggios whirl and hum to gently nod towards a mellower Balearic influence, all the while still maintaining the energy needed to slot neatly into a peak-time record bag.

Ben Sims' mighty Symbolism returns! Mike Storm cuts including renditions from none other than Surgeon and Troy.

Roman Khropko’s latest release leans into a restrained, late-night tension, balancing tightly coiled energy with hypnotic atmosphere and head- down groove. A subtle yet confident statement by the Ukrainian producer rooted in control rather than excess.

It’s a properly transcendent Kalahari debut as S.A.M. makes nods to ’90s Eurodance and deeper, spiritual invocations.

At the helm of multiple labels, but this marks a Kalahari debut for the Danish artist. Sometimes anthemic, sometimes operating from a more meditative space, but always serving as an outlet for ecstatic release. Rapturous big room ascension into more contemplative territory.

Channelling some divine NRG in the vocal hooks, like much of their work, an air of blissed intent cloaks the whole thing. This is a suite of tech and deep house that strikes a balance between the introspective and direct, the metaphysical and corporeal.

Pitting sonic immersion against forward momentum has almost become a blueprint for any Kalahari release, and here, we bear witness to a prime example. Heady stuff.

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Sans-i, the new brainchild of Sunny Seppä, aka Sansibar, is a project that takes a deeper dive into a more expressive, expansive and entropic world. The debut Fenno Dub is a two-track EP featuring “Science” and “Paranormal.” Both tracks echo (…echo, echo, echo…) from different sides of the same coin—which one will you choose? Sans-i stirs a potent brew on the Fenno Dub EP, where the sound emerges from the continuum of The Bush Chemists, The Disciples, Jah Shaka, On-U Sound, Conrad Schnitzler, and The Slits, just to name a few.

Scøpe's first solo EP on the label unfolds across four minimal pieces where pulse dissolves into synthetic textures and distant echoes. A precise, restrained futuristic landscape.

Rarely-seen Delsin alumn Sentomea resurfaces on the M>O>S label with the Wonderment EP, brandishing a blissful quintet of tracks in his trademark style. Inspired by organic textures in sound and image, this release merges distinctive sound-design with raw improvisation and hardware-based live performance. A carefully selected set of tracks takes you along clunky Chicago house sounds, far away echoes from the NWAQ universe and lo-fi Detroit oriented journeys.