Buscar:clear

The second release on the vinyl only series of Apes Go Bananas finally drops. The label is the new imprint from Steve Bug and Clé, who together make up the production team for the releases. As with the well-received first EP, 'All We Have ' is straight-up, no-nonsense, dance floor-filling house tracks. Lead cut 'All We Have' settles right into the groove with crisp and funky percussion, chi-town chords and amazing vocal samples. It's got peak time written all over it. 'She Cargo' makes its influences pretty clear via the title, and the track certainly references some of the iconic sounds of the home of house. Thick, rubbery bass lines, squiggly synths and firing percussion combine to deliver a suitable a homage to the windy city. 'Ape Parade' is built from some similar materials, but the chords are a little more lush and deep - synth strings and keys add a sense of the epic, and everything is tied together with a sick kick / snare / hat pattern. Three modern killers for the floor, infused with the spirit of classic house.

With a title that suggests great things, making reference to 6 Victoria Crosses awarded to the Lancashire Regiment in World War 1, Mr Fantastic and Coherent (of Journeymen fame and much more) have set themselves a tall order. Before you have even listened to the music, the presentation points to success in this venture, with original artwork by the brilliant Stilts and marbled camouflage coloured vinyl to boot!

100 years after the press reported 'the winning of 6 VCs before breakfast' during the Gallipoli campaign in World War 1, S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) opt for beats and rhymes rather than guns and bombs, and the resulting record is essential. The initial salvo is fired in 'Ready For Combat' which sees Mr Fantastic combine hard-hitting drums with stabbing guitar chops for Coherent to set the tone. The result is an instant smash which will have you rewinding, as I was, time and time again! From there, the duo, joined by Rola (The Numskullz/Journeymen) and Truck (also a member of The Journeymen), stage a three pronged assault over a haunting beat, spitting verse one after another like a creeping barrage before Mr Fantastic delivers the final victory courtesy of his trademark tight scratches. The concept for this EP is highly original and perfectly apt and on 'Foreign Lands', this is perfectly demonstrated as Coherent weaves tales of carnage that would sound at home on a jungle warfare documentary. 'Lyrical Assassin' once more sees Coherent dropping vocal hand grenades over double bass and electric piano skilfully fused together by his fellow soldier Mr Fantastic. Throughout, the subject matter and music is dark and 'Heavy Artillery' encapsulates this perfectly - Mr Fantastic's thumping, bass-heavy production would have sat perfectly on Show & AG's sophomore LP next to tracks like 'Night Time'. On 'Carcasses', Coherent shows the enemy why he is such a skilled MC, delivering surgical strikes with his tight metaphors and hard-hitting punch lines.

The question, then, given the highly ambitious nature of this project, is whether S.O.E. have won the battle they set out to win. With meticulous artwork, dark brooding beats and Coherent's masterful wordplay, the result is clear. They didn't just win the battle but the whole darn war!

Collapsing Horizons is the third full length album from Netherlands based deep ambient duo Tangent.

Limited clear with white splatter and blue with white vinyl. NON-RETURNABLE

This album much like the two preceding it—2013s "1mk2" (Mindtrick) and 2014s "Transience" (Tympanik)— is a sonic journey with arching atmospheres and themes. An aural representation of the formation of matter and it's disintegration in unison. The music, much as the album's namesake, could very well be the soundtrack to new universes being created on the ashes of collapsing ones.

Ralph van Reijendam and Robbert Kok who are the two behind Tangent moonlight in a long list of paradoxical musical projects. Fire Walk with Us, Rob Klerkx and the Secret, Disavowed, and Synesis Absorption are all quite different from Tangent's sprawling yet steady ambience.

This such daily musical juxtaposition allows Tangent the immersive focus on the ideas that make Tangent what it is. It would be a misnomer to think that with all the extra curricular time spent in more extreme forms of music that Tangent is a frenetic force. They are exactly the opposite. Dense pads, rolling beats and brilliant shimmers of resonance punctuate their electronic based instrumentals in just the correct manner to stargaze, day-dream, bliss-out, or even brood about starting over...

People of Earth has now reached it's fifth release & it's identity is becoming clear, quality music from top notch talent & Patrice Scott's release fits right in with that identity. He delivers two deep, late night, Detroit inspired tracks, along with a bonus cut. The release is available Worldwide September 15, available only on vinyl.

Black Truffle is pleased to present Speak To Me, the sixth full-length release from 3/4HadBeenEliminated, the Italian trio of Stefano Pilia, Claudio Rocchetti and Valerio Tricoli. Based on source material recorded in Bologna and Berlin over the course of several years, the album is made up of two side-long pieces meticulously constructed in post-production by Tricoli in his singularly dense and unpredictable style. Although their live performances have always been entirely improvised, in their recorded work the group focuses on using improvised recordings as source material for compositions built up through layering, editing and analogue manipulation, extending the practices of Teo Macero, Faust and This Heat. Melancholic instrumental ruminations sit alongside cracked electronics, concrete sounds and Tricoli's whispered vocals, drawn together into dense assemblages animated by gradual transformations and sudden jump cuts.
Beginning from the abstractions of their self-titled debut release in 2004, the group embarked on a trajectory that saw them move toward near-song structures, Tricoli's voice becoming a dominant element amid an increasingly dense and layered production style. On Speak To Me, however, the listener feels confronted by the ghost of music, sonic memories echoing across a psychedelic expanse. Evacuated of any clear structure, the music becomes a reverb-saturated morass, from which crystalline details momentarily emerge: shimmering echoed guitar, bowed double bass, tactile hand percussion, skittering electronics. Suffused with a darkly pensive atmosphere, Speak To Me is an elegant summation of the distinctive blend of electroacoustic techniques, instrumental improvisation and contemporary psychedelia pioneered by 3/4HadBeenEliminated over the last decade.

ears ago he started putting together some selections for a friend of his: Luca. The intention was to pick songs to be played during car rides, and like any other kind of ritual, this too would come with strict rules. You'd have to go throw the whole selection of 100 tracks without skipping, because every single one was important. Be it the sounds, the arrangement or its creativity, each track was there for a very specific reasons. It quickly became a monthly event which for several years evolved in a deep musical research without genre boundaries: Disco and psychedelic, soundtracks, library music, exotica, electronic and dance music, italo, new wave, pop or prog. Tracks of each and any historical period and provenance had been featured in this special compilations. But it wasn't always that easy to come up with the right piece and eventually Francesco started producing a few on his own to fill in the gaps. After six tracks, it was quite clear that there was a project developing, one in which he could finally experiment freely, leaving behind the rules that often come with dance tracks. Of course, no name could have been better than the one of his friend that had inspired everything And so L.u.c.a was born. Now, while preserving the same mind set, L.u.c.a is back with an album that embraces a new-hippie vibe, strongly pervaded by a mystical naturalism. This is a whole new universe in the making, where rumbling magmatic atmospheres evolve gradually in a journey through an idealist new world, celestial interludes revealing a full take over of nature, with a pervasive library feel that dates back to the great Italian masters, carrying on Edizioni Mondo's legacy.

They say all good things comes in threes, and with the marking of Nachtbraker's 3rd release for Heist, we can confirm this universal truth once again. Maurits Verwoerd comes back to Heist with more dancefloor muscle than ever before, and shows us great development of his sound: while keeping his unconventional drum patterns and love for the deeper side of house, he adds some filtered funk flavor along the way. 'Gotta act to react' drives on a saturated bassline, a hypnotizing guitar lick and some seriously loose hi-hats, but really delivers once those hard to place filtered hits come in. 'Pollo con Pollo' is potentially Maurits' most clear attempt at a straightforward groove, with a lovely dreamy guitar loop running throughout the track. Add his loose sense of arrangement and changeovers, and it's still anything but straightforward. The B- side gets nice and weird with 2 versions of Intermezz(l)ow, the one being a lovely textured interlude and the other a rough drum workout built around the same theme. When we asked Maurits who he wanted to have as a remixer, he suggested he'd do a remix himself. We knew better than to argue with him, and since he is who he is, we're not entirely surprised he came up with a great dubbed out acid-tinged flip of 'Gotta act to react'. This EP really shows Nachtbraker's steady rise and will most likely take him out of the shadows he so enjoys, into headline territory and we're glad to support him in this journey. Sincerely yours, Lars & Maarten

Some believe that the environment in which you make music - from the studio space, to the location itself - has a profound effect on the creative process. Immerse yourself in the world around you, the theory goes, and it will shape the music you make. Listen to Gorthleck, the third album from veteran downtempo alchemists Benjamin Smith and Paul 'Mudd' Murphy, and you can almost visualize the craggy, windswept and breathtakingly beautiful environment in which it was made. Reconvening after a near seven-year hiatus last summer, the duo headed up to the Scottish Highlands to spend a week recording in the surrounds of Gorthleck House, nestled on the shore of Loch Mhor in Inverness-shire. Earlier this year, they returned to the same venue, with its' stunning views of the tranquil loch and rocky, wooded hills rising in the distance, to complete the nine-track set. Certainly, the immersive environment and famously changeable weather seems to have inspired the longtime friends and studio partners. The album's epic centrepiece, the nine-minute Mhor', sounds like an emotional love letter to the body of water they strolled alongside every day. Its' undulating synthesizer line - reminiscent of classic Tangerine Dream and the Orb's A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain' - mimics the slow ebb and flow of water across the loch, while Smith's shimmering guitar lines mimic the glint of sunlight reflecting off the surface. Elsewhere, the audio references are a little more subtle, but no less relevant. The hazy jazz guitars, twinkling pianos, rich grooves and fluttering clarinets of Nether' sound like the perfect accompaniment to a single malt whisky-fuelled sunset session at the water's edge, while the quietly foreboding aural textures, layered guitars and urgent electric violin of Enos' evoke memories of watching storm clouds gathering behind distant Highland mountains. The same could be said of Mr Coats' - a track arranged in steamy Mexico, and blessed with all the humidity you'd expect from such an excursion - while you can hear gale force winds whistling around the rafters on Dogwood'. As for Errogie', it's as bracing as a crystal clear morning in the Highlands, chilly, but hugely life affirming. The duo's previous two albums, 2007's Blue River and its' 2009 follow-up, Le Suivant, were both hugely evocative, but neither captured a distinct a sense of time and place quite like Gorthleck. Listen carefully, and you could almost be there with them, watching the sunrise and sunset.

"The wall is high, the ditch is deep"

Just at the right moment, Bierbeben is finally back. But no! We're supposed to say "Das Bierbeben". Of course. But we have really been living for a long time in a world abandoned by predicates. It is a world of opinions, mostly of the sort that can be bought like (day-old) bread. The world hasn't even noticed. And fighting against this bread are guilds that feel betrayed by seared dough.

Such heavy thoughts on a day (like any other) when we actually close ourselves off inside and eat the shit anyway!!! On days like this, the Hamburg/Berlin-based act Das Bierbeben launches another new single - no, an EP, with the title: 'Schwarze Spinne'. Back to the old roots, strong, clear, and good. And very, very new.

The artists apparently (in the name of the people) only caved in after much begging and pleading from the Berlin-based (back then) trend label Shitkatapult. It's not true. There is only one reason for this music: and that is us. That's how it is.

After three albums and a triple sabbatical, Das Bierbeben is back with four tracks: shaped by truth, chiseled from insight, demanded by sense,
and right on the mark. But not this punk.

Electro kicks, raw textures, ominous choirs: L' immaginario, Previsto's opening track, ties a bound between Martelli's two releases on Antinote, giving us one last glimpse at the uninhabited post-apocalyptic landscapes drawn in Menti Singole.
However, this time Leonardo Martelli explores a more urban universe, as the use of rap samples on Negli abissi and Lo Schema suggests. Martelli exploits their aggressiveness in a way that somehow reminds us of minimalist rap tapes from Memphis. The third track's title makes it even clearer: called Leggende Metropolitane, the song is
a trip into the darkest blind alleys of the city, an invitation to wander among human wastes, driven by its light kick.

La Luna, is the most contemplative moment of the album, offering us a meditative break before the nightmarish Il
registro, Martelli's brutal come-back to raw electro with a tune which depicts us a hellish engine room for expiating souls. Finally, the record concludes with Previsto, a haunted title track, filled with wailings that give us to contemplate a cruel vision of the urban misery we're stuck in.

In 2006, Tim Arndt released the first Near the Paren- thesis album "Go Out and See". Arndt had intended to follow up that release with a more beatless ambient album, where percussion was left to the side and com- position took center stage. A shelved Idea that we now get the benefit of a full ten years later.

This new album Helical is the realization of Arndt's stripped down ambient concept. Helical features Arndt's characteristic experimental modem classical instrumentation and compositional style, but slows things down and stretches them out. The focus on the organic is clear, but moments of ethereal breath weave in and out and prevent the album from becoming too self aware.

Helical, as a loose reference to the geometric structure of our very DNA and it contains themes that are driven by a recent discovery of Arndt's past and ancestry. The release seamlessly stitches all of these concepts together and marks an unique release and new direction for Arndt's Near the Parenthesis.

Helical will be available in limited transparent coke bottle green and opaque grey vinyl flavors as well as compact disc on May 20th.

-7th album from bay area experimental composer Tim Arnt.
-Limited Grey and Coke bottle Clear Vinyl
-Near The Parenthesis has 3 tracks with over a million plays on Spotify.

Nearly a year after his acclaimed debut EP, 'Every Inch of You', a musical project meant as an ode to the memory of a once great man, his Grandfather, the enigmatic, Rosas Nievas, steps up to the plate with a sophomore outing for Scissor and Thread, Going Away Soon' On the A-side, the bombastic opener, wastes no time getting its feet moving with charged up percussion, guitar licks, and playful sampling with a clear ode to the likes of Matthew Herbert. Nearly Lost You, Though' sees Rosas Nievas pair up with the singer Poppy Roberts on an emotional house jam primed for a peak time lovers rave . A rock steady kick and shuffling percussion are the anchor, as smooth pads and ethereal, hypnotic vocal snips swirl around the listener before the singer's voice emerges forward with a heartfelt, soulful ode. The b-side takes things down several notches with the funky and loose, Roses are Dead, Violets are Blue,' a hypnotic rhythm cycle flanked by a powerful bass line a reverb-laden piano and a sax ensemble emerging as we are lead with eyes closed on a euphoric early morning dance ritual. The closer, Edge of Keys", continues the shuffling rhythmic patterning of the latter track, but couples with a loose form Rhodes piano, finishing off the EP on a gentle tone, as if coming to terms with loss, bittersweet and full of joy.

After Neue Grafik , the S3A Records team releases another great new blooded talent from Germany : Henry L ! The 'Gemini' track, clearly for the MCDE lovers, is a smashing hit. It goes forward a sexy downtempo interlude: Dust it off. To finish the side, 'Dice game' is a great deep house track done in collaboration with Matt Flores and contains live played 'MK1 Rhodes, drums, percussions...'The B side comes with two great remixes from S3A and Cuthead of the A side tracks with a Henry L hiphop badass skit between! A great release from the S3A RECORDS team for sure!

Up next to bat for the Astral Black label is Glasgow's Bushido and he looks set to hit his debut 4-track EP straight out the park. Over the past 18 months Bushido's playful, dance-hall infused take on UK club-music has built a steady reputation, with his soundcloud page showcasing a blaze of radio rips lifted from 1xtra, Rinse & NTS. His Beach Stage set at last years Outlook Festival was picked by The Daily Street as their personal highlight and his collaborations with label-mate DJ Milktray & contributions to releases from Liminal Sounds & LuckyMe's 14/15 advent calendar have picked up DJ support from the likes of Hudson Mohawke, Mssngno & Nina Las Vegas as well as press from the likes of The Fader & FACT.

On 'Grandmaster Cash', Bushido turns in 4 sweltering, hyper-tropical, club tracks - the arpeggiated cowbells & vocal chops of opener 'Palm Trees' sounding like you've hit the jackpot on a fruit machine. 'Palm Trees' has become a firm favourite in sets from the likes of Mr Mitch & Murlo and its clear to see why. The sino-centric 'Cherry Blossom' is up next, it's half-step breakdowns offering some mild respite before culminating in an arsenal of pan-flute chops & triplet hi hats. The mavado-sampling 'Just Us' rings out at the top of side B, a stripped back offering of anthemic vocal-chops, 808 kicks, sub bass and rim shots. Finally, leaving the B'more bounce of Boxed-favourite 'Jersey' to seal the deal.

4 tracks from Zavor shows at his most versatile yet and clearly displays the producers talent for constructing both strong atmosphere as well as sheer dance-floor effectiveness.
Enjoy!

Long an unsung hero of the underground, Langenberg (a.k.a Max Heesen) has a string of quality releases to his name, both on his own solo as a part of his Ribn moniker with Manuel Tur. This outing on Dessous Recordings provides yet another string to his bow; 'Shadows' is a supremely soulful outing featuring the vocal talents of Blakkat. Liquid deep and balanced perfectly between euphoric and melancholic, 'Shadow' sees Mark Bell (Blakkat) deliver an emotional invocation over a beautifully crafted track, with echoes of the master Larry Heard clearly present. Also included on the vinyl release are two extraordinary remixes - UK legend Atjazz providing a sumptuously realized fusion of melody and driving, dance-floor urgency. Brooklyn's house veterans Frank & Tony (Scissor & Thread) drop a huge remix of their own to complete the package - serving up their distinctive and timeless NYC deep and raw vibes to complement Langenberg's original fully.

London or L.A. We are guessing UK from the amusing Motorway reference Anyway, we've not entirely worked it out yet. Two clear cut floor rumblers here - following on nice that previous heat for L.A. Club Resource, a few years back. TIP!

With a passion for disco, italo, Chicago house and Detroit
techno Patrizio Cavaliere aka Rocco Universal has been
collecting music for the last two decades and it's these
musical infuences that have shaped his raw, tripped out
disco/house production sound. 'Tiny Islands', his debut
release for Leng, is a real melting pot of rich melodies over
a thick baseline and is a clear example of Rocco's passion
for the dancefoor.
With something as multi layered and deep as the original
track it needed Ray Mang to add his trademark sound to
the remix. Here he goes straight for the jugular drawing out
some of the loops and percussion leaving no mistake as to
when this should be dropped on the dancefoor.

Snakes are Poor Denizens of Hell
Have come surreptitioning
Through the tall grass
To face the pool of clear frogs

Teenage Jesus and the Jerks began to formulate their visionary brand of aural catharsis sometime during the first half of 1977, amidst the sordid ruins of a then fully down-and-out Lower Manhattan. The mastermind behind this juggernaut of sonic libertinage was a barely pubescent but world-weary runaway who called herself Lydia Lunch. Influenced strongly by the Marquis de Sade and Henry Miller, Lunch shrewdly decided to graft the existential horror of her own writing onto harsh, atonal music after being exposed to the room-clearing live output of other contemporary rock-music deconstructionists like Suicide and Mars. With an agenda of conjuring nightmarish intensity in lieu of technical instrumental ability, Teenage Jesus instantly made the supposedly nihilistic' and raw' current wave of so-called Punk acts sound like slick, good-timey pop music by comparison. Teenage Jesus and the Jerks were The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, lisa, She Wolf of the SS, and Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, transliterated into a blatant mockery of the increasingly tired, basic rock-band format. Posthumously, there have been numerous reissues of the primary Teenage Jesus corpus, namely the first side of the Lydia Lunch double compilation album Hysterie (CD Presents, 1986), a very incomplete anthology titled Everything (Atavistic, 1995) and Shut Up and Bleed (Cherry Red/Atavistic, 2008), which also featured Beirut Slump tracks. These less-than-fastidious documents contained reverb-laden transcriptions of the studio cuts directly from vinyl copies, as well as random live tracks of mediocre fidelity. This particular collection about to be released on Other-People is meticulously edited and mastered from rare bootlegs taped during the initial 1977-1979 period of classic band, and only one title (Crown of Thorns from January 17,1979) has been legitimately released to date, albeit in a completely different sound quality.

Following two EP releases on Delusions Of Grandeur the time felt right for thatmanmonkz to get working on his debut LP. The Sheffield b-boy is no newcomer to production having been releasing music since the mid-noughties but has seen a definite rise in interest the last few years following essential releases on his own Shadeleaf label as well as remixes and productions for the likes of Classic, Kolour LTD and Kon's StarTime.
With his first musical love being Hip Hop it's easy to understand how his approach to house turns out so refreshing. Inevitably MPC's, big, bold samples, Jay Dee inspired grooves and a raw, underproduced sound all play a big part and never one to shy away from an interesting collaboration he has enlisted the skills of several vocalists including Detroit MC Ta'raach (whose credits include Slum Village and Jill Scott), Erik Rico (collabs include Ron Trent and DJ Spinna), Khalil, Dave Aju, Pete Simpson (as A Brother Is...) and Malik Ameer.
Things kick off with a low-slung soul jam entitled Air featuring Kahil Anthony complete with sparkling Rhodes arps and a dub-wise bassline underpinning a beautifully lazy groove. Jus Anutha Wunna Deez follows with a rough and ready house jam that clearly doffs its cap to those old Sound Signature and Mahogoni Music releases we know and love so much. Next up we have Boogie Down with Erik Rico rocking some Parliament inspired vocal business bringing the feelgood vibes to this rolling P-Funker. Some Ol' Nex' Ish goes for a jazz samba meets house fusion whilst A Fly New Tune goes strictly old school with a classic combo of dusty break, filtered fusion rhodes n bass sample, movie dialogue snippets and a masterful flow delivered by Ta'raach. Dave Aju steps up next on Turn It Out laying down a unison vocal refrain to compliment the bumping disco groove complete with a call and response section for some singalong party participation!
As we continue, Another Night Under The Glitterball sees thatmanmonkz back in familiar territory with a rock solid, deep jazz-house jam. On I Can Hardly Breathe we're treated to a downtempo gospel-infused affair which leads us perfectly into the most bumpy club- friendly track of the LP For Bae. Moon On The Hill is a collaboration with Italian DJ Kali and his Raw Standard crew and treats us to some distinctly mid 90's Kruder and Dorfmeister vibes to zone out to before heading off in an altogether more bonkers, psychedelic dancehall direction on Vampires. Baked is another classy thatmanmonkz take on Hip Hop featuring Malik Ameer on the mic. Take U 2 My House sounds like something Prince might have made in the mid-80's if he'd just come off a 3 day bender at Panorama Bar. And closing the show in perfect style and fashion we have For Those I've Lost Along The Way which is a blunted yet beautifully optimistic number that has echoes of Lonnie Liston Smith and a brilliant spiritual vocal sample which provides the perfect closer to an amazing debut LP.

ARTS TRASPARENT shaped his form in many different ways into electronic music, giving clear directions to any other label out there, emotionally and technically. This time the label will focus on the first Dub Master Series, a collective of the best Dub Techno Artists we have around the globe.
Zaltan Solomon / Grad_U / IXM aka Kaelan / Hydergine. On 12" Transparent green, clear & black mixed.r

MRT release number four is a relentlessly loud outcry. Bruno Belluomini delivered three overwhelming techno pieces that dive into rough, violent, dirty waters.
The EP is fast and unforgiving, and if one lets it, it will take one down and never let go. The outcome is clear, as it is well known, we all did terrible things to survive.

The debut album of contemporary British band LINEA ASPERA. Linea Aspera is the London duo of RYAN AMBRIDGE (Synths/Programming) and ALISON LEWIS (Vocals/Synths). They began the project in November 2011, technically drawing inspiration from electronic music from the early 1980s. Within the duo, Alison writes and performs all vocal elements, while Ryan is responsible for the writing and performing of the electronics, as well as recording and mixing of the final recordings. For their debut album they utilized small, simple analog synthesizer set up: Roland SH-09, Roland Juno 6, Vermona DRM MKiii, Korg Poly 800 and Analogue Solutions Semblance. Linea Aspera's sound includes clear influences from early electronic body music, classic synth-pop and, in some instances, industrial and noise. Lyrically the band incorporates the sciences of osteology, neuroscience, and anthropology weaving a new medical language around themes of desire, despair and renewal. Linea Aspera serve up an icebox of dark doom riding on Alison's powerful vocals with a soft but sharp touch. All songs have been mastered for vinyl by GEORGE HORN at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each LP is housed in a specially designed jacket by DOVILE SHURPO and includes a full sized insert of all lyrics.

Clear Vinyl Pressing!
New label from Holland run by Developer of Modularz. The new label is focusing on powerful techno tracks in raw form.

ROD, aka respected long-term Dutch activist Benny Rodrigues, hands in another burning 4 track EP for Figure SPC. As the series approaches the zenith of its 26 chapter A-Z journey, the quality shows no sign of dropping, with RODs crisp and characterful techno trips inspired by classic minimalist traditions. Over four, bleep infused, tracky and positively charged cuts, ROD opens the doors for us into his latest hardware-driven studio sessions. Each track is a carefully carved snapshot, a different specific moment for the floor, the producers talent for creating elegant moments of tense and playful Techno is clear to hear.

Written and produced by Nico Lahs mixed at "acusticsoundstudio" by Nico Lahs in Bari/2014

A mind focused in the future in every sense, characterized by a high sense of professionally. These are maybe the best words to describe Nico Lahs, young musician of worldwide's underground music scene. It's the tale of a child full of dreams, a tale about his love for drums grew up til today, becoming a true complete symbiosis with music at 360°. Nico's figure is complex like a puzzle, the result of a youth written by experiences and extremes hardly recognizable in common places. Behind his deep expression he hides at one side the charm of a party animal and on the other side the perfect accuracy of the pure musician; all features that leave, in a way or another, an unforgettable sign in every person who gets in contact with him. With a so particular personality and a always strong desire of freshness Nico is able to transform every performance, every set in every contest, unique in its own way.
Today his music is appreciated and supported by the biggest professionists and lovers of the international underground scene: a clear sign that the role of this musician in the future's global panorama will be as an absolute protagonist.

There is a purpose behind ambient music: it is utility music. Brian Eno made that clear. If we go by Eno's definition, the music on T.RAUMSCHMIERE's new album is not ambient. Although - or in fact, because - each individual track on this album immediately and effortlessly generates atmospheres, it is impossible not to be drawn in. T.RAUMSCHMIERE sucks the listener into the perceptible endlessness of his pulsating sounds, even though the music does not actually expect anything from the listener. It is not demanding, it does not sound lofty or ethereal. It is in constant movement and evolution while sounding grounded at the same time. The tracks are not weightless; they have body.

It is certainly not a small feat to have an ambient compilation series running for over a decade and keep it fresh and interesting - especially when the core aesthetic idea is as well-defined as POP AMBIENT's. However, this didn't keep last year's instalment (KOMPAKT 315 CD 120) from finding a compelling balance between veteran contributors like JENS-UWE BEYER or LEANDRO FRESCO and new, idiosyncratic voices like MAX WÜRDEN or THORE PFEIFFER. They all return for POP AMBIENT 2016, joining a captivating cast that also includes heavy-weight soundsmiths, experimental composers and ambient confidants like THE ORB, ANTON KUBIKOV of SCSI-9 fame, MIKKEL METAL, GREGOR SCHWELLENBACH or STEPHAN MATHIEU.

Starting off with a surprise guest, POP AMBIENT 2016 presents electroacoustic composer and installation artist STEPHAN MATHIEU, whose highly textured opening drone APRIL IM OKTOBER bears all the hallmarks of a pop ambient classic, stealthily weaving in layers of sound and moving fluidly between territories. The man clearly knows what he's doing - after all, he has worked with luminaries like Taylor Dupree, Ekkehard Ehlers, Janek Schaefer or Sylvain Chauveau (see also Pop Ambient 2009). Meanwhile, THE ORB show off the full extent of their experience in the field and have their own little ambient collage opera going on in ALPINE DAWN - a slight detour from their beat-laden full-length MOONBUILDING 2703 AD (KOMPAKT 330 CD 124), but just on that same level of masterful sonic dexterity.

Moving forward, SCSI-9's ANTON KUBIKOV builds momentum with a sweet melody slowly evolving to the atmospheric backdrop of a light synth rain, while MAX WÜRDEN imagines a dreamy, yet twisted underwater world with lots of space to get lost in. He later returns for a collaboration with THORE PFEIFFER (not on vinyl), the other newcomer hero from Pop Ambient 2015, and the result is a fascinating amalgamation of both producer's distinct sonic sensibilities - the grittier, drone-based approach from Würden and Pfeiffer's penchant for roaming samples and skewed loops. Another dedicated collab comes from SICKER MAN & GREGOR SCHWELLENBACH who team up for string-infused, cinematic epic TURNS.

Longstanding Kompakt ally MIKKEL METAL presents the surging TITAN, followed by LEANDRO FRESCO's magistral rework of DAVE DK's VEIRA from his VAL MAIRA album (KOMPAKT 326 CD 121). A very special bonus adventure can be found in THORE PFEIFFER's "megamix" of WOLFGANG VOIGT's RÜCKVERZAUBERUNG (not on vinyl) - an entire concept series succesfully reimagined as one sweeping cut. JENS-UWE BEYER continues his expeditions into hypnotic, semi-acoustic soundscapes on THE BREMEN, transitioning into the windy mountaintops of LEANDRO FRESCO's mysterious, multi-layered CONFIGURACION DE ATAQUE (not on vinyl). THORE PFEIFFER has the honour to conclude POP AMBIENT 2016 with the appropriately titled IDYLL, a soothing, swirling synth study giving the listener ample opportunity to return to mundane reality at his own pace.

We are proud to present to you our next dnb-themed vinyl release, which comes with two absolutely fantastic deep-bassed and crisp-beated rollers. In the case of this record, we can speak of a small Polish invasion, as both tracks have been written and produced by two Polish supertalents - Mortem, who has been making big waves in the dnb industry for some time already, and Harland - an established Warsaw-based event promoter and DJ, and a now-upcoming producer, teaming up with Mortem on the flipside. Starting off with Mortem's 'Proximity', you'll surely appreciate his trademark to-the-point drumwork and clear basslines, adorned with intriguing vocal inserts and growling synths. 'The Same', with its quick-paced hi-hats, riveting synthetic melody, and spacious bassline, is surely more dancefloor-oriented, but still fits the deeper side of dnb perfectly, making this record as a whole a very welcome addition to the Absys family.

Where Are You Now is the fourth proper album from Italian widescreen dancegaze trio port-royal.

Limited Edition Clear and Cyan Vinyl w/ Download Card

It's been nearly six years since their previous full length Dying in Time (n5MD) and not counting compilation appearances, remix and rarities anthology 2011s 2000-2010: The Golden Age Of Consumerism (n5MD) and the Diamat album that port-royal architect Attilio Bruzzone orchestrated in 2013 port-royal has appeared somehow eerily silent. We now know that they've been very hard at work.

The old adage that good things come to those who wait has never been more true. Where Are You Now spans the six year gap effortlessly with the band's familiar and reoccurring themes ever looming while adding newer complimentary components to their soaring tapestries. Such elements are present in the pop shimmer of tracks like "Death of a Manifesto" and "Alma M." to the more muscular almost industrialized beat mangling included in select sections of "Karl Marx Song" and "Theodor W. Adorno".

To those that may be worried at such additions, they, in port-royal's hands, are now inseparable components with the band's already signature blend of post- rock, dream-pop and dance music.

10" Repress

Nostalgic rave cuts produced by an anonymous stranger from Rotterdam - pressed on clear transparent 10" vinyl. This release clearly reflekts the artist's passion for the haydays of the '91/'92 Hardcore Rave movement.

Strictly underground funk, keep the crossover...

Following almost two years of driving bass music promotion, in the form of compilation albums, free download round-ups, reviews, guest mixes & mix series CDs, the time has come to transcend from what first began as an online blog into our very own music label. After working with renowned artists such as El-B, Quest, BunZer0 and Phaeleh, as well as fellow promotional platforms FatKidOnFire & Deeper Vibrations - the Albion community has developed and grown to become recognised across the board of the bass music spectrum. This extension of our brand will help in pushing this music even more, enabling us to curate a fundamentally diverse sound beside the culture that we so passionately enjoy.The launch of Albion Collective Recordings is to be set in motion with In Pieces, a collaborative down-tempo effort conceived between Vaun and Jafu which is radiant in textural soundscapes. This particular piece has been doing the rounds as a clip on Deeper Vibrations' YouTube channel since 2013, inducing longing excitement for the song to finally surface.
Bristol based Daniel Brown, aka Vaun, has prospered into one of the scene's most prolific producers, covering multiple styles and turning out numerous releases for MindStep Music, Redshift-One and Soulstep Records. After recently hinting at the imminent release of an album, Brown can also reap in the keepsake of ALBION001 alongside Canadian artist James Fuller, aka Jafu, who likewise has blossomed astutely alongside his soulful Chord Marauders collective.In Pieces falls somewhere amongst immersive trip-hop and jazzy 2-step, an affectional arrangement that makes wonderful use of Marvin Gaye's a cappella in his classic Sexual Healing. The composition will certainly induce healing of the cerebral kind, with its stripped and delicate percussion work, dubbed out horns and soothing string sections. Encapsulated within Vaun & Jafu's musical offering is our label's statement of intent. That is, to champion unique music that emanates elegance such as this collaboration - and such as J.Sparrow's remix treatment. Ryan Wild aka Jack Sparrow, a Deep Medi Musik signee and one half of dubstep extraordinaire duo Author, has granted the scene with his tenacity to build profoundly stunning electronic music. Wild has the tempo notched up for his In Pieces edit but remains true to Vaun and Jafu's approach in the sense of its lavish spatial touch. The atmospherics breeze over with a soft vibrancy, as the electronic guitar solo recording from the original plays over the initial main section charmingly. This is all resulting in a simply sumptuous mix which goes right up there with his top drawer remix work for Annie Drury and De Niro & Y. To compliment J.Sparrow's sublime contribution and to also complete the package, the Black Butter Records assosciated and Bristol-based outfit Sly-One have whipped up an outright banger of a remix. Joe Cannon, Dave Constant and Oliver Read can already boast an admirable set of releases in the four years since they've joined forces, featuring on Shifting Peaks, Lost In Translation and 877 Records. Add that to a rude collaboration with fellow Bristol head & rasta emcee Buggsy and a remix for Bad Mojo on Meanbucket, Sly-One had clearly meant business from the offset - and have shown absolutely no let up for us at Albion Collective. Served with a side order of the trio's classic subtle cowbell hits, their 2-step/bassline fusion works wonders with the vamped-up vocal sample and is ready and waiting to rumble clubs & festivals for this summer and beyond. Early DJ support for the release has been noted from artists including Phaeleh, Quantum Soul, Thelem, J. Robinson, Walsh, K-Man, Nanobyte, Syte, Trashbat, Majora and D-Operation Drop & Foster. Radio airings to date stand at Sub FM on the BunZer0's legendary FOB Show, BBC Introducing showcased the release and Monki played the Sly One Remix on BBC Radio 1 Extra. The almighty
Dubstep duo Truth added the J.Sparrow Remix to their recent 'Chronicles' mixtape on Soundcloud, which was posted to their 75,000 plus following, Biscuit Factory Records owner and dubstep legend Walsh opened the edit on his latest podcast and J.Sparrow is set to showcase the version in a mix for the iconic Deep Medi label. Support is confirmed from digital publications such as FatKidOnFire,
GetDarker, Trusik and MTV Wrap up, which will involve a number of featuresm reviews, track premieres and artist spotlights. A review will also be printed in November's edition of Mixmag on Tomas Fraser's Grime/Dubstep page

Over the past few decades, there has been a seismic shift in Brazil's musical landscape. A plethora of varying musical undergrounds has developed across the nation. While Rio and São Paulo have been overwhelmed with networks of talented musicians for a long time, creative life is now bursting all over the country. Amplificador exists to document and propagate the wonderfully diverse music currently blossoming from Brazil's vivacious and geographically varied musical undergrounds. Presenting an up-to date insight into Brazilian music, this compilation draws together some of the components of 'Novíssima Música Brasileira' (brand new Brazilian music), ranging from afro-grooves to rock, to modern samba and MPB. The music reaches back across Brazil's incredibly rich musical and cultural traditions, while also taking in influence from other movements around the globe.



Having begun life in 2012 as a Brazilian music blog run by Marcelo Monteiro, Eduardo Rodrigues, Mateus Campos, and Ricardo Calazans, the aim of Amplificador is to document and propel to wider audiences, Brazilian music of the '00s and '10s generation. This is a task made more significant by obvious changes in the way music is consumed. 'People are no longer obliged to listen to what the radio and TV are presenting. There is a whole new generation that wants to listen to new bands and new sounds and we try to connect those bands with other bands, producers, fans and even the mainstream.' These changes in technology and the way music is discovered and shared have developed parallel to the proliferation of these emerging scenes. The ostensible decentralization of the music industry means the promoting and filtering work of journalists and blogs, like Amplificador, have become increasingly important, as people try to keep up with the tsunami of new music and media flooding the country on a daily basis.



Marcelo uses the example of the Mangue Beat movement to explain a trend in contemporary Brazilian music that looks both inwards, to Brazil's own musical traditions and outwards, to movements around the world to create a novel, localised identity: 'The 90's Pernambuco art-social movement was inspired by Coco, Maracatu and Forró all mixed with modern riffs and grooves. The mythical

revolutionary Chico Science, his Nação Zumbi, Mundo Livre, Siba, and many others do this blend perfectly. There are also the references to the older generations and masters - Gil, Caetano, Luiz Gonzaga, João Gilberto, Tim Maia, Jorge Benjor - as a constant inspiration for all bands.' This is very much the case for the Brazilian artists of today.



Music is unquestionably informed by place. Brazil has always been famed for its regional differences in this sense. Indeed there are still pronounced variations between the scenes of Rio, Sao Paulo, Natal, Goiânia, Belo Horizonte and Belém for example, there are also great divergences within cities and while technology has brought changes to the way musical influences are shared, there are cultural differences, rooted in folkloric traditions, that aren't going away. Expressing his appreciation for this fact, while highlighting the potential of Brazil's spread of musical flavours, Marcelo explains that 'what we have now is new ingredients to make an even better mixture.'

This compilation heavily features music from a scene in Brazil's current musical make-up, which draws inspiration from African music, particularly Afro-beat music. Abayomy Afrobeat Orchestra from Rio formed because of their shared love of the music of Fela Kuti, uniting initially in 2009 for a jam session in his honour. But what sets Abayomy apart from other groups of a similar nature, is the fact that their sound also brings with it the songs and rhythms of candomblé. In this sense, Abayomy was the first band of its kind. The thirteen members of the orchestra have a palpable current of Rio's musical heritage - its rhythms and culture - running through them. So while their sound is distinctly African, it is also inherently Brazilian. Similarly, Zebrabeat Afro-Amazônia Orquestra draw upon traditional guitarradas and carimbos from the state of Pará and fuse these with the poly-rhythms of Afrobeat to create another regional hybrid, which stays true to both its Amazonian and African roots, yet which results in a very fresh, Brazilian sound. From Belo Horizonte (capital of Minas Gerais), Iconilli are another key band on Brazil's Afro-groove scene. With influences as varied as funk, jazz and psychedelic rock, congado, mining harmonies, maracatu, coco, ijexá, carimbó, Iconilli somehow manage to balance all of these sounds in such a way that makes it impossible to pin them down. From the Northeastern city of Joao Pessao, Parayba, Burro Morto's pshychadelic afro sound leans more towards rock and funk influences, with hint of regional Brazilian rhythms such as frevo and forro. They add another flavour to the Brazilian afro-groove scene: just one of the many exciting facets of Novíssima Música Brasileira.



While African-inspired music features heavily on the compilation, it is just one of the many styles within. Ive Seixas has a fresh approach to MPB, based on traditional rhythms and instrumentation, punctuated by a pop sensibility, coupled with a powerful female vocal. As an artist she is a product of a 'Do It Yourself' outlook to creativity, taken from her love of rock growing up. In 2013 she embarked on a project of street performance: wandering, like a lonely troubadour with just her guitar. Ive and her project began to gain notoriety and shortly after, her first EP was recorded, featuring some important names of South Rio's underground scene. 'Cervejas Populares' taken from the EP, is a beautiful, sombre piece of modern Brazilian pop, with a traditional samba rhythm. Another artist of the new MPB scene is Fabricio, from the city of Vitoria, who's 'Feito Tamborim' melds rock and funk and is also clearly reminiscent of the old Brazilian masters. It's an appreciation for the national musical heritage, alongside a keen ear for melody and an acceptance of foreign influences that results in these promising new sounds of Brazilian MPB.

Sao Paulo's super group of the underground 'Passo Torto' have been at the helm of an emerging scene in the city: an innovative approach to samba which draws in and experiments with afro grooves, jazz melodies and rock structures. Their sound is naturally very Brazilian, but the nylon twang of Faira Lima Pra Ca, interspersed with ominous strings and light rolling percussion, seems reminiscent of Captain Beefheart or Tom Waits, as the band lament their frustrations with their native city through their music.



The Future of Novíssima Música Brasileira looks very bright. The main challenge (and purpose of this album) is to get the music beyond Brazil's underground and into view of international audiences. In the last 10 years this goal has become somewhat more attainable, as the Brazilian government has begun to see the internationalisation of the nation's culture as a strategic objective, with public projects gaining increased investment and backing. The continuing project of Amplificador is to reinforce this international bridge by writing, filtering and promoting the scene as a whole. There is a wealth of great music currently blooming in Brazil and using new media tools, Marcelo and the team, alongside many others, will passionately continue to get the voices of Brazil's underground heard.

Hardy and Stephan began their musical careers separately in the early 2000's. They randomly met in the clubs in Berlin and started the Survey project back in 2013. Sharing one common direction to produce DNB with a deep, refined and hypnotic edge. Their minimal sounds, paired with systematic DJ skills have seen them perform in some of the top dance venues in Germany and across Europe.

Fast forward to 2015 and we are presented with a 4 track EP on DSCI4. Manufactured on crystal clear vinyl for a crafted, futuristic look. A release that stimulates the mind, body and soul with their signature trademark vision.

//Time EP//
A.Twisting, rolling bass flows with pure techno adrenalin in 'Move in Time'
B. Deep future-sub pairs rolling warehouse vibes in 'Warp Resistant'
C.Warming party atmosphere and dance floor perfection in 'As You Want'
D.Final thoughts with the creeping, haunting electronic precision of 'Both Sides'

This is classic DSCI4....with momentum geared to the future of drum and bass. Pushing and showcasing the finest producers of the moment. Survey leads us into the ever evolving blueprint of Drum & Bass.
There are no rules.

2015 ist das Jahr des neuen Albums von Alex Bau, das Ende April seine Definition von modernem, intelligentem Techno mit einem düsteren und zugleich auch organischem Touch präzise definiert. Ein klares Bekenntnis zum Sound. Frei von Hochglanz-Bildern und ablenkenden Elementen kommt dies Album mit Techno in seiner unverfälschten, puren Form mit einem einzigen Fokus: die Musik selbst!

Nach 5 Jahren quasi überfällig ist es definitiv an der Zeit, daß einer der am meisten für ihren Sound respektierten Technoproduzenten nach mehr als 100 Produktionen und Remixes auf szenerelevanten Labels wie Chris Liebing`s "CLR", Techniasia`s "SINO", dem englischen Technoaushängeschild "Sleaze Records", dem legendären Harthouse oder auch kürzlich auf Sven Väth`s "Cocoon Recordings" nun erneut ein Techno-Statement in Form eines Full-Length-Albums zu setzen.

Und genau hierfür kam nur eine Plattform in Frage: Alex` eigenes Label "Credo", das vor allem in den letzten beiden Jahren mit seinen eindrucksvollen Releasaes mehr als durchgestartet ist.

2015 will see alex baus new album 'musick' to be released end of april showcasing his definition of slightly dark shaded, organic sounding and intelligent modern techno. A clear statement, free of hi-res artistpics or diverting elements, just the music in a very pure and straight way.

after 5 years it seems to be more than overdue that one of the most respected producers throughout the technoworld delivers a new full-length album after far more than 100 productions and remixes on well established labels like chris liebing`s clr, technasia`s sino, uk top notch label sleaze records, legendary harthouse or most recently also synewave and sven väth`s cocoon recordings.

anyway... it was clear that there just one spot on the label-landscape for his new longplayer: credo, his very own label which was kind of outperforming throughout the last year.

FINA Records presents 'Tyranny of Fun', the debut EP from Slow Learner. The coining of the new alias 'Slow Learner', marks a new chapter and musical direction for an already established artist who is by no means new to the game. Preferring to start afresh and steer clear from associations, the somewhat reclusive figure from the South Coast is now focused instead on allowing his new output to speak solely for itself. And his debut release under his new pseudonym achieves just that. 'Tyranny of Fun' is an accomplished sonic offering that reveals a versatile sound characterized by original combinations of samples, depth and range. The EPs opener, 'The Skin Horse' is surely one for the after afters - a dark and off kilter growler of a track whose prevailing bassline and waltz time beat provide a brooding backdrop and relentless rolling nod to its intricate fusion of dissident chords, dusty synths and jazz stabs. On the flip side, an unpredictable 'Cupboard Love' starts muted and deep but soon surprises, opening out into a warm and progressive feel-good groove. Mixing things up again, Slow Learner impulsively cuts up the flow 4 minutes in with a funk-filled refrain, leaving the track dancing in and around dirtier disco territories. Last up, a made for vinyl 'Honey' goes deeper still; a delectably crafted down tempo offering whose syrupy vocals stir and evocative cross-rhythm synths, coupled with the vintage analogue percussion, ooze an unmistakable old 90's deep house sound.

Celldöd is the solo project of Anders Karlsson, well known in the EBM scene for his involvement in the band The Pain Machinery and as a live member of Severe Illusion. Celldöd strips EBM down to it's core, eliminating vocals and any superfluous details. Celldöd offers a raw, minimal, and purist vision of EBM; hardware tracks recorded live to tape using just a handful of machines. Celldöd's bare bones dance cuts are dirty and primitive, but manage to steer clear of retro trappings, sounding fresh and contemporary.

Limited Clear Vinyl Pressing!
Bloody downtempo Hard techno, dancefloor weapon style. Very Subhead style or american hardtechno at some point. Dry sound, reverbless kick and very Ptit Gris in the spirit, and in the form ! Silver transparent plate !