Cerca:dig it

Manfredi Romano, founder and A&R of Life and Death Records, has been a pivotal figure in electronic music for over two decades. This year marks an important milestone as he is invited to curate the upcoming fabric presents mix for fabric Records, a release that highlights his instinctive storytelling and the distinct musical identity he has cultivated throughout his career.

Manfredi’s journey began in Italy around the turn of the millennium, tour-managing punk bands and organizing left-field music events before completing his studies in computer science at the University of Pisa. He went on to form DAZE, Italy’s first booking agency dedicated exclusively to electronic music, laying the groundwork for what would become a globally influential presence in the scene.
In 2010, he shifted focus to his own artistic project, DJ Tennis, which quickly gained international recognition for its emotive blend of house, techno, and disco. Renowned for creating intimate atmospheres in even the largest spaces, DJ Tennis has performed at leading clubs such as Circoloco Ibiza, Fabric London, and Panorama Bar Berlin, and at major festivals including Sonar, Timewarp, Primavera Sound, and Coachella. His 2022 residency at Phonox in London further showcased his ability to shape dancefloors with nuance and depth. Since 2017, he has also co-founded and curated Rakastella, the celebrated Art Basel Miami festival created in partnership with Life and Death and Innervisions.

As a producer, DJ Tennis draws from early relationships with post-rock pioneers such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Tortoise, and Fugazi, channelling their influence into intricately layered electronic compositions. His work has appeared on respected labels including Kompakt, Rhythm Assault, Running Back, !K7, Cercle Records, Aus Music, and Circoloco Records, alongside frequent releases on Life and Death. His remix portfolio includes collaborations with Diplo, Boys Noize, Loco Dice, WhoMadeWho, and Acid Pauli, among many others. He has also previously contributed a DJ-Kicks mix, bringing his eclectic sensibilities to one of electronic music’s most beloved series.

After extended periods living in Miami, Berlin, and Barcelona, DJ Tennis now resides in Paris. Outside the studio and club environment, Manfredi is a passionate chef who has curated menus for charity events and collaborated with Beatport at ADE, Pioneer, and Resident Advisor. He is also an avid collector of bicycles, vintage action figures, and vinyl — his record collection now surpasses eleven thousand pieces.

With the forthcoming fabric presents DJ Tennis release, he offers a deeply personal, narrative-driven statement that reflects decades of crate-digging, boundary-pushing selections, and a lifelong devotion to sound. It marks a new chapter in his artistic evolution and stands as one of the year’s most anticipated entries in the iconic series.
The first single from DJ Tennis is a collaboration with long-time studio partner Ashee, and it immediately sets the tone for the mix: warm, seductive, rhythm-driven, and emotionally charged.

“I Wanna Know” is a sleek club track built around a pulsing groove and a steady, hypnotic rhythm. The low end is rounded and warm, giving the track a driving but understated momentum. Percussion is crisp and minimal, allowing the bassline and vocal elements to take center stage. The repeating, robotic earworm of a vocal hook, “I wanna know’ is the lynchpin to the track and will remain in your head long after the track has finished.

It’s the kind of record that warms up a room early in the night, sets the tone for a sunset beach set, or adds a lush, emotional peak during a more leftfield club moment.

DJ Amir takes another deep dive into the back catalogue of Detroit's legendary Strata Records to curate a 2nd volume in his Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit compilations. Whereas volume one took in the soulful edge of the Strata canon this volume, as Amir says, 'leans into the label's groovier, funkier edges whilst still celebrating its bold, avant-garde spirit.' DJ Amir's relationship to the Strata label has resulted in the release of the long lost Charles Mingus live 'Jazz in Detroit' box set released on BBE Music along with re-issues from The Lyman Woodard Organisation and re-imaginings of Strata's genre defying music by Berlin based DJ and producer collective, Jazzanova as well as remixes from Kai Alce, Wajeed, Henrik Schwarz, re.decay and DJ Amir himself and, of course, volume one of The Sound of Detroit. Featuring music from The Soulmates, Fito Foster, Keith Boone & Janice Coombs and The Contemporary Jazz Quintet amongst others, The Sound of Detroit volume 2 absolutely exemplifies the importance of Strata Records in the history of innovative Black music as well as its place in the cultural landscape of Detroit as a powerhouse city for art and music. Released by BBE Music in collaboration with 180 Proof Records as a triple vinyl LP and high res. digital download DJ Amir presents Strata – The Sound of Detroit volume 2 really is a gem of a compilation to grace any serious music head's record collection.

‘In Virus Times’ is an acoustic instrumental piece by Lee Ranaldo.
Composed during the pandemic, ‘In Virus Times’ is released as a onesided LP with an etching on Side B. The cover is a beautiful photo by
Lee’s friend, the great Brazilian photographer Anna Paula Bogaciovas.
 Originally released as one track as part of a collaboration with Lucien
Jean for Le Presses du Reel, the music was featured on a mini CD that
accompanied a book that featured two short stories.
 ‘In Virus Times’, released by Mute, sees the track transformed into 4
pieces and is available on transparent turquoise vinyl with digital
download and an exclusive poster, designed, signed and individually
numbered by Lee Ranaldo. The poster design is based on an electron
microscope photo of the COVID-19 molecule.
 Lee has written some of his own ‘loner notes’ for the release:
 “This recording began on an evening in September 2020, stuck at home
in lower Manhattan during the dark days of the Covid-19 pandemic as
we came out of a deadly summer. A heightened sense of anxiety
stemming from the then-upcoming US Presidential elections as well as
the virus seemed to pervade all aspects of life, for myself and everyone I
knew. Its minimal quality reflects the sense of ‘motionless time’ that
many of us felt. I set up some microphones in our darkened living room
(studios being closed due to Covid restrictions), coaxing out one simple,
repetitive phrase, and then another, sounding them out into the air. The
casual home ambience - a siren or truck rumbling down the street out
the window; someone talking around the table in another part of the loft;
water running - intrudes at points. I worked to develop a few simple
thematic elements, but mostly I wanted to hear the notes and chords
ringing out, hanging in the air for a long time on that evening when the
world seemed close to stopped on its axis.
 “I’d been listening closely to Morton Feldman’s catalog throughout the
pandemic. His sparse, long-duration music could often be heard playing
on repeat as we spent endless days locked inside. His willingness to do
very little, with very simple elements, and to such profound effect, has
been inspirational. I found the vast open spaces in his works thrilling,
miraculous, and comforting in those empty times. Additionally, the Drop
D guitar tuning used here has prompted my own variations on Bach’s
works for solo cello, open strings droning against melodic lines, so
simple and perfect…” - Lee Ranaldo, New York City, August 2021

2026 Repress

Lars Huismann returns to Mutual Rytm as he delivers the second instalment of his "Sounds From The Past" trilogy on the label.

As SHDW & Obscure Shape's Mutual Rytm imprint continues to grow, it's clear that the DJ and producer pairing have a strong vision for the label and are building an equally impressive roster of artists to form the imprint's core family members. One of the early standouts is Lars Huismann, who arrived to deliver a selection of impactful offerings influenced by the "golden years" of techno in his own unique style crafted by various production techniques. Having featured on the label's opening VA and delivered the first EP for MR002, racking up a wealth of global support in the process, mid-November welcomes a return for the Berlin-based talent as he serves up six fresh cuts in his signature sound for "Sounds From The Past II".

Opener "Sounds From The Past II" is an action-packed title cut fusing typically slick rolling grooves with hazy melodies and atmospheric releases of tension, while "Propulsion" takes cues from its title and sees precise drum shots, echoed background vocals and a tunnelling groove taking the track right into the thick of the action.

On the flip, B1 "Loucura" brings a percussive workout as frantic organic drums and resonant brass melodies bring a party
to proceedings, with "Stroke" and "Nudge" both armed with tough kicks, zipping synths and more subtle vocal work.

Digital buyers get an extra exclusive in the form of "Dub Division", welcoming a slightly more subdued but equally as impactful track guided by dubby chords and peppy hi-hats to close the show.

&Co. debut on A Quiet Village. The US-based trio drop the third release on Quiet Village’s eponymous imprint March 20th. &Co. Is a project from multi-hyphenate and Bianca Chandon founder, Alex Olson, pianist, composer and producer Alberto Bof (known for his work on ®Oscar ®Bafta ®Golden Globe and ®Grammy award winning ’A Star is Born’) and DJ/fashion luminary, Paul Takahashi. The trio’s second release, ‘Staycation’ follows 2015’s ‘Best of Friends’, and sees these rare talents create a two-tracker that explores a uniquely evocative, cinematic and dubby Balearic aesthetic. ‘Staycation began as a follow-up to the first EP, Best Friends.

As a result, ‘Staycation’ came together in fragments. The first track was built over a handful of short studio sessions, each only about an hour long, driven by brainstorming and reworking ideas. With Alex away, Alberto and I continued refining the piece in Los Angeles, sharing updates for Alex’s approval until it was completed. The track remained unmastered and was quietly circulated to a small circle as a promotional piece. The second track, “Lean Like a Cello,” was initially conceptualized together. However, with Alex now based in New York and less available, we completed the arrangement in Los Angeles, sending versions back and forth for Alex’s input and feedback. Nearly a decade later, the idea resurfaced, and the recordings were finally mastered and released. A friend, Justin Van Der Volgen, handled the mastering. What began as a plan to give the tracks away as a promo evolved when Justin encouraged the group to shop the release. With help from Eric Duncan of Rub N Tug, the music reached Matt (Edwards, aka Radio Slave/ 1/2 of Quiet Village).

Ten years after the first sessions, Staycation arrives as a document of distance, collaboration, and time. A project shaped as much by separation as by shared intention.’ (Paul Takahashi, Feb 2026)
A piece of art from a powerhouse creative team operating at the intersection of skate culture, music, design and fashion, ‘Staycation’ by &Co. Arrives on The Quiet Village 12” and digital/streaming on March 20th.

In a sharp-angled, fiercely inventive reflection on the nature of club culture and digital fatigue, Simo Cell and Abdullah Miniawy reunite to deliver their new album, Dying is the internet, to Dekmantel's UFO series.

French producer Simo Cell has blazed a singular path from his dubstep-influenced origins to become a leading light in contemporary leftfield club music, twisting up adventurous rhythms and flamboyant production in pursuit of a perpetual freshness for the floor. Egyptian singer, poet, producer and composer Abdullah Miniawy has become equally omnipresent in the past 10 years, straddling the arts world and leading with his piercing Arabic lyricism while maintaining an eternally curious spirit that leads into open-ended, experimental music from the abstract to the propulsive.

Following up on their 2020 EP for BFDM, Kill Me Or Negotiate, Miniawy describes their sharply focused new album as "a playful prophecy about the triggers of a new global revolution." Cell considers the title, Dying is the internet, to be a mantra about "how the internet lost its soul," becoming "less about sharing ideas and more about surviving in a digital business ecosystem." Deliberately at odds with the reel-ready two-minute attention span of the average social media surfer (i.e. everyone), the pair set out to make an album that takes its time to reveal nuanced ideas and expressions. Rather than one-note despair for the modern malaise, Cell and Miniawy offer a philosophical reminder that this present moment in the human experience is a temporary phase, no matter how overwhelming it feels.

Dying is the internet finds Miniawy experimenting with auto-tune across the record, while Cell has developed his voice design chops and compositional instincts, moving closer to fully realised song structures without losing the fundamental 'clubbiness' of each track. The result is a cohesive, wildly original kind of heavyweight dance music that slings out hooks left right and centre, from Miniawy's laconic trumpet looming through low-slung 'Reels in 360' and 'Travelling In BCC' to the persistent handclaps that bring 'Living Emojis' to life. Miniawy's poetry explores the power of insistent, repeated phrases in a break from his more typically structured form.

Kenyan powerhouse Lord Spikeheart adds extra snarl to stripped-back, slow-burn opener 'I See The Stadium', but otherwise Dying is the internet is purely the work of Miniawy and Cell casting their considerable chops out into unexplored territory. The results are electric, bound together by a consistent economy of sound that burrows into a shroud of bass-heavy minimalism barely masking Cell's incredibly detailed studio flex. Even the beatless flourish of the Miniawy-produced 'Tear Chime' comes loaded with physicality — a sensory rush at the mid-section of the album bookended by some of the most idiosyncratic club music in recent memory.

Both Simo Cell and Abdullah Miniawy have already proved themselves as fearless innovators across different fields. The strength of their partnership lies in their ability to make space for each other while letting their distinctive sonic identities ring loud and true. Dying is the internet has immediacy and physicality to translate over a soundsystem, but its intricacies are purpose-built for repeat visits and contemplation, unveiling hidden dimensions the deeper you dive into it.

2026 Repress

French DJ/producer Mathys Lenne's artistic vision is rooted in his deep connection to rhythm. Telling stories with his sounds while drawing inspiration from poetry and cinema and blending hypnotic textures with raw intensity, his music is widely supported across the scene via labels like Mord, Hayes and more. Across five vinyl cuts and three digital bonuses, the four-deck wizard keeps it deeply atmospheric with his label debut on SHDW's Mutual Rytm imprint, combining elements of psychedelic rock, unique voice samples and saturated synths to create a sound that feels immersive and unrestrained in contrast to the fast-paced, visceral techno he has become known for.

'Detlev' opens up with hefty kicks that demand you quicken your step, while industrial effects and creepy design brings the detail that makes the track pop. The classy 'Natural Born Killers' rides on firm kicks with loopy percussive details tightly coiled, ensuring you are forever on edge as the drums march on. 'Choose Your Pill' is a stripped-back and pulsing deep techno cut with deft synths that peel off the groove, before 'Untidy Echo' delivers a cavernous sound with sparse hits and low-end rumbles that place you in the centre of an underground cavern. 'Enfer ou Ciel' featuring D.E.S brings a sense of melancholy in the occasional string sounds and watery droplets that float over more frictionless, meditative beats - while the trio of digital bonus cuts brings moody subterranean rollers ranging
from snaking and dubby to more drum-led and eerie tones.

The label Erdgeschoss celebrates the freedom of sound and vision at the bar of life, like football – only with a bass drum instead of a ball. And with beer. Because even with vinyl records, the ball has to go in the net.

Pop Vampires Cologne will kick things off; their surrealist debut masterpiece, Karianne, was already released at Total 25 last year. PVC lives up to its name. Like vampires, oskø and Wassermann once again sample their way through the pop supermarket of unlimited possibilities.
Almost overnight, in their illegal, digital garage, they clone hybrid sound structures, saturated with both foreign and self-injected blood doping. Forbidden fruit is known to taste the best. Consciously, explicitly, and provocatively, PVC explores sampling as an indispensable stylistic device, a universal tool for quotation and pop networking. Equally daring and respectfully irreverent, they oppose the new, all-disenchanting AI search engines on the internet with the freedom of art. The rest is surrealism. Just like the accompanying video, which isn't a video in the conventional sense, but rather a kind of making-of with Sabine as the main front character. And the digital versions of some tracks may differ slightly from the vinyl versions.
Because: Anything goes…

Das Label Erdgeschoss feiert an der Theke des Lebens die Freiheit von Sound and Vision wie Fussball - nur mit Bassdrum statt Ball. Und mit Bier. Denn auch bei der Schallplatte muss das Runde ins Eckige.

Den Anfang machen Pop Vampires Cologne, deren surrealistisches Debüt-Meisterstück Karianne bereits im letzten Jahr auf der Total 25 erschienen ist. Bei PVC ist der Name Programm. Wie Vampire sampeln sich oskø und Wassermann einmal mehr durch den Pop-Supermarkt der unbegrenzten Möglichkeiten. Quasi über Nacht klonen sie in ihrer illegalen, digitalen Garage hybride Sound-Gebilde, getränkt mit Fremd- und Eigenblutdoping. Verbotene Früchte schmecken bekanntlich am besten. Bewusst, explizit und provokant arbeiten sich PVC am für sie unverzichtbaren Stilmittel des Sampling als universelle Zitat- und Pop-Vernetzungsmaschine ab. Ebenso wagemutig wie respektvoll respektlos, halten sie den neuen, alles entzaubernden K.I. Suchmaschinen im Netz die Freiheit der Kunst entgegen. Der Rest ist Surrealismus. So wie das dazugehörige Video kein Video im herkömmlichen Sinne ist, sondern eine Art Making Off mit Sabine als Frontdarstellerin. Und die digitalen Versionen einiger Stücke sich leicht von den Vinyl Versionen unterscheiden. Denn: Erlaubt ist, was gefällt…

Gatefold Sleeve

M’Bamina – African Roll (1975)
The story of an album born between Africa, Italy, and the nightclub culture of the 1970s
In the heart of 1970s Italy — a country undergoing profound social change and a music scene just beginning to open itself to distant sounds and cultures — an extraordinary, almost improbable story took shape. It is the story of a group of young African musicians who found their way to Europe, of a Turin nightclub that became a crossroads for communities and experimenters, and of an album which, released in small numbers and largely unnoticed at the time, is now considered a rare jewel of Afro-fusion.
The band called themselves M’Bamina — an ensemble of musicians from Congo, Cameroon, and Benin, who arrived in Italy in the early Seventies. Settling between northern Italy and the Pavia area, they began performing in small clubs and community events, bringing with them a vibrant rhythmic heritage: African polyrhythms, call-and-response vocals, funk-infused bass lines, and Caribbean or Afro-Latin colours absorbed along their musical journeys. Their raw, contagious energy on stage quickly drew attention.
Meanwhile, in Turin, another story was unfolding. There was a venue becoming almost legendary: Voom Voom, one of the city’s liveliest nightclubs, run by Ivo Lunardi. The club attracted an eclectic crowd — students, artists, foreigners, night owls — and Lunardi quickly understood that the dancefloor wasn’t just a place for music, but a melting pot for a new kind of cultural energy. Out of this vibrant atmosphere came his idea: to turn the club’s name into a small independent record label, Voom Voom Music, capable of capturing the spirit of those years and giving voice to unconventional projects.

When Lunardi heard M’Bamina, he immediately sensed that this was the sound he had been searching for: fresh, different from anything circulating in Italy at the time, and capable of blending African tradition with funk and European sensibility. He brought them into the studio.
Production was handled by Lunardi along with Christian Carbaza Michel, while the engineering was entrusted to Danilo Pennone, a young sound technician with a sharp, intuitive ear.
The recording sessions — held in Turin in 1975 — produced a remarkably warm and direct sound. The music feels almost live: grooves rooted in African tradition, but open to funk-rock structures and modern arrangements. It is a natural fusion, never forced. Tracks move between tribal rhythms, funk basslines, light electric guitars, congas and Afro-Latin percussion, with call-and-response vocals and melodies that echo both Congolese tradition and the lineage of Latin jazz. Not by chance, one of the album’s most striking tracks, Watchiwara, reinterprets a Latin standard through M’Bamina’s own rhythmic language.

The album was titled African Roll — a name that was already a statement of intention. It is African music that “rolls,” that moves, adapts, transforms within a new geographic and cultural setting. It is not strictly Afrobeat, nor Congolese rumba, nor Western funk: it is a spontaneous, hybrid blend, shaped more by lived experience than by any calculated aesthetic program.
When African Roll was released, the world around it barely noticed. Distribution was limited, and 1970s Italy had yet to develop a cultural framework for receiving such music. The national music press rarely paid attention to African or “world” productions. The album slipped into silence — though the band’s own story did not.

M’Bamina continued performing across Europe and Africa, even sharing a stage in Cameroon with none other than Manu Dibango. By the late Seventies, they moved to Paris, signed with Fiesta/Decca, and recorded a second LP, Experimental (1978). Meanwhile, the peculiar record they had made in Turin began to resurface quietly among vinyl collectors, Afro-funk enthusiasts, and DJs hunting for forgotten grooves.
That is when the album’s fate began to shift.

Over the decades, African Roll emerged as an almost unique document: a snapshot of an intercultural Italy before the word “intercultural” even existed, a fragment of migrant history, a spontaneous experiment in musical fusion born far from major industry circuits but rich in authenticity. Original copies began commanding high prices on the collector’s market, and the album became recognized as one of the hidden classics of European Afro-fusion from the 1970s.
Today, more than fifty years later, this reissue finally restores visibility and dignity to a project that deserves to be heard, studied, and celebrated. It is not simply an album: it is the testimony of a rare cultural encounter, born in an Italy unaware of how fertile such exchanges would one day become.

It is the story of a visionary producer, an extraordinary band, and a fleeting moment in which music, migration, and nightlife came together to create something genuinely new.
African Roll is — now more than ever — the sound of a bridge: between continents, between eras, between cultures. A record that, after rolling far and wide, has finally come home.

GRAMMY-prämierte Rap-Ikone Nas und DJ Premier – zwei der einflussreichsten und angesehensten Persönlichkeiten der Hip-Hop-Geschichte – veröffentlichten ihr mit Spannung erwartetes Kollaborationsalbum „Light-Years“ am 12. Dezember digital über Mass Appeal Nach den limitierten Day Ones Editionen gibt es nun die regulären Editionen mit Artwork, ab 20. Februar 2026.

Nach jahrzehntelanger Vorfreude ist „Light-Years“ die Wiedergeburt einer 30-jährigen Zusammenarbeit. Die Partnerschaft von Nas und DJ Premier ist tief in der DNA des Hip-Hop verwurzelt. Ihre Geschichte begann 1994 mit „Illmatic“, das Hits wie „N.Y. State Of Mind“, „Memory Lane“ und „Represent“ hervorbrachte. „Illmatic“ etablierte Nas als Ausnahmetalent und festigte Premiers damals aufstrebende Karriere. Ihre musikalische Chemie vertiefte sich im Laufe des folgenden Jahrzehnts durch Klassiker wie „I Gave You Power“, „2nd Childhood“, „Nas Is Like“ und „N.Y. State Of Mind Pt. II“.

Angeführt von Mass Appeals bahnbrechender Reihe „Legend Has It…“, die einige der wichtigsten und einflussreichsten Hip-Hop-Künstler aller Zeiten feiert und ins Rampenlicht rückt, präsentierte die Reihe ein ganzes Jahr lang historische Veröffentlichungen von Kultur prägenden Künstlern wie Slick Rick, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, Big L und De La Soul. Mit „Light-Years“ liefern Nas und DJ Premier den krönenden Abschluss dieser legendären Reihe, in der ihre unbestreitbare Synergie nach wie vor einzigartig ist.

2006 zierten Nas und DJ Premier das Cover des Scratch Magazine und kündigten ein gemeinsames Projekt an, das die Begeisterung der Fans erneut entfachte und die zwei Jahrzehnte währende Vorfreude beflügelte. Letztes Jahr taten sich Nas und Premier zusammen, um das 30-jährige Jubiläum von „Illmatic“ mit der Veröffentlichung des neuen Tracks „Define My Name“ zu feiern, mit dem sie erstmals ihr wegweisendes Kollaborationsalbum ankündigten.

„Light-Years“ ist ein wahrer Beweis für den Einfluss beider Künstler, ihr Vermächtnis und die Zeitlosigkeit ihrer gemeinsamen Musik.

2026 Repress

Georgian powerhouse Yanamaste drops long-anticipated new EP on Mutual Rytm.

In-demand DJ/producer Yanamaste is a resident at Georgia's renowned Khidi Club and a key part of Amsterdam's Vault Sessions crew. His unique sound and fresh creative approach result in raw and visceral techno, reflecting his passion for pushing boundaries and showcased perfectly via his 'Dance' EP on Vault last year. Now, he returns with an EP born out of the creative process behind his live set with a debut appearance on SHDW's Mutual Rytm, 'Evil' - a collection of heavily-requested tracks that have already made an impact after featuring in his Boiler Room and Stone Techno Festival livestream.

'Evil' kicks things off with perfectly rubbery, funky drum patterns and an urgent sense of movement that sweeps you off your feet. 'Lahante' is more percussive, with busy snares riding the rolling, forceful drums and stark synths arresting your attention. 'Dragonfly' is perfectly reduced via minimal drums intertwined with thunderous effects and ghoulish energy, while 'Modulation Detected' has a more cosmic feel as it journeys into the future with whispered spoken words and synths searching across the face of the groove. Last but not least is the irresistible broken beat goodness of 'Walking On Mars', with its swinging kicks and vast bassline spraying about the mix beneath hypnotic melodic patterns.

Two superb bonus cuts, 'Ohohoi' and 'Pwiu', are also provided for digital buyers, bringing further gems loaded with moody depths and compelling rhythms.

Renowned party DJ, producer and collector The Gaff deals in all sorts of global grooves and here links up with Caleb Hart, who was born in Tobago and is now based on the west coast of Canada. They collide their vast inspirations into a global bass banger inspired by years of crate digging. 'Let's Build' is a big sound with big drums, dark synth grooves and hooky future soul as well as a sleazy vocal. Calypso, bass house and a dark piano all collide in HD colour. The instrumental is no slouch either, and both of these are sure to bring the heat this winter and beyond.

London-based producer IZCO is set to release his latest single, “Guiding Star (feat. Reek0)”, blending soulful nostalgia with the raw energy of the capital’s underground sound.

Drawing from influences that span UK dance music, hip hop, and soul, IZCO’s music captures both the energy of the dancefloor and the emotion of lived experience. Over the years, IZCO has become a key figure in London’s cross-genre underground scene, collaborating with artists like Reek0, Greentea Peng, Sam Wise, Liam Bailey, and Novelist, and performing at iconic venues and festivals across the UK and Europe.

His previous releases, including tracks like soulboy - IZCO Remix, Beauty Inside, and OBiNRin - IZCO Remix, showcase his knack for crafting warm, sample-rich productions that balance classic influences with a distinctly modern edge. Whether behind the decks or in the studio, IZCO continues to push boundaries, creating music that feels timeless, authentic, and deeply rooted in community.

“Guiding Star” is no different. It pairs warm, vintage soul textures with the sharp percussion and bass-driven pulse that have defined IZCO’s sound across his discography. Featuring long-time collaborator Reek0, the single bridges eras and styles; a homage to the past while firmly rooted in the energy of today’s London.

Speaking on this release, IZCO says:
“Guiding Star. That classic shit, Combining the soulful sample with the London grit, real London track. Inspired by a mixture of 70s soul, US hip hop and UK grime.

Made this track without thinking much, the sample spoke for itself.
Reek0’s vocal was from one of the first sessions we ever did years ago, and it had never been released but it sounded perfect on this track. A taste of nostalgia, this track reminds me of good memories and friendships. Simple but meaningful. And an honour to use such a beautiful sample”

Later this year, fans will be able to own an exclusive 7-inch vinyl edition of Guiding Star, featuring both the original and instrumental versions - a collector’s piece for crate diggers and fans alike. Out on the 5th December.

With “Guiding Star (feat. Reek0)”, IZCO continues to carve out his place as one of the most versatile and soulful producers in UK production, grounding every beat in authenticity, emotion, and connection

At the core of the creative process behind “HPC” and “Bor3d” lies meta-irony, a quality that permeates much of today’s digital content landscape.

Both tracks are a deliberate attempt to push the sound toward a barely perceptible absurdity and ironic unseriousness in their interpretation of well-familiar styles of dance club music. It is a play with form, expectation, and recognizability — balancing sincerity with sarcastic exaggeration.

Okay
Okay is built around interruption. Voices, fragments of dialogue, yawns, irritation — people seem to step inside the track uninvited. Someone is bored, someone is annoyed, someone tries to stop the flow entirely. Just like in real life, the process is constantly disrupted. The track reflects the experience of being surrounded by opinions, noise, and skepticism — especially the kind that will never be convinced, no matter what you do. “Okay” becomes a quiet, ironic response to this pressure: not agreement, not approval, but endurance. The track continues anyway.

Tripatura
Tripatura is a fictional creature — a warped echo of cryptid mythology. In this narrative, Tripatura doesn’t simply exist, it hunts. Once it finds you, it drags you into an endless trip with no exit point. Time stretches, perception blurs, and the track itself becomes the trap. Its prolonged, unresolved ending mirrors the experience of being stuck inside a loop that refuses closure. Tripatura doesn’t rush. It lingers, slowly pulling you deeper, until the trip no longer feels temporary.

Legendary dub techno artist Paul St. Hilaire (AKA Tikiman) announces new collaborative album, marking 10 years of Kynant Records



Building on the success of Paul St. Hilaire’s landmark solo album for Richard Akingbehin’s label Kynant in 2023, w/ The Producers switches up the formula to pair St. Hilaire’s with a different producer on each track. Referencing fellow dub techno pioneers Mark Ernestus & Moritz von Oswald’s acclaimed album w/ The Artists as Rhythm & Sound, St. Hilaire flips the concept to feature as the lone vocalist.



Over the album’s nine tracks, St. Hilaire offers a range of conscious song-writing and headtop musings, such as the spoken-word dread of “What’s This” or the sparse call-to-action of “Send Them On”. The record weaves through all shades of contemporary dub evolutions, showing the vocal range and versatility of St. Hilaire. w/ The Producers is yet another essential record in St. Hilaire’s unmatched discography.



The producers were curated by label owner and DJ Richard Akingbehin to give the new album a future-facing feel and mark 10 years of Kynant Records. Akingbehin sourced beats from luminaries such as Digital Mystikz boss and dubstep trailblazer Mala or elusive Chain Reaction artist Shinichi Atobe. They sit alongside some of the most exciting names in recent electronic music - Batu, Gavsborg, Azu Tiwaline, Priori, Cousin, Russell E.L. Butler, Aurora Halal and DJ G - all of whom bring different elements of dub techno into their productions.



w/ The Producers finds Kynant Records bridging the original voice of dub techno with the genre’s new wave. It’s a statement of intent from the label, which began 10 years ago with deep, hypnotic techno and has veered gradually towards more dubwise sounds

Cinthie’s Collective Cuts sub-label of her 803 Crystal Grooves label welcomes the UK’s Black Eyes onto its roster this March with his ‘Hydrocity Reflex’ EP, comprised of four original soul drenched House Jams.
Cinthie’s 803 Crystal Grooves Collective Cuts welcomes Black Eyes with a fresh four-track EP that distils the Manchester-born, Berlin-based artist’s signature aesthetic into its purest form. Fusing deep, trippy and soulful house with a raw, Detroit-leaning sensibility, Black Eyes channels the influence of House music’s roots into rolling rhythms and fluid textures alongside shaped by his enduring love of water. Now firmly embedded in Berlin’s underground while carrying the grit of his northern roots, he delivers a release that feels both immersive and driving a natural fit for 803 Crystal Grooves’ dance floor focused sonic vision.
Opening the EP is ‘Can You Dig That Depth’, an emotive slice of House driven by saturated keys, soulful vocal lines, heavily swung drums and a buoyant bassline. ‘Pressure Malfunction’ follows, stripping things back to organic percussion, sweeping filtered funk loops and intricately processed spoken-word chants. The B-side begins with ‘Loyalty To Tha Deep’, living up to its name as it embraces classic Deep House sensibilities through choppy, airy chord progressions, hypnotic breathy vocals, fluttering melodies and slow-slung, crunchy drums. ‘Funky Oxygen’ then brings the release to a close, channelling the spirit of Motor City House with a refined blend of cut-up samples, shuffled percussion, jazzy keys and a snaking bass groove.

In a dystopian universe where elites manipulate memory to control the population. Vibracid emerges as a technique of liberation through sound: a method for erasing induced memory.

THE RHYME marks the counterattack phase. The insurgents infect the system used by the elites for control and reprogram it from within: patterns, voices and sequences as active code.

Contemporary bass, electro, breaks, acid and rave converge as transmission vectors. Each track operates as a unit of intervention within this science fiction scenario.

At this stage, new signals are incorporated. Power, with a solid trajectory within the underground circuit, opens the EP in a forceful way, with an acid, surprising and spectacular impact. Exieve, a young producer from Chernihiv, continues the attack with a raw tension where vocals cut through the signal like sharp fragments. Alongside them, Lups Digga, Atix, Parand and Calagad 13 continue expanding the system’s reach.

Melohman and Paco Colombas Unveil 'Palma de Janeiro': A Rhythmic Bridge Between Mallorca and Brazil...

PALMA DE MALLORCA - Producers Melohman and Paco Colombas announce their new EP, 'Palma de Janeiro' on GAMM, a vibrant sonic fusion where Mallorcan tradition meets Brazilian pulse. All together, the result is a highly percussive house workout with a South American feel.

The project centers on a unique dialogue between two worlds: the Mediterranean drone of the Ximbomba and the tropical snap of the Pandeiro.
Inspired by the festive spirit of Mallorca's 'Devil' - a mischievous figure of joy and dance - the EP weaves together communal island roots with the duo's deep-seated passion for Brazilian music.

Born from years of crate-digging and travels across Brazil, 'Palma de Janeiro' is more than a collaboration; it is a celebration of music as a universal language. It is a tribute to the dancefloor, where local heritage and global rhythms collide.

Ribe & Roll Dann serve up potent techno on Mutual Rytm with 'Virtus Occulta'.

Built around concepts of unacknowledged work and enduring merit, the release marks their first EP on SHDW's widely
respected label.

Based in Toledo and Madrid, Ribe & Roll Dann are exciting residents at Laster Madrid and Lanna Club, two of Spain's leading venues. Emerging as driving forces in their national techno scene, they have also made an impact on the global landscape, making wider moves through collaborative releases on Klockworks, and individual outings on a number of other influential labels. Having previously featured in the label's Federation of Rytm IV compilation, the pair make their full EP label on SHDW's Mutual Rytm imprint to open March with a deep dive into their expansive sound.

Opener 'Sub Terra' is a pure club tool that is direct, physical and rooted in the underground with a seriously heavy low end. 'Extra Lumen' is more restrained but still built on a steady, forceful rhythm with controlled energy that prefers to operate in the shadows. 'Ars Non Placens' stays true to the idea that music is not made to please, but to exist on its own terms with hunched drums and dubby undercurrents. Next, 'Meritum Negatum' fizzes with static electrical charge and minimal drum funk and is a direct reflection on overlooked skill and unacknowledged work, before closer 'Virtus Persistens' delivers a continuity and a steady pulse rather than an explosive ending, keeping you locked throughout.

In addition, three digital bonus cuts come alongside the vinyl package. 'Labor Inauditus' speaks to hours of technique, production and booth experience that remain invisible. Next come the taught, rubbery rhythms and unrelenting atmosphere of 'Silentium Testium', while 'Sine Aplausu' - which means without applause - brings a ghostly late night vibe that you will never want to end.

JOCELYN VIRAPIN is one of the master of the Guadeloupean Gwoka percussion.
Born October 17th, 1957 in Basse-Terre, he’s an author, composer, producer and a vinyl digger.
His Gwoka is a pure tribute to the traditional combination of responsorial singing in Guadeloupean creole, rhythms played on the Ka drums and dancing.
He started to play in the 90’s with his band Gwaka. He opened and collaborated with prestigious band such as Kassav or Zouk Machine.
He has a massive discography as arranger and musician: he appears on more than 78 albums! The track "Pasyon" was originally released in 1994 on a rare vinyl , but with the artist we decided to do an edit, so we invited the super talented jazz player Florian Pellissier for a Rhodes improvisation on the original take.
The track "Respè Pou Fanm" was originally released with his band BELOKA in 2010 and was only pressed on a Cd format at a very limited quantity. This beautiful song is a blend of Ka, fantastic jazzy keys on Rhodes, hypnotic bass, sublime creole spiritual chants. With an incredibly joyous feel, the lyrics gave a timeless advice to men: Respect Women .
It definitely deserves a vinyl version for all the music lovers, Dj’s and diggers from all over the world !
Kenbé red pa moli !

As Is. Nimm es oder lass es. Girl Trouble sind seit ihrer Gründung im Jahr 1984 in ihrer Heimatstadt Tacoma, Washington, ihrem ganz eigenen Stil des Northwest-Garage-Rock treu geblieben. In diesen 42 Jahren, in denen sie dem Ruhm aus dem Weg gegangen sind, hat Girl Trouble in vielen erstklassigen Studios und für viele verschiedene Labels aufgenommen. In den letzten 15 Jahren hat die Band Dutzende neuer Tracks aufgenommen und dabei den Sound gefunden, den sie suchten: etwas Roheres und Echtes. Etwas Neues. Während sie das Experiment fortsetzten, beschloss die Band, alle ihre jüngsten Aufnahmen zu einem ,Rock-Tapestry" zusammenzufassen. Diese Sessions repräsentieren sowohl das ausgefeilte, überlagerte Girl Trouble im Studio als auch das spontane, schnörkellose Girl Trouble live im Raum - genau das, was sie schon immer auf einer Aufnahme festhalten wollten. Das Ergebnis ist das Beste aus diesen beiden GT-Stilen und allem, was dazwischen liegt. Aufgenommen in verschiedenen Klangumgebungen, wobei nur das Songwriting und die Darbietungen von Track zu Track gleich geblieben sind, ist Girl Trouble stolz darauf, endlich diese neue Sammlung von Rock-'n'-Roll-Songs ,As-Is" präsentieren zu können.

2026 Repress

WRWTFWW Records is extremely excited to announce the first ever vinyl release for Pizza Hotline’s brilliant 2022 full-length Level Select, originally only released on cassette and digital. The liquid drum & bass meets Y2K era video gaming aesthetics monster is now available in a limited edition transparent vinyl double LP with a glorious 45rpm cut, packaged in a heavyweight 350gsm sleeve.

Entirely written and composed by UK producer Pizza Hotline (apart from "GLACIER ZONE", a collaboration between Pizza Hotline and DJ Total 90), the stellar 8-song album was initially released as a limited cassette in January 2022 and quickly gained cult status - making a full-on vinyl release quite the necessity. It’s here now with the the previously unreleased track "POLYGON DREAMSCAPE" (which sounds as magical as its title) and 45rpm cut for louder, bigger, deeper bass rumbling.

Spellbinding, atmospheric, and beautifully melodic, Level Select is a large scope dreamy adventure of liquid DnB filled with ambient escapades, ethereal jungle, high vibe breaks, and a heavy loving dose of late 90s / early 2000s video game influences. Hypnotic late night hype and pensive chill moods mesh with ease in a cinematic soundscape that re-contextualizes and gives a new life to a beloved music genre - LTJ Bukem, Peshay, the Wipeout OST or Soichi Terada's Ape Escape come to mind, and sounds and soundtracks from the Sony Playstation, the Nintendo 64, and the Sega Saturn resonate from the speakers. It’s all fresh with a subtle nostalgia and so much heart. An instant classic.

Dutch DJ and digger Pete Blaker is ready to unleash his vision of editing and his
ability in song extension. Four cuts that every edit lovers can't miss!

EP2 Limited 2 x 12" Vinyl & Digital Release The second digital and vinyl EP from Brian Jackson and Masters At Work’s highly anticipated ‘Now More Than Ever’ project is a masterclass in soulful innovation, musical legacy, and collaborative excellence. Carefully curated and expertly packaged for true fans, this release brings together extended versions and rare cuts that were simply too expansive, deep, and powerful to fit on the forthcoming triple LP — but far too important not to be heard. The double pack also includes the title track off the forthcoming album ‘Now More Than Ever’, a brand-new, never-before-heard track birthed organically during the energy and creative momentum of the recording sessions. It stands as a testament to the spontaneous brilliance of Jackson, MAW and their collaborators, capturing a moment of pure musical inspiration. The EP features seven tracks, including reimagined and extended versions of classics such as Kenlou Cult Classic ‘Moonshine’, Jackson and Heron’s ‘Lady Day and John Coltrane’, and ‘Home Is Where the Hatred Is’, plus a deep focus on ‘Racetrack in France’ — first recorded by Brian Jackson and Gil Scott-Heron in 1977 for their landmark Bridges album. Highlights include: The MAW (Masters at Work) Live Mix of ‘Moonshine’, featuring former Midnight Band/Amnesia Express multi-instrumentalist Carl Cornwell on saxophone. A sprawling 12" version of ‘Home Is Where the Hatred Is’ — a jazz-fuelled dancefloor reinterpretation blending political fire with sonic elegance. The 12” version of ‘Lady Day and John Coltrane’, featuring Rahsaan Patterson’s soulful vocal performance set against a lush, cinematic arrangement. A masterful reworking of ‘Racetrack in France’ featuring legends Josh Milan, J. Ivy, and Moodymann, each bringing their distinct voice and flavour to this seminal piece. The instrumental version is also included in this 2 x 12” EP. Whether you're a long-time devotee of Brian Jackson and Gil Scott-Heron’s influential catalogue, a DJ or collector chasing rare wax, or a new listener drawn to future-leaning soul and jazz, Now More Than Ever ‘EP Two’ is an essential release — a bridge between the past, present, and the music still to come.

Denver Cuss presents her first 7" single release and her debut with UK independent label LRK Records.

'Crossed My Mind' backed with 'You Don't Get It' is out on streaming services on the 30 January, with the 7" out on the 27th February. It follows her 2024 album 'Leaving Me', which was described as "a nostalgic masterpiece" - Sommer Zeit magazine, earning a feature in Rolling Stone Germany, and a series digital singles, which have been played on the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on BB6 Music as well as Noble & Heath's Soho Radio show.

Denver is an Irish, London-based musician and producer, who makes classic R&B and Soul-influenced music, having graduated as the prize-winning jazz vocalist from the London College Of Music. She has since stepped into a world of live and session singing, alongside her solo project, delving deep into girl-group harmony, Northern Soul and classic Rhythm and Blues.

For this release, she captures the essence of '60s record-making, working with collaborator/producer PM Warson and engineer Ed Deegan at the all-analogue Gizzard Recording in East London. Backed by some of London's finest young musicians, she cut her vocal live, bypassing the trend for layered productions and imitation, in favour of a direct, live and soulful approach, direct to tape. The result is two of the most authentic '60s Pop/Soul sides you're likely to hear this year

Your favourite edits (probably) crew, Local Sugar Diggers, aka the trio of sonic sculptors that are Scruscru, Tony Lavrutz and Los Protos all come together here on a new 7" offshoot label from the Soul Service. The a-side cut 'Rave w Polsce' is a full-fat funker with deep cut grooves that roll on rubbery bass and soar with rasping wind leads. Plenty is going on wherever you listen and it all serves to get you moving. 'Otra Ritmo' is an immediate portal to a communal get down somewhere sun-baked and lush with green in South America. The horns, the freewheeling percussion and the loosely assembled rhythm are all irresistible invitations to cut loose.

To celebrate a decade and a half of excavating the hidden treasures of the Polish underground, The Very Polish Cut Outs presents a definitive anniversary compilation featuring 15, mostly unreleased, tracks from the years 2008-2025.
Since its inception, the label has been instrumental in bridging the gap between Poland's rich musical heritage and the modern dancefloor, and this release serves as a comprehensive time capsule of that journey. From early, legendary edits that defined the label to brand-new, forward-thinking productions, the collection showcases the evolution of a label that turned crate-digging into a national cultural phenomenon.
The compilation brings together a heavy-hitting roster of the label's most influential contributors, featuring essential tracks and rarities from artists such as Pejza?, Ptaki, Holiday 80, Skalpel, Etnobotanika and the label boss Zambon. The sonic palette is vast, moving seamlessly from sun-drenched Balearic and dusty disco-funk to the grittier realms of house and breakbeat. It is a celebration of the label's unique ability to transform forgotten melodies from the 70s and 80s into timeless club anthems, while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of contemporary Polish electronic music.
In keeping with the label's deep-rooted commitment to physical culture, this milestone release is a strictly limited, vinyl-only pressing. The amazing artwork is as always, the work of Bartosz Szymkiewicz.

Daybreakers keep it moving in 2026 with another essential drop from Chicago’s Vick Lavender. Following on from Vol. 1, Essential Traxx Vol. 2 digs even deeper into that soulful, live house sound that Vick’s been perfecting for decades on his label Sophisticado.

A musician, producer and DJ whose work bridges house, jazz and soul, Vick’s music has always carried that feeling — spiritual, rhythmic, and full of life. Part of Glenn Underground’s Strictly Jaz Unit back in the 90s, he helped carve out a sound that still resonates through clubs today. Sophisticado is his world now — real musicians, real instruments, and real emotion.

On the A side, Consequences featuring Spike Rebel rolls with organic percussion, warm keys and that signature Lavender groove — fluid, human, alive. Music built for the dance.

Flip it for Thanks I Get featuring Cei Bei — straight deep house from the source. Soulful vocals, deep chords, and that unmistakable Chicago energy that hits right where it should. Essential Traxx Vol. 2 continues the story. Real house music, deeper than deep.

Buy or cry.

To celebrate a decade and a half of excavating the hidden treasures of the Polish underground, The Very Polish Cut Outs presents a definitive anniversary compilation featuring 15, mostly unreleased, tracks from the years 2008-2025.
Since its inception, the label has been instrumental in bridging the gap between Poland's rich musical heritage and the modern dancefloor, and this release serves as a comprehensive time capsule of that journey. From early, legendary edits that defined the label to brand-new, forward-thinking productions, the collection showcases the evolution of a label that turned crate-digging into a national cultural phenomenon.
The compilation brings together a heavy-hitting roster of the label's most influential contributors, featuring essential tracks and rarities from artists such as Pejza?, Ptaki, Holiday 80, Skalpel, Etnobotanika and the label boss Zambon. The sonic palette is vast, moving seamlessly from sun-drenched Balearic and dusty disco-funk to the grittier realms of house and breakbeat. It is a celebration of the label's unique ability to transform forgotten melodies from the 70s and 80s into timeless club anthems, while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of contemporary Polish electronic music.
In keeping with the label's deep-rooted commitment to physical culture, this milestone release is a strictly limited, vinyl-only pressing. The amazing artwork is as always, the work of Bartosz Szymkiewicz.

Following her debut album, I’ll Look for You in Others (Past Inside the Present), earlier this year, Patricia Wolf joins Spain’s Balmat label with See-Through, her second album. See Through finds the Portland, Oregon musician and field recordist continuing to develop her signature style of ambient, balancing radiant soundscaping with a carefully expressive sensibility. But the new album is also marked by an important difference. Where I’ll Look for You in Others was largely written in response to the death of a loved one, See-Through represents a kind of rebirth.

“After a long period of grief, I had been hoping to find my way to a place of lightness, peace, playfulness, curiosity, and sensuality again,” Wolf says. “What I was surprised and pleased to find is that for the most part, I had.”

She wrote and recorded many of the album’s songs quickly, in preparation for an August 2021 broadcast on the online radio platform 9128 Live. Excited for the opportunity to play live after more than a year of the pandemic, Wolf decided to write all new material for the event, working with a lean setup of Octatrack, Roland Synth Plus 10, Make Noise 0-Coast, and Novation Summit. (In fact, Wolf was the first sound designer invited to create patches for the Summit.) She also picked up an acoustic guitar that her brother had loaned her. “I decided to take the surrealist approach of ‘pure psychic automatism’ to see what poured out of me,” she recalls. “Woodland Encounter,” “Under a Glass Bell,” “The Grotto,” “The Mechanical Age,” “The Flaneur,” and “Psychic Sweeping” are all products of those sessions; the through line holding them together is their exploratory spirit and clarity
of vision.

Other songs, like “A Conversation With My Innocence,” “Recalibration,” and “Psychic Sweeping,” wrestle with the traumas of the preceding year. Though they may linger on the heaviness of loss, Wolf says, “What I discovered is that a stronger archetype had grown inside me to steer my emotions and thoughts to a better place.” Likewise, “Wistfulness” and “Upward Swimming Fish”—her first experiments with VST synthesizers—balance the bittersweet embrace of melancholy with the freedom to choose happiness.

“Pacific Coast Highway,” the album’s lone song with drums, might at first seem like an outlier. But it also signals Wolf’s interest in finding a fusion between the introspection of ambient and the togetherness of beat-oriented music. “Experiencing loss and isolation is what drove me into gentler territories of sound,” she says, “but I want to start making more beat-oriented music. After an extended period of loss and isolation, I’m ready to experience more joyous and social things.”

Listeners with keen ears might recognize the album’s closing song, “Springtime in Croatia”: A different mix of the song originally appeared on the 2021 digital compilation secondnature & friends Vol. II, from the Seattle label secondnature. This marks its first appearance on vinyl, however, and its spiritual home is undoubtedly here, at the close of See-Through. As the bookending answer to the opening “Woodland Encounter”—another song in which field recordings play a crucial role—it closes the circle of an album that is itself keyed to the steadily turning cycles of life.

Dialling it back to the early ‘90s yet with a firm foot still in the future, MAXIMILIAN takes on two of tracks with analog sounds and for a double dose of echoed and extended in all the right spots - deliverance.

A record label focused on excavating the outer fringes of new House Music, EVIDEON Studio records have got their digging hats on to bring you exclusive heat and those rarer than rare that have been in your wants list.

2026 Repress

Mihai Popoviciu, one of the most esteemed names in the deep house and minimal scene, is set to unveil his anticipated new album, ‘Puzzle Box’, on Bondage Music. As one of the label’s core artists, Popoviciu returns for his second full-length album release on the imprint following his successful 2016 album, ‘Home’ - available on vinyl from 15th November 2024.

With a career spanning over a decade and with releases on numerous influential labels such as 8Bit to Berg Audio, Popoviciu has firmly established himself as a go-to within the minimal-leaning realms of house music. Known for intricate soundscapes and deep, hypnotic grooves, his work continues to captivate audiences globally. On ‘Puzzle Box’, he delves deeper into his signature stripped-back yet soulful aesthetic, offering a diverse collection of tracks that traverse through various sonic textures.

“With Puzzle Box, each track unlocks something deeper with every listen” - Mihai Popoviciu.

Consisting of thirteen tracks in total, ‘Puzzle Box’ showcases the Romanian’s sound to its fullest. On the vinyl edition, fans are treated to standout tracks like ‘Batiscaf’, ‘Storm Rider’, and ‘Far Gone’ — vinyl-only gems that capture Popoviciu’s talent for layering subtle, dubby tones with groovy rhythms. The opening track, ‘They All Say’, sets the mood with smooth, atmospheric beats with a skippy groove, followed by the dynamic “Video” and the driving, pulsating energy of “Frankfurt.”

Popoviciu’s skill in crafting versatile productions is showcased throughout the album, with each track offering something unique.
From the sleek, melodic strains of ‘Puzzle Box’ to the hypnotic, rolling basslines of ‘Kinetic’, this LP is a journey into his meticulously constructed sound. The digital version also features the bonus track ‘Body Count 2’, offering a final, rhythmic flourish to round off the release.
‘Puzzle Box’ further cements Mihai Popoviciu’s role as a mainstay on Bondage Music, a label which continues to champion forward-thinking, minimal-leaning house music. With this latest LP, Popoviciu once again proves why he remains a favourite, building on his storied career with another masterclass in refined, deep electronic music.

For over two decades, FLOX has been shaping a unique musical
identity - a vibrant blend of roots reggae, dub, electro, and
nu-soul. This French-British artist h a s become a cornerstone of
the alternative scene, known for his genre-bending productions
and powerful live performances. With seven studio albums and
countless shows a c r o s s Europe, FLOX h a s carved out a distinc-
tive path, merging analog warmth with digital precision.
crédits

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.

With Severance, IGLO returns to Figure with a focused yet exploratory EP that reflects his open-ended approach to contemporary techno. The release moves fluidly between restraint and expression, combining functional structures with subtle, unconventional elements that give the tracks a distinct sense of character. Rather than settling into a fixed formula, Severance highlights IGLO's curiosity and willingness to push his sound forward while remaining grounded in precision and control.

Connection opens the release with a restrained, heads-down groove. A firm low-end foundation and sparse percussion lock into a steady momentum, while understated melodic elements add depth without breaking the track's linear drive.
On Kauriraris, the energy tightens. Nervous synth motifs and crisp rhythmic details create a sense of urgency, pushing the track forward through constant micro-variation. It's a lean and effective tool built for sustained pressure.
Flipping the record, Blink Twice moves into darker, denser territory. Murky textures and a weighty groove unfold gradually, building tension through repetition and space. The track thrives on its slow burn, making it well-suited for late-night transitions.
Alive introduces a more open and flowing feel. Warmer tonal elements and a subtle swing soften the edges, while the groove remains firmly anchored and forward-moving.
Digital-only track Forlornly closes the EP with a spacious and introspective mood. Reduced rhythms and airy melodic layers create a calm, drifting atmosphere that rounds off the release with control and restraint.
With Severance, IGLO delivers a tightly structured EP that emphasizes clarity, tension and functionality - a confident addition to the Figure catalogue.

Gold Vinyl Represss

*A MODERN JAZZ REINTERPRETATION OF THE MUSIC FROM THE LEGEND OF ZELDA*

WRWTFWW Records is happy to announce the release of Casimir Liberski ReTRio's The Z Suites, a full-length jazz album reinterpreting the music from iconic Nintendo video game series The Legend of Zelda. The epic Z-Jazz journey is available in the following formats: limited edition 180g half speed mastered vinyl double LP housed in a heavyweight sleeve with obi, digipack CD with cavalier, and digital.

Casimir Liberski reimagines the golden era of video game soundtracks with jazz versions of Zelda favorites The Legend of Zelda (1986), A Link to the Past (1991), Link's Awakening (1993), and Oscarina of Time (1998) - plus a few Easter eggs! Dancing between nostalgia and avant-garde, the Brussels-born pianist and composer crafts a sonic world of pixelated folklore where melody and improvisation coexist in harmony.

Music critic Arthur Meurant perfectly explains:

For many video games are a journey of the mind. Since its inception - dating back to the early seventies - this avant-garde artistic medium has nourished the imaginations of a digital age. Casimir, like many others, has been fed a steady diet of pixels from an early age. From simple squares to cultural cornerstones they have become the trail on which playful travelers of the mind retrace the steppes of history. A shared universe, familiar yet endless, of pocket-sized mythology. Its name? Hyrule. Its goal? To amaze. In these few tracks - selected with care - the Casimir Liberski ReTRio invites you, finally, to visit a space which does not exist yet holds us all. A land where all feel welcome. Where all are happy. But also... to rediscover under another timbre the classical compositions of Master Composer K?ji Kond?. A man who, unbeknownst to him, composed our dreams as well as music. That single noble pursuit, where an artist gives soul without losing his own, is yet again a statement of humanity in its purest of forms: art as that which brings us together and makes us whole in a world eroded by modernity. Pick up your key. Gather your maps. Open the door. Adventure calls.

Long live Hyrule jazz!

Dream Select is the sequel to Pizza Hotline’s 2022 genre-defining album Level Select, continuing his signature blend of nostalgic, video game-inspired drum & bass with a melodic and uplifting edge.

The album continues the UK based producer's journey into the fusion of Y2K video game aesthetics with modern breakbeat music. As the name suggests, DREAM SELECT is a collection of dreamy, hypnotic, and emotionally-charged tracks — built to feel like they’re from a forgotten 2000s video game that never existed. It draws heavily on the sound and spirit of the PS1, PS2, Dreamcast, and N64 eras and games such as Wipeout and Ape Escape.

Pizza Hotline wrote and produced the album throughout 2024 in his North London studio, with just a computer and a few 90s outboard synths and samplers. The sound relies on obscure and dated 90s sample CDs, as well as hunting through ROMplers and digital synths of the era to find crystalline, artificial, and precise sounds that have come to define Pizza hotline's sound. The result is a focused, minimalistic, and deeply nostalgic record — one that balances texture, emotion, and groove in equal measure.

2026 Repress

Dasha Rush resurfaces on Sonic Groove, her fourth EP for the label and her hardest offer yet! The Russian born, Berlin based producer drops four fierce tracks decidedly for dancefloor use and abuse. Starting with some enticing meticulous and exciting EBM flavored hard beats “El Kinky” seems poised to be a summer Berlin classic, with Dasha’s haunting vox riding the groove. “Psycho Runner” simply said, is an olympic, punishing piece of acid TB303 techno that will be one of the darkest things recorded this year. Her B-sides take it a little deeper, with the hypnotic, industrial and marching in-your-face flavored sounds on “Gallic Message” and finally ‘Darkness Digital” which presents an , EBM- esque groove, with wild broken hard beats patterned underneath another ear- worm sequence. Another great release added to Dasha’s already prolific discography

Since 2020, 12 Inch Lovers have been releasing new samplers every year, eagerly anticipated by collectors. These samplers have now become a staple and are easily added to vinyl collections across Europe. They offer timeless classics and rare tracks that are often hard to find elsewhere.

With Samplers 11 & 12, they surprise again with a mix of modern classics and tracks that have never been released on vinyl or are difficult to find. By adding unique and exclusive tracks, the 12 Inch Lovers samplers remain innovative and high-quality. They are a must-have for DJs, collectors, and fans of contemporary classics!

SAMPLER 12

A1) Borai & Denham Audio - Make Me (original release 2023)

Released in 2023 on the British label Room Two Records (catalogue R212001) on twelve inch vinyl, Make Me combines breakbeat, house and speed garage with high energy, featuring clear use of Amen breaks, rumbling sub bass and sharp rave sounds. At the heart of the track lies an instantly recognisable vocal hook from the mid eighties, a sample taken from Donna Allen - Serious (1986). The result feels like a long forgotten rave anthem from the nineties wrapped in a modern sound.

The original twelve inch pressing quickly became a highly sought after collector's item and received a limited pink vinyl repress in 2025. This track, first issued only on orange vinyl in 2023, was officially re released once all samples were cleared. It has every ingredient of a future classic, a true underground anthem for fans of modern UK rave and jungle energy.

A2) Smoke City - Mr. Gorgeous (and Miss Curvaceous) (Mood II Swing Vocal Mix) (original release 1997)

Originally released in 1997 on the album Flying Away by Smoke City. The Mood II Swing Remix, produced by New York house duo John Ciafone and Lem Springsteen (also the producers behind Ultra Naté - Free), takes the song straight to the dance floor with a smooth groove, soulful vocals and a deep, hypnotic flow.

The iconic line "Cool and calm, Mr Gorgeous..." remains untouched, while the remix enriches the original Latin and trip hop influences of the band with that distinctive late nineties house atmosphere. The result is a timeless club favourite, almost nine minutes of pure vibe (the Mood II Swing Vocal Mix runs 9minutes and 20 seconds), adored by DJs who like to bring a touch of soul to their house sets.

Released on Jive Records, the track received great praise. Music Week highlighted its "tight ay ay ay hook" and noted that the Mood II Swing and Hyperspace mixes made it a real standout. The original version reached number one in Italy in 1997, and the Mood II Swing Remix has since gained cult status in the Belgian club scene and beyond as the perfect marriage between soul and dance floor energy.

B1) Chris Raven - I Know You Love Me Too (Bruce Norris Remix) (original release 1997)

Christian Raabe, better known as Chris Raven, is a German producer who made his name in the late nineties progressive trance scene.

The Bruce Norris Remix of I Know You Love Me Too (Additive Records, catalogue 12AD 027) first appeared in late 1997 and was officially released in early 1998. The remix builds an euphoric atmosphere witha beautiful melody, dreamy pads and powerful drums, all typical of the progressive trance sound of that period.

The track gained extra attention when it appeared on Northern Exposure 3: Expeditions by Sasha and John Digweed in 1999. Many fans first discovered it there (especially the Van Bellen Remix version), helping to cement the cult status of I Know You Love Me Too within the progressive and trance community.

B2) Grooveyard - Mary Go Wild (original release 1996)

One of the most recognisable and iconic club tracks in Belgian and Dutch underground house history is without a doubt Mary Go Wild, released in 1996 on EC Records. The track quickly became the defining anthem of the rave scene in the Low Countries.

With a raw groove around 133 BPM, pumping four to the floor drums and the hypnotic vocal sample "Mary... go wild!", the record set dance floors ablaze in the nineties. Producer Jeroen Verheij, also known as Secret Cinema (from the classic Timeless Attitude), perfectly captured the raw energy of the European house movement of that era.

To this day Mary Go Wild stands as a symbol of pure rave power, a timeless anthem that, as one Discogs collector put it, "still works on any dance floor." Original twelve inch pressings on EC Records and later issues on Blanco Y Negro are highly sought after, and the track remains a staple in retro house and classic DJ sets.

C1) Dave Swayze - Last Flight To Paris (original release 2000)

Dave Swayze, best known for his classic Goldwave, has several hidden gems to his name, and Last Flight To Paris is certainly one of them. Released in November 2000 on the Belgian label Yeti Records, the track is a subtle blend of trance and progressive house. It is known for its emotional melody, dreamy build up and strong percussion, built on the foundation of progressive trance but with thewarmth and groove of house.

At the time, Last Flight To Paris was frequently played by progressive trance DJs and soon became a cult favourite among vinyl collectors within the genre. Original pressings on Yeti Records are now extremely rare and much sought after. The mix of emotion, euphoria and timeless club energy makes Last Flight To Paris a hidden treasure from the late trance era of 1999 and 2000.

C2) Joe Goddard - Music Is The Answer (Hot Since 82 Remix) (original release 2017)

This remix by Hot Since 82 (Daley Padley, from Barnsley in the north of England) for Music Is The Answer by Joe Goddard is partly based on the original classic Celeda - Music Is The Answer (in the Danny Tenaglia Remix). It was released in February 2017 as a digital exclusive through Domino Records.

Hot Since 82 reworked the original, a vocal house track by Hot Chip member Joe Goddard, into a deep, grooving house track with a warm rolling bass line. The soulful vocals of Joe Goddard (featuring SLO) take on a subtle melancholic tone in his remix, creating a modern house classic filled with emotion and drive.

The remix became a major club favourite in 2017 and 2018, supported by leading names in the tech house scene and heard at festivals around the world. Interestingly, this popular version had never been released on vinyl, which only increased its cult status among collectors. Music Is The Answer (Hot Since 82 Remix) remained a digital classic for years, until now, finally available in this long awaited vinyl edition.

D1) Just A Man - I'm Sorry (Original Club Mix) (original release early 2000s)

The French project Just A Man consists of brothers Hervé and Nicolas Subrechicot. Their track I'm Sorry is an emotionally charged house record that perfectly captures the early 2000s club atmosphere.

Released in 2003, the song combines soulful male vocals with a warm, rhythmic production that blends UK garage and classic club house influences. The Original Club Mix (6 minutes and 14 seconds) builds gradually towards a powerful, uplifting climax, carried by rich chords and an irresistible groove.

Although I'm Sorry stayed somewhat under the radar at the time, it is regarded by connoisseurs as a hidden gem, a perfect balance of melody and groove. The twelve inch vinyl release (on RKG / Motor Music, 2003) is now hard to find and highly prized among vinyl and house collectors, which only adds to its appeal.

I'm Sorry embodies the pure sound of early 2000s vocal house: sincere, funky and danceable, with that unmistakable UK garage touch, even more evident in the G Box Garage Club Remix on the same EP. An unfairly overlooked track that has always remained a true timeless classic since the very beginning of 12 Inch Lovers.

D2) Teddy Pendergrass -Life Is A Song Worth Singing (Jamie Jones Remix) (original release 2019)

In 2019 Jamie Jones breathed new life into the classic soul song by Teddy Pendergrass with a contemporary house rework. The remix was released in March 2019 as part of the digital EP Mixmag Presents: Teddy Pendergrass - The Remixes, issued in honour of the documentary If You Don't Know Me, a film about the rise of Teddy Pendergrass, the first African American male artist to achieve five consecutive platinum albums in the United States during the seventies.

Jamie Jones stayed true to the feel good essence of the 1978 original but wrapped it in a modern club sound, with pulsing synths, a warm rolling groove and a tight four to the floor beat providing the perfect base for Teddy's powerful and instantly recognisable voice.

The result is a captivating, soulful house track that effortlessly bridges past and present without losing the emotional power of Pendergrass's vocal delivery.

Despite its widespread popularity in the international club scene, where it became a favourite among DJs who love to blend soul with house, this remix never had a physical vinyl release. Until now, with its long awaited appearance on 12 Inch Lovers Sampler 12.

There are records that do not so much belong to an era as they pass through it, leaving traces rather than statements, circulating in the margins where function outweighs discourse. World Cup, written at the end of the 1990s by Kiko, emerged in precisely that way — as a techno track whose presence was felt less through promotion than through repetition, carried from booth to booth, absorbed into the working vocabulary of DJs who recognized in it something immediate and self-evident. Its architecture is minimal yet insistent, driven by tension and release, a form of clarity that resists ornament and instead privileges duration, pressure, and movement.

When it resurfaced in 2006, it did not return as a revision but as a continuation, reaffirming its role within the ecology of the dancefloor. The same internal logic remained intact, allowing it to re-enter circulation without friction, as though it had simply been waiting to be picked up again. In both instances, the track operates less as a fixed object than as a tool — something to be used, extended, and recontextualized in real time.

Bringing together these two versions alongside Tainted Life, the release traces a subtle but telling trajectory. If World Cupdefines a certain techno functionalism, Tainted Life reveals another dimension: a proto-Italo sensibility that gestures toward what would later coalesce as electroclash, not through stylistic declaration but through texture, tone, and attitude. Long absent from digital circulation and largely confined to obscurity, it appears here not as a rediscovery, but as a piece whose relevance has simply remained latent.

Nothing has been added, nothing has been altered beyond what was necessary to restore presence. The recordings are allowed to exist in their own continuity, detached from the temporal markers that might otherwise confine them.

The artwork, conceived by H5, extends this approach into the visual field. Its restraint is not aesthetic minimalism for its own sake, but a form of structural clarity, where composition and absence articulate a space in which the record can be encountered without interference, as if resurfacing from a parallel timeline that never fully closed.