Buscar:go dark

For fiends of: Cursed, HIs Hero is Gone, Tragedy.

Formed in 2008 in South Florida, Centuries current lineup now includes members based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Nashville, Tennessee, and in the UK from Manchester.

Since their 2013 debut Taedium Vitae (Southern Lord), the group have refined their sound into something more focused, and intense, and The Lights Of This Earth Are Blinding surges with ten new tracks of the band's harrowing, metallic, punk/crust-influenced hardcore, delivered with a calculated, very deliberate approach.
 
The album was recorded in February 2017 by Kris Hilbert at Legitimate Business (Catharsis, Torch Runner, The Body), mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Integrity, Black Breath, Halshug), and completed with artwork by Phil Trona.  
 
About the new album the band remark..."The Lights Of This Earth Are Blinding is a dark album that carries a theme of constant self-doubt.  It follows how we choose to accept our loses and the reaction to life, as well as the journey we take to make peace with the demons we've made.' The new track 'Bygones' is streaming below.

IMA (Intense Molecular Activity) is the duo of Don Hunerberg (synthesizers) and Andy Blinx (drums and percussion). Based in New York City and active between 1979 and 1982. Don, a studio Sound / music engineer and musician, Andy an electronic clothing designer, drummer and sound reinforcement engineer at downtown clubs like Max's Kansas City, Mudd Club and CBGB. In between doing sessions at Radio City Music Hall Studios for groups such as Ramones, Richard Hell, Sonic Youth, Liquid Liquid, John Zorn, Glenn Branca and many others, IMA took advantage of off hours to create their own music. As far as influences go, Don's background was in electronic music and Andy's in prog rock. To produce the songs, Don used his own method of creating patterns from 2-track tape loops and then edited them together on to a 24-track recorder adding more tracks of overdubs, In a very similar way that sequencers are used today. By 1980 the duo honed their own unique sound and version of Post Punk and No-Wave with the tools of the trade of the early 80s. Situated above the proscenium of the Radio City Music Hall stage, the studio was outfitted with a variety of orchestral instruments (timpani, bells, xylophone, etc). They self-released a 4-song EP titled 'IMA' on an 8' flexi-disc which was distributed by Ed Bahlman of 99 Records. The music bridges the wild psychedelic-rock of the 60s, the synth-punk of the late-70s and the elaborate constructions of progressive-rock. There are nods to the freak-outs of Chrome and the super neurosis of Suicide, but IMA takes a more clinical approach which also takes notice of Hawkwind and Pink Floyd's interstellar overdrive. We've added 4 bonus tracks recorded during the same studio sessions and included them here for the first time on vinyl. DJ Hell lifted elements of IMA's song "Blurb" virtually intact and uncredited for his electroclash club hit "Keep On Waiting" 20 years later. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record is housed in an exact replica of the original jacket featuring a spray painted IMA tag a top a red dashed 'Do Not Enter' sign. Each copy includes a double-sided postcard with notes. This Album Is dedicated to the memory of Andy (Blinx) George.

Tachyon Audio is a new vinyl label that's focused on forward-thinking sounds in the techno realm targeting sweaty, dark places, with large, high-quality sound systems.


Inhabitants make a strong offering with their first EP as a duo, IGC. These two primates are often found inhabiting dark spaces, forging ahead on complex math equations. Their distinct, driving, mathematical, and drumming techno is a result. Expect more solid work from these two mysterious beings on Tachyon Audio as the label continues its progression.


Tachyon Audio is coming out of the gates strong with a diverse EP that touches on three techno sounds that are helping to lead the march forward into the future of sound production. The first Tachyon release comes from the mysterious dark studio of Inhabitants, who's inaugural release as a collaboration is sure to move feet on a diversity of dance floors. The A-side track, Mut14 (sc8.18 Mix) (A1) is a futuristic pounder that weaves its way into a frenzy with subtle yet penetrating synths that sweep through the soundscape. The simple and sound drumline will keep even the pickiest selectors satisfied. Side A ends with two separate open-source NASA space samples. The first, Iota_20_0.998_h (A2), is the repeating sound of two orbiting neutron stars. The second sample (A3) is two 50 solar mass black holes spiraling into an inevitable collapse, eventually becoming one. These samples are poised for reuse in production and make for good intro and looping material for performances.


The second side of the EP starts with the dark broken beat track, Mut7 (B1), that starts with a solid groove and works its way into a breakdown that captures the mind with a chopped and effected late 1990's Frankie Bones vocal. By the end of the track you'll be left wanting it to forge on, as it can flow well with a wide range of techno sub-genres, especially the dark, more broken beat tip. Inhabitants then continue to make their impression with Mut10 (B2), a track molded around an originally crafted 303 line that morphs and builds throughout and creates an atmosphere that separates itself from the remainder of the EP with a lighter, yet heady feel.


M=100 (2 - 50 Solar Mass Black Holes)

* Making his debut on Subaltern with SUBALT014 is Estonian producer Bisweed, famous for his trippy and intricate sound design and original take on bass music. A psychotropic journey into the weald, this is a typically dark and surreal release from the well-established Subaltern imprint.

* Shelter
Sinister sounds welcome the listener to the journey as we enter the weald. Dark synths lead into weighty bass-lines, embedded in driving percussive elements and a spine-chilling atmosphere. Tasteful orchestral elements accompany before reaching a climax of tribal percussion and pure bass. Bisweed's musical sensibility and dance-floor know-how blend symbiotically to create this heavy yet soulful bass music masterpiece.

* Swamp
Going deeper, haunting textures guide the listener into a pulsating implosion of low frequencies, which is bound to shake up the dance as well as your expectations of a quiet night in. Rumbling and chopping wobbles complete a captivating piece of sound system music. Tread lightly so you don't sink in too deep - the swamp might just consume you.

* Dolmen feat. Mentha
Like stepping into a clearing, Dolmen lightens the mood - but only ever so slightly. Chanting voices hail the listener, as wide planes of sound unfold into a bass-heavy yet deep stepper. Subtly and slowly, Bisweed is masterfully transitioning into a soothing and melodic vibe, featuring label head honcho Mentha on Guitar.

"I'm going to try not to gush too much about the fact that 'Me Me Me' has Raj Pannu's first ever record, but you have to understand that he's DJ royalty to someone from where I come from.
From his residencies in Newcastle in the Early 90s, touring all over Europe, playing with the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jazzanova and James Lavelle to his move into turntablism in the late 90s playing one on one with DJ Craze, A-Trak and Q-Bert.
All the way up to the last decade and his time spent touring the world for 5 years as part of Coldcut, working with institutions like the BBC and Ninja Tune, and just generally being an absolutely mind bending DJ playing with people from all over the spectrum, such as Richie Hawtin, DJ Kentaro, Jamie Lidell, Kode9 and more....
and now he's decided to release his first record... With Us!
As you can imagine for someone with such a varied musical background, FSOP is hard to pin down. I played it to a friend and they said it sounded like Photek covering Pink Floyd, which is the closest approximation I've heard of it, I guess.
It's techno, but steppy, and super musical, and dark, but uplifting. Above all, it's just really special.I couldn't not give the record a full side to itself, and for the remix we've found the perfect pairing with an interpretation from Cosmin TRG (who I met at a festival, and who I instantly hit it off with after finding our shared love of Guiness and Sarcasm).
Cosmin chokes out all of the light with a cut of raw, skittering Paranoid Techno. Providing the ideal balance for both sides of the record.
Raj has also provided us with a Dub Mix which we're releasing as a digital exclusive.
The dub narrows the dancefloor focus, without losing the drama of the OG.
Reading this, you can probably tell how excited I am about this record."

The chorus: that moment where everyone connects and participates in unity. A moment anyone who's shared a dancefloor can recognise whether it's a festival arena, subterranean dark room or an illegal rave in a field, warehouse or any abandoned canvas between... Like the ones Cologne's Julian Stetter has come from. Inspired by subversive communities, all pulling together for a greater cause, his background in underground parties can be felt in everything he's done so far: his work with the Ancient Future Now label, his vast imaginative techno constructions and now his work with Jennifer Cardini's long-standing community Correspondant with the widescreen odyssey that is 'Chorus' Six slices of evocative narrative-rich electronic soul inspired by his on-going international experiences on the road; loaded with poignant introspection, thunderous rumbles and playful theatrics, the EP is bookended by two versions of 'Chorus', a vision of scorching hope and lift that can seize a full floor's attention in seconds and full live up to the track's title, message and meaning. By far Julian's most significant solo EP to date, this is a moment for us all to connect and participate. Join in if you know the chorus...

Solitary moods...

LCN was present on the 'Noblesse Oblige' compilation (Gooiland 23) with a sweaty EBM influenced track... on this 4 track EP you can expect dark and cold elektro sounds... it is reminiscent of Invasion Planete and Kommando 6 output but with a cleaner and more modern sound... still if you like(d) these early 2000's elektro sounds you will love this too... this EP follows up on the steady stream of releases LCN has been putting out lately... among them on labels as Frigio Records and Return To Disorder... but this is probably his most dark and freaked out release up till now...

Muscle and Mind is the return of Oscar Mulero to long plays, after Grey fades to Green and Black Propaganda. 'Muscle' and 'mind' may seem antagonistic terms in real life, but in terms of music they make sense together, especially when talking about techno.

The coalition of introspection and abstraction is not incompatible with the rough and the percussive, and this
album is a good example of this. The underlying message behind the title refers to the reflection of mental states in the body, the genesis of emotions where body and mind are managed by the sense of hearing.

Throughout these twelve tracks, one can dive into the musical world of this producer whose discourse mutates in every album, always intricate, always meticulous. Darkness acts as a thread and repetition as hypnotic therapy. But now, he sets his usual hard sound aside and looks for a much more cared for and precise sound , where there is room even for a harmony and musicality that go hand in hand with danceability.

The combination of atmospheres and rhythms is constant throughout the album. Each of the cuts has been prepared with few sonic elements. He takes elements away one by one, and keeps exclusively the necessary.

A record that has been developed during endless hours in airports and travelling, absorbing influences from all over the planet. Made in solitude but surrounded by people who don't know what you are really doing on that computer. To close the circle, the album was mixed in professional studio using solid state technology, which gives this work a unique warmth that cannot be achieved in a domestic environment.

Muscle and Mind will be released on vinyl and CD. The digital version will include extra tracks which will also be published in an EP. This will precede the album with edited tracks from the album and remixes by Stanislav Tolkachev and SHXCXCHCXSH.

Muscle and Mind is the return of Oscar Mulero to long plays, after Grey fades to Green and Black Propaganda. 'Muscle' and 'mind' may seem antagonistic terms in real life, but in terms of music they make sense together, especially when talking about techno.

The coalition of introspection and abstraction is not incompatible with the rough and the percussive, and this
album is a good example of this. The underlying message behind the title refers to the reflection of mental states in the body, the genesis of emotions where body and mind are managed by the sense of hearing.

Throughout these twelve tracks, one can dive into the musical world of this producer whose discourse mutates in every album, always intricate, always meticulous. Darkness acts as a thread and repetition as hypnotic therapy. But now, he sets his usual hard sound aside and looks for a much more cared for and precise sound , where there is room even for a harmony and musicality that go hand in hand with danceability.

The combination of atmospheres and rhythms is constant throughout the album. Each of the cuts has been prepared with few sonic elements. He takes elements away one by one, and keeps exclusively the necessary.

A record that has been developed during endless hours in airports and travelling, absorbing influences from all over the planet. Made in solitude but surrounded by people who don't know what you are really doing on that computer. To close the circle, the album was mixed in professional studio using solid state technology, which gives this work a unique warmth that cannot be achieved in a domestic environment.

Muscle and Mind will be released on vinyl and CD. The digital version will include extra tracks which will also be published in an EP. This will precede the album with edited tracks from the album and remixes by Stanislav Tolkachev and SHXCXCHCXSH.

The album is the fourth LP from FM Belfast. Broadcasting from their home on a remote island you can sense that the tracks are personal. The album has 11 tracks, 11 intimate stories to dance to. It's like you've been invited to a Cabin Fever Dance Party in their living room. The lyrics are about bliss, euphoria, trying to be a human in this strange world, friendship, of loss and growing up.
ALL MY POWER The first song of the album deals with guilt. When you're surrounded with people who wake up early and do everything they are supposed to do but you can't get out of your own bed. This will make you feel guilty. The others don't need to rub it in since you already have bad feelings about yourself. There are two characters in the song. One is a blamer while the other one is being blamed. FOLLOW ME I'm not longer blind, you can follow me". The song is about a person who is no longer blind to the world around her. It's about taking responsibility for your choices. We are not just a group of individuals, we are citizens of this planet and we can't stand idly by when powerful people are destroying it in front of our own eyes. We have ways to connect and we can band together against the hatred and violence. The rich and the greedy are taking everything and ruining it for the rest of us. Being kind is not the same as being naive, it's a choice everyone can make.

ENJOY
Enjoy life while it last. Don't watch the world go by without having a good time. "Here's to feeling alive, everywhere, all of the time".

UP ALL NIGHT
Sometimes you just postpone everything you're supposed to be doing and run away from your problems. The night is the best time for procrastination, you can hide in the dark and nobody can see you waste your life.

AGENT
Like many songs on the album, this one is about holding your head above water in this strange world we live in. It's easy to get blindsided and lost but who's going to speak up for the weak if you don't do it.

YOU'RE SO PRETTY
The lyrics for You're so Pretty originally come from a short story written by Lóa. They are about getting old without maturing. The song is about being restless and broke. Sometimes you feel like there is nothing left to do but shout.

STREAMERS
Streamers is a quiet love-story about having found the person you want to sit next to for the rest of your life and watch crappy TV together. Lyrics are by Árni and Lóa.

LEAVE A MARK
Even if things are not great today, there is always tomorrow. Leave a Mark is a personal reminder to do something about the life you are given and not waste time. It doesn't have to be important, it could just be writing your name on a wall. I little bit of "I was here" for the people who come after you.

FEARLESS YOUTH
It's a nostalgic song about being a fearless adolescent and the friends you used to have. The lyrics are written by Örvar who's also a founding member of MúM.

STROBE
The Strobe is an atmospheric track. It's made for people who want to dance in a euphoric bliss. The lyrics are like a mantra: It's getting dark so turn on the strobe. Don't think, just get lost in the dance.

THE GAME
The Game tells you to resist the power of bad people and bad governments. There's a big game being played and you don't need to participate, you can resist. The power hungry people of this world will never be satisfied but you don't have to support them.

The long established and critically acclaimed DJ-Kicks series kicks off 2017 with suitably accomplished DJ, producer, vocalist and instrumentalist Matthew Dear at the helm.A man of many musical hats, Texas born, Detroit raised Dear has a wide reaching discography that takes in face melting techno as Jabberjaw, dark avant-pop under his own name and intricate minimal as Audion.Often with a gothic slant and full of curiousness, his pensive but playful music is an intoxicating distillation of many different influences, often withhis own stylised vocals at the centre.

Blumoog music is proud to present its new release of 4 tracks of great musical thickness. This time, Blumoog music has selected quality and passion. We introduce a character like Aubrey Metroplex, Ferox, Outsgun and more...) with a classical song of his repertoire : low crushing bag and psychadelic; you will go to cosmic dimension. It's Gotshell time, colombian artist, who is pointing to into historical labels like Blueprint, Missile. His song is terrifying and powerful, not for the weak of heart. It's time for Frankie Serious(Blumoog music,Switch Off rec.,The Zone rec.), artist from Rome. With his very high production quality, he proposes with a powerful killer song; excellent for dancefloors but at the same time wonderful for a mental journey. Unchained Souls goes to end this ep of a large thickness; a mysterious duo whom we'll sure speak about. They propose a dark psychadelic selection which will take you inside the deep abyss of your mind... Blumoog music is always near you with soul and passion for the electronics music.....good listening

NickBee, or Nikolai Bogomolov to his friends, has been the staple diet of discerning drum & bass fans the world over for some time now. Having already released a steady stream of deep, dark and disturbingly good tracks, this Ukrainian producer is ready to show just why the likes of Ed Rush & Optical, The Upbeats and Invisible label owners Noisia have been jumping on his sound.

Scuba drops another four cuts as SCB on Hotflush Recordings this December.
Paul Rose first launched his SCB moniker in 2010, going on to appear on labels like Ostgut Ton, Aus Music and Nonplus until 2014. This year saw the pioneering British producer revisit his darker alias with a dystopian themed release on Hotflush - he now returns with four more twisted and ominous productions.

Betonkust immediately blended in with the 9300 family and it felt like we've been knowing each other for years and years. After his characteristic remix on Innershades' latest EP (AAL006), it was only a matter of time before he would deliver his own release on our label. With varied percussions, hard kicks and dark synths, the 0% swing EP brings you back to a time when Belgian highways were still lavisly flanked by discotheques and afterhours clubs. An era that counts as one of the most beatiful pages in Belgian dance history and of which Betonkust probably has more knowledge than most of our fellow-countrymen. All four tracks on this proper release produce a thrilling energy that will bring those sleepy ravers, from the 90's, back to life.

Drumcode returns with its 6th installment of the internationally celebrated A-Sides series. Renowned for fostering a shared space between industry tastemakers and rising talent alike, the careful curation that goes into each volume is a fine example of why Beyer's brand continues to go from strength to strength.

Techno titan Adam Beyer has grown Drumcode into a force to be reckoned with; the label has become synonymous with forward-thinking, functional techno and even after 20 years, Drumcode continues to find new boundaries to push, and ways to solidify its legacy as the world's number one techno label.

2017 is no exception, with Beyer's imprint hosting it's first stage at Tomorrowland, not to mention the expansion of the critically acclaimed Junction 2 where the Drumcode stage is the centrepiece and Adam plays the key role of festival director. The Drumcode phenomenon continues to grow each week, chiefly fuelled by Drumcode Radio, Adam's radio show that's broadcast in 57 countries via 86 stations and to a global audience of 16 million techno fans per week.

The A-Sides series acts as a perfect vignette of Drumcode's cutting-edge sound; functional yet inspired techno, all tracks tried and tested by Beyer himself. Vol. 6 continues this tradition with a collection of 16 multi-faceted cuts from a mixture of both emerging artists and experienced label friends.

The heart-throbbing bass in Amelie Lens' electrifying piece 'In Silence' sets the tone for the dark and dance-floor-ready energy that Vol.6 carries the whole way through. Other standouts include Mars Bill's rough'n'ready 'Mohave'. Pulsating and precise, 'Mohave' has highlighted many of Beyer's sets recently as has Wehbba's monster track 'Fake', which fans have been anticipating the release of all year.

Label-favourites Dense & Pika also feature on 'A-Sides' Vol. 6 with their hard-hitting 'Just a Beat' and a huge track from Beyer himself who has joined forces with Enrico Sangiuliano to bring us their undeniably infectious 'Preset Heaven'.

With many more notable selections from the likes of Julian Jewell, Timmo, Tiger Stripes and Pig&Dan, A-Sides Vol. 6 is another impressive addition to the label's prolific release roster and a testament to why Drumcode remains at the forefront of the electronic world.

The third instalment of the Bodybuilder Quartet has arrived, and once again label boss Nachtbraker adds an exciting name to the Quartet Series manifesto. Moscow native Kuzma Palkin previously released a double 10' and a double 12' on quality Russian imprint Gost Zvuk, but is also known for his productions under his Audiocad (Between Us) and Kausto (Shanti Records) noms de guerre. Make sure to check those out if you haven't already. Here, Kuzma serves up an EP as deep as they come, with greasy, industrial and glitchy sounds floating on steady beats. Title tune 'Macho Culture' is a peaktime roller for darker club spaces with its deep melodic stabs, slapping snares and a haunting synth. Also on the A is 'Muscle Mass Increase', which is cut from the same haunting cloth but comes with an edgy saw synth that will have the punters reach for the lazers. Flip over for 'Proper Sauna Chill', which comes with a thumping kick, beautifully crafted sound design details and an undeniable groove. Closing Kuzma's Quartet Series debut EP is 'Krepkiye Bitsepsky', another showcase of amazing sound design and warped stabs floating over a steady break beat and groovy bass line to round things off nicely.

Purveyors of enigmatic dreamscapes and organic, danceable electronica, Leeds-based, electronic-soul quartet Noya Rao are set to release their debut album, Icaros, this November. Founded by producer Tom Henry (Cosima, Yellow Days) Noya Rao was originally conceived as a solo production project with a separate live band representation. Alongside bassist Jim Wiltshire and drummer Matt Davies, whom Tom had met playing in other bands within the Leeds music scene, the project grew to become a collaborative effort mixing Tom's production ideas with the attributes of Jim's unique bass synth lines and Matt's polyrhythmic beats. Their compositions drew on the influences of jazz, hip-hop and electronic music whilst incorporating the sounds of the bass-heavy-dub music synonymous with the Leeds music scene. Their sound really came into focus when they met vocalist Olivia Bhattacharjee who brought her gospel style and complex choral harmony to the band. Developing from raw, psychedelic improvisations, their sound became more defined and minimal, underpinned by live instrumentation and more structured song writing. This co-existing electronic and organic thread gives the band a strong identity and their powerful live show sets them apart from other producer-led bands. Matthew Halsall from Gondwana Records saw the band perform at an intimate show in Manchester in 2016 and blown away, signed the band on the spot.

Icaros takes the listener on a journey through the band's unique sound-world amplified by Tom Henry's bold and inventive production techniques. Sometimes fragile, sometimes raw and visceral the album opens with the ethereal Azimuth. It's contrasting sections and mysterious chords offer echoes of the band's instrumental beginnings whilst the repeated vocal harmony layers at the end demonstrate a signature feature of the new Noya Rao sound. Moments is the first tune they wrote together and reflects upon taking joy in the everyday: the opening womb-like chords are another distinct sound of the band. The gritty Golden Claw describes the effects of a manipulative heartbreaker, it's darker, more driving and has a ruder '80s flavour. Midas demonstrates the band's use of linear structural forms and complex rhythms influenced from around the globe. It tells the story of someone who, led by greed, made some regrettable decisions. The atmospheric Dreaming Part 1 and Part 2 are sumptuous dreamy soundscapes. They were born from the same epic improv-based writing sessions as Fly, which has a trippy disco vibe, offset with wonky chords and crunching vocal harmony. The hook-led I Feel points to future ventures for the band: mixing their electronic textures with a more formal song-writing approach. A sublime slice of dreamy space-jazz, Same Sun Will Rise, finds Olivia contemplating mankind's utter selfishness and a desire for change, "Over borders we've assigned, same sun will rise'. Minimal and spacious, This Time demonstrates the merging of ethereal edginess and delicate songwriting. It is this combined with their electronic and live approach and more than a hint of Leeds attitude that gives Noya Rao their unique sound.

"Those who physically suffer from dopamine depletion seek ways to experience maximized pleasure." Hong Kong's hyper-everything enfant terrible, S.Y. delivers a much darker complex Ep than his two previous offerings under a new alias, a creative therapy of sorts apparently dealing with substance abuse and unstable mental conditions which luckily for everyone translates into more leftfield dancefloor gold with the brilliantly nondescript '$ LFO' and weirdo power drive of the title track on A side, followed on the flip by a surprisingly beautiful ode to concrete music, and a deeply haunting field recording piece that closes a perfectly round EP... or does it;) Sleeve artwork by Matt Damhave

Having been endorsed by Andrew Weatherall on his June 2017 NTS radio show, the band were inspired to release this four-track vinyl EP on their own label Big Shanty Records.

A heady mix of influences colour The Spellbinder Project sound, with elements of jazz, post punk, psych and funk in the blend. These tracks were produced by Malcom Catto, head instigator of the Heliocentrics and collaborator with DJ Shadow, together with Mike Burnham, who has worked extensively with Little Barrie.

The core band of Sean Pereira Summers (guitar), Michael Levison (bass) and Michael Rathbone (drums) are joined live by Lascelle Gordon from Vibration Black Finger on percussion and Chris Williams from Led Bib on saxophone.

Experimental Dancefloor music, unformated and still ... exploring sweet and sour... First tune, called Oppression is a Revered techno kick Doom tune. Secodn track is a sweet shy volumed kick at 220 BPM still...And third A side track, Lobotomie Croissante is an obsessional Industrial broke npsychedelic track, a bit in the Olschool little 7'' witch i cant remember the name of^^ B side opens on Mutation, a 170 BPM speed techno/trie dark tune very new wavy ambiance... Special and precise ! Then comes an ambient dark indus tune called Ondes Robotiques. Terminal is a break electronica hard tune, in a AFX Ant-zenized style. Terminal is the name... good anme to close this EP. A record in a rare style nawadays , offering a real variety of unformated sounds, not so hard but still hard enough to be dancefloor ! MASTERPIECE !!

"For WS021 we head to Italy where we find a duo by the name of Concret aka Italo-Mexican musician Diego Angelico Escobar and producer Q-pha. Together, they submit a couple of ethereal, stripped-back and driving techno tracks that compliment each other so well they appear to be brother and sister from the same session. On remix duty we've got another Italian, Rodion, who ads his signature sound to Ritorno and flips it into a laid-back dark groover. Last but not least is UK's Heretic, aka Timothy Clerkin, who remixes Andata into a classy acid burner fit for a massive warehouse party or dark, sweaty basement. "

fter the world applauded sascha funke for his latest album 'lotos land', he gave away some tunes to friends for remix duties.
düsseldorf based tolouse low trax formed 'twirl' into a foggy dark mpc-seducer for romantic nighthawks that love dancing.
also australian boy dreems prepared a remix that grooves odd and uncommon. his percussive version of 'im feiern und feuer' is a slow whirlwind, perfect to start and end a great dj night.
with tuff city kids a duo formed a remix that is good for big room love affairs. their version of 'purple hill' is a heartfelt melange between trance and house deepness that works on any dance floor.
the final edit comes from glasgow's junto club, who transformed 'comola', a tune that they already produced originally with sascha funke, into a longing dark melodic synth stepper.
four versions, four hits, four atmospheric dimensions beyond words. tune it loud!

Dungeon Acid, bred in Gothenburg's (Sweden) obscure music scene during the eighties and nineties, releases his second 7inch on Hoga Nord Rekords. Dog Acid and Sex Beat focuses on those remote corners where Jean-Louis Huhta have rooted his musicality. With legendary bands like Cortex, Anti Cimex and The Skull Defekts on his resume, Huhta is most definitely one of the most interesting artists in Sweden!
The music on this 7inch breathes sex, concrete and dark seas. The tracks differ in instrumentation but they expresses the same feeling: uncomplicated and straightforward components, perfectly balanced In relation to each other, shutting down unnecessary body function, aiming for your lower back. Spastic curling synthesisers rests upon soundwaves heavier than the swell against the Norwegian North Atlantic coast.
Dungeon Acid is the miner of your record crate - hard at work finding the nuggets in punk, rock and electro to develop the strict techno.

Sumerian Fleet is a trio formed by Dutch producers Alden Tyrell and Mr Pauli, joined by Zarkoff after their 2010 debut EP. Their second EP came out in 2012 followed by their debut album 'Just Pressure' on Dark Entries in 2014. Sumerian Fleet have returned to release their sophomore LP 'Pendulum' of all new material as well as a remixed version of 'This Game Has No Name' from Zarkoff's other band, FFFC.

'Pendulum' contains 80's Dark Wave/EBM inspired tracks with an industrial tinge. The band cites inspiration from musical acts Fad Gadget, Front 242, Bauhaus and Sisters of Mercy. Literary references come from Poe's 'The Pit and the Pendulum', Pelevin's 'Generation P' and 'Life of Bugs', as well as classic Cyberpunk like Gibson's 'Sprawl' trilogy. Sumerian Fleet deliver 8 songs of vintage dark electro with a Gothic tinge and a touch of bass guitar. The album's been put together in a way that the listener can connect the dots, create a narrative, and become immersed in this attitude that the band's trying to convey, such as Vigny's idea of accepting despair: "A calm despair, without angry convulsions or reproaches directed at heaven, is the essence of wisdom."

All songs were initially recorded at Mr Pauli's studio in Den Haag, with overdubs and additional recordings at Zarkoff's Sensorium Studio in Croatia, and then final mix downs at Alden Tyrell's studio in Rotterdam. The album has been mixed by Alden Tyrell and mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each LP is packaged in a copper foil stamped jacket designed by Eloise Leigh, with abstract squares in varied rhythmic repetitions to indicate motion, and included a double sided 10'x10' insert with lyrics and notes.

Tom Ware is a Grammy nominated engineer, producer and musician from Omaha Nebraska. Throughout the 70s and 80s Tom was the drummer for many bands, including Norman & The Rockwells, Toy boat Toy boat Toy boat, and Hit N Run. Because of his love for electronics, mechanics, and machines of any kind, he was always the only one who truly knew how pa systems worked. Tom got an entry level job at a Rainbow Studios and would work at the recording studio during the day, play evening gigs till 2 in the morning, then go back to the studio and work on new ideas all night. During these teeth cutting sessions, Tom worked by himself, following his instincts and creating sounds he loved to listen to.

His reckless abandon approach and thrill to learn was a high octane fuel that resulted in his first solo self-titled album. The album's 10 songs were recorded and mixed between August & December of 1983 and self-released in early 1984. The album would be re-released in 1985 by independent Krautrock/Kosmische Musik label Sky Records in Germany and re-titled 'The Fourth Circle'. Some of the instruments used on the LP were a Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, & Pro One, Simmons SDSV electronic drums, Roland TR-606 drum machine, & Hammond B3 organ. While recording this album Tom was influenced by new wave sounds of Yellow Magic Orchestra, the Berlin and Düsseldorf schools of pulsing synth music and the celestial realms of Jean Michel Jarre. All songs have been mastered and lacquer cut by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each LP is housed in a replica cover with computer graphics by Lars Erickson and photos by Ken Mayer and includes a postcard with liner notes by Tom Ware.

Alésia Cosmos was a collective of musicians led by Bruno de Chénerilles formed in the early 1980s in Strasbourg, France. The group consisted of Pascal Holtzer (guitar, synthesizer, tapes, drum machine, vocals), Pierre Clavreux (vocals, gong), Marie-Berthe Servier (vocals), Bruno (guitar, tapes, synthesizer, drum machine, vocals) and Tunisian percussionist Lotfi Ben Ayed (darbukas, bendir). In 1981 Bruno composed and wrote some sci-fi radio plays for French state radio channel France Culture. Under the influences of William Burroughs, John Cage, Pierre Henry and others, he developed tape music studio work. By 1982 he appeared for the first time under the name Alésia Cosmos Furi Show. It was a solo performance on guitar, voice, analog synth and tapes. This experimental show lead to a music project based on Bruno and Pascal's compositions to be performed and recorded with other musicians in the beginning of 1983.

Exclusivo! was the group's debut album recorded and self-released in 1983 on Planetarium. Pascal and Bruno would compose tunes in their personal home studios. Then they would bring the tapes, electronics, guitar lines and lyrics to experiment and rehearse with the other members of the group. Improvisations and adaptations brought more ideas and the album was recorded in a few days. The result was a musical mixing of electronic music, field recordings, North African and Asian percussion, electric guitars and voices, compositions and free improvisations. All four musicians take turns singing onomatopoeic phrases and backing vocals, even sometimes in an unknown language, a sort of mixed bag between Breton and Japanese. All songs have been remastered cut by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each LP is housed in a replica of the 1983 cover and includes a 6-page insert with photos, lyrics, reviews and liner notes by Bruno de Chénerilles.

Remixes from Ruede hagelstein & Amin Fallaha, Scuba, Julien Bracht and Tom (Alt-J) Hymn to the Night is the debut album from rising electronic post-punk duo, Lea Porcelain. The album was writt en and recorded over a two year period in Berlin's FUNKHAUS, a broadcasti ng house created under Soviet supervision that now houses the world's biggest recording studio. We are proud of what we have made and we have learned a lot through the process,' recall the band. The spectrum of the album is extremely wide.

Every song works together, playing with very different moods. We would describe it as atmospheric, cinemati c and melancholic'. Including the singles, 'Bones', 'Out Is In', and 'Warsaw Street' The song is rich in vibrant synthesizers and gentle vocals laced with percussion as lively as a marching band, creati ng a track as quixoti c as a lucid dream. - Stereogum

Ominous motorik kraut rumblings and the thudding electronic trickery of prime era Underworld. - Godisinthetvzine

Music-wise, we're thinking of smooshing together Joy Division with Echo & The Bunnymen (sure) coupled with the modern-downbeatness of The XX. So everything dressed in black basically. Brilliant stuff . - Killing Moon

An electronic duo from Frankfurt, Lea Porcelain have a dark, twisted yet oddly enti cing sound. - Clash Magazine

For the label's 50th release, Emotional Rescue returns to the music of Woo to close a trilogy of reissue collaboration albums, in A La Luna. Following Whichever Way You Are Going (1982) and Into The Heart Of Love (1990), their opus A La Luna (1991) was the last of the bands song based albums and represents a wonderful way to close this association.

Reworked, re-ordered and remastered especially for this first time vinyl release, brothers Mark and Clive Ives again present their unique, ground-breaking and at the time, heart-wrenchingly overlooked music, that seems to fit the folk-new age-electronics of today as well, if not better, than when first released.

Across 20 plus songs Mark's guitar, clarinet and vocals are as ever drenched in Clive's mixing desk mastery. Echo and reverb shimmer as the short pieces rise and fall like the wind blowing across nighttime trees. With no song going much beyond three minutes, A La Luna flows as one piece. The unmistaken sound of Woo wraps itself around you in an essence, warmth and glow that is addictive, meditative and uplifting.

Featuring the original vocal performance of Mark's love ode, Magic In The Dark stands as a centerpiece where, as with all their albums, vocals appear at a minimum, as part of the musical journey.

The underlying somber nature of the album comes as the band ended more than a decade of recording with little critical or commercial success. The fact they did not release a full album again and moved towards a more meditation outlook was a loss, however, their recent rediscovery and the excellent releases by Drag City and Palto Flats included, has finally given the Ive's brothers not just a place in appreciation, but has shown that there really is no one like Woo. Enjoy the magic.

Optimo Music is delighted to continue its fruitful relationship with The Golden Filter with the release of this fantastic 4-track 12' EP.
We always prefer our artists to speak for themselves and avoid bullshit PR hype so here is what they have to say about this EP -
We're quite agnostic, and unreligious, but if there is any vibes associated with the EP (and maybe all of our music) it is very Buddhist in its ideas. Mindful. Aware of impermanence.
The whole EP is about being with the one(s) you love when everything else around you breaks down. Looking inward, with pure love, in the hope to radiate outward, rather than pushing for a fight, or running away. Recorded, written, and produced in isolation by Stephen and Penelope on our own in East London Studio space.
The EP starts with the song 'End Of Times' which is a dramatic, Shangri-Las influenced take on feeling powerless in a chaotic world, but still high on love. Happiness can be found in analog reverb. This is followed by 'Serenity', a hard and tranquil meditation of past + future.
Side 2 leads with 'Heart Control', with a slight nod to Pink Floyd. A nine minute plea to ourselves to keep it all focused and under control... The EP closes with 'Darkness Falls'. The lyrics for this came from an apocalyptic dream that Penelope had, and wrote down in the morning. the music is 100% purely modular, er, except for the tiny bits of guitar at the end.

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

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

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

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

Bewitching Avant-Pop album from impromptu supergroup built around acclaimed Japanese duo, Tenniscoats. Featuring members of Notwist, Jam Money and Joasihno.

In these dark and uncertain times, there's an ever-growing collective of peaceful, loving types, bound together by an understanding of one peculiar word: Tenniscoats. Aside from being the name of an influential Tokyo-based duo, it represents fun, artistic freedom, experimentation and - perhaps most important of all - inclusivity.

A Tenniscoats gig is rarely the audience watching the performers. Instead, Saya and Takashi regularly shun the stage in favour of any particular spot that takes their fancy, whether it's an empty seat in the auditorium or the roof of a neighbouring cafe. In the world of Tenniscoats, music can happen anywhere, and everyone is invited to join in.

During the winter of 2016, the music happened in Munich. As a long-time fan, Markus Acher (Notwist) jumped at the chance not only to put Tenniscoats on the bill at the Alien Disko festival he was organising, but also to invite Saya & Takashi to a small apartment studio, together with Mat Fowler (Jam Money) and Cico Beck (Aloa Input, Notwist). This is where Spirit Fest was recorded over the following 14 days.

Tenniscoats are known for their collaborations - some of their finest work was done in conjunction with Tape, The Pastels, Jad Fair and many others - so making good use of the time and friends available was natural to them. For me, timing is important,' Saya said. We met in season, and the song flowers are now blooming!' Mat Fowler recalls the Spirit Fest sessions taking place in an idyllic, festive atmosphere. Every morning we'd all share breakfast, chat and learn about German Christmas customs. We'd catch the bus in the morning and walk home in the evening. The journey ran parallel to the beautiful flowing Isar River that bubbles, ebbs and flows right through the middle of Munich.'

While Tenniscoats sit at the heart of proceedings, it isn't their album alone. Markus, Mat and Cico also brought songs, providing a solid base on top of which the artistry could evolve. Mat explains that, a melody would begin, and slowly, each of us - in our own time - would find our way into the music.

Producer Tadklimp would sensitively set-up around us in this narrow window of time, so as to document that first and intuitive moment of collective discovery.' Nearly everything was recorded live,' agrees Markus, playing and singing together in one room with piano, guitars, percussion and some keyboards.' The collaborators came from Germany, Japan, the UK, Greece and beyond. That sense of inclusivity is palpable.

From the tender beauty of Markus's River River' and Saya's Mikan' to the electro-Merseybeat of Tenniscoat's Nambei' and the half-crazed pianica-reggae of Shuti Man', the resulting album is a testament to the manner of which these musicians are able to channel their songwriting through their spontaneity. It's also a snapshot of a gentle and intuitive moment in time - a beautiful meetup that expands this community, happily, even further.

Jon Willks (Grizzly Folk)

Lithuanian Alex Krell rides the new wave of deep and dark techno straight into the Sodai fold, delivering a comprehensive and cohesive four track EP for Gardens Of God's respected imprint.
Enticingly deep and dubby, title track Parallel Seduction sets the tone with a rumbling bass and reverbing stabs. Optyx picks up the pace, with driving percussion and shimmering synth soundscapes. The subtle distortions of Wiemar are next up, conjuring a deep brooding atmosphere. Lastly, Knocturne is expertly crafted for the dancefloor leaving us fully immersed in a flawless EP.
' I find it difficult to finish tracks, so most of mine are made in just one session' Alex reveals. 'I also avoid listening to electronic music when spending time in the studio, because with all those sounds stuck in your head it's hard to keep your originality.'
Alex Krell is a DJ, producer and petrolhead who lists Led Zeppelin, Nirvana and Queen as his influences. Now living in the capital, Vilnius, his background enhances his productions with a uniquely dark and earthy energy that makes his techno stand out from the crowd and proves he is one to keep a close eye on.

The new EP by rRoxymore signals another audacious step forward for one of the most daring artists in the electronic music diaspora. 'Thoughts Of An Introvert Part 1' is born out of introspection, out of the necessity to disconnect from the frenzy of crowds and to create a soundtrack to an inner landscape which exists beyond the reach of government and dogma. In the words of the artist, "it is a sonic diary of sorts, cataloguing the events of a world which has not yet been invented, in the form of three mesmerizing dance tracks free of nostalgia and the expectations of style."

The spatial afro futurist funk of 'Prodrome' finds rRoxymore balancing darkness and optimism as only she can. The title track, 'Thoughts Of An Introvert' is instantly familiar and carries a soothing utopian spirit, so needed today. Mycetozoa, the closing track is bouncing, drum driven and mad, a celebration of rRoxymore's complex musical mind, offset by irresistibly banging toms and rolling rimshot patterns. It is a track which is at once melancholic, happy, vulnerable, and full of hope. Everything seems possible on the dancefloor this music was written for.

Silencio celebrates the first year of the label with a double-pack vinyl aptly titled Uno.
Comprising of new and established artists, the tracks on Uno collectively summarize the the feel of this label's year, while giving us a hint of what to expect in the year to come.
Click Box & Stefan Dichev kick off the release with 'Memories'. Presenting a collaborative production that will prove over and over again why sound is one of the strongest senses tied to memory. Engineered with emotionally responsive rhythms that roll into a rocksteady baseline, this track evokes feelings with finesse. "Memories" also features funky squiggle sounds and trailing even-tempered tones to punctuate its procession. This is one you'll want to relive every time the opportunity arises.
New comer Wave Particle Singularity has done it again. 'Virtue' is a tremendous track that will quickly establish itself as one of your new favorite things. The drum sequence, accented by beguiling background sounds and curious vocals, gallops throughout this selection with all its feet off the ground together in each smooth stride. Plus, it also comes fully equipped with a pleasingly unpredictable pace in the form of some moody, well-orchestrated changes that result in a perfectly adjusted attitude. Never a dull moment on the dance floor.
Guaranteed.
Kepler.'s latest offering 'Tool A' possess all the qualities one would normally associate with a fine wine because the taste left on the palate after its consumption is both complex and satisfying. During its ascent, effects that compress a thousand echoes into a single sample ride alongside an active baseline that ripples accordingly. Subtle, flavorful snippets bleep and bloop in complete balance, giving this cut a coordinated, contemplative vibe that brings everything into focus.
With his first track on Silencio, Yuuki Hori's 'Scene 5' is truly a unique item. This electromechanicaly exotic sounding export from Japan makes an impression with layers that are neatly stacked and minimal to the max. Its main feature, a sample that seemingly mimics the mating call of a male bullfrog, rhythmically ribbits in harmony with the beat, bellowing over the entirety of this track. All the various elements of this composition come together in a natural way that feels symbiotic and sounds superb.
Another Silencio first, Jorge Ciccioli's 'TD8' has a deliberate intention to create momentum, with a deep, penetrating baseline that rises to the occasion by descending the darkest depths of its own digital horizon. In the midst of the mix the listener is greeted with a clever chorus that effectively sounds like air vibrating, or in layman's terms "blowing", within an empty glass bottle. As it goes through the motions, observe how every note is noticeably nuanced in an effort to reflect the subtle changes that take place.
Closing out the release and year for Silencio, is Laughing Man with 'Reach Out'. Hard, heavyand heavenly are all terms that could be used to express the sentiment of this selection.
Notice how right from the get go this production profoundly pounds out its agenda with a solid, speedy beat that relentlessly rocks throughout the recording. Accompanied by aseries of wavy, spirited vocal layers, ringing bells and an inspired intersection of cymbals,this track is one hell of a ride that will enable you to make contact with the other side.

Marco Bailey's 5th full-length album, one that he personally claims to be the best overall representation of his sound. With seventeen tracks comprising almost an hour and a half of music, he has ample room to stretch out and to give listeners an excellent portable version of his potent live show.

By maintaining a consistently high-quality output that does not merely ride the wave of current trends, multi-faceted producer Marco Bailey has managed to survive through decades of mercilessly shifting adjustments to popular taste in dance music. From his beginnings in the late '80s spinning eclectic sets comprised of everything from punk to old school hip-hop, to his present interest in pure unadulterated techno, the Belgium-based DJ and producer has won over audiences with his keen knowledge of how to squeeze the greatest physical and emotional impact out of a few well-placed elements, along with his instinct for seeking out the most innovative and resilient kindred spirits (his impressive number of professional friendships includes artists as diverse as Markus Suckut, Jonas Kopp, Alex Bau, Edit Select, Speedy J, Steve Rachmad and many more). These combined talents have led to his formation of several different labels: MB Electronics in 2001, the 'limited edition' label MBR in 2013, and lastly the new Materia Music label begun last year. His similiarly named event series, Materia, has also been a truly worldwide 'state of the art' summit for advanced techno artists.



The full-length personal releases by Marco Bailey, which stretch back to his mid-'90s period as a trance producer, have been gracefully arcing and anthemic affairs composed of individual tracks that follow that same blueprint. He is now about to drop his 5th full-length album overall, one that he personally claims to be the best overall representation of his sound. With seventeen tracks comprising almost an hour and a half of music, he has ample room to stretch out and to give listeners an excellent portable version of his potent live show. Of course, an epic running time alone is not the marker of a great audio experience, but an epic running time in which one loses track of time completely is - Bailey accomplishes this feat by never rushing the payoff; by organically building up each track until listeners are fully immersed in his alternate universe.



This skill can be heard on banging, sweat-saturated tracks like 'Ash', 'Genetix' and 'Hasai,' but also on comparitively gentle pieces like 'Klauth' (which straddles the line between disciplined electro and something more dreamlike and weightless), or the blissed out 'Suoh,' which feels like a fresh snowfall in audio form. Low-key cuts like 'Rex,' driven by echo FX and other windswept sounds, form natural counterparts to busier tracks like 'Ruth,' with its spring-loaded sequencer attacks, or 'Reboot That Device,' which is ingeniously driven by a psychedelic organ whose sound evolves with various filter settings. Minimalist vocals are occasionally injected into the mix - i.e. on the 'The Darkness' - to impart a subtle message of constant, ongoing expansion into unexplored galaxies without and within. It's as good a definition of the artist's musical mission as any.

MICK HARRIS (SCORN, QUOIT, PAINKILLER) returns after several years of hiatus with ten tracks of blasting landmine bass and interlocking shrapnel rhythms.I've been asked to write a press piece for the dark lord MICK HARRIS.Where does one even start Especially for someone with decades of releases over various solo projects, collaborations and pseudonyms, whether it's doing blast beats in the original NAPALM DEATH to crushing techno brutality as MONRELLA, or savage drum & bass as QUOIT. Then of course there's the mighty SCORN and his numerous collaborations with fellow luminaries such as JOHN ZORN and BILL LASWELL (in PAINKILLER).Rather than being tied to genres or scenes, MICK HARRIS is one of those producers who creates a whole sonic world uniquely of his own, in which varying tracks, styles and tempos take form, but yet in which everything sounds unmistakably characteristic of the creator. Needless to say his work has influenced legions of producers like SURGEON, REGIS, ONTAL, VATICAN SHADOW / PRURIENT, FAUSTEN, SHAPEDNOISE et al, and pretty much anyone in the world of powerfully dark, abrasive music you could name-drop. And yet after all this time, it is impressive that HARRIS still stands way above his successors and has never been surpassed in his own production/performance game.After a hiatus of several years, he is back with a new album under the guise of FRET.Working at a faster tempo than his SCORN material, the FRET project first surfaced years ago on the DOWNWARDS label, rooting it firmly in the dark, industrial and technoid world, and appeared more recently on Tresor (Kern mix by OBJEKT), maintaining the characteristic colossal bass-heaviness and textural depth.And now a full album on KARLRECORDS, Berlin. HARRIS fans will be delighted to know that despite the 130 bpm tempo, the newest FRET still resolutely avoids any straight four-on-the-floor kickdrums, every track lurches, stumbles, staggers and charges forth with beats in beautifully broken asymmetry.We get 10 tracks of crushing, percussive destroyers, each itself a storm of precision chaos, with colossal low-end frequencies that'll cause stampedes in the right circumstances. The classic HARRIS sound is there, searing waves of feedback distortion, intricate, interlocking rhythms and cold, abattoir atmospheres, especially track 6 "Stuck in the track at Salford Priors" which sounds like you're being continuously suspended in the air from multiple explosions all around, each kickdrum throwing you up in the air, the next one going off before you can fall completely back to the ground.The lazy-minded would probably lump it in with the term "techno", but the disciplined brutality, blasting landmine bass and interlocking shrapnel rhythms are clearly HARRIS' own trademark style, sitting somewhere between SCORN and QUOIT.The tracks appear deceptively chaotic on the surface, yet each is meticulously and masterfully composed with great attention to layering and detail. MICK HARRIS fans rejoice, the dark lord still remains at the top of his game.

(Derek Szeto / Fausten / Combat Recordings)

2022 Repress

HQ Gatefold, 3x12 140g Vinyl, black innersleeve, download code
EXTRAWELT are back! Although in fairness, they were never gone. On the contrary, since their first release on James Holden's Border Community Label dropped in 2005, Arne Schaffhausen and Wayan Raabe have been responsible for a plethora of classics including "Schöne Neue Extrawelt" and "In Aufruhr", their two seminal albums on Cocoon Recordings. The duo are one of the most booked live acts worldwide, commanding a huge fan base. Their performances are the stuff of legend, making them the absolute highlight at every club and festival they play. So it's with great pride and respect, that we can announce the release of Extrawelt's third album for Cocoon Recordings. "Fear Of An Extra Planet" completes the Cocoon trilogy and the excitement growing among their fans represents a new high in the history of EXTRAWELT!
Musically, of course, there's enormous pressure on EXTRAWELT to deliver, but this is dismissed with a playful disregard and they are clearly focused on the job in hand. The album title "Fear Of An Extra Planet" sounds cinematic, like some art-house science fiction film, without giving too much away.
However, from the first seconds of the opening track "Superposition", the album title makes 100% sense and sets the scene for the rest of the trip. We are immersed in wide open spaces and invited to explore dark and dusky worlds that transport us back to their Border Community years. Timeless and elegant, "Superposition" perfectly captures the epic, dream like quality that made James Holden's label so influential.
New Release Information Second up, "Gott ist Schrott" takes a much more minimalist approach with its retro 80s drum programming, monster bass lurking in the breaks and playful Rhodes/synth riffs that span the divide between early German techno and deep Detroit electro with a distinctive film soundtrack aesthetic. "Oddification" continues this theme, adding extra spice reminiscent of the techno-synth vibe of Detroit with a punchy, almost Prodigy-style breakbeat complete with shredded vocal samples that gives us a taste of what's in store. "Gentle Venom" then takes the breakbeat motif to the next stage. The main focus here is the classy sprinter of a bassline, peppered with a flurry of intricate and subtle effects and modulations, that immediately trigger an intense, movie-like 'in pursuit' feeling.
With - Das Grosse Flimmern" we cautiously approach the album's high point. It's still in keeping with the soundtrack aesthetics, but faster and with more urgency. Almost hypnotically, Extrawelt invade us with an energy and impetus that always radiates from their music. Next in line is "Silly Idol" and here Arne Schaffhausen and Wayan Raabe opt again for a more minimal tack, focusing even more intensely on the dance floor to reveal a pulsing, twisted heart to the album.
"Punch The Dragon" is the hidden gem of the collection, utilising and melting together the most bombastic and playful elements. This one is totally off the hook, a sensory overload in an acoustic widescreen format! Then we have the title track "Fear Of An Extra Planet" which perfectly sums up the album concept. It opens up like a film score, with minimal passages following dark sequences that morph into dreamy melodies, all grounded by cool, constantly alternating analogue drum patterns. If you're not listening closely, you might get the impression that three or four different titles are mixed together; such is the effortless flow of the album.
As we near our destination, "The Friendly Coroner" really does honour its name. The morbid charm of the title is captured by a fluid bassline and melodic arrangements that border on the absurd, until the funky drum beat finally drops. In our mind's eye we see a cheerful medical doctor removing his bloody gloves, hanging his smock in the closet and vibing out in his neon drenched workspace. And there we sit, glued to our cinema seat, submerged in the different textures EXTRAWELT have conjured up on "Fear Of An Extra Planet". Over the course of the last title, the strings usher in the final acknowledgments as the credits roll. The dramatic end of "2084" leaves us transfixed in front of a black screen in a large, dark room safe in the knowledge that we've just witnessed a science fiction epic.

John Carpenter is a legend. As the director and composer behind dozens of classic movies, Carpenter has established a reputation as one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of modern cinema, as well as one of its most influential musicians. The minimal, synthesizer-driven themes to films like Halloween, Escape From New York, and Assault on Precinct 13 are as indelible as their images, and their timelessness was evident as Carpenter performed them live in a string of internationally sold-out concert dates in 2016. Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998 collects 13 classic themes from Carpenter's illustrious career together on one volume for the first time. Each theme has been newly recorded with the same collaborators that Carpenter worked with on his hit Lost Themes studio albums: his son, Cody Carpenter, and godson, Daniel Davies.

Anthology is a near-comprehensive survey of John Carpenter's greatest themes, from his very first movie, the no-budget sci-fi film Dark Star, to 1998's supernatural Western, Vampires. Those sit alongside the driving, Led Zeppelin-influenced Assault on Precinct 13 theme, Halloween's iconic 5/4 piano riff, and the eerie synth work of The Fog. Carpenter and his band also cover Ennio Morricone's bleak, minimalist theme for The Thing.

We also get vital new recordings of the themes to '80s classics and fan favorites Big Trouble in Little China, Escape From New York, Christine, and They Live, along with the romantic Starman, which earned Jeff Bridges his first Oscar nomination as a lead actor. The collection is rounded out by the menacing, heavy themes to Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness, the latter a Metallica-inspired riff originally played for the film by Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, and now played by his son Daniel.

In the weeks following Anthology's October 20 release, Carpenter will return to the road, playing both classic movie themes and material from his two Lost Themes albums. The performances will once again affirm the power of the Horror Master's brilliant work as a composer and musician, and undoubtedly send audiences rushing home to their DVD libraries to dive yet again into the most rewarding filmography in genre cinema.

Deluxe color vinyl editions come with 7" including the themes to Village of the Damned and Body Bags
Collects the classic themes of John Carpenter on one volume for the first time
Lost Themes is the best-selling album in Sacred Bones history

Here at Scotch Bonnet Records we love Reggae music's rich heritage. Not only is it is as strong today as it ever has been, soundsystem culture has now spread to every corner of the world. To celebrate this we have compiled a few musically important releases from some of the key musicians and producers that have influenced and nourished Scotch Bonnet records since the start. Some have appeared on single, some are dubs that Mungo's Hi Fi couldn't stop playing on the Soundsystem, and there are some brand new pieces to keep it crispy fresh. The end result is Puffers Choice.