quête:grad u

In the words of Bill Brewster - DJ History

‘At the turn of the 1990s, there were few more successful New York house producers than Victor Simonelli. Under a dizzying array of aliases – Solution, NY’s Finest, Groove Committee, Critical Rhythm and Cloud 9 being amongst the better-known – the Brooklyn-born DJ/producer delivered a string of underground club hits during the city’s early ’90s house boom.’

BTG presents “Victor Simonelli: The Early Years Vol 1” a collectors edition double Vinyl release - 2 X 12’s in each Vol

Launching the first Behind The Groove collectors edition vinyl series is New York’s finest Victor Simonelli with ‘The Early Years Vol 1 & 2’ double Vinyl releases. Featuring seminal house tracks such as Cloud 9’s ‘Do You Want Me’, Solution’s ‘Feel So Right’, Instant Exposure’s ‘Wanna Be With You’ and rare mixes of Raiana Page and EZ-AL, this collection brings together classic and rare Victor Simonelli cuts that reflect the early raw energy and buzz of the New York House scene. With ‘Vol 2” scheduled to follow shortly after, this is the most comprehensive collection of rare Simonelli cuts that firmly establishes his esteemed role in 90s House Music as well as introducing new fans to his inimitable sound.

Victor Simonelli is one of the early kings of NYC sampling In house music. The real deal - Victor danced at the legendary David Mancuso’s Loft sessions and developed a serious appreciation for good music. He interned for Arthur Baker at his renown Shakedown Studios (where Arthur worked with the iconic Afrika Bambatta on the seminal dance floor ’Planet Rock’ track) and went on to release hugely influential releases on seminal NYC labels 4th Floor and Nu Groove. Victor’s music was championed by the hugely celebrated iconic House Music DJ pioneers, Larry Levan and Tony Humphries at Paradise Garage & Zanzibar/WBLS/Kiss FM respectively.

Revered as a New York house heavyweight and prolific producer since the turn of the 1990s, Victor Simonelli grew up in Brooklyn, NYC, nurtured by a music loving family, with an avid record collecting father who also worked as a local party DJ. He took music lessons in piano, drums, guitar and bass, before discovering his first love, tuning into NY’s Radio Mix Shows on WBLS, WKTU and WRKS,98.7 Kiss FM) where he discovered the art of mixing and in his own words, ’I just simply got lost in the music’.

Graduating from NYC’s Centre For Media Arts, Victor got an internship in the legendary producer, Arthur Baker’s Shakedown Studios. Soon graduating to editing, mixing and then producing he worked for artists David Bowie, Quincy Jones, Debbie Harry, Sinead O’Connor and Talking Heads. Teaming up with fellow NYC producer Lenny Dee to become the Brooklyn Funk Essentials, they released records ‘Critical Rhythm’ and ‘Subliminal Aurra’ on 4th Floor before Victor went solo as Groove Committee releasing the classic ‘I Want You To Know’ on the legendary Nu Groove Records. Paradise Garage legend, Larry Levan broke ‘I Want You To Know’ rocking 2 copies on his last tour of Japan whilst King of NY House Music,Tony Humphries broke Victor’s new ‘Feels So Right’ across New York on his WBLS/Kiss FM Mastermix show and at his legendary Zanzibar club sessions. It was only a matter of time before Victor’s name became synonymous with quality House music ensuring a worldwide platform for his productions.

In the early 90s alongside his own productions, Victor Simonelli worked on high profile projects, including James Brown’s album, “Love Overdue” BeBe and CeCe Winans single featuring Mavis Staples “I’ll Take You There” and Quincy Jones’ “I’ll Be Good To You” featuring Chaka Khan and the legendary Ray Charles. Never straying too far from his clubland roots, Victor worked with Danny Tenaglia on his classic “The Harmonica Track”.

DJ gigs across the world started flooding in and Victor found himself recording for a dizzying array of labels including Tribal America, Sub-Urban, Bassline, King Street Sounds and Vibe, under a wide range of aliases. He also produced, wrote and remixed for artists such Nile Rodgers (Chic), Afrika Baambata, Hall & Oates, Frankie Knuckles, Kerri Chandler, Madonna and Michael Jackson. Famed for his own productions “It’s So Good” by Creative Force, “I Know A Place” as Sound Of One - the first release on Roger Sanchez One Records -, “Dirty Games” as well as the “Street Players Vol 1 EP”, Victor went on to set up Suburban Records with Tommy Musto and Bassline Records with two other partners. Notable releases on this label include “Do You Feel Me”, Connie Harvey’s gospel inspired, “Thank You Lord”, Urban Blues Project’s “Deliver Me”, Colonel Abrams “Not Gonna Let”, and Mone’s “Better Way”. Never ceasing to produce, DJ, run his own label and host radio shows like Groove Lift, Victor has worked with virtually every NYC producer and has nurtured a next generation talents including Angel Moraes, Jazz ‘N’ Groove, Urban Blues Project, Harlem Hustlers, Jay Jay and Julius Papp. Victor’s releases have also been used on M&S’s “Salsoul Nuggett” hit and Eddie Amador’s underground smash ‘House Music’.

In the late 90’s Victor launched his new Westside Productions, notable for the “Latin Impressions 1 & 2” releases, opened up a studio in Italy as he found himself increasingly working in Europe and now divides his time between New York and Italy. Suffice to say his unique sound of uplifting and spiritual music has kept him at the forefront of House Music and he is credited as one of its leading exponents with his string of classic releases and remixes.

Behind the Groove, branches out from its digital platform to embark on a programme of releases from the iconic pioneer producers of House Music. Esteemed for their high quality features and mixes that continue to explore, celebrate and venerate the contributions of highly respected, scene-shaping Labels, Artists, DJs and Special Events, BTG seeks to bring these talents and tales to the attention of the wider community. Unlocking the stories surrounding the pivotal roles they played and continue to play today in shaping the underground music scene we have come to know and love.

BTG presents “Victor Simonelli: The Early Years Vol 1” a collectors edition double Vinyl release, released on May 12th 2023. ‘Vol 2” follows on May 26th 2023 . These releases are the most comprehensive collection of rare Victor Simonelli cuts that firmly establish his esteemed role in 90s House Music and introduces new fans to his carefree sound.

French techno genius delivers new 4 track ep for Syncrophone imprint with 4/4 techno, Detroit Techno and electro techno at its best !

2023 Repress

Greyscale is extremely proud to bring Martin Schulte to its long growing and talented roster.
Not only is this a double-single but each track is supported with a remix from a top-tier artist in Vril and our very own grad_u! Dancing Street & Skyscraper Street is special in many ways!
On 'Dancing Street', Martin gives your equilibrium a real test with its off-axis beat structure and fantastic chord definition. As the track releases the pressure nearing the end is nothing short of genius. This is not for the faint of heart! 'Skyscraper Street' is the ideal counterpoint to 'Dancing Street'. A perfectly tempoed tech masterpiece, it soars over a city soundscape riding a confident beat. For the B side, grad_u on the remix gives us a wall-shaker! A serious
main floor sound and the only relief from the intense bass is the beautiful chord work. The word epic comes to mind from our label leader! There is a handful of names that are buy on site when you see them and VRIL is no doubt one. This remix of 'Skyscraper Street' is drenched in layer upon layer of shimmering and fractured melodies. This experimental and almost dreamlike state of consciousness is auditory sensory overload of the highest order! Martin Schulte, VRIL and grad_u on the same EP!
Mastered at the legendary Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin on white 180 gram vinyl. The depth of these should not be understated!
Analogue photography by Rima Prusakova

Most Excellent Unlimited teams up with Giant Step Records for this special release of a U.K. jazz-dance classic's Twentieth Anniversary.


Voted Track of the Year at Gilles Peterson’s 2003 Worldwide awards, RSL’s “Wesley Music” was an instant anthem on its release, combining a jazzy sensibility with heavy percussion, catchy brass riffs, and a building, hands-in-the-air chorus hook. The Manchester, UK-based band first released the single on their own label, but as the tune took off it was quickly released in the U.S. by Giant Step Records, long a pipeline for the freshest British new music. Most Excellent Unlimited has collaborated with Giant Step Records for this exclusive re-release to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the original record. The A side swaps out the original mix with a never-released Danny Krivit “Part 1” mix, a slightly more extended and direct to-the-point punch of Latin percussion and chants. The B side features Krivit’s “Part 2” mix that lets the tune unfold in all its building-anticipation glory, gradually elevating to a thunderous pinnacle of an almost spiritual nature.


With RSL recently finding favor in the sets of Chicago deep disco don Rahaan and NYC’s globetrotting Ge-Ology, remaster & pressed on an attention to quality vinyl, ideal to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of this timeless iconic track.

2022 Repress

14 years since it was originally released on Rephlex Records, Dopplereffekt's Calabi Yau Space (2007) finally gets a reissue on vinyl thanks to WeMe Records (following on their amazing reissue of Linear Accelerator). This album sees Dopplereffekt move even further out into their very own exploratory realm, where music and quantum physics meet. Eight tracks that when first released seemed challenging but with repeated exposure a strange almost supernatural event occurred as these new sounds and patterns gradually revealed a beauty and even simplicity about them. This is a brave album, epic in vision. An essential record for all fans of Techno in the sense that the term was originally intended.

DIM KELLY is back on All Day I Dream, with his latest gradious sonic effort, the Mangrove EP. The release follows his debut full length ADID release, 2021’s Nocturna Animal, and reinvigorates the awe behind his savvy take on organic, melodic house.

Australian producer Ben Sun joins Phonica’s main label with a solid four track EP of House music in its various forms, from slick Disco loopers to deep ambient tribal rhythms.

The now London-based Ben Davidson has a string of well-received records under his belt, under the aliases Benjamin Sun, Earth Patterns and now as Ben Sun. His regular outings on Delusions Of Grandeur and Voyeurhythm are particularly of note, as well as recent excursions on Utopia and Razor N Tape. We’re delighted to have him as part of the Phonica family now too!

The 12” starts with ‘Trip’, a gradually building filtered Disco teaser, with classy deep House number ‘Mellow Madness’ following up. On the flip is the sumptuously balearic roller ‘Glow’, before the record’s euphoric floor-filler ‘Siren’ rounds out the record in style. We have a feeling this particular earworm will be lingering in records bags (and USB sticks) for some time!

Pocketmoth offers the second volume of its home-grown 'POCKET' v/a series, showcasing the diverse sounds of Brisbane/Meanjin. Featuring four-club ready numbers from a talented crop of local characters, the release explores slick future garage, hypnotic electro and stomping breakbeat.

POCKET 2: a mainstay in the record bag.

Hypnotic techno and electro from the enigmatic Dutchman Taupe, who has released a steady stream of Detroit-influenced cuts across European labels like Impress and Tech-um, plus his own Colours label. For Gated he presents four tracks that remain pure to his strong Motor City influences.

Kicking off the wax, ‘Rootless’ is a spacey, mesmirising, and driving track that gradually builds momentum in the best way.

Next up, ‘Marrakesh’ takes things a little harder and deeper, keeping that tripped out vibe and pushing things forward.

For the B-side, ‘Terra’ brings out some eerie electro underpinned by a rolling bassline, while ‘Bloom’ rounds off the EP with perhaps the most melodic track of all.

Greyscale's director grad_u takes us back to his past and extracts 4 tracks off his highly revered album 'Works and Reconstructions'. Archive 02 is abundant with broken and concealed rhythm's that leaves any listener disoriented and taken back. Originally released in 2011 on ZeECc records, you can hear some of origins of grad_u’s earlier beginnings. Languishing in dub and soaked in deepness this only previously on limited cd will get a proper release on vinyl and
digital for the first time on homebase Greyscale.
Know the future but by respecting the past.

White Vinyl

Greyscale's most personal release and perhaps the most important for label owner grad_u aka Aleksandr Martinkevič. Earlier this year, Alex was diagnosed with cancer. Certainly a horrible thing to hear and there has definitely been some low moments in certain stages of the journey. At just 36 years old, many of us are shocked that such a young person can develop cancer. After some research he found out that younger and younger people are randomly getting cancer studies show. An alarming trend to learn about. However, there has also been a lot of other learning and different new levels of appreciation for the simple things in life as a new higher level of inspiration in making music has manifested. And this new release encapsulates that. Alex has also felt a duty to make things better for others. Focusing on what can be improved as he wants to highlight research, treatment and the overall communication of this disease to more people in the electronic music scene. Part of the proceeds from this new album will be donated to the National Cancer Institute in his homeland of Lithuania.
Alex wants everyone to know that catching these signs early and getting regular checkups are your best chance at beating cancer. Thankfully Alex did this also and his treatments have gone well. Alex plans still stay steadfast with his label and his life. Simplifying things with the love from his family and friends, focusing on his hobbies
along with making sure he makes his health his #1 personal priority.
The name for this full length release is titled 'T2NO'. grad_u's most introspective work yet features 8 emotional tracks overall. The honesty expressed in this album is blunt and to the point. These tracks take you on an audio journey thru grad_u as he expresses his feelings thru the entire process in each stage.
Beginning with two wonderful ambient tracks named 'Genetic Mutation' & 'Carcinogen'. In the opener, Chords rain over you as a beautiful ambient melody peeks out underneath it followed by a more stark and hazy field of interference. From the gentle opener to the more tension filled follower, the personal journey of grad_u is
developing before your ears. The b-side of 'Neoplasm' is a bit more somber but also has a ray of light in it.
Introspective as it can get, this is a true journey through an uncertain future. 'MRI scan' needs no explanation....
The second half of the album begins the understanding of what grad_u was going thru. 'Malignant Transformation' gives off that feeling of the human body working thru the science. Fight or flight becomes the theme for this track. 'Adenocarcinoma' almost gives off the sound of cells rebuilding themselves. Sci-fi meets real life in this epic battle. 'Resection' continues this scientific sounding reflection on the body healing with sounds of movement and time. As if the body is working itself out. Lastly and triumphantly comes the closing
track 'Waking up to a New Life'....
The emotional journey of this album isn't for the faint of heart. It leaves nothing to the imagination. It works thru all the emotions that can come with such and life changing event like having cancer. We want to thank grad_u for sharing his story with us. This story can happen to anyone...
"I would like to take this opportunity to express my great gratitude to doctors A. Dulskas, G. Jurevičienė, V. Sidorov and all staff in Abdominal Surgery and Oncology Department at NCI. Thank you for your expert care and for saving my life.
Also, big big thank you my family and closest friends for all their love and support during this difficult period of time and always being there for me."
Special thanks to Lithuanian Council for Culture, associations AGATA and LATGA for support of this special project.
Part of proceeds from the album will be donated to National Cancer Institute, Lithuania

The Tel-Aviv centered Yotam Avni officially joined forces with Stroboscopic Artefacts last year, turning in a sensual an invigorating entry for the Monad series. Thanks to his personalized fusion of esoteric and worldly sound elements, Avni immediately made a case to deliver more work to the label, and now he has done so with 'Perlude to Dybbuk,' the second in a new series of S.A. releases to feature the Oblique Artefacts visual team's distinct, elegant portrayals of scanned foliage. As with Avni's previous Monad contribution, the new Perlude to Dybbuk makes references - both in title and in sonic content - to the ancient Hebrew folklore of his homeland (a 'dybbuk' being a kind of limbonic spirit attaching itself to the body of a living human until it has successfully reached its final destination). However, the atmospheric, rather than overt, use of these references gives this record a level of dignity and quality as well as a premonitory feeling that hovers over the proceedings.The opening 'Avka (New Life)' opens with the twin stimuli of chthonic, rolling percussion and ambience that has become a modern Stroboscopic tradition, but ever so gradually deviates from the realm of the easily anticipated. Some of the surprises to be found here are sharp, organic drum fills and sighing strings that have an uncanny vocal quality to them. By the time a surgically clipped acid synth sample comes into the mix, the track has reached a simmering level of excitement and the listener's imagination will have license to reside in a virtual world seamlessly combining elements both ancient and futuristic.Dybbuk' temporarily situates listeners back in brutal modernity, with the first sounds heard being something like insistently slicing helicopter blades. Avni merely uses this as the foundation, though, for a genuinely unique construction whose shamanic beats, throttled horn and undertow of frenzied electronics combine to give the feeling of being menaced and eventually overtaken by a spirit entity. This piece shows just what Avni is capable when operating in a more aggressive, 'post-industrial' mode, and the result stands up with some of the best exponents of that genre.The finale 'Modern Matters' is the most readily club-friendly selection from the disc. This potent, floor-shaking and perspiration-inducing number superimposes resonant vocals from traditional Middle Eastern folk song onto this alchemical mixture of machine oil and sweat, and provides a romantic flair without resorting to naïve, touristic 'ethno-techno.' Avni's skillful dedication to counterpoint, and determination to make a finished form is more than the sum of its parts, shines through here and throughout the duration of this record.

Red Splatter Viny

Redscale is back! Fantastic news that was hard to keep secret the last few months. After a solid 3 years of working exclusively on building the Greyscale label, owner grad_u felt its the right time to also focus
on his own music. And we all can't be more happy to hear what he's been up to!
Redscale #10 has all the hallmarks of the classic output but the energy is dialed up to 11. 'Siren' is a pure dancefloor packer! It has that ideal combination of underground techno club power and catchy
supporting chords. Think Aril Brikha's 'Groove La Chord' and you get the idea of a true heater.
'Dancefloor is Dangerous' is on the B-side and it was specifically made for a gig where grad_u showcased his live chops warming up the crown for Jeff Mills. That big club dub techno sound made to perform live in China, Iran, France and others.
This vinyl will come with full printed cover and special center label artwork. Pressed with black and orange splatter effect on transparent red vinyl with one side that even plays inside out! Expect to move
the masses with these 2 showstoppers!
We can't say it enough. Redscale is back!

The sublime songs comprising Los Angeles-based musician Ana Roxanne's second release, Because Of A Flower, germinated gradually across five years, inspired by interwoven notions of gender identity, beauty, and cruelty. She describes her process as beginning with “a drone element and a mood,” then intuiting melody, syllables, and lyrics incrementally, like sacred shapes materializing from mist.
The experience of identifying as intersex informs the album on levels both sonic and thematic, from spoken word texts borrowed from tonal harmony textbooks to cinematic dialogue samples and castrati aria allusions. It's an appropriately interstitial vision of ambient songcraft, a chemistry of wisps and whispers, sanctuary and sorrow, conjured through a fragile balance of voice, bass, space, and texture.
Despite a background studying at the prestigious Mills College in Oakland, Roxanne's music rarely feels conceptual, instead radiating an immediate and emotive aura, rooted in the present tense of her personal journey. She speaks of the flower in the title as a body, singular and sunlit, as many petals as thorns, an enigma beholden only to itself. But whether taken as surface or subtext, Because is a transfixing document of a rare artist in the spring of their ascension.

The concluding chapter of Jamaica Suk’s 17-track ‘Uncertain Landscape’ series arrives with a bang, with another four explosive tracks to round it off.

Milton Bradley — aka Alien Rain — begins proceedings with a hammering assault in the form of ‘Driving Force’. Detuned, ravey synths produce a cacophonous barrage of sound as the rubbery kick groove intones more hardcore vibes. There’s a touch of John Carpenter vibes in the spooky arpeggios that permeate the more stripped back sections. Bone-crushing groove abounds throughout.

Italy’s Kill Ref delivers a distorted thumper on ‘Subbaculta’, slowly eeking out a rasping groove from the underbelly of his pummeling drums. The track keeps building throughout, the shuffling rhythm
bolstering some seriously raw machine funk in the latter half that emerges almost imperceptibly.

The ringmaster herself, Jamaica Suk, makes her contribution to the series on ‘Escape’. She conjures up a tripped-out soundscape where layers stack in potent combination. Squelchy acid licks do battle
with the stomping bass groove and heavily-reverbered sustained textures. It sounds as if there are monsters loose in the speakers.

Nicolas Bougaïeff closes this momentous four-part release with his second contribution, ‘Nocturne 3’. Rocking a stuttered kick pattern, it revolves around grunting swathes of industrial noise, on-beat
clap patterns and all manner of weird and wonderful sounds that pitch-bend, tweak and freak to delightful levels of intensity. It’s a very well arranged and sequenced track that keeps you guessing.

Berlin techno bastion Jamaica Suk’s generous ‘Uncertain Landscape’ series continues with the third part of this weighty 17-track release serving up another quartet of rugged grooves.

early 2000s techno, he brings it up to date with pummeling bass and kicks and taut percussive loops

Surface’ chugging along at an unhurried pace. Resonant metallic sounds chime over the stuttering overdriven edges emerge, gentle screeches and hisses forced into existence.

Techno royalty Oliver Deutschmann pitches in next with the pacey contrast of ‘Hunting’. Its manic tempo is contrasted by its comparative lightness of touch, with the acidic theme continuing. The

Parallax Records boss and Berghain and Concrete guests Pharaoh and Yogg provide the closing salvo, an experimental cut by the name of ‘Betelgeuse’. Broken beats underpin glitchy textures and

Australian label Nightime Drama builds on its assured discography with a new EP from Dutch artist Stefan Vincent, while one half of Artefakt aka Nick Lapien assumes his Metropolis alias for a remix.
Stefan Vincent has a decade long career that has taken him to labels like Dynamic Reflection, Anagram and Traut. Here he offers Exigent Mistress, a cavernous and dubby minimal techno cut that has warm, gooey bass and drums interwoven with each other to hypnotic effect. The Metropolis remix is a mind melting affair with warped and bendy synth lines looping over and over and taking you deeper down the rabbit hole.
Dissociation is the next original and is a more journeying techno cut that looks to the cosmos with its swirling sci-fi pads and sense of edgeless infinity all run through with a soft sense of acid. Last of all, Grey Haze is a skeletal groove with deft and delicate sound designs, dreamy pads and suggestive percussive sounds that suspend you in mid air. This, then, is an EP of high grade and mindful techno.

We are proud to showcase more Bay Area family with the release of a new EP by Doc Sleep who cut her chops as a DJ in San Francisco’s vibrant scene the past decade. In 2016 she made the move to Berlin and became a resident of Room 4 Resistance. Since 2013, she's been the co-owner of Jacktone Records, which specializes in techno, ambient, and experimental electronics. In 2016/2017 she released her first 12's on the Hot Mass-affiliated Detour Records and Bottom Forty. She also co-wrote a track with Bezier and Nicole Ginelli, titled “Stranger,” that we released on the ‘Primes’ EP in 2017. Her latest release, ‘Your Ruling Planet’, was released on Jacktone in March 2019.

We first heard “Creme Fraiche” on Doc’s soundcloud page and begged to release it. The track has the feel-good vibes you get on early morning dancefloors as things are winding down or up. Paired on the A-side is the pulsating dark jam “Never Eating Again” that previously appeared on ‘Run The Length Of Your Wildness V.2’ and, like that compilation, proceeds from this track will be donated to Ghost Ship Fire victim Cherushii's family. On the B-side are two remixes from close friends of Doc. First up is a fresh breakbeat remix from Violet: DJ, producer, boss of Naive records, co-founder of Rádio Quântica, and mina resident shaking up Lisbon's nightlife. Second is Berlin-based producer and fellow R4R resident, rRoxymore, who presents an innovative remix of future-facing techno and bass variations adding her own vocals on top. For this release we’ve teamed up with Jacktone to release a cassette version, our first in this format, featuring two peak-time bonus tracks. All songs have been mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each copy is housed in jacket designed by Eloise Leigh with neon pink and lavender gradients echo morning sunrises with a collage of dreamy elements using a photo by Doc of Club Toilet in Detroit.

Saint Petersburg, Russia based producer Gradient has been steadily making his mark on the modern dub techno scene over the past decade and here we see him returning to grad_u’s Greyscale with more classy, dub-infused and atmospheric material. A study in landscapes exploring the pathways between the concrete jungles of the cities we reside in and the natural landscapes we visit to reconnect and find inner peace.
‘Landscape Two’ leads, employing choppy chord stabs, fluttering low-end pulses and dusty drums in an unfaltering, subtly modulating and evolving fashion before Fluxion offers a master class in restrained atmospherics, slowly teasing elements of the original into the depths of an ethereal, murky groove.
‘Landscape One’ leads the flip-side, taking a more upfront feel this time via robust drums and am amalgamation of spiraling dub chords ahead of grad_u’s ‘Landscape Two’ remix which lays focus on off-kilter, bumpy drums, fluttering subs and intricately modulating cuts from the original chords.

Released on 12’’ white 180gram vinyl, mastered and cut @ dubplates & mastering, Berlin.

After a debut outing on International Black last year with his best friend Mallard, LT graduates onto Rhythm Section INTL with a stunning debut solo effort: FOREST FLOOR.Aged just 20 years old, Lewis Taylor aka LT is another prodigal talent from the north of England, whose association with Rhythm Section goes back to his school days. A fan of the label from an early age, Lewis regularly made pilgrimages to the pool hall as soon as he was old enough to do so. It was these visits with his old school friend Mallard (who had recently moved down to London from Derbyshire to study music) which proved to be a formative influence, prompting him to try his hand at production...It turned out he was quite the natural, with his second ever effort as an 18 year old making it onto this very EP. Sitting somewhere between electro, house and techno with a healthy dose of breaks - LT constructs complex arrangements with as much of a nod to the retro summer of love stylings of Lone as to the new age bounce of the Pender Street Steppers. The piano house stabs of 'Untitled (Chesney)' reverberate around chopped breaks and screaming samples, anchored down by bouncy organ bass and FM lead synth which really begs the question: 'How did LT develop such a rich lexicon of club culture references in such a short time' We'd be tempted to believe it was just pure luck, if this mastery of rave aesthetics wasn't repeated throughout the EP...
Mesosphere fizzes with arpeggiated energy before giving way to a magnificent yet subtle drop that will serve festival main stages as well as it will back room clubs. Before the EP is over, LT has one more trick up his sleeve in Forest Floor - the titular track which is the musical equivalent of watching the sun rise through a misty glade after a night spent alone in the wilderness. With this gentle touch, LT proves he's more than another kid on Ableton making bangers - he has breadth, incredible musicality and a rare ability to transcript sceneries into sounds. Finishing with 'North Circular' possibly a reference to the free Parties on the London Orbital or merely just a coincidence you decide.
We couldn't be happier to welcome LT onto the RS INTL roster in what feels like a fulfilment of destiny. It's such a great honour to have nurtured and now introduce the next generation via the Rhythm Section platform.

Remastered for 2025

Drumcode has become a label synonymous with some of the most-cutting edge and forward-thinking techno over the last 20 years. Their artists include both emerging and established names, and one of those well recognised is Enrico Sangiuliano. Now announcing the very first concept album of his career.

iomorph is born. A very special concept album designed to take the listener on a journey of evolution. A musical adaptation describing how biological and technological advances over numerous generations of time have all started from the same first step in our own biological journey.

Divided into 4 parts, Organisms opens with atmospheric tones, gradually blending complex textures and timbres to begin the evolutional process. The beginning of this section combines full sounding arrangements before stripping it all back to basics. From here it dissolves into the atmosphere. Organisms then progresses into a break-beat influenced, down tempo track using synths to add complexity to the straight, broken rhythms.

Galactic, futuristic elements are found in both tracks in Cosmic Forces. Upbeat, groovy, electronic synths resonate, before 'Hidden T' brings the tension to get things pumped up with stratospheric swirls and twirls to lay down one of the most mind meltingly deep drops.

Metamorphosis is mysterious, its opening beat is a deep and piercing tone that sends the listener into a sensory awareness of their surroundings before breaking into a fully charged, techno track, with Enrico's trademark sounds and textures.

All evolution has an ending.

Two Probabilities shows the positive, starting out evocative and emotional, with a gentle harmony, gazing towards a 'New Dawn'. On the other side of the spectrum lies the negative. This is influenced with a rhythm that articulates the beat of death, mathematical, cold and metallic in texture, it shows the unsustainability of its nature, with a hectic, anxious break beat influenced ending.

Dark Entries returns to the New Jersey basement studio of Smersh to unearth a 4-track selection from the 'Deep House Anthems' cassette. Smersh was the duo of Mike Mangino and Chris Shepard, who began making music together in 1978. They were uninterested in traditional notions of songwriting or live performance. Recording in a domestic setting necessitated the abandonment of live drums for rhythm machines, and the Smersh sound would gradually change with each new bit of gear they acquired. The Electro-Harmonic Rhythm 12 gave way to TR606, TB303, and SH-09. Most Monday nights, they would write a new song from scratch. A couple hours later, the song was recorded, never to be performed again. By 1988, they had already put out at least 16 different tapes on their own Atlas King imprint. They would be followed by as many more. Some of those (subsequent) tapes there were less than 10 copies that got made because nobody wanted them. They couldn't get reviewed,' says Mike Mangino. As these tapes traded their way across continents, Smersh developed a devoted following in places far beyond Piscataway, leading to releases on dozens of other labels from around the globe. Smersh's sound is a lush hybrid of techno, industrial, dance, and experimental. Most songs revolve around driving EBM style beats, intricate industrial noise manipulation and synth melodies. For 'Selected Deep House Anthems' we selected 4 tracks of pulsating acid techno, which were recorded live, direct to DAT. All songs were originally recorded and released in 1991, and this the first time all but one of these songs are appearing on vinyl.

Series-A was the duo of Sam Anderson aka DJ Maestro and Dave Webb aka Kid Fresh. Sam and Dave both grew up listening to the sounds of the Electrifying Mojo on WJLB in Detroit. They met in 1983 at a DJ gig that they were both hired to play. In 1986, they collaborated on the Nu-Sound II Crew project. After developing a friendship with Juan Atkins, they became hip to the emerging new club sounds that were to become electro and techno.Their subsequent project, Series-A, was named after different car model numbers, but also hints at the evolution of humankind into a new species.

In 1987, Series-A recorded the single Evolution 5 Technology' at Spectrum Sounds Studio in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Their set up was a vocoder, E-mu Emulator III, Roland 909 drum machine, and an Otari 24-Track recorder. They landed a record deal with Satellite Records in Burbank, California, which had been founded by Pete Moore of The Miracles. After pressing 50 promotional copies, the label ran into financial problems, and the record never reached a full release. Taking cues Kraftwerk, Grand Master DST, Grandmaster Flash & Jam Master Jay, Series-A created dark electro beats in an era when sampling appeared to be the future of music. Lyrically the song addresses our species' entry into the technological age. For this EP reissue, the 7' Mix and Dub Mix are included on the A-side. On the flip is a new remix by prolific Ann Arbor producer JTC, an alias of Tadd Mullinix (aka Dabrye, SK-1, & Charles Manier). JTC speeds up and expands the song to seven minutes. Drawing on influences from Ron Hardy to Jeff Mills, he drives around suburban techno landscapes while simultaneously launching the listener into deep space.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is specially designed by Eloise Leigh and features a cyborg fossil motif with RGB color band and gradients. Each copy includes a post card with with notes.

For release #5, Resista welcome another new face to the family; ex-Detroit resident and seasoned techno producer North Lake, who delivers two tracks that are quite a departure from the label's recent output. Starting life as a cacophony of string chords, 'Journey To The Centre of the Sun' gradually appears from this hazy mist, slowly picking up pace and blossoming into a cinematic, house-not-house epic and gently working its way around repeated 'to the centre' chants.
On the flip 'Insomnia' is the complete antithesis to it's a-side counterpart from the off. Opting for a dancefloor friendly tempo, North Lake crafts a moody and bass-heavy symphony of organic loops, subtle percussive samples, that will pull you in for the entire six and a half minutes.

The Montréal psych-ambient synth-droners return with Sequence Three, their first album in five years and the final instalment in the group's opening trilogy of records that began with Sequence One in 2019. The spectral supergroup co-founded by Stephen Ramsay (Young Galaxy) and Jace Lasek (The Besnard Lakes), usually joined in some capacity by Lasek's Besnard bandmate Olga Goreas, deliver another dose of its trademark longform slowburn jams, forged from restored vintage synths and analogue electronic gear. Lasek and Ramsay don their seasoned producer hats to apply rockist sound design to minimalist tracks, saturated with tube compression, drenched in pink and brown noise, all queasy modulation, sparse beats, and languorous melodic lines. Evoking a humid dawn on a gas giant, these alien drone anthems meld the numinous transcendentalism of Spiritualized and Cluster with the eroded grit of William Basinski and GAS. Light Conductor has been tagged "heavyweight analogue synth nirvana" by Uncut Magazine and praised for its "fabulous, epic, shimmeringly radiant kosmische" by Electronic Sound, among other accolades. Sequence Three consolidates these strengths, while leaning into the darker disquietude that has always been an undercurrent of Light Conductor's aesthetic. Opener "She Glitters The Dust" fades up slow with intertwining detuned synth loops, a languorous lullaby beat dropping at the 3-minute mark, accompanied by insectoid shimmers and a tease of melody that's eventually given free reign over the song's second half. Aptly titled, it's as if a transmission captured within a cosmic dust cloud has provided the raw material for the band to jam on, tease out, and terrestrialize. An echo of that beat sets the tranced pulse for "Omenize", the centerpiece of Side One and the fulfilment of Light Conductor's one-vocal-track-per-album directive. With layered harmonies by Goreas and Lasek, this is the group at its ethereally anthemic best, the devotional floating-in-space bliss attenuated by another gently warped denouement. "Ghost City Radio" closes out Side One with the band's most overtly anxious tune to date, deceptively stolid in its simple bass guitar riff and filter-swept hi-hat: groove stripped to its minimum as the foundation for an extended spokenword sample of a doomsaying prepper/preacher, a sort of homage to that early hallmark of their Godspeed compatriots, done up through the lens of Light Conductor's inimitably destabilized celestial ambience. (Lasek mixed the most recent two GY!BE albums.) Side Two offers up "High In The Orange Air", a beatless, squelching, bubbling ostinato drone and the album's most orthodox ambient kosmische track. This provides the set and setting for 15-minute closer "Supercontinent", which starts off in similar territory but gradually yields to a submerged and reversed techno pulse pumping through coruscated chordal drone, gaining in woozy mesmeric psych intensity over its inexorable hypnagogic trajectory. Sequence Three rounds out a satisfying trio of full-lengths that Light Conductor has released on Constellation, featuring vibrantly minimal geometric cover art designed by label co-founder Ian Ilavsky that integrates the trilogy as a visual series as well. In keeping with the previous two albums in the set, the Deluxe 180gLP includes a 12"x24" art poster. Thanks for listening.

Errands is the first duo recording from Marja Ahti, Swedish-Finnish sound artist and electroacoustic composer, and John McCowen, a native of Southern Illinois, now residing in Iceland, whose work centres on a radical exploration of clarinet multiphonics. Working without the aid of electronics, McCowen has spent years finessing performance techniques that allow him to layer beating patterns and split tones that belie their source in a monophonic instrument. Ahti, in contrast, has built up a stunning body of work in recent years using a classic electroacoustic palette of electronic, field recordings and instrumental sounds. Sharing a bill at the 2024 iteration of Stockholm’s Edition Festival, the pair discovered a sensibility shared across their different sonic means, beginning the collaborative process that would eventually result in the mercurial side-long pieces heard on Errands.

The word ‘errand’ suggests something purposeful but routine, and Ahti’s and McCowen’s work is suffused with the everyday. Meeting with McCowen to record in Iceland, Ahti used the opportunity to gather field recordings, capturing not the natural sublimity often associated with the country—think Chris Watson’s shifting glaciers—but everyday life in Reykjavik. Snatches of bustling streets and what could be humming engines thread between static sinewaves, stretches of clarinet resonances and fleeting textures, the latter often at once visceral and impossible to identify. Errands: we are a long way from the grandiose framing devices favoured by the pioneers of electroacoustic music, yet many of their principles are at work here. The gradual metamorphosis of one sound into another, the carefully achieved ambiguity between the acoustic and electronic, the treatment of the stereo field as a compositional element: all of these link Ahti and McCowen’s music to the electroacoustic tradition, yet their sensibility is radically different. The overall effect is a kind of stillness, but one at peace with continuous change. Like the unwieldy but somehow stylish everyday forms captured in the Hertta Kiiski photographs that adorn the record's sleeve, the music seems to prize a kind of deliberate awkwardness, interrupting static held textures not with an abrupt cut, but with a quick fade, suddenly revealing background as foreground.

Ahti and McCowen’s world is everyday and unornamented, but also shadowed by the numinous. Halfway through 'Chorales', we hear an arrangement for overdubbed recorders of an early motet of Messiaen’s, O sacrum convivium! Played on recorders, the piece shrinks into delicacy and dim memories of childhood music lessons, while at the same time its harmonies retain the grandeur of their liturgical origin. This double quality inflects much of what follows on Errands, including snatches of field-recorded water or air, which seem at once elemental and domestic. Enlivened with countless details that repay repeated relistening, Errands is a record that leaves the listener ready to open their ears anew to their own sound environment.

'La Proyección' is the debut LP by Jose María Lluch, featuring 11 compositions developed between 2015 and 2024. Recorded and assembled in his home studio, the album combines fingerpicked guitar, field recordings, tape manipulation, and ethereal soundscapes into a deeply personal listening experience. A reflection on memory, imperfection, and the freedom to create without external expectations. 'La Proyección', the debut LP by Jose María Lluch, an architect and musician from San Sebastián, emerges as a transition-a gradual shift that unfolded over time. Intimate and innocent, disconnected and erratic at times, the 11 compositions presented here are drawn from recordings spanning nine years, between 2015 and 2024. Humbly assembled in his home studio, the music invites listeners to let their minds drift as the processes of composition, recording, and editing intertwine. Field recordings from everyday life, fingerpicked guitar, soothing harmonics, tape manipulation, and ethereal soundscapes are combined with a naïve openness. The album reveals the joy found in imperfection. Rarely do we have the chance to glimpse someone's work in its most unguarded form, without a specific context, after years spent making music simply as a way to break away-not for anyone else, but for oneself. The songs on 'La Proyección' reveal that very essence, shaped by a shared memory.

Agents Of Time return to Afterlife with two heartrending audio expeditions.

Italian act Agents Of Time have established a sterling reputation over the years. Their mesmerising approach to club music blends emotive melodies and transcendent rhythms, with dance floor-centred beats.

The Mirage EP begins with its title cut; enveloping the listener is a swathe of atmospheric synth and pad work from the off. Oscillating frequencies complement the sultry rhythms while a life-affirming riff forms the stirring centrepiece. On the flip ‘Northern Lights’ is a sensitive, emotive composition which gradually increases its emotional impact as it builds and evolves.

»Cosmogonical Ears« is Amosphère's first album for Hallow Ground. Following her contribution to the Swiss label’s »Epiphanies« compilation and her 2021 full-length debut »More Die of Heartbreak« on 33-33, it features three expansive pieces. The Paris-based composer and multidisciplinary artist delves deeper into themes of time, space, cosmology, human perception, and psycho-physical effects, crafting profound sonic meditations. Drawing on a minimalist approach while blending electronic and acoustic elements, Amosphère’s long-form compositions are living, breathing entities whose sonic richness and evocative power unfold gradually over time, putting »Cosmogonical Ears« in direct kinship with previous Hallow Ground releases by artists such as Kali Malone and FUJI|||||||||||TA.

The album opens with its longest piece, »Land of eternal delight,« composed for the Buddha10 exhibition at the Museo d'Arte Orientale in Turin. Written during three years of isolation—a period in which Amosphère explored meditation practices and diverse belief systems—it merges mythology with personal transcendental experiences, reflecting on a challenging time for humanity. »By blending Buddhist philosophy and sculpture with my own meditation practices, I sought to explore a way for people to transcend the boundaries of space and time—not as a believer, but as an observer,« she explains. Featuring handmade ceramic instruments and recorded by Thomas Lefevre, the piece combines Amosphère’s electronic organ with Marc Lochner’s flute contributions, creating a sound that is simultaneously minimalist and expansive.

The concept of teleportation and how it challenges traditional notions of time and space serves as the foundation for the second piece. »Recent advances in quantum physics suggest that teleportation might be possible through quantum entanglement,« Amosphère notes. »What if science fiction is becoming reality—or has already existed in ancient times?« Drawing inspiration from theories proposed by physicists such as Roger Penrose, Amosphère again worked together with flutist Lochner, this time using her VCS 3 synthesizer. »Teleportation« weaves single notes into intricate, non-linear patterns that defy conventional logic, creating a complex auditory tapestry. The last piece »Black hole in, white hole out« was recorded on Corsica and features Miao Zhao’s bass clarinet drones alongside Amosphère’s church organ. It imagines the possible sound of crossing a black hole while also suggesting the study of its theoretical exit and its potential applications for large-scale time and space travel.

The questions posed by »Cosmogonical Ears« do not yield straightforward answers. Instead, Amosphère’s restrained yet intricately layered compositions require full immersion and concentration from the listener. As expressed by the album’s title—which envisions the birth of a new universe through listening—»Cosmogonical Ears« offers an experimental approach to auditory perception as a tool for seeking truth, freedom, and harmony between the outer world and the inner self.

Leo Gibbon returns to Mudline with barbed, a six-track suite of dust-worn, sample-driven constructions pieced together from a balcony while travelling. Built from fragments that retain the emotional weight of their origins, the EP finds Gibbon paring his sound back to its essentials, letting cracked loops, negative space and tactile percussion carry a quiet sense of intimacy. There's a subtle tension throughout, music suspended between memory and movement, where worn textures and carefully preserved imperfections become part of the composition itself.

James Massiah appears on the record with a characteristically measured performance, his delivery drawing on the cadence and phrasing of archived poet freestyles, less spoken word than an act of excavation, recalling a lineage of recorded voices whose authority comes from rhythm, restraint and lived experience. His presence folds seamlessly into the EP's weathered textures, becoming another fragment in Gibbon's collage rather than a conventional guest appearance.

The first half drifts through reflective, inward-looking terrain before the second side gradually opens towards the dancefloor, never abandoning the emotional pull that defines the record. Even at its most club-focused, barbed favours understated pressure over obvious peaks, allowing atmosphere and texture to carry as much weight as rhythm. Mastered by Miles Whittaker, every grain, scrape and imperfection is left intact, balancing grit with clarity and reinforcing Mudline's instinct for raw, emotionally resonant club music that feels as honest as it does functional.

Tiffany Day has quickly emerged as one of the most compelling voices in hyper-digital pop, blending emotional chaos, internet-born edge, and forward-thinking production into a sound entirely her own. Born in Toronto and raised in Kansas, Tiffany first broke through with a viral cover of “Hallelujah,” building a YouTube audience of over 500,000 subscribers before graduating high school. She began releasing original music in college, quickly developing a devoted fanbase drawn to her wit, vulnerability, and genre-fluid instincts.

A self-directed creative force, Tiffany has made her live show a defining pillar of her artistry, fusing choreography, visuals, and electronic-driven transitions that push her beyond traditional pop performance. In 2024, she independently funded and sold out several headline shows across a North American tour. She later expanded into the DJ scene, launching BASSFLUFF, a series of standalone events that generated viral moments DJing everywhere from gyms to nail salons.

Her 2025 releases marked a sharp sonic evolution, leaning into electroclash and hyperpop textures. Singles like “BREAKUP,” “TELL ME WHAT I DID,” and “START OVER” generated millions of views across platforms and earned coverage from NME, Ones to Watch, On The Radar, and beyond, positioning her at the forefront of a new wave of digital-native pop artists.

That momentum culminates in her album HALO, released April 3, 2026 via Broke Records. The project debuted at #1 on the Apple Music Electronic chart and #25 on the Billboard Electronic/Dance Albums Chart, drawing early co-signs from artists like Laufey and Yunjin (LE SSERAFIM) alongside coverage from Pitchfork, The FADER, NYLON, LA Times, and more. To mark the release, Tiffany staged three headline shows—each of which sold out in under five minutes. With her production across nearly every track, HALO marks Tiffany's most cohesive and ambitious work to date, solidifying her not just as an artist to watch, but as a defining voice in the next era of hyperpop.