Buscar:lean year

Following the critical success of last year’s ‘Cold Feet’ LP, producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist Alek Lee returns to Isle of Jura with his most introspective work to date, the ‘Blue Bird’ album. Across eight tracks, the Athens-based artist explores what he describes as a "Peculiar state of minds & Dub Orientated Feelings," blending his signature guerrilla style production with deep, organic soul.

The album’s centerpiece and title track, ‘Blue Bird’ features the haunting vocals of singer-songwriter Keren Ilan. It is a raw, heartfelt exploration of the aftermath of a breakup. The lyrics speak of a "desert heart" and a "loss that grows tall and loud," eventually finding a path toward healing as the "blue bird sings the dawn." Musically, the track is anchored by hazy, sun drenched guitars, a central instrument that weaves a consistent Balearic thread throughout the LP.

The journey through ‘Blue Bird’ is one of shifting shadows and unexpected textures. ‘Treasures’ is a standout instrumental, leaning into a grit-flecked, bluesy "twang" reminiscent of Duane Eddy, while ‘The Beach Road’ sees long time collaborator and ‘Shame On Us’ bandmate, Yovav, lending his magical bass and guitar work to a track that feels like a slow drive toward the horizon.

Side B shifts the energy toward the dancefloor and the sophisticated leftfield pop of the 80s. ‘First Rain’ is a subtle house leaning gem underpinned by a kick drum and lush, synth heavy emotive chord progression. ‘Thanks to Sade’ is a seductive downtempo groove with epic guitar lines shifting through, while ‘Remember the Good’ brings a subtle reggae skank and a French-influenced organ sound into the mix. The LP comes full circle with a smoked out Dub version of the title track ‘Blue Bird’.

A 180 gram pressing in a 3mm spine full colour sleeve and sticker designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

IMAGE Recordings emerges from the underground with its 5th transmission. Marking the label’s first release of the year, this 4-track EP is a mix of fresh sounding Techno, House and Electro tunes but still having the DNA of the late-90s groove to them. These are pure club tools that are made for the dance floor. Forget ordinary... This is the future..

In true IMAGE fashion, this is a strictly limited run with no repress.
In Motion: Abstract Grooves & Electronica

Oliver Koletzki Releases Twelfth Studio Album 12

The beautifully crafted twelve-track opus is out now via Stil vor Talent.
Berlin-based artist, DJ, producer and Stil vor Talent co-founder Oliver Koletzki today releases his twelfth studio album, “12” — a deeply considered, emotionally rich long-player that marks the next chapter in a career spanning more than two decades at the forefront of electronic music. The album is out now on Stil vor Talent in digital formats and as a 2x12” gatefold vinyl.

Serving as both a milestone and a manifesto, “12” distils Koletzki’s evolving sound into its most refined form yet. Across twelve tracks, the album explores atmosphere, restraint and emotional clarity, balancing slow-burning club energy with introspective storytelling. It’s a record shaped by experience, patience and an unwavering attention to detail; qualities that have long defined Koletzki’s output as both an artist and a label curator.

The journey begins with album opener “Petrichor”, a quietly powerful introduction built around wistful organ chords that gradually unfold into a warm, hypnotic groove. Acting as the album’s emotional threshold, the track sets the tone for what follows: music that rewards immersion, thrives on nuance and unfolds with deliberate pace. From there, 12 moves seamlessly between introspective moments and more direct dance floor statements, always guided by Koletzki’s unmistakable melodic sensibility.

Singles released in the lead-up to the album offered carefully sequenced glimpses into its breadth. December’s “Trip With Me”, a collaboration with Frida Darko, brought playful energy and sharp modern club dynamics, while January’s “I Don’t Need Your Love” delivered a confident, emotionally charged statement rooted in Koletzki’s introspective yet club-ready DNA. February’s “Petrichor” revealed the album’s cinematic depth, followed by “Schnapsidee” in March — a track that leans into groove, character and subtle eccentricity.

Elsewhere on the album, tracks like “Logic”, “It’s All Gone” and “Tick Tick” showcase Koletzki’s ability to create tension and release through finely balanced arrangements, while “La Hora de Mosquitos” and “Calle Sur” hint at the global influences that continue to shape his sound. The closing stretch — from “About the Fox and a Tiger” through “What Remains” to “Voice or Noise” (with Frida Darko) — brings the album to a reflective, yet characteristically playful conclusion.

As a whole, “12” feels purposeful and cohesive, guided by a clear narrative arc rather than fleeting trends. It reflects the maturity of an artist with nothing left to prove, yet still driven by curiosity and a desire to evolve. Much like Koletzki’s previous albums, “12” stands as a self-contained world, inviting listeners to step inside and stay.

Released on Stil vor Talent, the album also reinforces the label’s ethos of artistic freedom, quality and long-term vision. Now over 20 years strong, the imprint continues to shape contemporary electronic music while remaining deeply rooted in underground culture: a balance Koletzki himself has embodied throughout his career.

Rising star Storm Mollison lands her debut on Heist with an ep blending House & R 'n B and we're completely hooked.

The future is looking bright for Storm Mollison - Heist's newest. Marked as artist to look out for by Shazam on their fast forward 2026 list, Storm's got a bright and busy year ahead, after an already big 2025. Last year alone, she featured on Kiki's hit 'Getting ready for the party', featured on a Mixmag London event and a Raw Cuts X Heist ADE party, had her first cover feature on Spotify, multiple radio 1 appearances, released several singles, a full EP on Noir Fever and a Luuk van Dijk remix.

If that's not enough to get you excited, we suggest you just listen to her 'Act like that' EP on Heist. In Storm's own words: "it's the most exciting music I've made so far" and we couldn't agree more. Her EP is a perfect blend of her love for house music and soulful R 'n B with its 4 tracks smothered in deep chords, smooth vocals and crunchy textures.

EP opener 'Doing Sumthin'' has been a staple in Dam Swindle's sets ever since receiving Storm's first demo and has never failed to make the crowd bounce from left to right with its quirky and equally cool vocal courtesy of Aaron Pfeiffer. Sometimes, you just need someone to tell you which way to move and before you know it, the whole club is doing it. The beat is chunky, and the sax lick is a nice wink to the old school house that has influences Storm's sound so much.

Act Like That - the EP's title track -, is a modern R' n B song that could have easily been on Rochelle Jordan's latest album. The lyrics are perfectly delivered by Storm herself and celebrate women who stand up to unreliable men. It could well be the badass soundtrack of womanhood for 2026 delivered in a silky-smooth package that'll live rent-free in your head for the foreseeable future.

On the flipside is "Gotta Go', an undercover dancefloor burner with lush keys and a lean-back groove. The track relies on crisp textures and little frizzles all throughout the track, with a big breakdown for ultimate release.

Ep closer 'Workin' takes us back into R 'n B territory, this time in a very danceable form. Storm's soft vocals lie on top of a steady beat with deep chords and a bassline so sexy It'll make you get down no matter where you're hearing this.

It's hard to speak about a breakthrough for an artist that has already seen such a rise in the scene, but if we're talking about her music, this will be the record that people come back to after years and say, "remember when she releases ALT!?"

As always, enjoy the music and play it loud!

Yours, Maarten & Lars

Mathias Kaden announces the ‘Three Decades’ LP on Rekids, releasing 3rd April 2026, with single ‘Fyutr’ featuring Zoë Xenia and a remix from the legendary Dennis Ferrer available now. His third full-length, following 2009’s ‘Studio 10’ on Vakant and 2015’s ‘Energetic’ on Freunden Am Tanzen, ‘Three Decades’ spans nine tracks and celebrates Kaden’s 30-year career as one of Germany’s most enduring House and Techno figures.

The ‘Three Decades' album opens with a title intro, in which Mathias Kaden expresses gratitude to those closest to him before moving into his signature deep, emotive House sound. Tracks like ‘Keep Balance’ set the tone with sub-heavy bass and crisp, driving drums, occasionally punctuated by vocal snippets, while ‘I Got You’ features Cassy for a high-energy, soulful dancefloor moment. Reminiscent of Kaden’s work as Mathimidori, the dubbiness of ‘Getting Closer’ sets the stage for ‘Inner Signal’, which leans into wiggy electro territory, before the second record shifts gears with ‘Next Wave’ and ‘Shelter’, returning to pacey, piano-fuelled rave energy.

‘Viral’ follows with tough drums and excellent stab work, before the album closes on ‘Fyutr’, Kaden’s collaboration with Zoë Xenia, already supported by Honey Dijon, DJ Deep, Laurent Garnier, and more. Active since the mid-90s, Mathias Kaden quickly became one of the artists at the forefront of Germany’s flourishing rave scene. He began releasing music in the early 2000s, first collaborating with Marek Hemmann on a series of EPs for Freude Am Tanzen, before establishing himself as a solo artist with more than two dozen EPs on labels including Desolat, Watergate Records, Pets Recordings, Diynamic, Ovum, and Cocoon. Since first appearing on Rekids in 2019 with the ‘Control Your Mind’ EP, Kaden has released multiple projects on the label and remains a regular contributor to its catalogue.

Alongside his own productions, he has remixed artists such as DJ Koze, KiNK, Monika Kruse, Trentemøller, and Sven Väth, while under his Mathimidori alias, he has explored more spacious territory with releases on Mule Musiq, Ornaments, and Freund der Familie, including an additional album, ‘Akebono’, on Echocord.

Rob Clouth returns to Mesh with Cicada, a follow-up to his EP earlier this year and a continuation of his ever-curious approach to the outer limits of electronic music.

An artist who has spent much of his career committed to a dialogue between scientific phenomena and music built for big soundsystems, Bichillo signalled a segue into a more free-running idea of creativity - one that didn’t pander to unrealistic expectations and, essentially, brought the fun back to Rob’s production process. A theme also explored in a link-up with long-time collaborator and label boss Max Cooper on their recent joint EP 8 Billion Realities, out now on Mesh.

Cicada, he continues to expand on this universe, prioritising experimentation over concept, and arriving at some of the funnest music he’s ever made.

Like a field of insects, ‘Cicada’ opens with cross-rhythmic layers of animated glitches, soon joined by huge bass swells that gradually build into a maximal tranced out build-up and a swarm of vocal chops. ‘Core’ builds a quietly dramatic symphony of machinist built sound - a soothing polyphony of computers singing. Leaning into an off-kilter 2-step, ‘Gummy Clusters’ swirls into a hazy blur of distorted voices and acoustic rhythms. Closing things off, ‘Grefuser’ puts pedal to the metal with a high BPM storm of pointillist drums and melancholic leads.

Cicada is music that twitches and mutates, but most importantly, breathes fun into the circuitry.

‘Cicada’ lands Friday 20th March via Mesh.

2026 Repress

since his first ep tips' on luciano's label cadenza in 2007 producer and dj petre inspirescu emerged into one of the key figures of the romanian electronic music scene.

so far he released music on labels such as vinyl club, lick my deck or amphia. together with his buddies rhadoo and raresh he also launched in 2007 the label (a:rpia:r) -  a platform where he, his two friends and many producers from romania and abroad released detailed grooving house and techno, that stands out with delicate structures and one-of-a-kind grooves.

both of his more dance floor oriented solo albums intr-o seara organica...' and gradina onirica for (a:rpia:r) are enlarged with melodies, sounds and harmonies that go beyond the usual characteristics of a dance album.

furthermore his love for classic musicians like mily alexejewitsch balakirev, alexander porfiryevich borodin or or nicolai andrejewitsch rimsky-korsakow can be felt in the album padurea de aur (opus 2 in re major) and two more eps that he released under the alias pensemble on the romanian label yojik concon in order to unite classical spheres with analogue electronic music production.

in february 2013 he also released his highly acclaimed fabric mix cd that only features dance floor leaning music produced by himself. with talking waters' he published in late 2014 his first 12inch on mule musiq that is now followed by the full-length album vin ploile' which he produced without the intention to entertain with easy to hook up rhythms, melodies and harmonies.

even tough he established himself as a internationally playing house dj that regularly performs at all major clubs, festivals and other party destinations around the globe: as a musician petre inspirescu always tries to enter new territories to explore with a heartfelt human touch the infinite space of sound.

for his latest album the man that originally comes from the eastern romanian town braila stepped away from his former experiments of melting classical spheres with electronic music. instead the 36-years old man from bucharest only used some piano, string and wind instrument elements and analogue electronics to arrange a gracefully deep ocean of sound.

all slow grooving tracks spread the atmosphere of live improvised sessions that are edited, tweaked and mixed to perfection. in-the-moment moods of strange and unusual analogue synth sounds groove in a fluid quality with subliminal bass shapes, latinate percussions, jazz rhythms and acoustic melodies.

together they create a gaseous kinetic atmosphere full of tangible rhythm patterns, delicate chords and ghostly modular synth pads - all mixed subtle to create space for the tones between the tones.

you can call it a hypnotic after hour album for after hours that are dedicated to a deep listening experience. you can tag his arrangements as brilliantly textured and musically super-charged ambient, which goes beyond the usual definition of the genre.

all nine suspenseful compositions seduce with a deep melodic sensibility, harmonic adventures and an overall rhythmic ambiance of freshness and laidback enthusiasm. together they represent a challenging auditory experience that will resonate in your mind long after the music has finished. 

Continuum Recordings’ debut is signed by Rambal Cochet: Dimensions Drift. Over recent years, the prolific Krasnodar-based producer has steadily built a reputation within the global underground scene through releases on labels such as Junction Forest and space lab, where EPs like Seeds of Unconsciousness and Galatians Syndrome showcased his ability to merge hypnotic techno frameworks with trance-driven atmospheres and progressive momentum. His productions are defined by fluid arrangements, immersive textures, and a strong sense of narrative movement, earning consistent support and recognition as an undisputed, emerging force. Limited to 300 copies, the inaugural release on Continuum Recordings, CR-001 sets a clear foundation for the label’s vision: bridging timeless club, trance-infused aesthetics with forward-looking electronic exploration.

Artwork by @leandrofaina

Fides Records is ready to introduce the 4th chapter of the10-year anniversary series with. X4 leans into momentum and contrast with its hard-groove pressure, dub-chord depth, and melodic release that showcases a side of the label where functional club tools and emotional storytelling sit naturally together.

Side A begins with Rebecca Delle Piane’s “Genomica”, a driving techno train powered by tightly layered elements and rhythmic tenacity, marking another step forward for one of Italy’s most exciting rising artists. Rorschack follows with “Primeriti”, weaving dubby chords and rolling basslines around a haunting female vocal. Closing the side, Berlin-based SLV lands with “Ritual Resonance”, a hard-groove banger that fuses percussive urgency with dub-chord sophistication.

Flipping to Side B, OFF GRID’s “The Roots” stands out as a colorful, mental hardgroove tool: elegant in detail yet built for drive, striking a heady balance between control and impact. Francesco Devincenti’s “Joanaz” brings trance tinged melodic techno with harmonic depth and cinematic intensity, opening the door to a more emotive register. The record closes with Endrew’s “Alright”, a powerhous

Stepping up for Punctuality number 8 is the dynamic duo of Ciel and Matthis Ruffing. Needing little introduction, both artists are prolific producers and collaborators across tempos and genres. Toronto-based Ciel has released music on labels like NAFF, Peach Discs, and !K7, while Berliner Matthis Ruffing’s work can be found on International Chrome, Infinite Drift, and Strictly Strictly, to name just a few.

Bonding over a shared love for the techno stylings of Claude Young and early 2000s tech/prog house from labels like Future Groove and Slide, the duo’s collaboration began with a spontaneous jam in Ruffing’s Berlin studio during the summer of 2022. With an organic studio chemistry, the pair continued to jam over the following years. Hot Squid is the result of these studio experiments: five tracks of sleek, muscular, contemporary tech house that fluidly distill the creative visions of both artists—slick, shimmering grooves, heavily weighted for the dancefloor.

The title track, Hot Squid, weaves dubbed-out waves of FX and low-end sonics around metallic, staccato drum bursts, sci-fi pads, stuttered vocals, and syncopated snares that flit and flicker around a rolling bassline reminiscent of golden-era UK tech house from the late ’90s. Roza Terenzi’s remix flips the original into a modern, low-stepping tek roller—a mind-bending re-fix that puts more focus on the snaking vocal groove and a sparser percussion arrangement, filled out with lustrous textures and razor-precise sound design.

On Little Voice, glossy synths and spiraling atmospherics cascade around a mesmeric vocal line, while tightly wound, minimal drum loops give way to a swaggering bassline that barely relents throughout the track. The result is a satisfyingly boshy, groove-driven roller, fit for the dancefloor at any time of day.
Late Summer maintains the EP’s high-grade production standard in the form of a dreamy, electro-leaning tech house number, resplendent with deep, pummeling kick drums, woozy low-end, and organic sonics. Its plucked melody and introspective pads nod to halcyon-era IDM and the Detroit techno that inspired the duo in creating Hot Squid.

The release culminates in Bong Bong—a meditative dancefloor tool suffused with ASMR-like nature documentary samples that lend the track a psychedelic intimacy. Careening percussion lines and swooning chord stabs anchor the rhythm, while the title’s “Bong Bong” mantra hums beneath the surface, carried along by barely perceptible sub fills and ultra-processed percussion. A cohesive, unique, and enduring take on seminal tech house and Detroit techno from Ciel and Matthis Ruffing.

Bézier ripples their way back to Dark Entries with Decompose, an LP of doomed spa music. Multi-instrumentalist Robert Yang has made numerous appearances on Dark Entries for more than a decade, with releases spanning the stylistic gamut from hi-NRG disco floor-fillers to lush ambient epics. Decompose, Bézier’s second LP, is perhaps his most introspective work yet. It is an album almost ten years in the making, a deep investigation of life, loss, and the struggle of knowing oneself. If one were to pull a tarot deck for this album it would be the Nine of Swords. The album honors the lives of the fallen victims of Pulse Nightclub. It honors lives lost or suffering through the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The title track takes the form of a Buddhist chant, a brooding synth-driven meditation that scales steadily until breaking into John Carpenter-esque arpeggios halfway through. Tracks like “Egg,” “Marionette,” and “A Fading Citadel Atop Black Sand Bluffs” build on this soundworld, one in which intricate melodies and cavernous reverb induce in the listener feelings of both claustrophobia and free-fall. The album’s dancefloor-leaning moments, like “Codebreaking” and “Split a Path Towards the Thicket” are spartan, tunnel-vision techno tracks speeding towards ego-death. Decompose chronicles Yang’s journey to find peace with himself, as a gay Asian American. During this process, they learned to “repot” long-lost parts of their identity so they could grow forth in wholesome fashion. The sleeve for Decompose was designed by Eloise Shir-Juen Leigh, and features a photograph by Frankie Casillo of Robert laying on a bed of rocks in savasana pose, resembling an ascetic, evocative of the monastic vibes of the record.

DJ Tennis expands the universe of his recent single ‘Playa Paradiso’ featuring vocals by multifaceted British artist Eliza with a deep-diving Club Mix, retooling “Playa Paradiso” into a darker, longer-burning version aimed squarely at the dance floor.
Stripping back the sun-kissed gloss of the original, the Club Mix leans into his precision production instincts; elongating the groove, tightening the rhythm, and letting the low-end shine. With the vocal weaving in and out like a guiding light through the haze, it’s a hypnotic take that trades coastal charm for heady club
elevation. A masterclass in tension and release, the Club Mix underscores DJ Tennis’s ability to balance emotional depth with dance floor functionality. The remix is a reframing of “Playa Paradiso” for the night shift: smoke-filled rooms, peak-time crescendos, and sunrise afterglows. Both versions capture different corners of the
same world, one that basks in the Balearic sun, and the other pulsing in the strobe.
Together, they mark a full-circle return for DJ Tennis’s first solo material in three years as an artist whose sonic world has always defied simple categorization.

Five years on from her debut on the label, Surgeons Girl returns to Livity Sound with an EP of explorative, synth-rich techno. In the time since A Violet Sleep announced Sinead McMillan's fulsome analogue sound, she's maintained a considered presence with live, hardware-rooted performance and a select handful of releases.
On A Moment To Machine EP, McMillan showcases a widescreen strain of techno that leans into the expressive, emotional weight of powerful synth composition while maintaining a fierce physicality tuned up for the club. 'Under This Space' and 'Razor's Whip' dart along upwards of 150 without sacrificing depth and subtlety, while 'Steps Right' and 'Silken Place' shelve drums in favour of cascading arpeggios. 'Rested' brings balance to the record with needlepoint rhythmic exploration and pensive pads, rounding out Surgeons Girl's ever-developing, highly personal approach to techno.

Concrete City's two residents re-emerge with 'Serious Coin', the second long-player from label head DJ Superherb and long-time collaborator Ten Years Lost. Where their 2023 debut basked in heat-hazed hedonism, this follow-up sharpens the focus. At times deeper, and consistently drawing from the pair's shared language, Serious Coin is an unmissable entry in the Full Dose catalogue.

Across eight tracks, the duo lean further into their soulful instincts, balancing weighty low-end pressure with a distinctly human emotional warmth. Vocoded vocals, coalescing with dungeon synths, being carried by heavily swung rhythms represent a new strand in the pair's musical DNA.

The album captures the stillness of early morning city streets, yet still manages to push rhythmic elements forward. Barely-present samples and subtly detuned synths give the tracks a lived-in feel, as if they’ve already soundtracked a hundred late nights before reaching your speakers.

Like the first, this album has one foot firmly in dancefloor utility and the other in headphone introspection. Don't miss this dustier and deeper evolution to the Full Dose sound!

We’re back on PANORAMA Records with a stone cold cult classic from Danser’s Inferno, lifting “Sombre Guitar” off their elusive 1973 LP Creation One and giving it a fresh run on 7inch. Long treasured by jazz heads and deep-digging DJs, it’s one of those records that has been in the bags of discerning music lovers for years, moving dancers.

Musically, “Sombre Guitar” sits in that sweet spot between Latin jazz and jazz-funk – rolling congas, driving kit, tight horn lines and that drifting, melodic guitar figure that pulls everything together. It’s lively and percussive enough for the dancefloor, but still has that slightly cinematic, reflective feel that rewards proper listening too. A true jazz dance cut that works just as well at home as it does in a warm-up or end-of-night moment.

This PANORAMA edition brings it back into reach, cut loud and clear so it can do what it was always meant to do: move a room.

As ever, PANORAMA Records is about unearthing and reintroducing rare and essential music to new ears. From German jazz and Brazilian fusion to Latin-leaning grooves like this, the focus is on records with real soul and longevity, remastered with care and treated with the respect they deserve.

Damian Lazarus reveals the eighth chapter of Crosstown Rebels acclaimed annual ‘SPIRITS’ VA compilation series.

The latest instalment sees the label founder once again curating a carefully balanced lineup of emerging voices and established names, with the eight-track collection set for release on 30th January 2026.

Since its inception in 2017, Damian Lazarus’ SPIRITS series has become a trusted barometer for the year ahead, spotlighting forward-thinking artists and cutting-edge club music from across the global electronic landscape. With ‘SPIRITS VIII’, Crosstown Rebels continues this tradition, delivering a refi ned yet adventurous selection that moves seamlessly between hypnotic house, melodic depth, and late-night energy - building on the momentum of previous volumes and capturing the label’s unmistakable essence.

Opening the release, Raz Alon sets the tone with ‘Hey It’s Me’, a warm and immersive opener that draws listeners in with emotive touches and fluid groove work. Lost Desert follows with ‘Ultima’, leaning into trippy, melodic-tinged sensibilities as tumbling rhythms meet expansive atmospheres and subtly evolving motifs. On the flip, TIMANTI ventures into a captivating voyage with ‘Warrior Spirit’, pairing swirling synths with hazy melodies, before STEB delivers ‘House Of STEB’, a groove-led cut packed with personality, swing, and club-ready flair.
The journey continues with Yuvèe’s ‘Set The Fire’, featuring FADO, a hypnotic and vocal-led track that balances emotional weight with understated rhythmic pressure. Ekoboy then ups the intensity on ‘Lose Control’, combining crisp percussion with infectious momentum designed for peak-time moments. On the final stretch, MADI brings a reflective buy playful touch with ‘Around Me’, weaving lush textures and subtle dynamics into a deeply absorbing listen, before JUAAN closes the compilation with ‘Bass Cliente’, a punchy and bass-forward finale that rounds things out with raw club energy.

With its continued ability to champion new talent while welcoming respected artists into its orbit, Crosstown Rebels remains a vital force within electronic music. SPIRITS VIII stands as another clear statement of the label’s vision, reaffirming its role in shaping the sound of contemporary house and techno.

It’s with great pride that we announce this amazing album on Optimo Music from Portland-based duo Natural Magic. It was the final vinyl release that Keith McIvor aka JD Twitch put into production before his untimely departure in late September this year.

Having been a long time lover of everything krautrock, space rock, experimental and psychedelic it seems more than fitting that he leaves us this LP as his parting gift; because this sublime album is all these things wrapped up into one and much more.

The album’s opening track “Galaxy Builder”, with its driving tempo, monolithic bass and screaming guitars might give the impression we’re about to hear a Neu for the 21st Century, but no, by the 2nd track we’re already on the first of several wild detours into uncharted territories: part shoe gaze, part ethereal, part psychedelia it’s a unique piece of beautiful euphoria from start to finish. By the time we reach the end of the A-side’s closing track “Distant Bells” the whole place is in tears after hearing possibly one of the most poignant pieces of electronic music of the entire year.

The B-side takes us even deeper into this trip through the duo’s homeland in the Pacific Northwest opening with “Skyward Eye”. If the Orb had ever teamed up with Slowdive and gotten Andrew Weatherall on production this could be it. “Get It Right” is a fuzz-filled epic with heavy dub leanings and meanings...it soars high up into the beyond and prepares us for “Ride”; an unashamed space voyage in the true sense…cosmic guitars, laden with FX; before returning gently down to the rolling green hills of Earth with the closing track “Chugsby’s Theme”. Whoever Chugsby is, his vibe is organic, deeply grounded and beautiful.

In the duo’s own words:

“Natural Magic II is a west coast road trip soundtrack for the fading summer. Taking inspiration from the majesty and myths of their home in the Pacific Northwest, the seven track album is culled from the late night, dimly lit, live sessions of Mike McKinnon on keys/drums and Matthew Quiet on bass. Overdubs of guitar, synths and percussion followed. All this from the same space they throw their legendary Limited Edition parties - all-night free experimentation celebrations in their own right. The album art work is handmade flower pigments, opium poppy pollen ink and wood-scrap charcoal by their friend and collaborator Pith Cocomici. Roll the widows down, tilt the seat back and turn it up. Gas, grass or black mass... there's magic in the hills.

Cristi Cons makes his Crosstown Rebels debut with his latest EP, ‘Give Me Love’.

The three-track exploration of rhythm, tension, and hypnotic club craft lands on 16th January 2026.
Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels imprint opens its 2026 release schedule with a special label debut from Romanian favourite Cristi Cons, as he delivers a magnetic three-tracker in the form of his ‘Give Me Love’ EP. Known for his precise, minimal-infl ected approach and unwavering command of groove, Cristi’s arrival onto the label brings a release that distils his signature tension-and-release architecture into some of its most direct club form yet.

The title track, ‘Give Me Love’, unfolds with subtle vocal refrains, shadowy atmospheres, and a rolling, elastic groove built for late-night momentum. On the B-side, ‘Can You Hear Me’ channels a sleeker, more hypnotic pulse, with dubby textures, restrained bass pressure, hooky vocals, and a snaking groove to keep dancers moving. Closing the EP, ‘You Ain’t Got Nothin’ brings vibrant synths, tight drum programming, and more captivating vocal use into a head-down trip that leans into Cons’s innate ability to craft late-night and early-hours journeys.

A longstanding architect of Romania’s influential underground, Cristi Cons has carved a reputation through his solo work, his collaborative SIT project with Vlad Caia, and their shared imprint, Amphia, which now stands as a true force within the minimal landscape. Alongside regular appearances across Europe’s key institutions and collaborations with revered names, including Raresh as part of their Verico project along with Caia, Cristi continues to evolve with each release - and ‘Give Me Love’ delivers yet another side to his diverse sound as he steps into the Crosstown Rebels fold to open the year.

Hiver completes a trilogy of EPs on Gudu with ‘Blue Hell’, another transmission of space-age machine funk from a duo who are truly shaping their own soundworld.

If you’ve followed Hiver, you should know the deal by now: they’ve spent the last decade honing a sound that draws heavily from dance music history – namely the starry-eyed synthesizer funk of classic techno and electro – that drips in colour and emotion without ever feeling retrograde. ‘Blue Hell’ is their third EP for Gudu, and maybe their most accomplished yet.

In Hiver’s words, “this EP was shaped by a mix of late night club energy and the more introspective, melodic ideas we’ve been exploring in the past years. A big part of it also comes from the tension between how people connect today. This constant, hyper-connected flow of networks, media, and online exchanges and our own way of creating music, which is very physical and personal. We’re always bouncing ideas through messages and files, but the real magic still happens when we meet in the studio, face to face. That contrast between digital connection and human presence became a sort of hidden theme behind the EP.”

“With Blue Hell, our third chapter on Gudu, we wanted to capture a moment of clarity, something direct yet still drifting. In a way, this release completes the excursion we began with the first two records: three points that trace the contours of the sounds we’re drawn to. Each track feels like a fragment of that journey, grounded in rhythm but always leaning toward depth and escape.”

Fides Records pushes further into its 10-year anniversary journey with X3, the third chapter of the series. Staying true to the label’s decade-long commitment to forward-minded underground techno, this new instalment sharpens the focus with five cuts that move between peak-time impact, melancholic tension, and dubwise pressure—each one a different angle on the Fides aesthetic.

Side A opens with Dustin Zahn’s “Madness”, a no-nonsense peak-time weapon built on stomping momentum, immersive pressure, and relentless drive—proof of why the US veteran remains a constant reference point. Marco Bruno follows with “Aura”, where melancholic leads and detuned synths shape an introspective yet heavy-hitting groove, capturing the Italian producer’s emotional weight and versatility. Closing the side, JANEIN (co-founder of Seelen Records) delivers “Polaris”, a spatial, bleepy roller that leans into darkness while keeping the propulsion locked forward.

Flipping to Side B, Yant’s “Fractured” shifts the palette: playful yet precise, kinetic in motion, with textures that keep mutating as the rhythm snaps into place. DHÆÜR “Sealand” captures the mood of a young Italian artist carving a new lane in minimal, elegant, unapologetic techno—energized and raw, yet defined by clean design, confident restraint, and a sharp personal signature. The record concludes with Hadone’s “No Longer Observed”, a dub-tinged stomper rich in detail and low-end depth; club-weight with an emotional undercurrent, balancing elegance and power in a way that feels unmistakably Fides.

The legacy of wipE′out′′ has transcended time and cemented itself as a true transgenerational phenomenon. Launched in 1995, it didn’t just revolutionise the gaming industry, it created a bridge between the gaming ecosystem and the raver community. Its futuristic aesthetics and forward-thinking sound left a mark not only on mainstream audiences but also on the most demanding corners of the underground.

Decades later, the game’s impact is still alive. The release in 2023 of The Zero Gravity Soundtrack on Lapsus Records proved once again that wipE′out′′’s accompanying audio will go down in history as much more than just an anti-gravity racing game soundtrack.

This is why we decided to go deeper into the slipstream and build the second volume you’re now holding in your hands. Drawn from the original archives of Tim Wright, aka CoLD SToRAGE, this new collection surfaces unreleased cuts, pieces that couldn’t fit on the first edition, and a suite of self-authored ambient reworks that translate pure velocity into wide-screen atmospherics engineered for the long straights, the drone of airbrakes, the blue hour between checkpoints. It also reconnects the circuit, gathering selections and variants tied to later chapters of the saga — wipE′out′′ HD and wipE′out′′ Pure — plus alternative mixes that, until now, only existed in the Sega Saturn dimension of the franchise.

Finally, the material takes a leap into the future in the hands of four remixers especially chosen for this release: Tim Reaper, SHERELLE, Mantra, and NikNak, who collectively forge links between CoLD SToRAGE’s pioneering musical vision, the sound world of the game, and the contemporary breakbeats and drum & bass vanguard.

Expect the DNA you remember — accelerated breaks, trance-vector synths, jungle influences, sub-bass rumbling neatly beneath the craft’s hull, and at times even echoes of classic hardstyle — now revealed with new angles and air. The previously unheard material carries the same aerodynamic design sense that made these tracks feel faster than the track map itself, while the ambient versions open the field of view with melodies hovering at the lip of overdrive. Without a doubt, here you’ll find a strong sense of nostalgia. But this isn’t just nostalgia; it’s also proof that this sound world continues to evolve when you ease off the throttle.

For the faithful — crate-digging ravers, speed-run obsessives, and design nerds — this is an essential expansion pack: compiling rarities, restoring context, and reframing the emotional core of wipE′out′′ for late nights and early mornings alike. Bridging memory and momentum, club and console, rush and afterglow. Strap in.

Detailed tracklist, with annotations by Tim Wright aka CoLD SToRAGE

· Scratch Pad 1: “This track was composed using incomplete tracks that were developed around the time of the first wipE′out′′. It’s so long because it was used for a marathon-length Psygnosis promotional video.”

· Messij Received: “Messij was a firm favourite with wipE′out′′ fans, so it made sense that there’d be more where that came from — this was one of those re-workings.”

· God’s Gift: “I was always very fond of Erasure’s track Love to Hate You with the canned crowd FX sounds. God’s Gift was a tongue-in-cheek reference to how some musicians think they are just that. This was way before I even played live as CoLD SToRAGE.”

· Tentative: “I wasn’t sure about introducing some wacky beats and distorted sounds into one of the tracks, because it was kinda heading away from the other tracks, hence Tentative — but it turned out OK.”

· Canada 2048: “When wipE′out′′ 2048 was launched I decided to re-make Canada as a kind of tribute, but in a slightly new-tech, laid-back way, using Propellerhead Reason and all software synths.”

· Wiped Out: “Based on a few riffs from a MIDI file unused at the time of the original wipE′out′′ game compositions, this featured on my debut album MELT.”

· Body in Motion (Body Plus Mix): “A more trippy interpretation of Body in Motion that featured on non PlayStation versions of the game e.g. Sega Saturn.”

· Onyx (“Dark Side of the Moon”): “Onyx was my sole contribution to wipE′out′′ Pure on the Sony PSP handheld gaming console. This version was something I developed in a darker style, that eventually erupts into a crescendo.”

· Messij Received (WSTWGBE Mix): “Like I say, Messij was a hit with most wipE′out′′ fans, so when I was asked to compose more music for non-PlayStation versions, I adapted this tune into a parallel-universe version for PC and Sega Saturn. By the way, WSTWGBE refers to Who Said This Was Going To Be Easy?”

· Canada (Drunken Ausländer Mix): “In early 2018 I released a fresh album called Ch'illout′′, a re-working of many of my wipE′out′′ tracks in an ambient, Sunday-morning vibe style — it was a few years’ work, here and there.”

· Tentative (Woffenfum Mix): “Another chilled re-working of one of my wipE′out′′ tracks, the mix named with a nod to a good friend of mine, Carl Woffenden — someone who I've worked with for many years in the games industry.”

· Messij (Bobbing Boat Mix): “A nice cheesy computer blip-blop start belies its deep and upbeat chilled-out melodic finale.”

· Body in Motion (Timeless Techno Mix): “Another classic track given the chilled-out vibe mix, as featured originally on my Ch'illout′′ album. This one’s a really trippy, deep-space take on the original.”

· DOH-T (AM / FM Mix): “The idea with this chilled-out mix was to imagine all the melodic parts of this varied track being broadcast on terrestrial radio, so each theme drifts in and out through the radio static.”

· ’95 Future Echoes: “Originally developed as a companion album for wipE′out′′ HD, this track actually has its roots in a tiny loop of a song that never progressed to anything special back in the mid-’90s when I was composing for the original game.”

· Turbine: “Also from my wipE′out′′ HD album, it leans heavily into the upbeat, uplifting tunes from the original game, but also steals a bit of vibe and energy from The Prodigy, with those distorted flute sounds.”

· Pencil Neck: “This excerpt from my wipE′out′′ HD album features lots of sounds centre-stage and forward from Propellerhead Reason’s Subtractor virtual synth. I learned to love this more than my JD-800!”

· Messij 2005 (New Science Mix): “Yet another take on the track that still raises a smile, this time through a mix of samples from the original and Propellerhead Reason — the ‘new science’ when compared to an Amiga 1200 running Bars and Pipes.”

The first act signed to The Neptunes' newly formed Star Trak label was a Virginia based duo known as the Clipse. The first single “Grindin’” impacted the streets with its bare boned but infectious drum beat in the same way that “Sucker MC’s” did almost 20 years earlier. These brothers - Pusha T and Malice combined with The Neptunes groundbreaking production sent a clear message to the rap world – “we are not the same” (as rapped by Malice on his opening verse on “Cot’ Dam”). Clipse brings an authentic Virginia sound into the game and created a movement, with not only their darkly layered raps but The Neptunes as well. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were able to combine their cyberpunk production with just the right group to create a street masterpiece. Following in the footsteps of such rap criminologists as Kool G Rap, Nas, Jay-Z, and Mobb Deep, the Clipse offer the Virginia hustler's viewpoint with clever, hard-hitting lyrics that is sprinkled throughout the entire album. With so many standout tracks on Lord Willin’ the album starts pulling no punches. On Track 1 simply (or maybe not) titled “Intro” you get a very personal and deep testament of crack and the drug game, a theme that is throughout this album…HEAVY. Songs like “Virginia” or “I’m Not You” (featuring Jadakiss, Styles P and Roscoe P Coldchain), have lyrics that play as a musical notes alongside The Neptunes tailored beats. “Young Boy”, “Comedy Central”… all fit perfectly alongside “When the Last Time” and “Cot Dam” as each song plays its part as chapters to the Lord Wilin’ masterpiece. “Gangsta Lean” (another one of the albums standout tracks) features a slightly lighter feel while paired with Pharrell's trademark falsetto hook. The truth of it is, it’s hard to just pick one track, or point out which is the albums star. Each song on Lord Willin’ is essential to making it the classic that it is. The Neptunes (who were busy turning out every other Pop hit on the radio) crafted an album that was deemed an instant classic, and cemented Clipse as Rap’s newest superstars.

Dana Ruh offers up part 2 of her ‘This Journey So Far’ project via Yecad here.

As a long standing and widely respected figure in the world of underground house and techno through her releases on the likes of Slices Of Life, Ostgut Ton, Cocoon, Cave and of course her own Brouqade, Dana Ruh’s reputation stands tall as one of the finest purveyors of this sound. Amongst her releases, Dana maintains a heavy tour schedule taking her across the globe each year to many hotspots in key cities, here she marks another milestone in her career with a double 12’’ release, entitled ‘This Journey So Far’, as a musical reflection on all that’s led to this point.

Following the success of Part one, the second instalment now follows - kicking off the release is ‘MF Now’, stripping things back to a shuffled, bumpy rhythm section, resonant synth chimes and billowing textures. ‘Grey With Some Light’ then leans into a more experimental glitch realm via twitchy oscillating percussion, unfurling atmospherics and drifting keys. ‘The Look’ leans back into House territory with raw stabs, sax lines, metallic chimes and vacillating low-end tones before ‘Song For The Lonely’ concludes the project, encapsulating the essence of deep house with ethereal pad swells, circling stab sequences, low-slung drums and cossetting subs.

Mumbai-based musician, producer, and DJ NATE08 returns with his sophomore album Twenty Seven - a luminous fusion of r&b, deep house, and funk-leaning grooves, pressed to a single 140g LP in black vinyl.

Three years on from his acclaimed debut Furaha (which featured the breakout hit “Primrose” with over 7 million streams), NATE08 expands his sonic palette with Twenty Seven: a radiant collection of tracks that balance soul-soaked vocals, late-night basslines, and warm, sun-drenched production.

NATE08, aka Nathan Thomas, has become a central figure in Mumbai’s thriving underground, working as a session bass player, live performer, and genre-spanning DJ, while making an international impact through releases on label Needwant. Twenty Seven captures his full range: both organic and synthetic, smooth yet floor-ready, always driven by heartfelt groove.

From the dreamy opener “You’re The Reason” featuring Mary Ann Alexander’s velvety tones, to the nostalgic glow of lead single “Where Are You Tonight” (feat. Dishaan & Mallika), the album unfolds like a love letter to house music’s emotional core. Highlights include the syrupy r&b/house hybrid “Afterlife” (feat. Dappest), the golden-hour deep house shimmer of “Call Me Back” (feat. Sahirah), and the soul-drenched “What Was It” featuring Jamal Bucanon. Closing track “Stay” wraps it all with soft-focus chords and a bumpy, irresistible groove.

Twenty Seven is a sophisticated and inviting journey across mood, tempo, and texture, showcasing NATE08’s gift for weaving melody, rhythm, and soul into music that speaks equally to the dance floor and the heart.

On his self-titled album POUYA, the Miami artist steps outside the world that built him and into one that’s been calling to him for years. Known for his hard-hitting, rapid-fire rap and underground roots, Pouya sheds expectations and dives headfirst into a grittier, more vulnerable sound—trading 808s for guitars, and hooks for raw emotion. This is not a rap album. This is something else.

Leaning into alternative rock, post-grunge, and even hints of early 2000s emo, POUYA is loud, emotional, and unfiltered. It's Pouya at his most sonically adventurous—and maybe his most personal. You can hear the freedom in his voice, the pain in the distortion, and the shift in his songwriting. It’s still Pouya through and through, but it’s a version of him that’s been brewing in the background, waiting for the right time to come alive.

With POUYA, he proves he doesn’t need to follow a formula. He never did.

1xLP, pressed on Graphite Eco Mix vinyl and housed in a single pocket jacket with polylined protective sleeves

Three decades on from its original 1995 release, Todd Terry’s 'Devil’s Dance' still burns with the kind of manic, floor-filling energy that defined the early years of Hard Times. Now, Todd and the label return to the track, inviting a trio of today’s most vital club architects to rework one of Todd's most incendiary productions for a new generation of dancers.

Following a year that saw Chris Stussy and Dan Shake breathe new life into 'Bounce to the Beat,' Hard Times closes out 2025 with 'Devil’s Dance (Remixes),’ a collection that bridges old-school grit and new-school heat. Rossi., Demi Riquísimo, and Cinthie each bring their own distinct combustion to Todd’s iconic organ riffs and bulbous bassline, reframing the track through London, Berlin, and Balearic prisms.

Rossi. leans into the city that raised him: “It’s been a real pleasure to remix such an iconic inspiration for me as an artist. Todd is a legend and part of the reason why we have the culture of music we have today. I wanted to bring my remix back to my London roots - a UKG skippy, warpy approach that still carries those iconic chord riffs.”

We’re glad to welcome Enrico Dragoni, part of a generation of artists in which the UK sound is evident and someone who has quietly but steadily built a presence over the years. Alongside his work with Stabs Mechanics, we had long intended to bring him onto the label making this first appearance feel both natural and long awaited.

Anchored to his early foundations this release looks back to origins rather than attempting to cover the full breadth of his work. The A side is club oriented, leaning towards a deep bumpy and tribal yet remaining in the soulful lineage. The B side softens into easy listening reminding us of the finesse of early House and Italian dream house.

Though often described as a chameleon Dragoni’s foundation remains clear and aligned with the sound of Cosmic Breeze Records.

Romain has been a key innovator in the Hong Kong & Asian music scene for the past 18 years in various different facets, building bridges between cultures and erasing borders through music. He has since taken a step into the world of production and his music has been played by some of the biggest acts in the game such as DJ Harvey, The Black Madonna, Gerd Janson, Horse Meat Disco, Skatebärd, Lauer, Tornado Wallace, Lipelis, Orpheu The Wizard, Kamma & Masalo and many more. Here his musical production story continues with his latest collection of works coming via the esteemed Tokyo imprint, Sound Of Vast.

Leading the release is title-cut ‘Musique De Maison’, a five-minute excursion through organic percussion grooves, snaking elongated bass tones, intricately intertwined vintage-leaning synth melodies and an overall cosmic disco aesthetic that reflects Romain’s borderless, cross-cultural sound. ‘Tonal Spices’ follows and ups the energy levels with a sturdy rhythm section, squelchy acid licks, murky bass stabs, Indian vocals and cinematic strings ebbing and flowing throughout.

Monkey Timers take on ‘Musique De Maison’ next with their interpretation extracting the core essence of the original and reshaping it into a dynamically unfurling rework, fusing fragments of the original with expansive delays, heavy reverberations and modulating synth work. The ‘Psych-O-Delic (Live Mix)’ then concludes the release with off-kilter drums running in combination with, as the name would suggest, tripped-out melodies, processed spoken word and warbling synth licks — a nod to Romain’s playful, surrealist edge.

JP
東京とアムステルダムを股にかけながら、The People In FogやRed Pig Flower、GǼG (Monkey Timers & Keita Sano) 等のリリースを手掛け、オルタナティヴなディスコ/ハウス・レーベルとして存在感を放つSound Of Vast。その最新作は、Romain FXの12インチ！

フランスで生まれ香港/台湾/アメリカで育ったRomain FXはプロデューサーとしてのデビュー以降、自身が主宰するFauve Recordsや禁 JIN、Black Jukebox等で、イタロ・ディスコやプロト・ハウス、アジア産音源等を現代的に昇華したサウンドを展開。特に2024年にSound Metaphors Recordsの傘下から発表したイタロ・ディスコ金字塔"Spacer Woman"のカヴァーは、DJ HarveyやOrpheu the Wizardらのアーリープレイによってディガーたちに衝撃をもたらすと同時に、Romain FXの評価を確固たるものとした。

本作には、溌剌としたシンセの掛け合いにラテン・パーカッションが並走しドリーミーなクライマックスに向かうプロト・ハウス"Musique De Maison"、アフロ/コズミック影響下の初期プログレッシヴ・ハウスが現代のピークタイムとシンクロした"Tonal Spices"、バイレファンキやエレクトロ・ファンクの化合物がバッドトリップ直前まで交錯する"Psych-O-Delic (Live Mix)"といった3つのオリジナル曲を収録。更に今回は、ユニットGǼGとしての怪作を経てPanorama BarをはじめとしたEUツアーを敢行した日本人デュオ、Monkey Timersによる"Musique De Maison"のリミックスも搭載。Droid作品を彷彿とさせるFX処理やグルーヴ脱構築の技法により、本EPにダークな一面を持たせた。

本作に収録されたいずれの楽曲も、Romain FXが辿ってきた陽性のエネルギー溢れる遍歴と練磨されたスタジオ・スキル、現代のダンスフロアのムードが交差しオリジナリティの獲得を目指す、インパクト溢れる仕上がりとなった。近頃はライヴアクトとしても成長を遂げるRomain FXが如何にクラウドを熱狂に陥れているか、想像に難くないであろう。

SCALER are the electrifying Bristol-based band hailed as the city’s “next national breakthrough” thanks to their pulverising live show and meticulous, mind-warping sound. Now they’re back with ‘Endlessly’, a sublime and stylistically expansive new album. 10 potent tracks written and recorded more collaboratively than ever before, as SCALER explore what it means to make music with no ceiling.


Building on what they know and taking it in new directions has been a constant throughout the three-year journey behind ‘Endlessly’, which came together in the studio beneath Bristol’s legendary The Louisiana. Inspired by time apart, the album finds them reconnecting with their diverse sonic touchpoints – many tangled in their city’s much-mused-on musical heritage – and the creative energy of collaborators around them. Close friends and long-admired peers, including Akiko Haruna, Art School Girlfriend, Tlya X An, Shadow Stevie, Thomas Ridley and Cold Light’s ELDON add colour to SCALER’s darkened palette and point to the left-turns they’re leaning into. The intense softens into introspection. The blistering becomes a balm.


‘Endlessly’ is the second album from SCALER, a.k.a. Alex Hill, Isaac Jones, James Rushforth and Nick Berthoud, alongside visual artist Jason Baker. The record follows 2022’s acclaimed ‘Void’ and marks their debut for Bristol’s revered Black Acre, a longtime champion of genre-defying electronic music.

Ready for take off?

With his new album 'Cruise Control', Satin Jackets presents a perfect musical soundtrack for relaxed moments that take us away from the stresses of everyday life. The title of the album is meaningful: 'Cruise Control' stands for the feeling of switching on the autopilot, leaning back and enjoying the journey to the fullest - an atmosphere that the album unfolds.

The album is a collection of singles that have been released over the last few years and are all interwoven at their core. Because no matter where you listen to the songs, they work, images arise in your head and your feet rarely stay still. Satin Jackets remains true to himself with his album sound, as he repeatedly receives feedback from listeners who appreciate the positive mood in his songs and which always puts them in a good mood.

The songs are first created in the producer's head and then develop together with the features, who add their own touch. For Satin Jackets, 'the most important thing is this immediate feeling that it fits musically and atmospherically'. This can also come out of nowhere, as was the case with David Bay and Small Black, who got in touch with the producer and it was an instant fit.

'There are always those magical moments when a song comes out of nowhere. Once I had an idea for a chord sequence that I couldn't get out of my head, but somehow that certain something was still missing. I then spontaneously asked a bassist friend of mine if he would like to play something to it - ten minutes later we had a hook that carried the whole piece. It's these unexpected, spontaneous inspirations that make the process so exciting.'

'Cruise Control' is more than just another album from Satin Jackets. It is an invitation to enjoy the moment and surrender to the music - a soundtrack that creates a good mood and takes us on a relaxing journey. So just switch on the autopilot again, put on your headphones and let yourself go.

Ready for take off?

Satin Jackets präsentiert mit seinem neuen Album "Cruise Control" einen perfekten musikalischen Begleiter für entspannte Momente, die uns vom Alltagsstress befreien. Der Titel des Albums ist vielsagend: "Cruise Control" steht für das Gefühl, den Autopiloten einzuschalten, sich zurückzulehnen und die Reise in vollen Zügen zu genießen - eine Atmosphäre, die das Album entfaltet.

Das Album ist eine Sammlung der Singles, die über die letzten Jahre erschienen und im Kern alle miteinander verwoben sind. Denn egal, wo man die Songs hört, sie funktionieren, es entstehen Bilder im Kopf und die Füße bleiben selten still. Mit dem Albumsound bleibt Satin Jackets sich treu, denn immer wieder bekommt er die Rückmeldung von Hörer:innen, die die positive Stimmung in seinen Songs schätzen und die immer wieder für gute Laune sorgt.

So entstehen die Songs zuerst im Kopf des Produzenten und entwickeln sich im Anschluss gemeinsam mit den Features, die ihre eigene Note mit einbringen. Für Satin Jackets ist es "das Wichtigste dieses unmittelbare Gefühl, dass es musikalisch und atmosphärisch passt". Das kann auch aus dem Nichts kommen, so wie bei David Bay und Small Black, die sich bei dem Produzenten meldeten und es sofort passte.

"Es gibt immer wieder diese magischen Momente, in denen ein Song quasi aus dem Nichts entsteht. Einmal hatte ich eine Idee für eine Akkordfolge, die mir nicht aus dem Kopf ging, aber irgendwie fehlte noch das gewisse Etwas. Ich habe dann spontan einen befreundeten Bassisten gefragt, ob er etwas dazu spielen möchte - zehn Minuten später hatten wir einen Hook, der das ganze Stück getragen hat. Es sind diese unerwarteten, spontanen Eingebungen, die den Prozess so spannend machen."

"Cruise Control" ist mehr als nur ein weiteres Album von Satin Jackets. Es ist eine Einladung, den Moment zu genießen und sich der Musik hinzugeben - ein Soundtrack, der für gute Stimmung sorgt und uns auf eine entspannte Reise mitnimmt. Von daher einfach mal wieder den Autopiloten einschalten, , Kopfhörer aufsetzen und fallen lassen.

Norman Connors' Mr. C is a masterclass in sophisticated modern funk and boogie-infused soul that was way ahead of its time. Originally released in 1981, the album finds the renowned jazz drummer/producer at a creative crossroads, boldly diving deep into street-level boogie-funk without losing his soulful, jazzy touch. What once might have puzzled jazz purists now delights soul/funk aficionados; it has quietly become a cult favourite and now, nearly 45 years later, Mr. C sounds fresher than ever. Brimming with infectious heavy funk, lush arrangements and soul-stirring performances, it's an album that flirts with perfection, ensuring its enduring significance in the boogie/jazz-funk-soul canon.

From its opening moments, Mr. C makes one thing clear: this is Norman Connors at his funkiest. The majority of the album is a straight-up party: think dancefloor-ready beats complemented by punchy horn riffs and slick early-80s boogie vibes. There’s heavy use of synths and drum-machines, demonstrating Connors' gleeful embrace of contemporary funk trends. Each track shines in uniquely thrilling fashion, showcasing Connors’ versatility and happy knack for blending genres whilst crafting unforgettable melodies.

Irresistible thumper “She’s Gone” opens the album with a dyno-Rhodes electric piano groove and a seriously thick boogie-funk rhythm. Lush string accents and horn stabs weave through the funky bassline, while the vocals (handled by a young Beau Williams) soar with gospel-tinged emotion. Over four decades later, it endures as a masterpiece. Living up to its name, the shimmering “Party Town” brings deep Electro-Funk Energy by layering bubbling synth bass and shiny lead synth lines. The groove is downright addictive, a brisk, brass-kissed jam that implores you to move. Up next, the sophisticated funk of “Keep Doin’ It” is a low-slung post-disco glider, propelled by a sleek vibe, leaning into the late-night boogie sound. Funky guitar, tight drumming (with Connors’ jazz-honed chops in the pocket) and smooth vocals urge you to “keep doin'” whatever it is that's working. “Stay with Me” works a bit of island flavour into the mix, riding a thick Caribbean groove complete with tropical percussion and an upbeat tempo that could almost be calypsoul. The fusion of Caribbean rhythm elements into an R&B context demonstrates Connors’ willingness to experiment with global sounds while keeping things soulful and danceable.

Side B opens with the sassy funk-deluxe workout, "Anyway You Want" dripping with that soulful strut. Bringing a real quiet storm swagger, “Sing a Love Song” slows the tempo ever so slightly into a sexy, swaying jazz-funk gem, featuring a young Glenn Jones on lead vocals. The arrangement is elegant, built on warm keys and an undeniable groove. The celestial “Love’s In Your Corner” is all about soulful uplift. Featuring the legendary Jean Carn's powerhouse vocals soaring over a brass-kissed driving funk, it's an R&B burner. The refined, jazzy instrumental “Mr. C” is a slinky, smooth, funk-filled mid-tempo groove, with sax and warm keys gliding effortlessly. Connors combines jazzy arrangements into the post-disco/boogie framework one last time, and the result is sublime. It’s sophisticated and cool and, as a finale, “Mr. C” wraps up the album in classy style.

On release, Mr. C flew under the radar but time has been exceptionally kind to this record. DJs, collectors and soul connoisseurs alike have since rediscovered its magic. As ever, this crucial reissue has been lovingly remastered by Simon Francis, cut by engineer of the year Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios and pressed to perfection by Record Industry in Holland. Norman Connors was something truly extra. He was a visionary. And Mr. C is proof.

Slowly yet firmly blooming into focus, An Unfinished Rose is the new album from Australian duo Troth.

This is their first since relocating to Hobart, Tasmania and their introduction to Night School Records. With a detailed web of past releases on labels A Colourful Storm, Mammas Mysteriska Jukebox, Knekelhuis and Bowman’s own Altered States Tapes imprint, An Unfinished Rose is the group’s most realised and composed work thus far. While still drawing on the improvisatory and DIY practices that informed Troth’s beginnings, it points to a new incarnation of the duo’s music; an intentional language emerging from the fog of obfuscation and mists of uncertainty.

Over these 9 meditations on change, acceptance, renewal and rebirth, An Unfinished Rose finds Amelia Besseny and Cooper Bowman peeling back some of the roughhewn architecture that defined their earlier releases to reveal a masterful - if auto-didactic - use of space and melody. Composition and improvisation compliment and feed each other throughout, with locked-loop earworms providing the springboard for lines of clarinet or synth melody, and the negative space between chord clusters giving ample room for Besseny’s most confident vocal performances to date. Shaving off a little of the defining dissonance and tape compression of old reveals Troth’s music in radiant daylight, humbly accepting of its place in the world while yearning for better, more sympathetic modes of living. Leaning more heavily on acoustic instrumentation and post-production processes than previously, the result is a transcendent body of work infused with an almost zen-like presence.

Troth’s music exists in the border between forming and becoming, its goal to project a kind of preternatural beauty, leaving interpretation open to the listener. Field recordings, happenstance and improvisation may provide seeds for the duo’s compositions, particularly on Side A, but there is a deft touch of songcraft on show. Loam Loom Leaf Litter opens An Unfinished Rose, directly referencing natural cycles of life, death and regeneration, before the blissed-out drum machine groove of Gold Plum continues a discussion concerning the totality of nature and one’s place in it. Besseny’s vocal, swelling like an ocean churn in duet with itself is adorned with synthesised harp and a revolving synth pattern, conjuring plumes of medieval smoke. Thistle’s rounded, bass-heavy drums, nodding to the vast echo of dub, is a relatively new terrain for Troth. It’s propulsive and thumping, pulsing with a meaning and symbolism consistent with Troth’s past work, referenced overtly in Bessey’s lyrics - “Say it too much and it loses its meaning…”. Similarly, the sprawling modern-classical suite, Tides Reflected In Her Eyes, is intentional in its lyrical themes while traversing new ground, revelling in layers of bowed cello and vocal intonations. Side B’s 4 tracks feel like Troth’s most thoroughly accessible and affecting music to date. Leaning into their own detoured version of Synth Pop, Cocoonist explores downtempoisms via a crunchy low frequency synth, and dream-like, fuzzy trip-hop modalities, not unlike Besseny and Bowman’s other group, Th Blisks. Following on, Myrtle Mystes is an open and searching DIY pop song, forged out of drum machine, bass guitar and cello. (An) Unfinished Rose’s title-track is a clear stand-out, built upon an evocative rhythm sample that appears to change emotional resonance with each undulating repetition. Its cascading waves of affect, interjected with a subtle breeze of synth, bowed instrumentation and soaring, densely-layered vocals.

An Unfinished Rose is enveloping, warm, forgiving. Difficult, yet retaining a unique beauty. Troth’s music aims to celebrate the duo;s shared experiences of being in the world, despite the complexity often surrounding us all. Theirs is a message of hope and perseverance, learning and patience.

Lucy Duncombe and Feronia Wennborg compose a modern symphony for virtual choir on 'Joy, Oh I Missed You', muddling sound poetry with Nuno Canavarro and ‘Systemische'-style machine-damaged surrealism. Like a mashup of Lee Gamble's 'Models', Akira Rabelais' 'Spellewauerynsherde' and Robert Ashley's timeless 'Automatic Writing’ screwed to perfection.

Duncombe and Wennborg have been chewing over ‘Joy, Oh I Missed You’ for four long years, working their process until they were "queasily intimate" with their arsenal of artificial voice tools. Tracing the history of the technology, from voice synthesisers and chatbots to AI voice analysis tools, the duo experiment relentlessly to develop a digital-age response to IRL extended vocal technique - think François Dufrêne, Yoko Ono or Phew. Less interested in replicating human sounds exactly, they instead test how various tools might cough up their own idiosyncratic tics as they stretch and stutter through attempts to mimic their "fleshware" counterparts.

Duncombe's got prior form here, most recently re-synthesising her voice on the brilliantly oily 'Sunset, She Exclaims' 45 for Modern Love, following a stunner for 12th Isle in 2021. Wennborg brings along experience from her tenure as one half of microsound duo soft tissue, whose 2022 LP 'hi leaves' (Students of Decay) was a haptic treasure. These approaches mesh remarkably well on their first collaborative full-length, with Duncombe's eerie bio-electronic incantations providing the ideal foil for Wennborg's carbonated hardware processes. It's not completely clear where the human voice ends and the zeroes and ones begin on 'Your Lips, Covering Your Teeth', as rolling cyborg syllables tumble over OS-startup womps and surprisingly svelte outcroppings of glassy, synthetic glitches. The music is surprisingly mannered, a sonic reflection of the cover, where a mouth is pixellated until only colour swatches remain. Duncombe and Wennborg trace the gradual erosion of their voices, leaning into the chaos as their various tools veer off into unique patterns of failure.

What sounds like a far-off, ghosted folk rendition (we're reminded of the Icelandic laments that Rabelais chewed up on 'Spellewauerynsherde') is offset by gnarled, bitcrushed machine faults and pneumatic lip smacks on the brilliant 'Residue', and on 'Brushed My Hair', the duo massage the voice until it sounds like a flute. Assembling stutters and barks and sighs into a celestial chorus alongside time-stretched moans, they create a levitational atmosphere on 'Smell It', freezing the energy from bizarre pitch steps to configure a zonked vocal ensemble.

'Joy, Oh I Missed You’ is an album that, like its source material, constantly morphs, testing the boundaries of its concept repeatedly without bubbling over into conceptual goo. In fact, it's remarkably euphonious, even at its most theoretically abrasive; Duncombe and Wennborg wring out uniquely angelic formations through a process of trial and error that packs a surprising, hefty emotional punch.

More Rice returns with its ninth release and second vinyl drop of the year, delivering a heavy-hitting EP from label cofounder Sarayu. The Don. Mueang. marks his first full solo release on the label since 2021, reaffirming his distinct voice in Asia’s underground dance scene. The A side features two peak-time weapons: no nonsense, bass-driven influenced techno rollers built with the dancefloor firmly in mind and straight to the point. On the flip, trusted More Rice regulars step in on remix duties. O-Wells reimagines Don Vito Bingus with a warm, rolling take that leans into house and tech
house territory, giving the track a smoother, hypnotic swing.

Mogwaa closes out the EP with his Fiesta Mix — an electrified, rhythm-forward version that does exactly what it says on the tin: it bangs. As always, all tracks made for the dancefloor

Drawn from years of early-hour sets and the quiet intimacy of the booth before the room fills, Gimme The Sun marks the debut EP of Al-Veez (real name Alvise Marino). A seasoned guitarist raised in Italy with musical roots in funk, boogie, and blues, Marino’s release is a sonic travelogue of his formative years as a selector in a city, NYC, that quietly became home. The prominent guitar captures both the ache of departure and the bright, restless hope of return.


With a wistful blend of beachy, meandering textures, lush synth layers, and a hypnotic pulse, the EP lands in time for another steamy summer in the city—sure to strike a chord with longtime NYC house heads, whether they be behind the booth or lost in the crowd. Arranged in close collaboration with TSoNYC label boss Danilo Braca (also on mixing and mastering duties), theshimmering title track reads like a Dear John letter to New York. Tender, honest, and full of gratitude, it’s the kind of farewell only a true love could inspire—one that dances forward even as it looks back.

As the record warms up, “F Train Boogie” evokes snapshots of bright midsummer mornings gazing out a scratch-blurred train car window at the glistening city, while the track that follows, “Sneaky”, sizzles with cosmic allure—an intoxicating blend of luminous synths, tightly interlaced rhythms, and a commanding kick drum that locks the listener into an entrancing groove from the very first bar. “Underwater”, the fourth and final track, shares some of the same allure and mystery, but features a playful optimism, encouraging the listener to lean into curiosity of what the next chapter, night, or DJ set will hold. 


naemi follows last year’s excellent Erika de Casier-starring »Dust Devil« with a genius new album of ultra-catchy, perfectly executed shoegaze diamonds, powered by Ulla on drums and additional vox, flutes and extra vocals by Baptist Goth, and fuzz guitar by Kouhei.

»Breathless Shorn« is the Berlin-based Kansas-born producer's most compelling move thus far, featuring 11 perfectly fuzzed songs that almost completely shake off any electronic remnants in favour of a light-touched act of MBV worship. naemi has long nurtured an obsession with vintage dreampop and shoegaze, but until now they mostly blurred those influences with dubby ambience and delicate, heart-slicing production. On »Breathless Shorn« they completely re-draw their outlines, bristling with a much looser energy in a mode that feels like a big step up - more impactful, full of easy swagger and a bona fide emotional resonance.

Distorted, tremolo-bent guitars, boxy drums, electric bass and delirious multi-tracked vocals are the backbone here, mostly sounding like they could have been lifted off Kevin Shields' »Ecstasy and Wine« sessions. naemi's attention to detail is remarkable; no longer leaning on electronic masking or the influence of '90s British slacker rawk or twee pop, instead deploying the genuine article, with ambient music left as just a faint note wafting in the background.

Aussie techno innovator Alpharisc returns to Mutual Rytm for a second standout EP.

Shane Yates, aka Alpharisc, has been living and breathing techno for over 30 years. He first began producing in the mid-90s and has amassed a fine hardware collection that lends his sounds a raw, rugged feel. After breaking through with the Wetmusik party and label collective, he has let his music do the talking and isn't afraid of colouring it with a hint of nostalgia. Previous material has come via several notable labels over the years, but his most recent outings have been on SHDW's Mutual Rytm imprint, with his solo EP 'Ram Face' from 2023 becoming an underground favourite alongside a fine outing as part of the label's 'Federation Of Rytm II' and 'Federation Of Rytm III' compilations. Once again, he returns in style, uncovering an impactful selection of gems across his new 'Remain Seated' EP.

The opener 'Peace Be With You' is a straight-up techno weapon with urgent synth flashes peeling off the groove like a police siren. The drums hit hard in true Alpharisc style before 'Hail' builds on that with a more hard-edge groove topped with frosty waves of white noise that electrify the dance floor. 'Remain Seated' brings a hint of trance-leaning energy with its bright sheets of synth lighting up the driving drums and saw-tooth bass loops. Next, 'Look At This' is another brilliantly forceful techno sound with slamming drums and rusty synth loops, layering melancholic pads up top and adding a cerebral edge, while closer 'In Your Mind' is from the Jeff Mills school of synth-laced and serene deep techno with lush pads radiating cosmic light. As a bonus, digital-only cut 'Expedition' brings some backlit celestial synth work to a rubbery and pummelling drum pattern for pure techno escapism.

With a clutch of EPs under his belt spanning a wealth of pallets, Henzo narrows the focus on his debut studio album “The Poems We Write For Ourselves” - a culmination of persistent iterations over several years, distilling his sonic milieu into something that feels decidedly his own. The album proper is coupled with a debut live performance which reinterprets the tracks and splices them with omitted material from the time of writing - recorded in full in the intimate confines of Manchester’s growingly infamous Stage and Radio basement. Honing his craft in the shadows of Lancashire, Poems is an expansive reflection of the producer’s time spent away committing to the scope of an LP.

A thread of stratified sound design weaves throughout the record, but with a discerning dancefloor proclivity mostly prevalent. Cold opener “Noggin” riffs on noughties Raster-Noton a la Byetone rebuilt with fractal tear out DnB, with closer “Indulgence” following suit on a puckered plod of Dub Techno ambience. More club-focussed moments come in the form of “Rustica Slump” and “Blue Will...”, the former’s sickly sweet vocals resolved by the latter’s stoic UKG/Techno rudeness. “A Bouquet of Clumsy Words” channels mechanical shuffle with a stripped back 2/4 pulse whilst maintaining a firmly FWD>>energy alongside “Plant Your Roots In Me” on a similar vector - swapping out a straight kick pattern for a bludgeoning 808 assault on an early Hessle-indebted tip.

“Take Stock, Touch Grass” harks to golden era ClekClekBoom and Night Slugs with a bare bones kick and vocal motif, updating the formula with a tweaking lead line that places it firmly in the contemporary space. “Swell:Shrink” sings from the same sheet with a shrieking, space age wobble doing the heavy lifting, knocking the pace back to a shoulder-lean swagger on a slow fast conundrum Henzo has shown his flair for on previous releases.

The outliers to Henzo’s more known approach, “Worm Grunting” with Belfast’s Emby, an amalgamation of halfest time DnB and illest mannered Road Rap, plus “The Rest Is The Mess You Leave”, a starkly anti-retro Ghettotek endeavour, give grounds to the LP. Clearly rooted in the comfortable universe of the dancefloor, these tracks expand the producer’s realm into loftier heights as he graduates into long play land.

Recent years have seen Berlin-based artist OST Fox carve out his own sound and steadily gain traction as a producer and live act through a number of self-released projects, including his debut ‘Seulement à Marseille’ album, among others.

Here the OST Fox story continues, once again seeing the artist returning to the album format with twelve new original cuts. Throughout the project OST Fox explores a variety of styles from cinematic old school leaning trance sounds, through to electro, early rave music and the foundational Detroit Techno sound, henceforth the project found its apt title, ‘Soul Techno’, and radiantly showcases the producer’s depth, variety and prolificity in the studio.