Suche:light sounds dark

* TNO project is only 18 years old, and hails from Germany. Yet his music sounds like he lived through the old skool years, rather than being born after they had passed. His sound is deep, thoughtful. It maintains the happy vibe, but there is always a thread of darkness running through. Having done various remix work for Kniteforce, this, his debut EP, really showcases his ability to combine dark and light element to great effect. Heavy basslines and menacing samples with unusual arrangements and subtle tricks within the mix give a truly different take without straying too far from the traditional rave sound of the mid 90's

Club / DJ Support
Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Clayfighter, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others

- Black and Purple vinyl versions.-LP includes download.
-Son of Blue Note legend Bruce Lundvall.
-12 years since his last record to feature vocals.
Dais Records is proud to unveil the new dark pop masterpiece from artist and composer Tor Lundvall. His first vocal album since 2009's Sleeping and Hiding, and following the release of two instrumental albums and three CD box sets since that time, Tor returns with an album of beautifully intricate sadness and reflection: A Dark Place.Born in 1968 in Wyckoff, NJ, Tor Lundvall is a painter and ambient composer.
The son of Blue Note Records legend Bruce Lundvall, Tor was exposed to artwork, music, and creativity from a young age, and began his professional painting and music output in the late 80s. Widely known for his dark imagery and thoughtful, provocative soundscapes, Tor Lundvall's artwork is all-encompassing. His music, when paired with his paintings, creates a world within which one could easily disappear. An intensely private individual, Tor Lundvall eschews the gallery circuit and live performances for his private studio in Eastern Long Island, NY, preferring to show his artwork privately and focus on studio production and writing without the pressures of the audience and all it encompasses.
Dais Records is honored to provide another glimpse into his world through his recordings. We hope you find it as special and as unforgettable as we do. Artist Statement:It's been twelve years since I recorded my last vocal album, "Sleeping and Hiding" (released in 2009, but recorded in 2005). After completing those sessions, I felt that I had said just about everything I wanted to say lyrically. I wasn't sure if another vocal album would ever materialize, but slowly and surely, new lyrics came with new songs to accompany them. Finding the words to describe this album is almost as difficult as the past couple of years. There is a lot of pain, fear and sadness wrapped into these eight songs. More so than usual, I think. The loss of my father in 2015 and coping with his absence certainly hangs heavily here. I recorded this album at night while I stared out from my bedroom window into the shadows of the garden and the neighbor's house next door. The reflections of the flower lights encircling my bedroom window looked like distant, golden constellations through the glass while I worked. A nice memory. A few of the melodies were inspired by, or constructed around some of my earliest riffs and abandoned sketches, one dating all the way back to 1985. The lyrics to the final track, "The Next World", came to me while swimming alone in the bay one clear October afternoon about five years ago. I originally envisioned a lighter, more optimistic song to accompany my first draft of lyrics, but the piece evolved into a song about final reflections, lost dreams and the terrible sadness of the passing of time.

Limited Edition Clear Vinyl

Includes 12' Vinyl and Deluxe CD album, 30 page hard back book

Now that I've been to Nashville,' Kylie Minogue says with audible affection, I understand. It's like some sort of musical ley-line...'

Golden, Kylie's fourteenth studio album, is the result of an intensive working trip to the home of Country music, a city whose influence lingered on long after the pop legend and her team returned to London to finish the record: We definitely brought a bit of Nashville back with us,' she states. The album is a vibrant hybrid, blending Kylie's familiar pop-dance sound with an unmistakeable Tennessee twang. It was Jamie Nelson, Kylie's long-serving A&R man, who first came up with the concept of incorporating a Country element' into Kylie's tried-and-trusted style. That idea sat there for a little while, with Minogue and her team initially unsure about how to bring it to life. Then, when Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Wadge's publisher suggested Kylie should come over to collaborate in Nashville, a city Kylie had previously never visited, something clicked. You know when you're so excited about something,' she recalls, that you repeat it an octave higher and double the decibels I was like that. 'Nashville! Yes! Of course I would!'. I hoped it would help the album to reveal itself. I thought 'If I don't get it in Nashville, I'm not going to get it anywhere.''

Kylie's Nashville trip involved working alongside two key writers, both with homes in the city. One was British-born songwriter Steve McEwan (whose credits include huge Country hits for Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood), and the other was the aforementioned Amy Wadge, another Brit (best known for her mega-selling work with Ed Sheeran). It was then a truly international project: Golden was mainly created with African-German producer Sky Adams and a list of contributors including Jesse Frasure, Eg White, Jon Green, Biff Stannard, Samuel Dixon, Danny Shah and Lindsay Rimes, and there's a duet with English singer Jack Savoretti.

However, the album's agenda-setting lead single Dancing was, significantly, first demoed with Nathan Chapman, the man who guided Taylor Swift's transition from Country starlet to Pop megastar. If anyone knows how to mix those two genres, Chapman does. Nathan was the only actual Nashvillean I worked with. He's got a huge studio in his house, which is probably due to his success with Taylor... there's plenty of platinum discs of her, and others on his walls.' There's something of the spirit of Peggy Lee's Is That All There Is, of Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, even of Liza Minnelli's Cabaret about Dancing, a song which not only opens the album but sets out its stall, providing a microcosm of what is to come. You've got the lyrical edge, that Country feel, mixed with some sampling of the voice and electronic elements, so it does what it says on the label. And I love that it's called 'Dancing', it's immediately accessible and seemingly so obvious, but there's depth within the song.'

The experience of simply being in Nashville was an overwhelming one, before Kylie had even arrived. Once I knew I was going to Nashville, people talked about the place with such enthusiasm. They said without doubt I would love it and, I would come back with songs. They were sending lists of restaurants, coffee shops and bars. It really was a beautiful and genuine response and it felt like I was about to have a life changing experience and in a way, I did.' The reality came as something of a surprise, when she found a far more modern metropolis than the vintage one she'd envisaged. I thought it would be like New Orleans: little houses and bars, with music spilling out onto the street. It reminded me more of Melbourne: apartment blocks going up everywhere! The main strip, Broadway, where the honky tonk bars are, that's where the street was filled with music and it was just amazing.' Mainly, Minogue remembers the heat and humidity. It was 100 degrees. It was like it was raining with no rain.' She also relished the chance to wander around unrecognised, visit a few venerable music bars and soak in the atmosphere. I didn't get to the Grand Ole Opry or the music museums but I managed to go to a couple of the institutions there like The Bluebird Cafe and The Listening Room, and just by being there, through some kind of osmosis, you get this rejuvenated respect for The Song, and the writing of The Song. There's no hoo-hah around it. There's a singer-songwriter there, talking about the song and singing the song, to an audience who are there to listen. Although, I have to confess I was guilty of starting to clap too soon during a long pause at the end of one of the songs. The guy made a bit of a joke out of it and got a laugh from it, but I thought 'Of all people in the audience, no...''

It's probably no coincidence, therefore, that every track on Golden is a Kylie co-write, making it arguably her most personal album to date. The end of 2016 was not a good time for me,' she says, referring to well-documented personal upheavals, so when I started working on the album in 2017, it was, in many ways, a great escape. Making this album was a kind of saviour. I'd been through some turmoil and was quite fragile when I started work on it, but being able to express myself in the studio made quick work of regaining my sense of self. Writing about various aspects of my life, the highs and lows, with a real sense of knowing and of truth. And irony. And joy!'

The songwriting process allowed Kylie to get a few things out of her system. Initially, she admits, it was cathartic, but it also wasn't very good. I think I was writing too literally. But I reached a point where I was writing about the bigger-picture, and that was a breakthrough. It made way for songs like Stop Me From Falling and One Last Kiss. It also meant I had enough distance to write an autobiographical song, like A Lifetime To Repair, with a certain amount of humour. The countdown in that song: 'Six-five-four-three, too many times...'. I don't know if that will be a single, but I can just imagine a girl with framed pictures of past boyfriends, and kind of going 'Oh god, when am I going to get this right'' When she listens back to Golden, Kylie can vividly hear the Nashville in it. It is, she'll agree, probably the first time that a Kylie album has sounded like the place it was made. You wouldn't normally relate my songs to the cities. Can't Get You Out Of My Head sounds more like Outer Space than London. But Shelby '68, for example, was written in London but it was done with Nashville in mind. It's about my Dad's car, and my brother recorded Dad driving it! I don't think I'd have written a number of the songs, including Shelby '68 and Radio On without having had that Nashville experience.'

The latter, she says, is about music being the one to save you.' Throwing herself into the making of the record, she says, crystallised that idea. If there's one love that will always be there for you, it's music. Well, it is for me, anyway.' That song, in particular, carries nostalgic echoes of the golden age of Country, as heard through Medium Wave transistors and tinny home stereos in the distant past. Like any child of the Seventies, Kylie had a basic grounding in Country music, mainly absorbed from older family members. My Step-Grandfather was born in Kentucky and though he lived most of his adult life in Australia, he never stopped listening to his beloved Country artists.' If there's any classic Country singer whose imprint can be heard on Golden, it's Dolly Parton.

Kylie saw Dolly live for the first time at the end of 2016, at the Hollywood Bowl. It was like seeing the light,' she beams. It was incredible. Everyone, whether they know it or not, is a Dolly Parton fan. When I was in Nashville, I did pick up a T-shirt that said 'What Would Dolly Do' Maybe that should be my mantra.' And, whether consciously or otherwise, there's a timbre and trill to Kylie's vocals on Radio On that is distinctly Parton-esque. My delivery is quite different on this album,' she says. A lot of things are 'sung' less. The first time I did that was with Where The Wild Roses Grow. On the day I met Nick Cave, when I recorded my vocals, he said 'Just sing it less. Talk it through, tell the story.' This album wasn't quite to that extreme, but a lot of the songs were done in fewer takes, to just capture the moment and keep imperfections that add to the song. I remember on my last album, a lot of producers were trying to take out literally every vibrato they heard. And that's not natural to my voice. I mean, I can make myself sound like a robot, but it's nice to sound like a human!' Working within the Country genre also gave Kylie permission to write in the Nashville vernacular. Because we were going there, I wasn't afraid to have lines like 'When he's fallen off the wagon we'd still dance to our favourite slow song', 'Ten sheets to the wind, I was all confused', 'I'll take the ride if it's your rodeo'. The challenge of bringing a Country element to the album made the process feel very fresh to me, kind of like starting over. I started to look at writing a different way, singing a different way.'

If ever Kylie lost confidence in the Country-Pop concept, and found herself pondering This is great, but back in the real world - my real world - how will this work', Jamie Nelson was there to badger her into sticking to the path. We found a way to make it a hybrid with what we'll call my 'usual' sound. It had to stay 'pop' enough to stay authentic to me, but country enough to be a new sound for this album. The closer we zoomed in, and the more we honed it, I knew Jamie was right. We sacrificed good songs that weren't right for this album, because we wanted it to be as cohesive as possible. The songs that were hitting the mark were these ones, so we decided to be strong, and that's how we wrapped up the album. What he said, that stuck with me, was that 'I'd hate to get to the end of this and really wish we'd gone for it.'' Having worked with Kylie for so long, Nelson was able to put this latest shift of direction into perspective. He said 'You've traditionally done it throughout your career. You had your PWL time, then you did a complete turn when you went to deConstruction, then another complete turn with Spinning Around, and R&B dance-pop, and then another turn with Can't Get You Out Of My Head, icy synth-pop, and this is another one.' He was right. It felt like the right time to have a change sonically. New label, new stories to tell, and a new decade almost upon me.'

Kylie Minogue will, it's scarcely believable, turn 50 this year. This looming milestone is partly behind the album's title, and title track. I had this line that I wanted to use: 'We're not young, we're not old, we're golden' because I'm asked so often about being my age in this industry. This year, I'll be 50. And I get it, I get the interest, but I don't know how to answer it. And that line, for my personal satisfaction, says it as succinctly as possible. We can't be anyone else, we can't be younger or older than we are, we can only be ourselves. We're golden. And the album title, Golden, reflects all of this. I liked the idea of everyone being golden, shining in their own way. The sun shines in daylight, the moon shines in darkness. Wherever we are in life, we are still golden.' One of the album's shiniest moments is Raining Glitter, an exuberant banger which ventures closest to Kylie's traditional dance-pop comfort zone. Eg White, who is one of the producers and writers and a great character, was talking about disco one day. I said 'I love disco, but you know the brief.' We needed to be going down the Country lane, so to speak. But we managed to bring them both together. When I wrote it, I was thinking about the Jacksons video for Can You Feel It where they're sprinkling glitter over everyone. And I think there's a Donna Summer record that's got that feel to it. I think that's my job: I basically leave a trail of glitter after every show I do anyway.'

Kylie is looking forward to the challenge of incorporating the Golden material into her live shows. Mixing these songs in with my existing catalogue is going to be fun. And it could be fun to do some of those songs with just a guitar. It'll make my acoustic set interesting...'Her incredibly loyal fans - to whom one Golden song, Sincerely Yours, is intended as a love letter' - will, she believes, have no problem with her latest stylistic shift. My audience have been with me on the journey, so I shouldn't be afraid that they won't come with me on this part. I've had fun with it, and I'm sure they will too.'

The time spent making Golden has, Kylie says, been a time of creative and personal renewal. I've met some amazing people, truly inspiring writers and musicians. My passion for music has never gone away, but it's got bigger and stronger.' And if there's an overriding theme to the record, it is one of acceptance. We're all human and it's OK to make mistakes, get it wrong, to want to run, to want to belong, to love, to dream. To be ourselves.'

I was able to both lose and find myself whilst making this album.'

ALEX is a dark, haunting and brooding synthwave record that sets the night on fire, taking you from darkness all the way to the shining lights of Broadway. With hints of cyberpunk, outrun and other 80's inspired retrowave influences, ALEX has developed a true signature sound that is funky, groovy and totally rocking. X takes you on a futuristic, electronic music trip that's filled with nostalgia and suspense. Artist bio: Originating from Edinburgh Scotland, ALEX is a Scottish born electronic music producer, composer and DJ. After spreading his sound to every channel and label possible, ALEX broke through in the most significant way possible. If you get the attention of Playmaker and NewRetroWave in the Synthwave scene, you're doing something right, and ALEX's unique approach to composition and production led to his debut release with NRW, the 'Blood Club' EP. And things haven't slowed for the young producer, with two more EP's and an album since his debut, each showing another side to the artist. After the release of his Drive inspired EP 'Youth', fans of the powerful vocal tracks 'Rebel of the Night' and 'Youth' can get excited for the pair of major budget music videos ALEX has in store, with filming having taken place in Russia and New York City. ALEX grew up listening to the likes of Daft Punk, Justice, Underworld, Chromatics, Deadmau5, absorbing the sounds of Disco, House, Hip-Hop, and Rock, cherry picking his favourite elements to blend into the new retro haze of his own material. He also cites film composers, such as Disasterpiece, John Carpenter, Vangelis, Johan Johansson, and John Williams.

Alien Ensemble's trombone man Mathias Goetz caused quite a splash when he released his eponymous debut LP under his Le Millipede moniker back in 2015: The multi-instrumentalist's initial offering was clearly something else, impossible to grasp, a musical vessel beyond genre, beyond style or era, seemingly beyond space and time even, a vessel that carried an almost cosmic kind of song-craft - music with no fixed stamp of origin, though it did somehow feel like an Alien Transistor release. Followed by remix album Mirror Mirror, which comprised reworks by 1115, Protein, LeRoy, Olaf Opal, and Saroos, to name a few, it's now time for album #2: The Sun Has No Money.Let's face it: There's nothing as majestic as the sun. At least not in our world. If it runs out of juice one day, it's game over: The End. Light's out. For everyone. At that point, it wouldn't even matter if you're rich or poor. We're all equal under the sun. Same level. And yeah, this might not be major news, but then again... we're talking about the sun. The sun! Guess it's about time to acknowledge its power and superiority, right In fact, you can feel it on your bicycle: pedaling at night, when it's on duty in other hemispheres, and you're working hard at the dynamo, sweating, you can actually feel how powerful it is. In the end you get off the bike all recharged, a tune on your lips - and somehow feeling like a miniature version of the sun yourself. And whenever you feel like that, that's exactly the right moment to grab a melodica and get to work.Following an initial warm-up round sans electricity, this new album soon begins to glow: Mathias Goetz aka Le Millipede doesn't need pedals, he boosts circulation by single-handedly* playing tons and tons of different instruments - it actually feels like thousands, easily. And thus begins a show that has countless levels to it: There are various sonic illusions... and yet Le Millipede doesn't hide anything: He's also willing to show the inner workings, the actual recording process and everything else. In short: he goes meta. Makes songs about making songs. That's right: why not use all these beautiful means to address the issue of money It's not the sun that casts shadows, all it does is recharge, fuel: growth & thriving, that's the sun's area of responsibility. And yet there came a man whose plan was simple: steal the fruit from your garden, only to sell it right back to you, for money. We can hear the sea gulls crying in the distance, as somebody is throwing breadcrumbs up into the wind that carries their voices...It's not the sun that casts shadows - all it does is radiate light. And yet there came a time when someone blocked those rays of light. Now if you're some kind of Diogenes, you'll simply say, Move at least a little out of the sun.' But if you're a teacher, you'll maybe light up your pipe and use that to lighten up. What matters is that the percussion parts, in this case, resemble some serious musique concréte. The sun doesn't know shadows - all it knows, is itself. And yet somebody entered the picture and built an entire city. A city full of streets, so that houses can cast shadows into these avenues. Plus, there's music in the streets, music originally written inside the walls of said houses.One of those streets is known as the Tin Pan Alley: a place that got its name from a music writer who compared the sound of so many pianos to the banging of tin pans. That sound: that's one side of the road that is this album. Some of these melodies appear to be shadows of earlier tunes, dating back to, say, 1898 or even before that, melodies that were first registered in the Tin Pan Alley publishers' offices back in 1912 or 1917. We actually get to see this Alley at that point in time. We see the ropes, the workings. How things come together, the actual act of creation. Suddenly, we can hear the shadows!
Okay, so one side of this street is America. The US of A. The opposite side: Russia. And smack dab in the middle: Europe. A pothole in the center. All the back-and-forth that occurs between these two poles ultimately depends on the movement of the sun. Night and day, taking turns, commuting in and out of sight. We get to meet Prokofiew's and Scriabin's ghost, among other spirits, reframed and published by Le Millipede's own imaginary label imprint on the historic Tin Pan Alley. Indeed there are moments on this album when Le Millipede seems to be playing Scriabin's clavier a` lumie`res (tastiera per luce), when his performance seems to be based on synesthesia, a wild cross-pollination of colors and sounds. In case you didn't know this: In the States, Prokofiew goes by the name Brian Wilson, and Scriabin's also known as Sun Ra - yet another guy who's usually broke, but gets to spend a lot of time out in the sun. Together, these assorted protagonists ask the people of the Antilles for Mutabor dance-tokens and send postcards to Moondog in Germany, right back into the darkness. On the postcards you can see people dancing the Biguine...Firing foreign fossil fuels from all pipes (Brennelementsteuer!), Le Millipede controls the very center of this hustle and bustle: going as far as to employ some southern Chopped & Screwed styles, he's 100% current and zeitgeisty! Houston, we've got a problem: there's some kind of myriapod, centi- or millipede on the loose! Well, give me another sip of lean, sizzurp, dirty Sprite, and on goes the journey in the Pullman coach. Let's follow the sun! Keep on moving, keep things motorik! Here comes the Trans-Eureka-Express. Cherish the backpacking days! A piercing rhapsody of sound (bohrende Rhapsodie), we'll remember them fondly! And thus things move on, the sun, the days, the earth: rise, set, action, round and round... onwards eternally. The sun: the biggest loop known to mankind. As if it was some kind of sonic Rube Goldberg contraption, time seems to be stretching out while listening to that hmmm. After all: time is a lot (a lot!) more than just money. And yeah, the sun is the real big shot on (or rather: above) Planet Earth. Le Millipede's live line-up also includes Markus & Micha Acher (The Notwist etc.), Nico Sierig (Joasihno), and Manuela Rzytki (G. Rag & die Landlergschwister, Kamerakino etc.).
*sole exception: Evi Keglmaier (Zwirbeldirn, Hochzeitskapelle) plays the viola. Words/sun worship: Pico Be

Slow Glass is not only the debut release by Le Frère it is also a very personal diary of the last two years of his life. All four tracks are based on recordings, samples and ideas he collected while travelling the world. With the concept of 'Slow Glass' in mind Le Frère tried to catch moments of his life without stripping them of their dynamic and evanescence.

The EP starts with lots of positive energy and light but already reveals glimpses of the shadows that slowly emerge throughout the following tracks. 'Nice' is a lightly humming version of an (almost) innocent summer morning. It's a collage of field-recordings, synth-pads and manipulated guitar sounds. 'Candid' is a light and open dialog between a simple guitar theme and a playful synth-arpeggio. 'V1b1n'' creates the dense atmosphere of a rainy Caribbean afternoon dominated by field recordings and everyday noises. 'Nttt8'sets a counter point to the previous three tracks as the energy of Le Frère's travels cumulates in 'Nttt8', making it a more dance-floor oriented piece carried by a dark and heavy bass-line and almost rave-sirens.

Experimental Spanish composer and multi-instrumentalist Pepo Gala´n makes his vinyl debut with an exquisite record of carefully orchestrated ambient pieces.
Conceived as a fierce response to the gradual decay of our society, "Human Values Disappear" takes us on a trip to the darkest corners of a dysfunctional world, painting a broken landscape with deeply arresting and meditative drones.
Composed initially on a vintage Casiotone, the album was further enriched with lush and spacious arrangements, giving the songs a newfound intensity. In this effort, Pepo Gala´n surrounded himself with talented artists Lee Yi and David Cordero, each of whom bring their unique approach to composition into play. The result is an eclectic, yet deeply cohesive palette of sounds that flow seamlessly into each other, creating a moody ambiance that permeates everything.
Despite the bleak tones and subject matter, Pepo Gala´n is able to strike a balance between darkness and hope, allowing glimpses of light ("Half Moon", "Old Testament") to filter through the sheer sonic intensity of the fiercest tracks ("We Are All Welcome Here", "Almost Alone in this Life"). This transition is better exemplified on the album's centerpiece "Sacred Autumn", a collaboration with David Cordero that starts off with an elegant string section, gradually building into a guitar feedback climax that slowly fades off, paving the way for an epic closing number.
By the time we hear the last sounds of "Few Dollar More", the emotional impact of the record is undeniable. "Human Values Disappear" is indeed one of the most sincere, enigmatic and life- affirming records that Pepo Gala´n has ever produced.

Art pop meets Mongolian throat singing, Blade Runner meets Walter Carlos (Clockwork Orange), Tom Dissevelt and Kid Baltan (Bowie's favourite band) meet Tame Impala.

The fifth album from Marsmobil has been hailed by many as their best yet. With closer ties to Minx' (2006) than the last two albums, Fairytales Of The Supersurvivor' returns to Marsmobil's signature strength of wondrously brilliant songs ( And The Fishes In The Ocean', Shadows Of The Inner Light') that blend off-the-wall cinemascope sounds with dazzling beats and punchy, powerful hooks to create uniquely distinctive art pop anthems.
As always with Marsmobil, Roberto Di Gioia writes, plays, sings and programs everything himself. Here, as on Minx', he's brought in support from a fabulous singer - the very wonderful Amber Lin, who contributes vocals on four songs. All the cover illustrations are also by Di Gioia.

Multi-instrumentalist Roberto Di Gioia needs little introduction. The curious can explore his biography, discography and extensive lists of projects and collaborations as musician and songwriter (see below) for an impression of the hugely diverse achievements of this multi-talent and brilliant musician.
As a topical heads-up, Roberto Di Gioia is also the founder of the German jazz supergroup Web Web and released the album Oracle' in September 2017. The second Web Web album will follow in early 2018, hard on the heels of the fifth Marsmobil release. Di Gioia also wrote and produced Teufelswerk' for DJ Hell and contributed virtually all the songs on Hell's latest album, Zukunftsmusik'.

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


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


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


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


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

OMEN Recordings is off running to the industrial techno races againand this third release has already been gaining traction around the globe with high anticipation and support from many respected producers and DJs alike. The Puppetskin EP written and produced by German and French artists RENDERED with remixes by American producers BLACK ASTEROID and AXKAN is off to a great start. RENDERED starts off strong with the title track Puppetskin" (A1), with strong breakbeat kicks, thrashing snares and rich synth lines that are melodic and spacey. The dancefloor will surely love the Charles Manson samples. Nightmoves' (A2) also heads the pack with shuffling kicks while rich, minor-tuned pads take you on a persistent journey. About half way through, you will be moved by a 4/4 pattern that sneaks in and will be a favorite for the dancers. BLACK ASTEROID's remix of Puppetskin' (B2) does not disappoint as signature Black Asteroid textures and rhythms come alive in this rendition. Although it has rounded, full soundscapes that sound perfect for a large venue, its pumping, hypnotizing bass lines and screeching sirens keep you pulled into the darkness. AXKAN stays in the pack with his earthshattering remix of Puppetskin' (B1) by starting slow with a profound intro to then push the audio boundaries with his powerful kick and bassline, to gain more and more strength with vocal samples, distorted drums and FX. AXKAN uses every stem of the original in such a creative way to help win the race. This EP, soon to be available on vinyl and digital formats, exceeds the expectations of sound design and techno together. No matter what time of night it is, these tracks can be played in a versatile way. While still employing darker textures, a breath of light creeps its way in. Listening to this EP start to finish is definitely worthwhile.

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

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

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

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

Kalakuta Soul Records joins forces with waf80music to proudly present Kai Niggemann's solo debut, an all original album of outrageous poetically abstract music created live and without overdubs on a Buchla 200e Electric Music Box, one of the rarest and most sought after electronic music instruments. Working on the platform since 2013, Kai Niggemann has become one of Germany's leading artists who perform live with a Buchla 200e. His style is an electro-acoustic storytelling, a clubby dreamscape and a poetically-abstract kraut-infused energetic mix of new Elektronische Musik with contemporary club culture. Nerds love the technology and clubbers love the throbbing drive of the basslines. It's all improvised and recorded live in Berlin — yet it sounds meticulously crafted in a dark basement studio throughout the entire last winters. Kai is a member of the 30-piece kraut-noise-jazz collective "The Dorf" and the electronics duo "The Last Books" (with Achim Zepezauer), performs and records with Mia Zabelka (Vienna) as "Redshift Orchestra", cofounded the internet-computermusic "European Bridges Ensemble" (EBE, e-b-e.eu) and the electroacoustic duo "Resonator". His most recent releases were the CD/vinyl "Lux" (feat. the noise drone artist N), "EviL/EvyL" and the cassette "Made in Österreich" with The Dorf (feat. Caspar Brötzmann & FM Einheit (Ex-Einstürzende Neubauten) or "Thinking Light" by Redshift Orchestra (duo with Mia Zabelka). He performed concerts with Mia Zabelka (Wien), Yoshio Machida (JP), Trap & Zoid (BE), Stian Westerhus or Shahzad Ismaily (with The Dorf) among many others.

The mighty one-man-band with the most notoriously misspelled airport pick-up signs in music history returns to his beloved hometown imprint Musique Risquée with a scorching three-track can of shake-ass. Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts is never one to shy away from fresh contrasts in his works, and we have no exceptions here - all manner of dark-to-light, flacid-to-hard, and identifiable-to-WTF moments, sounds, and vibes abound. Lead-off piece 'Histories Vraies' brilliantly soundtracks the inevitable future moment when a season-premiere costumed viewing party for Game Of Thrones unknowingly gets their punch spiked with moon rocks and teleported right to the middle of Panoramabar at peak time. A2 jam 'Far Is The Field' counterattacks with the next level fusion of Sun Ra Arkestra-esque transmissions wrapped around a Humpty Dance-on-steroids Bassline, twisting and shifting away from the hands on the clock with beautiful ease - 'I am Music..' indeed. Finally, B-side long-burner 'Whatever's Inside' rocks a sultry belly dancer's theme song at an FM and modular synth Bazaar on Uranus, with G & the CD's patented sharp percussion fills ensuring that the resulting melted faces and hearts will still be set in motion by the all-important collective flexing of the Gluteus maximus.

Henrique Oliveira aka HNQO, is the man responsible for this exciting full album release on DOC Records.

HNQO

is one of the fastest rising young stars in the techno, house and indie dance scene in Brazil.
Causing much attention and hype with his recent EP release on DOC Records (Balinese Death - also featured in MAGNUM VOL 1) and having reach the

#1 spot at Hot Creations Top selling single, it is time to introduce his first album "The Old Door", (influenced by Marlin Stimming and Anders Trentemøller, two of his heroes).
A weird string sound marks the opening of "The OId Door".

By mixing old sounds with new ideas, while recording different instruments, the track shows HNQO's life and it features Urzula Amen in the vocals.

"The Death of the Elephant' is a soundtrack to remind us how destructive human kind has been to the nature. Using sounds of Pizzicato Violin, "40s Cartoon' continues to take us to a journey through the artist's imagination.


The album is filled with the Henrique life moments during the year it took to produce the album.

For an example in "Egyptian Lover" HNQO describes how nice it would have been to have a lover flying overnight.

On this track Russian singer Cotry interprets the lyrics.

"Fallen Angel" is a dramatic piece telling a story still about flying.

"If" is another collaboration with the amazing Urzula Amen.


As we get closer to the end, when its finally time, 'Light a Cigarette' reaches a melancholic state where all melodies were recorded with eyes shut and in complete darkness.

A spiritual moment that became Henrique's favourite track of this project.

The scratch of a match, the flame and then a foggy synth that releases all the feelings in sound waves.
The album cover was inspired on a door.

A door that HNQO was able to enter by playing certain keys on his synths, percussions and strings that allowed him to reach a organic level while making it all a bit more human in terms of groove construction.
A poem from Rai Knight was perfect fit to give the density for the digital bonus track.
To get a better feel of what this album has to say, HNQO invites you to open 'The Old Door"

Orbis X is a sublabel of Orbis Records and will be mainly focusing on softer yet often usable as DJ material for the broader mass interested in Electronic music. This sublabel is an extension of Orbis Records softer, more melodical and experimental side.

Music will be ranging from house, dub, chicago over melodic acid and even breaks. Not any track makes it to this sublabel if it can't stand on its own and stand the test of time! We warmly welcome the Dutch duo Dennis Pors & Stephan de Bruijn to OrbisX. New fresh talent, ready to conquer the world. We feel obliged to support these
fine gentlemen to get their music spread across the globe. Dennis & Stephan know each other through their musical perspectives.
They share a similar taste for music, Detroit techno. Before they worked together, Dennis experimented with deep house through digital synths and learned the ins and outs of programming music in Logic.
Stephan was well known with the detroit techno scene. His passion goes out to well balanced electronic music with hypnotizing emotional feeling to it. Add a layer of atmospheric grooves on top of that and you have the perfect blend to potential timeless music.
Soon enough they made the switch to analog gear to be able to create a cleaner and better sound. After three years of hard work, they have reached the sound they were looking for. And this is it!
Their debut on vinyl. D&S servers a full EP called Thoughts EP. A great cocktail of dreamy and diverse electronic tunes. This EP fits well in the back of any DJ bag to warm up the place or fix the atmosphere on roof-top bar in NYC. Smooth cruising, roof down car music or background music on a spring night with a summery breeze This EP is amazing and works best on a big sounds systems and major festivals! Childs play , what s in a name. Nothing like that melody. Creating a generously opening atmosphere, but actually brilliantly mixed creating the perception of simplicity. Groovy, acid touches and funky. Can t keep still when being played. A-track for sure! Thoughts might have a dark feel to it but evolves in a very uplifting track in just a few moments, making
it very bright and fun to play. Shed light to the place, should have been a great title as well, but thoughts is the best name for this track. The story in this track is definitely there to be told and listened to. Edge Of Insanity kicks of the B-side. Goosebumps, as from the start. Building up slowly to a very melodic and yet simply track, it s the perfect translation for a sunrise at the beach. Potential
Ibiza hit if you ask us. Submission is a track straight out of a movie. Clever, nice build up, dreamy, spacey and above all so amazingly subtle. This is what falling in love should sound like. We re humble. We re amazed. We re honoured to host D&S. We hope this duo gets the attention

The return of Brain Machine, with their Peaks album, was one of the highlights of last year for Emotional Response. Juan Tripp (aka Jon Tye of Seahawks), Guido Zen (Vactrol Park) and Kyle Martin's (Spectral Empire/Land Of Light/Vactrol Park) acclaimed kosmiche opus is followed up with 2 remix EPs featuring some of the best proponents, peers and friends of deep electronic music.
Remixes One is given over to a quartet of trusted hands including man of the moment, Tolouse Low Trax, ambient visionary Gigi Masin, afro-techno-dub specialist Harmonious Thelonious and stalwarts Ronny & Renzo.First Detlef Weinrich shows his mastery of a unique percussive sound that has seen his identity become as respected outside of his native Dusseldorf as he is in it for his role as one of the founders and curator of Salon des Amateurs. A brooding, propulsive culmination, the original's haunting ambience is retained for a subtle, driving rework that hits the mark.
Surprise of the EP is Gigi Masin's remix of Crystal Clouds. Eschewing the original's celestial soundscapes, scattered percussion interplays with sub-bass to change the context, giving a rhythmic dimension while retaining the shimmering guitar and arpeggio infused cohesion.Starting the B-side is another Dusseldorf elder statesman, in the afro-visions of Harmonious Thelonious. Solo, as well as one third of The Durian Brothers, Stefan Schwander, has carved a distinct sound. Chrematistic percussion is matched with an atmospheric, dub-techno feel that perfectly fits the EP. Play loud for full understanding.
Finally, Remixes One concludes with the return of Ronny & Renzo. Long time associates of Brain Machine, their 10 minutes plus remix takes the glacial original's ambience to a darker plain, fusing rhythmic pulses with alluding acid intent.

The sub label of Sonic Groove, 'Sonic Groove Experiments', returns after a 4 year hiatus with a stellar re-release of the Electrowave classic 'Eruption' by Beta Evers. Originally released as a Limited Edition 12' back in 2005 on Beta's own Kommando 6 label. Now in 2017 the original pressing goes for quite a fortune on the record collecting market. Often exceeding €60 for a mint copy. For the first time in a dozen years this release is available on vinyl in its original running order but with very sleak new artwork for the normal asking price of a new store bought 12'.

Beta Evers is Brigitte Enzler from Augsburg, Germany. An artist with a substantial amount of accomplished work to her credit including an early release on the storied Hague label, Cre`me and her side project Black Spider Clan. After ceasing Kommando 6 operations, Beta Evers continues on independently releasing music on her other labels Bodyvolt and Venus Noir. Her most recent release is the 2016 awesome 'Delusion' album on legendary Industrial/EBM pioneer Dirk Ivens prestigious Daft imprint.

The opening track's title serves as a warning, titled 'Don't Be Afraid', a cold introduction led by sinister synth lines soliciting our attention to expertly crafted true analog electronic percussion in the EBM/Dark Electro disciplines. Surreal, deep and seductive vocals lie in the wake at the center of the composition giving us a melancholic piece worthy of deep contemplation during listening on or off the dance floor.

The following track 'Move In My Body Rhythm' continues in the same sinister and dark aesthetic in a more driving manner, this track continues to bring forth energy with a precise beat and rhythm accompanied by acidic synth modulations.

Side B continues to hold the heavy weight of this extended player with the track 'Eruptive' This reference track to the title of the EP. is an electronic/vocal robotic analog circuit breaker suitable for dawn light on the floor. Traditional arsenal of classic analog sounds are arranged and rearranged with sonic manipulation at the test. Mutant dance music for cosmic venues.

The closing track, 'Destination Lost' is comprised of lyrics of urban angst and disturbance whispered out through sultry vocals. Dark minimalist and cinematic cyberpunk breaks reinforced by low drone synth waves and crystals of lysergic analog bleeps drifting along the perimeter. Dead serious wave infected electronics.

This sonic document also serves as a good example of a roots approach to creating music whilst at the same time giving us something entirely innovative. This is as futuristic as it is timeless and that reflects the elements of a masterpiece.

Emotional Rescue starts its 5th year by shining a light on one of Europe's best underground 80s' label in Spain's Auxilio De Ciento. Their Terra Incognita Volumes I and II collated an international mix of synth-pop, new wave, world and industrial sounds to a small but appreciative following. Released in 1985 and 1986, the Volumes have become highly regarded and rightly sought after, finding a place in discerning playlists from London to Amsterdam and Dusseldorf to Glasgow. Here, taking a premise of avoiding the songs unearthed on other recent reissues, is a unique album itself. Starting with Denis Mpunga & Paul K's esoteric Criola, a fusion of fourth world ideals and poly-rhythmic funk. The music of Mal, Bene Gesserit and La Caida De La Casa Usher, however, soon highlight that the decade also belonged to dark, minimal synth as to shiny balearic ideals. The inclusion of Hector Zazou with Bony Biyake and their contribution Komba, is a fitting continuation from their cult Noir Et Blanc LP before, things continue with US avant-artist Danny Alias and his humorous Big Brother "response" to Laurie Anderson's Superman O. Image Pour Image loose indie-pop and the inclusion of seminal Beast Of Burden lead again to a Zazou contribution, this time in his collaborative Stranger In A New Light, before the compilation eclectically ends with the dadaesque Lakota and the post punk dub of Instead Of's closer, Angels .

Horse Follows Darkness is the second record by Delia Gonzalez, her follow up to the album In Remembrance'.

The title is taken from a werewolf genre film her 8 year old son Wolfgang had created. At this time, Wolfgang also turned Delia onto a genre of cinema she had always resisted - the American Western.

Delia explains that what she observed was all relevant - the album is based on our personal experience of moving back to America (from Berlin) and the journey that followed. The record is a manifestation of that, and what one creates for themselves under the given circumstances. Coming back to America, I felt like a foreigner and NYC / America felt like the Wild West. Most Westerns from the 1960s to the present have revisionist themes. Many were made by emerging major filmmakers who saw the Western as an opportunity to expand their criticism of American society and values into
a new genre.'

The narrative of the record is one of re-encountering the frontier mentality that shaped the country but somehow never faded. This time as a foreigner. The genre of the Western remains pertinent, many of the same stories of that brutally deromanticised era are still relevant today. America hasn't changed - the cast, times and settings have, but we still hold onto the same ideal.

Horse Follows Darkness is essentially a modern electronic soundtrack for the Revisionist Western. Even the idea for the record cover is inspired by one of the most well known modern Westerns, Robert Altman's McCabe & Mrs Miller.

The album was recorded with Abe Seiferth at Transmitter Park studios, which Delia likens to going to the finest tailor'. Abe became an integral part of the recording, playing guitar and helping to suggest experimenting with different synthesizers, something Delia was keen to do. Delia refers to Abe as a magical and incredibly intuitive collaborator' regarding the sound of the record.

The music that emerged from these recording sessions combines a range of influences - from the compositions of Erik Satie to 'Salon De Musique', the solo piano record by Su Tissue (of the L.A. punk band Suburban Lawns). The record also took on a much different shape and sound with the introduction of the Sequential Circuits Prophet VS, as well as a vintage Korg Poly synth and the Roland SH-101. The golden era Krautrock recordings of bands like Neu!, Cluster & Harmonia were touchstones as well, the repetition, swirling soundscapes and locked-in rhythm tracks.

The thrid an final installment of archive material, selected by Antinote. A killer suite if you ask us. TIP!
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You can trail away with it. It is easy to enter, but hard to drop out. Tolouse Low Trax just needs an MPC, a small Synthesizer set up and some effects to create subliminal hypnotic music trips, driven by dark synthlines and drunken shuffled patterns. The primitiveness in my music is linked to something simple, and that don't have to be obligatory minimal. For me it is enough to dance rough around the core. Music you don't shape till the end contains of a moment of beauty. A veil of secrecy. I work very simply. I rather reduce my possibilities in ompass. Limitations offer lots of liberties.' He reveals about his work ethic. Even if his music sounds darker then any ever experienced night, he mostly produces it in the morning in his highly inspirational studio home. During the dark times of the day Tolouse Low Trax mostly performs live around the globe. Or hangs out in his second home: the Salon Des Amateurs club bar in Dusseldorf, which he once founded and where he held until today two weekly DJ residencies. The moments and atmospheres he inhales during these lightless moments are mirrored in his shadowy music, about which he also confesses: My art is more a cinematic, literally idea of a large to explore Megacity. This is one of the pictures I would link to my music.' On ' part one he now offers five sounding visions about that Megacity'. They listen to mysterious names like Hidden Flat' or Studies in Drama'. They are nervous. They have ephemeral pieces of dub, Industrial, wave or Italian library music. And at times strangealienated voice samples dance within his highly addictive arrangements. Words can't express their magic. But one thing is fore sure: his hypnotic dance-not-dance tracks do not only illuminate so-called freaks!

De-Bons-en-Pierre is a project from Beau Wanzer & Maoupa Mazzocchetti. Beau Wanzer spends the majority of his days sifting through paraffin embedded animal tissues and reading old issues of Fangoria, occasionally breaking his monotonous routine to record in various fits and bursts. As well as solo material, he is also in numerous projects including Streetwalker, Mutant Beat Dance, Civil Duty, and Corporate Park. He's released on many labels including; Diagonal, L.I.E.S, Cititrax, Nation, Rush Hour, and Light Sounds Dark. Maoupa Mazzocchetti is the pseudonym of Florent Mazzocchetti, a French producer based in Brussels. Florent is strictly devoted to a DIY mentality around music production and his sound revives the electro-industrial aesthetic of the late 70s and early 80s. He's released notable productions on labels such as Unknown Precept, PRR! PRR!, Knekelhuis and Mannequin Records.

While Beau was visiting Brussels he stopped by Maoupa's house to jam for a bit. All songs were recorded on April 4, 2016 between 11:00am and 11:00pm, as single live takes.'Crepes' is a 6-track EP, titled so because they ate crepes the majority of the session. Beau says, "There was a bit of a language barrier. We'd mostly just laugh and nod when something sounded cool to us." The equipment set up included a Roland TR-808, TR-606, SH-101, CR-78, CR-8000, two Syncussions and effects. Over 23 minutes of garbles, sludgy synths and leviathan rhythms. Surfing the slippery slope between industrial and electro, but never quite falling in, just a dip of your pinky toe to to test the temperature.

All songs are mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Housed in a sewage green/blue jacket featuring a crepe-masked duo reminiscent of pulpy VHS covers. Designed by Eloise Leigh and Florent Mazzocchetti. Each copy includes a 2-sided postcard with a photo taken during the recording session.

The Micronaut creates the soundtrack for those moments when the screeching of the subway and the steps on the wet pavement have echoed away into the dark city sky. Those moments when the ghosts of fumes and stop lights haunt the empty streets, when behind glowing windows dreams and urban exit strategies get ready for bed. When everybody is close to each other, but everyone is on his own. When the city comes to a standstill, but the wheels inside the heads of its inhabitants keep spinning. Stefan Streck discovers the musical equivalent for this epic atmosphere somewhere between Bass Music, Electronica and Pop. The cinematic soundscapes of his nocturnal City Blues have a somewhat tragic vibe, which is very noticeable both during the impulsive, passionate live shows of The Micronaut and on 'Forms', his third studio album on Acker Records, distributed through Kompakt. Between moments of deep melancholy and sudden eruptions of blissful euphoria he creates a feverish state of tension.

Originally released in 2009, 'See Mystery Lights' sees YACHT expand their musical palette; from the the quirky B-52's esque pop of The Afterlife, the LCD Soundsystem inspired krautrock of Summer Song to the infectious 'Psychic City'

Newly established Berlin-based vinyl-only label Dreiklang dive straight into the physical world with First Contact. The label's distinctive triangular concept is reflected in its name with Dreiklang pursuing a three-fold approach to electronic music. Each release presents three contrasting takes on the same source material, juxtaposing and unifying three particular electronic music sub-currents. For their first outing, Dreiklang call upon an international team of producers with OCH, Hydergine and Kelovolt dropping in for their respective shots of tech-house, dub techno, and dark drone techno. The tight three-tracker will see the light of day on a 500 limited edition run of 180gr high-quality wax with the beautiful hand-drawn designs of Berlin artist Nils Altland gracing each sleeve, transforming the covers into individual works of arts. First up on Dreiklang001 is Londoner OCH (Autoreply / Stuga Musik), who takes a simple keyboard line into menacing territory, steering the dancefloor towards the grittier ends of tech-house. A funky bassline leads the way as distant synths exhale in glossy metalic fashion and the road is adequately paved for the reinterpretations that follow. Second up, comes Hydergine. The Italian producer lives up to his brain enhancement drug name by dropping a smart dub-techno rework where mind-numbing kicks bring the listener on an atmospheric joyride through the deeper ends of narcosis. Kelovolt complete the triangle with an immersive remix where drone-heavy soundscapes take center stage for a delicately hypnotic finale. First Contact is out December 16th on Dreiklang.

Manchester based producer Sameed delivers us a very nice EP for the Skylax n°141. After his first weapon "Spend EP" on the swedish label Local Talk, he confirms here his taste for house music with "Ma'Thang". This new release is perfect to bring a dark and sensual amosphere to a warm up set.The first side begins with "Bad You", a perfect mix between a deep bassline, a mysterious background and soulfull vocals. The only element that kept you stuck on the floor is the raw clap. "No one else" is more focused on the beat and the repetition of the funky voice sample through the patterns. By using flanger effects, Sameed gives even more energy to this track, moving away from the keyboard softness. The third one, "Blue", could be the expression of what you hear while dreaming. We find again a mystic musical background but it is added to a very light melody, the sound of the sea and what seems to be whoops of joy."Hustle", the first track of the second side, is definitely darker and more nostalgic. Remebering us some Rick Wade sounds, the melody seems to confuse itself but keeps a clever coherence. The hi-hats manage to provide the sensation of speed and continuity all along the musical trip. "Watching U", is really about rythm and bass : the raw beat and heavy bassline deliver to this title all its identity. The jazzy notes and asexual vocals fit very well with this body oriented track. "Grg-Jam" is certainly the most particular element of this EP. Even if we can find the same kind of melodies as in the other titles, the beat is really different, remembering drum'n bass but in a very soft way. During this imaginative jam session, Sameed alternates the textures of the hats, bringing a frenetic rhythm to the conclusion of Ma'Thang.Sameed proves us that he is definitely a safe bet of the "Madchester" house scene. To be continued.

Following the success of its first release by the ever elusive Jason Grove, the vinyl-only sub-label Skylax Extra Series returns with a little something beyond special. For those house-heads in the know, the man needs no introduction, but for those uninitiated, sit back and prepare for this double 12' selection to further your education in house music.Joey Kay hails from Chicago in the US and has influenced a great many producers in the last two decades with his signature take on the deep house sound. He keeps things simple in the best possible sense of the word, stripping back tracks to their bare essentials in order to maintain what the spirit of house music is all about: the groove, the soul and the feeling of being carefree, even if only experienced for a few minutes at a time. There are no superfluous or ancillary sounds in Joey's music and this is all the more evident when taking a step back and listening to his spectrum of output in this collection, which spans more than twenty years of his career.

The III Rivers juggernaut sets forth once again, release number 4 The Charivari EP, putting Voiceless in the cockpit and leading the charge.

Second Nature sets a dark, sultry and ominous tone as Voiceless deploys a plethora of sounds and moods that resonate with all the tense drama of the label's affiliated club night, Bohemian Grove.
Big laser beam synths dart through a thick pitch black haze while a factory line percussion section hammers on.

Always keeping a foot in the sonic warfare division, we get three locked grooves loaded and ready for battle, funky, electrified technoid wobblers that should fight off most opposition with ease.

Flip the disc and Opt-out opens with a controlled urgency as a barrage of kick drums sets the train in motion. Voiceless layers up rich, untreated piano chords against the backdrop of dark industrial chaos, percussion artefacts career around the mix and various elements are put through an aural meat grinder before the familiar and welcoming piano motif returns like a long lost friend, guiding us through the smoke hand-in-hand. A beautiful juxtaposition of soulful melancholy and cold, glacial machines.

Final track Charivari really hits the accelerator as a tough and mechanical rhythm jolts against blurred, radioactive pads and searing string lines before collapsing into a fractal breakdown introducing mystical, weaving high end leads. An eyes-down fist pumper of the highest order and one that commands excessive smoke & strobe light abuse late, late into the session.

One to close off one of their infamous soirees in style, hoards of mutant dancers leaving the industrial backdrop of the club's venue and crossing paths with the early morning dog walkers and Sunday strollers. Four releases in and we've lost none of the quality control, unique drive and free minded 'true spirit' (to quote Tresor's legendary catchphrase). The label goes from the strength to strength and with it, brings a whole new generation of techno shamans under their wing.

Poker Flat is gearing up to celebrate fifteen years strong, with a series of releases that will assure their standing as one of electronic music's best known and most loved imprints. Poker Flat's unwavering dedication to the finest underground house music has unearthed new talent, developed rising stars and welcomed veterans into the fold, and the first of the label's 15th anniversary compilations brings together four of the brightest leading lights of the scene. With four seminal labels - Raw Elements, Dessous, Traffic Signs and Poker Flat - to his credit, Steve Bug has little to prove, but the tireless artist has never been a slouch on the DJ and production front, as he's proven time and again. Tracks like 'A Shot In The Dark' showcased his musical chops, and tied together elements of classic warehouse sounds, deep and sophisticated production and an uncompromising techy edge. The anniversary reworking of the tracks made for 4 Jacks boasts the remix talents of Taylor, whose sleek approach chops up the old school piano chords of the original for a bumping, more streamlined result. Another smashing new remix features in the form of Boris Dlugosch's 2012 acid-disco-house hit 'Sweet Talk". Here The Organ Grinder crafts a bass-heavy monster with a walloping kick drum and syncopated handclaps that enhance Boris' acid melodies and make it rough and ready for underground tastes. Two brand new productions round out the Jacks package.

New York City, USA, 2014. A community filled with amazing shit and amazingly fucked up shit. This Yin Yang is an ever-present part of life, and it is this contradiction that Isaac Basker seeks to take on with Swishin' & Dishin,' his sophomore release on Play It Say What Records.

On A1, 'Swishin' & Dishin',' Isaac references NYC basketball legend, Walt 'Clyde' Frazier to define the city's Yin. Starting off like a certified banger; a simple 'bleep' blasts the track over a thumping kick and rhythmic percussion, as if attacked by a penetrating crossover dribble. Yet Isaac then drops his trademark melodic chords to turn the track into an authentic deep house groove.


With A2 Plan B Recordings boss DJ Spider provides his latest remix for Isaac, helming 'Swishin' & Dishin' (DJ Spider Mix).' The original is then obliterated into his classic raw, deep sound. Hard kicks, obscure female vocals, hats and snares form the basis of the track as we then get slowed chords to tease us until deeper sounds and syncopated percussion elevate the listeners mood before bringing the track back to the remix's original rawness.


B1, 'Slumlord Billionaires (5Pointz Of Light Mix),' Swishin' & Dishin's most dance floor friendly track, takes on the Yang of the city, using the to be demolished graffiti mecca 5Pointz as a point of reference. Yet, this is an uplifting build up banger of a track emphasizing human resilience in the face of doom. Booming drums start the song off until a single fluttering melodic chord drops. Then syncopated claps, and vocal hits arrive challenging 'the powers that be' to further enhance the song's call for dance floor resistance.



Then there is 'American't.' With B2 Isaac, takes dark analog keys and syncopated techno sensibilities over a simple eerie baseline to further emphasize the Yang. A manipulated vocal later emphasizes this further and another layer of angry, reflective keys drive the operatic finale of this definite New York release.

With his sophomore album Ghost People appearing on 2011's end of the year charts for the likes of Mixmag (#6), Clash Magazine (#9), DJ Magazine (#9), Data Transmission (Album of the Year), Martyn returns to Brainfeeder to release a follow-up 12' this March.

The 12' leads with "Hello Darkness", previously unreleased and exclusive to the release, Martyn shuffles through a rhythmic bassline and feeling of, indeed, darkness from the very first beat. In typical Martyn fashion, the track skips its way through genre conventions, landing in a flux between 2-step, driving techno and old rave (the latter specifically heard in his ethereal and scaling upper melodies). "Hello Darkness" could lend itself to the rawest, grittiest warehouse, yet simultaneously breeds a subtle feeling of elation and release, and keeps the listener guessing with a variety of quirky sound collages.
It also features a remix of "Bauplan", Night Slugs bosses L-Vis 1990 and Bok Bok bringing the most sinister corners of London into their remix, with a heavy grime lean and a pervading feeling of tension. Erratic samples (sounds of a tweeting bird one moment, the cocking of a gun the next) appear in-between a snap beat, metallic stabs and an apocalyptic build-up of percussion and synths. Pulsing in and out of a highly volatile atmosphere, almost as if the track is alive and breathing, this "Bauplan" almost feels like an unrelated beast until Martyn's melody lines start to unfold halfway through the track.
To finish there is an exclusive remix of "We Are You In The Future", a favourite from the Ghost People LP amongst critics and DJs across the board. Techno's notorious man in the red mask - Redshape - steps up to create a deep and dark Detroit interpretation of Martyn's freewheeling, sci-fi-enhanced joyride. Laced with ominous vocal samples ('It may be an accidental side effect of the drug'), the future takes on a slightly more dystopian feel with Redshape's melancholic strings, unpredictable percussion builds and a lingering, creeping reinterpretation of the track's original melodies. A definitive nod to the epic work of Derrick May and Carl Craig, with a hint of Kenny Larkin's intricate builds.
"By the time the imitators catch up, he'll be light years ahead." DJ Mag

'End Of Times' on the A side is a dark futuristic beast of a roller sure to get your blood pumping on and off the dancefloor. On the flip 'Hondonadas' features a more experimental approach maintaining the right balance between dark and light with lush pads and breaks washing in and out of the soundscape. A must for the more concerning drum and bass heads out there.